3D Guy


www.flickr.com
This is a Flickr badge showing public photos and videos from 3DGUY.tv. Make your own badge here.

Author Archive

3D on terrestrial TV ?


3D TV is more complex than standard television pictures, because broadcasts have to include information used to create both the left-eye and right-eye images necessary for the 3D effect. For more 3D content & featured articles, go to Welcometo3d.tv This means broadcasters have to send more information over the airwaves for 3D programmes than they currently do. In technical terms, digital high-definition TV requires about 9.6 megabits of data each second to build up its images. For 3D broadcasts, the figure is between 40 and 50 per cent higher – around 13 or 14 megabits. And while satellite and cable broadcasts are quite capable of handling that extra data, there simply isn’t room in current terrestrial broadcasting for it.   Thankfully, all that’s about to change. Terrestrial TV in Britain is currently broadcast on both analogue and digital, which means there isn’t room in the available wavebands to broadcast the data required for 3D TV. But when the big switch-off happens in 2012, all of the UK’s TV coverage will go digital-only – and terrestrial broadcasting of 3D programmes could become a real possibility.


source:  www.itproportal.com

Have a question for the 3DGuy? Please leave a comment and we will reply to you.

Copyright 2010 Al Caudullo All rights reserved.  The content and photos within may not be distributed electronically or copied mechanically without specific written permission. The content within is based upon information provided to the editor, which is believed to be reliable. Data within is subject to change. Al Caudullo is not responsible for errors or omissions.

Related Blogs

[Facebook] [LinkedIn] [MySpace] [StumbleUpon] [Twitter] [Email]

James Cameron On Avatar Re-Release, Sequels, the Future of 3D and…

James Cameron is about to make another little boatload of cash when Avatar sees its theatrical re-release on August 27th, now featuring over 8 minutes of additional material added to the film.  Cameron recently opened up to MTV and Market Saw about what exactly will be in those 9 additional minutes, what he’s got up his sleeve for the sequels, and even a little postulation about the future of 3D cinema technology.

First off, in a phone conversation with Market Saw, Cameron revealed:

No extra footage of live action characters drinking coffee. Rainforest; some at night; a hunt sequence – a lot of flying; high impact action; an emotional scene toward the end has been added back; “the best CG in the film has been added as far as facial performance”; A Na’vi counterattack after the bulldozer attack; more of Grace at the school; adding the Stingbat and Sturmbeast creatures; additional Quaritch final AMP Suit battle shots; more of the glade love scene. It is all on par with the best of the rest of the film. They had lots of footage to choose from and they put back the absolute best scenes and shots they could.”

And then, to MTV, he spoke a little about the sequel:

“‘Avatar 2′… we’re still working on deals. We don’t start the movie until we get the deals worked out,” he said. “I’m making notes. I’m not sitting idle,” Cameron said. “But really, what I’m working on primarily is the novel.” ”I never had a chance to get the novel done while we were making the movie, and I always intended to. I didn’t want to do a cheesy novelization, where some hack comes in and kind of makes s–t up. I wanted to do something that was a legitimate novel that was inside the characters’ heads and didn’t have the wrong culture stuff, the wrong language stuff, all that.”  Along the course of both articles, the subject of filming two Avatar sequels back-to-back came up, and Cameron noted that it would be easier to shoot Avatar 2 and 3 than, say, Lord of the Rings, due to the lesser crew commitment needed because most of the action would take place in a completely computer-generated environment.   “That is something that makes a lot of sense, given the nature of these productions, because we can bank all the [motion] capture and then go back and do cameras over a period of time… The way these back-to-back productions fall apart is that you’re trying to do two live-action films back to back, and you’ re working on it for a year and a half, shooting. Everyone is dead.  It’s not humanly possible.  This type of film, it absolutely would work.”

