ST1080 1080p Head Mounted Display Pre-orders starting March 1st w/ $100 Discount - Page 10

I'm gonna fool around with the black one now and leave the white one closed I guess. If there are issues with the first batch, they should fix them for the customers at no charge. As I paid $799 for each and expect a quality product that works. On their website it shows photos of the white one with it's ear pieces (no clue what you call the arms?) fully extended.. My black one won't fully extend and when I pull on them it feels they may brake off?!

Thats dosent sound like a quality product.
Hows the picture vs the hmz-1? is is it smaller or bigger?

Alright, after fooling around with it for awhile here are my thoughts....

Compared to the Sony HMZ the ST1080 is much lighter and don't hurt my face. This has it's pros and cons, though it is much lighter the ST1080 just won't stay on me, it keeps wanting to slide down, even after I attached the very cheap string they included (which is falling apart already)... If I make some cushions to hold this unit up, it may just work good.

The screen is strange for me, when I cut the ST1080 on I see a big blurry screen, kinda like the photo that was posted on here earlier, blurry edges and a bright middle. Using my PS3 to watch movies it's hard to see any text or objects in the upper and lower right and left sides, such as menu text. It's more blurry than the Sony HMZ, but at least with the Sony you can move it a bit and it becomes clear.
I have tested a bunch of movies.. Transformers, Ice Age, Grand Canyon, Captain America, Wrath of the Titans and a NIN concert. Not watching them fully, but skipping through parts seeing how they look. The bad thing I have noticed is the picture looks like it's being projected by a projector onto a white screen, but the projection is smaller than the screen itself... For instance, imagine shining a projector onto a 100" screen, but making the size only 90" and seeing the white around the edges. This is exactly the feeling I get and it annoys the hell outa me.. I see all that screen and want a FULL picture, but it just won't do it. To make it worse, the edges aren't clear on the left and right. They are blurry and that is annoying as well. The Sony suffers from this also but I think the ST1080 is worse. But at least on the Sony you see the screen and get a FULL picture on it. Looking at the ST1080 and angling it up, I notice the LED's are pointing down and being projected by what looks like mirrors, this could be the cause of blurry edges and the projected look. Your not seeing the LEDs, your seeing a reflection I believe.

Now watching movies I must admit, picture quality wasn't that bad. For me, colors looked pretty good though as mentioned black levels looked more grey (but not that bad). Ice Age looked great, the picture was pretty sharp and nice looking, a bit blurry around the edges but once I got into it I kinda liked it. Transformers looked good also, but because it's widescreen the picture looked smaller and more projected like on to a large screen with s small image. UGH I really hate that....

Sound quality was great for me, I don't get that humming some reported. It gets much louder than the HMZ, which I like because I love my movies blasting into my ears. I was only using my iphone headphones and plan on trying some big Denon headphones later and my Bose headphones as well. But so far I'm loving how loud it gets and the fact I can use my own chose of headphones. The only bad thing I don't like is when pressing the volume buttons a black box shows up showing the amount of volume your using and stays there kinda to long unless you press the mute button which closes it.
If they could update the menu and make it look better that would be a BIG plus. As of now it's just the black box which pop's up giving you few options and looks like an old Commodore 64 program. I suggest they make it more sleek, when adjusting the volume show a speaker at the bottom with how much volume your using and get rid of the black box. However, the menu doe's work and get the job done so can't complain to much about it. Though it lacks changing colors and stuff as mentioned in other post by users.

My ST1080's ear arms or whatever they are called won't open fully.. I seen photos of them on their site fully open, mine won't and I am afraid if I pull they may brake and snap off. So it's a dang tight fit for me and I guess mines defective, I really don't know till I contact them.


Final thoughts..

