http://www.stereoscopy.com/news Thu, 02 Sep 2010 02:31:20 GMT The latest news from Stereoscopy.com - The World of 3D-Imaging! - 3D News en-us Copyright Stereoscopy.com - The World of 3D-Imaging! Coranto using the Feed Builder Addon http://www.stereoscopy.com/news/3drss.jpghttp://www.stereoscopy.com/news14431 Thu, 02 Sep 2010 02:31:17 GMT http://www.stereoscopy.com/news/index.html#newsitemEklFFAuyZZLYPGUFhu http://www.stereoscopy.com/news/index.html#newsitemEklFFAuyZZLYPGUFhu http://www.cablelabs.com, under OpenCable™ Specifications - http://www.cablelabs.com/specifications/OC-SP-CEP3.0-I01-100827.pdf

This new specification details exact requirements for formatting or "panelizing" the 3D content into a frame-compatible format for use by cable television systems.

"This spec release marks a great step in the commercialization of 3D TV because it is the first public specification that fully describes the coding and signaling for these top-and-bottom and side-by-side 3D video formats," said Tony Werner, CTO of Comcast.

Michael Kazmier, CTO of Avail-TVN, said: "Ensuring that content from all programming sources and cable systems is prepared in a uniform way will enable a nationwide footprint for 3D programming and enable interoperability with STBs and 3DTVs in the home."

"A key part of this specification includes the definitions for signaling 3D content over existing digital video infrastructure that uses either MPEG-2 or MPEG-4 (AVC/H.264) coding," said Jim Occhiuto, Vice President of Technology and Engineering, Showtime Networks. "This signaling is critical for the receiver/decoder to enable automatic format detection and simplified user experiences when going between 2D and 3D programs," he added.

"This new CableLabs specification was developed with support from cable operators, programmers and equipment vendors and will be publicly available for any industry to use," said CableLabs President and CEO Paul Liao.

The new CEP specification replaces the previous VOD-Content Encoding Profile 2.0 specification that was widely used within the industry. This new specification builds upon the existing 2D coding framework defined by the previous version of this document and will be used as the reference for both 2D and 3D video coding going forward. It represents the first step in a continuing process to define 3D formats for cable television that works with existing equipment and infrastructure. Work continues at CableLabs on the development of standards for the delivery of future 3D delivery systems that will expand the resolution and the quality as new equipment becomes available.

Founded in 1988 by members of the cable television industry, Cable Television Laboratories is a non-profit research and development consortium that is dedicated to pursuing new cable telecommunications technologies and to helping its cable operator members integrate those advancements into their business objectives. Cable operators from around the world are members.]]> Wed, 01 Sep 2010 18:03:26 GMT http://www.stereoscopy.com/news/index.html#newsitemEklFFyukpyhsQoTgKK http://www.stereoscopy.com/news/index.html#newsitemEklFFyukpyhsQoTgKK
By offering an uncompressed and unaltered display of 2K data, the cineo35 2.5k gives the fine detail view that 1080p projectors are unable to provide without cropping or scaling the image. Additionally, because of the extra resolution available, the projector can display full 2K in a window and still offer space for editing tools on the same screen. This makes the cineo35 2.5k the perfect projector for small to medium-sized rooms where colour accuracy and performance are the most important criteria.

The projector comes with multiple preset calibration profiles as standard, and users can switch quickly between colour spaces and calibration settings. Using projectiondesign's unique RealColor colour management suite, calibration accuracy is guaranteed to be within 0.002 points from any target. To provide the best possible performance, the projection lenses and optics in the cineo35 2.5k have been custom designed for beyond 2.5k resolution. All lenses use special aspherical glass elements and enhanced, low-dispersion glass for increased contrast, improved colour saturation and excellent sharpness, resulting in unsurpassed image clarity and detail.

Anders Løkke, Marketing & Communications Manager, projectiondesign, comments: "Up until now, operators of small to medium-sized edit suites and preview rooms had to use large, cumbersome, and noisy projectors if they wanted to display 2K resolution or higher. The cineo35 2.5k offers performance similar to, or better than, any digital cinema projector while weighing a fraction of the amount and measuring only half a metre across. Yet it can still throw an image up to 4m wide and, because it is based on Texas Instruments' DLP® technology, what you see in preview is exactly what the movie-goer will see in a DLP Cinema® environment."

The cineo35 2.5k offers four discrete high-bandwidth inputs (two HDMI 1.4, two Dual Link DVI), and offers optional 3G SDI input boards. It also comes with a choice of lens options, and is available in both traditional lamp, as well as an LED version. An stereo 3D version will also be offered in the cineo35 3D.

