News Stories

Mitsubishi, ESPN Sign On To DEG 3D Group

10.20.2010

The Digital Entertainment Group (DEG) said Tuesday that ESPN and Mitsubishi  Digital Electronics America (MDEA) have signed as members of its 3D Working Group.

“ESPN and Mitsubishi will provide invaluable expertise to the DEG’s Home 3D initiatives,” stated Ron Sanders, DEG president and president of Warner Home Video. “We’re excited to hear their unique perspectives on this immersive new technology.”

ESPN was among the first program providers to operate an exclusive 3D network.

ESPN has produced several 3D domestic telecasts in 2010, and the network has developed best practices for utilizing the technology in live game applications enabling streamlined workflow operations, adjusting 3D camera positioning, performing transmission tests and gauging fan reaction to a 3D telecast v.s a traditional telecast.

ESPN 3D is available in the United States to approximately 45 million households and has carriage agreements with AT&T U-verse, Comcast and DirecTV.

It will launch soon on Time Warner Cable. Sony was named the first official sponsor of the network in January.

Mitsubishi Digital Electronics America (MDEA) has been selling 3D-ready TVs since 2007, and was the first to demonstrate 3D TV at retail more than two years ago.

The 2010 product lineup represents the fourth generation of 3D-ready TVs from MDEA.

The company’s large-screen 3D DLP Home Cinema TVs are based on DLP technology, which is 1,000 times faster than other display technologies, providing for a more realistic, sharper 2D and 3D viewing experience, the company said.

by Greg Tarr

original post: http://www.twice.com/article/458699-Mitsubishi_ESPN_Sign_On_To_DEG_3D_Group.php

CEA debates 3-D glasses, wireless power specs

10.18.2010

Standards for making consumer gear more accessible, measuring wireless power and sending stereo 3-D information over Bluetooth will be among the many issues discussed with the Consumer Electronics Association convenes its annual Industry Forum here next week.
The CEA has started a working group to discuss standards for product accessibility. Staying ahead of draft legislation in Congress is a major driver of the effort.
Legislation already exists about how to handle accessibility for telephone and broadcast TV services. But the rise of voice over Internet Protocol and Web video is forcing lawmakers to revisit the meaning of accessibility to basic services.
“A lot of it is about a shift to services on the Net,” said Brian Markwalter, vice president of standards and technology at the CEA. “New FCC rules may be needed,” he said.
Meanwhile, a separate working group hopes to complete in November a standard for infrared signaling for stereo 3-D glasses. The group is now discussing whether it will try to set a standard for RF signaling, and Broadcom has proposed using Bluetooth.
Another new working group will define a standard for measuring the efficiency of wireless charging products. Several wireless charging products are shipping that use a variety of approaches, but consumers lack a way to gauge their effectiveness, Markwalter said.
The group may also try to set standards for wireless charging methods that do not require close alignment of the device and a charging pad.
The six-day CEA event will include a wide variety of standards group meetings and panel discussions. Topics range from digital TV interfaces to home networking, in-car electronics and the smart grid.

by Rick Merritt

original post: http://www.eetimes.com/electronics-news/4209650/CEA-debates-3-D-glasses–wireless-power-specs

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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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