Vuzix showed off the iWear Video Headphones at CES in 2015, and the company has been taking pre-orders on the headset for much of the year. The company said it started shipping developer kits in October, and it is now shipping hardware to pre-order customers. Vuzix said new orders “will be shipped according to the terms and conditions at the time of order.”
Vuzix said the headset includes two 16:9 high-definition displays, one for each eye, which are capable of displaying 1 million colors per eye and boast a 57-degree viewing angle. The company said the iWear Video Headphones mimic a 130-inch big screen display from a 10-foot distance. The headset includes an HDMI input, which is compatible with most devices. It can accept 3D and 2D signals, and Vuzix said it is even capable of being used as a VR HMD.
The iWear Video Headphones have support for Unity 3D and Unreal Engine, and Vuzix is a member of OSVR, so the headset has been built to the OSVR standards. Vuzix said the headset is compatible with a wide range of content.
| Header Cell - Column 0 | Vuzix iWear Video Headphones |
|---|---|
| Video | Twin ~ 1 million pixel color HD displays* |
| Row 1 - Cell 0 | Floating display design for minimal face contact and maximum comfort |
| Row 2 - Cell 0 | 57 degree diagonal field of view in a 16:9 widescreen aspect ratio |
| Row 3 - Cell 0 | Equivalent to a 130” screen viewed from 10 feet |
| Row 4 - Cell 0 | 24-bit true color (16 million colors) |
| Row 5 - Cell 0 | Mobile operation with up to 3.0 hours continuous operation |
| Row 6 - Cell 0 | 2D and 3D video support (side-by-side, over-under, and frame packed) |
| Row 7 - Cell 0 | Input resolutions from 480p to 1920 x 1080 (1080p) |
| Row 8 - Cell 0 | *1280 x 720 x 3 (RGB) |
| Audio | Driver unit: 40 mm, dome type (CCAW adopted) diaphragm |
| Row 10 - Cell 0 | Noise-isolating over the ear design |
| Row 11 - Cell 0 | Frequency response: 5 – 25,000 Hz |
| Row 12 - Cell 0 | Electronic equalization with presets |
| Row 13 - Cell 0 | Impedance: 40 ohms at 1 kHz |
| Row 14 - Cell 0 | Power handling capacity: 1500 mW (IEC) |
| Row 15 - Cell 0 | Sensitivity (db): 100 dB/mW |
| Row 16 - Cell 0 | 2 noise canceling Microphones |
| Head Tracking | -3 Axis Gyro |
| Row 18 - Cell 0 | Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) |
| Row 19 - Cell 0 | -3 Axis Accelerometer |
| Row 20 - Cell 0 | -3 Axis Magnetic Sensor |
| Input/ Output | HDMI and USB connectors |
| Row 22 - Cell 0 | Ultra-thin single cable connection |
| General | USB port for battery charging, continuous power or battery pack (required > 1 amp for continuous use) |
| Row 24 - Cell 0 | Rechargeable lithium battery built into headphone |
| Row 25 - Cell 0 | USB microphone and audio support |
| Row 26 - Cell 0 | Collapsible headphone folds up for compact portability |
| Row 27 - Cell 0 | Immersive light-shield included |
| Row 28 - Cell 0 | Optional AR camera add-on |
| Row 29 - Cell 0 | Optional point cloud sensor |
| Box Contents | iWear unit with carrying pouch |
| Row 31 - Cell 0 | Immersive light shield |
| Row 32 - Cell 0 | Manual, warranty and safety instructions (digital download) |
Vuzix said the iWear Video Headphones are available from its own website or through Amazon.com. The video headphones are priced at $499.99.
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Kevin Carbotte joined Tom’s Hardware in early 2015. He writes GPU and VR hardware reviews and contributes to the news channel in the areas of computer graphics, water cooling, VR and other immersive technology. Kevin’s personal interests include technology advancements, fast cars and collecting video games that he doesn't have time to play.
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