My biggest problem with the display on my VB is that the red eyepieces seem to cause the edges of each eye to blur. No matter how I adjust the IPD there are at least two “VB” squares that are blurred and out of focus. I can make two of them in focus at a time, but when I try to compromise somewhere in the middle it just makes all 4 of them blurry. This translates to blurry gameplay, and I have a hard time focusing on the corners and edges of the screen. It is very straining to read scores and status indicators because of that.

To clarify, this isn’t a problem with the red displays, it’s just a problem with the red plastic eye pieces distorting the edges of the screen, because if I move my head around and look through the lenses at different angles, the distorted/blurry edges disappear in the direction I’m looking.

Does this happen to anyone else? Is there anything I can do about it?

You’re not the only one; it happens to me as well, and I have the IPD all the way to the right.

Yep, I’ve always had that too… you just have to move your head around a bit to see the edges clearly. I guess it’s a design flaw?

When putting my unit back together I left out the red eye pieces, to see if it fixed the blurry edges problem. As I had suspected, the edges were almost perfect without the lenses or visor assembly. Only a very slight distortion if my move my head off-center. Then I put the red lenses back in and I was actually pretty surprised to see that the edges are about the same with the red lenses. Maybe a tiny bit more blurry/distorted on the very right and left edges of the screen, because of how the lenses tilt up at an angle toward your face. But still, it wasn’t nearly as blurry as before.

And then I put the visor assembly back on and WOW, what a huge difference. The blur was back with a vengeance, and the edges were very distorted.

So my conclusion is that the red lenses cause a little bit of blur, but nothing worth removing them over. And the rectangular eye-holes of the visor display cause almost all of the screen distortion. I think I could use my dremel to widen the eye holes and get rid of the distortion, but I don’t know if I want to yet…

Interesting, If I focus at the perfect pixel level, and close one eye at a time to adjust the IPD to read the letters VB in the corners as clear as possible, things aren’t so bad. My main prob is I have to constantly shift my head up or down because I have a good 1/2″ of blurriness on either the top or bottom of the screen depending on my relative position. If I could dremel away some plastic to fix this, I’d greatly consider it on a scratched up “gamer’s condition” VB unit.

Exactly, that’s where I’m at. I want to dremel some of the plastic away on those rectangular eye holes, but I don’t really want to at the same time. But I *must* have the visor assembly on my VB, both because it serves its purpose and blocks out the ambient light, and because the VB looks naked without it.

Hello.

I don’t know how you guys are about bumping an old post, and I am sorry if my reply offends anyone.

I have blurry edges on my VB, a system I have only owned for 2 days, so I am new to this hardware. I have been talking about it in the IRC channel and running all types of physical debugging. By physical I mean that I am moving my body and using those around me to help test.

It seems that if I put the IPD all the way to the right I can see the right VB squares clearly, the left most shapes I can see VERY slightly and faintly. If I put the IPD all the way to the left I can see the 2 left VB squares clearly, the right most shapes I can see VERY slightly and faintly.

If I put the IPD in the middle I can see all 4 squares but I have no way to focus them. They are visible but very blurry, I find it hard to read the “VB” text on each of them, even with the focus slider all the way adjusted.

I do wear corrective lenses and I’ll be the first to admit that my eyes have aged over the years. I am wearing an old prescription (lack of $$ for a new one) as well right now which makes it hard to see some stuff in correct focus until they are on top of me. I’m pretty good with things close to my face but I no longer have the 20/40 I once did.

With all that said I always have blurriness around the edges. I have been playing Red Alarm and the “numbers” for the SHIELD and SPEED are blurry unless I put the IPD all the way to the right or left. When the IPD is in the middle I can see the edges clearly if I move my head to the right or left, slightly, while playing. However I have other issues when the IPD is all maxed out (see below)*.

I have asked a few people around me to test as well and they do not have these issues. I am starting to think that the problem is less of a lens design issue and more of an issue with the limit of the IPD adjustment and my eyesight. The device, to me at least, seems like it was not designed to accommodate all eyes, all people, and all ages.

*My other issue is that when the IPD is all the way to the right the graphics look like they are concave. They seem to push out in the middle and wrap back (slightly) on the edges. When playing Mario’s Tennis, on the main selection screen I see this and I am unsure if this is my eyes or the VB unit. When the IPD is all the way to the left the graphics seem “tighter”, the 3D is “OK”, and the graphics are “flatter” and not concave. In the middle the middle most text is flat and the edges “curve” back a tiny bit. I’m not sure if this is a problem with my eyes, the design, or if the unit has issues? I’ve let others test and they don’t really see what I am talking about so I am starting to think it might just be me, meaning it’s MY eyes.

I am also not sure what problems adjusting the IPD might cause, was it designed to be run at the RIGHT and LEFT most extremes? I also hate using it at the extremes because I feel like in another few years, if my eyes adjust, there is no room left for adjustment of the systems IPD.

I’ve love to read comments on my post especially if anyone experiences what I am trying to describe in the second last paragraph.

Thanks!

I don’t think anyone would yell at you for bumping an old post. “Old” is kind of our deal on this forum, haha.