The cineo range of projectors from projectiondesign have been designed specifically to meet the demands of post-production and broadcast. They include the company's proprietary RealColor management suite, which offers a very high granularity of control over all primary and secondary colours and levels, and feature ProNet 2.0, the latest version of projectiondesign's remote asset management and calibration software.]]> Wed, 01 Sep 2010 18:00:06 GMT http://www.stereoscopy.com/news/index.html#newsitemEklFFyuppyHKGqDlML http://www.stereoscopy.com/news/index.html#newsitemEklFFyuppyHKGqDlML
It is now available for purchase through the company website http://www.s3dtechnologies.com

The S3D Calculator is a software package developed by S3D Technologies that helps you to find the exact configurations of your stereoscopic parameters, based on the conditions of the set and the desired effects.

With a user-friendly interface, the user only has to enter the set parameters (zero parallax distance, the lens you are using etc) and the S3D Calculator will calculate the settings of the interaxial and convergence of both cameras.

Now you can concentrate on the scenes you are shooting without getting distracted with complex equations and calculations.

The S3D Calculator is the ideal complement to the S3D Rigs, but you can use them with any rig.

S3D Technologies will present the S3D Calculator and the new model of the S3D Beam Splitter Rig, which now has all axes motorized, at the next IBC.

The price of the S3D Calculator is 250 € and is available for PC and Mac. ]]> Wed, 01 Sep 2010 17:57:17 GMT http://www.stereoscopy.com/news/index.html#newsitemEklFFyFlFZXUrpPQJI http://www.stereoscopy.com/news/index.html#newsitemEklFFyFlFZXUrpPQJI
The change of name will have no consequences on the clients and associates of VisuMotion GmbH. In fact, it will be assured that the globally operating company, with headquarters in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and offices in Jena and Orlando, USA, has a worldwide consistent appearance.

Owing to the acquisition through 3D International Sdn. Bhd., whose major shareholder is the Malaysian venture capital company MAVCAP, many auspicious opportunities arise to establish in the international and in particular the Asian markets.

The Thuringian company features prominently in the group of companies, since they develop the most important hard- and software products. Since the foundation in 2006, over 100 national and international applications for a patent have been filed and several have been granted.

The company presented the latest hard- and software developments at CeBit 2010. Thereby, the company from Jena could establish at the ambitious 3D market.
'We are proud to be a part of the 3D International group', emphasizes Dr. Markus Klippstein, CEO in Jena. 'It is beneficial to rely on the support of our international colleagues, especially in terms of negotiations with worldwide acting clients.'

3D International Europe GmbH is a leading manufacturer and provider of 3D solutions. The diverse solutions contain inter alia:

• consulting and development services for 3D-display applications
  
• linking professional applications to beneficial 3D visualizations, such applications may belong to the fields of industry, science and medicine
  
• customization of software
  
• 3D standard software to play, create and edit 3D content

The software of 3D International, which will further on contain the brand mark 'VisuMotion', is designated to play back existing 3D videos on most of the standard 3D displays. Therefore a high degree of compatibility can be achieved.]]> Wed, 01 Sep 2010 17:52:26 GMT http://www.stereoscopy.com/news/index.html#newsitemEklFFyFVuyrqOpKUjg http://www.stereoscopy.com/news/index.html#newsitemEklFFyFVuyrqOpKUjg
"Trident is the leader in 3D-TV technology. The upgrade of our FRC co-processors and a front-end SoC with SENSIO® 3D will equip these products to support the highest quality in 3D broadcast and streaming video," said Christos Lagomichos, president of Trident Microsystems. "Our goal is to deliver an immersive visual 3D experience with cost effective implementations and by supporting SENSIO's 3D technology, we can enable our customers to deliver an exceptional multimedia experience in the home."

SENSIO® 3D is a unique, proprietary frame-compatible format for high-quality stereoscopic signal processing, easily integrated into TV products. Developed by SENSIO more than ten years ago and deployed in the field for seven years, this mature technology has been used in all commercial live 3D events produced around the world, and is the only proprietary format recognized by the live 3D industry.

"Our vision is that 3DTV will one day be in every home, and the expansion of our network of OEM partners is bringing that day closer," said Nicholas Routhier, President at SENSIO. "Industry leaders such as Trident want the best 3D technology for their consumer products, and their choice of SENSIO® 3D is speeding the format's spread across the consumer market."

More information about SENSIO, its products, and its technologies is available at http://www.sensio.tv ]]> Wed, 01 Sep 2010 17:48:16 GMT http://www.stereoscopy.com/news/index.html#newsitemEklFFyFkAywMvdrJiX http://www.stereoscopy.com/news/index.html#newsitemEklFFyFkAywMvdrJiX
With Panasonic and Sony TV equipment and a range of amplifiers from Sony, Pioneer and Onkyo all operating in Pinewood, TL is primed to work on more of the current raft of 3D games titles in development across various platforms. Having debuted their 3D Home Entertainment test lab in January of 2010, working on 3D Blu-ray releases for major film studios, the expansion into 3D games was a natural evolution as part of the Testronic Labs strategy to remain vanguard in new technologies and offer the ultimate suite of testing services across the entertainment spectrum. Staff in Pinewood and Poland have been working on the Move and Kinect platforms since they became available from their industry partners, and have already completed their first set of Move titles, quickly establishing expertise in writing efficient test plans for motion controllers.

