Virtual reality headsets haven’t been around for a while, but we remember them fondly growing up, and wishing we could afford one. Good news for us, then, as Sony is looking to bringing them back, with the announcement of the Personal 3D Viewer heading to Australia.
Price at $899, Sony’s HMZT1 is a headset that features two 18mm OLED HD 1280×720 screens able to show 3D video without any problems. No extra glasses are required as the headset takes advantage of separate screens for each eye, making the 3D that much more immersive, with no crosstalk to speak of.
Headsets don’t display images and video like a regular screen, with your eyes forcing your brain to think you’re watching the equivalent of a 19 metre screen. In essence, it’s like having your own personal movie theatre in your head.
The HMZT1 also features a “light shield” to stop excess light from hurting the experience in daylight.
Audio is taken care of with 5.1 virtual surround delivered through headphones developed specifically for the headset, with four surround modes on offer.
We previewed this last year when we went hands-on (and head-on) with a headset at  the launch of Uncharted 3 in November and found the experience impressive. While it’s not the lightest piece of head gear you’re likely to don, the colour is excellent and the 3D is very strong.
Sony says that the headset will be available from January 27 onwards, but that only 100 units will be available from launch date with more coming in March.
With the “screens” being so close to your eyes, wouldn’t it cause eye fatigue having to focus on something so close for a period of time?Â
I would expect that there is a clever piece of optics between the eye and the screen called a collimator, that fools the eye into thinling the screen is in the distance, for focus.
It gives the illusion that its 20 metres away, don’t ask me how but I’ve tried it and its way batter feeling that a cinema….clear and amazing