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Bonkers Sony HMZ-T1 3D headset to enter production

Don't have room for a 62-foot screen? Sony's new space age glasses will let you go large without installing a whole new setup.

Joe Svetlik Reporter
Joe has been writing about consumer tech for nearly seven years now, but his liking for all things shiny goes back to the Gameboy he received aged eight (and that he still plays on at family gatherings, much to the annoyance of his parents). His pride and joy is an Infocus projector, whose 80-inch picture elevates movie nights to a whole new level.
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Joe Svetlik
2 min read

Those mental prototype 3D glasses we brought you back at CES in January? You know, the ones that were straight out of a sci-fi flick? The ones that had everyone saying, "Sure, they look great, but get real"? Well it looks like you could be using them to watch movies in the next few months, as Sony has unveiled a production model of the head mounted-display at IFA.

There's no UK official launch date or price, but Sony yesterday announced the HMZ-T1 would hit Japan in November for ¥59,800 (£480). And the product's first European outing says to us you'd better clear some funds come Christmas.

The heads-up display features two 0.7-inch HD OLED panels inside. These are angled at 45 degrees, creating the illusion of a 750-inch screen placed 20m away. There's no craning your neck to see past the man in front with the massive hat, no standing up to let people pass, no kids kicking the back of your chair, no sticky floor... in many ways, it's the perfect cinema experience.

Virtualphones technology simulates 5.1 surround sound using the built-in headphones. Plug the HMZ-T1 into a Blu-ray player or PS3, and you can enjoy HD movies. On your own. On a screen bigger than a house. In perfect solitude. Bliss...

CNET UK's own Luke Westaway tried the prototype TZ1 out in Vegas in January, and said, "It looks amazing," though they didn't make him look quite as rugged as the chap at the top of this story. We can't wait to get our hands on a production version, and rest assured we'll bring you a full update as soon as we do.