Rafal, The primary advantage of the Zalman M220W display is that it eliminates the need for any special graphics card. All the work is done by a few lines of software code, and with those changes in place, the display will likely work with any computer capable of handling its native 1680x1050 resolution. The glasses use passive polarization, so no connection to the graphics card is required.
The primary disadvantage of the Zalman display is that the effective vertical resolution is reduced, but this mainly impacts the readability of accompanying 2D GUIs rather than the 3D visualizations themselves. For this reason, I believe the Zalman is probably good enough for most educational and occasional users of the stereo 3D but not good enough for routine daily use of stereo 3D by professionals. The primary advantage of the ViewSonic and the Samsung 120 Hz LCDs (the 2233rz has been available through nVidia since January 17th) is that users get the full display resolution to each eye. The primary disavantage of the 120Hz displays is that they do not yet support Quadro-based OpenGL Stereo 3D synchronization and are thus useless for crystallographers, scientific 3D professionals, etc. Perhaps this is what will change in April? Given the date, waiting for news does seem like the sensible option at this point. Cheers, Warren > -----Original Message----- > From: Rafal Dolot [mailto:rdo...@bio.cbmm.lodz.pl] > Sent: Monday, March 30, 2009 5:03 AM > To: Warren DeLano > Cc: CCP4BB@JISCMAIL.AC.UK > Subject: RE: [ccp4bb] Question about stereo on LCD monitor > > Hi Warren, > > Thank you for your answer. I've checked last news from web > and I found information that ViewSonic and Samsung start with > production of 120Hz 22" > LCD monitors (ViewSonic VX2265wm, Samsung SyncMaster 2233rz > and 2243(or hz, depends on the source)). Samsung should be > avaiable in april, probably with 3D shutter glasses. > According to your info about Zalman monitor - do you know how > is realized connection of glasses? Via Stereo 3D from graphic card? > I would buy Quadro FX 3700 card with stereo glasses, but now > I think I should waiting for new information about these LCD's... > > With best wishes > > Rafal > > |----------------------------------------------| > |Rafal Dolot, Ph.D. | > | | > |Polish Academy of Sciences | > |Centre of Molecular and Macromolecular Studies| > |Department of Bioorganic Chemistry | > |Sienkiewicza 112 | > |90-363 Lodz, Poland | > |Phone: +48(42)6819744 | > |----------------------------------------------| > > > > Rafal, > > > > Actually, things only really started to change last month... > > > > Please see http://pymol.org and scroll down most of the way to the > > February 13th entry regarding the $600 Zalman ZM-M220W > stereo-capable > > LCD. > > > > In my opinion, that is the best option on the market until > the "powers > > that be" start supporting 120 Hz LCDs with OpenGL drivers -- which > > could be days or months, but hopefully not years. Once > that happens, > > 120 Hz LCDs will likely become the preferred option. > > > > I don't know whether O, Coot, or CCP4 support this monitor yet, but > > they really should if they do not! (It only takes a couple > dozen lines > > of code beyond standard QBS stereo -- developers please see > the code > > I've posted at http://pymol.org/zalman/howto.html ) > > > > Cheers, > > Warren > > > >> -----Original Message----- > >> From: CCP4 bulletin board [mailto:ccp...@jiscmail.ac.uk] > On Behalf Of > >> Rafal Dolot > >> Sent: Friday, March 20, 2009 4:17 PM > >> To: CCP4BB@JISCMAIL.AC.UK > >> Subject: [ccp4bb] Question about stereo on LCD monitor > >> > >> Dear CCP4BB users, > >> > >> After one long year I'm back to crystallography again :) Actually I > > try to > >> organize a crystallographic lab in new work place. Of > course one of > >> important thing what I need is a good computer machine for > >> crystallographic calculations and molecular graphics. And > now I need > > yours > >> advices/opinion... > >> - is it actually possible use a LCD monitor in stereo mode, for > > example in > >> COOT or O, with shutterglasses? > >> - what kind of graphic card, not so expensive, but with > good quality > > of > >> generated graphic is actually on the top? > >> > >> During my PhD I worked on machine with Quadro FX1300 graphic card > >> with shutterglasses, but with CRT Iiyama monitor. Maybe after 2-3 > >> years something changes in this subject... > >> > >> With best wishes > >> > >> Rafal > >> > >> ------------------------ > >> Rafal Dolot, Ph.D > >> Polish Academy of Sciences > >> Centre of Molecular and Macromolecular Studies Department of > >> Bioorganic Chemistry Sienkiewicza 112 > >> 90-363 Lodz, Poland > >> > > > > > > >
