Session 6: Can There (Ever) be a Common Worldwide 3D TV Broadcast Standard?

David Wood, Dep Dir, EBU – Technical

Panel

Rick Dean, Pres, 3D@Home Consortium

Ted Szypulski, Sr. Dir, Tech Research and Standards, ESP

Ajay Luthra, Vice Chair JVT, ISO/IEC JTC1 MPEG

Rick Dean, 3D@Home

Best Practices to set up and maintain the post production environment have not been well documented and available to the industry.

We need common tests and benchmarks, compatibility and interoperability, high quality content (whatever that means), and education initiatives for professionals and consumers alike.

Ted Szypulski, SMPTE (ESPN)

SMPTE 10E40WG is the “3D Home Master” standards effort (132 members participating.)  The kickoff meeting was in Nov. 2009.  NOTE: The work does not include distribution formats or technologies, but the work is mindful of them.

Four Ad Hoc Groups are under the working group

– Image Format (Walt Husak) – allowed characteristics

– Metadata (Karen Broome, Sony) – descriptive data, technical data

– Subtitles and captions (no name given)

– Graphics Overlays (no name given) – insertions by MSOs and STB (volume level display)

Hot topics being debated in the SMPTE working group are:

– What is a “Master” from the viewpoint of the Cinema industry and the Broadcast industry?

– Do you allow compression in the master, and if so, what and where will it be allowed?

– How might the Z axis data be conveyed in production, and should it be included in the master?  If it is another video signal; what will it be, where will it go, and how will it be managed?

Ajay Luthra, MPEG (and Motorola, aluthra@motorola.com)

In 2D today you can capture at 4 bits color, distribute at 8 bits color, and display at 4 bits color.  There is a decoupling in the data handoffs.

Near-term there are split resolution or frame compatible 3D formats; 720p60, 1080i30 or 1080p24.  Medium-term, there is Blu-ray full resolution.  It doesn’t matter whether the consumer can see it or not.  What matters is what the salesperson tells the consumer.  Long-term (2012/2013+) there will be migration to full 1080p60 per eye, and after that 4K x 2K.

Near-term (2010) we have half resolution per eye – MPEG-4 AVC / H.264.  Note that we could not agree on a single name, “so good luck on a global standard.”

An emerging issue is whether backward compatibility is needed?  This will determine the choice between 2D/frame compatible dual broadcast, and MVC and Scalable Video Coding and AVC (formatted for stereo with the same efficiency as MVC).   Once a standard is deployed, it is very hard to get rid of.

MPEG just started working on the High performance Video Codec (HVC), which may replace all of the above in the long-term.

Other key challenges

– Placement of 2D graphics on 3D TVs

– Too many button pushes on remote controls (STB and 3D TV).  The need to select the 3D format being received is especially problematic in a consumer device.  Motorola has developed an incoming 3D format detector.

David Wood, EBU/DVB/ITU

The work in these three groups focuses on the over-the-air signal formats.

DVB is looking at; 1) commercial requirements – document being finalized, and 2) technical specifications for Frame Compatible (FC) – should be completed later this year (work has already begun on Phase 2)

EBU is participating in R&D for multiview and 2.5D (holoscopy)

ITU-R has produced a report with classification of 3D TV systems (levels, generations of types of 3D – plain, stereo, multiview, …)

Two critical issues; a) eye comfort, and b) impact of HDMI 1.4 options

Q&A

(David) Will there be a common format? Is anyone in the driving seat, or is it just the kids in the back giving orders? (Ted) There are already differences in frame rates around the globe.  On an earlier point, since 3D is artistically different from 2D, backwards compatible is not needed. (Ajay) I don’t really expect a common format. (Rick) We’ll get there.

Session 5: 3D TV Distribution: Which Platform(s) Will Succeed?

