3d projector - WorldViz User Forum

Vinicius Lima · #1 07-20-2007, 11:28 AM

Good morning,

I have Vizard 3.0 installed in my computer and also an InFocus Depth 3d projector with shutter glasses set up for 3d projections. However, when I run my environments from Vizard I do not see any difference from the actual computer monitor. I would like to know what I am doing wrong when running the world or if I need a plugin for the projector or things like that.

Thanks,

Vinicius

farshizzo · #2 07-20-2007, 11:35 AM

Hi,

I believe your projector requires frame-sequential stereo. This means you will need to either use quad buffered stereo or nvidia stereo drivers. In order to use quad buffered stereo you will need a graphics card that supports it (i.e. nVidia Quadro series). If you don't have a quad buffer card, then you can use nVidia stereo drivers, assuming you have an nVidia card. What graphics card are you using?

Vinicius Lima · #3 07-20-2007, 11:38 AM

HI,

I am using a NVidia GeForce 7900 GS Graphics card

farshizzo · #4 07-20-2007, 11:50 AM

Hi,

You will need to install the nVidia stereo drivers which you can download from their driver page. Once installed, you will need to enable shutter glass stereo through the nVidia control panel. Let me know if you need any more help on this.

Vinicius Lima · #5 07-20-2007, 02:33 PM

Hi,

Do we also have to download any plugin/drivers for 3ds max? I downloaded and installed the drivers for NVidia in my machine and making tests that do not seem to work.

Thanks,

Vinicius

farshizzo · #6 07-20-2007, 02:38 PM

Hi,

If you want to get stereo working with Vizard, you do not need to download any drivers for 3dsmax. Did you enable the stereo drivers in the nvidia control panel? If the drivers are working, then the 3D output by Vizard should flicker. Also, make sure you run your Vizard script in fullscreen, as the nvidia stereo drivers only work in fullscreen mode. To run your script in fullscreen mode, simply pass the viz.FULLSCREEN flag to the viz.go() comand:

Code:

import viz
viz.go(viz.FULLSCREEN)

mspusch · #7 07-20-2007, 02:40 PM

you need the nVidia "consumer stereo drivers" for your setup to work in stereo. those stereo drivers will require a certain version of the nVidia driver to work (this is pointed out in the small print of the download page for the stereo driver).

Vinicius Lima · #8 07-23-2007, 11:16 AM

Thanks. I did what both of you told me. However, I have to confess that I am little bit frustrated with the outcome I got. I thought I would get a projection such as the ones in IMax theaters where things come right in front of my face but I did not. Actually the difference between the projection and the screen when I ran the world was almost none. I was wondering then if it is a problem of physical setup, i.e., if the room needs to be totally pitch black or can have some light and if there is a specific distance for us to stare at the screen. Thanks again for the help.

mspusch · #9 07-23-2007, 12:08 PM

hi, when the projector and your glasses are working correctly, you should see very obvious 3D, i.e. you should see depth in the way of stuff going into the screen/sticking out of the screen. if this is not the case, then there is something wrong still.

nVidia has a test-image in their drivers with a square in front of a green screen. when you start your 3D, you should very clearly see the square be in front of the green screen. is this the case for you?

when you look at the 3D projector output without glasses, it should look quite unfocussed/blurry, i.e. you should basically not be able to see anything well. is this the case?

Vinicius Lima · #10 07-23-2007, 02:39 PM

HI,

I installed the NVidia drive again in my computer and now everything was moved to what is called the "NVidia computer panel". I couldn't find the test image you told me. thanks

mspusch · #11 07-23-2007, 02:42 PM

RE nvidia, switch to 'classic view'.

also, when you don't use glasses and look at the 3d rendered image, does it look 'blurry' or does it look clear?

Vinicius Lima · #12 07-23-2007, 02:46 PM

It looks blurry when I'm not wearing the shutter glasses. Is the test image you're talking about one about two squares and you are supposed to see one in front of the other?

mspusch · #13 07-23-2007, 02:54 PM

yes, this is the one I was thinking off.

it sounds like you got it working then. now all you need is the right settings in your simulations. note that a lot of the settings in 'standard' demos are for HMD based simulations.

you can change the stereo effect with a lot of different paramerers, some of them are viz.IPD(), viz.viewdist(), etc.

