Crave

Will 3D gaming help the PS3, or is it a gimmick?

(Credit: Kotaku)

Sony has a strategy for upping the quality of its content and providing an incentive for gamers to upgrade their home entertainment systems next year, and it involves the PS3 going 3D.

A presentation to investors yesterday underlined that the PlayStation 3 will be a fully 3D-capable game console by the end of 2010, and that a firmware update would share this upgrade across all existing PS3s. A few demos of PS3 3D gaming have been shown previously, but the news of an across-the-board firmware update is new. Of course, a gamer would still need a 3D-capable Bravia HDTV and glasses, the latter of which haven't been announced yet.

We're curious how the quality will be--Nvidia's 3D game technology, now being embedded into laptops, looks great, but requires a 120Hz monitor for fluid motion. But it's a smart idea, if manufacturers want anyone to adopt 3D tech, to include it as a Trojan horse inside laptops and game consoles. And we hope it works on HDTVs other than specific Bravias. It doesn't sound like the PS3 will double as a 3D Blu-ray player, but we certainly hope that's the case.

Does 3D gaming appeal to you? How about 3D movie-watching? We're certain to hear a lot more 3D news at CES.

(Via Kotaku)

Scott playing Left 4 Dead 2 on the Asus 3D laptop.

(Credit: Dan Ackerman/CNET)

Earlier this week, Asus unveiled a 15-inch laptop with Nvidia's 3D Vision technology built in. The $1,699 Asus G51J 3D has a 120Hz LCD panel, an Intel Core i7 CPU, and a high-end Nvidia GeForce GTX 260M GPU, and comes bundled with a pair of Nvidia's active glasses and the USB-powered IR emitter required to make the glasses work.

We've just had a chance to take the system for a test drive, and came away largely impressed with the results, especially compared with Acer's Aspire 5738DG, a 3D laptop that uses a pair of passive polarized glasses and a special screen coating to create a 3D effect.

That Acer model was unfortunately underpowered for gaming, especially with the added overhead of running its 3D software in the background. The Asus G51J, on the other hand, with a high-end processor and video card, seemed well-suited for mid-to-high-end gaming. Of course, it lacked dual SLI video cards and the 1,366x768 15-inch display is no match for some of the nicer 17-inch 1080p displays we've seen.

The Asus G51J with Nvidia's 3D glasses and IR emitter.

(Credit: Dan Ackerman/CNET)

While playing Left 4 Dead 2, the 3D effects appeared crisp and appealing, and didn't seem to distract from the speed of gameplay or the screen brightness. There appeared to be no real hardware burden in generating the 3D in terms of frame rate or graphics detail, either. On the other hand, the 15-inch screen is a little small as compared to a nice big gaming monitor, and that mitigated the overall immersion of the 3D effects.

The bigger problem is that 3D gaming is still a novelty. It's not actually needed to appreciate any game at this point, and it has an expensive and often clunky set-up for users to navigate through.

Many people haven't even seen 3D of the caliber that Nvidia is currently offering, and so they have no idea how smooth and crisp it is compared to the fuzzy double-vision experience of years past. What's particularly great about Asus' solution is that it's already integrated into a reasonably priced Core i7 gaming laptop, so the set-up and research into compatible hardware components is almost entirely eliminated.

This is an interesting trend to watch for in gaming laptops, and it should be included in more Core i7 laptops aimed at gamers, especially if Nvidia is serious about getting a larger adoption. We expect to see more 3D Vision capable laptops from major PC makers by early next year.

(Credit: Asus)

We're fans of Nvidia's 3D Vision technology, which uses a collection of hardware and software to create 3D versions of PC games. Our main knock against the concept has been that it requires several highly specific hardware purchases to work. In a recent article comparing Nvidia's 3D Vision technology to a new 3D laptop from Acer, we said:

Nvidia's 3D Vision requires a bundle of specialized hardware. At a minimum, the active glasses plus the USB emitter cost $199. But since 120Hz LCD monitors are still not common (and Nvidia only lists two officially compatible models, along with some DLP TVs and projectors), it's practically a requirement to purchase a bundle including the 22-inch Samsung SyncMaster 2233RZ for $598. On top of that, a desktop (not laptop) GPU--generally GeForce 8000 series or newer--is also required.

That's why we're pleased to see that Asus is announcing an all-in-one solution in the form of a new 15.6-inch laptop with Nvidia's 3D Vision technology built in. The $1,699 G51J 3D has a 120Hz LCD panel, an Intel Core i7 CPU, a high-end Nvidia GeForce GTX 260M GPU, and comes bundled with a pair of Nvidia's active glasses and the USB-powered IR emitter required to make the glasses work.

