News Stories

Amazon 3D product buying advice and consumer education resources

11.28.2010

Amazon has set up configuration advice and product recommendation pages for:

3D experience for Movie Buffs:  Learn More

3D experience for Sports Enthusiasts:  Learn More

3D experience for Avid Gamers:  Learn More

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Learn More About 3D

Watch Our 10 1-Minute Videos About 3D

Read Our Guides

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Are You a Movie Buff?

Do you enjoy watching movies? Want to see the most recent Hollywood blockbuster in a way that you never experienced? The latest in 3D technology is perfect for any movie buff. With images that seem to leap off the screen and straight into your living room, you’ll feel like you’re part of the action.

To get the full 3D-movie experience, you will need:

• A 3D-capable HDTV

• A 3D-capable Blu-ray Disc player

• A pair of 3D active shutter glasses

• A Blu-ray 3D Disc

• A high-speed HDMI cable

All products sold separately

Add one of each of the items mentioned above to your Shopping Cart to get started and get the best 3D-viewing experience in the comfort of your own home.

We will add more Blu-ray 3D movies as our selection grows. We also invite you to check out our 3D help guide and our 3D buying guide.

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Are You a Sports Enthusiast?

Sports enthusiasts will truly enjoy watching their favorite games in 3D. ESPN will broadcast some sporting events in 3D. This channel will also broadcast many other sporting events. When watching sporting events in 3D, be prepared to see the ball leap off the screen!

To get the full sports-enthusiast 3D experience, you will need:

• A 3D-capable HDTV

• A pair of 3D active shutter glasses

• A high-speed HDMI cable

All products sold separately.
You will also need to purchase a cable subscription to a 3D channel (check with your local cable provider).

Add one of each of the items mentioned above to your Shopping Cart to get started and get the best 3D-viewing experience in the comfort of your own home.

We also invite you to check out our 3D help guide and our 3D buying guide.

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Are You an Avid Gamer?

From the occasional player to the video game aficionado, 3D will add a new dimension to your gaming experience when the PlayStation 3 will be enabled to read 3D video games and 3D movies through a firmware upgrade slated for then. Get immersed in the action in a way you never felt before.

To get the full 3D gaming experience, you will need:

• A 3D-capable HDTV

• A 3D-capable PlayStation 3 (available this summer through firmware upgrade)

• A pair of 3D active shutter glasses

• A 3D video game (available later in the year)

• A high-speed HDMI cable

Add one of each of the items mentioned above to your Shopping Cart to get started and get the best 3D-viewing experience in the comfort of your own home.

We also invite you to check out our 3D help guide and our 3D buying guide.

Virgin Media’s TiVo-powered Hd/3D set-top box

11.28.2010

How much content fills a Terabyte?

Prior to the arrival of the “golden age” of digital technology the world has found itself in, it would only be the more technologically-minded amongst us who would understand about internal drive sizes and measurements such as megabytes and gigabytes. Nowadays children as young as five are not only aware, but are questioning the internal data of technological devices. Although it has to be said, the term ‘terabyte’ is not as commonly comprehended as ‘gigabytes’ and ‘megabytes’, which precede  the terabyte. So when Virgin Media recently announced its new TiVo-powered HD/3D set top box, giving consumers an ‘unprecedented’ 1 Terabyte – or TB – of storage for recordings, some – myself included – were unsure of how much storage a ‘terabyte’ actually endows.

After several seconds research on Google, where all uncertainties are usually clarified, it is quickly explained that a terabyte is equal to 1000 gigabytes. In simpler terms, Virgin Media’s TiVo- powered HD/3D set top box really does provide for a ‘mega’ amount of storage – more than 500 hours of content to be precise.

Although the set top box’s assets are not limited to being solely a 1 ‘TB’ storeroom, as on the contrary, when coupled with Virgin Media’s TV on demand service, which, with no schedule or start times allows viewers to decide what to watch and when, the TiVo set top box gives UK consumers more than 4,600 hours of shows, films and music videos, HD and 3D entertainment, as well as instantly available catch-up TV from terrestrial broadcasters.

In using Virgin Media’s unique fibre optic network, the TiVo set box will not only deliver TV on demand simultaneously with linear TV, but it will not interfere with other internet connections in the house. In other words, no connections will be sacrificed with this TiVo-powered TV service product, enabling each family member to ‘do their own thing’ with regards to watching TV, surfing the internet, playing video games or sifting through media libraries.

In short, Virgin Media’s joint venture with TiVo, namely the creation of a unique converged television and interactive service, may finally bring an end to siblings squabbling over the TV control.

The TiVo-powered HD/3D Set Box is due to released sometime in November.

Read the full story here: http://www.latestgadgets.co.uk/home-entertainment/2446-virgin-medias-tivo-hd3d

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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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