That conversation invariably ended up probing his thoughts on 3D technology, where he re-iterated his views on the state of stereoscopic cinematography: The whole argument about conversion will go away for high end, first run 3D. Two years from now when there are thousands of 3D cameras out their shooting live feeds to 3D broadcast networks,how can a producer go to a studio and say: ”I can’t shoot 3D. It’s too difficult. There are too many problems. It costs too much. It adds 6 months to post-production. They won’t be able to say any of that stuff. That stuff is all garbage.”   Cameron talks about 3D conversions. TITANIC’s conversion is taking 8 months to a year to complete, not a fast turnaround like CLASH OF THE TITANS. Cameron: ”(TITANS) showed a fundamental lack of knowledge about stereo space, in addition to the shoddy work that comes from rushing.” Cameron likes TITANS in 2D as do I (I have had the Blu-ray since it was released) from a directorial standpoint and as a fan of Sam Worthington.  Cameron on how they are technically converting TITANIC. “You just can’t cut out edges, you’re going to get flat people moving around.” He will be using all his knowledge to put things on their right depth planes. They had tests for TITANIC from seven different conversion vendors on the exact same shots and they got back seven different answers as to were they thought things were spatially.   ”Some of them were not bad guesses and some of them were ridiculous.”


source:  www.reelmovienews.com

Have a question for the 3DGuy? Please leave a comment and we will reply to you.

Copyright 2010 Al Caudullo All rights reserved.  The content and photos within may not be distributed electronically or copied mechanically without specific written permission. The content within is based upon information provided to the editor, which is believed to be reliable. Data within is subject to change. Al Caudullo is not responsible for errors or omissions.

Related Blogs

  • Related Blogs on James Cameron On Avatar Re-Release, Sequels, the Future of 3D and…
  • Thrive Dallas
[Facebook] [LinkedIn] [MySpace] [StumbleUpon] [Twitter] [Email]

THX Partners With BLUFOCUS to Develop Best Practices For 3D Post-Production & Authoring


HX-BluFocus Certification Sets Guidelines and Testing Procedures for Evaluating 3D Audio-Video Quality, Disc Interoperability and the Physiological Effects of 3D


THX Ltd. has teamed with BluFocus, a quality assurance and advanced testing facility for the home entertainment industry, to build an ecosystem of services to address the technical challenges of 3D post-production. THX®-BluFocus 3D certification sets authoring and production guidelines and testing procedures for evaluating 3D Audio-Video quality, 3D Blu-ray disc and player Interoperability, and the physiological effects of 3D on home viewers.

“The long-term success of 3D in the home depends heavily on content producers and consumer electronics manufacturers delivering a comfortable and compelling experience for today’s first wave of consumer adopters,” said Rick Dean, senior vice president at THX. “Our partnership with BluFocus complements the work THX is doing with leading HDTV manufacturers and other industry organizations to drive standards for 3D visual quality and usability.”

One of the biggest reported concerns among consumers is experiencing fatigue from 3D video and glasses. THX and BluFocus are researching root causes of viewer fatigue to better understand the physiological effects of 3D. The goal is to work closely with content producers to implement best practices and guidelines for all 3D elements, including onscreen characters, objects, graphics and subtitles. THX-BluFocus certification also evaluates how 2D-to-3D conversion adds depth to the picture, and whether this added depth causes any creative errors or flaws that deviate from the storyline or may cause fatigue.

“The added dimension of 3D brings with it more technical challenges than traditional 2D post-production and authoring, and requires more steps in the production chain,” said Paulette Pantoja, CEO of BluFocus. “The certification program we are creating with THX will help refine 3D post-production and authoring and help content producers minimize technical flaws long before 3D content is broadcast, streamed or authored on optical disc.”

During the THX-BluFocus 3D AV certification process, engineers analyze Left and Right Eye images frame-by-frame to ensure they retain the sharpness and detail of the original master video elements. All audio material is also fully evaluated to make sure they meet studio Reference Level and remain faithful to the master recordings. In addition to focusing on 3D Audio-Video quality, THX-BluFocus certification also evaluates Blu-ray Disc and Blu-ray player interoperability to ensure they play seamlessly together.


