Review: MyVu Crystal
Sunday, July 6th, 2008 96 views
This is my third review of a MyVu video eyewear product. In April of this year, I reviewed the MyVu Solo Plus, and in May, I reviewed the MyVu Shades 301. Both of those products sold at a $199.95 price point and received favourable 4-star reviews. The product that I am reviewing this time is the MyVu Crystal, the top of the MyVu line coming in at a $299.95 price point. Since it has been several months since I outlined the basic features of MyVu eyewear, and there has been significant improvements in this model, I will go over them again and note changes where appropriate. MyVu kindly provided a review loaner for this review along with an iPod nano. I tested the product on both my own iPod touch and the loaner iPod nano so all of my observations are limited to those two video players.
The product comes very nicely packaged and includes a pair of glasses with attached earbuds carrying pouch; power, picture, and volume control dongle and charging cable. The previous models did not include volume control on the dongle so now most aspects of the viewing experience can be controlled without having to reach for the iPod. The picture controls remain disappointing as they offer only three different “steps” for colour and contrast. The finish and quality of the unit are flattering and have undergone design changes from the previously reviewed models which are an improvement from the previous “Cylon” look to a more traditional eyeglass look. Additionally, a magnetic clip has been added so that the cables can be clasped behind the head which I found to be helpful in avoiding awkward tangles. There are two colour options: amber and black. The black version was provided for my review which I found to be attractive, and judging only by images of the amber version, I think I would prefer the black look as the sleeker of the two. As before, the product comes with several sizes of earbuds, but instead of various nose clip sizes, the attached nose clip is malleable to customize fit. In both of my prior reviews I had complained that the nose clip definitely needed more padding, but I am glad to report that this model is much more comfortable so that is no longer a negative.
There are two versions of this product: the “Made for iPod” edition which is compatible with the video nano, touch, classic, and 5th generation video iPods, and the “Universal Edition” which is compatible with most portable video devices with video out. The FAQ page states: “Myvu has not yet been certified “Works With iPhone”. However, Myvu “Made for iPod” versions, like many iPod accessories, will work well with the iPhone when the iPhone is set to Airplane mode.” The glasses are lightweight and fold compactly into its carrying pouch which is a good feature for travel. The battery will last for about two movies (four hours) with a fully charged unit and iPod. The included documentation consisted of a four-step quick start guide which was slickly produced and easy to follow. A full user manual can be found at the vendor’s website. The deficiency I noted in the prior quick start guides has been corrected in this version, i.e. it explicitly states that the unit must be individually charged and does not draw power from the iPod. Also, I have noticed a marked improvement since my first review in the professionalism of the vendor and in the quality of its website.
Like the other models, there is full visibility above and below the low profile glasses; however, the Crystal also has semi-transparent “panels” to the left and right of the viewing screen so that there is peripheral visibility as well. Personally, I did not like this addition as the glow from the viewing image seemed to reflect off on both sides creating an undesirable mirror effect. This might be a matter of personal preference in a trade-off between peripheral visibility and a less distracting viewing experience. I experimented with the unit by placing black electrical tape over those side panels which greatly improved my viewing experience. If I purchased a pair, I would cover those panels permanently as I find the over and under visibility more than adequate. On its website, MyVu has an “Experience” page which has some pretty clever and accurate video simulations of the viewing experience including the peripheral semi-transparency. Though I did not find this stated on the MyVu site itself, another reviewer noted that the amber version of the Crystal allows more peripheral light than the black version. If that is indeed true, I would definitely recommend the black unit as my experience would lead to the conclusion that even more peripheral light would not be desirable.
The unit is advertised to be viewable in full light, but as before, I did not find that to be accurate in my experience. However, adding a visor or brimmed hat did greatly improve the viewing quality. In my use, the ideal viewing situation was in a semi-dark enviroment or at least out of direct lighting. The viewing experience consists of a floating image with the illusion of a 27-inch screen viewed at about eight feet distance. The sound quality was also improved in comparison with the prior products. The vendor identifies the earbuds as “from Ultimate Ears® for enhanced comfort, extended bass, and sound isolation.” In my experience with the prior models, most videos can be viewed in letterbox or full screen mode, though the instructions do not explain how. I discovered this by playing with the video settings on my touch. If video mode is set to “widescreen - off,” it will letterbox the image, and if it is set to “widescreen - on,” the image will fill the whole screen. However, on this model, it did not appear that there was any way to achieve the letterbox effect, but this may be due to my choice of videos, and some other media may behave as described above.
The $100 higher price point is primarily due to the tremendous increase in video quality in comparison to the less expensive units. Instead of a quarter VGA resolution (320X240), the Crystal boasts full VGA resolution (640X480). I was completely pleased with the viewing quality which lacked the graininess in the prior models with my only complaint being the lack of fine-tuning for contrast and colour as mentioned above. MyVu also states that the field of view is 33% wider than other models.
Pros:
- High quality video with full VGA resolution (640480)
- Easy access to volume and picture controls on dongle
- More attractive design
- Perfect for use at the gym and during long commutes
- Lightweight and portable (under 3 ounces)
Cons:
- The contrast and brightness controls only offer three different gradations
- The $299.95 price point will be out of range for many users, but it is commensurate with the video quality
- Not suitable for eyeglass wearers though a prescription lens insert can be obtained for an additional cost from MyVu
Verdict:
- I love it. I want one. Badly. It would have received five stars if the contrast and brightness control allowed for more precise fine-tuning.
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