The most interesting of IFA press conference, in my opinion is the introduction of Sony HMZ-T1 OLED Head Mount Display. The head-mounted display, initially introduced as a prototype back in January at CES, has finally turned into a real product. This HMD device is aimed at gamers and TV watchers, generating a 3D image with use of a pair of 0.7-inch OLED panels, which each display separate images, resulting in video image with zero ghosting / crosstalk that always comes along with 3D displays. The device is a solid piece of hardware, just what one would expect from Sony with an estimated price between US$499 to US$599 when it hits the US around the pre-Christmas time frame.
Although the resolution on this Head Mounted Display is 720p, pixel structure is invisible even when I try very hard to look for it. Of course, I hope one day soon the 1080p version will be available although it is not really necessary since the motion resolution of 720p making this 720p display almost imperceptible to a regular 1080p projector (which tend to only have about 800p of motion resolution).
Unlike Sony’s official claim of a virtual “750” screen viewed from 65-ft away”, from my personal experience of this unit’s demo, it’s like viewing an 85″ screen from about 9-ft away. However, every person’s perception may differ so my experience may be different than yours. The bands around the back are an improvement over the CES prototype design and fit around my head easily enough although it is still a tad front-heavy. The picture also looks brighter and more colourful, with much improved contrast compared to the product’s CES prototype. Strangely enough, the 3D image also seems to contain a bit more depth than I saw at CES 2011.
Addendum: A handful of Sony Stores in United States reportedly are already taking pre-orders for US$500 as of this past weekend.