Takara HMD Dynovisor
The Takara HMD Dynovisor (model TAK-8510) is a virtual reality head-mounted display released by Takara, a Japanese toy manufacturer, in May 1997[1]. The device was developed using technology originally created for the cancelled Atari Jaguar VR headset through a partnership between Atari Corporation and Virtuality[2].
| Takara HMD Dynovisor | |
|---|---|
| Basic Info | |
| VR/AR | Virtual Reality |
| Type | Head-mounted display |
| Subtype | Console-Powered VR |
| Creator | Virtuality (original technology) |
| Developer | Takara |
| Manufacturer | Takara |
| Announcement Date | July 1994 |
| Release Date | May 1997 |
| Price | $300 USD / ¥38,800 |
| Versions | TAK-8510 |
| Requires | NTSC composite/AV console, external power supply |
| Predecessor | Atari Jaguar VR (unreleased) |
| System | |
| Operating System | N/A |
| CPU | N/A |
| GPU | N/A |
| Storage | |
| Storage | N/A |
| SD Card Slot | No |
| Display | |
| Display | Sony Active TFT LCD |
| Resolution | 180,000 pixels |
| Refresh Rate | 30 Hz |
| Image | |
| Field of View | 120° diagonal |
| Foveated Rendering | No |
| Optics | |
| Optics | Pupil Projection System |
| Ocularity | Stereoscopic |
| IPD Range | Adjustable |
| Passthrough | No |
| Tracking | |
| Tracking | 3 DoF |
| Base Stations | No |
| Eye Tracking | No |
| Face Tracking | No |
| Hand Tracking | No |
| Body Tracking | No |
| Rotational Tracking | Yes (Gyroscope-based) |
| Positional Tracking | No |
| Audio | |
| Audio | Hi-Fi Stereo |
| Camera | No |
| Connectivity | |
| Connectivity | Composite video (NTSC), Audio (Red/White RCA) |
| Wired Video | Yes |
| Wireless Video | No |
| WiFi | No |
| Bluetooth | No |
| Power | External power supply required |
| Battery Capacity | N/A |
| Battery Life | N/A |
| Charge Time | N/A |
| Device | |
| Weight | 550 g (1.21 lb) |
| Material | High impact ABS molded components |
| Haptics | No |
| Sensors | Gyroscope |
| Input | N/A |
History
Origins
The Dynovisor's origins trace back to 1994 when Atari Corporation partnered with Virtuality to develop a VR headset for the Atari Jaguar console[3]. The initial prototype (known as the "red unit") was rejected by Atari officials due to low resolution. A second, improved prototype (the "blue unit") featured better voice communication, higher resolution, and IPD (Inter Pupil Distance) adjustment, but by the time it was completed, Atari had cancelled the project in October 1995[4].
Commercial Release
Following the cancellation of the Jaguar VR project, the technology was licensed to two companies: Takara in Japan and Philips in Europe. In 1996, both companies raced to have a VR HMD on the market, with Takara producing and releasing the TAK-8510 Dynovisor HMD and Philips its Scuba Visor[5]. The devices were virtually identical to each other and utilized the same core technology from the abandoned Jaguar VR project[4].
Technical Specifications
Display Technology
The Dynovisor featured advanced display technology for its time:
- Display: 180,000 Active TFT Pixel Resolution[1]
- Pupil Projection System with a ground breaking 120-degree field of view (FOV) display using Sony's Active TFT and LCD lenses[6]
- Stereoscopic 3D capability
- 30 Hz refresh rate[1]
Tracking and Input
- 3 DoF Non-positional (Gyroscope Based) tracking[1]
- Rotational head tracking only (pitch, roll, yaw)
- No positional tracking capabilities
- Neither units had motion tracking, hence their relatively low retail price[2]
Physical Design
- Weight: 550 g (1.21 lb)[1]
- Made from high impact ABS moulded components[6]
- Contrast, Brightness and IPD control is within reach[6]
- Inter Pupil Distance (IPD) focus adjustment for user personalization[5]
Connectivity
Market Reception
Despite the innovative technology, the Dynovisor faced several challenges:
- Even though the Takara HMD DynoVisor is considered to be laughable, their uniqueness and rarity in the wild makes them highly desirable among gamers and collectors alike[6]
- Like their contemporaries, they failed due to a lack of VR specific software and causing many a headaches after prolonged use[2]
- These consumer products quickly sold-out upon release in Japan[6]
Usage Warnings
These units came with a warning to rest your eyes after 30 minutes of play[5]. Users reported that Playing on these old-school VR HMDs is like having an IMAX screen two inches away from your eyeballs, which could cause eye strain with extended use[5].
Comparison with Sister Product
The Dynovisor was essentially identical to the Philips Scuba Visor, with both devices:
- Using the same Virtuality-developed technology
- Featuring identical specifications
- Being marketed more as "television goggles" than true VR headsets[7]
Legacy
The Dynovisor represents an important milestone in consumer VR history, being one of the first attempts to bring virtual reality technology to the home market at a relatively affordable price point. While it failed to achieve commercial success due to limited software support and technical limitations, it paved the way for future VR developments.
Dr Waldern never really moved away from Virtual Reality. He founded Retinal Displays in 1997, which would produce a head-mounted display suspiciously reminiscent of the Jaguar VR, licensed to Japanese toy manufacturer Takara and rechristened the Dynovisor[7].
Compatibility
Unlike the original Jaguar VR which had Missile Command 3D as its only compatible game[8], the Dynovisor could theoretically display any NTSC video source, though none of the old games played on the unit were designed to take advantage of virtual reality, so the experience lacked the full VR immersion[5].
See Also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 The VR Shop. "HMD Dynovisor - Info, Specs, Release Date." February 19, 2022. Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "vrshop" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 AUSRETROGAMER. "A Brief History of Virtual Reality." February 28, 2025. Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "ausretrogamer" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ Wikipedia. "Atari Jaguar." Retrieved 2025. Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "wikipedia-jaguar" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ 4.0 4.1 Retro Video Game Systems. "Takara HMD Dynovisor." November 26, 2013. Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "retrovideo" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 Push Square. "A Brief History of Virtual Reality." February 16, 2016. Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "pushsquare" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 AUSRETROGAMER. "Virtuality Reality Holy Grail." January 3, 2016. Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "ausretrogamer2" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ 7.0 7.1 Virtual Reality Society. "Virtuality – A New Reality of Promise, Two Decades Too Soon." April 17, 2018. Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "vrs" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ Wikipedia. "Missile Command 3D." March 13, 2025. Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "wikipedia-missile" defined multiple times with different content