EPSON Moverio BT-300 Review

entity-unknown · Apr 29, 2017

The day after DJI 4.0.7 was released on my Android phone, my Moverio updated to the same version so all should be well.

Rigging65 · Apr 29, 2017

Drone Valley video from NAB

NAB 2017 Update - The Moverio BT-300 Is An Awesome FPV Solution

MacIak · Apr 30, 2017

More joy..
Since i have a wider interpupillar distance than standard i had some issues with the upper corners being unsharp. Tried the ADB mod today and played a bit with the settings. Tried 1120x700 resolution giving me a perfect crispness all over, at least as sharp as the Glyph which i liked a lot for it. Perfect readability of text. I did change it back to standard though since i use it just for go4 and movies.
Gives us another option to tweak stuff optimizing its use. Just lovely.

Srcrain · Apr 30, 2017

I am having the same problem with blurry edges. Can you explain this more. I don't know what the ADB mod is.

Ender · Apr 30, 2017

Srcrain said:
I am having the same problem with blurry edges. Can you explain this more. I don't know what the ADB mod is.

The Moverio are built to match a symmetrical pupilar Distance of 70mm so if you have asymmetrical pupil distances or a larger or smaller distance the 2 images won't overlap perfectly.
This means that one eye maybe misses one edge and the other eye misses part of the other side.
So while most of the image is seen by both eyes the edges are only seen by one eye causing a kind of blurriness.
Just try to close one eye on a full screen and then the other and see if both deliver "full screen".
I have about 67mm Distance and slightly asymetrical...

One Solution is to get specialized glasses (to put in the empty Frame that comes with the Moverio) and the other is to limit the horizontal resolution to something smaller then the native 1280 pixels, NOT using the far edges at all.

This can be done by a set of commands that are issued via ADB commanfline Shell (via USB).

Greetings,

Ender.

P.S. GekoCH explained the procedure here:
EPSON Moverio BT-300 Review

stratos · Apr 30, 2017

Ender said:
The Moverio are built to match a symmetrical pupilar Distance of 70mm so if you have asymmetrical pupil distances or a larger or smaller distance the 2 images won't overlap perfectly.
This means that one eye maybe misses one edge and the other eye misses part of the other side.
So while most of the image is seen by both eyes the edges are only seen by one eye causing a kind of blurriness.
Just try to close one eye on a full screen and then the other and see if both deliver "full screen".
I have about 67mm Distance and slightly asymetrical...

One Solution is to get specialized glasses (to put in the empty Frame that comes with the Moverio) and the other is to limit the horizontal resolution to something smaller then the native 1280 pixels, NOT using the far edges at all.

This can be done by a set of commands that are issued via ADB commanfline Shell (via USB).

Greetings,

Ender.

P.S. GekoCH explained the procedure here:
EPSON Moverio BT-300 Review

Luckly I dont have this issue but I requested the optical inserts in a optical shop and they say they are imposible to do, like really? they just want to sell frames it appears!!

MacIak · Apr 30, 2017

That's funny! Over here the frame comes "free of charge" mostly if you buy glasses. Ridiculous "impossible"!

edkirk · Apr 30, 2017

I received my BT-300 today and extremely impressed with the quality, to bad I wear glasses. I did fly my Mavic with them and like the charestics and image quality, just awesome. Better then anything else I have tried. Very easy transition from screen to sky looking over the frame and easy to look down at the TX, although I couldn't see both at the same time. May take some getting use to.

I noticed that if I take my glasses off and push them closer to my face I see more of the screen and loose less of the outer edges, I mean really close. It is obvious my eye spacing doesn't match the lenses. I watched several of the YouTube videos and someone mentioned the depth or size is adjustable so the on screen image looks smaller or larger. I couldn't find a setting for this in the settings menu. Is the only option to change the size is to change the pixels settings?

Thanks, Ed

edkirk · May 1, 2017

edkirk said:
I received my BT-300 today and extremely impressed with the quality, to bad I wear glasses. I did fly my Mavic with them and like the charestics and image quality, just awesome. Better then anything else I have tried. Very easy transition from screen to sky looking over the frame and easy to look down at the TX, although I couldn't see both at the same time. May take some getting use to.

I noticed that if I take my glasses off and push them closer to my face I see more of the screen and loose less of the outer edges, I mean really close. It is obvious my eye spacing doesn't match the lenses. I watched several of the YouTube videos and someone mentioned the depth or size is adjustable so the on screen image looks smaller or larger. I couldn't find a setting for this in the settings menu. Is the only option to change the size is to change the pixels settings?

Thanks, Ed

I contacted Rochester Optical and ask about their insert lenses and received a very thorough explanation including a great video explaining how they work. link below, so if the distance between your eyes is not 70mm you may require corrective lenses even if you have 20-20 eyesight. I am willing to get the insert lenses because this is a great product for me, just think Epson Maverio should mention that corrective lenses may be required if your eyes don't match the 70mm spacing of their glasses.