The lab has been established to ensure that games publishers of all shapes and sizes can benefit from outsourced QA and exploit the potential of the new technology – TL has a long pedigree in Blu-ray and 3D film technology, which means that the testers have unique exposure to 3D content on which to train, and become industry experts in writing testplans to verify content along three axes. Having invested in the equipment, training and space to support production of great quality 3D games content, TL believes that it has a unique breadth of expertise to offer games developers and publishers, providing the right services for every type and size of game, in all dimensions.

For more information, visit http://www.testroniclabs.com ]]> Thu, 19 Aug 2010 14:48:33 GMT http://www.stereoscopy.com/news/index.html#newsitemEklkkkAFEFPPDpPVDi http://www.stereoscopy.com/news/index.html#newsitemEklkkkAFEFPPDpPVDi
At the 2009 IBC Awards Ceremony there was a special screening of an extended 16 minute excerpt from Avatar, prior to its release. This year sees the screening of Avatar (Special Edition), featuring a new cut of the movie which contains an additional eight minutes of content over the original release. Avatar (Special Edition) is to be shown on Monday 13 September at 18:30, courtesy of 20th Century Fox International and by kind permission of Lightstorm Entertainment.

When the original Toy Story was released in 1995 it was the first digital animation movie for a mass audience, and proved hugely popular. This year the third episode in the series has proved equally popular, not least for its sympathetic use of stereoscopic 3D. On Saturday 11 September, at 18:30 IBC will be screening Toy Story 3, courtesy of Buena Vista International and produced by The Walt Disney Company's Pixar Animation Studios.

"IBC has always prided itself on putting the technology and business debates into context by showing the best content in the finest possible environment," explained Phil White, IBC Director of Technology and Events. "We invest in creating the IBC Big Screen as a venue for our conference sessions on digital cinema and 3D, and thanks to our supporters in the movie industry, we can also use it for screenings which illustrate what happens when creative film-makers and the latest technology come together."

Both movies will the shown in the IBC Big Screen, with Toy Story 3, showing at 18:30 on Saturday 11 September and Avatar (Special Edition) showing at 18:30 on Monday 13 September.]]> Wed, 18 Aug 2010 17:31:18 GMT http://www.stereoscopy.com/news/index.html#newsitemEklkEVkyZlDDxgeujL http://www.stereoscopy.com/news/index.html#newsitemEklkEVkyZlDDxgeujL
The 3D video walls are based on four synchronised monitors and work with 30 views technology (one image is taken from 30 different perspectives). This technology allows a "glasses-free" 3D experience from several points in the room and is ideally suited for large rooms or public squares. Specially for the Olympic Youth Games, Sunny Ocean Studios has converted conventional 3D films in house into 3D video material that does not need additional aids such as glasses.

A large 3D wall was created in conjunction with the engineering school at IDC Asia / Temasek Polytechnic in Singapore. Armin Grasnick, Founder and Managing Director at Sunny Ocean Studios says: "The 3D wall has a diagonal of 3.5 metres and works on the basis of commercially available monitors with 25 frames per seconds (fps)."

Grasnick is currently expanding his international network of partners. The first international sales and distribution partnerships are planned to be agreed at the IFA in Berlin at the beginning of September. Sunny Ocean Studios has already launched a world first in the area of "glasses-free" 3D projection at CeBIT 2010. The screen makes it possible to enjoy a 3D experience from 64 different perspectives and was a milestone in technological development for "glasses-free" 3D cinema.

The 2x2 3D video walls can be seen in Singapore at VivoCity, Tampines Mall, ION Orchard and Jurong Point. ]]> Wed, 18 Aug 2010 17:27:12 GMT http://www.stereoscopy.com/news/index.html#newsitemEklkEVkuFkJBEQdsbE http://www.stereoscopy.com/news/index.html#newsitemEklkEVkuFkJBEQdsbE
The 6th China International 3D World Forum & Exhibition (C3D World) will be held November 3-5, 2010, 2010 at the New International Expo Center, Shanghai, China. C3D World is held in conjunction with the International 3D Fair 2010 , which is jointly organized by the China 3D Industry Association (C3D) of China, 3D Fusion Industry Consortium (3DFIC), 3D Display Research Center (3DRC) of Korea, 3D Consortium (3DC) of Japan and 3D@Home Consortium of USA. Last year’s November Shanghai event had over 1,700 exhibitors and 60,000 attendees. New this year is the addition of the 2010 International Workshop on 3D Information Technology (3DIT 2010).

"China is a huge and important market," said Insight Media President Chris Chinnock. "I expect it to also aggressively embrace 3D in all shapes and forms. While some 3D solutions will be home grown, many will come from other regions. A trade show focused on 3D in China is a great way to build technology and business relationships that can benefit both parties long term."

