MaximumPC 2007 H

O

ver the years, 3D displays have periodically surfaced, but none has taken

hold. The public just hasn’t had the stomach for them. Cost has been one

factor, but also, the stereoscopic imagery used to create a 3D effect tends to

cause dizziness and nausea in users after even short periods. Nevertheless,

vendors keep plugging away at the concept, hoping to capitalize on the grow-

ing number of games and movies produced in 3D.

In fact, iZ3D stakes its very existence on this concept. The brand-new

company’s only product is its 22-inch, 1680x1050 3D monitor. The display

comprises two distinct panels, each of which connects to your videocard

(two DVI ports and one VGA port are included). The back screen is a stan-

dard LCD, which displays all 2D content. The front screen is transparent;

images on it are visible only when you wear polarized glasses—the display

comes bundled with two pairs, as well as a clip-on set to wear over your

prescription specs. The iZ3D driver you install renders content three dimen-

sionally, creating both an image and its inversion, which come together

when viewed through the glasses.

The iZ3D supports a number of popular titles (see http://www.iz3d.com/

games )—we tested it with Far Cry and Call of Duty 2. In both instances, we

found the 3D effect most pronounced when all the room lights were out.

Hotkeys let you tweak the separation between the stereo images, but we

found there was a very narrow gap at which images were comfortably view-

able. The iZ3D seems more usable than other 3D monitors—although, we

weren’t convinced we would enjoy it for long periods.

At least not enough to overlook some of the $1,000 display’s less appeal-

ing features. For 2D use, it has a washed-out appearance and poor vertical off-

axis visibility—like all the 22-inch screens we’ve reviewed. The iZ3D also lacks

ergo adjustments beyond forward and back tilt, and its only picture adjustment

is brightness control. But the most amazing omission is this display’s lack of

HDCP support. How can a product aimed at enlivening entertain-

ment leave out support for

commercial high-def movies?

—Katherine StevenSon

iZ3D 22-inch 3D LCD

Greater realism doesn’t make for a realistic product

W

e hadn’t even heard of Hanns.G until about five months ago, when we

tested the company’s HW223DPB. That 22-inch model’s 6-bit color, bare-

bones build, and lack of HDCP earned it just a 6 verdict in our August issue.

But Hanns.G is clearly stepping it up a notch with its HG281DPB. The monitor’s

27.5-inch screen and 1920x1200 resolution put it in a league with Dell’s stellar

2707WFP, but for almost $500 less—making us wonder if this is a bargain we

should pounce on.

The HG281DPB has a slick aesthetic that should blend in well in entertain-

ment setups—although the reflective black trim is prone to fingerprints. The

screen tilts forward and back and swivels side-to-side but, unfortunately, can-

not be raised or lowered. Interestingly, the display comes with an HDMI port (an

included DVI-to-HDMI cable makes it compatible with any modern videocard)

as well as VGA; an audio port is included, should you care to use the built-in

speaker. The onscreen display menu offers all the options we’d expect, save

for a picture-in-picture mode. In terms of build quality and flexibility it doesn’t

match Dell’s 2707WFP, but it’s acceptable.

The screen’s performance is also acceptable. The HG281DPB was fairly

adept at DisplayMate’s obstacle course test patterns. Grayscale reproduction

was smooth up to 256 steps, but the light end was a little blown out at 64 or

more steps. We detected some evidence of this in high-res images featuring

subtle transitions of lighter shades.

But in general, we were satisfied with the HG281DPB’s handling of all

the content we threw at it. It has the HDCP support required to play commercial

Blu-ray and HD DVD discs, and we didn’t detect any motion artifacts in our game

tests. We just wouldn’t call the HG281DPB exceptional. In fact, next to Dell’s

2707WFP, its picture really pales. The color-gamut boost in Dell’s screen creates

a more vivid picture that, along with all the other Dell extras—a media card

reader, USB port, and adjustable stand, to name just a few—are what

you will do without when you opt

for Hanns.G’s lower price point.

—Katherine StevenSon

Hanns.G HG281DPB

Small player enters the big-screen desktop market

88 MAXIMUMPC holiday 2007

reviews Tes Ted. Reviewed. veRdic Tized

the hG281DPB’s appearance doesn’t betray its bargain price.

8

hanns.g hg281dpb

$750, http://www.hannsg.com

5

iz3d 22-inch 3d lcd

$1,000, http://www.iz3d.com

if you’re not crazy about the polarizing glasses that come with

the iZ3D, you can buy one of the company’s several other styles.