Optoma 3D Gaming Projector – Interview

Optoma USA is a well established projector company known best in both gaming and home theater circles. Their products have been on display at many trade shows, including the recent E3 2011 where they showed off their 3D gaming projector. While 3D gaming is still mostly buzz as the industry waits to see widespread adoption by gamers, many companies such as Optoma USA are are on the bleeding edges of the technology. We met up with Optoma product manager Jack Hu to talk about their line and about the future of 3D video games.

GI: Sean Gibson, Gaming Illustrated. Could you let us know your name and your job title please?

JH: My name is Jack Hu and my job title is product manager for Optoma Technologies.

GI: We’re here at the Optoma booth and you’re touting 3D experience. Can you talk about what Optoma is doing for 3D and 3D gaming as a whole?

JH: Right now we’re actually integrating everything into a projector that comes out in 2D and 3D. So at the moment the one that’s going to come out around August or September is a GD750. Basically you’re able to plug in a Blu-ray 1080P 3D and then it will project out as 1080P 3D and convert it into 720P 3D.

GI: We know the PS3 natively supports Blu-ray technology, 1080P 3D. What other devices, other than the Blu-ray, that we should be looking at?

JH: Well you can look at Blu-ray. Blu-ray right now, all the Blu-ray 3D players come out 1080P. It doesn’t matter if it’s 2D or 3D, it will be 1080P. The problem is that a lot of the projectors out there only support up to 720P as 3D. So that’s all we’re doing right now. So it’s not compatible with a 1080P 3D image because that isn’t offered right now. So when it comes out with a GD750 or the future that we have, the home theater version, that will be able to support the 1080P 3D. So you can look at it for yourself, it doesn’t matter if it’s Blu-ray player, 3D or PS3 or even Xbox coming out on 3D, we are able to accept that kind of signal and then process it and then project it out as either 720P or 1080P 3D.

GI: So the big thing we’re hearing this year is 3D gaming. In your estimate for the gamers, is this something that we’re going to see take off? Is this just a fad or is this really something that we’re going to be seeing? I mean 1080P is here to stay but is 720P/1080P 3D something that’s really going to be adopted?

JH: I think so. I’ll tell you it’s a real game changer because we’re so used to the 2D but when you see everything 3D in front of your face it’s a totally different experience. So I do feel that if you look at all the game developers right now, such as Call of Duty, even The Kill Zone 3, all the gaming that’s coming out right now is basically following what Hollywood is doing. The Hollywood thing right now with the Blu-ray is either 2D or 3D in one package and that’s why they want to give the option to the users or the game experiencers there that you can either come out as 2D or 3D. So I think it is a trend that will give all options to the users, yes.

GI: Now there’s two things that I’d like you to comment on that are barriers to entry for consumers. One is the fact that you have to wear glasses when you watch 3D and the other is that the field of view required – you have to be sitting in certain spots. Could you talk to us about those things with your product?

JH: Yeah, with the projection, it needs to be a certain kind of environment. It can not be too bright, it needs to be fairly dark. It doesn’t have to be pitch black like the movie theaters. It just needs to have windows closed up with the curtains closed, etc. And the distance, yes, I mean for projection it needs to be bigger than a TV to be worthwhile. Otherwise there’s no point of owning a projector. So I would definitely advise if you have like an 80” diagonal wall or anything above that, yes, get a projector. You’ll definitely have the kind of experience as a movie theater experience. But you are right though, with 3D technology right now you still need 3D glasses and then you just need to have a fair amount of environment. Right here at the show (E3) we set up a fair comfortable environment for projection. It doesn’t need to be like pitch black like everybody perceives for projectors.

GI: Well it seems like the gamers are really attached to this. Any word for the gamers out there?

JH: Have fun. Seriously I think this is a game changing experience when it comes to 3D and if you’re able to have that kind of set up at home, definitely try it. It’s really, really fun. I mean this is the fun part of my job; I spend hours each week in our lab testing 3D gaming. It’s a great life!

GI: Alright, thank you very much Jack.

JH: Thank you.

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