Exhibiting in China can be challenging, which is why Insight Media has partnered with The C3D World organizers to facilitate international exhibitors at this event. It makes a lot of sense to begin building or expanding relationships and partnerships for what is sure to be a robust 3D Market.

The 6th C3D World has two components:

• C3D World FORUM – the 2-day conference will be held on November 3-4 and will cover China’s 3D governmental policies, 3D display development, 3D content creation, 3D post-production, and much more.
  
• Exhibition – Exhibit in the 3D Display Zone, 3D Content Zone, or the 3D Application Zone on the International 3D Fair show floor . The show floor will have a special focus on consumer electronics, providing attendees with the opportunity to experience a wide range of 3D products, including 3D TVs, projectors, game players, scanners, home entertainment systems, and more. In addition, professional 3D products will be exhibited.

]]> Wed, 18 Aug 2010 17:20:14 GMT http://www.stereoscopy.com/news/index.html#newsitemEklkEVkpEuRgRHiWbG http://www.stereoscopy.com/news/index.html#newsitemEklkEVkpEuRgRHiWbG
"The current surge of interest in 3D content and consumer electronics devices has led to a flood of requests to our Lab for information about 3D," said Consumer 3D Experience Project program manager Phil Lelyveld. "With the support of our member companies, we have established an online resource that we hope will become a key source of information for anyone interested in learning about and keeping up with the latest developments in stereoscopic 3D."

The resource center called the "Consumer 3D Experience Project" at http://3D.etcenter.org links to current information related to the rapidly evolving 3D entertainment landscape; which includes movies, sports, and video games. The site provides 3D news, information about upcoming events for 3D professionals, content release and broadcast information, links to training and education resources, and a database of information about market research reports. The information, which is available to all, is updated on a daily basis. The site is a great starting point for industry, press, and consumers interested in 3D.

"Because of our expertise in 3D, our access to research, and the ETC@USC's Consumer 3D Experience Lab, we are able to not only track the latest news and events on 3D, but also offer up the history and context for 3D moving into the future," said David Wertheimer, executive director and CEO at ETC@USC. "Our new consumer 3D project site is one of the top places to go if you are looking for the latest information and pointers to the wealth of resources available on 3D content."

While the information offered by the Consumer 3D Experience Project is accessible to anyone tracking the developments within this area, sponsors of the Entertainment Technology Center are provided with additional exclusive information and analysis. In addition, the ETC@USC works closely with other leading organizations in this field, such as the CEA, Variety, SMPTE, Sports Video Group, the International 3D Society, NAB, etc. to create influential conferences and events about stereoscopic 3D.]]> Wed, 18 Aug 2010 17:17:52 GMT http://www.stereoscopy.com/news/index.html#newsitemEklkEVElZkCzaFWXiT http://www.stereoscopy.com/news/index.html#newsitemEklkEVElZkCzaFWXiT
"The Amsterdam SuperMeet is the best industry event for creatives to network and learn the latest production and post-production trends. Attendees have the opportunity to talk technology and exchange successful production concepts with their peers," says Niclas Bahn, director of business development, Noise Industries. "2010 was and is the year of 3D. The SuperMeet gives us the chance to highlight the mastering capabilities of our widely successful Stereo 3D plug-in, as well as the new update to FxFactory. Just weeks away, we look forward to the trip overseas and the forthcoming feedback from the European market."

Noise Industries will showcase the new FxFactory Pro 2.5, which introduces 8 new visionary filters and transition plug-ins, as well as significant enhancements to the platform’s unique slideshow generator with its sleek new user interface for selecting and arranging images. Noise Industries will also feature new image enhancement and visual effects plug-ins from a variety of FxFactory development partners, including Stereo3D Toolbox and Stereo3D Toolbox LE (Light Edition) from Dashwood Cinema Solutions. Stereo3D Toolbox boasts powerful 3D-cinematography technology, as seen in films like "Avatar" and "Toy Story 3" that continue to drive up box office revenues daily.

The Amsterdam SuperMeet will be held on Sunday, September 12, 2010 at The Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky located at Dam 9 1012 JS, Amsterdam from 19:00 - 23:00. Doors open at 16:00. For information about the event, or to purchase tickets, please visit: http://www.supermeet.com/.

Developed for Adobe® After Effects®, Apple® Final Cut Pro®, Apple Motion®, and Apple Final Cut Express®, FxFactory’s revolutionary plug-in distribution platform leverages a high precision, hardware-accelerated rendering engine that enables users to push the limits of visual effects creation. FxFactory’s innovative plug-ins span a wide range of effects categories, including: blurs, shines, distortions, glows, transitions, particle effects, color correction, keying, advanced stereoscopic 3D imaging and more. Each plug-in is complimented with a forward-thinking approach to design and an unmatched combination of features and performance:

• Plug-in Development and Distribution: Unique in the industry, FxFactory provides 3rd parties with a user-friendly development tool to design additional visual effects plug-ins for Apple and Adobe editing and compositing applications. There are currently 11 companies within the FxFactory Development Partner Program, including Aquafadas, Boinx Software, Dashwood Cinema Solutions, PHYX, DVShade, Futurismo Zugakousaku, idustrial revolution, Luca Visual FX, Storek Studio, PHYX Inc., SUGARfx, and Yanobox.
  
