News Stories

Foxtel giving users ‘The Eye’ – in 3D! (Australia)

2.4.2011

Smatterings of more 3D content are starting to appear on Australia’s major metropolitan pay television service, Foxtel, from a “Despicable” start that should start becoming a lot more “spicable”!

Hot on the heels of Foxtel’s announcement that it was bringing the “Despicable Me” movie in 3D to Foxtel suscribers with a 3DTV comes news of the next piece of 3D content that will eventually make up an entire universe of stuff to see in 3D.

Courtesy of the National Geographic Channel, Foxtel will air NatGeo’s award winning documentary “The Eye 3D” on Tuesday the 22nd of February at 9.30pm, on Foxtel’s 3D Channel (Channel 201), in what Foxtel says is “the first 3D documentary to be screened on Australian television”.

To take part in the 3D extravaganza, you’ll need a Foxtel iQHD set-top box (or iQ2, it’s the same thing), a 3D capable TV, and you’ll need to have subscribed to the HD Sports Package – even though NatGeo’s new 3D documentary has about as much to do with sports as Foxtel has to do with contributing to NASA’s future mission to Mars.

However, that’s the way those whacky subscription TV packages go – if you want to see a 3D documentary about space and telescopes, you’ll need an HD Sports Package.

So, what exactly is The Eye 3D going to be about?

Well, Foxtel explains that The Eye 3D, (which has nothing to do with cyclonic eyes), instead focuses on “the most powerful optical telescope in the world: the Very Large Telescope (VLT) of the European Southern Observatory (ESO), situated on the summit of Cerro Paranal in Chile’s Atacama Desert.”

We’ll learn that the VLT is the “sharpest eye of humankind”, and that it even “outperforms even the Hubble Space Telescope in some wavelengths. One of the most fascinating scientific instruments ever built, it has found its home in one of the most exciting yet arid places in the world.”

To view the program, you’ll need to tune into the Foxtel 3D Channel and set the mode on your 3D capable TV to “Side-by-Side” 3D mode and use the 3D glasses supplied with your 3D TV.

Original post here: http://www.itwire.com/your-it-news/entertainment/44868-foxtel-giving-users-the-eye-in-3d

< PREVIOUS ARTICLES NEXT ARTICLES >

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.

Oops, something went wrong.