Back in July of this year, we previewed a device that was supposed to add stereoscopic depth to any PSP game, even video files. We expressed some skepticism at the company's claims, and the product has since been delayed until January of next year. RealView recently sent Ars Technica what seems to be a production model of the device, and now that we have the thing in our hands... it's actually very cool.

The product will retail for around $40, which seems steep for what amounts to a lens and a chunk of plastic. When you slide your PSP into the case, there is a rubber mat that you put between the plastic and the PSP to allow later models to fit in snugly. The whole thing kills some of the portable nature of the system, but once the screen flips up and you see what it can do, you may not mind: there is actual depth added to the images, and the screen appears larger without sacrificing brightness or resolution.

The effect was particularly apparent in racing games, and it added a very impressive dimension to both Gran Turismo PSP and MotorStorm: Arctic Edge. The games looked bright, clear, and above all there was a nice 3D effect given to the track and the cars on it. The marketing materials described a "depth-enhancing" screen that is "similar to a 3D experience." The product delivers what it promises.

Of course, there's no magic involved here.

Flight sim fans have been doing this for years

While RealView Innovations is cagey about the processes that actually make this product possible, only talking about technology "first developed for the medical world," a little bit of digging was all it took to the get to the secret. By adding a fresnel lens to a standard monitor, you're able to both magnify the image and add the illusion of depth to the picture. There are companies that sell oversized fresnel lenses for this purpose, and simulation gamers have long known about the effect.

"This all got started when Tom Kopke mentioned that it might be possible to have a flight simulator display with a more realistic, 3-dimensional sense of depth by mounting a fresnel lens in front of the monitor. This sounded implausible to me at first... but Tom is a physicist who works on simulator display systems for the U.S. Navy so I had to take his proposition seriously," Rick Lee writes in an explanation of the effect. "[Kopke] explained that the lens allows you to view the monitor with your eyes focused out nearer to infinity instead of two feet in front of your face.... In the science of simulation, this is called a 'collimated display.'"

A do-it-yourself fresnel set up for racing games ( Source

This lead to many racing and flight simulation enthusiasts creating DIY fresnel lens setups, including the monstrous three-monitor, three-lens set up used for racing games. The size of the lens, as well as the distance it's kept from the screen, determines the strength and efficacy of the effect.

What RealView Innovations has done is create a fresnel lens of the perfect size for a PSP, and it has taken care of the placement to get the maximum effect out of your PSP. The case may be bulky, but the lens is held in place by a small plastic button, and swings out when you tap it. It's true that you could create something very similar for the same or less money, but you're paying for a product that isn't made of duct tape and cardboard.

Is that worth $40? That depends on you, but the effect is more compelling than it sounds on paper, and it's going to be hard to go back to playing the games on a standard screen. Side scrolling games and most movies don't seem to get much use out of the effect, but racing games are improved by it, and the package with the case and the lens is well constructed. You'll be able to see for yourself when the product is launched this January.

We were skeptical going in, but racing fans or even just optics enthusiasts are going to have fun here. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to order a larger fresnel for my computer monitor...

Verdict: Buy