Monitors are all well and good for every-day use, but 3D is the future – it’s just a shame you have to wear those bulky, uncomfortable glasses. That is, unless you’re the proud owner of an InnoVision hologram projector.
The HoloAD Diamond Series of displays from InnoVision promises what we’ve all be waiting for ever since we saw the first Star Wars film – a true three-dimensional hologram projector in our own home. The latest entries in the range – showcased over on Tech-On! – bring some rather impressive features to the fray, and could finally fulfill your R2D2 related fantasies.
The DS3_Queen, designed as a budget version, features three 640×480 VGA-resolution displays which are reflected and combined via angled glass plates to create the illusion of a fully three-dimensional image at the center of the device in full motion and full color – a surprising sight for anyone who has seen some of the low-quality excuses for 3D projections in the past.
The DS3_King is the upgraded version, offering the same features as the DS3_Queen but upgrading the three flat panels to 1280×1024 for higher-quality holograms while boosting the brightness and increasing the size of the display significantly, making for a more impressive device all round.
Both models have a USB port which accepts a mass storage device containing FLV files for playback, making it easy to add content to the projector without having to have it hooked up to a PC or laptop. There’s no mention of other supported formats, however – nor if the device can be hooked up to a PC if you decide that’s the way to go.
Designed for wowing the crowds rather than home entertainment, the DS3 hologram projectors aren’t exactly portable: the DS3_King model tops out at almost 210 pounds and stands over 45 inches tall while drawing an impressive 450W of power to create its three-dimensional illusion, while the DS3_Queen is somewhat more portable at 17 inches tall and a shade over 35 pounds in weight while drawing 200W of power. Neither are likely to give the up-coming Nintendo 3DS much cause for concern in the portability stakes, however.
So far InnoVision hasn’t offered any hints on how much either model will set you back, although the company’s refreshingly low-tech approach to three-dimensional projection does offer hope that it won’t take a second mortgage to get your hands on one despite its somewhat niche nature.
