M17x R3/R4 - 3D Discussion, Questions and Tips Thread

went today to a store to see 3D for the first time and it is encredible, they had avatar on display and a panasonic demo video, I was blown away, came out of the screen a few times, I'm now convinced I did the right thing picking the 3D bundle

 

Can't get 3D working wile trying to watch a 3d movie I have set the screen res. to 120 click on 3d on the movie icon but it only plays in 2D yes it is a 3d movie. I have gone to the control panel and ran the 3D test and it works great. what am i doing wrong.

 

close left eye then open and close right eye then swap 60 times per second or if you can't manage this wear the special glasses


just kidding lol, not sure if anyone can help, does the movie look like it's playing in 3D - should be sort of blurred and strange looking without the glasses on, where are you playing it from ? file, dvd, BR or what ? more info please

 

I got one time the same issue: try with stereoscopic player or cyberlink powerdvd10. choose 3D vision option or ''left first...'' option ( on the player option) AND LOOK on nvidia stereoscopic option if you have not configured a ''push key'' for activating it
Or try this:
3D Vision Toggler For Easier Enabling and Disabling of 3D Vision - 3D Vision Blog

 

So I'm currently using powerdvd 10. I notice in the info section it says that "3dnow not detected!". I do see the 3D icon when I am under the movie tab. However the moment I click on video tab to browse my computer, the 3D icon goes away. Are there any additional things I need to install to watch 3D mkv movies on the R3?

 

Does anybody know where the IR emitter lies on the M17x? I tried searching but couldn't find any results. MobileManual turns out blank too.

 

I don't think that is referring to S3D. In fact, I think that is referring to the CPU optimization from years ago by AMD called "3DNow Technology"

 

You see a small little rectangle on the bottom left of the LCD screen? The emitter is in there. You can also switch to 3D mode and turn on your phone camera and point it at the screen to find it.

 

no nothing needed more :/
like i said, one time i got the same issue, stereoscopic activated, working on nvidia test but nothing on movie player, this it was because I didn't push the activation button while the movie was playing xD i was like finding for hours a solution, modding drivers.. and it was so epic fail.. i had just to push ''8'' (like i configured before) for having it in 3D xD.
or just try updating with my modded driver and maybe it willl works^^.
or/and
i will council you go here:
3D Videos | 3DVision Live
try watching a clip in 3D, it should auto-working in full screen

 

I ended up chucking powerdvd out the window. I got stereoscopic player (latest version) and fired up my file. And it just worked. Bunch of different kinds of 3D options too. Pretty nice program.

 

Stereoscopic player is, for me, one of the best 3D player
if you compare it with nvidia 3D player, u will see an epic difference x)

 

Too bad it doesnt play BD's

 

Just downloaded the nvidia 3d player, and HOLY MOLY the difference is so...negligible. Nvidia 3d player doesn't even recognize mkv files natively. *chucks it out the window*

 

xD lol
But it,s not normal, i bought one DVD (lol) in 3D and it's working.. I use an external dvd player from my Vaio xD

 

Been playing Mass Effect in 3D on my 100" screen, it's pretty flippin awesome.

Looks better on the LCD but yea, still good !

 

Any 3D glitches with Mass Effect? So far every game has its little 3D quirks that doesn't quite render correctly. Of the titles I've tried the ones that work the best is WoW and Starcraft 2. Mirror's Edge renders pretty accurately too.

 

In terms of gaming it's pretty cool. I played call of duty and it was really nice but my eyes started hurting/headache very early and I quit.

For some reason movies like Avatar just never worked. Although I did learn a lot about 3d and all types of ways to see it. I prefer the stuff coming out of the screen then inside the screen.(convergence I think it's called for nvidia although it never works for me)

I think I'll consider 3d again when it become glasses free/bigger monitor hopefully it won't strain my eyes or give me headache.