This is still an expensive proposition, and one that requires you to charge up and wear a pair of battery powered 3D glasses--but flipping open a laptop will certainly be easier for most than setting up a separate 120Hz LCD monitor and connecting to your desktop gaming rig via a dual-link DVI connection.

We have yet to put the Asus G51J 3D through its paces, but the components seem well-suited for mid-high-end PC gaming, and the Nvidia 3D Vision technology itself goes from pretty interesting to mind-blowing depending on the game. Acer's Aspire 5738DG, in contrast, uses a different passive 3D technology that was not nearly as impressive, and was hampered by components that were not up to speed for 3D gaming.

The Asus G51J 3D system is available starting Tuesday from online retailers including Amazon and Newegg.

(Credit: Tyme Machines)

May the drive be with you.

Tyme Machines, maker of licensed USB drives, has released its Series 1 3D sculpted Star Wars USB thumb drives. The set, which includes replicas of Darth Vader, Boba Fett, Storm Trooper, and Yoda, comes in 4GB to 16GB capacities that range in price from $29.99 to $59.99.

At 3 inches tall and not exactly svelte, they won't be so easy to plug into a USB port, especially if you're using a laptop. But that's where a USB extension cable comes in handy.

So, are these the right characters to launch with? And what characters would you like to see Tyme Machines include in its next series?

With a burst of renewed interest in 3D technology, Acer seems to be slightly ahead of the curve with its Aspire 5738DG laptop, featuring a special combination of hardware and software to add 3D to games, photos, and videos. Thanks to projects such as James Cameron's Avatar, upcoming 3D TV monitors, and Nvidia's 3D Vision project, consumers are hearing more about 3D than any time since the 1950s.

The $779 Acer Aspire 5738DG takes a different approach than the 3D Vision product from Nvidia. While the Nvidia rig requires a desktop PC with a high-end video card, a dual-link DVI connection to a compatible 120Hz LCD monitor, a USB-connected emitter box, and a set of active, battery-powered glasses, Acer's laptop is mostly software-driven, using a special screen coating and standard polarized-lens glasses to produce the 3D effect.

Like the Nvidia 3D vision setup (previously reviewed here), movies and photos need to be rendered in a 3D format to be used, but virtually any video game will work, as long as it makes use of actual 3D data to generate its characters, settings, and in-game objects.

Acer versus Nvidia: Very different 3D setups
Before we even get to which 3D system works better, it's important to note that they are packaged and sold entirely differently. Nvidia's 3D Vision requires a bundle of specialized hardware. At a minimum, the active glasses plus the USB emitter cost $199. But since 120Hz LCD monitors are still not common (and Nvidia only lists two officially compatible models, along with some DLP TVs and projectors), it's practically a requirement to purchase a bundle including the 22-inch Samsung SyncMaster 2233RZ for $598. On top of that, a desktop (not laptop) GPU--generally GeForce 8000 series or newer--is also required. Basically, you're looking at $600, plus the cost of your desktop PC (although there's a good chance you may already own a compatible PC).

Acer's Aspire 5738DG is a much simpler complete package. For $779, the 3D-ready laptop includes a basic pair of cheap plastic polarized glasses, plus a second pair of completely ridiculous-looking clip-ons for those of us who already wear glasses (the Nividia specs fit easily over even our gigantic glasses). Acer's is a more convenient, and more portable, overall package.

But does it actually work?

We were dubious of the 3D claims made by the Aspire 5738DG, especially after a sneak peek at the technology several months ago. That demo was wholly unimpressive and led us to expect the technology not to work at all. But after taking some time to play around with different screen positions and get used to its quirks, Acer's 3D laptop exceeded our admittedly low expectations.

The system includes several built-in demo videos, and they ranged from middling to mildly effective. Putting on the glasses, you have to tilt the lid back and forth until you find the sweet spot--for us it was about 120-degrees back, and with us sitting about twice as far from the screen as we normally would. The effect works best with objects that recede into the distance, where we could get an excellent level of 3D immersion. Objects that popped out of the screen toward us just got blurry or out of focus, and didn't work at all. It's also important to keep your head still to main just the perfect angle.

The screen also has what appears to have a series of fine lines running horizontally across it, even when you're not using any 3D software. It's a distracting look, and certainly not something you want to put up with during everyday computing.

Since there isn't a 3D section on Netflix or the iTunes video store, playing games in 3D is what the Aspire 5738DG is really for. The process is slightly more involved than launching a game normally, but not by much. Launching the TriDef 3D application from the desktop opens a listing of compatible programs. You can have the system scan for them, or drag and drop the apps yourself (by dragging the desktop launch icon for a game into the TriDef window).

