News Stories

Watch Avatar in Stereo 3D With James Cameron’s Preferred Settings

11.10.2010

(Phil Lelyveld question: Do you think this will attract or scare away potential 3DTV buyers? Please comment)

Panasonic has made available a special page, dedicated to providing James Cameron’s Preferred Settings for watching Avatar in 3D on a Panasonic 3D HDTV and these settings take advantage of the “Advanced (isfccc)” mode that the television sets have. This initiative is due to the fact that the company is bundling their line of Viera 3D-capable Plasma HDTVs along with a Blu-ray 3D version of the movie Avatar, an exclusive deal that probably will delay further the availability of the movie as a standalone product. And I’m curious if these settings are recommended just for watching Avatar, or they will be good for watching movies in general… I will have to try them and compare to the default THX settings for example when I start testing my new Panasonic VT20E HDTV, although I do not have Avatar on Blu-ray 3D yet 😉

Here are the recommended settings from James Cameron for Avatar 3D (for European TVs)…

Switch “Advanced (isfccc)” to ON.

Set the “Viewing Mode” to “Professional 1″.

Set the “Contrast” to “48″.

Set the “Colour” to “33″.

Set “White Balance” to the following values:

– Move the scale of “R-Gain” 10 times to the right.

– Move the scale of “G-Gain” 8 times to the left.

– Move the scale of “R-Cutoff” 2 times to the right.

– Move the scale of “B-Cutoff” 1 time to the right.

Set “Colour Management” to the following values:

– Move the scale of “R-Hue” 3 times to the right.

– Move the scale of “G-Hue” 4 times to the left.

– Move the scale of “R-Saturation” 3 times to the right.

– Move the scale of “G-Saturation” 11 times to the right.

– Move the scale of “B-Saturation” 8 times to the right.

Set “Gamma” to “2.4″.

Switch “24p Smooth Film” to OFF.

Switch “3D 24p Film Display” to OFF.

– To visit the official James Cameron’s Preferred Settings page on Panasonic’s website…

– To visit the official James Cameron’s Preferred Settings for Asia on Panasonic’s website…

source: http://3dvision-blog.com/watch-avatar-in-stereo-3d-with-james-camerons-preferred-settings/

Hasbro unveils device that promises 3-D on iPod

11.10.2010

(Phil Lelyveld Comment: viewmaster , 2010-style!)

Hasbro markets to iPhone and iPod Touch users with new handheld device that promises 3-D /

Hasbro Inc. is betting that iPod and iPhone users want 3-D viewing on the go.

The nation’s second-largest toy maker is set to unveil to investors on Tuesday a handheld device called My3D that attaches to the two Apple Inc. devices. It promises three-dimensional content that offers a 360-degree experience in gaming, virtual travel experiences and entertainment content. It’s aimed at both children and adults.

The device, which resembles a pair of binoculars with a slot in which users insert their iPod or iPhone, will be priced at $30. It will be available starting next spring at stores where Apple’s iPhones and iPod Touches are available.

Shoppers can then visit Apple’s App store, which will allow shoppers to browse for additional My 3D content. Content varies in price; some apps will be free.

Hasbro said it was guided by Apple during development and believes there’s nothing available that matches the quality and 3-D experience on the iPhone or iPod Touch.

If it catches on, it has big potential. More than 125 million iPod Touches and iPhones have shipped, according to Shaw Wu, senior research analyst at Kaufman Bros. L.P. He predicts that will hit 200 million by end of 2011.

“The issue with this is whether they are going to get enough content for it,” Wu said.

Hasbro is confident it will and says it has teamed up with Dreamworks Animation, whose movie “Megamind” hit theaters last weekend, to develop material.

Separately, Hasbro’s My3D will use content from a 3-D television network from Discovery, Sony and Imax scheduled to make its debut next year. Viewers will be able to see trailers and exclusive behind-the-scenes snippets from films for up to 20 minutes. Hasbro says the device will be a key way to market its own brands in a 3-D experience, though details haven’t been set.

Meanwhile, Hasbro worked with LA Inc., the Los Angeles Convention and Vistors Bureau, to create virtual travel experiences that include visits to the Wax Museum and the Santa Monica Pier.

Through other apps, users can feel like they’re immersed in deep water, exploring coral reefs or playing a shark attacking a tuna, while all along learning facts about sea life. There are also shooter games in a virtual galaxy.

“The idea of being able to be somewhere in Los Angeles, in this 360-degree environment, to be in the shark tank, to be able to swim with the fish and chase after the fish. These are really breakthrough immersive experiences,” said Brian Goldner, president and CEO of Hasbro.

by Anne D’Innocenzio, AP Retail Writer

source: http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Hasbro-unveils-device-that-apf-1430279378.html?x=0&.v=4

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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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