The Optoma 3DXL is not the only way to play 3D bluray movies on the Optoma HD66 3D ready projector or probably other 3D ready DLP projectors requiring a frame sequential 120 HZ input. There is indeed a cheaper way. The monoprice 3D creator ($100.00 at monoprice.com) can be used as the convertor and does the job of the Optoma 3DXL when used with the Panasonic BDT110 or BDT210 bluray player ( $139 for the BDT 110 at Futureshop, or $179 for the BDT210 that has added wifi and a neet optical sensor). These bluray players are the only ones that I could find that also offer other output formats aside from the standard frame packed format that the HD66 does not recognize, but that include side by side and checkerboard formats. The Panasonic unit allows you to reset the output format to SBS via screen driven menus. If you don't already have a 3D bluray player then you can turn your living room into a 3D cinema for the cost of a low cost but very high quality bluray player with just $100.00 needed to buy the 3D creator unit.
The monoprice 3D creator unit is a neat little 2d to 3D converter that can be hooked directly to the Optoma HD66 and does a great job converting 2D DVDs and Blurays to 3D. I wrote another thread about this with my experience on the forum. The great thing though is that the monoprice unit also does a great job converting 3D side by side formats into the 3D format recognizable by the Optoma HD66. The result is that you can play 3D bluray movies on the your Optoma HD66 without the need for the 3DXL.
I hooked the Panasonic BDT 210 directly to my monoprice 3D creator via HDMI and then into may Optoma HD66. In the main setup menu I set the bluray output to SBS, HDMI settings to 1080P ( important since the monoprice unit cannot work with interlaced formats i.e. 1080i ). Under the 3D program heading on the monoprice unit that has 2 options, I set this to 3D-DLP. When the movie begins there may be two side by side pictures showing until you hit play - The two units will then communicate and you will get full 3D. The only downside is that the 3D depth and leaping adjustment menus cannot be used in the Panasonic unit in SBS format but I found that they are not needed. The 3D quality is great - hi def, with no ghosting. I should note that I had a 3DXL unit but I returned it since the 3D quality using this set-up was virtually identical.
The Panasonic bluray BDT 110,210 players also do 2D to 3D conversion but I found that the simulated 2D to 3D quality with the Panasonic BDT210 and 3D creator was excellent and at 1080P ( I actually like it better for some movies ). In this case I just played a regular 2D bluray on the Panasonic player but this time with the 3D creator unit set to 3D-DLP under the 2D program heading.
I use Optoma ZD101 DLP link glasses as I have found that these are the best with great clarity, battery life and no syncing issues unless the screen is too bright white. The DLP glasses sync via a sensor in the front to white flashes between left eye and right eye images on the screen. The glasses sync to the screen so no emitter is required. The HD66 projector menu setting should be set to 3D. I always toggle the sync invert setting back and forth to see which setting gives the strongest 3D depth effect as I find that this can vary by the movie.
I am not trashing Optoma here as I own two Optoma projectors and when it is time to upgrade again I will not even consider another brand. From the threads though it just seemed like people thought that the 3DXL was the only way to go to use a bluray player with a 3D DLP ready projector like the Optoma HD66 and I just wanted to share another method that I have used.
Hope this helps. Sorry for the long post.
The monoprice 3D creator unit is a neat little 2d to 3D converter that can be hooked directly to the Optoma HD66 and does a great job converting 2D DVDs and Blurays to 3D. I wrote another thread about this with my experience on the forum. The great thing though is that the monoprice unit also does a great job converting 3D side by side formats into the 3D format recognizable by the Optoma HD66. The result is that you can play 3D bluray movies on the your Optoma HD66 without the need for the 3DXL.
I hooked the Panasonic BDT 210 directly to my monoprice 3D creator via HDMI and then into may Optoma HD66. In the main setup menu I set the bluray output to SBS, HDMI settings to 1080P ( important since the monoprice unit cannot work with interlaced formats i.e. 1080i ). Under the 3D program heading on the monoprice unit that has 2 options, I set this to 3D-DLP. When the movie begins there may be two side by side pictures showing until you hit play - The two units will then communicate and you will get full 3D. The only downside is that the 3D depth and leaping adjustment menus cannot be used in the Panasonic unit in SBS format but I found that they are not needed. The 3D quality is great - hi def, with no ghosting. I should note that I had a 3DXL unit but I returned it since the 3D quality using this set-up was virtually identical.
The Panasonic bluray BDT 110,210 players also do 2D to 3D conversion but I found that the simulated 2D to 3D quality with the Panasonic BDT210 and 3D creator was excellent and at 1080P ( I actually like it better for some movies ). In this case I just played a regular 2D bluray on the Panasonic player but this time with the 3D creator unit set to 3D-DLP under the 2D program heading.
I use Optoma ZD101 DLP link glasses as I have found that these are the best with great clarity, battery life and no syncing issues unless the screen is too bright white. The DLP glasses sync via a sensor in the front to white flashes between left eye and right eye images on the screen. The glasses sync to the screen so no emitter is required. The HD66 projector menu setting should be set to 3D. I always toggle the sync invert setting back and forth to see which setting gives the strongest 3D depth effect as I find that this can vary by the movie.
I am not trashing Optoma here as I own two Optoma projectors and when it is time to upgrade again I will not even consider another brand. From the threads though it just seemed like people thought that the 3DXL was the only way to go to use a bluray player with a 3D DLP ready projector like the Optoma HD66 and I just wanted to share another method that I have used.
Hope this helps. Sorry for the long post.
. That turned out OK.
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