TI/DLP Dual View Gaming Tech

[AzBat]

Here's a cool neat idea for gaming...

Texas Instruments / DLP has a huge booth, and in addition to the unveil of the newest DarkChip4 engine (which provides a rather striking contrast-ratio improvement) the company is also showing of something entirely new in the HDTV space. Dubbed DualView, the technology essentially allows a single DLP HDTV to display two full screen video sources at the same time. By wearing a pair of electronic glasses viewers are able to select which of the two ongoing video sources they'd like to watch, allowing, for example, one viewer to get some Xbox 360 action on, while another flips through TV stations. DLP is also keen to point out the dedicated gaming possibilities, such as players going head to head in a system link situation on a single TV without being able to peek at each other's screens

http://gear.ign.com/articles/844/844258p1.html.

Would be cooler if it worked on a TVs, but since it doesn't, I couldn't see games or consoles supporting it. BTW, I wonder if it cuts the frame-rate?

Tommy McClain

 

[Skrying]

Of course it would ruin the frame rate, the console has to render two different screens worth of information and then output it on two different outputs. So its rendering more, so there must be cut backs made just like split screen, maybe even worse. Really pointless technology for the gaming market when it comes to two people using the console at once.

 

[3dcgi]

I don't think it will be mainstream anytime soon, but it's not pointless. I'd like the option of being able to play a game in stereoscopic 3D or playing against a friend, full screen, on the same TV. There are definitely a lot of issues to overcome if this is to move beyond niche tech though.

It's definitely a better idea than driving two HDTVs like the PS3 was originally touted to do.

 

[Skrying]

There are very many issues here. First you have to have the proper set that supports this, then the game must support it, how much are you going to have to degrade image quality since you must now render to full screens? Just seems way to much for a console.

 

[3dcgi]

I agree there are many issues, but some games already support split screen rendering. This just extends that to full screen. There will always be performance trade offs that games make.

My guess is that the next generation of consoles will be 1080p and after that TV resolution will stagnate for a bit. So in the future (not the next couple of years) there there should be the horsepower to render multiple viewpoints in many games.

Right now TI is pushing this because their displays easily support it and the competition doesn't.

 

[Skrying]

Would split screen rendering extend over to another entire screen, because that's basically what this is with regards to how the system (console) would have to handle it as. I'm not sure on the technical aspects on split screen rendering, but my guess would be that this setup would be a bit more demanding. You also must consider is that even has resolution plateaus the effects and other aspects of game graphics will not slow in the same time frame, so you'll have to leave out features and effects people might be accustomed to. But don't get me wrong, this certainly has the "neat" factor going for it and for its other aspects it would actually be very very useful.

 

[3dcgi]

It would definitely be more demanding than split screen rendering as we have today in that it would be twice the resolution.

Ideally, I'd like to see good stereoscopic rendering catch hold and the performance hit of it would be identical to full screen split screen rendering. Hmm, that sounds like a oxymoron, but hopefully you get my point.

Eventually developers will make more trade offs than they do today for image quality as they'll have other options like complex image processing from a video camera and stereoscopic rendering.

Heck, being able to watch a TV program from one viewpoint while gaming from another probably sounds intriguing to those that have to split the TV/gaming time with a significant other. Though I'm not sure how well that would work in practice even if it works technically.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

How do they handle the audio? Mix two sound channels together?

 

[MfA]

If they are smart they will allow the TV to convert normal splitscreen to Dual View ... no explicit support necessary. Also the same hardware can of course also be used for stereoscopic display.

 

[AzBat]

I'm starting to see that this is mainly geared to 2 seperate discreet video sources. So in the gaming situation you would need 2 seperate consoles plugged into 2 seperate component or HDMI inputs on the set. Each console would produce it's own audio, so you'd probably want to hook up seperate headphones for each source. I could see this working when you invite friends over system link type games. At least they wouldn't have to bring their own TV.

Tommy McClain

 

[Skrying]

How do they handle the audio? Mix two sound channels together?

Two sources, two audio feeds. I'm doubting that they would give an extra solution for that issue.

If they are smart they will allow the TV to convert normal splitscreen to Dual View ... no explicit support necessary. Also the same hardware can of course also be used for stereoscopic display.

Eh? The console renders the image and sends it, the TV doesn't know you're in splitscreen and would have no way of knowing. Unless I'm missing something?

 

[AzBat]

Eh? The console renders the image and sends it, the TV doesn't know you're in splitscreen and would have no way of knowing. Unless I'm missing something?

No, but you could make an option in the TV to tell it that the source is split-screen and force it to dual view. I could see that working.

Tommy McClain

 

[Skrying]

No, but you could make an option in the TV to tell it that the source is split-screen and force it to dual view. I could see that working.

Tommy McClain

Distortion would be an issue I would think.

 

[kyleb]

They could make it to where you can split the screen so you can't look at the other player's screen. But yeah, making the views any larger would require screwing up the aspect ratio or cutting part of the image off, and neither would be functional solutions.

 

[Quaz51]

in a visionary futur it would be possible that console use 120hz HDMI mode (1.3 already suport 120hz but just in 720p ) for stereoscopic TV

 

[Betanumerical]

System link.

Isn't that the process of linking two systems?

The demo I saw of this was of two guys play forza 2 against each other, and there were two xbox360's sitting next to the TV. It sounds nice, and works well (as per the video I have seen (can't remember were)) but having to buy two of everything is pretty crappy (unless a friend owns a copy).

 

[Quaz51]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGuXlNe6s7s

http://gizmodo.com/341700/texas-ins...dualview-technology-makes-it-more-complicated

 

[AzBat]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGuXlNe6s7s

http://gizmodo.com/341700/texas-ins...dualview-technology-makes-it-more-complicated

Thanks for the links. Works about like I figured. They're crazy if they think they'll be able to sell those those glasses for $100, much less $150-200. They are simple stereo 3D glasses. I have a pair of H3D glasses in my shed that are wireless that probably cost less than $50. It's interesting way to differentiate DLP from other TVs, especially now with 120Hz, but I don't see it being a big seller at the prices they are wanting.

Tommy McClain

 

[3dcgi]

System link.

Isn't that the process of linking two systems?

The demo I saw of this was of two guys play forza 2 against each other, and there were two xbox360's sitting next to the TV. It sounds nice, and works well (as per the video I have seen (can't remember were)) but having to buy two of everything is pretty crappy (unless a friend owns a copy).

It's probably the best they can do without software support.