I am debating at the moment, honestly I am a bit upset knowing that Silicon knows of the issues and is fixing them in current builds. But that leaves people like me and others who had trust and faith in them to make and deliver a quality product and ordered first left out. I had trust in them and get a device that don't live up to their claims (a full clear 1080p picture)
In my opinion they should take back defective units free of charge and replace them, as this is their fault not the cutomers. Customers should not have to pay $125, or any amount of money (even shipping price in my opinion) for getting a product that don't function currectly.
Sadly, I am sure my warranty is up on both units as they shipped from Korea to the USA, and then my family shipped it from the USA to me here in Japan. That kinda pisses me off, as it cost me $240 for shipping when I wrote Silicon twice asking them if they can ship directly to Japan for me with NO reply both times. Yet reading others post on forums they shipped directly to them! Even a guy in Japan was able to get it directly.. UGH!!!!
I am gonna write them and see what can be done, truly debating if I will demand new units that hopefully are fixed or my cash back fully.
Edited by bravia3D - 6/22/12 at 2:41pm

Good pros n cons but how is the 3d on it?

In my opinion the 3D was about the same as the HMZ from what I can tell. The blurry edges though kinda ruined the experience.

Here is a mail I just sent Silicon, I will see if this time they actually reply.

Hello, I just recieved my 2 ST1080's yesterday. They were shipped by my father from the USA to me here in Japan. I had to pay $240 to have them shipped from there to here which is dang expensive. I had wrote you guys asking long before you shipped mine if you could send them directly to Japan for me to save me money and make shipping much faster, but you never even repied and I wrote twice. A bit upset over that as then I read your forums and noticed you guys did that for another guy in Japan and he got his easily... I also had sent emails asking questions about the ST1080 before that and never got replies, so poor service on your part. I still have all the emails I sent saved showing that I did in fact try contacting you guys.



I opened the black ST1080 last night for a try and the first thing I noticed is the ear arms don't fully open, they open enough to fit on my head very tightly but not all the way like the photos on your website show. If I try opening them more it feels like they may brake or snap. The device won't even stay on me even with the cheap string you guys included. It slides down always off my face.



Though I have that problem, I was able to wear it and test it out. Watching some 2D and 3D movies the edges are so badly blurred I can't enjoy them. It also looks like the image is projected onto a screen, I can see a large screen when cutting the deivce on but watching movies they don't take up that full screen. It looks like a 100" screen with a projector being shined on it only at 90" so you see the white of the screen around the picture. That is quite annoying and I am not sure if it's supposed to be that way? I haven't heard others mention it yet. The movies I am watching are full 1080p some full screen and some widescreen. Watching widecreen was much worse as it looked smaller.

But those edges are just horrible, I look to the left or right and can't see clear but the middle looks fine which is annoying, and add in the white glowing screen around the movie and it just becomes to frustrating to watch. Black levels are not black, but grey and often are way to bright but this is not that bad and expected.



I read on many forums (including yours) that state you guys are aware of these issues and new shipments are being fixed not to have these problems. Well.. Where doe's that leave me and others who bought in early March expecting a quality product but got defective units? I feel quite let down over this and kinda ripped off. I'd truly like both my unit replaced with ones that work properly.

But I don't wanna invest anymore money than I already have by some restocking fee, shipping fees or any dang fee's for that matter! I have already spent enough, $1,398 for a black and white ST1080 and then $240 shipping because you guys never contacted me to have it shipped here cheaper. I shouldn't have to spend anymore, the product should have functioned properly to begin with! And the fact you guys are aware of the issues and fixing them in newer units is like a slap in my face, you guys should have fully tested them before they were even shipped to customers and not shipped a faulty product which later you will fix in newer models.

I haven't opened my white one yet to test, and won't until you guys reply.

Had the same experience with the black unit I had. When I tried to open the arms completely for a comfortable fit the plastic hinges would spring back and not allow me to open them fully. Almost like the model I had was made for a small child's head. It made the HMD very uncomfortably tight fitting. The photos showed the HMD just sitting there, arms completely wide open and no one holding them open. That was not possible with the unit I had. Kept looking for a release button to press in order to clear the springing effect.

Paul

Same here, I was looking for a button or something but nothing! I'm afraid to even open the white one and check.

So the verdic is its not worth keeping?

In my opinion yes, if they can fix the issues then it could be good. But as it stands now.. I either want replacements that work or my full money back. Seems even on their forum people feel the same.

Sorry to hear the trouble you are having and I hope it works out for you. This is EXACTLY the reason I will not purchase from them, their customer service seems questionable and livining in the US I refuse to purchase an item directly from a foreign country because you don't have a leg to stand on if something goes wrong.

