News Stories

Sports IS better in 3D say viewers

2.13.2012

[3D Focus]

We asked 570 people “Does 3D enhance sports broadcasting?” 313 said yes, 43 said 3D made sports coverage worse, 63 were neutral and 151 said they have not watched any sport in 3D.

We also asked 706 3D Focus readers “Do you think the 2012 Olympic 3D coverage will boost the 3D industry?” of which 520 said yes and 186 said no.

3D sports has been a popular genre choice for broadcasters experimenting with 3D. Sky 3D was launched as a pub only service after installing 15000 LG 3D TVs in pubs across the UK back in April 2010. Sister channel Sky Italia, which launched in September 2011, first experimented with a pub installation in Naples, where pub goers could watch a Manchester City VS Naples football game. Sky 3D Germany launched with 3D coverage of the Ryder Cup; ESPN launched a dedicated 3D service in June 2010 and the BBC’s highest profile venture into 3D was its stereoscopic coverage of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships finals last year.  ….

Read the full story here: http://www.3dfocus.co.uk/3d-news-2/sports-is-better-in-3d-say-viewers/7381

What Lies Ahead for 3DTVs?

2.13.2012

[Technorati]

The concept of 3D televisions is a rather new occurrence in the field of entertainment, but the technology behind them has been around for decades.  By projecting a television program into a three-dimensional form by using a variety of different displays (stereoscopic, 2D+depth, multiview), the user is then able to see a 3D image with glasses and more recently, without the glasses.  In order to understand where these contraptions originated and where they are taking us, it is vital that we look at the past, present and projected future of the 3D TV.

In The Past
The first 3D image was created of Queen Victoria at The Great Exhibition in 1851.  Changes in technology did not permit large advances and it was 1915 before the first “3D movie” was debuted in public.  The first color 3D movie followed in 1935 and by the 1950s, many movies were being made in 3D and shown across the United States in theaters.  Over the past decade, a renaissance of 3D entertainment has occurred and the first “3D-ready” TVs (those that work through a pair of 3D glasses) began to appear on the market, despite being astronomically expensive.

The Present Day
…

The Future
Active 3D screens and bulky glasses will give way to passive 3D systems that are embedded directly into the television. We may even see some initiatives in 3D Web TV. While this technology will increase the price of the television in the short-run, it will lead to a more pleasurable and realistic experience when viewing it.  The future of 3D televisions will resemble that of a holographic system more than anything, as viewers will ultimately not need any expensive (or cheap, for that matter) glasses to view the 3D programming in its intended form.  This technology in its entirety, however, is still at least a decade away but those who wish to enjoy full-3D systems today can do so; the downside is that most full-3D TV sets cost upwards of $4,000 for a quality 42”-47” name brand unit.

Read the full story here: http://technorati.com/entertainment/tv/article/what-lies-ahead-for-3dtvs/

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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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