News Stories

New 3D landmark for Chello/UPC

4.15.2011

[by Chris Dziadul, www.broadbandtvnews.com]

The Chello Central Europe channel Sport2 will broadcast the latest El Clásico football match between Real Madrid and Barcelona in 3D on UPC’s digital cable networks in the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary tomorrow (April 16).

It will be the first time an event has been broadcast in the format in the Czech Republic and Slovakia and the second in Hungary by UPC, the operator having shown the Barcelona v Real Madrid game last November, also on Sport2.

The game will afterwards be made available on demand on UPC’s VOD service. Subscribers to UPC Digital package in all three countries will be able to watch the match through their HD mediabox and with a 3D TV set.

It will also be shown at an exckusive VIP showcase event in a 3D cinema in the Czech Republic.

Chello Central Europe expects to carry more events in 3D on its channels Sport1, Sport2 and SportM in the near future.

See the original post here: http://www.broadbandtvnews.com/2011/04/15/new-3d-landmark-for-chelloupc/

 

Ocarina of Time gets June release on 3DS

4.14.2011

[by , CNET.com]

One of the most celebrated video games ever released is coming to the Nintendo 3DS in June, Nintendo announced today.

On June 19, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D will be hitting store shelves for $39.99. The game, which Nintendo says has been “completed remastered,” brings players back to the land of Hyrule as Link solves puzzles and interacts with the characters around him to save Princess Zelda and the world. Nintendo said the title will also include a Master Quest, which is separate from the main game and includes “revamped puzzles and redesigned dungeons.”

As with other 3DS games, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D will feature full 3D integration without requiring users to wear special glasses.

So far, it seems that the 3D functionality in the 3DS has caught on with consumers around the globe. When the portable device launched in Japan in February, it reportedly sold out in its first weekend of availability. Wedbush analyst Michael Pachter said in a research note yesterday that he believes Nintendo sold 500,000 3DS unitsin the U.S. in its first five days of availability.

However, reactions to the 3DS game lineup so far have been somewhat tepid. The upcoming Legend of Zelda launch could be just what the 3DS needs. The venerable franchise is easily one of the most popular of all Nintendo brands. And Ocarina of Time has been celebrated by some as being the best entry in the series.

Even so, Nintendo won’t be the only company delivering 3DS titles in the next few months. The game company said today that Pac-Man and Galaga Dimensions is coming out in June, along with Activision’s Transformers: Dark of the Moon Stealth Force Edition 3D on June 14. They will be among many other third-party titles expected to launch in the coming months.

But Nintendo didn’t stop at the 3DS. The game company also said today that it plans to launch Wii Play: Motion on June 13. That title will feature 12 new motion games. It will come bundled with the black Wii Remote Plus controller. Nintendo didn’t reveal the bundle’s pricing.

Along with Wii Play: Motion, Nintendo revealed a host of third-party releases coming to its Wii in the coming months, including Cars 2: The Video Game, Thor: God of Thunder, and Kung Fu Panda 2.

See the original post here: http://news.cnet.com/8301-13506_3-20053162-17.html?tag=mncol;14n

 

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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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