VR vs HDTV

NutBucket

Lifer
Aug 30, 2000
27,033
545
126
Seconded. Besides, a VR headset just isn't comfortable for that period of time nor can it be enjoyed in a group environment. I much prefer to watch movies with my wife or some group of friends/family.
 

giantpandaman2

Senior member
Oct 17, 2005
580
11
81
This question is almost like someone asking, "racing coupe or dune buggy for a road track race?"

Dune Buggy (VR) is for a different application. Namely...VR and the unique experiences VR provides.
 

Eug

Lifer
Mar 11, 2000
23,583
996
126
This question is almost like someone asking, "racing coupe or dune buggy for a road track race?"

Dune Buggy (VR) is for a different application. Namely...VR and the unique experiences VR provides.

Nah if you want to use such a car analogy, it's more like a sedan vs a dune buggy for regular use. Yeah, nobody buys the dune buggy because it is totally impractical.
 

Kaido

Elite Member & Kitchen Overlord
Feb 14, 2004
48,388
5,256
136
VR is amazing & will be great for movies...when they reach eyeball-grade screens (which is apparently 8K x 8K). Right now, movies look like you're watching them on a portable DVD player. You can see the pixels & details are obscured. It's a really cool experience to be able to change it from a 50" TV to a 100" home theater screen to a 70-foot IMAX screen, but the quality just isn't there yet. I get fatigue trying to focus on the image details, so I don't watch any full-length movies on it.

I don't mind wearing the goggles. My GearVR is pretty comfortable & lightweight. Headphones can give you an amazing audio experience if you purchase good ones (or earbuds). Watching a movie in an empty theater or on the moon is way cool. My only gripe is the screen quality. It looks nice for a little while, but then starts wearing on you. If it was Retina-quality in VR, it would be amazing. Someday!
 

Kaido

Elite Member & Kitchen Overlord
Feb 14, 2004
48,388
5,256
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This question is almost like someone asking, "racing coupe or dune buggy for a road track race?"

Dune Buggy (VR) is for a different application. Namely...VR and the unique experiences VR provides.

I disagree. VR is amazing for watching movies, if you don't mind watching them by yourself. I think they have a social movie theater now where you can watch it with other people via avatars, which is kind of weird but whatever. I believe they let you voice chat too, so you can pause it & talk if you want. Anyway...stuff like the Netflix VR app has a "void" mode where the screen follows you in pitch darkness & is adjustable in size, so you can blow it up as big (or as small) as you want while laying down in bed or reclining in an easy chair. It's cool to have a jumbo screen available too, especially if you don't have a big HDTV at home. It's not perfect though; I see 3 issues with movies in VR:

1. Right now the screen quality just isn't there yet. In a few years, it will be...but by then, OLED TV's will be a lot cheaper too.

2. It's socially limiting IRL, because you put on a headset & cut yourself off from your surroundings. No one is going to buy VR goggles for everyone in their family so that they can all sit on the couch for movie night. Yeah, you can do avatar-based social movies, but it's not like chilling with your SO/family/friends for movie nights

3. Wearing a headset is akin to wearing 3D Glasses, i.e. nobody wants to have to put something on just to loaf & watch a movie.

However, it holds promise. I'll catch a show sometimes while I'm on my stationary exercise bike because I can pop the goggles & headphones on & not wake anyone up when I'm working out, so that's nice. It'd be great if you take long bus rides or fly on airplanes a lot. If they can get the quality up to Retina at some point & you're a solitary person, you won't need to buy an HDTV or even a computer monitor because you'll be able to do everything on the headset:

http://store.steampowered.com/app/457550/

So, it holds promise...when the quality gets there...and in specific circumstances. Eventually they'll get more comfortable, lighter in weight, better in screen quality, with more inputs for stuff. Playing Xbox or Playstation on one will be pretty huge because why buy a 70" television when you can play on a virtual IMAX screen?
 

giantpandaman2

Senior member
Oct 17, 2005
580
11
81
Nah if you want to use such a car analogy, it's more like a sedan vs a dune buggy for regular use. Yeah, nobody buys the dune buggy because it is totally impractical.

I've been watching too many Koenigsegg videos, so everything is a race.

VR is a niche right now. At one time so were cell phones (heavy, expensive, uglier than sin). Cell phones needed a few decades to minimize and become ubiquitous. VR and AR will probably need that too.