THX-BluFocus 3D Certification Categories

THX-BluFocus certification will be offered to the producers and distributors of movies, television programs, games and other content. When shopping for a 3D Blu-ray Disc or digital download, consumers will be instructed to look for the following THX-BluFocus certification logo and icons on disc packaging and digital artwork.

THX-BluFocus AV Certification – THX-BluFocus AV certification indicates that sound and images have been analyzed to ensure they maintain the quality and detail of the original master elements.

THX-BluFocus Creative Certification – The THX-BluFocus Creative certification indicates that all 3D elements in the feature presentation have been analyzed to detect any creative errors and flaws that deviate from the director’s intent or may cause viewer fatigue. Subtitles, menus, graphics and other elements may also be reviewed.

THX-BluFocus Interoperability – THX-BluFocus Interoperability certification applies to Blu-ray Discs to ensure they play seamlessly on 2D and 3D Blu-ray Players from many major consumer electronics brands.  More than 100 Blu-ray Players, from different regions, are evaluated with each THX-BluFocus Certified Disc to deliver a hassle-free user experience.


ABOUT BLUFOCUS

BluFocus Inc. is the entertainment industry’s first advanced testing and advisory service specialist for Blu-ray. The company offers products and services to content owners, player manufacturers, content developers and tool developers to ensure a seamless, issue-free customer experience that makes full use of Blu-ray Disc’s expanded capabilities which include BD-J, BD-Live and now 3D.  BluFocus has recently expanded into the Digital Distribution and Broadcast areas to offer the same quality services and expertise they have proven with Blu-ray and DVD.


ABOUT THX LTD.

Founded by George Lucas and recognized by audiences around the globe, THX is synonymous with the design and certification of world-class cinemas, premium audio systems, HDTVs, and blockbuster movies and games. Products featuring THX defy convention and define quality in their class, whether in the cinema, home or on the road. For more information, visit www.thx.com. Become a THX Facebook Fan and get THX Tech Tips, Fan Videos and more. Go to Facebook and search “THX Ltd.”


source: www.thx.com

Have a question for the 3DGuy? Please leave a comment and we will reply to you.

Copyright 2010 Al Caudullo All rights reserved. The content and photos within may not be distributed electronically or copied mechanically without specific written permission. The content within is based upon information provided to the editor, which is believed to be reliable. Data within is subject to change. Al Caudullo is not responsible for errors or omissions.

Related Blogs

  • Related Blogs on THX Partners With BLUFOCUS to Develop Best Practices For 3D Post-Production & Authoring
[Facebook] [LinkedIn] [MySpace] [StumbleUpon] [Twitter] [Email]

Mozaex’ 3D Blu-ray Server


Mozaex last week announced it has begun shipping a line of servers, including what it’s billing as the world’s first 3D Blu-ray multi-room media server.

“The Mozaex 3D system plays media including 3D Blu-ray and DVD movies, CD and MP3 music, photos and on-demand NetFlix movies, and Pandora music among other online media,” Mozaex CEO Douglas Kihm said as part of the announcement. “Any media can be played in multiple rooms simultaneously, resulting in unprecedented ease, elegance, and excitement.”

The new models will be demonstrated at CEDIA Expo in Atlanta next month at booth #3844


Source:  www.dealerscope.com

Have a question for the 3DGuy? Please leave a comment and we will reply to you.

Copyright 2010 Al Caudullo All rights reserved.  The content and photos within may not be distributed electronically or copied mechanically without specific written permission. The content within is based upon information provided to the editor, which is believed to be reliable. Data within is subject to change. Al Caudullo is not responsible for errors or omissions.

Related Blogs

  • Related Blogs on Mozaex’ 3D Blu-ray Server
[Facebook] [LinkedIn] [MySpace] [StumbleUpon] [Twitter] [Email]

3D Ultrasounds – Ultra Realistic Baby Pix


picture of unrelated baby – source : www.3d-4d-ultrasounds.com

3D movies are becoming popular, and so are 3D ultrasounds. Now parents are seeing their babies before they’re born.

