News Stories

Sony Expanding 3D Horizon With R&D In Augmented & Virtual Reality

6.30.2011

[By Richard Carlton, HD TV Test]

Japanese consumer electronics giant Sony is continuing to explore the possibilities of 3D technology, with significant research and development poured into this area. The company recently revealed that it has a number of different R&D projects underway involving the third dimension, which are all ultimately aimed at providing consumers with various forms of state-of-the-art home entertainment.

Speaking in an interview in advance of a 3D-themed conference, Sony Computer Entertainment (SCE) Worldwide Studios Europe’s vice president Mick Hocking touched upon a number of innovations that would enhance different aspects of home entertainment for the public. One of these was augmented reality, which he said was really important in gaming, as it helped players to really immerse themselves in the game for a truly thrilling experience. He said that the success of 3D games could open the door for the technology to be deployed successfully on devices such as mobile phones, laptops and internet tablets. While augmented reality is already used in gaming, the current level of technology is only scratching the surface, he stressed.

Mr Hocking also talked about 3D sculpting, which involves 3D visualisation on a HDTV screen being enhanced by head-tracking sensors. This allows the 3D image to be adjusted in accordance with the viewer’s position, and can create a realistic “pseudo-holographic” effect. Explaining that viewers would be able to see all aspects of objects with this technology just as they would see them in the real world, he added that this technology could be up and running in the “not too distant future”.

Another area that Sony has been looking into is virtual reality, which for many people is something that they associate with Sci-Fi movies rather than something that they could be using for themselves in the near future. This technology was showcased by Sony at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2011 in Las Vegas, where the company showed off its OLED-based 3D head-mounted display (HMD) which allows viewers to indulge in their favourite tri-dimensional content directly via the headset.

See the original post here: http://www.hdtvtest.co.uk/news/sony-3d-augmented-reality-201106291252.htm

ESPN 3D Adds Live Coverage of a Wimbledon Gentlemen’s Semifinal Friday

6.30.2011

[Philip Lelyveld note: ESPN responds quickly to unexpected turns in the lineup.]

[by TV Technology]

ESPN 3D has added a live telecast of the Jo-Wilfried Tsonga vs. Novak Djokovic Gentlemen’s semifinal at Wimbledon on Friday, July 1, at 7:45 a.m. ET to its schedule, the network’s first tennis programming. Later that day, ESPN 3D, which launched last year, will reair that semifinal and televise the other Gentlemen’s semifinal on a delayed basis.  The network will also present the Ladies’ and Gentlemen’s Finals twice each on a delayed basis Monday, July 4.

Tsonga, the no. 12 seed, upset six-time Wimbledon champion Roger Federer in the quarterfinals.  Djokovic, the no. 2 seed, sports a 46-1 match record in 2011. In the other men’s semifinal, no. 1 seed and defending title holder Rafael Nadal will face no. 4 seed Andy Murray. Cliff Drysdale—who worked ESPN’s first-ever tennis telecast September 14, 1979, will call the match on ESPN 3D with analyst Brad Gilbert.

See the original post here: http://www.tvtechnology.com/article/122182

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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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