High-Resolution Liquid Crystal Display with lens to make it look further away?

Other Hardware Displays
1

I have a project, that currently displays things on an HDMI display...

This is/was supposed to eventually end up in a cosplay type helmet to act as an HUD display...

technically, everything is (finally) working as I expect....

However, after some mocking things up in the helmet itself, it was brought to my attention that using this screen (3.5" or even a 5" HDMI display) is too 'close' to your face to focus..

A suggestion was brought up about all these drone type FPV goggles..etc..etc.. which really doesnt fit the bill, as I dont need to stream any feed wirelessly or anything, plus the size is insanely large..... its a simple HDMI output.. the 'display' needs an HDMI input of course... (simple, as far as connection)

This link was provide as a possibly solution.
https://www.zetronix.com/92-inch-virtual-video-display-glasses-with-3d.html

But they are EXTREMELY expensive!!! which rules them out as a viable option unfortunately..

(plus hard to test if you dont even have a pair.. and getting a pair to prototype with is, again, just too expensive)

That being said....

I"m wondering what displays they use??

High-Resolution Liquid Crystal Display
The z920VGHR has 2 built in LCD Display modules at an 854x480 resolution each. The LCD Modules are 100% safe radiation-free LCDs. The two high-resolution LCD modules are high tech and used in military application to reproduce a bright vivid and clear image. The two LCD can also pair up to replicate a realistic 3D image that will knock your socks off.

This other comment also has me wondering HOW they accomplish this:

92" Virtual Screen Display for 10 Feet Away

What I was 'told' was that the 'lens' make it viewable by making it seem it is a 92" display viewed form 10' away...

What kinds of lens?

Anyone have any experience in this area?

I dont mind splitting thins up in to 2 x mirrored displays... -IF- these lens (or similar) can be (found and) used to create this 'depth' so the eyes can focus on things..

I open to other suggestions as well..

to be clear though..

FPV drone goggles (for the most part, of what I know about them at least) will not work... I dont need to wirelessly transfer the feed back to the goggles from the 'drone'...

  • It needs to have an HDMI input.
2

google VR lenses

3

You probably want one of the nice aspheric concave fresnel lenses from Edmunds optics really,
they do do a few, but of course pricey.

Really strong reading glasses?

4

Thank you! (DUH)

I had been using the key word lens with other words... but didnt really results in much.

I wonder if using the lens' form one of those GOogle cardboard things would work? (are they 2 lens? or just one solid piece? . anyone know off hand?)

oooh.. just as I was typing this.. I remember my kids got a couple of those VR headset things for xmas a few years back!

The ones where you put your own phone in the front.. and have it play a VR video form YouTube or somewhere...

Might be worth a shot to look at those as well!!

If anyone has some experience in this area, please chime in! All suggestions are appreciated.

on a side note, anyone got a link/hint as to the actual SCREENs they used?

I couldnt find anything when using that resolution in the search terms unfortunately.. and I can see the pic good enough to get a name or number or anything from it..

I'd image they have to be relatively small in physical size to fit in the 'eye' sections of those glasses?

I'd like order a set to play with as well!!

5

MarkT:
You probably want one of the nice aspheric concave fresnel lenses from Edmunds optics really,
they do do a few, but of course pricey.

Really strong reading glasses?

I'm not familiar with any of those terms, or companies.... thanks! gives me some more stuff to check out!..
I'm not sure if 'reading glasses' is what I need here?
Basically the screen/display is close to your face... (which means your eyes cant focus/see anything really)..
I'm looking for a 'lens' that takes this physically close object (display).. and makes it seem like its MUCH further away so the eyes can see everything and focus on the content/text on the screen..
Like the link above claims:

92" Virtual Private Screen (at 10' Distance)

I'm trying to do the same/similar...
This is killing me! LOL.. I didnt even think about this until someone ELSE brought it up to me.. the last 3-4 weeks..
I've been working through tons of setup
SSL
Self-signed certificate (with CA)
installing/creating a security policy server (not using pearl or python, or an external ESP...but using an Apache module to act as the security policy server and listen for a request on port 843..and then return the crossdomain/xml policy..etc..etc..blah blah)... FINALLY got all that figured out.. and BOOM!..
I'm hit with this! HAHAHA..
Since I had been developing using my HDMI TV.. and a portable 3.5in TFT display when at work... I never thought of the actual use INSIDE the helmet/faceplate! LOL..

6

the focal length is what's important. your VR headset might be all you need. Basically it realigns the light beams to appear farther away while being only several inches from you. So you will get a it's huge cause it looks like it's 10 ft away effect.

My son has a VR heatset the effect is amazing.

7

@MarkT

Are these the lens you were referring to:

(not too bad in price if $24 is accurate I suppose)

Just so were on the same page.. (as I'm new to this tech, and I'm not sure if the desc. is what Im after)

I dont want to 'magnify' the screen/display....

  • it needs to 'look/feel' as if its far enough away so you can actually see and focus on the screen to see what its displaying.
8

wolframore:
the focal length is what's important. your VR headset might be all you need. Basically it realigns the light beams to appear farther away while being only several inches from you. So you will get a it's huge cause it looks like it's 10 ft away effect.

My son has a VR heatset the effect is amazing.

ahh 'focal length'... thats the word I am looking for then.
Thanks!
I have a co-worker bringing in one of those GOogle cardboard products for me on Monday to try out..
and I'll take one of my kids VR things (really just a phone holder with some lens).. and see if those can be re-purposed as well..

9

xl97:
I'm not sure if 'reading glasses' is what I need here?
Basically the screen/display is close to your face... (which means your eyes cant focus/see anything really)..
I'm looking for a 'lens' that takes this physically close object (display).. and makes it seem like its MUCH further away so the eyes can see everything and focus on the content/text on the screen..

Thats what reading glasses do. Perhaps you should figure out how many dioptres you need
first? For instance to take a 10cm distant object to infinity you just do

1/infinity - 1/0.1 = -10,
so -10 dioptre lens will do this.

I think you'll find strong reading glasses only go to -4 dioptres, which may not be enough.
But a set of cheap reading glasses gives you two lenses, so maybe combine them?

Fresnel lenses are thin, cuttable, and can be cheap (unless you go to a precision optics firm of course!),
as they are moulded plastic. However the artifacts may be objectionable.

10

great info guys! appreciate the feedback..

I found this too:

but I have at least 2 options at home.. and a reading glasses option at my local grocery store or walgreens.. LOL..

barring that.. I guess I try to order some specific lens from one of these links/places.

11

@MarkT

you were right..

I took a apart a pair of the RV goggles my kids had laying around (the cheapie ones that you slap a phone in the holder in front of it)..

and they do in fact magnify the screen, .....and they definitely have a 'sweet spot' on where they work and dont.

A single lens was not allowing the screen to be close enough..

doubled up made it better.. but would like even closer of course (close as possible even)..

I really like the size of these lens:

and they seem to be pretty close to the screens as well (higher [lower?] diopter rating I assume to allow the screen to be closer)

The test ones I have here are huge circles... and I have NOT found any 'smaller, shaped' ones like these?

being plastic makes them cheaper too I assume? (vs the glass ones?)

I just need a vendor that lists things nice and easy for a noob to shop through!

12

https://www.zetronix.com/92-inch-virtual-video-display-glasses-with-3d.html

FWVGA 854x480 TFT LCD

They have a little image of the screens on the left side (scroll down)..

Seem to be not bigger than a quarter.... anyone has a clue as to where I can find these?

I have been all over ebay, china sties, google, rc group forums..etc.. (not very many replies).. but still havent found anything. :frowning: