3D Vision Blog

When I saw the announcement of the new 27-inch 3D-capable ViewSonic V3D271 monitor I was quite interested to get more information about it, as it was supposed to be a 3D Vision ready monitor according to the official information released by Viewsonic. This would of course mean another 27-inch 3D Vision 2 and 3D Lightboost capable solution appearing on the market, but unfortunately it has turned out to be just a mistake in the announcement. This I’ve learned after asking ViewSonic for information if the new monitor is actually a passive 3D or an active 3D solution, and the official announcement was then edited to reflect the fact that the monitor is indeed a passive 3D solution. You can still however find a lot of websites that have reported the monitor as being an active 3D one and Nvidia 3D Vision ready as per the initial information contained in the official press release…

So if you see a news or announcement about this monitor containing this:

V3D271 3D monitor: An ideal home entertainment monitor, the V3D271 is an active 3D display that provides stunning 1920 by 1080 Full HD resolution for home and technology enthusiasts. The 27″ display comes with NVIDIA glasses and dual 2-watt stereo speakers with SRS Premium Sound to provide users with both a high-sensory audio and visual experience. The expansive screen gives users even more display space for high-impact 3D multimedia and gaming.

You should read it in the following correct way:

V3D271 3D monitor: An ideal home entertainment monitor, the V3D271 is a polarized 3D display that provides stunning 1920 by 1080 Full HD resolution for home and technology enthusiasts. The 27″ display comes with dual 2-watt stereo speakers with SRS Premium Sound to provide users with both a high-sensory audio and visual experience. The expansive screen gives users even more display space for high-impact 3D multimedia and gaming.

According to ViewSonic the 27-inch V3D271 passive 3D monitor should be available in the second quarter of the year and there is no information about pricing available for now.

- Visit the official product page that doesn’t yer reveal a lot of details about the monitor…

Today Acer has announced in USA the release of their new 27-inch Acer HR274H 3D monitor using passive film-patterned retarder (FPR) technology, but at the same time it also apparently supports what Nvidia’s 3D Vision technology does (according to what Acer has released in the official press release)… falling into a category of products called “Optimized for GeForce”. But there is more, this monitor is equipped only with HDMI 1.4a interface and analogue VGA, there is no Dual-Link DVI. Acer HR274H apparently also features real-time 2D to 3D conversion built in the display, so it is done by dedicated hardware and should work with different inputs.

Acer HR274H 3D monitor specifications:

Panel Size: 27″ (69 cm) Wide Screen 16:9, TN, LED backlight
Native Resolution: 1920×1080 pixels
Pixel Pitch: 0.3114 mm
Brightness(Max): 250 cd/m2
Contrast Ratio (Max.): 100,000,000:1 (dynamic)
Viewing Angles: 170° H / 160° V
Response Time: 2 ms (Gray to Gray)
Video Inputs: 2x HDMI 1.4a, VGA
Power Consumption: 27.50 W On, 1.4W Sleep, 0.6W Off/Standby
Integrated Audio: 2x 2W stereo speakers
Monitor stand: tilt +30°~-30°
Dimension (WxHxD): 25.5″ x 18.5″ x 7.6″ (648.1 x 468.5 x 192 mm)
Weight: 13.2 lbs (6 kg)

It is interesting to not that the user has control over the 3D functionality that allows the activation of 2D-to-3D conversion on demand as well as the option to choose between not only frame packaged 3D input, but also Side by Side and Top/Bottom. And this is something that we did not have with some of the first 3D-capable monitors that came out with HDMI 1.4 interface also supporting stereo 3D.

Acer HR274H comes bundled with a pair of Acer-branded passive 3D glasses. And since it uses HDMI 1.4a interface, the 3D modes you are going to be limited are of course 720p 50/60Hz 3D and 1080p 24Hz 3D as well as 1080i 50/60Hz 3D mode. The new 27-inch Acer HR274H 3D LCD monitor should be available for U.S. customers at leading retailers with an MSRP of $599 USD. The European price of the 27-inch Acer HR274H should be at around 450 Euro and it should soon be available. There is also a smaller 23-inch 3D model with the same features and capabilities – Acer GR235HA, that is an alternative to Acer GR235H, but not the same model. The price of the Acer GR235HA monitor in Europe should be about 240 Euro.

Update: Ok, so it is not exactly official 3D Vision support, but instead Acer has licensed the GeForce 3D software driver from Nvidia in order to get the same game support, features, etc. as 3D Vision-ready active monitors do offer, but in the form of a passive 3D solution.

Although Philips has not been very active in the field of 3D-capable monitors, the company is apparently trying to join that market with the release of the 27-inch Philips 273G3DHSW 3D monitor with active shutter glasses. It is interesting to note that the company is jumping directly to the 27-inch size, but then again this monitor is equipped only with HDMI 1.4 interface, so it could be targeted mostly for 3D multimedia use, not stereo 3D gaming. Of course you would be able to use it with a PC to play games in stereo 3D mode, but you’d be limited at 720p resolution with decent refresh rate due to the specifics of the HDMI specifications.

Philips 273G3DHSW 3D Monitor Specifications:

Panel Size: 27 inch/68.6 cm, 16:9, Full HD, W-LED LCD
SmartResponse: 2ms in 2D mode (Grey to Grey), 5ms (typical)
Maximum Brightness: 300 cd/m²
SmartContrast: 20,000,000:1 (dynamic), 1000:1 (typical)
Viewing angle: 170º (H)/160º (V), @ C/R > 10
Pixel pitch: 0.311 mm
Signal Input: 2x HDMI 1.4, VGA (Analogue)
Power consumption: 24.79 W on mode, <0.5 W off and standby
Product with stand (mm): 642 x 440 x 227 mm
Product with stand (kg): 8.2 kg

Philips is bundling the 273G3DHSW 3D model with DDD’s Tridef 3D software and you’ll also need a compatible ATI/AMD-based video card to use the monitor for playing games with the software on your PC. The monitor is not yet officially supported by Nvidia’s 3DTV Play and since it is a 3D monitor and not a 3D TV it will most likely not be added as an officially supported product. The Philips 273G 3D monitor is expected to be available in Europe in December or January with a price of about 499 Euro, no word yet on US availability and pricing.