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Eyestrain while playing games

post #1 of 11
11/6/08 at 7:49pm
Thread Starter 
I just bought an Optoma HD70 and I love it, it's for playing PS3 taking the place of a JVC 32" tube. There's only one problem with it, or rather me, and that is that it really strains my eyes (after ~10 minutes). I use this projector pretty much only for gaming and I've noticed in game designers love to throw bright flashes into a dark game. That means that I turn the brightness down and I can't see ANYTHING in the game, I turn the brightness up to see and I get blinded. This isn't a problem of the HD70 because it happened with my tube also but with the tube I could keep the lights on. With a projector if I do that it ruins the experience and washes everything out of darker games. Has anybody else had problems like this and have you been able to remedy it? I think the issue probably has to do with contrast but when I adjust the contrast it doesn't help that much.

Details
Projector: Brand new (3 days old) Optoma HD70
Screen: Dirty white wall of the room (soon to be replaced by a DIY grey screen + some CCFLs behind)
Projector is about 5 feet away from the wall (7-8ft when I get my ceiling mount)
Couch is about 7 feet away from the wall (the room is only about 8 feet wide wall to wall)

It has dimmable lighting but I have to raise it too much to get it to stop bothering my eyes.

Am I screwed because my eyes suck and the way games are designed?

Thanks guys
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post #2 of 11
11/7/08 at 8:29am
Your image is TOO BRIGHT.

Use the THX Optimizer Tool on a Pixar DVD and set the brightness and contrast to the right level.
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post #3 of 11
11/7/08 at 8:32am
You can enhance the dark details by going into the IMAGE | ADVANCED menu and changing the DeGamma setting. Try them all and see which one looks the best for your dark scenes.
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post #4 of 11
11/7/08 at 10:10am
maybe the rainbows are straining your eyes
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post #5 of 11
11/7/08 at 12:05pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by crazedmodder View Post

I just bought an Optoma HD70 and I love it, it's for playing PS3 taking the place of a JVC 32" tube. There's only one problem with it, or rather me, and that is that it really strains my eyes (after ~10 minutes). I use this projector pretty much only for gaming and I've noticed in game designers love to throw bright flashes into a dark game. That means that I turn the brightness down and I can't see ANYTHING in the game, I turn the brightness up to see and I get blinded. This isn't a problem of the HD70 because it happened with my tube also but with the tube I could keep the lights on. With a projector if I do that it ruins the experience and washes everything out of darker games. Has anybody else had problems like this and have you been able to remedy it? I think the issue probably has to do with contrast but when I adjust the contrast it doesn't help that much.

Details
Projector: Brand new (3 days old) Optoma HD70
Screen: Dirty white wall of the room (soon to be replaced by a DIY grey screen + some CCFLs behind)
Projector is about 5 feet away from the wall (7-8ft when I get my ceiling mount)
Couch is about 7 feet away from the wall (the room is only about 8 feet wide wall to wall)

It has dimmable lighting but I have to raise it too much to get it to stop bothering my eyes.

Am I screwed because my eyes suck and the way games are designed?

Thanks guys


When I was "interviewing" TVs and projectors, I found DLP's would give me headaches and eyestrain after just a short time. Sadly I was forced to rule out DLP's as a whole because of this
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post #6 of 11
11/7/08 at 12:17pm
On my PJ, I have my XBox 360 on VGA and I've calibrated that input , specifically for gaming. I've set a higher contrast/brightness on purpose (of course this crushes the black levels but hey, when u are dungeon hunting and u get attacked by enemies, u NEED to see what and where u are shooting ;-)).

Has worked out like a charm. Playing Fallout 3 on a 120" screen from 12 feet away is like being there in the wastelands!!!
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post #7 of 11
11/7/08 at 12:23pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by kalon74 View Post

When I was "interviewing" TVs and projectors, I found DLP's would give me headaches and eyestrain after just a short time. Sadly I was forced to rule out DLP's as a whole because of this

My first exposure to DLP gave me a headache. After I corrected the blazing brightness down to a correct level, I have not had that again and neither has anyone else I have had over.
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post #8 of 11
11/7/08 at 12:48pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by reconlabtech View Post

My first exposure to DLP gave me a headache. After I corrected the blazing brightness down to a correct level, I have not had that again and neither has anyone else I have had over.

Very interesting... I had assumed it was the color wheel that was the cuplrit. I was in a box store, so the brightness was likely cranked up. Thanks for the insight!
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post #9 of 11
11/7/08 at 12:54pm
If you don't see RBE then it is probably too bright , properly calibrate and try again (as mentioned) . Keep in mind that the lamp will dim through use as well so the image will get gradually darker over time . I have gone from one DLP PJ to a new one and got headache/eyestrain with the new one due to brightness but then once properly calibrated (in my case ISF'd) the headache/eyestrain goes away . Even a bright LCD/LCOS PJ can give somebody headache/eyestrain if they are not used to it . The other factor here is the size of the image that you are watching and the view distance . If your eyes are having to work harder , by darting all over the place , to follow the on screen action then you probably just need some time to adjust to the larger image .

- Jason
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post #10 of 11
11/7/08 at 1:15pm
Had a DLP Infocus a while ago. If I watched a movie or TV I'd get a pounding headache within 10-20 minutes. However I could play the Xbox for 5 hours straight with no headache. Weird.
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post #11 of 11
11/7/08 at 1:32pm
Yeah, any display may be too bright as it depends highly on items like screen size/ viewing distance/ screen type and gain...etc. Try lowering your brightness, normally should be as low as it can go while still being able to see the pattern on a pluge pattern. You can also try turning off or lowering brilliant color, if its on. If that still does not work you can possibly get a negative gain screen.
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