I wish they had one universal way for viewing 3d would have made it easy for consumers to get what they want without worrying if it will work or not.

 

Received my m17x R3 a few days ago but i've been struggling to setup 3D. I've configured mine with the 120Hz screen & the nVidia starter kit, fully charged up my glasses but when I try to enable the 3D vision and go through the setup it seems to not detect my receiver.

I get four options during the setup:
-USB IR Emitter & Glasses
-Wired Glasses
-Pro Hub & Glasses
-Discover glasses

I've tried every option, but each one requires me to either plug in a USB receiver or wired glasses. I think the discover glasses are for the old school red & blue 3D glasses.

I have installed the latest dell nVidia drivers from the dell website v267.64 & the internal 3D stereo controller v266.08. The GPU driver installs fine but the internal 3D stereo controller fails to detect the service.

I've even called alienware technical support & they tried to tell me the reciever was not built in & that they had to send me a USB receiver?! The R3 has one built in right?

Could someone guide me through the setup process from new or show me what device I should be looking for in device manager.

 

Did ya try all this stuff?

http://forum.notebookreview.com/alienware-m17x/551726-nvidia-3d-vision-steam-game-2.html#post7118830

 

sounds to me like your first thoughts on this are correct, either the emitter is faulty or it's not connected, when you run the 3D setup wizard you shouldn't be asked any of those questions it should go straight to the graphic testing with everything working, sounds to me like you need to get on the phone again and tell them to get you a new screen out as I think the Ir emitter is built in there

it does play mkv just doesn't recognise the extention

 

Ah didn't know that. It's pretty much identical to stereoscopic player so may as well use that one.

 

Can any one identify what device I should be looking for in device manager if the receiver was working properly?

 

it only shows up when you run a 3D app, if you go to nvidia and run the test 3D app it shows up under usb as nvidia 3D host controller

 

Hi everyone
I am running an M17x R3 (with a Core i7 2.5ghz, 2 gb Nvidia 580m, 16 GB 1333 ram, dual 750 gb hdd in RAID 0). I just got it a couple of months ago, and as far as I can tell, using device manager, all my drivers are up to date. Im trying to set up my 3d via the Nvidia setup wizard in the nvidia control panel, and when the wizard opens up, i lose my cursor. Cant use the touchpad or a regular mouse. Also cant use the keyboard. All i can do is hit ESC to back out of it. I dont know if this makes a difference - if this is how it works on all systems - but when the wizard opens on my system, it takes over the whole screen (covers the task bar and all that). I read a couple of things in other forums about 'mouse lagging' during the setup wizard, but couldnt find any reference to mouse function dissappearing alltogether. (and no, its definately not a long lag. i was very patient the 10th and 11th times i tried to run it). I made sure my screen res is set to 1080 - it was. I also switched from 60hz to 120hz, which i guess was good to do, as it was going to need to be done to use the 3D function, but it didnt help with the 3d setup wizard.
...Anyone have an idea as to what's going wrong? How do I run the nvidia 3d wizard without losing that impressively elusive little cursor arrow? Id really appreciate any info on this. Getting pretty frustrated here. Thanks!

oh, i forgot to mention that the driver currently installed is version 269.03...although im not sure how the gpu driver could affect the mouse, but there it is.

 

Wow that driver is OOOLD! I say that in relative techno terms . Anyways I suggest you update to these:
Graphics Driver - Verde 290.36 Driver - GeForce

When let it extract, when the installer opens, go the advanced route and check clean install. That will remove old driver remnants. After everything has installed, try the wizard again.

 

I have the Nvidia driver 285.62 for my M17x R3 3d 580M, and its working fine for me. I did however lose some ability to run some old video files (not sure if it was related to the new driver or another video software I installed).

 

Im gonna try downloading the new driver right now. Thanks!

 

Hi guys!

I am a new owner of a used M17x R3 3D laptop but I can't get the 3D to work.
It has a Nvidia 580M GTX and a 120hz screen. I did a clean re-install from factory image.





