Is Asus G53JW-A1 3D in any sense?
I was looking for a 3D notebook and saw the Asus G53JW listed on the Nvidia site. I bought one a couple of weeks ago and ever since have been trying to figure out in what sense this is 3D. I've scoured the Web and have been going back and forth with Asus tech support, but am completely confused. To be honest I still don't know if I've bought the wrong model, have the wrong drivers or am just stupid.

The problems are:
* There is no evidence that the screen has a 120Hz mode
* I can't seem to get the 3D Vision software to install when the approved laptop drivers are used
* There's only VGA and HDMI for video out (no Dual Link DVI or Display Port) and I've had no luck trying to drive an external 3D monitor from HDMI
* Games that are listed as having "excellent" 3D support do not play in 3D
* There's no Blu-ray drive, let alone a way to view a 3D movie

The only thing I've succeeded at is playing a 3D clip on a Panasonic 3D TV at 720p using the 3D Vision Video Player, and that was after overriding all the factory-installed drivers.

Meanwhile every piece of marketing material for this notebook has "3D" plastered all over it. Can someone unconfuse me?

Bruce
I was looking for a 3D notebook and saw the Asus G53JW listed on the Nvidia site. I bought one a couple of weeks ago and ever since have been trying to figure out in what sense this is 3D. I've scoured the Web and have been going back and forth with Asus tech support, but am completely confused. To be honest I still don't know if I've bought the wrong model, have the wrong drivers or am just stupid.



The problems are:

* There is no evidence that the screen has a 120Hz mode

* I can't seem to get the 3D Vision software to install when the approved laptop drivers are used

* There's only VGA and HDMI for video out (no Dual Link DVI or Display Port) and I've had no luck trying to drive an external 3D monitor from HDMI

* Games that are listed as having "excellent" 3D support do not play in 3D

* There's no Blu-ray drive, let alone a way to view a 3D movie



The only thing I've succeeded at is playing a 3D clip on a Panasonic 3D TV at 720p using the 3D Vision Video Player, and that was after overriding all the factory-installed drivers.



Meanwhile every piece of marketing material for this notebook has "3D" plastered all over it. Can someone unconfuse me?



Bruce

#1
Posted 12/19/2010 12:51 AM   
[quote name='gauss256' date='19 December 2010 - 12:51 AM' timestamp='1292719867' post='1163112']
I was looking for a 3D notebook and saw the Asus G53JW listed on the Nvidia site. I bought one a couple of weeks ago and ever since have been trying to figure out in what sense this is 3D. I've scoured the Web and have been going back and forth with Asus tech support, but am completely confused. To be honest I still don't know if I've bought the wrong model, have the wrong drivers or am just stupid.

The problems are:
* There is no evidence that the screen has a 120Hz mode
* I can't seem to get the 3D Vision software to install when the approved laptop drivers are used
* There's only VGA and HDMI for video out (no Dual Link DVI or Display Port) and I've had no luck trying to drive an external 3D monitor from HDMI
* Games that are listed as having "excellent" 3D support do not play in 3D
* There's no Blu-ray drive, let alone a way to view a 3D movie

The only thing I've succeeded at is playing a 3D clip on a Panasonic 3D TV at 720p using the 3D Vision Video Player, and that was after overriding all the factory-installed drivers.

Meanwhile every piece of marketing material for this notebook has "3D" plastered all over it. Can someone unconfuse me?

Bruce
[/quote]

A quick search told me it has a built in IR emitter for the 3D glasses?
From what I read the screen is also 120Hz compatible, maybe needs a driver update/some drivers for the display?
[quote name='gauss256' date='19 December 2010 - 12:51 AM' timestamp='1292719867' post='1163112']

I was looking for a 3D notebook and saw the Asus G53JW listed on the Nvidia site. I bought one a couple of weeks ago and ever since have been trying to figure out in what sense this is 3D. I've scoured the Web and have been going back and forth with Asus tech support, but am completely confused. To be honest I still don't know if I've bought the wrong model, have the wrong drivers or am just stupid.