  
• Hardware Acceleration: Plug-ins are developed to take advantage of the system’s graphics card, providing unbeatable previewing and rendering performance.
  
  
• Highly Customizable, Contextual User Interface: FxFactory presents users with minimal parameters, and intuitively reacts and displays additional parameters based on the user’s actions. Parameters can be fully expanded allowing any effect element to be manipulated.
  
  
• Integrated Help Desk: Plug-in documentation, support resources and tutorials are accessible with one click from the parameter inspector.
  
  
• Hundreds of Presets: Built-in presets are a timesaving feature, which allow users to explore new looks with minimal effort. Users can easily create their own presets and subsequently replicate the look.

FxFactory has a set of free plug-ins to introduce users to the platform. Commercial FxFactory plug-ins start at 29.00 USD and can be purchased via the Noise Industries website (http://www.noiseindustries.com) or through select resellers.

Adobe After Effects, Apple Final Cut Studio and Apple Final Cut Express 4 users can test drive hundreds of FxFactory plug-ins by downloading the free trial version from http://www.noiseindustries.com/fxfactory ]]> Wed, 18 Aug 2010 16:45:31 GMT http://www.stereoscopy.com/news/index.html#newsitemEklkEuAAFEdeUkXtwB http://www.stereoscopy.com/news/index.html#newsitemEklkEuAAFEdeUkXtwB
Under the terms of the agreement, Polaroid Eyewear will distribute its RealD certified Polaroid Premium 3D Eyewear line to movie theaters and cinemas, eye care professionals and other retail channels through its global network of subsidiaries and distributors. Polaroid Premium 3D Eyewear will be compatible with all RealD 3D enabled movie theatres around the world.

"RealD is excited to partner with a brand like Polaroid that has a heritage in polarizing lens technology," said Joseph Peixoto, President of Worldwide Cinema at RealD. "Polaroid Premium 3D Eyewear promises a range of custom frames with precisely curved lenses so moviegoers can fully experience RealD 3D with an uncompromising field of vision and a pair of glasses to match their personal style."

Polaroid Eyewear's launch collection features a range of appealing designs to satisfy demand from all types of movie-goers. And prescription lens wearers are not forgotten, with a range of premium 3D cover styles that fit comfortably over any optical frame. There is even a junior style for the younger audience to enjoy. The collection has been developed under the umbrella of a full 3D vision marketing concept, supporting an easy-to-handle sales system in movie theatre and cinema lobbies, and professional optical and retail channels and will be available soon. All styles feature Polaroid Eyewear's unique 3D formed lenses, differentiating the product from standard 3D cinema glasses provided at theatres and similar products currently available on the market. The product is also fully UV-protective so that a consumer can choose to wear the product outdoors without risk of UV damage.

"We are a brand that is all about technical innovation, style and great value for the money" said Andy Suszko, President of Polaroid Eyewear. "This endorsement from RealD recognizes the high quality of our 3D lenses, made possible only by our unique, patented ThermoFusion™ Technology, the same technology used to make our linear polarized lenses for the highly successful sunglass collections we sell worldwide. We are delighted to be associated with RealD and look forward to working closely with them and their other technology partners as 3D pushes into the consumer electronics mainstream."]]> Tue, 17 Aug 2010 03:20:15 GMT http://www.stereoscopy.com/news/index.html#newsitemEklkpEVkEVZfZXztyg http://www.stereoscopy.com/news/index.html#newsitemEklkpEVkEVZfZXztyg
The new FinePix REAL 3D W3 digital camera will be available in September. You can pre-order your camera right here!

With the REAL 3D W3's HDMI 1.4 connection, 3D content from the W3 may be played back on any HDMI 1.4-compliant 3D television by simply connecting the appropriate HDMI to a mini-HDMI 1.4 cable, which is sold separately.

The W3 features high-definition 720P movie capture and playback, as well as a new 3½" high-resolution autostereoscopic widescreen display, perfect for viewing and reviewing your shots on the fly, with no glasses required.

In addition to its 3D capabilities, the W3 is also a very capable 2D camera. The W3's special Advanced 2D mode takes advantage of the W3's dual-CCD/dual-lens system. Each press of the shutter button will yield two images – choose from a wide-angle and zoom shot, or two different color modes, even two different ISO settings.

