# Video card/Home brew HTPC alternative to Optoma 3 (x-post from projectors)



## borednerds (Oct 1, 2010)

Title _should_ read *Video card/Home brew HTPC alterative to Optoma 3D XL*

I have an Optoma HD65 projector and I'm trying to avoid buying the optoma 3D-XL hardware that allows the projector to display 3D content. Does anyone know of a workaround for this?
It seems silly to me that we should need the hardware in the first place, but they've managed to find a way to sqeeze another 300 bucks out of people.


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## eugovector (Sep 4, 2006)

Can you post a link with more info? I did a quick search but I'm having a hard time finding info about this upgrade? Is it hardware, software, or a combination of both?


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## borednerds (Oct 1, 2010)

Here is the firmware update for the HD65. They want you to buy the Optoma 3D-XL Converter Box to use the 3D capabilities of the projector, but it seems to me that the right video card would do the same thing without breaking the bank or adding another device to the receiver stack.


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## eugovector (Sep 4, 2006)

Well, you'd need a video card that comes with the appropriate active shutter glasses. Essentially, you need a box that sends a light beam to the glasses telling them to darken one lens or the other. Any 3D system that works with a computer monitor should work with this projector.


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## nholmes1 (Oct 7, 2010)

eugovector is right, the Nvidia 3d vision kit should work but they are designed to be used near field so maybe they won't be able to drive the glasses from as far? It is just IR so it should be fine but it is a possibility. You would just have to buy it and try and its not going to be much cheaper.


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## borednerds (Oct 1, 2010)

Well, that's ok to me! I would think it better to spend 100 bucks on a video card instead of $300 on their box AND a graphics card.


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## borednerds (Oct 1, 2010)

For anyone else looking to do something similar, there's a Combo deal on Newegg for the 3D Vision + an extra set of glasses for $130. I also bought the GeForce GT 430 graphics card which can handle 3D, blu-ray and HD 7.1 and is on sale on Newegg for 20 bucks ($30 MIR). Sell your blu-ray player and buy a drive for <50 bucks and you might even get everything for less than $200 net.

All said and done, this solution is half the price of the 3D-XL and comes with 2 glasses.

The one downside is that you can't play Xbox360 or PS3 games in 3D this way, which is the only thing keeping me from jumping on the 3D vision pack right now. Decisions, decisions.


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