TriDef offers a small number of specially tuned game presets, for titles from Call of Duty 4 to Left 4 Dead, but most games will simply have to use the "generic" preset. We loaded up a few games, and compared the experience with our Nvidia 3D Vision rig, which was hooked up to a Maingear small form factor PC equipped with dual GeForce GTX275 GPUs and an Intel Core i7 CPU.

Keep in mind that by way of comparison, the hardware on the Aspire 5738DG was easily outmatched, with only an ATI Radeon HD 4750 graphics card and a 2.2GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T6600 CPU.

Testing games in 3D
In our first side-by-side test, Batman: Arkham Asylum would barely run--we had to dial the resolution down to 800x600 pixels and turn all the graphics settings to low or off. Running the TriDef 3D software in the background didn't help matters -- pressing ALT-SHIFT-MINUS turns the processing off and on, and the frame rate took a major hit in 3D mode. Unfortunately, the Aspire 5738DG wasn't able to run the game in 3D properly, even with after we downloaded a custom profile for the game from TriDef--the effect popped in and out randomly, making for a very disjointed experience.

By way of comparison, we were able to run the same game at high settings easily on our Nvidia 3D Vision desktop rig, and the 3D effects were excellent, adding context and detail without getting in the way of the game. To be fair, this is a game specifically tuned for 3D Vision, and one of Nvidia's preferred demos showcases for the technology.

Our next test was Call of Duty 4--an older game more suited to mainstream laptop components (we've even played it on an HP Mini 311 Netbook). This was a much better match for the Aspire's hardware, and the game ran reasonably well, with 3D effects that were for the most part impressive. Our only issue was with the laser sight on our gun, which sat uncomfortably in the foreground, forcing us to close one eye when aiming down the sight (which kind of defeats the purpose of 3D gaming). If you dig around the 3D options (by pressing ALT-SHIFT-F1), you can turn the laser sight off, as well as tweak the 3D depth.

With same game using the Nvidia 3D Vision system, we got a crisper, clearer 3D image (although the active shutter Nivida glasses make everything seem dark, and we had to crank up the brightness)--and we didn't have the same troublesome laser sight issue. The Nvidia 3D software's custom settings for this game made everything look right.

Just as were about to give up on the idea of a 3D laptop, a colleague suggested we try Half-Life 2. It turns out that the TriDef software works especially well with games using game developer Valve's 3D engine. Half-Life 2 looked great and ran smoothly, and the effect was a reasonable substitute for Nvidia's more complicated 3D Vision technology.

On the more casual side, Sega's Mini Ninjas worked well, but onscreen text, including the in-game menus, vanished in 3D mode. We've heard anecdotally that World of Warcraft and Left 4 Dead also produce good results.

Which 3D technology is right for me?
We could have easily gone down a list of a dozen games, noting bugs, quirks, and occasional success stories, but the point is that the 3D technology in the Acer Aspire 5738DG clearly isn't the kind of easy to use, widely supported toolset that is going to break through to the mainstream anytime soon. The entire process can be best described as "finicky."

As a mainstream laptop, the Acer Aspire 5738DG is fine 15.6-inch Core 2 Duo workhorse, with middle-of-the-road specs and Acer's typically solid construction. We especially like the wide, flat keyboard and separate number pad--but the fine horizontal lines on the display are a constant distraction.

But if you specifically want to play the handful of games that work really well, and don't mind the not being able to crank up the graphics settings, then this is worth at least a test run; but we strongly suggest an in-person demo first, and checking the TriDef Web site for custom profiles of your favorite games. The Aspire also has the benefit of being an all-in-one solution, with nothing external to buy or configure.

If you're serious about 3D gaming, however, Acer's package can't hold a candle to the Nvidia 3D Vision. Even though that system is expensive, complicated, and has an exacting set of hardware requirements, the effect worked (to varying degrees) with every 3D game we threw at it.

The results ranged from mildly interesting to completely mind-blowing. With some of the games not specifically supported by Nvidia, including the new MMO game Aion, and the racing game Fuel, the 3D effect still worked well, but some objects were out of place, and onscreen text could sit uncomfortably in the foreground.

While the effort required to put together an Nvidia 3D Vision setup is cumbersome, we've heard that some PC makers are working on compatible laptops, which is a development we'd be keenly interested in seeing.

While Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars on the Nintendo DS received critical acclaim across the board, the game didn't necessarily sell as well as it should have. Rockstar Games chose to bring the title over to the PSP, and with it, a complete graphical revamp.

