The Steam Deck OLED needs burn-in protection
The Steam Deck OLED is a fantastic device, but new burn-in testing reveals just how critical prevention features are.
Teardown Reveals PSVR 2 Panels Don’t Have Full Number Of Subpixels
iFixit’s PSVR 2 teardown brings a controversial revelation about its display panels.
Shahram Mokhtari took apart the new headset to assess its repairability and inspect its components in a fascinating video we recommend you watch. Mokhtari then took a magnifying glass to the OLED panels, revealing the subpixel arrangement.
Each “pixel” in a display is actually made up of primary color subpixels. That’s usually red, green, and blue (RGB) and all modern LCD panels have the full three subpixels for each pixel. Most OLED panels, however, use a different subpixel arrangement called PenTile. PenTile has the full number of green subpixels, 1 for each pixel, but only half the number of red and blue subpixels.
The original PlayStation VR featured a full RGB subpixel arrangement and it was one of the only non-PenTile OLED panels ever shipped in a consumer product. While on paper PSVR 2 has four times as many pixels PSVR, the difference is not so extreme when subpixels are considered.
| PlayStation VR | PlayStation VR2 | |
| Panel Type | OLED | HDR OLED |
| Pixels Per Eye | 1 million | 4 million |
| Subpixels Per Eye | 3.1 million | 8.1 million |
Alongside the diffusion filter we predicted teardowns would find in our technical analysis, the PenTile subpixel arrangement likely contributes to the perceived “softness” of PSVR 2’s image compared to even lower resolution LCD headsets. The display driver chip uses a technique called subpixel rendering to translate regular RGB input into a PenTile output, but the result is a loss of visual detail compared to full RGB panels.
Image from MobCompany.info showing RGB and PenTile 1080p smartphone panels.
OLED panels provide vibrant colors and unrivaled contrast with true deep blacks, but those advantages come at a cost. Whether that cost is worth those benefits is a controversial question, one that each VR gamer will decide for themselves.
eMagin Presents 4K OLED Microdisplay For VR On ‘STEAMBOAT’ Board
At Display Week 2022 eMagin presented a 4K OLED microdisplay for ultra slim VR headsets.
OLED “microdisplays” are manufactured differently than smartphone or TV sized OLED panels – directly onto silicon wafers. The result is a much higher pixel density but also a much smaller size. Usually such microdisplays are 1 inch diagonal or less, which is hard to magnify over a large field of view and limits the resolution possible.
But eMagin’s new microdisplay is 2.1 inches – almost as large as the latest set of compact regular panels intended for headsets with pancake lenses. As it maintains the same density as eMagin’s previous products, but is also much larger, the new microdisplay’s resolution of 3600×4000 could practically be used in VR headsets without compromising field of view. The refresh rate is 120 Hz.
As far as we’re aware, this is the highest resolution OLED microdisplay ever presented. It’s also the brightest – at 1000 nits in low persistence mode – making it suitable for lenses which trade off optical efficiency for other specs like form factor and sharpness.
eMagin CEO Andrew Sculley told me this 4K microdisplay was developed alongside a partner based on their requirements for a proof of concept VR headset. But who exactly is, or was, this partner? A marking on the board the microdisplay was demonstrated on may offer a not so subtle hint: “STEAMBOAT”
In September YouTuber Bradley Lynch found evidence of a Valve standalone VR headset codenamed ‘Deckard’ in SteamVR driver files, and and Ars Technica said its sources confirmed Deckard’s existence.
Sculley declined to say whether the partner in question was Valve, but said there there was a second partner – a “larger company” – involved too. In November, supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claimed Apple’s rumored mixed reality headset will feature 4K OLED microdisplays. Meta also indicated it is exploring OLED microdisplays for future products, and a report last week suggested Meta could follow up its expensive Project Cambria with a successor in 2024.
eMagin doesn’t itself have the manufacturing capacity or finances to produce this at the scale needed for consumer products, but Sculley told me this is something they’re looking for partners to work with them on. He says the display itself is suitable for mass production.
When that does happen – Sculley seemed to suggest some time in the next two to three years – it could usher in a new class of premium compact headsets with OLED’s unbeatable contrast and the sharpness usually only seen in LCDs.
The best OLED laptops for 2022
The best OLED laptops in the world offer truly gorgeous displays. These are our favorite models for many different purposes -- all with stunning screens.
Editorial: Oculus ‘Del Mar’ Quest Successor Should Have These Features
Oculus Quest turns one year old this month. Since its launch on May 21, 2019, the standalone VR headset has grown by leaps and bounds beyond its original release.
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg says Quest surpassed his expectations and there’s more than 170 pieces of content available for it officially through the Quest store. In addition, a growing sideloading ecosystem led by SideQuest offers developers a route onto the headset with experiments in hand tracking or early testing releases meant to prove out ideas and build community without explicit approval from Facebook for store release. We’ve also heard from a number of developers who are seeing some of their strongest sales in VR ever on Quest. Facebook bought Beat Games and Sanzaru Games, and leaks have revealed the “Del Mar” developer kit and “Jedi” controllers.
