Got 3D LG and 3D glasses (free with tv) - now what should i buy? HTPC? Standalone DVD

[Emulex]

Can i do a HTPC sata BD-rom and some software to rock out 3d?

Or do i have to buy the LG BX590 3D blu-ray players to do 3d?

How does that work? I assume there is some compatibility and some incompatibilites?

Anyone have any experience?

Lovin' the Conn's LG 60PX950 plasma. Wow. Totally smokes the ole WESTY 42" lol.

for the same price that i paid for the westy $1500 5 years ago - this plasma cost the same and wow. amazing.

 

[poofyhairguy]

Congrats on the new 3D tv. I am a 3D tv owner myself.

To play 3D Blue Rays correctly on a 3D TV you need a Nvidia GT430 GPU and a HTPC and either PowerDVD or Total Media Theatre. Also you need a HDMI 1.4 compatible cable connecting the two.

Or you can hunt down half side by side (sbs) 3D movies (basically 720p 3D) and play it on any old equipment that can handle 1080p movies like an ION system or a WD Live. When you go this route, you have to manually set your TV to 3D mode.

 

[Emulex]

what about mounting an iso on the htpc using virtual clonedrive (slysoft , freeware)?

Do you need to use nvidia glasses? I have an older video card selection currently a geforce 220, and i have a HD5450 $9 a/r and a $29 Geforce 240 (may not fit in the low profile slot).

So if i mount the iso of the bd-rom and then play them use ultra dvd would that work? using the LG glasses? Or is it better to burn the material (iso,whatever) to a bd-rom and play them on a LG BX590 player? so the LG glasses work?

I'd like to not use BD-rom as they are too easily damaged by the kids. I'd be pissed if a $50 disney movie got roached because the kid was being a kid.


GT430? wait that seems excessive for home theatre? What is the smallest card that can do 3D? and how does the ISO tell the TV to sync the glasses ?

I'd rather swap the dvd-rom out for a blu-ray. heck i've got a blu-ray in my old 8730w laptop i've never used but for one movie i am not sure it is worth it. Maybe the avatar or coraline.

 

[Emulex]

okay i see powerdvd plays Side by Side video's but the effect seems weak.

 

[ProfJohn]

How about a PS3??

The best 3d content out there right is video games so that seems to make the most sense right now.

$399 for a game system that can play 3d movies or $200 for just a movie player.

Maybe someone can name a reason NOT to use the PS3.

 

[Emulex]

$20-40 for a BD-ROM for my htpc.
GT430 for htpc

seems alot less than ps3. plus one less device.

 

[Emulex]

spent $69 on a GT 430 and $12 for 6ft hdmi 1.4 cable (yes i know - it's the day before xmas and i don't feel like waiting or hunting for a deal).

I still don't get most of it.

so far:
1. most 3D is two images on one 1920 screen (half-sbs)

It seems that there is very little standards

 

[Nebor]

Terrible advice in this thread. My HTPC with an Intel DG45ID and the integrated graphics plays 3d blu-rays without issue on my Samsung 3d Plasma. With Powerdvd 10, it can output in side-by-side (lame) or checkerboard (the good stuff.) The TV can accept 4 or 5 different types of 3d. Set them both to checkerboard and you're good to go.

You only need an Nvidia 3d TV enabled card if you want to play your games in 3d, or offload 2d->3d conversion from your TV to your video card for regular 2d video content.

 

[Emulex]

i want to do hdmi 1.4 method where you send two 1080p streams not 960x1080 or 1920x540 (sbs/over-under).

i don't play games.

I have powerdvd 3d.

any more tips??

 

[Nebor]

I'm relatively sure that your PC outputs 1920x1080@ 60hz in a checkerboard pattern and your TV interpolates the extra frames to 120hz. I could be wrong. I'm using a cable that should be able to support the HDMI 1.4 spec.

I don't game on my HTPC (due to lack of a beefy video card) and just use powerdvd with the integrated video to watch 3d blurays.

 

[Emulex]

i got it going:

GT 430 (or better) passes all audio and does dual 1080p streams down a hdmi (1.4) cable with ethernet channel support.
($60 card, $10 for 12ft hdmi 1.4a cable)
powerdvd ultra
LG 60PX950 and it's glasses
AVATAR 3D ISO = good to go.

side by side and checkboard and over/under are ghetto methods - the hdmi 1.4 method is to send two full streams down the wire and alternate them. obviously on hdmi 1.3 video cards this just can't be done - not enough mojo.

full 1920x1080p 3d - looks awesome. the Geforce GT 240 almost cuts it - but not quite. the geforce 220 can only handle hdmi 1.3 (ghetto methods).

checkerboard is definitely a ghetto mode.

 

[Nebor]

I don't think you know what you're talking about, but you have a pretty bad attitude, so enjoy. Maybe check out AVS' HTPC forum if you're interested in learning.

 

[Emulex]

nah i scoped the older cards like GTX250 they can't handle two 1920x1080p streams at ocne. only the new fermi cards can do it and i'm not doing the ATI carp. well ATI can't do 3D vision gaming either. Not that i'd do gaming but for an HTPC the GT 430 is unique in its placement - it is the only card that can handle hdmi 1.4 full 1080P 3D - any over/under/side by side/checkerboard is a hack for hdmi 1.3's limit of (1) 1920x1080 stream. The GT 430 supports sending (2) 1920x1080p streams at once allowing full 3D @ 1080P.

it's real simple - you can use hacks to reduce the effective resolution or framerates or do it right.

3D will be slick but not for HTPC - only makes sense to watch your games in the 3D space they are rendered. i just don't play games.

The quality is far superior using full 1080P compared to half resolution models. Plus if i need to do 4K video - over hdmi cable - no problems.

Power DVD 10 ultra + GT430 + HDMI 1.4 compatible cable + LG 60PX950 + Avatar3D.iso+Virtual Drive = good times.