Tom's Hardware has an exclusive first-look at Blu-ray 3D technology running on a notebook and HTPC leveraging Nvidia's 3D Vision technology, CyberLink's PowerDVD 10 Ultra Mark II software, and an Acer display. Might this setup be in your future, too?

The PC world can begin to seriously consider the Blu-ray 3D medium. The PC infrastructure has some easy advantages compared to set-top Blu-ray 3D players: flexibility, upgradeability, and an existing 3D ecosystem, thanks to Nvidia's 3D Vision technology. Remember, Nvidia's 3D solution has been available for over a year now, so there's no doubt about whether or not 120 Hz LCDs can display 3D. We have been able to purchase monitors, glasses, emitters, and even Blu-ray drives for some time now.
Now, we're only missing the drivers, playback software, and Blu-ray 3D movies to watch.
Well, Nvidia is on the verge of releasing its R256 graphics drivers, which will support Blu-ray 3D decode acceleration on the GPUs equipped to handle it. CyberLink is on the verge of launching its PowerDVD 10 Ultra Mark II Blu-ray 3D playback software. And the movie industry is on the verge of releasing more Blu-ray 3D titles for us to watch.
It's time to take a hard look at Blu-ray 3D on the PC.
- Blu-ray 3D Arrives On The PC
- A Quick 3D Primer
- The Blu-ray 3D Format
- Many Display Types, But Only One High-Resolution Choice
- The Other Displays: Half-Resolution Or None At All
- Blu-ray 3D Playback Software
- Requirements For A Full-Resolution Blu-ray 3D PC
- The 3D Blu-ray User Experience: Installation And Use
- Test Systems And Benchmarks
- Benchmark Results: CPU Utilization
- Subjective Tests: Does Blu-ray 3D Live Up To The Hype?
- Subjective Tests, Continued
- Conclusion: Blu-ray 3D Looks Promising On The PC
So far i have had a Very positive experience with Nvidia's solution!
I do agree, however, that there needs to be more built-in support for software. I'm sure that will find its way into apps such as XBMC and Plex eventually.
This is going to be hardest for consumers to adopt who have sunk a lot of money into existing HDTV's...especially ones who 'claimed' 120hz refresh rates -- but won't work with 3D. My own TV is a low-end Westinghouse 1080p, so down the road I wouldn't mind upgrading...if the material and quality is there!
FYI: I had older shutter glasses on my old PC & CRT display -- with a fast enough refresh rate...no headaches; it's really not an issue (current demos have confirmed this).
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/blu-ray-3d-3d-video-3d-tv,2632.html
I disagree with you there. Tom's article is a great Blu-ray 3D white paper, but it's not a Blu-ray 3D review. We did have to duplicate some of the information briefly so this article could stand on its own, but the focus of either article is quite different.
New tv's, special glasses, limited viewing angles, new media, new monitors, special software to play them, new blue ray players, etc.., etc...
Not to mention the general discomfort associated with having to watch things in 3d, the fact that 3d is NOT suitable for all situations, many people in the general public have an impairment that wont allow them to enjoy 3d, etc.., etc...
Let this fad fade away and quickly!!! Im not reinvesting thousands and thousands of dollars into this new marketing gimmick. Its another way for the entertainment industry to make even more money off us. Now the push it to make all movies 3d and charge a mandatory 15-20 bucks per ticket to see it.
Its just sad there is such a large portion of the population that mindlessly follows anything presented to them and like zombies will pay what they are told without regard to the cost/benefit ratio.
You certainly have the right to your subjective opinion cknob.
However, your inability to experience a benefit from something doesn't automatically indicate that everyone else who does is a zombie. It's like a color blind person calling people names because they enjoy color movies.
I should have been more clear when calling people zombies. In that regard I was referring to the countless number of people currently supporting this sham at the box office of extorting the consumer. For years 3D movies (in my area at least) never charged a premium and were only considered a "extra feature" for some movies. Now that Avater came out and 3D is popular they suddenly decide to charge 50% more (and even double in some cases) for 3D? And people just mindlessly follow what they are told, like...well zombies. Its just upsetting that so many people are clueless and just dont care so they support an ecosystem like this forcing us that do pay attention and care to suffer.
I'm not sure what it's like in your town, but in my city there's always an option to see the film in 2D or 3D. There is a $3 premium for 3D here, and the glasses/3d projector system cost the theater something. To me that $3 seems reasonable for the experience and I don't think anyone making that choice deserves to be called an unpleasant name. If I had to pay double I suppose I might be voting with my wallet and avoiding 3D films, that's our right as consumers.
I don't agree, like I said... people vote with their wallets. If they're paying extra to see the 3d version, that implies that they see a value in that. Early adopters will pay a price, but the movie studios are paying an R&D price, too, not to mention the premium the theaters pay for showing 3D in the first place.
Regardless, I'm not seeing much justification for applying an insulting name to folks who see a value associated with a 3D theater experience.
http://www.nvidia.com/object/3D_Vision_Requirements.html
i love all the haters comments- you guys probably have never played a pc game in 3d- or are ATI fanboys that cannot use 3d on there hardware.
i have 3d and it is awesome- i wont even buy games anymore that do not support 3d. 2d sucks....3d is so much more immerse... you have no idea what you are missing with metro 2033 in 3d.
People should be aware that the latest HDMI 1.4a hdtv's can do full hd blue ray- but thats it- pc gaming is still half rez or 720p, no any better then checkerboard. the HDMI chips cannot do the required bandwidth for 1080p 60hrz per eye. The computer monitors can do full HD as they use DVI. SO this new generation is a fail from my view point. not any better than legacy tv's but much more expensive. The specs are all very confusing, and there are lots of people being misled by the Tv manufactures. Full HD gaming is in the HDMI specs- but the hardware cannot support the bandwith as of now.
FOr your information, there is another Blu-ray playing software call WinDVD pro 2010 which is currently on sale for $39.99
(http://www.corel.com/servlet/Satellite/us/en/Product/1189528458632#versionTabview=tab1&tabview=tab0)
Yes it is still not free, but at least it is cheaper.
I have been watching Blu-ray on my desktop w/ the earlier vierson of WinDVD. It works very well on my computer.
Hope this info helps..;)
Ps: I have not seen any word from WinDVD about Blu-ray 3D yet...
Yep, mentioned this in the primer thread, SUCKS BIG TIME !!
There are other solutions, like ArcSoft TotalMediaTheatre, and WinDVD (hey Pharge that $40 is on top of the basic install which is still nicer than buying the whole thing i you already have the base EDIT: wow it's on sales this week for $40 for the Pro edition, good deal]), which is essentially the problem with all of them is you have to pay full pop for a major upgrade.
I have Power DVD 5, Power DVD 7 OEM, Power DVD 7 Ultra, and Power DVD 9 Ultra, and now for 3D BR I would have to pay $94.95 for just getting 3D, OOOooooh I save $5 off for being a 'loyal customer', but seriously, that's about $250 on software that would buy 2 standalone units, all of this was to support my $400 BluRay drive.
I would be interested in seeing WinDVD's approach to this if it will be more modular the way their BR support is, but right now it's still further in the future.
I don't expect it to be free, but I also don't expect it to be the cost of a standalone player for each upgrade, $25 seems about right to me. As if it costs anywhere near as much to get it to me as a physical player.