Philips Scuba
| Philips Scuba | |
|---|---|
| Basic Info | |
| VR/AR | Virtual Reality |
| Type | Head-mounted display |
| Subtype | Console-Powered VR |
| Developer | Philips |
| Manufacturer | Koninklijke Philips N.V. |
| Announcement Date | May 1996 |
| Release Date | August 1998 |
| Price | $299 USD |
| Versions | VIV100, VIV100AT01 |
| Requires | Nintendo 64, Sega Saturn, Sony PlayStation, or PC with NTSC output |
| System | |
| Storage | |
| SD Card Slot | No |
| Display | |
| Display | AMLCD (Active Matrix LCD) |
| Resolution | 263 × 230 pixels |
| Refresh Rate | 18 Hz |
| Image | |
| Field of View | 50° diagonal |
| Horizontal FoV | 45° |
| Foveated Rendering | No |
| Optics | |
| Ocularity | Binocular |
| IPD Range | Fixed |
| Adjustable Diopter | No |
| Passthrough | No |
| Tracking | |
| Tracking | 3 DoF Non-positional |
| 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 | Built-in stereo headphones |
| Microphone | No |
| Camera | No |
| Connectivity | |
| Connectivity | RCA composite video input, audio input |
| Wired Video | Yes |
| Wireless Video | No |
| WiFi | No |
| Bluetooth | No |
| Power | External power supply via control box |
| Battery Capacity | N/A |
| Battery Life | N/A |
| Charge Time | N/A |
| Device | |
| Weight | 544 g (1.19 lb) |
| Material | Plastic with rubber face mask |
| Headstrap | Adjustable head harness with rear cradle |
| Haptics | No |
| Color | Gray/Black |
| Sensors | Gyroscope |
| Input | Control box with power button, brightness/contrast controls, volume control |
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The Philips Scuba Virtual Immersion Visor (model VIV100) was a head-mounted display (HMD) released by Philips in August 1998. Despite being marketed as a virtual reality headset, it was essentially a wearable television display that provided a stereoscopic viewing experience without true VR capabilities.[1][2]
History
Development
The Scuba's technology was originally developed as a VR helmet for the Atari Jaguar home game system. However, when that project fell through, the technology was sold and released by other companies without the head tracking component that Atari had intended to use for its Missile Command VR game.[3]
Release
Philips announced the Scuba Virtual Immersion Visor in May 1996 and released it in August 1998 at a retail price of $299 USD.[2] This price point was notably $100 more than the launch price of the Nintendo 64, making it an expensive peripheral for the time.[1]
Market Performance
The Scuba sold approximately 55,000 units during its commercial run.[3] Despite Philips' marketing efforts positioning it as a virtual reality device, consumer reception was mixed to negative, with many criticizing its poor image quality and misleading VR branding.
Technical Specifications
Display Technology
The Scuba featured an Active Matrix LCD (AMLCD) display panel with the following specifications:
- Resolution: 263 × 230 pixels per eye[3][2]
- TV Lines: 400 TV lines[2]
- Refresh Rate: 18 Hz[2]
- Field of View: 50° diagonal, approximately 45° horizontal[2][4]
Physical Design
The headset weighed 544 grams (1.19 pounds) and featured a design similar to a diving mask, hence the "Scuba" name.[2] It utilized:
- A rubber face mask that pressed against the user's face to block external light[4]
- An adjustable head harness with a rear cradle for weight distribution[4]
- Built-in stereo headphones for audio[4]
Control Box
The Scuba included an external control box that housed:[4]
- Power supply input
- Headset connection port (resembling a keyboard plug)
- Volume control
- Brightness and contrast adjustment controls
- Power on/off button
- 30-minute automatic timer shut-off feature
Tracking
The device featured basic 3 degrees of freedom (3DoF) non-positional tracking using gyroscope-based sensors for rotational head movement detection.[2]
Compatibility
The Philips Scuba was compatible with various gaming consoles and devices that supported NTSC video output:[5][6]
| Console/Device | Compatibility |
|---|---|
| Nintendo 64 | Yes |
| Sega Saturn | Yes |
| Sony PlayStation | Yes |
| PC with NTSC output | Yes |
| Other NTSC consoles | Yes |
Reception
Critical Response
The Philips Scuba received largely negative reviews from critics and consumers. Common criticisms included:
- Poor optics: Users frequently reported blurry visuals and eye strain after extended use[4]
- Misleading marketing: Despite being marketed as a VR device, it lacked true virtual reality capabilities[1]
- Limited visibility: Some users reported difficulty seeing screen corners and issues with lens placement[1]
- High price: At $299, it was considered expensive for what was essentially a head-mounted television[1]
Some reviewers noted that the headset performed better when disassembled, suggesting fundamental design flaws in the optical assembly.[1]
Legacy
The Philips Scuba has been retrospectively cited as one of the worst gaming peripherals ever made, representing the challenges and failures of 1990s attempts at consumer VR technology.[1] It serves as an example of how marketing hype around virtual reality in the 1990s led to products that failed to deliver on their promises.
Variants
Two model numbers have been identified:
See Also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Retrovolve. "The Scuba Virtual Immersion Visor May Be the Worst Gaming Peripheral of All Time". July 14, 2020. Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "retrovolve" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 The VR Shop. "Scuba Visor - Info, Specs, Release Date". February 19, 2022. Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "vrshop" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Google Arts & Culture. "Philips Scuba VR Visor head-mounted display". Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "googlearts" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 Mellott's VR Page. "The Philips Scuba Review". Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "mellott" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ 5.0 5.1 ShopGoodwill.com. "Philips Magnavox Scuba Virtual Immersion Visor". Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "shopgoodwill" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ Etsy. "Vintage Virtual Immersion Visor Scuba by Philips Display". Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "etsy" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ eBay. "PHILIPS MAGNAVOX SCUBA VIRTUAL IMMERSION VISOR VIV100 BOXED". Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "ebay" defined multiple times with different content