News Stories

OMVC Showcases New Mobile DTV Devices

1.5.2010

We swung by the OMVC booth at CES Unveiled, and they were showing a host of new products to view digital television on mobile devices.  Of particular interest was a new networking device from Korea-based Valups called Tivit, that doubles as a mobile DTV receiver and a Wi-Fi access hub.  It enables users to view broadcasts on any Wi-Fi-enabled device, including the iPhone.

tivit_iphone2

The Tivit will reportedly be available spring 2010 with a suggested retail price under $120. Valups says it works with iPhones and iPods, BlackBerrys with Wi-Fi, and Windows PCs via proprietary client applications.

It seems like there are plenty of devices for mobile DTV on the market now, including mobile TVs with DVR playback, netbooks and prototype phones with integrated mobile DTV capability, and USB receivers for laptops.  Now we’re waiting for a critical mass of broadcasters to come online, and then we can see if there really is a consumer demand for mobile DTV.

If you’re interested in mDTV, check back Thursday when OMVC’s executive director Anne Schelle will speak as a panelist at our “Trends in Mobile Entertainment” session.  You can also check out the Valups booth in the Mobile DTV TechZone (Central 10746).

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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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