How do I activate 3D? When I click on 3D Vision Photo Viewer I get the following "Stereo Error" error message and the NVIDIA control panel doesn't guide me.

I also tried launching the 3D Vision Preview Pack 1 but nothing happens. :-/

Am I missing something? Is there suppose to be a separate external emitter or do all 3D models come with it built into the laptop?

Thanks ever so much in advance!

 

After reading driazen's short and sweet 3D setup guide. It would appear I have been and still am missing the "Stereoscopic 3D" options tree. Why would it be missing?







I've installed 3 different driver versions (285.62, 290.??, 295.51) but the Stereoscopic 3D options tree never showed in the Nvidia control panel.

I think that's where the problem of getting my 3D to work lies.

 

check your device manager, under Universal Serial Bus Controller do you have the Stereoscopic 3D USB controller listed there?

 

Hi there. It's listed on there. Now what?

 

Very strange, either it's defective or there are software conflicts such as the service not starting etc etc.

Check your services.msc and see if steroxcopic driver service is enabled and running, if it is, znd it still doesn't work, time to call tech for repair

 

Hello fellow Alienware owners, I am not sure if you like reading other model threads but us m18x owners, specifically ones with 580m's would really appreciate it if you could help us out. You see if you guys were to check out this thread:

http://forum.notebookreview.com/ali...nly-nvidia-confidential-error-message-14.html

You would see that we are having issues with outputting 3D to external monitors. We are trying to figure out what exactly is the culprit here, we assumed it was the 580m and its drivers but seeing as you guys do not have this issue, that probably strikes that out. I was wondering if any of you guys would be kind enough to actually test out 3D using your HDMI out on any external 3D monitor you might have and see if you guys experience the same error message?

I would like to you warn you before hand that once you get the error message, it does not go away on its own but it can be removed through certain steps made clear in the thread I linked. You guys are pretty much the only thing left to help us figure out what exactly is causing this problem. Thank you!

 

Turns out the problem lies with the old A04 BIOS which it came with.

I flashed the BIOS to the latest A09 and voila The "Stereoscopic 3D" options tree appeared and 3D now works. Thanks for all your help!

 

I was talking to Alienware yesterday, pricing how much things would cost for my new laptop.

He mentioned that m17x was the only "alienware laptop that could do 3d, the m18x cannot. Is there a specific reason for this?

How good is 3d gaming on the m17x?

 

the 3d m17x has a 120hz screen where as the m18x only has a 60hz screen. the m17x also has a built in emmitter in the screen.

gaming in 3d for me was suprisingly good. ive only played through arkam city in 3d and i enjoyed it. although for me when i got done i had a bit of uneasy nautious like feeling. kinda like when i get off a roller coaster. not enough to keep me from firing it up in 3d the next time i played it, but it was there. i get the same way with movies too. ive probably watched a dozen on my m17x in 3d

 

2 quick questions for the 3d option. Does the screen support this light boost I keep reading about or is it the same screen as the r3?

Also, can I use a first gen 3d glasses with the new r4 3d set up with the 3d vision 2?

 

Yes lightboost is present and works. You can use V1 glasses but lightboost will only work with V2 glasses.

 

thats not quite correct, V1 glasses will work with lightboost. the only difference is that the V2 glasses have a new design.

 

Oh my mistake. Learn something new everyday

 

So both gen glasses will have same image quality? I was afraid first gen would be darker.

 

I tried my Sony 3D glasses with Nvidia 3D Vision 2, and they are not compatible.

Wish they did work, as it would be great to be able to play 2 player PS3 3D Display without having to fork over another $50. Will have to check eBay, and look for sales.

 

I've got both and no noticeable difference in visual quality. Only the fact that the V1 glasses let in more ambient light being slightly smaller and fit over prescription glasses less well.