Don’t worry about your eyes, everyone has the same problem with the blurry edges. As I posted earlier in the thread, I did some experimenting and found out that the eye holes in the black visor piece are not big enough, and that’s what causes the blurry edges. I was thinking about expanding them with a dremel but I never got around to it. If you take the visor off you should have a better experience, but obviously you will lose the light-blocking feature of the visor.

The red lenses on the eyes do not seem to affect the blurriness – the picture looked the same to me when I took them out.

As for the depth problems and “warping”, there are many possible ways for the display to fail, and one of them is displaying the same image in both eyes, so you can’t see the 3D depth. I’m not sure if that’s what’s happening to you but it’s possible. The “warping” is probably due to the fact that you are pushing the IPD to its extreme and the lens that projects the red image is curved. You should NOT have to push the IPD to its extreme left or right. Shoot for trying to get all 4 VB logos in the corners in focus as much as possible, and then removing the visor will help with the blurry edges.

Also keep in mind this is one of the reasons why the VB failed – you are not the first person to have issues with the display. I still love mine though, despite its faults.

[Lester Knight]

When you are talking about the black visor you mean part number VUE-012, the black plastic part that holds the red lenses?

I get that “warping” when the IPD is in the middle as well but it is less extreme and I actually don’t notice it except for the very edges. When the IPD is at an extreme the 3D seems “tighter” but the warping is a bit worse.

I really hope the VB isn’t having issues I just paid $150 for it with shipping =(.

:::edit:::
I just moved the IPD to the right and I am now getting a very glitchy right screen. When I moved it back to the center it went away. However, the slight “warping” remains. I still wonder if the warping is my eyes or the VB unit.

Looks like I need suggestions on who can fix the VB in the US. I would like to get the visual display soldered and done once and for all so I can just enjoy the unit! =)

Thanks for your help!

• This reply was modified 13 years, 1 month ago by Lester Knight.

Yeah unfortunately now is the time when everyone is getting a glitchy display and they aren’t the most fun thing to fix. You definitely have a loose ribbon cable but pretty much every VB that is sold on ebay now has that problem at some point. I would fix it for you but I’m working on the flash cart right now so I don’t really have the time. There are guides on how to do it but personally I didn’t find it very easy and I consider myself a good solderer.

Yes I guess I was thinking about the wrong piece, the visor isn’t the part that causes the blurry edges, it’s the black plastic of the square eye holes on the front of the unit. They should have widened those holes IMO, the blurry edges drive me nuts as well. I was planning on removing the eye pieces, widening the holes and then making new “eye pieces” with red plastic but I haven’t done it.

[Lester Knight]

When I turn on the VB the “Saftey Message” seems to change size and shape for a few seconds, after that it looks fine and doesn’t move, is that the mirrors getting up to speed?

I actually have been following your progress on the Flash Kit. I’m really interested in one, even though I have a FlashBoy+ on the way. I love Flash Kits since the GBA days and as a reviewer for GBATemp.net I’ve been able to build a small collection of various kits.

I can’t solder, I actually never have. I’m afraid to screw up my $150 investment. Based on what I have read about you on this forum and your site I would be honored if you had the time to fix my VB. I’m thinking to just get both sides repaired so that I can avoid this problem in the future. Perhaps in the coming months if you have the free time?

Cheers.

• This reply was modified 13 years, 1 month ago by Lester Knight.

Lester Knight wrote:
When I turn on the VB the “Saftey Message” seems to change size and shape for a few seconds, after that it looks fine and doesn’t move, is that the mirrors getting up to speed?

I actually have been following your progress on the Flash Kit. I’m really interested in one, even though I have a FlashBoy+ on the way. I love Flash Kits since the GBA days and as a reviewer for GBATemp.net I’ve been able to build a small collection of various kits.

I can’t solder, I actually never have. I’m afraid to screw up my $150 investment. Based on what I have read about you on this forum and your site I would be honored if you had the time to fix my VB. I’m thinking to just get both sides repaired so that I can avoid this problem in the future. Perhaps in the coming months if you have the free time?

Cheers.

Yes, the moving safety message is because the mirrors are calibrating. There is a little speed controller and measurement system that gets the mirrors oscillating at the right speed and some games don’t wait long enough for it to stabilize before they display the warning screen. It’s normal and has nothing to do with the glitchy display problem.

Boy I don’t know, I’m sure I could find the time to do it one night but I would be afraid of messing it up after you paid a good amount of money for it. I’ve only repaired two so far and one of them nearly went wrong, although I managed to fix it. I suppose if nobody else volunteers I could fix it for you.

I do appreciate that offer. I am about to head back East to visit with my family for my Birthday Day. When I return I should better know if someone is willing to do it, and I should have some B-Day money to spend on the repair!

I’ve IM’ed Johnny Phantom tonight, no response yet. I will keep you posted.

Thank you for all of your information in this thread. You have set most of my worries aside and I can go back to just enjoying the VB and having fun! =)

Well friend, I’d be happy to send you a working unit to screw with. But after you open up the eyes to removed the “collapsed eyepiece syndrome”, what can we replace it with? Get new eyepieces made in Hong-kong for the mod to retro fit into the needed widening?

The “Collapsed Eyepiece Syndrome” is a real downfall of the console. I find myself constantly moving my head up, down, and all around to keep all edges perceptionally sharp. ( I made up the word “perceptionally, mind you”.)

*Seven years pass*

So, is there a fix/workaround for this yet?