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From: bryce@COGSCI.BERKELEY.EDU.UUCP
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: Re: Stereo-Tek glasses
Message-ID: <8705200144.AA29716@cogsci.berkeley.edu>
Date: Tue, 19-May-87 21:44:44 EDT
Article-I.D.: cogsci.8705200144.AA29716
Posted: Tue May 19 21:44:44 1987
Date-Received: Thu, 21-May-87 01:10:38 EDT
Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU
Lines: 31

> [the 3-D glasses]
> Why is the ST so well suited for use of this device? Could an 8-bit interface
> for the 3D glasses be constructed?. I want concrete technical facts on why or
> why not this would work.

The glasses have two lcd shutters.  The shutter has the ability to block 
one side of the glasses (via polarizaion) the other side may remain clear.

So what you do is prepare two frames. One meant for the left eye and the other
for the right.  On veritcal blanking you switch eyes on the glasses and
switch images on the screen.

This is why they always have these demos in darkened rooms or with some sort
of light sheild or dimmer.  The darker it is, the less you notice the 30hz
flicker.  In a bright room with bright colors the image flickers a lot.
In a very dim room with drab colors the image is solid.  Happy mediums
exist in between.

There is nothing special about the ST that is suited for use of the device,
with a simple interface an Atari 8-bit or Commodore-64, VIC-20, Coleco
Adam, TI99/4A, PCjr, Spectrum, Sinclair QL, Amstrad or whatever could drive
it.  All a computer needs is some output bits, the ability to check for
veritcal blanking and do a page-flip operation on the screen. 
High resolution graphics helps, but is not strictly necessary.

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