The recent questions on whether the “small” FOV option results in higher quality has got me thinking. While I doubt that is true with the standard lenses, it should be possible with a different pair of lenses and a matching distortion profile.
Couldn’t a different set of lenses instead spread the full lcd panel across only 150 FOV, which would result in a higher pixel density, and therefore crisper display? To make it work would require a different distortion profile in PiTool to match the new lenses.
From what I have heard, the lenses are easy to remove. This would be a great option for those wanting the clearest picture with a reduced FOV.
Yes this was suggested way back at the beginning for us that would have liked additional resolution along with improved FOV. Unfortunately as soon as this was discussed several backers got their under shorts in a twist, complaining that they has pledged for the full 200 degree FOV, and nobody better mess with it.
Here we are now a year later later with almost everyone using the middle 150 FOV with a portion of the panel, that could have for increased PPI stats, not being used. Nice. Good job backers. Thanks for nothing…
Don’t forget lense designs are expensive to create. After 7 there not willing at this time to invest in making new sets. In a nutshell they need to make some money. If mem recalls each design was $50k+ x 7 $350 000 alone.
Well the whole reason people would want do do that is of course sharper image and less SDE. BTW not sure I agree about the distortion. The way I understood it is that because you need to move your eyes on a wider FoV, your iris position changes and you’d thus need a different distortion profile. When compressing FoV your irisis won’t move that much so distortion won’t happen that much. StarVR dynamically changes the distortion profile based on your iris position and they solved the issue like that, at least, that’s how I understood it.
Fair point. I was just pointing out that there are some “issues” when using the extreme areas of the panels and that the people who want to stretch smaller FOV over the whole panel, because they believe the panels are underutilized right now with medium FOV, might find themselves in a situation where they would want to use even smaller FOV. My comment was mostly addressing this remark:
Myself I use mainly Normal not because of distortion differences but due to gpu load savings. & as @SweViver & others have mentioned the last 20° doesn’t seem to be a huge difference.
My understanding is it would help with the distortion, as basically this is an artefact of trying to use the types of lenses they are using for such wide FOV, even oculus said that fresnel/hybrid lenses are only “good” for up to 140 degrees. Rdducing the fov should help to reduce the distortion even if they don’t manage to entirely eliminate it.