In our recent exhibition at INTERGEO in Hamburg, Germany, we were fortunate to display not one, but two of the Schneider Digital 3D PluraView monitors. These monitors from our new partners impressed booth guests with both their design and function. We thought this would give us an opportunity for a brief review of the all the stereo technologies supported by and available from DAT/EM Systems International. Remember, the primary purpose of stereo technology is to form a stereo view by delivering two partially overlapping images to the left and right eyes. Our solutions offer different methods for providing this left/right separation.

Dual-Monitor / Passive Stereo

The Planar StereoMirror™ monitors were for years the “gold standard” for stereo viewing. This dual-monitor technology created a stable and reliable foundation for precise, pixel-accurate, stereoscopic image evaluation of highest quality, even under bright environmental light conditions. The technology involves two monitors, each displaying one image of a stereopair, overlaid in a half mirror with stereo viewing enabled by a pair of passive glasses.

Since Planar ceased manufacturing the StereoMirror configuration, the technology was unavailable until recently. Now Schneider Digital has released the 3D PluraView 27-inch HD device as the “PLANAR Replacement” using the same dual-monitor technology. DAT/EM also provides the VRLOGIC SONIC4 dual-monitor 28-inch HD display.

Advantages of the dual-monitor technology are

• Flicker-free for professional, continuous use
• Wide Visual Angle – Multi-User capability
• Highest Brightness – Daylight suitable
• Passive polarization uses no IR or RF technologies and thus is ideal for work in secure government areas.

NOTE: For Planar StereoMirror owners – replacements for your mirror/inverter card are now available in an external configuration. Inquire at sales@datem.com.

3D Vision / Active Stereo

The NVIDIA 3D Vision® kit is a low-cost alternative to the dual-monitor technology. The kits has three components: A high-speed LED monitor, an emitter, and a pair of battery-powered active glasses. A single stereo monitor alternately displays the left and the right images; therefore the monitor must have a refresh rate of 120 Hz to avoid an annoying (and headache-inducing) visual flicker. The emitter produces an infrared or radio-frequency pulse in sync with the monitor, which is then received by the glasses. The electronics in the glasses cause their lenses to darken in rapid succession, causing the illusion of seeing both images at the same time and thereby producing stereo.

Advantages of the 3D Vision technology are

• Wide choice of quality 24” and 27” compatible monitors
• Virtually flicker-free and ultra-smooth on 120+ Hz monitors
• Inexpensive to purchase, widely available, simple to install
• Small footprint
• Versatile – may be used as a 2D monitor when not used for stereo

For more information contact sales@datem.com, or visit our website.