Still, it is a difficult time for casual technology watchers to understand market viability in VR. While headlines in mainstream publications like Wired and the New York Times are waking up the general public to the standalone VR revolution, Facebook still sells (at the time of this writing) its severely limited Oculus Go hardware. Meanwhile, clickbait writers hungry for pageviews turn off comfort settings in Half-Life: Alyx and cry foul even when one of the best VR games ever made was carefully designed to on-board a wide range of people with maximum comfort.
So what exactly is going on and what’s likely coming in the next couple years?
We believe Facebook is selling its Oculus Quest hardware ($400 or $500 depending on storage) either at cost or even at a (large) loss. Combined with Facebook’s significant ongoing investment in content, and the billions spent annually on research and development, Facebook is making it difficult for competitors to justify entering a hardware market just to lose money for years trying to catch up to what’s already more than half a decade into Zuckerberg’s long-term bet on VR.
All this to say that while Facebook’s non-advertising-related revenue from things like VR still only amounts to roughly $300 million over three months, compared with nearly $18 billion for its overall business in the same period, its unique approach to the market for standalone VR means there’s little threat to growing that number significantly — already up 80 percent over the year ago quarter — in the years to come.
How will Facebook do it? By making what makes Quest great even better. Here’s what I think that likely means for a future headset that might be based on the “Del Mar” codename.
Before I go any further, let me be clear that demand for the current Quest outstripped supply even before the COVID-19 pandemic. That likely means the priorities for Facebook’s VR division in 2020 are simply to make enough Quests for people to buy, improve the headset with software updates and help developers make or polish apps for the current system.
What comes after that? Here’s what I’d expect to see from Facebook’s next Quest:
No Visual Sacrifices
The first generation of high-quality PC VR headsets set a standard using OLED displays refreshing 90 times every second and recommended specifications for software and PCs meant to make that mark the bare minimum for comfort.
Next generation VR headsets that released in 2019, like the Quest, and even Rift S, fall short of those refresh rates (72 and 80 respectively) while Valve Index can refresh up to 120 or 144 times per second with a superpowered PC. Those refresh rates aren’t the whole picture, though, because some modern headsets also use LCD panels that feature lower persistence than their OLED counterparts. Lower persistence equates to less noticeable blur (aka smearing), but LCD displays also sacrifice deep blacks that can turn dark VR environments into muddy grays.
We think it’s likely Oculus Go goes away soon and the eventual “Del Mar”-based successor to Quest might be able to display visuals up to 90 frames per second — either in standalone mode or PC VR mode. I’d even bet on an OLED to get those darker blacks. No matter the actual number on a specification sheet for a finalized Quest successor, I think Facebook is likely making it a priority to make the next Quest not a visual step down from either its first or second generation of PC VR. It is just too valuable to Facebook for them to be able to market a future Quest as being their best VR display ever, and for it to work at increased fidelity compared to their current offerings either in standalone or PC VR modes.
Better Hand And Controller Tracking
Oculus Quest controller-free hand tracking carries an “experimental” tag and, though it does appear to be an active goal at Facebook to improve the fidelity of the input system such that some games will gain support for it — it remains an open question how far Facebook can take the technology on current generation hardware.
A next generation Quest, though, might feature cameras that sample the environment at higher rates (or feature more cameras) to track both hand movements and controllers faster and with greater reliability. Our recent analysis of the “Jedi’ driver code suggests there could in fact be such a mode for next generation Oculus Touch controllers. While I also hope for better haptics in future Oculus controllers, tracking is believed by some researchers to be the single most important feature of any VR system. And that means any improvements in Quest hardware to the tracking of hands and controllers will pay dividends to immersion, and therefore Facebook’s revenue growth.
Better Balance
Removing weight from the front of Quest is probably the first thing anyone who uses a Quest wants after even five minutes of usage. We’ve found great success with the VR Power battery pack and building our own Frankenquest just by counterbalancing this front-heavy design.
If Facebook engineers can fix this problem in the next Quest by, say, moving certain parts of the system to the back of the head (like the battery) we think that’ll be a huge improvement all on its own. If they can do it while achieving the other improvements listed above? That’s going to not only make standalone VR more comfortable and inviting for a wider range of people, but would also encourage a lot of original Quest owners to upgrade while selling or passing on their original systems to new VR owners.
Conclusion
Facebook’s Quest could also use improvements to its audio experience. The Index off-ear speakers are a revelation and there’s even a well-funded Kickstarter project looking to make that approach to audio an add-on for any VR headset. Still, while I’d love the built-in audio on Quest to improve, I’m not convinced it’s as important as the other things the next Quest is likely to have.
Product design is about making trade-offs and Facebook designers have shown they’re ready to make shrewd and smart choices about what features to focus on in their products. Making VR easier to use by making software do incredible things — like rapid room-scale setup — all while decreasing the price of the overall package is the theme of Facebook’s first few years of VR product development. I expect that trend to continue into the next generation.