Good luck.

Thanks, hopefully things go well. Me owning my own net business I would never tell customers to pay extra for a faulty product! Heck, I have even told some to keep it and sent them new ones as well.

I am hoping they replace my units free of charge as this is their fault, not the customers and I should not have to spend more money on faulty products then I already have.

The ST1080 is manufactured in a foreign country but their business, Silicon Micro Display, Inc., is located in Novato, California USA and is where I had to return my units. Also, I had to pay California sales tax to their California based business, because I also live in California.

Paul

Their response to you should be to all who read this thread the true measure of the type of company they are. Problems happen but it's how they respond to their customers is what will make or break them. Epson is the perfect example, I have owed Epson projectors in the past and any issue I have had was handled professionally and quickly. I would recommend Epson to anyone based on my experience alone.

I know a lot of people are interested in this product and being a startup company should drive them to keep their reputation top notch. So far all I am seeing is failure.

Keep us informed.

Where was your purchased shipped out of? Just curious as I have seen a few people state their items were shipped from Korea.

I believe all are shipped from Korea, which is why I asked them twice in email if they could ship mine to Japan. It would have saved me much money if they would have replied and done so!

I'll keep all updated on what they say if they reply to me. I posted on their forum as well, so I'm sure they will see it.

For now on I'm gonna stick to Japanese products, at least here in Japan they take care of their customers like you are a God. And that's no joke, I bought an LG TV here from Yodobashi and it had bad light bleed, Yodobashi staff literally contacted me right back by phone and begged for my forgiveness for a faulty product they sold me and replaced it free of charge and super fast also. Gotta love that kinda service.

Correct. The units are shipped directly from the manufacturing plant, saving time and streamlining transportation expenditure.

As being one of the first to get the ST1080, my visual experience is the same as bravia3D. I want to fully like the unit too. I'm still waiting on a response for a replacement once fully confirmed new units are better than the first run units.

I'm curious if anyone has actually been contacted by them and they say they will do something about the issues?
Also do others have that kinda projector like experience I been describing where the image don't take up what looks like the whole screen?
Edited by bravia3D - 6/22/12 at 7:19pm

It was one of a few characteristics I didn't like about the type of experience I was getting from the technology.

Really hoped that 1080P resolution would be the game changer, but found too many other variables I didn't have to think about when experiencing the HMZ-T1 and that through the comparison of both HMDs I began to realize the superior quality of the OLED chips forming the base of the foundation in Sony's unit which comparatively produces a seemingly perfect 720P image with reference representations of contrast, color, and a clarity rendition-interpretation from the micro-pixels that creates the visual experience.

For the micro-pixels most visible moments they will give a slight grouping of a descriptive texture of roughness with a pattern in an image that is most of the time camouflaged on a screen that produces ever-evolving clarity patterns and without rainbow effect moments that the ST 1080s LCoS display produces while adjusting eye position for area focus clarity.

Both HMDs need serious R&D in user optics for obtaining complete, effortless, clarity of the whole screen.

The ST1080s electronics system is superior in regards to portability, being smaller in size, lighter in weight and having 1080P resolution ability.

The HMZ-T1 has an edge IMO, allowing the consumer to remedy both the problems of obtaining-total-clarity of the screens area and achieving a comfortable fit for use.

Modification of the HMZ-T1 is definitely necessary to reach that point, but the quality of the display is the key-to-the-solid-foundation to begin with and satisfaction can realistically be achieved with what's readily available to the enthusiast.

Paul

If you dont mind tinkering with it, you can fix the blurriness, it happens because of overtightened optics.

I dont remember his name but the SMD CEO posted on his blog that why it happens

I contacted his email and hope to get a reply and find out what he will do. Found his email on the blog.

Here are some more if you need


techsupport@SiliconMicroDisplay.com

support@SiliconMicroDisplay.com

paul@SiliconMicroDisplay.com

Have written all them with no reply. Guessing I won't hear back till Monday and hoping they actually contact me this time.

what about your second set? Same issues?

Any chance you can get a picture of those LEDs? I'm trying to get a better idea of how these are constructed. Can't tell much from the pictures I've seen so far.

