FAQ for the 3D HTPC - Page 10

Will the ATI 5450 work for 3D blurays or do I have to buy the GT430? I have a Sony 3D projector, and an Onkyo 3D 1.4 receiver. I need to send side by side 1080p. I have both Power DVD10 and TMT.

I got 3DTV Play to work, but there's still a serious limitation for which there's no fix. 3DTV Play was created specifically for playing games in 3D on a full sized LED/LCD/Plasma high definition 3D ready television set instead of a tiny computer monitor. Thing is, all these sets are native 1920x1080 res, yet games must be downresed to 1280x720. Anytime you downres below native there is a substantial loss of picture quality, so the 3D comes at a high price.
I understand the reason is lack of bandwidth on a HDMI 1.4 connection, so why is it that a 1920x1080 computer monitor does not have this same limitation using nvidia's 3D Vision?

Can anyone help me by telling me which parts of my new 3D HTPC I should get now. I know I am going to have to wait until January for the CPU and motherboard. What else will I have to wait for so that I would not get any equipment that I will not be able to use come January.

Because it uses dual-link DVI.

Core i3-2100/2120 is released on February 20th, that is supposed to support hardware MPEG-4 MVC decode and HDMI 1.4a 3D video formats. Quad-core versions, as well as H67 mb, are available in January, but overkill for a normal HTPC.

You can buy all the other components now (DDR3-1600 2 x 2GB, SSD/HDD [Intel Gen 3 25nm SSD will be released in Q1 2011, however], case, PSU).

Or you can buy a GeForce 430 graphics card, CPU/mb (whatever you like) and build the system now.

Just wanted to share my setup, with anyone who cares.
Maybe it can inspire or help with understanding the 3D woes

HTPC
Core i3 530
4 GB Corsair
2 x 1TB WD Breenpower HDD
Samsung BD-Rom
nVidia GT430
Mediabrowser
Arcsoft TotalMedia 3, with 3D plugin.
Virtual Clonedrive
Windows 7 64bit

Onkyo TX-SR 507

Samsung 50" 3D plasma

Loitech Harmony Remote 895

Connected like this:
nVidia GT430 HDMI to Samsung Plasma (for the direct HDMI 1.4 connection)
nVidia GT430 DVI, with ATi DVI to HDMI adapter to Onkyo TX-SR 507 (for bitstreaming audio)

All my dvd and blu-ray titles ripped to HDD, thanks slysoft.

I launch all my movies from mediabrowser, and it is configured as so:
When I launch a standard dvd, windows mediacenter pays it

When I launch a standard bluray, mediacenter minimizes, refreshrate changes to 24Hz.
TMT3 i launched and the movie is parsed.
When the movie ends, TMT3 quits, refreshrate changes back to 50Hz (I´m in PAL country)
And I´m back where i picked my movie in mediabrowser.

When I launch a 3D blu-ray, the ISO is mounted and mediacenter minimizes. nVidia 3D vision gets enabled and refreshrate changes to 24Hz.
The TV prompts to put on the 3D glasses.
TMT3 is launched and the movie is parsed.
When the movie ends TMT3 closes, nVidia 3D vision disables and refreshrate changes back to 50Hz.
ISO unmounts.
And I´m back where I picked my movie in mediabrowser.

Me likes....

Would the core i3 2100/2120 allow me to play with 2D-3D conversions?

Yes, CPU has enough power to do so. (I confirmed it with Core i3-530; Core i3-2100/2120 is equivalent or better.)

Ok, thanks. I was thinking that I needed a core i7.

5*** series can not be used for 3D BD playing. (you can play 3D games and convert 2D to 3D.
6*** series are able to play 3D movies. (Catalist 10.10 e hotfix- for now)

For nVidia, 4** series and new 5** series are suggested for bluray.(driver 160.99 and higher)


But neither nVidia nor Amd shows any Sony projector on their supported HW lists.

If PJ has its own eyewear that means you may use both nvidia and ati.

What is the technology used on this PJ?

These new 1080p 3D PJs support HDMI 1.4a 3D video formats. So GeForce 430/450/460, HD 6xxx, or Core i3/i5/i7-2xxx (Sandy Bridge) is required.

When I selected the HOLIDAY 3D link you posted my PC generated 30 separate links none of whch completed and whiich consumed the available memory on my PC before stopping,

I'm pretty sure I've seen reports of 3D Blu Ray working with the ATI 5X series, I just think it's doing it in software (not accelerated).

