News Stories

Dolby focuses on Audio for HD and 3D

1.10.2010

Dolby used CES as a platform to demonstrate how to enhance viewing of 2D or 3D with its audio lineup.  “When you combine HD and 3D, it is screaming for the audio experience,” commented Ramzi Haidamus, Dolby’s executive vp, sales and marketing.

Dolby is talking Dolby Volume, including use with new Motorola digital set-top boxes.

Dolby-Volume-Diagram

Dolby also showcased new devices and media that support Dolby Digital Plus high-definition audio, including VUDU.  The service uses Dolby Digital Plus to deliver 5.1 surround sound.  For Blu-ray, it supports primary 7.1-channel audio as well as multichannel secondary audio support.

Dolby reported that Dolby TrueHD, a lossless compression technology developed for HD disc-based media, has been used for more than 560 Blu-ray Disc movie titles, including Paramount’s “Star Trek,” which was highlighted at CES.

The company also featured Dolby Pro Logic IIz, the company’s matrix decoding audio technology that supports 7.1- or 9.1-channel audio.

When asked about 3D video for the home, Haidamus said Dolby was in the R&D phase.

JVC Ships 4K Projector for the “Home”

1.10.2010

JVC was showing off its 4K DLA-RS4000 projector utilizing D-ILA technology, which reps claim delivers a native contrast ratio of 70,000:1 using a 3500 ANSI lumen xenon bulb.

JVC_ProjectorWe were shocked to see that they are marketing this product for the home since is weighs 110 pounds and costs $175,000, but perhaps the inclusion of a custom digital video processing unit that serves as a signal switch and processing hub is the reason they claim this.  This processor will upscale content to 4K from virtually any video source, including Blu-ray and gaming systems, cable and satellite receivers, and DVD players.

The projector looked great with amazing color and depth from both 1080 and 4K source material.  They even showed a stacked pair of projectors running full 4K left-eye right-eye polarized content on a silver screen.  Despite some ghosting issues with some of the content, it was clear to see how full 4K 3D projection could create an exceptionally immersive 3D experience.

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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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