Yea, I will try to do that after work today if I can.

I haven't opened the second set yet, Still waiting for a reply from Silicon

video please - video please - video of the screens in action please!

LOL

Sorry I didn't have time to post a video as my job was quite busy. I got an email from Paul and debating what to do. On one hand, I wanna support their company I know they are small and maybe the new batches are better?.. On the other hand, I have doubts they would be any better and worried getting new units might make me end up where I'm at now as well. Has anyone gotten the newer one and is it better?l



I sincerely apologize for your experience with the ST1080.




We also looked into our email records and we did find one email from you asking about alternative shipment to Japan. Although we replied to that email with an order status, we discovered that we failed to see that last sentence and, therefore, didn't reply to your question about shipment to Japan. Sorry about that.




I'll try to address your questions or comments on your experience. After my response, I've laid out three options for you in terms of next steps.

1. The ear stems are not supposed to open all the way because there is a spring mechanism at the hinge. We did an extensive study on the average head width, and design a spring mechanism that would allow the unit to stay on without slipping off. It was also design not to put too much pressure on the head. However, human physiology is different for everyone, so unfortunately we couldn't design for every case. It sounds like this is the case for you. We had one other customer who asked about the same thing, so we will post on our User's Manual page of our website (www.SiliconMicroDisplay.com/users-manual) instructions on how to remove the spring part. It's every easy to remove as well as to put an less stiff spring. This information will be available in a few days on our website.

2. How the unit fits for you is also depends on your head/face structure. Again, we designed to the average with some accommodations for variations, but unfortunately not everyone can get a good fit.

3. The how much of the display is used for the content you're viewing depends on the source device's ability to scale the content image. For example, if you're watching a 720p content on a device that only outputs 720p, then currently, our device does not have the scaling function to fill the entire image. We will provide the scaling feature in the future firmware upgrade, which was announced on our blog. Another example of the opposite: if you're watching a 720p content and your source device is capable of scaling that image and output it at 1080p, then you will see the full display on the ST1080. This is similar to how most HDTVs work as well.

4. The LCoS (liquid crystal on silicon) microdisplay technology is an indirect-view technology. The LCoS technology bounces the image off the microdisplay itself, and through lenses and optics, it presents the image to your eyes. As a comparison, OLED microdisplays are direct-view, meaning that you are looking at the microdisplay directly with optics to focus the image. This is the nature of LCoS microdisplay. There may be quality issues that may alter the quality of the image that you're viewing.

5. The white screen around the picture. There should be no white screen around the image. Can you tell me about the content that you're viewing and what hardware system is connected to the ST1080? It may be that the source has the white screen around the picture. It could also be a bug, but we haven't seen this problem yet, so if you can describe the content/source device, we can try to diagnose what's going on.

6. When you say the left and right edges aren't clear, do you mean that it's out of focus or some other issue?




Regarding restocking fees and shipping fees, we are a small company and don't yet have the ability to offer this free of charge. We wish we could. I know that doesn't help with your frustration, but what we can offer are the following three options:




Option 1: You can return the two units for a full refund. You will have to pay shipping fees to our return facility in California, but I can offer a full refund instead of charging the restocking fees.

Option 2: You can return the two units for repair at our repair facility in California. The current estimate for fixing/replacing and shipping back to you is approximately 3 to 4 weeks. This option means that you will not have the products during that time.

Option 3: We can ship you replacement units. We will pay for the shipping to you (to Japan). The current estimate for replacement units is also 3 to 4 weeks. This option means that you will hold on to the units you currently have, and you'll send the defective units back to us once you receive the replacement units. If you choose this option, please give us the shipping address where you want the replacement units delivered.




Again, I apologize for the your experience.




Lastly, I've copied our Customer Support team on this email. Please reply to them, and they will work promptly with your choice.




Thank you.




Paul Jin

CEO

SiliconMicroDisplay
Edited by bravia3D - 6/25/12 at 1:52pm

Now that they have given you the option to return - I would crack open your other unit and see if there is any difference...

Yep, thinking of doing that after my work

I am very curious if it's the same.

This is a hard choice, I really am curious if the newer batches are fixed without the problems.