Sony has been quick to commercialize the prototype 'Personal 3D Viewer' HMD (Head Mounted Display) we first saw at CES earlier this year, announcing a much-changed version at IFA in Berlin a few hours ago which will be known as the HMZ-T1.
Like most Sony product, the new HMZ-T1 will attract premium pricing, landing in stores in time for Christmas with a price tag in the vicinity of US$780. That's still a lot cheaper than a Bravia though, and the twin hi-def (1280 x 720) 0.7-inch OLED screens simulate a real 750-inch movie theater screen at a viewing distance of 20 meters.
The advantage of the OLED technology is that it has very fast (0.01 millisecond) response times, rendering smooth life-like video of the fast-moving imagery encountered in gaming and watching sport.
Gizmag's Tim Hanlon and Kate Seamer both tried the new units, and came away with mixed opinions - though both are interested to spend more time with a set once they hit retail, as the demonstration units were missing the straps to keep them locked in place.
"The video was crisp and high quality, but the goggles were too heavy", said Kate. "Sony's choice of demo footage (a filmclip with barely any depth to it) was bizarre. I don't know what they were thinking.", said Tim. "Below the goggles I could see in front of me, which destroyed the immersion."
The strengths of the unit are that with two separate screens, there's a much better 3D experience because you have one screen for each eye, and with a 5.1 surround sound system built-in, you get a much better audio experience.
The headset includes a processor unit to connect to Blu-ray™ Disc, Playstation®3 and other devices, and the audio experience can be switched between four different surround modes - standard, cinema, game and music.
Sony uses a colour separation technology to overlay a colour filter on top of the base white organic layer, delivering a broader range of colours and brighter, smoother pictures
Availability and detailed pricing in markets other than Japan has not yet been released.