Giving the limitations of HTPCs only being able to output a 1080p image for gaming on an HDTV setup, would there be a noticeable different between the Intel Core i3-530, i5-760, or a i7-920 paired with a NVIDIA GTX 460 graphic card?

No, only 720p 60Hz for stereoscopic 3D gaming.

There is little difference between them for non-stereoscopic 720p 60Hz gaming. I am not sure about the stereoscopic case.

Thanks, I think I have everything I need for my 3D HTPC

> Case: Antec ISK 310-150 Mini-ITX, $77.

Anyone know if this card:

Zotac ZONE (Fanless) GeForce GT430
Dimensions 4.37in x 5.69in - 111.11mm x 144.75mm

will fit in this case?

No. The case supports only a low-profile, single-slot card.

So I installed my new gt430, installed the latest driver, installed the 3dtv update, and tried to set up the sterescopic output. This started the 3d vision wizard which gave me only 2 options - 3d through the 3d vision kit (shutter glasses) or "vision discovery" (anaglyph). Selection "vision" (shutter) asks for installation of the usb driver for the emitter. And that is that. I am sure if I try to install the driver, it will ask for the emitter.

The tv is the 720p Samsung plasma (c490), not on the supported list.

For the people where the nvidia 3dtv play worked with a 3dtv out of the box:

- was the vision emitter driver already installed?
- is your tv on the supported list?

I still have hope that the vision kit is required for 120 Hz sequential only.

This is the main confusion i think?

Q1) Do i need nvidia 3D Vision if i have a current 3dtv?
A1) No, the current 3Dtvs come with their original glasses and internal emtter-inside TV.

Q2) Do i need "3D Vision Player" software?
A2) No, arcsoft, cyberlink or corel will do this job better.

Q3) Where is the supported 3D TV list?
A3) http://www.nvidia.com/object/3dtv-pl...nts.html#3dtvs

edit: "3dtv-play" should be understood as any 3D capable player: arcsoft, cyberlink or corel.

edit: for some new HW you will need the update as pointed:
http://www.nvidia.com/object/3dtv-pl...ty-driver.html

I just bought a Acer5360. I need an economical HTPC for 3D. I know just enough about computers to be dangerous. I really need someone to tell me exactly what I need and where to get it. Are there any pre assembled htpc? I'm guessing its cheaper to build from scratch?

Not quite so, it seems.
After some reading yesterday over at the Nvidia 3d vision forum, I confirmed (for myself) the following:
- 3dtv Play is the software for support of current 3d TV with NVidia's stereoscopic output (3d Vision); it is part of the video driver package, plus the 1.0.0.10 update.
- the 3d Vision emitter installed usb driver is required. The emitter itself is not required to be plugged in (late edit: this is unclear, 3dTV Play user guide says it is required), but is required at installation for validation. The installed usb driver makes the pc a "Vision PC", per Nvidia's obscure terminology.
- the 3d tv has to be on the supported list; an EDID override is needed for any other model, e.g. http://blog.bagearon.com/?p=38
There was much outcry and bitterness yesterday in the 3dTV Play thread (continuing today) that the standalone, paid-for 3dTV Play (no vision kit required) had not been released as promised(rumored?), and not just from gamers, but from people who, like me, only want to play 3d bd's. Untill I hear some evidence, I will go with that. It also matches my expectation that Nvidia will try to extract revenue from the availability of 3dtv's and no other mainstream (working) hdmi1.4 card besides the gt430.

Roussi, you may find the answers here: (quoted from FAQ thread -nvidia forum)


There are some posts here telling PDVD or Arcsoft works. (instead of 3dTV play)

BTW nVidia's 3dtv play is the light version of stereoscopic player and it's not in the driver package.




Even stereoscopic control driver (3d vision controller driver) isn't inside the package.


Here is what nvidia says:


More:

http://nvidia.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/n...i=&p_topview=1

Would a NVIDIA 460 graphic card show better than a 430 on a HDTV? Or will I only notice a different on a monitor?

There are no deffinite answers, only confusion... with incompatible OS's, players, 3d drivers, hdmi1.4a drivers and 3dtv models/EDID's.

The answer to the second question says 3dTV Play is required (note: this is different from nvidia's 3d player). However, per its webpage, 3dTV Play is available only on 3d Vision PC's (equiped with 3d vision kit). So, it seems, no vision kit, no 1.4a output.

