News Stories

Samsung Introduces 3D Monitor

1.7.2009

Samsung reported plans to launch its newest stereoscopic 3D product: A 22-inch 3D monitor.  The Samsung 2233RZ, which is compatible with NVIDIA’s new GeForce 3D Vision graphics card, is scheduled for availability in April.  The system uses active shutter glasses and a 120Hz LCD monitor.  It’s priced at $399.

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Samsung reported that the monitor, in conjunction with NVIDIA software, could automatically convert over 350 games to stereoscopic 3D.

Asked about the company’s view of 3D in the home, Tim Baxter, executive VP of sales and marketing at Samsung, said: “We are very optimistic about the opportunities for 3D in the home.  It’s taking a little time to do that.  There are a lot of elements in terms of getting content created, and how we work with the community to create that in packaged form, for instance.  It also involves the social dynamic of wearing glasses. We are finding consumers who are buying our 3D capable solutions with the glasses love the experience.  I think it is evolving.”

Reflecting the green theme of the show, the monitor has an automatic shutdown feature built-in for energy savings.

Where to see it:

  • Central 11033

New Sharp AQUOS Offers Built-in Blu-ray

1.7.2009

Sharp’s AQUOS line has just gotten a bit bigger.  The new AQUOS BD series offers consumers the convenience of having a Blu-ray player built right into the HDTV.  Sharp hopes to give consumers a one-stop-shop solution for their entertainment needs.

sharp_aquosThe new series offers features such as the AQUOS Pure Mode.  Sharp explains: “The AQUOS Pure Mode automatically senses the Blu-ray disc content and intelligently adjusts display settings such as aspect ratio to optimize the movie image.”

However, they don’t state whether it also adjusts other parameters.  Pure Mode would be more pure if it optimized brightness, contrast, gamma, sharpness and color, something Toshiba claims to do with its Auto View technology.

Where to see it:

  • Central 11024

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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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