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From: ifarqhar@mqccsunc.mqcc.mq.OZ (Ian Farquhar)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Re: X-Specs and Sega Glasses
Summary: A standard for these, perhaps?
Keywords: Glasses, 3-d
Message-ID: <91@macuni.mqcc.mq.oz>
Date: 15 Jan 90 11:03:19 GMT
References: <4668@hydra.gatech.EDU> <997@abvax.UUCP>
Sender: news@macuni.mqcc.mq.oz
Reply-To: ifarqhar@mqccsunc.mq.oz (Ian Farquhar)
Organization: Macquarie University, Sydney
Lines: 65

In article <997@abvax.UUCP> set@xanadu.UUCP (Scott Townsend) writes:
>
>Does anyone know the specs for the X-Specs or Sega glasses?  I've been
>thinking about an application which needs an optical shutter and thought
>a lens from one of these glasses might do the trick.  Specifications of
>interest are maximum switching frequency, how opaque they get, and how
>transparent they get.  It would be good to know if they might be adversely
>affected by low-power laser light also.  Any responses would be 
>appreciated.

If you are a follower of comp.graphics, you will have seen a plan for
the interfacing of the Sega 3D glasses to PCs and Macs.  I can post his
to you if you want, which should define the voltage and frequency levels
you get.  You should be aware that they are not very efficient, when
they are clear it is like wearing dark glasses, and highlights can be
seen through it when they are "opaque."  They manage about 15 Hz
switching rate adequately which looks okay in the dark, but very
irritating in the light.  If I don't reply in a couple of days, post to
me as e-mail is a little flakey at the moment.

On more general matters, it would be really nice if the Amiga community
could define a 3D glasses standard.  Now before you all scream that this
would benefit only the couple of manufacturers that produce them,
consider this: if there was a standard (not necessarily ratified by
CBM), then any game developer could confidantly add the tiny amount of
code needed for any sprite based game that would adapt the the 3D
standard.  What I am proposing is that we simply say that the following
pin on the following port makes the left lens black when it passes this
level, and this pin on the same port makes the other lens black under
the same conditions.

I have been speculating ever since I bought my Sega (no flames plase, it
was much more entertaining to pull apart than it is to play), that the
glasses sans Sega interface card could be easily connected to an Amiga,
but that it was a pointless product without games supporting it.

Comments, folks?



+-----------------------------------+-------------------------------+
|  Ian Farquhar                     | Phone : (02)  805-7420 (STD)  | 
|  Microcomputer Support            |         (612) 805-7420 (ISD)  |
|  Office of Computing Services     | Fax   : (02)  805-7433 (STD)  |
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"A cynic is what an idealist calls a realist."
                                       Sir Humphrey Appleby
                                       (Patron Saint of Public Servants)
                                       Yes, Minister.
    
                                   Yes, Prime Minister.

+-----------------------------------+-------------------------------+
|  Ian Farquhar                     | Phone : (02)  805-7420 (STD)  | 
|  Microcomputer Support            |         (612) 805-7420 (ISD)  |
|  Office of Computing Services     | Fax   : (02)  805-7433 (STD)  |
|  Macquarie University  NSW  2109  |         (612) 805-7433 (ISD)  |
|  Australia                        | Also  :       805-7205        |
+-----------------------------------+-------------------------------+

D