We've had the final version of the game for some time now and here are our thoughts:

(Credit: Rockstar Games)

Jeff:
I wish Rockstar Games would take the viewing angle from Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars and go back and apply it to the first two GTA games on the system; that's how fantastic of a gameplay experience it provides. Chinatown Wars is by far the best GTA game available on the system because it abandons the ground-level viewing angle that was present in the first two games. From here on out, we think every portable GTA title should control like this.... Read more

(Credit: Ubergizmo)

Looks like it's "full steam ahead" for Japanese electronics juggernaut Sony as far as 3D visual technology is concerned. Shortly after announcing the company's interest in such displays during the recent Germany-based IFA trade show and Japan's Ceatec, Sony is back on the tech radar with yet another prototype to wow the world.

This time 'round, the electronics giant is teasing media with a small 3D holographic device ahead of the Digital Content Expo in Tokyo which runs from October 22 to 25. Until then, you can expect a strict embargo on this nifty little gadget, which you may well own in the future, especially when paired with a Sony PSP for 3D gaming.

(Source: Crave Asia via Ubergizmo)

The 3D-ready Acer Aspire 5738DG.

(Credit: pcpro.co.uk)

A handful of bloggers have taken note of the Acer Aspire 5738DG, mentioned on that global PC brand's New Zealand Web site. This 15.6-inch laptop is notable for including a 3D-capable display.

Unlike Nvidia's 3D Vision setup, which requires specially powered glasses, one of a handful of approved 120Hz LCD monitors, and a specific desktop GPU with a dual-link DVI connection, the Acer version is a bit simpler. According to a hands-on report from Pocket-link.com, it utilizes a pair of polarized glassed, a special screen coating, and some custom Acer software apps, called 3D CineReal and TriDef.

These apps will apparently work with specially encoded video and photo files, and also will be able to convert some PC games from 2D to 3D. We've seen the technology in action, very briefly, and while it doesn't come close to the Nvidia version, which requires a lot more specialized hardware, we did see some reasonably decent 3D effects. PCPro.co.uk says, "It works well...(but) you need to have your head positioned carefully to see the 3D effects without ghosting."

We've also been playing around with Nvidia's 3D Vision technology recently, and while cumbersome, under the right circumstances the effect is close to amazing.

The official blurb on acer.co.nz reads as follows:

The Aspire 5738DG is Acer's first 3D notebook. Featuring Intel® Centrino2 Processor technology, up to 4GB memory and 3rd generation Dolby Home Theatre, you are now able to watch 3-D movies in the comfort of your own notebook. From RRP $1999 inc GST.

That works out to a bit under $1,500 in U.S. dollars, and we'll have to wait to see if the Aspire 5738DG is going to turn up stateside anytime soon. Between this, James Cameron's upcoming Avatar film, and Nvidia's 3D Vision, there's an awful lot of interest in 3D media lately. For more on that, check out this roundtable discussion on 3D technology I took part in on CNBC back in August.

NICT's MSens technology: a practical use for 3D.

(Credit: Scott Ard/CNET)

TOKYO--In the exhibition halls of a gadget trade show, the things that normally jump out are the wacky outfits the female booth attendants are forced to wear, the mammoth wall installations of TVs, and long lines for booth swag.

For better or worse, the enduring image of Ceatec 2009 has been the sight of suit-clad men waiting in twisting queues for the chance to don a pair of plastic 3D glasses for a five-minute TV demonstration. There are two reasons for that: because the major TV makers here couldn't miss out on the chance to show their prototype models of this trendy technology, and because there wasn't really much else going on this year.

There isn't yet a final, official count, but this year's show, which started Tuesday and runs through the weekend, so far seems far less crowded than in years past. Attendees could have been kept away by the sluggish economy, or the inclement weather, including a tropical storm that hit Tokyo midweek. Either way, the general vibe at the Makuhari Messe has been much more subdued.

In the past Ceatec has been known as the event where gadgets destined for store shelves showed up en masse, the last stop on the trade show circuit before they're packaged and ready for consumers during the yearly holiday sales period. However, the 2009 edition was shorter on practical products and very low on new stuff.

As at IFA in Berlin last month and at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in January, 3D was the dominant theme. Panasonic showed its very-close-to-being-ready 3D plasma TV here this week--this time, though, on a 50-inch set, a size that's far more practical than the 103-inch behemoth used at expos earlier this year. The 50-inch model, plus some sizes larger than that, will be unveiled along with pricing and shipping information at CES in January 2010. Sony is also readying its first 3D TV for the home, which is set to ship sometime next year, though the company wasn't specific about exactly when.

... Read more