News Stories

3D now needs in depth study

5.4.2009

3D now needs in depth study

03 May 2009
The workshop on first generation 3D TV on 30 April 2009 organized by the EBU in conjunction with the SMPTE and the ITU brought to light much new information, but for many delegates also a realisation that moving to a single world standard for broadcasting 3D is not going to be simple.

Many options

Though the basis for the system – left and right eye channels precisely synchronized – is clear, the next stages to the home and viewer are not. The two channels need to be conveyed in a broadcast channel. This might seem simple but there are many ways of doing it, and a wide range of different results about how each way performs. The broadcast format can be made compatible with normal broadcast channels in different ways, and it can be made compatible with normal viewing in different ways. Each involves a different trade off of quality. All the alternatives can ‘work’, but if we want to discern which is better, there seems to be much work to be done. A number of different systems have been developed by different manufacturers so industrial interests are involved too.

Who will determine which is better?

There is also a range of ways of displaying the 3D TV picture, which each need their own type of display. If there is to be a common standard it will take a lot of work to enable comparisons to be made between the alternative systems. In the past, groups of laboratories such those in the EBU would have taken on an unbiased test campaign. In these times of economic stringency, and with fewer broadcast technology laboratories in the world, this may be difficult.

BluRay working separately

As if this were not enough problems, the BluRay Association is working on its own 3D system separately. If the packaged media display system turns out to be different to the broadcast system, and the public is obliged to buy two different types of display, this will fragment the market and slow down 3D TV for everyone. Can the standards bodies lead the world to a common system? Time will tell, but it is going to be difficult…

For more information on 3D TV standardisation, please contact: David Wood (EBU).

Specification for Naming VFX Image Sequences Released

ETC’s VFX Working Group has published a specification for best practices naming image sequences such as plates and comps. File naming is an essential tool for organizing the multitude of frames that are inputs and outputs from the VFX process. Prior to the publication of this specification, each organization had its own naming scheme, requiring custom processes for each partner, which often resulted in confusion and miscommunication.

The new ETC@USC specification focuses primarily on sequences of individual images. The initial use case was VFX plates, typically delivered as OpenEXR or DPX files. However, the team soon realized that the same naming conventions can apply to virtually any image sequence. Consequently, the specification was written to handle a wide array of assets and use cases.

To ensure all requirements are represented, the working group included over 2 dozen participants representing studios, VFX houses, tool creators, creatives and others.  The ETC@USC also worked closely with MovieLabs to ensure that the specification could be integrated as part of their 2030 Vision.

A key design criteria for this specification is compatibility with existing practices.  Chair of the VFX working group, Horst Sarubin of Universal Pictures, said: “Our studio is committed to being at the forefront of designing best industry practices to modernize and simplify workflows, and we believe this white paper succeeded in building a new foundation for tools to transfer files in the most efficient manner.”

This specification is compatible with other initiatives such as the Visual Effects Society (VES) Transfer Specifications. “We wanted to make it as seamless as possible for everyone to adopt this specification,” said working group co-chair and ETC@USC’s Erik Weaver. “To ensure all perspectives were represented we created a team of industry experts familiar with the handling of these materials and collaborated with a number of industry groups.”

“Collaboration between MovieLabs and important industry groups like the ETC is critical to implementing the 2030 Vision,” said Craig Seidel, SVP of MovieLabs. “This specification is a key step in defining the foundations for better software-defined workflows. We look forward to continued partnership with the ETC on implementing other critical elements of the 2030 Vision.”

The specification is available online for anyone to use.

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