HMZ-T2?
Does anyone have one of these? This and my TrackIR might be a better way to go than a 3 screen. Input? John
Does anyone have one of these? This and my TrackIR might be a better way to go than a 3 screen. Input?
John

#1
Posted 01/20/2013 01:24 AM   
Hi John! I have the HMZ-T2 and for me this is by far the most immersive way to enjoy 3D (of course there is hope the Oculus Rift will be even more immersive). First I tried the HMZ and was blown away by the immersion it creates. With the HMZ you really feel like being IN THE GAME and for me that is the best experience you can get with a game.....to get sucked into the gaming world! But being someone who is always looking for the next step (although I couldn't imagine how it could get even better) I was tempted by 3D Vision Surround just because everyone said 3DV-Surround would be the King of the Hill when it comes to 3D-immersion (although I couldn't imagine something being better than the Sony HMZ). So I bought a completely new setup including 3 ASUS VG278H monitors. Now I could enjoy 3D on 3 Full HD 27" monitors but.......was disappointed in the end compared to my HMZ-experience. Although gaming on 3 X 27" in Full HD 3D the Surround-Setup lacked the sheer size of the HMZ-experience and related to that the whole experience lacked the "being in the game"-feeling. I also couldn't get over these monitor bezels which definitely take away from the "being in the game"-feeling. In the end I sent all those 3 monitors back and happily returned to my HMZ (now definitely knowing that this one is the real king when it comes to 3D immersion). Finally let me tell you that you need to use the well-known depth-hack to get the best 3D-depth-experience with the HMZ. Also take some time for optimizing convergence in every game. The results will blow you away!
Hi John! I have the HMZ-T2 and for me this is by far the most immersive way to enjoy 3D (of course there is hope the Oculus Rift will be even more immersive). First I tried the HMZ and was blown away by the immersion it creates. With the HMZ you really feel like being IN THE GAME and for me that is the best experience you can get with a game.....to get sucked into the gaming world!

But being someone who is always looking for the next step (although I couldn't imagine how it could get even better) I was tempted by 3D Vision Surround just because everyone said 3DV-Surround would be the King of the Hill when it comes to 3D-immersion (although I couldn't imagine something being better than the Sony HMZ). So I bought a completely new setup including 3 ASUS VG278H monitors. Now I could enjoy 3D on 3 Full HD 27" monitors but.......was disappointed in the end compared to my HMZ-experience.

Although gaming on 3 X 27" in Full HD 3D the Surround-Setup lacked the sheer size of the HMZ-experience and related to that the whole experience lacked the "being in the game"-feeling. I also couldn't get over these monitor bezels which definitely take away from the "being in the game"-feeling.

In the end I sent all those 3 monitors back and happily returned to my HMZ (now definitely knowing that this one is the real king when it comes to 3D immersion).

Finally let me tell you that you need to use the well-known depth-hack to get the best 3D-depth-experience with the HMZ. Also take some time for optimizing convergence in every game.

The results will blow you away!

#2
Posted 01/20/2013 02:00 PM   
Thank you Lohan. Everyone talked about how cool the HMZ-T2 is but there are no comparative reviews to be found. I'm sure your review would be well recieved over at mtbs3d.com Thank you again. John BTW Where did you buy yours? I can't seem to find a US outlet.
Thank you Lohan. Everyone talked about how cool the HMZ-T2 is but there are no comparative reviews to be found. I'm sure your review would be well recieved over at mtbs3d.com
Thank you again.
John
BTW Where did you buy yours? I can't seem to find a US outlet.

#3
Posted 01/20/2013 02:21 PM   
The immersion experience changes based on the size. My problem with the hmz t1 was that it was not immersive. THat didnt change with the t2 because the FOV was the same I thought. I dont have one, so I am guessing there. I got more immersion with the other 2 3d things I have which was a 55 inch samsung d8000 and at a viewsonic pjd6553w projector. The reason for me was because I could put myself where I wanted to sit relative to the screen. When you have a big screen, you can get even closer. I also have the asus 27inch 3d display and it being smaller, you get less immersion. When you sit in front of the 55 inch, you tend to sit closer and it really feels different. Then, when you are in the dark and look at a 150inch projected image, you again tend to sit even closer and thats the best one for immersion, also because its dark all around. The issue was, the hmz does not allow you to pick how close you get to that screen and it is not really that close relative to the percieved distance you can get with a big 3dtv or a projector. I think the interesting thing is, people tend to favor one over the other for the immersive experience. I still cant tell if it because they never really spent time with the others, or if they actually like it more. I was specifically hoping I would feel more immersed with the hmz, and I was really excited when it showed up, but I really felt less immersed than the 3dtv for sure. The projector is different, because you need a dark room, and thats a tall order. The Oculus will hopefully be the undisputed winner of immersion when it comes out. The reviews already indicate they are on to something very special. People have ripped apart all the current hmds out there, but almost nobody says the oculus is boring.
The immersion experience changes based on the size. My problem with the hmz t1 was that it was not immersive. THat didnt change with the t2 because the FOV was the same I thought. I dont have one, so I am guessing there. I got more immersion with the other 2 3d things I have which was a 55 inch samsung d8000 and at a viewsonic pjd6553w projector. The reason for me was because I could put myself where I wanted to sit relative to the screen. When you have a big screen, you can get even closer. I also have the asus 27inch 3d display and it being smaller, you get less immersion. When you sit in front of the 55 inch, you tend to sit closer and it really feels different. Then, when you are in the dark and look at a 150inch projected image, you again tend to sit even closer and thats the best one for immersion, also because its dark all around. The issue was, the hmz does not allow you to pick how close you get to that screen and it is not really that close relative to the percieved distance you can get with a big 3dtv or a projector.