The problems are:

* There is no evidence that the screen has a 120Hz mode

* I can't seem to get the 3D Vision software to install when the approved laptop drivers are used

* There's only VGA and HDMI for video out (no Dual Link DVI or Display Port) and I've had no luck trying to drive an external 3D monitor from HDMI

* Games that are listed as having "excellent" 3D support do not play in 3D

* There's no Blu-ray drive, let alone a way to view a 3D movie



The only thing I've succeeded at is playing a 3D clip on a Panasonic 3D TV at 720p using the 3D Vision Video Player, and that was after overriding all the factory-installed drivers.



Meanwhile every piece of marketing material for this notebook has "3D" plastered all over it. Can someone unconfuse me?



Bruce





A quick search told me it has a built in IR emitter for the 3D glasses?

From what I read the screen is also 120Hz compatible, maybe needs a driver update/some drivers for the display?

#2
Posted 12/19/2010 12:56 AM   
[quote name='NicWilson89' date='18 December 2010 - 04:56 PM' timestamp='1292720216' post='1163115']
A quick search told me it has a built in IR emitter for the 3D glasses?
From what I read the screen is also 120Hz compatible, maybe needs a driver update/some drivers for the display?
[/quote]
Yes, I saw that too before I bought it. But now that I have it, there is no evidence of 120Hz or an IR transmitter.

I've installed all the latest drivers as recommended by Asus support, but they seem to have just made the 3D Vision system uninstallable.

Bruce
[quote name='NicWilson89' date='18 December 2010 - 04:56 PM' timestamp='1292720216' post='1163115']

A quick search told me it has a built in IR emitter for the 3D glasses?

From what I read the screen is also 120Hz compatible, maybe needs a driver update/some drivers for the display?



Yes, I saw that too before I bought it. But now that I have it, there is no evidence of 120Hz or an IR transmitter.



I've installed all the latest drivers as recommended by Asus support, but they seem to have just made the 3D Vision system uninstallable.



Bruce

#3
Posted 12/19/2010 01:04 AM   
No sign of the IR transmitter in Device Manager?
Might be something to enable it in the BIOS?


If it really isn't there I'd be taking the machine back and demanding a refund if they sold it to you under the premise it had the 3D hardware and a compatible screen when in reality it was BS.
No sign of the IR transmitter in Device Manager?

Might be something to enable it in the BIOS?





If it really isn't there I'd be taking the machine back and demanding a refund if they sold it to you under the premise it had the 3D hardware and a compatible screen when in reality it was BS.

#4
Posted 12/19/2010 01:13 AM   
I think I understand what's going on. There are two models: G53JW-A1 and G53JW-3DE. The latter seems to have all the 3D stuff. I have the former. No one I talked to at Asus seems to really understand this and I can't see anything on their website that says anything other than how amazing the 3D support is in the G53JW. There's a good comparison here though:

http://forum.notebookreview.com/asus-reviews-owners-lounges/527578-asus-g53jw-a1-3de-owners-lounge.html

I'll have a little chat with my dealer now.

Bruce
I think I understand what's going on. There are two models: G53JW-A1 and G53JW-3DE. The latter seems to have all the 3D stuff. I have the former. No one I talked to at Asus seems to really understand this and I can't see anything on their website that says anything other than how amazing the 3D support is in the G53JW. There's a good comparison here though:



http://forum.notebookreview.com/asus-reviews-owners-lounges/527578-asus-g53jw-a1-3de-owners-lounge.html



I'll have a little chat with my dealer now.



Bruce

#5
Posted 12/19/2010 02:39 AM   
Still sorting out the A1 return with my retailer, but in the meantime I've got my hands on a 3DE. It is amaaaaaazing. It is the machine I thought I was buying when I got the A1.

Bruce
Still sorting out the A1 return with my retailer, but in the meantime I've got my hands on a 3DE. It is amaaaaaazing. It is the machine I thought I was buying when I got the A1.



Bruce

#6
Posted 12/23/2010 08:46 AM   
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