Cyberlink only says a gf 400 series card is required, not a combination of a card with software/hardware allowing 1.4a output. So, which one is it?

After updating Powerdvd to the latest build (23??, providing "support for 3d vision in Vista"), I had 1.4a output initially showing up in the 3d settings, and then disappearing when I tried to play a 3d bd. Powerdvd would output only anaglyph; checkerboard was an option, but did not work (worked before with AMD 4650). I lost regular bluray playback.

Cyberlink's bd&3d advisor passed all checks, except "3d Display". So, the pn50c490 is not supported by powerdvd, or by nvidia, or by both; or 1.4a is not working at all, due to 3d vision not being set up, due to 3dtv play not working without a 3d vision usb driver/emitter, and this shows up as unsupported display.

(Btw, initially it confused the video driver with Live Mesh Beta's remote desktop, and failed; had to uninstall Mesh for the advisor to see the GT430)

I am confused and tired (and short on time; so, no url's supporting some of the statemens above). There are so many unknows that make it difficult to do controlled trials. I was hoping for people here to narrow the number of options down. But they say "it just works", no details.

Next steps should be overriding the EDID, in the hope of having the tv supported, and installing win7. And stop ranting.
Edit: and run the somewhat sophisticated instructions on the Powerdvd forum, this may be the key:
http://forum.cyberlink.com/forum/posts/list/13610.page

You really confused too much.

3D TV is just a software but as i told you you don't need it if you are using a 3D TV Play compatible 3dTV. (you may use TMT, PDVD and WinDVD- and you must use one of them for 3D BD playback.)


http://www.nvidia.co.uk/object/3dtv-play-faq-uk.html#q1

You must have one of those 3Dtvs supported by nvidia.
For the time being i can't help for the EDID issues; this is another thing.

PS: 3TV Play software is not for 3D Blu playback (just for the files and games) and you will need an additional SW as well :

DO NOT FORGET YOU DON'T NEED 3D TV PLAY SW IF YOU HAVE ONE OF THEM. (you can play 3D BD +3D files +3D games with Corel, CyberLink, ArcSoft)

BTW confusion is a good thing for any commercial company which needs to sell its goods

Lets start: (FAQ prepared by myself )

Do i need an nVidia 3D vision kit if i have a DLP TV- like Mitsubishi or DLP PJ?
No; any DLP link glasses will do the same job because dlp device sends the signals to your eye-wear

OK i bought a pair of 3D vision kit glasses, can i use them with those new generation 3D TV play compatible 3D TVs?
No, never, new gen. TVs use their own glasses but you can use them with nVidia 4** or new 5** series cards.

But i had them already, where i gonna use them?
You can use them with DLP TVs and DLP PJs. But any DLP Link glasses will do the same job.

I have Geforce glasses, do i need to buy 3D TV Play software?
No, it's included in the Geforce nVidia 3D vision CD.

Ok , i have nvidia 3dVision glasses and 3D TV Play software, can i play 3D BD on my 3dTV?
No, you can only play games and videos with that SW on your 3DTV.
If you wanna watch 3DBD, you need an external SW like Corel, Arcsoft or Cyberlink.

Then can i watch 3DBD with my DLP TV or DLP PJ over nvidia glasses+3D TV Play SW?
No, you need the same external SW.

I don't have nVidia 3D Vision glasses and 3D TV Play SW but i have a 3DTV supported GPU by nVidia. Can i watch 3DBD or 3D video or play 3D games?
Yes you can; if you have any 3D commercial player like Corel WinDVD 10, Arcsoft TMT 5 or Cyberlink PDVD 10.


Any confusion left?

The IQ will be the same for HD content (some claimed the 460 was a bit better for upscaling SD content), the 460 is mainly if you want to play 3D games vs. the more economical 430 which can be bought in half height format for small cases.

I have the GT430, Win 7 and PowerDVD10. Works perfect with the Acer 5360, all playback is very smooth in 3D mode.

Thanks for adding.

And adding these as well to the list maybe helpful?

Q:Where is supported 3D TV list?
A:http://www.nvidia.com/object/3dtv-pl...nts.html#3dtvs

For some new HW you will need this update:
http://www.nvidia.com/object/3dtv-pl...ty-driver.html

And i think you should correct this statement since we proved it's not true; we Acer PJ owners can watch frame sequential 3D BD over DVI to HDMI directly without an AVR 1.4.

Otherwise this might be misunderstood:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showp...2&postcount=21