I think the interesting thing is, people tend to favor one over the other for the immersive experience. I still cant tell if it because they never really spent time with the others, or if they actually like it more. I was specifically hoping I would feel more immersed with the hmz, and I was really excited when it showed up, but I really felt less immersed than the 3dtv for sure. The projector is different, because you need a dark room, and thats a tall order.

The Oculus will hopefully be the undisputed winner of immersion when it comes out. The reviews already indicate they are on to something very special. People have ripped apart all the current hmds out there, but almost nobody says the oculus is boring.

#4
Posted 01/20/2013 03:02 PM   
Thank you for that insight. I have used those three options. I started back several years ago with a 22" CRT wide screen sony monitor. then I sat 6 feet from a 120" projector. Both with the Edimentional glasses (they live in a box in the attic now). Now I sit 3 feet from a 55" LG passive 3D TV with a headtracking unit. This is (IMHO) the best and most immersive experience thus far. I would love to own the RIFT unit. Yet I've followed the evolution of 3D headsets for the last 15 years. What the Occulus project is promising is what has been promised time and again for those 15 years. I'd rather not do active 3D if I can help it. So I'm torn between getting 3 42" LG TV's (if they work in 3D with Nvidia) or the Sony HMD. Either way I will have to swap out my 6970 card for one (2?) of the higher end Nvidia cards. such dilemmas... John
Thank you for that insight. I have used those three options. I started back several years ago with a 22" CRT wide screen sony monitor. then I sat 6 feet from a 120" projector. Both with the Edimentional glasses (they live in a box in the attic now). Now I sit 3 feet from a 55" LG passive 3D TV with a headtracking unit. This is (IMHO) the best and most immersive experience thus far. I would love to own the RIFT unit. Yet I've followed the evolution of 3D headsets for the last 15 years. What the Occulus project is promising is what has been promised time and again for those 15 years.
I'd rather not do active 3D if I can help it. So I'm torn between getting 3 42" LG TV's (if they work in 3D with Nvidia) or the Sony HMD. Either way I will have to swap out my 6970 card for one (2?) of the higher end Nvidia cards. such dilemmas...
John

#5
Posted 01/20/2013 05:55 PM   
Ok, I forgot to mention that I also have a projector with a big screen at home. For me the immersion I get from the projector is not nearly as strong as the immersion I get from the HMZ. While you can't set the viewing-distance in case of the HMZ manually the screen is right "in your face". Combine that with strong convergence settings and you're "IN". Beyond that there is another point that crowns the HMZ for me: With a projector you get a huge picture but you always sacrifice something when it comes to sharpness and color. While my Optoma Full HD 3D Projector is definitely a good projector the sharpness and the brilliant colors of the HMZ blow it out of the water. Comparing the pictures that both devices provide the HMZ's picture is dimensions better. With the HMZ you get the best of both worlds: The huge picture that only a projector provides and at the same time the picture quality that a monitor\TV provides. @John: I am from Germany and got my HMZ-T2 from the Sony Cyberstore in Berlin, Germany. I also owned the HMZ-T1 before and can confirm that picture-wise both models are nearly the same. With the HMZ-T2 they mainly concentrated on improving the wearing comfort.
Ok, I forgot to mention that I also have a projector with a big screen at home. For me the immersion I get from the projector is not nearly as strong as the immersion I get from the HMZ. While you can't set the viewing-distance in case of the HMZ manually the screen is right "in your face". Combine that with strong convergence settings and you're "IN".

Beyond that there is another point that crowns the HMZ for me: With a projector you get a huge picture but you always sacrifice something when it comes to sharpness and color. While my Optoma Full HD 3D Projector is definitely a good projector the sharpness and the brilliant colors of the HMZ blow it out of the water. Comparing the pictures that both devices provide the HMZ's picture is dimensions better. With the HMZ you get the best of both worlds: The huge picture that only a projector provides and at the same time the picture quality that a monitor\TV provides.

@John: I am from Germany and got my HMZ-T2 from the Sony Cyberstore in Berlin, Germany. I also owned the HMZ-T1 before and can confirm that picture-wise both models are nearly the same. With the HMZ-T2 they mainly concentrated on improving the wearing comfort.

#6
Posted 01/20/2013 07:53 PM   
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