Head-mounted displays are seen as something of a failed experiment in consumer electronics. While wearing a display as a helmet seemed like a great idea in the 1990s when virtual reality still held our imaginations, today it just seems like an expensive concept that's been disproven. Sony is rekindling the HMD with the HMZ-T1, an upcoming display that uses two OLED screens to produce a 720p 3D picture right in front of your eyes.
In the HMZ-T1, two 0.7-inch OLED displays show twin 1280-by-720 images, producing a high definition 3D picture with no crosstalk (because crosstalk is only caused when the filters on a 3D screen don't quite separate the two images used to produce the 3D picture). This simulates a 150-inch 3D HDTV seen from 12 feet away, an experience that can only be reproduced in a movie theater or with a projection system that costs several thousands of dollars.
The picture isn't the only part of the experience. Sony says the HMZ-T1 will include virtual 5.1-channel surround sound through the built-in headphones, with four different sound modes for watching movies, playing video games, and enjoying other movies and music. Surround sound isn't easily produced by headphones, so we'll have to see if the headset can really live up to its audio claims.
I spent some time with a version of the HMZ-T1, and I was impressed by the device. The idea of an HMD is a bit unusual, because strapping a display to your head is a cumbersome endeavor. However, it was comfortable, and displayed a demonstration video with a remarkably crisp, bright picture, something I haven't seen on other head-mounted displays or video glasses. The use of OLED technology for the HMD seems to give it a significant bump in video quality.
Sony has yet to announce pricing or availability for the HMZ-T1, but it should be ready for the holiday season. If you have a tech enthusiast friend and (presumably) several hundred, if not thousands, of dollars to spend, this might be the perfect gift. At the very least, it'll give everyone in your circle of geek friends the same warm, nostalgic feelings of virtual reality that I feel right now.