Editorial: The Nintendo 3DS screen, the next evolution
Nintendos evolving the portable handheld screen, again. Very little is known about the technology behind the Nintendo 3DS but what we do know is pretty exciting.
We’ve all experienced the recent buzz surrounding 3D, with the success of IMAX 3D films and the blockbuster Avatar, it’s impossible to miss it. Prior to the announcement of the Nintendo 3DS (which is only a tentative title) I would have sided with the pessimists that say it’s nothing more than a market craze. After hearing Sharp had created an LCD screen capable of producing 3D without the necessity of head gear, I quickly changed my tune.
3D is here to stay, or should I say, will eventually arrive and then be here to stay. There will be a fair wait between the Nintendo 3DS and when we all have 3D in our lounge rooms. Although once Nintendo puts this technology into a major piece of consumer electronics, the consumer is going to see it and take a very big interest.
Without glasses?
The remarkable thing about the technology is that it doesn’t require the viewer to wear glasses. Without the need to wear head gear, we are suddenly faced with the possibility of real, mainstream 3D which is really quite exciting. Without the glasses though, how do you deliver two different images to each eye to create the 3D effect?
No mate we’re not laughing with you. Image: Panasonic
Well, some geniuses from over at Sharp and Hitachi have created an LCD screen that can produce two different images depending on the angle the screen is viewed at. Thanks to what’s termed as a “parallax barrier”, two different images can be produced from a single screen and then pointed in different directions – one image for each eye.
This technology has been on the market since 2004, where it has been used in computer monitors, laptops and mobile phones, most of which have gone largely unnoticed.
Does it work?
If the technology first hit the market back in 2004, how come we all aren’t watching 3D televisions right now?
There are a number of reviews on the internet of the Sharp Actius RD3D laptop which uses this 3D technology. Amongst these reviews lies a general consensus regarding the display: apart from taking some time to get used to staring “through” the screen instead of at it, they also suffer from something Sharp refer to as crosstalk. Crosstalk is when an image intended for one eye is seen by the other, which happens when you move your head out of the sweet spot directly in front of the screen. When crosstalk happens, the illusion is broken, which is a big problem and probably the reason why the world didn’t get excited back in 2004.
It’s important to remember that the Actius is 6 years old now. The quest for 3D has continued and the world is now gifted with a parallax barrier that can electronically adjust the viewing angle of both images. This is instrumental to the task of fixing crosstalk. When the screen comes armed with a camera capable of facial recognition, it becomes capable of knowing where to actually direct each image.
The Nintendo DSi already has facial recognition, even if it is basic.
If you’re interested in trying out facial recognition, I suggest you power up a Nintendo DSi and have a play with its camera. Facial recognition has reached a point now where it is extremely reliable and suitable for this sort of use. My only concern is whether the camera and parallax barrier can keep up with rapid head movement.
If there is any significant delay between head movement and adjustments from the parallax barrier, then crosstalk will be inevitable. This is a sticking point for many people as virtually all online reports of Sharp’s technology still say crosstalk is an issue. Does Nintendo have something up their sleeve or is the technology simply “good enough” as it is? Will Nintendo even use the adjustable parallax barrer? This is where one can choose to have faith in Nintendo’s choice of hardware or not.
Nintendo’s hardware choices
References to the Virtual Boy are common in criticisms about the Nintendo 3DS, but I thought these people would have learned after being wrong about both the Nintendo DS and Wii. Nintendo have a solid history of hardware in their mainstream products and they have already told the world that the Nintendo 3DS is replacing their existing DS line-up. Some of you may recall this as more confidence than they had in the “third pillar” Nintendo DS when it was announced.
There won’t be a repeat of this. Image: Wikipedia
History of Nintendo screens
1989 – Game Boy
The beginning of Nintendo’s main handheld line (not including Game & Watch devices). The greyscale screen had no back light and poor visibility. The competition released more powerful machines to try and beat it, yet the Game Boy knocked them down and went on to become one of the strongest brands in gaming. One could reasonably argue that this success was due to the long battery life of the Game Boy, which was a direct result of the simple screen.
1995 – Virtual Boy
Nintendo tried 3D back in 1995, it didn’t work at all and the result is the Virtual Boy.
1996 – Game Boy Pocket
Nintendo did more than just shrink the size of the original Game Boy. A few of you might remember the improvement in contrast: the beige screen was replaced with a clearer silver and the pixels themselves were sharper. The result was a screen that was easier to see.
1998 – Game Boy Color
This one doesn’t require any explanation. I would like to ask readers a simple question though. Thinking back, was the Game Boy Colour the first device you used which featured a colour LCD? It was for me, and I believe many others, and we might very well see something similar with the Nintendo 3DS.
2001 – Game Boy Advance
Prior to the Game Boy Advance, Nintendo heldhelds suffered from dust getting under the screen. They were also tremendously dark and had to be played with a strong light source nearby. I still remember having to change tactics from embracing as much light as possible to having to worry about glare and avoiding light sources.
2003 – Game Boy Advance SP
The Gameboy Advance SP finally introduced a back light, something the industry had been aching for for many years. It also featured a clamshell design that protected the screen from scratches when the machine was closed.
2004 – Nintendo DS
The most controversial changes to their hardware came with the Nintendo DS. Having two screens, one of which could be used as a touch screen, was a significant shift in the industry. We all know how well it has gone.
2005 – Game Boy Micro
Some may not consider this a true part of the Game Boy line, but the Game Boy Micro does do something that none before had done. It had a backlit screen with adjustable levels of brightness, which is now a feature of all Nintendo handhelds.
2006 – Nintendo DS Lite
A bright and vivid LCD that blinds you with the strength of its back light. This is perfect for fighting glare indoors and the brightness of the sun while outside. The difference between the original DS screens and these are easy to see.
2008 – Nintendo DSi
Try as I might, I cannot think of any significant screen improvements for this one. It has an additional level of brightness and a fractionally larger screen. But still the same great screen of the DS Lite.
2010 – Nintendo DSi XL
As the market for the Nintendo DS gradually grew to include grandparents, Nintendo saw fit to make yet another model, one that featured large screens. The Nintendo DSi XL demonstrates, at least to me, a concious effort towards accessibility by Nintendo. A positive sign they will address concerns of potential headaches and feelings of nausea from using a 3D screen.
Further Reading