• Dual 10M CCD system
  
• Dual Fujinon 3X zoom lens system (35-105mm)
  
• 3.5" wide VGA high-resolution 460K 3D-LCD (3D viewing without glasses)
  
• HDMI 1.4 (standard connection to 3D-TV)
  
• 3D high-definition movie (720p)
  
• Captures images and movies in both 2D and 3D
  
• Advanced 2D modes shoot two separate simultaneously 2D images – wide-angle/zoom, color modes and sensitivity
  
• Advanced 3D modes – interval shutter and individual shutter
  
• Automatic and manual parallax adjustment allows the user to fine tune the 3D effect
  
• 1600 ISO high sensitivity
  
• Face detection (in 2D mode)
  
• Dual-shot mode – take two pictures with one shutter press – one with flash and one without
  
• Multi-frame playback with micro-thumbnail

So far, it is unknown whether the W3 will replace the W1 (http://www.stereoscopy.com/cameras/fuji-w1.html), or whether the W1 will remain available. ]]> Wed, 11 Aug 2010 20:09:52 GMT http://www.stereoscopy.com/news/index.html#newsitemEklEVVZFAkFvzetzLD http://www.stereoscopy.com/news/index.html#newsitemEklEVVZFAkFvzetzLD
It's a bird… It's a bear… It's ZOOKABOO! A playful lively box and 104 lighthearted animals collaborate to bring you the funniest animated guessing game. Is this big, big trunk familiar? What about that black and white patterned fur? Where did you see before those crawling movements? Through a hundred or so entertaining guessing games combining animation and real images, Zookaboo (104 x 2') creates a dynamic narrative via 3D that positively invites audience interaction.

Step by step, hint by hint, the box will give the clues to find out which animal is hiding inside the box: ZOOKABOO! Basically, the Zookaboo series is a modern, fun-filled game for kids between the ages of 3 and 6 and for their parents.

Zookaboo also has great potential beyond the TV series – in videogames and other product licensing categories, such as publishing and collectibles. In the words of Carlos Biern, BRB Director of Co-Productions and Worldwide Distribution: "With Zookaboo, a whole universe of possibilities opens up, that of interactive family entertainment, starting with simply being able to enjoy 3D Hi-Def at home."]]> Tue, 10 Aug 2010 05:13:53 GMT http://www.stereoscopy.com/news/index.html#newsitemEklEuEZkFFVcQpLhBQ http://www.stereoscopy.com/news/index.html#newsitemEklEuEZkFFVcQpLhBQ
This new development represents a significant opportunity for IRIDAS customers considering the ALEXA - or currently using ALEXA - for their 3D/stereoscopic production workflow requirements, and is testament to the 3D production advancements inherent to IRIDAS' DualStream NX technology.

"It's no surprise that the demand for 3D content - from Hollywood blockbuster movies to immersive television documentaries - is becoming a major driving force in our industry today. However, while the demand for content is there, access to effective, efficient and affordable technologies to create that content has been elusive," said Lin Sebastian Kayser, CEO of IRIDAS. "This feature represents the culmination of years of engineering and stereoscopic development expertise that has enabled a 3D production workflow that works flawlessly with the equipment our customers most want to work with, like the innovative new ALEXA cameras."

"In many ways, our new ALEXA cameras are a technological breakthrough and are redefining the limits of motion picture capture and real time workflows," comments Adrian Widera, Strategic and Business Development, ARRI. "One of the ways we achieve our vision is by working with a network of partners who we know can extend the ALEXA experience, ultimately delivering a complete, powerful digital production workflow. IRIDAS is a proven partner and provides a complement to enhance the real time stereoscopic production workflow that is in such high demand from our customers."

The IRIDAS DualStream NX real time 3D production toolset enables a seamless, instant stereo workflow for the ALEXA, which translates to significant workflow efficiencies so critical in today's time and budget constrained production environments. Here is a snapshot of how it works:

• ALEXA shoots ProRes 4444 12 bit files to Sony SxS cards;
  
  
• IRIDAS SpeedGrade and FrameCycler 2010 solutions decode two streams of ALEXA ProRes 4444 material in real time, which means they are available for instant playback and review;
  
  
• As a result of the advancements in IRIDAS DualStream NX technology, users can instantly review these stereo streams and, with the push of a button, geometrically align and color match in a true stereoscopic timeline. This is a first in the industry.
  
  
• Material can be rendered for offline dailies or directly edited in Final Cut Pro and Avid systems, then conformed from EDLs for final color grading and depth grading;
  
  
• For users working with other workflows, ProRes 4444 files can also be transcoded to frame formats, including DPX, in full 12-bit bit depth. For those in need of batch transcoding, IRIDAS MetaRender is tightly integrated with SpeedGrade and FrameCycler products, with its UI built into both products for a seamless extension of the workflow.