If “Del Mar” truly becomes a Quest successor — or perhaps an add-on to its product line — and hits these notes in the next two years, would Rift S stay in market even as a severely discounted PC-only option? Ripping the beta label off Oculus Link or building a wireless link might make the original Quest a formidable entry level PC VR headset with the considerable benefits of standalone and a price discounted below its current $400 level. Meanwhile, whatever “Del Mar” becomes could take the $400 and $500 VR pricing tiers while making fewer comfort and visual tradeoffs as compared to the gap between the current Rift S and Quest.
If Facebook is having trouble making enough Quests, focusing their VR efforts even further around the Quest product line might enable them to actually keep up with demand. To be clear, I’m not suggesting an end to the Rift or Go product lines — I believer there are markets for PC VR and lightweight social connections wherever you are — but I think Facebook is likelier to focus near term on hitting more home runs in the Quest ballpark than playing those other games. VR headsets which are comfortable to wear all day or sense more of your face movements for better social connections anywhere could certainly see the light of day in the long-term, but I think the next two years for Facebook are all about superpowering the Quest lineup.
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CES 2020: Panasonic Showcases Ultra-Compact VR Goggles, But Details Are Light
At CES 2020 this week, Panasonic revealed ultra compact VR goggles with HDR displays. However, details are light and it’s not yet clear whether this is an actual product or just a concept.
The headset uses OLED microdisplays jointly developed by Panasonic and Kopin. Microdisplays are significantly smaller than regular panels and thus allow for significantly more compact headsets.
However, microdisplays tend to have a much higher production cost and their small size makes magnifying them over a large field of view challenging. Most existing headsets using microdisplays have had a relatively narrow field of view, and short of a breakthrough in optics Panasonic’s is likely no exception.
Panasonic describes the resolution as simply ultra high definition (UHD), which usually means 3840×2160. It’s unclear whether this is per-eye or shared between each eye.
The displays support High Dynamic Range (HDR) content. HDR is a feature which allows digital content to show a greater range of colors and luminance compared to the standard range we’re all used to, which makes the colors and ranges of brightness better resemble what the human eye sees.
Audio is provided by earbuds developed by Panasonic’s Technics subsidiary. The drivers use magnetic fluid to allow “the accurate stroke of the diaphragm” and achieve “ultra low distortion reproduction”.
The goggles are not described as being either a product or a concept. No description of whether this is powered by a smartphone or PC was given, nor what kind of content platform it will support. In the images provided there is no sign of a port where a cable would even plug in.
In a statement, Panasonic said it will “continue to further develop the new VR glasses so that they can be used in a variety of applications, thereby creating new customer value“- whatever that means.
VR headsets today are bulky and heavy, making wearing them for extended periods uncomfortable. For VR to become a mainstream device the form factor will need to shrink. Projects like this show what that future could look like, but it likely makes sacrifices in field of view to get there. Not to mention there is no mention of tracking, a microphone, or other features you’d expect in an actual product.
Don’t forget to check out our CES 2020 Coverage Hub right here for all of the latest announcements for VR and AR tech from the show!
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OLED laptops have returned, but read this before buying one
OLED laptops have returned, but they are only available in certain laptops such as the new Alienware m15. I took it for a spin to see if OLED screens make a big enough difference to be worth the cost.
Why OLED gaming monitors may be further from reality than we thought
Earlier this year, Dell showed us the promise of an exciting new future for gaming monitors with the reveal of the Alienware 55-inch OLED gaming display. We loved it. But according to new reports, it may never see the light of day.
The Razer Blade’s new 4K OLED gaming laptop starts at a whopping $3,299
Razer has announced a bevy of new gaming laptops, including two with advanced display technologies. One has an OLED 4K screen, while the other offers a 240Hz refresh rate for a high-speed, smooth gaming experience.
The post The Razer Blade’s new 4K OLED gaming laptop starts at a whopping $3,299 appeared first on Digital Trends.
OLED Breakthrough Could Lead To Longer Battery Life Standalone VR
Researchers from the University of Cambridge (UK) and Jilin University (China) published a new paper the journal Nature describing their apparent breakthrough in the efficiency of red OLED subpixels.
The technique involves using “radicals” – semiconducting molecules with unpaired electrons. According to the paper, a quantum physics property of these radicals (their ‘spin’) causes them to form an electronic state which allows them to avoid a typical quantum mechanical limitation which previously limited OLED efficiency. The result is near perfect efficiency.
Breakthroughs in display technology efficacy are important for standalone VR because the highest energy draining component in such as headset is the display panel(s). When transmitting data (such as downloading an app or using social VR) the WiFi chip will be in second place, but the margin is still wide.
Display panels use red, green, and blue subpixels to create the range of colors they can display. The researchers here only managed to get this technique working for red OLEDs so far, and specifically mention that it is unlikely to work for blue. Green is not mentioned. Future research will likely try to find a way to replicate the effect in green and then blue.
Another promising future technology which could bring even greater reductions in panel power consumption is of course microLED. MicroLED is a display technology distinct from LCD or OLED which could offer up to 50 percent lower power consumption than OLED. Facebook, Samsung, Sony, Apple and others are investing in microLED research, but none have yet come up with a way to affordably manufacture them.
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