News Stories

Sling Dishes About Placeshifting

1.11.2009

This spring, Dish Network will begin offering the ViP 922 SlingLoaded HD DuoDVR that includes placeshifting technology.  The ViP 922 can be controlled using SlingGuide, a new way for consumers to control their TV viewing experience over the Internet.

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Developed by EchoStar Technologies, the DVR notably incorporates Sling Media’s Slingbox, which is designed to allow a viewer to watch and control his or her content remotely, via a broadband Internet connection on a laptop or mobile phone.

dishAlso on display is the new Sling Monitor – a 15-inch HD display that you can Sling video to from Dish’s 1TB HD DVR over Wi-Fi.

Where to see it:

  • Central 14438

Toshiba’s Connected Home: Widgets, InstaPort, AutoView

1.10.2009

Toshiba showed off its take on what their connected experience will be.  Like Sony, Samsung, LG and Vizo, Toshiba will have Yahoo! widgets across three of their product categories – REGZA LCD TVs, LCD TV/DVD Combos and standalone players.  But they will take it a step further and offer Extenders for Windows Media Center giving consumer access to their PCs via Windows Media Center.

toshiba_regza_42hl67

Toshiba’s products will take full advantage of what Windows Media Center has to offer, from being able to view photos to watching videos over the home network.  If consumers do not have Windows Media Center, the Toshiba products will also offer DLNA support which would allow access to other devices on the home network that are DLNA certified.

InstaPort: Toshiba will also introduce a new feature into its REGZA line up, InstaPort.  Many HDMI users out there know that when you want to switch between different HDMI sources, there can be a several second delay.  But with InstaPort, Toshiba says the switch “will connect in a fraction of the time.”

AutoView: Toshiba’s displays are now equipped with AutoView.  This feature allows the TV set to automatically adjust the picture to give the consumer the best image quality.  By looking at the ambient room light sensor and video content the AutoView system adjusts the brightness, contrast, gamma, sharpness and color saturation.  The AutoView system can also adjust the color temperature to compensate for changes in the color of the home lighting.

Where to see it:

  • Central 12814

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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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