IRIDAS has been on the forefront of stereoscopic review since it first developed its groundbreaking DualStream technology in 2003. Now in its 4th generation, IRIDAS has refined its innovative stereoscopic 3D toolset to meet the requirements of today's burgeoning production, post production and 2D-to-3D conversion market opportunities. IRIDAS' DualStream NX technology includes advanced features for work on stereoscopic movies and is based on the native stereo timeline already integrated into all IRIDAS products.

DualStream NX adds sophisticated tools to automatically correct geometric misalignment and eliminate color differences between left and right eye streams - this is a breakthrough and a first in the 3D production market. DualStream NX adds even more value for users as it also includes a full suite of creative S3D tools, such as keyframeable parallax adjustments, floating window and a complete stereoscopic color grading feature set. Additionally, DualStream includes comprehensive S3D workflow functions, such as stereo conform and automatic and manual handling of left/right eye assignments.

The IRIDAS SpeedGrade and FrameCycler 2010 family of 3D production solutions are available immediately. For more information, visit http://www.iridas.com ]]> Mon, 09 Aug 2010 16:56:31 GMT http://www.stereoscopy.com/news/index.html#newsitemEklEFZkAAEWXQAaQEU http://www.stereoscopy.com/news/index.html#newsitemEklEFZkAAEWXQAaQEU
Animade decided to utilize auto stereoscopic 3D displays developed and patented by the German company Tridelity Display Solution GmbH – a leading manufacturer of auto stereoscopic 3D displays. Tridelity provides the best auto stereoscopic solution currently available on the market, allowing the viewing of 3D effects by large audiences without any special 3D glasses.

The cable TV company "New generation television – N" is one of the first clients using this new advertising vehicle in Multikino and will present 3D commercials promoting their new product.

3D Digital Signage will attract many more observers due to the fact that no glasses have to be used in order to view the videos. Michael Russo, CEO Tridelity GmbH says: "Tridelity 3D Multi-Viewer displays catch the attention of at least four times more viewers compared to traditional 2D Digital Signage". It has been said a lot recently about 3D HDTV monitors, however it is not possible to use them in advertising, because they require the usage of special glasses. "It is hard to imagine that passersby would stop and put on special glasses just to watch 3D commercials. "It is practicable impossible." – says Wawrzyniec Walczak from Animade - "Modern 3D monitors without glasses solve this problem and offer 3D effects and images to many viewers at the same time, revolutionizing the market of Digital Signage".

Solutions allowing to present 3D commercials without special glasses give unique opportunity and possibilities to clients. 3D commercials developed in this technology are extremely strong "eye-catchers", grabbing the attention of viewers, due to impressive "pop-out" effects of elements jumping out of the screen.]]> Fri, 06 Aug 2010 16:45:30 GMT http://www.stereoscopy.com/news/index.html#newsitemEklEEEFEFpUbPLnBDs http://www.stereoscopy.com/news/index.html#newsitemEklEEEFEFpUbPLnBDs
IBC attendees will be able to judge for themselves how SENSIO® 3D renders the best-quality 3D at any bitrate, high or low, making it a format relied upon by equipment manufacturers for broadcast applications, from the contribution feed to the final distribution.

"The world’s largest manufacturers of broadcast and media products are consistently turning to SENSIO to enable their products for delivery of the highest-quality 3D," said Nicholas Routhier, President and CEO. "In addition, content-producers worldwide are trusting us to ensure an immersive high-impact 3D experience for their audiences. SENSIO is extremely proud to have been able to secure the confidence of FIFA and be instrumental in the successful delivery of the FIFA World Cup 2010™ in live 3D to cinemas around the world. We are also very happy to have been able to participate in the team that enabled ESPN to pioneer live 3D sports broadcasts and be shortlisted for the IBC 2010 Innovation Awards. On-demand 3D, such as live sporting or cultural events, represents an important future revenue stream for content-producers, and SENSIO is committed to supporting the development of this market, technologically, and commercially with our SENSIO® 3D Live Global Network of cinema operators."]]> Fri, 06 Aug 2010 15:39:33 GMT http://www.stereoscopy.com/news/index.html#newsitemEklEEpAEZFKuoFkKSe http://www.stereoscopy.com/news/index.html#newsitemEklEEpAEZFKuoFkKSe
The package includes a series of abstract 3D animations of the logo traveling through space as well as other 3D graphic elements that will be used to support programming on the new network. ESPN plans 3D broadcasts of a variety of sporting events, including the 2011 BCS National Championship Game, college basketball and football contests, and the Summer X Games.

With A Twist Studio was selected for the project due to its past work for ESPN and its experience in working with stereoscopic imagery for such films as "G-Force" and "Alice in Wonderland." "We understand both from a creative and from a technical view what works and what doesn't in 3D," said With A Twist creative director David Burton, "and we know how to maximize the experience for viewers."

The studio worked with ESPN creative teams in Bristol, Connecticut and Los Angeles in designing animation sequences that aim to inspire excitement for the new medium. "3D has a different design vocabulary than the design that's been done for 2-D television for 50 years. It's a different experience," Burton notes. "Stereoscopic television is also a different experience from stereoscopic films—and the design has to compensate for that difference."

