News Microsoft unveils IllumiRoom gaming technology

At times that looked incredible, at others more of a gimmick but still, might keep my eye on this.

 

How does it not project across the TV screen and therefore overlay it?

 

I'd find it distracting personally...

 

Right... so I'll ask again. HOW does it not project across the screen? Does it produce white light across it rather than the images? Would that not affect the TV and produce a reflective white light on the TV?

 

I like the idea of this, but the amount of extra GPU grunt it must take would surely make it impractical? Certainly for an XBOX.

Would love to give it a try though!

 

well its running on a 360...so....yeah extra gpu may not be needed.

 

Its only filling your peripheral vision, it doesn't need to be hi res or very detailed just enough to blend from the display. It looks very cool but I expect MS will come up with some way of making a mess of it prior to general release.

 

looks awesome

 

Wonderful idea because everyone has a hi-def projector aligned to project at the entire wall.

It's a tech demo, with the tech itself a very basic extension and twist on projection mapping tech we've all seen elsewhere, including Sony for their PS3 ads blended with a bit of Philips Ambilight

http://vimeo.com/34605168#
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MAZcDHIIXDs

This "unveiling" is not a real product and it will never be a real product. It's totally impractical as anything other than a "Aren't we clever" demo.

 

If you've got a projector, why not just play games on that...?

 

Projectors aren't that great to play games on, need a darkish room etc for best performance.

I don't think they're claiming everyone is going to have it tomorrow? It's a potential product?
It's far better than Ambilight, and more realistic than the PS3 thing as far as I can see?

 

I think the effects coming off the screen look cool. But when it simply extends the screen it looks a bit meh.

 

I wouldn't consider this technology to be anywhere near as gimmicky as touchscreens, on the other hand, I'd rather use the object recognition feature for a projector being the main display rather than have a TV along with a projector. That way people can could make a spherical room or something and have their game surround them. It would also allow things like movies to work, not just games. I think this has an awesome potential but I don't see anyone buying a projector (which tends to be more expensive than kinect) JUST so they can see fire and snow flakes out of their peripheral vision.

 

Gosh have projectors really come down that much in price? What an old fart I am, remembering buying a projector that did 1024 XGA for 1200 GBP 6 or 7 years ago.

I agree with the thinking that some of the effects were great. I especially liked when the flame and laser shots went outside the TV. That was clever. The picture above sucks as did some of the effects. And I am not sure quite how much the marketing department have messed with that end video, I suspect quite a bit. You would also need a pretty 'dark' room - the only way projectors can cope with lighter rooms nowadays are the tech built in to the pull down blinds. Normal home walls and furniture will be a whole mixture of colours, shades, materials, textures ..... A bit like the Philips ambilight TV tech. Its ok, good in a few cases, not great in most.

 

i remember seeing this a while back and i thought it was going to be some sort of VR / knightmare.

how wrong was i!