News Stories

Toshiba gets ‘Cell’ Call; unveils 3D CELL TV Series

1.6.2010

Toshiba announced its CELL ZX900, the first model in a new series of networked 3DTVs that company president and CEO Atsushi Murasawa called “the ultimate home entertainment experience” today at a CES press conference, where it was unveiled to a packed ballroom of international media.

Media swarm for the first glimpse of Toshiba's 3D CELL TV.

Media swarm for the first glimpse of Toshiba's 3D CELL TV.

CELL TV employs Toshiba’s new TriVector technology, which supports multiple 3D formats including MPEG4-MVC and RealD, but also does real-time 2D to 3D conversion, “so you can watch not only your favorite movies in 3D, but also recorded TV and family vacation footage,” Murasawa noted.  The processor was described as “10 times faster than that of a high-end desktop computer and 143 times more powerful than today’s TVs.”

It also incorporates a media server that is in effect a “broadband engine” with a 1TB hard drive that can network content from computers, TVs, DVDs, cameras and other devices to DLNA-compatible displays throughout the house.

The server accommodates wireless 1080p HD at 802.11n, which means no wires running from the box to the TV.  Other features include built-in USB movie playback and the ability to stream Internet TV “channels” from content partners including Netflix, VUDU, CinemaNow, Pandora and others.

CELL TV requires eyewear for 3D viewing.  For native 3D content, CELL TV utilizes a Frame Sequential System that changes from 240Hz in 2D mode to 120Hz for the right eye and 120Hz for the left eye in 3D mode.

The ZX900 will come in 55-inch and 65-inch models.  Pricing was not provided, and as for a release date, the company would say only “later this year.”

Sony: 3D, Flex OLED, Lightweight Vaio

1.11.2009

3D was a big topic at the Sony booth, which included programs with guest speakers such as Real D’s Josh Greer and 3Ality’s Steve Schklair.

Sony previewed prototype 3D-ready TVs, using a variety of content, including previews of Sony Pictures Animation’s Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs, DWA’s Monsters Vs. Aliens and Fox’s Blue Sky Studios’ Ice Age 3;  as well as some live action and video game clips.

Another popular Sony booth attraction was the Flex OLED prototypes. The highlights included the 2.5-inch video display (160×120 pixels, 0.2 mm thickness), a future concept Reader, a bracelet-like Walkman and a Vaio notebook (pictured below).  The prototypes were all based on curved OLED screens made from what Sony calls “flexible bio plastic.”

sony_2

Sony’s new Vaio P Series Lifestyle PC, which weighs 1.4 lbs., was another big attention grabber.

vaio2

Where to see it:

  • Central 14200

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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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