P3D Re: optics of stereo viewers

["Greg Wageman" <gjw@xxxxxxxxxx>]

From: Larry Berlin <lberlin@xxxxxxxxx>


>The entire view in a RED button
>is presented as if it's painted on the inside of a bowl. Just viewing near
>the center, which would be typical of 5 perf, doesn't give you enough
>evidence of the bowl distortion to significantly notice. With full frames,
>you can definitely see it and trace the entire bowl surface with your eyes.
>I'm very sure that if I used a RED button exclusively I might not notice the
>bowl distortion, or would become very used to it and interpret the images
>accordingly. However, that distortion is significant enough that I
>definitely don't prefer RED button viewers, though they are fun and useful
>in the absence of something better.


Larry,

I'm curious.  What kind of computer monitor do you use?

The reason I ask is because, as you probably are aware, the screens of most
computer monitors are spherical.  There are a few so-called "flat screen"
monitors, which are in fact not flat, but cylindrical (curved in one direction,
rather than two).  The reason with this has to do with the physics of making a
large, glass surface strong enough to withstand 1 atmosphere of pressure over
the screen surface with a near-vacuum inside without imploding.

Most people who routinely use spherical screens are not aware of the curvature,
until they have an opportunity to use a "flat" screen, and then when they switch
back the "pincushion" distortion becomes very obvious.

     -Greg W. (gjw@xxxxxxxxxx)



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