MacIak · May 1, 2017

edkirk said:
I contacted Rochester Optical and ask about their insert lenses and received a very thorough explanation including a great video explaining how they work. link below, so if the distance between your eyes is not 70mm you may require corrective lenses even if you have 20-20 eyesight. I am willing to get the insert lenses because this is a great product for me, just think Epson Maverio should mention that corrective lenses may be required if your eyes don't match the 70mm spacing of their glasses.

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Yes, you are correct. This is one of the flaws moverio has. Still it is the best (and most expensive) option we have for mavic in my opinion. Having tried cinemizers, dominator 2/3 and glyph i stick with the moverio. The DJI goggles i will try but already know the bulkiness cannot be compensated.

Ender · May 1, 2017

edkirk said:
I contacted Rochester Optical and ask about their insert lenses and received a very thorough explanation including a great video explaining how they work. link below, so if the distance between your eyes is not 70mm you may require corrective lenses even if you have 20-20 eyesight. I am willing to get the insert lenses because this is a great product for me, just think Epson Maverio should mention that corrective lenses may be required if your eyes don't match the 70mm spacing of their glasses.

Hi !
So how does it work ?
You give them your "parameters" like dieoptrien & pupilar distances and you get the finished product ?!
Did they give you a price or does it vary depending on the needed corrections ?

Interesting !

Ender

entity-unknown · May 1, 2017

Rochester Optical can create custom lenses so I'd ask them that question since they have the most familiarity of any optical place out there and they appear to make their own stuff. They've even offered to make custom lenses for just the sun shade for me so they have options.

edkirk · May 1, 2017

/1/2017 8:45 AM.
Here is the reply I received from Rochester Optical with a link to the Moverio BT-300 site. Around $200.00 for corrective lenses (inserts), I have mixed feelings about having to get special lenses (inserts) to use the BT-300 but having manipulated the BT-300 and my glasses I can get a very clear image with the DJI App (actually very impressive). I am not able to clear up the image enough to navigate the Setting Menu and read all of the text there.

I would be appreciative if Epson Maverio would provide a disclaimer "Corrective lenses may be required even if don't wear proscription glasses.

I also don't understand why a company like Epson doesn't provide a way to adjust pupilar distances either mechanically or with software.

I don't think my optician will be able to provide the lenses (inserts) I need, He is closed today so I will go to his store tomorrow and see what he has to say and pick up a copy of my prescription and pd measurements so I can place my order.

Ed

Hi Charles,

Thank you for your email. Yes, our patented lens technology Smart GOLD was
created to address that exact optical challenge. For mismatched
inter-pupillary distance (IPD), Smart GOLD compensates according to each
individual¹s PD and matches that to the device¹s PD and therefore enables
visual comfort and reduces eye strain significantly. On the other hand,
the reason why we offer the bifocal option is for those who would want to
read something close up (ex. manuals, instructions, etc.) while wearing
BT-300. If the need is only to correct your vision to see the BT-300
display clearly (viewing the display only requires your distance vision),
you won¹t need the bifocal lenses. Single vision would be all you need.

To understand how Smart GOLD lens technology works on the high-level,
please see our introduction video (the binocular part is directly related
to BT-300¹s use case): https://vimeo.com/153981509

Once you are ready to order, you can go on the product page and place the
order. Please make sure to upload your prescription along with PD so we
can customize the lenses to your specific configuration.
https://www.rochesteroptical.com/store/bt-300-rx-insert/
For other BT-300 related accessories (BT-300 sun shield, Solitaire Ace 2.0
VR Enclosure, Solitaire Ace sun shield), please go on:
https://www.rochesteroptical.com/epson/

Let us know if you have any other questions. We look forward to making the
glasses that will tremendously help you with your BT-300 viewing
experience!

Regards,
Sam

entity-unknown · May 1, 2017

If you need glasses to read the Epson then you need glasses in general. I have very good eye sight in general but detail degrades in the distance and I could never read subtitles on my 65" TV without glasses. I'm only a +1 +1.5 but that's enough. Everyone else that has used my set can read everything just fine so I'd say it's the eyes.
So I don't think you can fault Epson here for the need for glasses and they even give you a special bridge just in case you wear glasses, even a frame to boot. Could they figure out a diopter adjustment? Sure but they'd be even bulkier than they are now and likely much more awkward, less streamline/futuristic looking. It'd also be more fragile, cost more, and take more time to develop so I still don't think they can be faulted for a one of a kind device. If anything they did us a favor there.