The relative difference in size between a movie screen and a television affects the kinds of 3D effects that work. Additionally, the brief time-span of broadcast animations—15 seconds or less—requires 3D effects to be scaled accordingly. "You have just seconds to convey an idea," explains With A Twist CG Supervisor Brandon Bartlett. "Still, the eye needs time to process what it's seeing in 3D—that's easy to do in film, but it's a lot trickier in television because of the short time frame."

While the graphics are meant to convey the all-new experience of TV in three dimensions, they are also meant to reflect the personality of the world's premier sports network. "ESPN, as a brand, stands for action and intensity," Burton observes. "All of its graphics are high energy. With the 3D graphics, we had to deliver an exciting stereoscopic experience while remaining true to the brand. It's still ESPN, but it's taking the next step…into broadcast 3D."]]> Tue, 03 Aug 2010 15:16:11 GMT http://www.stereoscopy.com/news/index.html#newsitemEklplulVZEHniqksDN http://www.stereoscopy.com/news/index.html#newsitemEklplulVZEHniqksDN
"We have an excellent relationship with S3D Technologies and both our companies share a mutual incentive to deliver exceptional service to our customers, which is achievable by working together. This is a very positive step and we look forward to working in partnership with them at IBC this year and in the future." Miguel Angel Doncel, CEO, SGO confirms.

"Our goal is to develop and provide 3D content creators with the most user-friendly tools available in the market. As a global organisation, we continuously strive to deliver the highest quality possible and are deeply committed in supporting SGO as well. With both of our companies leading in their specific areas of expertise, the partnership with SGO provides our respective customers with a complete stereoscopic 3D solution." States Carolina Barco, Managing Director, S3D Technologies.

S3D Technologies will have a presence at IBC this year at SGO’s stand 6.A11 in Hall 6, at the at the RAI which takes place from 10 – 14 September 2010 in Amsterdam. They will mainly be showcasing the new S3D Beam Splitter Rig and S3D Calculator, which will demonstrate how the rig’s design and function significantly facilitate a fast, reliable and stable stereo 3D production process. The S3D Calculator is a software package developed by S3D to complement their rigs and connects from PC, Mac or iPhone to calculate stereoscopic parameters during a shoot.

SGO is unveiling Mistika Version 5, Mistika Live and will showcase LightSpace CMS together with an exciting plethora of new stereoscopic 3D tools, cutting-edge colour grading capabilities, 2D compositing functionality and other key developments at IBC 2010.

Mistika is a flexible high-end post production and live on-set system capable of SD, HD, 2K, 4K, stereoscopic 3D with real-time Red camera and other data workflows. It seamlessly integrates timeline-based editing, conforming, infinite-layer compositing, colour grading and image restoration all in one complete system with various toolsets working together in the timeline.]]> Mon, 02 Aug 2010 17:01:59 GMT http://www.stereoscopy.com/news/index.html#newsitemEklpZylVEAUltOuKOW http://www.stereoscopy.com/news/index.html#newsitemEklpZylVEAUltOuKOW
The receivers are designed to operate on a carrier frequency of 25 kHz, which is lower than that used by standard remote control systems and thus helps avoid possible interference from TV and set-top box remote controls. Because TV remote control emitters and receivers operate at a wavelength of 940 nm, the TSOP75D25 and TSOP35D25 are designed to receive the 3D synchronization signals from an 830 nm or 850 nm emitter, further avoiding the possibility of interference. Like all of Vishay's IR receivers, the TSOP75D25 and TSOP35D25 feature industry-leading suppression of optical noise from compact fluorescent lights, LCD backlights, and plasma panels.

The TSOP75D25 and TSOP35D25 pack a photodiode, amplifier, automatic gain control, band pass filter, demodulator, and control IC into a single tiny package which helps minimize the weight of 3D glasses, while their ultra-low current consumption maximizes the battery life. Because the TSOP75D25 and TSOP35D25 operate at a carrier frequency of 25 kHz with a signal pattern featuring a minimum burst length of 6 cycles, a very high signal-to-noise ratio is achieved. Finally, because these new IR receivers receive modulated synchronization signals versus baseband signals, a single emitter can be used in the TV to achieve transmit distance of more than 26 meters.

The TSOP75D25 and TSOP35D25 are surface mount devices that can be mounted in a side or top view. They both have a viewing angle of 50 deg., which allows for significant head movement without signal loss. The TSOP75D25 measures 2.3 mm x 3.0 mm x 6.8 mm and has dual lenses while the TSOP35D25 measures 4.0 mm x 5.3 mm x 7.5 mm and has a single lens.

Samples of the new TSOP75D2 and TSOP35D2 are available now. Production orders have a lead time of six to eight weeks. Pricing for U.S. delivery in small quantities is $1.00. ]]>