Kodak has received FDA approval on a variance that it believes is an important step in bringing to theaters its developing laser cinema projection technology.

A question is what potential impact this technology might have on the digital cinema rollout, which is already well under way with more than 22,000 digital projectors now installed worldwide. In related news, Barco on Thursday began shipping its new DLP Cinema 4K digital cinema projectors to Cinemark’s theaters.

Kodak believes that its technology could have an impact on 3D while reducing projector ownership costs.

“We expect that the projectors based on our technology will be very cost effective compared to today’s digital cinema projectors,” said Les Moore, Kodak’s chief operating officer for digital cinema, who claimed that “exhibitors can expect to replace a Xenon bulb every 500-1,000 hours, whereas we expect these laser sources to last over 30,000 hours before they need to be replaced.”

Screen brightness is common concern in 3D, and Moore also contends that laser projection offers more brightness than projection technologies commonly used today.

The FDA variance allows for the sale of the laser projection technology to cinema exhibitors without the need for individual site or show operator variances. Additionally, Moore noted: “The FDA variance serves as a template to be followed by manufacturers that we license to incorporate this new laser technology.”

Kodak has an eye toward market implementation within the next two years.

See the original post here: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/kodak-one-step-closer-bringing-161247

(Philip Lelyveld comment: this approach is already in some cars; the driver sees auto controls and the person sitting shotgun can watch a movie.)

Gamers who played “Goldeneye 007″ on the N64 know all too well about screen looking — surreptitiously gazing at your friends’ quadrants in order to glean their locations. Screen lookers typically earned a punch on the shoulder for their effort, or – far worse – were kicked from the gaming session. Video games are serious business, after all.

Sony, pushing both 3D TVs and 3D gaming, recently revealed an interesting technology that could end screen looking once and for all.

Dubbed “Dual-View”, the technology changes what two players in the same room see on-screen depending on where they’re seated. Essentially, the game screen would no longer need to be divided into smaller sections to accommodate multiple players each doing their own thing. No more screen looking. No more split-screen. No more squinting. “Dual View” would offer each player the entire screen.

Sony showed off ‘dual view’ using the new game “Killzone 3,” reports pocket-lint. The mode is entirely dependent on each player’s position. Otherwise, both players’ screens appear simultaneously – something which sounds quite jarring and possibly deal-breaking, since it demands players sit still and keep their heads relatively steady. What type of gamer plays like that?

Another entry hurdle is price. While the feature itself could be included in a game without additional cost to the consumer (thanks to the PlayStation 3s inherent 3D capabilities), 3D TVs are still quite pricey.

We contacted Sony for more details, including whether or not ‘dual view’ would require 3D glasses, as the original report is ambiguous. This post will be updated if the company responds.

“Killzone 3,” the sequel to the critically-acclaimed 2009 shooter, includes a 3D mode. Sony also published “The Sly Collection” last November with a similar option. “Call of Duty: Black Ops” is yet another title that supports the technology.

Is this new mode enough to push 3D-curious gamers over the stereoscopic fence they’re straddling? Let us know what you think in the comments.

See the original post here: http://www.myce.com/news/sony-puts-2-different-images-on-the-same-hdtv-with-3d-dual-view-40598/