Planar SD1710 Product User Manual page 7

A block diagram describing the process of driving a StereoMirror monitor
with a computer is shown in Figure 3. The left eye and right eye images are
sent to their respective AMLCDs independently and without any special
treatment. (The exception accommodates for the fact that the upper monitor
is seen in a mirror. See discussion below.) Presenting the stereo pair of
images is accomplished using a setup or software application that
accommodates dual-monitor stereo viewing. It requires no additional
modification for use with the StereoMirror monitor design. Any software
application that uses the OpenGL quad-buffered stereo features is compatible
with the StereoMirror monitor. Quad-buffered stereo is a feature of the
OpenGL 3D graphics library that allows an application to define two separate
right/left eye
viewpoints instead of
the normal single
monoscopic viewpoint.
The two viewpoints are
defined to give the
correct parallax
separation for the
proper stereo effect.
Once the two
viewpoints have been
defined, the 3D scene is
rendered identically for
each of the two
viewpoints. Many
commercial 3D
applications already
have stereo viewing
modes using the
OpenGL stereo
features.
Since the upper display
in the monitor is seen in reflection, there is a need to perform a mirror-flip
operation on that data path. In the current product, this is accomplished
using an auxiliary signal processing board in the data path to the upper
monitor. Driving a StereoMirror monitor is identical to driving a pair of
projection displays used to show stereoscopic images with crossed polarizers
in the two separate light paths. An off-the-shelf, dual-output graphics card
is employed to drive the two monitors, with no special preparation.
For more information, visit the Planar web site at www.planar.com and refer
to the paper on the StereoMirror monitor.
Dual output Dual output
graphics card graphics card
Left Eye Left Eye
Image Image
Mirror-flip Mirror-flip
Figure 3. Driving the StereoMirror monitor.
Computer & Computer &
Software Software
Application Application
Right Eye Right Eye
Image Image
PCI Card PCI Card
Bottom Bottom
Monitor Monitor
Top Top
Monitor Monitor
StereoMirror™ StereoMirror™
3