MacIak · May 1, 2017

entity-unknown said:
If you need glasses to read the Epson then you need glasses in general. I have very good eye sight in general but detail degrades in the distance and I could never read subtitles on my 65" TV without glasses. I'm only a +1 +1.5 but that's enough. Everyone else that has used my set can read everything just fine so I'd say it's the eyes.
So I don't think you can fault Epson here for the need for glasses and they even give you a special bridge just in case you wear glasses, even a frame to boot. Could they figure out a diopter adjustment? Sure but they'd be even bulkier than they are now and likely much more awkward, less streamline/futuristic looking. It'd also be more fragile, cost more, and take more time to develop so I still don't think they can be faulted for a one of a kind device. If anything they did us a favor there.

I cannot agree with you here..
The interpupillar issue could have been solved by slightly larger "screens" and an option to move the image in/outward in relation to the nose to match the distance.
It could have been mentioned at least. A lot of people are not standard and if you also need corrective glasses i can imagine the pain.

edkirk · May 1, 2017

MacIak said:
I cannot agree with you here..
The interpupillar issue could have been solved by slightly larger "screens" and an option to move the image in/outward in relation to the nose to match the distance.
It could have been mentioned at least. A lot of people are not standard and if you also need corrective glasses i can imagine the pain.

If I were younger my eyes may have been able to compensate for the PD difference, I was flying today and had difficulty adjusting to the screen, double image when I returned my view back to the screen after watching the aircraft.

I would highly recommend anyone contemplating purchasing these glasses get your PD measured and be aware 70mm is the fixed distance. If you are outside this measurement you may require the corrective inserts. I think these are great glasses and anxious to get the inserts and enjoy the experience. I will wait to make my final opinion after trying the prescription inserts, hopefully next week.

Ed

Ender · May 2, 2017

entity-unknown said:
If you need glasses to read the Epson then you need glasses in general. I have very good eye sight in general but detail degrades in the distance and I could never read subtitles on my 65" TV without glasses. I'm only a +1 +1.5 but that's enough. Everyone else that has used my set can read everything just fine so I'd say it's the eyes.
So I don't think you can fault Epson here for the need for glasses and they even give you a special bridge just in case you wear glasses, even a frame to boot. Could they figure out a diopter adjustment? Sure but they'd be even bulkier than they are now and likely much more awkward, less streamline/futuristic looking. It'd also be more fragile, cost more, and take more time to develop so I still don't think they can be faulted for a one of a kind device. If anything they did us a favor there.

It seems the EPSON are forgiving light cases of presbyopia! Other goggles always needed to have glasses fitted (if they did not have diopter adjustment) while the Moverio look clean.
I have to say i am only on +0,75 / +1,0 so thats not much but its a nice "feature".

But PD needs correction anyways, i have only slight "shadowing" of the edges as i have PD of 33/35, so its near the supposed optimum of 35/35. I either will "endure" it or go for a slight ADB mod, time will tell.
Its much better if i adjust the nose clip to have my eyes closer to the glasses.

Greetings,

Ender

entity-unknown · May 2, 2017

How do you think they'd "simply" add a diopter adjustment to these glasses? The screen and projection paths are part of the lenses and the projectors need a fixed path to project the image. If you were to adjust the projection screens (remember it's a projector not a LCD which is why you can see through it) you'd need to adjust keystone & projection angle. That took over 50 years to get anything decent like that in normal consumer grade projectors.

There's a reason prescription glasses have these points built into each lens as they make them custom and one of the main reasons we need proper custom glasses, otherwise most people would just need your basic reading glasses from Walgreens. It is always different for every person left to right from the base point. It's a 1 in a billion if that to have 100% symmetrical bodies.
I'm not arguing the point they can't or shouldn't add a diopter setting but if you understand what all you're tying in here since it's not just a basic LCD like every other AR/VR setup that exists, then you'd understand why it's much more complex than a simple adjustment, and would likely double the price of R&D since all the R&D was around the lens & projectors which heavily relied on the alignments which will all need to align parametrically, not just symmetrically.

We also just funded the hell out of the next R&D project so I wouldn't be surprised if that's one of their biggest "focuses" for their next likely NOT dev platform. Accidental pun intended

MacIak · May 2, 2017

Not sure when they will pull this off: "avegant light field" (unable to paste links, google it).
Already opened a dedicated savings account

. Combined with their honest business style and eye for product detail it has great potential.

Lone Wolf · May 2, 2017

The information on this forum is enormous and thank you all for your contributions. Still torn between getting the DJI goggles and the Moverio BT300. Has anyone got a chance to actually wear both and make a comparison? I have Oculus Rift at home so quite familiar with the VR, but never experienced the AR. Love the idea of being able to see both from the view of the cockpit and see the Mavic at the same time, but I am a bit nervous about the BT300's hardware and the issues with the google play service. Looking forward to your reviews on the comparison!