Wow! This is a is a lot of info to go through. After reading some of the messages here, I realize how little I know about 3D, and that my knowledge and yearn for 3D is simply based on the visual experience I've had and not much factual information at all.
RAM - Thanks for confirming for me that I cannot utilize more than 8GB RAM on this motherboard. I do kinda remember that 8GB was max for this motherboard but was not confident enough in my knowledge to question the logical suggestion to go to 12GB's. I should also ask if the RAM that I do buy should be matched or not with the two sticks I have or does that not matter much as long as the timing and RAM type is the same? (i.e. 9-9-9-24, PC3-12800-1600).
My 3D Experience
I am not a big fan of movie theaters and have only seen two 3D movies on the big screen, one being Avatar 3D (I was sitting up in the back corner a bit and it was not the greatest 3D experience for me). I left that movie thinking, 3D is kinda cool but it sure didn't meet my high expectations at the time. I had very high expectations for this movie as I had only seen one other 3D movie before and it was awesome.
The other 3D movie I seen before Avatar was a 3D IMAX movie about 10-12 years ago when 3D IMAX's were the only 3D experience around. The movie was not even a movie per-se, but more of a "demo show" to show how cool 3D was and what it could do I think. That IMAX show absolutely blew my mind. I remember reaching out to grab some bubbles that were "floating" in front of me (I have never since experienced 3D to that degree).
Since Avatar 3D, I was not overly excited about 3D and did not give 3D in the home another thought until about 4 months ago when I was perusing through Future Shop and came across a new model Sony 3D TV that had a 3D demo of a NFL football game on it. Again, I was amazed by the 3D effect. At the time, I was standing there thinking how I need 3d sports right now. It was absolutely incredible; then the sales guy tells me that there is very little 3D sports programming available at the moment, but the 3D popularity should increase soon and ESPN 3D would be available eventually. I thought "Cool, can't wait for that...".
A few days later, karma steps in and our 950 pound 32 inch flat screen crt tube went on the fritz and started to show no reds and blotches of green... Back to Future Shop... Even though that Sony sure impressed me enough to buy it, the sales guy convinced me that the Panasonic VT Series was way better and they had a bunch of 2010 models in a neat package that included a Panasonic 3D Bluray player, and Avatar 3D (Avatar 3D Bluray is only available when you buy a Panasonic TV, not available in stores until likely spring 2012). I thought what the heck, even though the package was with the 50 inch, and not something bigger. (our tv viewing room is not that big anyway). Watching Avatar 3D on a 50 inch from my couch was an infinitely better 3D experience than the theater experience (like I said above, I was in the back corner a bit in the theater and my viewing angle may have had an affect on the 3D effect; also my bias against the theater may have played a role too). Anyway, my 3D experience at home so far on my Panasonic 50 inch has been great so far, and I can't get enough of it. When 3D sports programming becomes available in my area, I will be very happy.
Simracer, I sure appreciate your thoughts and advice here; I can tell you have put a lot of thought and time into the 3D arena, and your "ramblings" (positive term here) are very informative and thought provoking as you bring up items I never considered until now.
I don't wear glasses and have pretty good vision, so I don’t have those inconveniences you have to deal with in that regard. Thankfully, my wife does not need to wear glasses either. As far as when friends come over, I was wondering if the active shutter glasses I have for the Panasonic might work with nvidia too?
You mention the "life-size" perspective and how that may skew the experience... I do know it is important to fill your field of view with the 3D effect and may be why that initial 3D IMAX was such a mindblower as I was sitting right in the middle a little front OF center, and the IMAX screen was like 30 feet tall and was horizontally curved so it “wrapped” wide, past my peripheral vision, so that the FOV was total and complete. Avatar 3D in the theater on the other hand where I was in the upper corner seemed like a little screen off in the distance in comparison and the FOV had too many other bobble heads and aisle wanderers and other FOV distractions in the FOV.
The Panasonic experience at home is really good I guess because we watch the plasma in our TV/computer room in the basement “family room” where we can make it really dark when we watch movies and we sit about 8-10 feet away or so. Watching 3D at home in the dark is important I learned quickly as side objects/lights are distracting from the 3D experience. As well, the Panasonic 3D glasses are not the best for comfort and are not “wrap-around” (enough) style glasses and allow lights in the background behind you to reflect off the inside of the glasses and drive you crazy, so when I start up a 3D movie, I go around and shut off all lights to make it as dark as possible. So even though the FOV is not total and complete with the 50 inch screen; there are no distractions in the FOV.
So on Avatar with the blue people supposed to be 10 feet tall and does that large scale translate to the viewer…
To be honest, I don’t recall or I never even noticed or thought much about it on the big screen or on the TV until now, so next time I watch it, I will keep that in mind to see if I “feel small” so to speak. Maybe I didn’t notice because the TV is only 50 inch and we sit that far away. It does feel small sometimes, but the 3D is great. Of course some movies have much better 3D effect than others too.
All your talk regarding the size and FOV perspective however has made me think twice about jumping into the triple monitor arena at only 23 inch though. I will likely try and consider the feasibility of 27 inch monitors. Especially the new
Asus 27 inch. It looks sweet but no doubt out of price range. I really like your idea of using the 50 inch TV as a monitor, although that would be expensive to have three of those side by side… heheheh, j/k. I do use a laptop hooked up to the tv to play some movies and other videos though, and it looks pretty sharp. I will continue to consider/dream of using 50inch plus for a computer monitor…
You mention ensuring that I could take back the 3D monitor if I wasn’t happy with the 3D aspects. I did think down this route a bit and decided that even if I gave up on the 3D aspect, the 120hz refresh would be better for fps multiplayer gaming and help me justify the monitor without 3D...
Some new questions
What about playing multiplayer games like Call of Duty, Battlefield, or Crysis? Can you play the multiplayer aspects in 3D? Is there extra lag involved with 3D multiplayer gaming?
Do I need a Vision kit for each monitor or just one kit for the machine that puts 3D on 3 monitors? (sorry for that newbie question).
Wow, there has been so much info since I was last on here, so I may have missed a question or concern somewhere. I'd also like to learn more about the racing sims too, but I'll save that for another thread.
