From: Robin Hollands Subject: Re: HOME-BREW: Buying an HMD Date: Fri, 06 Dec 1996 15:22:30 +0000 Message-ID: <32A83A35.30A5@shef.ac.uk> Organization: Automatic Control & Systems Engineering, University of Sheffield Andrew Worley wrote: > > Hi! I'm relatively new to VR, and I am in the process of deciding > which one to buy. I seem to have narrowed it down to the VFX1 and the > i-glasses!, please inform me if there is another I should look at > (within the same price range of course). > You may still be able to buy some end-of-line CyberMaxx 180's from various discount stores (around $400). However between the two you mentioned above, the i-glasses! are about half the price of the VFX, have very good software support, and give a crisp, clear picture in a easy-to-use design. The VFX will give you a larger field of view, but I personally dislike the full-enclosed design, and it requires that you mess about installing new cards in your machine. If I had a free choice between all three, I'd use the CyberMaxx for any applications requiring a feeling of immersion, and the i-glasses for everything else HMD-based. If you order your HMD from an Australian dealer, you can expect that either HMD should work fine. If you order from the US direct, then make sure that you order one with the correct power supply for Oz, and also the correct video format if you think you may use that feature. Both the Forte HMD and the i-glasses! are sourced in the US, so I expect that both will be subject to same import tariffs and other mark-ups. You may find the VFX easier to find since Forte seem quite good at getting it in high-street computer stores and mail-order catalogues. > Lastly, which one offeres the fastest display on a 486DX4-100? (ie, > should I get the VFX1 because it has its own interface card, or does > this restict me?) In function, both HMDs can be considered as monitors, so it's not really a case of which is faster, since this is determined primarily by your graphics card. However, I have heard of some interface problems between the VFX and fast graphics card, so I would recommend the non-interface card system to avoid any potential conflicts. Cheers, Robin Email: r.hollands@sheffield.ac.uk WWW: http://www.shef.ac.uk/~vrmbg/staff/rjh/rjh.html BOOK: http://www.shef.ac.uk/~vrmbg/vrhmhb/vrhmhb.html