And the V1 glasses are more cool looking

 

good thing to see that you don´t know everything (yet)

little ot: what happend to your quest of getting the 680M to work properly in the R4?

 

Hi guys,

I am speccing out an Alienware M17x, and I would like to know if the 3D display is worth it -- and also if anyone knows if it's compatible with the 3D HDTVs over WiDi.

the 3d package has a $300 price tag, and I would like to know more about it before i buy.

 

Hi, I have the 120hz 3D and a pretty decent 3D TV, but no WiDi - it's only used in countries with NTSC TV (AFAIK).

I would say 'do you want to watch good 3D games on your laptop?' is the main question. I love it so it was my reason for purchasing. There are a LOT of different opinions as to whether the 120hz display is better in 'normal' use. For me I could not see any difference in the short time I had an M18x. The 60hz display was excellent already.

You can use the 3dtv without purchasing the 3d package (using the TV's glasses) but you'll need to purchase an add-on from Nvidia - 3DTVPlay. This component is free and already installed when the NV 3D package is purchased (the emitter is detected).

Quality on my TV (panasonic L37DT30B) for 3D is good in 720p but the refresh rate in 1080i is only 24 FPS so is not that smooth and I find it adds an unacceptable input lag. Having said that I can't see any difference in the picture quality between the two settings. I play Batman AC in 720 on the TV in 3D and it's great!

With the WiDi you'll be looking for HDMI 1.4 for 3D compatibility. 1.3 does not have the 3d signal carried through.

HTH.

 

I've got 3D setup on my TV's at home and with my PS3. However, I was not that impressed with the quality of the either DVD movies in 3D nor the PS3. I have been playing The Secret World in 3D on my m17xr3 and I am blown away by the quality as compared to TV and PS3. I even reduced the resolution so that I could stay in 3D mode to maintain my FPS above 30. It made the world so much more dynamic and engaging than any other graphics setting I fiddle with. That is my opinion and I'd certain admit that others would say "meh" to 3D, but you asked for opinions

 

Before I bought it I figured 3D would be a bit of a rarely used gimmick, but I must admit that I play most of my single player titles in 3D. Some titles, like Max Payne 3 and Just Cause 2 and Batman are absolutely beautiful and most engaging in 3D. 3D movies look beautiful as well. I'd say go for it. Get an extra pair of glasses for the GF. And do get a gtx680m, because you'll be playing at half the framerates when playing in 3D.

 

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I own the r3 with the 3D screen, and here's my opinion on it. The 120 Hz screen is smoother than its 60 Hz counterpart.. The windows transitions and animations appear more fluid because of the higher refresh rate. Really felt the difference as my previous alienware had a standard 60 Hz screen. In that respect, I dont mind paying a bit extra for the 120 Hz screen as it is something I would be looking at almost everytime I am on my system.

And coming to the real highlight - the 3D. The first time i heard about it i thought that it would be another flashy show-off feature - only for the rich. Now that i have the 3D option, it has gone beyond being gimmicky for me and become a true necessity. If you really want to experience a game, 3D is the way to go! I wouldnt mind paying 300 dollars difference for this, ten times out of ten. Words cant do justice to how the feel is; guess you will have to experience it for yourself. 3D is the only reason why I havent pulled the trigger on buying and installing the new 680m in my r3, as officially 680m with 3D is not compatible in the r3... Having 3D has become a make-or-break deal for me now

 

Worth $300? I don't know, but I love mine and have no regrets.

Playing on the PS3, the 3D wasn't too impressive, and I was thinking I may have made a mistake in changing my order to get the 3D on the laptop. Well, when I played a couple games I was familiar with in 3D, I was floored by the difference. Some games definitely have the WOW factor.

I like to be comfortable with the game before playing in 3D. Otherwise I'll be too distracted by the effects to get the game down. Once I have a game down, switching to 3d is a treat. I'll be rocking my head back n forth in my chair to get different angles. Pretty cool stuff.