Pat Griffis, Dolby

Panel

Tony Jasionowski, Sr. Group Mgr, Panasonic (Packaged Media)

Chris Johns, Chief Eng., BSkyB (Sat)

Davi Broberg, VP Consumer Video Tech, CableLabs (Cable)

Mark Richer, Pres, ATSC (Terrestrial)

Jim Taylor, SVP Chief Tech, Sonic Solutions (Internet)

Tony Jasionowski, Panasonic

For many years we have been demonstrating full left/right resolution TVs.  On March 10, 2010 Panasonic started shipping four 3DTV models.  Panasonic Hollywood Lab (PHL) exists for tech cooperation with Hollywood and feedback from Hollywood for Panasonic product development.  There is now one standard for Blu-ray authoring; MVC (multiview codec).  It only requires 50% more than 2D.

DirecTV will start their three 3D channels with Panasonic support in June, 2010.  nVidia 3DTV game software is a Panasonic partner; over 425 games are supported.

More info at: http://3d.panasonic.net/en/#index

Chris Johns, with BSkyB since its founding in 1989

The story so far…NAB 2009 Steve Scklair demonstrated delivery of a game show in 3D from LA to LV.   Since then BSkyB has done tests of ballet, game shows, soccer, and other genres.  All genres seem to work well in 3D, even in live broadcast.  Since Oct. 2009 they have been practicing producing soccer match broadcasts on a regularly, rapid-fire schedule to prove that 3D can be produced within a normal schedule.

Their pubs and clubs initiative has proven that people WILL wear 3D glasses.   They did pubs and clubs to let the maximum number of people (100,000) experience 3D TV (passive polarized) during this period when the supplies are tight.  They are also placing 3D TVs in shopping centers now.

Caution; the cost of the 3D active shutter glasses needs to come down to reflect the realities of the market.  Outfitting a household with glasses should not cost more than the 3D display.

There is a lack of basic editing tools for 3D.  He hopes to see advances here at NAB.

The right projects will go to cinemas as well. They are gearing up plans for beaming the London Olympics to cinemas.

David Broberg, CableLabs (starting in 1999 he was the principal developer of Open Cable.  He now develops related 3D standards for cable.  He is an avid stereophotographer.)

Oct. 28, 2009 first live VOD and linear 3D programming was delivered.  It was distributed to customers in Denver, Co during a snow storm.  March 24^th, 2009 saw hockey in 3D over Calevision.  April 7-11, 2010 the USA Canada, UK, received live Masters golf coverage over Comcast, Cox, Cablevision, TWC, Shaw, Rogers, Liberty Global, and others.

So far cable has been utilizing compatible delivery mechanisms: MPEG2 and AVC/H. 264.  Later, cable will migrating to AVC Multiview Coding as part of new product cycles.

Cable is currently supporting HDMI V1.3a.  Later they will upgrade to support HDMI frame-packing, which will include additional signaling for 3D EDID and VSIF support.

Impact on Standards: frame compatible looks like a 2D signal.  Soon they will add 3D metadata and signaling for format signalling and depth/disparity data that will help place captions and graphics.

Mark Richer, ATSC, 15 years at PBS before this.

Broadcast bandwidth is limited.  The future of broadcasting is wireless, so broadcast delivery of 3DTV should be considered in this context (e.g. using the wireless / cellular infrastructure).  The goal should be to reach a broad array of devices that move; both real-time and non-real-time delivery to personal size screens.

Jim Taylor, Chief Technologist, Sonic Solutions

Sonic owns CinemaNow.  You can download content and stream (Roxio) to PCs, BD players, mobile devices, connected TVs, etc.  CinemaNow encodes for 22 different formats.  Increasingly these capabilities are being built into the devices.  Consumers are moving away from download to streaming.  Both professional and personal content will be streamed and shared.  80% of Sonic’s customers expect to create their own family/personal content in 3D within 5 years.  They are also very interested in converting their personal/family photos and videos into 3D.

Jim specifically did not list 3D phones, because no one knows how the technology will shake out (ex. Nintendo 3D).

Format categories are: frame compatible (including YouTube – you upload one format and they automatically transcode), MVC, and device-generated (primarily game consoles, PCs) via a 3D engine or on-the-fly conversion from 2D (there is surprising interest in this from Sonic’s business clients as well as consumers).

3D will definitely succeed on the internet.  It is just an add-on to all of the online 2D media adoption.

Q&A

We need a simple message describing 3D TV to the consumer.  Consumers bought HDTV despite the confusing messaging.