I'm not the expert on this, possibly one of the other programmers on the forum will be able to help out.

also there is a lot of info in the vizard docs if you look. start with viewdist and ipd.

have fun!

mspusch · #14 07-23-2007, 02:56 PM

http://www.worldviz.com/vizhelp/VizH...sequential.htm

is a good starting point

Vinicius Lima · #15 07-23-2007, 03:24 PM

Thanks for the link. I tried that but the results are not still what I thought they'd be. My question now is if something needs to be done in the 3ds Max file to have a perfect 3d view or what else needs to be added to the script to have the appearance of objects sticking out of the screen like in the IMax projections.

Dovlash · #16 03-04-2008, 01:53 AM

Hellou everyone. I know it must be a bit silly but in reallity I am a beginner in all of this and dont know how to begin setting up 3d options.
Is anyone willing to guide me...I HAVE TO to buy a new computer and I thought to myself if I do so...why dont I set it up for 3d. Something I wanted to do since ever. I am intending in the near future to buy an projector as well as shutter glasses...so I dont know a thing what graphics card to buy...if I can use 3dmax to make things and then view with my future projector. Even though I would not buy projector straight away, it would be wise of me to buy a computer now that is ready for adding possibility for projector later.

Can someone guide me a bit...I would be very thankfull

Vlado

Vinicius Lima · #17 03-04-2008, 03:52 PM

Hi,

I have a NVidia Geforce graphics card on my machine. I guess that is the one you need.

Dovlash · #18 03-05-2008, 02:01 AM

Do I need any Geforce graphics card or some special. Just now I have seen something about stereo capable graphics card?? I have also been looking in projectors and it seems it can not be just any?? Do you know?
Thank you a lot for telling me

mspusch · #19 03-05-2008, 11:34 AM

this is an interesting question and some of it has to be researched with nVidia.

as far as Vizard is concerned, any higher end nVidia graphics card will work with it.

regarding running an application in stereo, there are two level of support from nVidia:

- the regular 'consumer' cards come with a 'consumer stereo driver' that allows page flipping (i.e. 'active', i.e. 'flickering) stereo with fullscreen mode. however, this consumer driver is known to be flaky specifically on laptops. i have it working on my laptop here with an nVidia 6800 card, and we got it working reliably many times with the 7900 cards series.
nVidia has promised to release a stereo driver for their 8800 series for about 1/2 year now, but I don't think it's available yet. this is very annoying for a lot of users of the new powerful 8800 cards.

- the 'professional' cards from nVidia are the 'quadro' series cards. they can do quad buffering, and can do active stereo not only fullscreen, but also in windows.
so theoretically, a laptop with a quadro card should be the most professional solution.
we have several laptops here with the quadro 2500 card which run active stereo perfectly (Dell Precision). also the 3500 cards worked fine.
however, we had reports from customers that there are problems with active stereo with the newer lower priced dell quadro cards for laptops. we could not confirm this as we don't have one of those units in house for testing, but I have seen discussions about it repeatedly now.

the best is to go to the nVidia user forums and confirm that the exact card that you are planning to use has been successfully used by other users for active stereo.

Dovlash · #20 03-05-2008, 03:17 PM

I contacted today people from the projector company (InFocus DepthQ ) and I have to say that they (certain Dan actually) have answered me very quickly and professionaly. I said that I am trying to set up new computer for use in 3dmax8 for 3d and then to be capable of using on InFocus DepthQ projecter. I asked which graphic card would be the best to use, and Dan kindly replied:nVidia Quadro FX 1500. It should work perfectly.
And that is fine I guess, because the answer comes from the projector producing company itself.
The only question conserning the graphics card would then be, if there is a cheaper solution??

I also dont know once I produce images or video from 3dMax, if I need an intermediate between max and the graphic card. Which software is actually projecting the images?

I guess I need a good clear advice. I am trying to set up this but I am not sure what all I need to know. And the computer I have to buy very soon actually...and it has to have the right graphic card for the projector (InFocus DepthQ possibly) that is to come.

??

Dovlash · #21 03-05-2008, 03:19 PM

And by the way, I will go for a desktop for now (see post above). Laptop comes maybe later. But thank you Mspusch a lot any way...I will definitely keep in mind what you said...for the things that are coming :-)

mspusch · #22 03-05-2008, 04:51 PM

a 'normal' recent computer (2GB RAM, 800MHz front side bus, >2GHz processing or dual core / quad) will do from the Vizard side.

Quadro FX 1500 is definitely a professional solution.

for desktops, a cheaper solution that works reliable in fullscreen active stereo is the GeForce FX 7950 card.

as for getting 3D models from 3DMax working with the 3D projector, all you need to do it put them in Vizard