“It’s using the same sound waves as regular 2D ultrasound. It’s just changing the way it’s conveying them. In 2D we’re faning through everything with sound. The 3D is fanning around, so it’s getting more details” said Amanda Van Zant, Miracle in Motion .

Myra and Dave McCain are a few weeks away from having their first child.  “That’s crazy. I’ve only seen it as a black and white shadowy picture and now it’s…real,” said Myra. “Nine months of this baby moving around and kicking me and feeling it move and then finally see their face before the big show. Everything is so detailed. It’s like looking through a little window.”

Miracle in Motion opened in Fort Wayne three years ago doing 3D and 4D ultrasounds, 4D is just the flipbook version of the 3D images.  “All those pictures are compiled together to create that movement, that’s 4D,” said Van Zant.

Each family has at least a 15 minute session, and at the end, leaves with a DVD and pictures of their baby.
“We can’t predict what the baby’s doing and what position they’ll be in, so if we can’t get a good scan we will always bring people back. Don’t charge, just redo,” said Van Zant.  Family members are welcome, and encouraged, to come meet baby with the parents. “There’s something about being able to see it in this view that makes it a little more real for everyone else,” said Van Zant.

“As the husband, you’re living through them and seeing an actual photo of the baby’s face, it’s like, there’s your baby. It’s incredible, it’s emotional,” said Dave.

And Baby McCain’s smile and little movements are already making mom and dad smile too.

3D ultrasounds aren’t covered by insurance. Packages range from a $100-$200.


source: www.wane.com

Have a question for the 3DGuy? Please leave a comment and we will reply to you.

Copyright 2010 Al Caudullo All rights reserved.  The content and photos within may not be distributed electronically or copied mechanically without specific written permission. The content within is based upon information provided to the editor, which is believed to be reliable. Data within is subject to change. Al Caudullo is not responsible for errors or omissions.

Related Blogs

  • Related Blogs on 3D Ultrasounds – Ultra Realistic Baby Pix
[Facebook] [LinkedIn] [MySpace] [StumbleUpon] [Twitter] [Email]

Mobile instant 3D modeller


Researchers at UC Berkeley have developed a laser backpack that scans its surroundings and creates an instant 3D model.

It can make video games more realistic and buildings more energy efficient. They are driving to discover a model of the whole world.

“Here’s a model of two floors of Corey Hall,” says Professor Zakhor. “This is the fourth floor and this is the third floor.”
It is the first model of an existing building, generated automatically, without human intervention. It is the work of a Cal Berkeley team led by Professor Avideh Zakhor.  Grad student Nicholas Corso dons a backpack brimming with lasers and cameras. As he hikes the hall, the lasers scan everything from floor to ceiling and the cameras capture a panorama.
“The idea,” explains Professor Zakhor, “is that you wear a backpack, you walk inside the building. You’re done. You push a button and out comes this model.”

The model is textured (covered) with the photographs.  The team is also behind the technology that creates 3D views of major cities on Google Earth. So, why not fly into the buildings and not just around them? The outdoor version relies on GPS but you can’t rely on GPS indoors. So, the team in the imaging lab combined a new breed of miniature laser with an inertial management unit (IMU) like the ones that guide missiles.

The IMU localizes the backpack, lasers generate the geometry, and cameras generate the texture map. All three are fused for precise navigation. Once it’s turned on, there are four cameras snapping pictures simultaneously. As one laser looks left, another laser looks right. One looks at the floor and another looks at the ceiling.  The primary navigation laser accounts for yaw, which is what we do when we walk. Up front, the most sophisticated analog component ever devised, is a human walker. With this, you can walk stairways, caves and places where a robot just cannot roll.

“Yes.” says Avideh Zakhor, “One day, you’ll have a little pack of sensors on your belt. And, as you walk inside buildings, you collect data about everything. Every location in the universe, both indoors and outdoors will eventually be mapped and we’ll have it all online. So, without ever going anywhere, you can see what everybody’s interior looks like.”


source: abclocal.go.com


Have a question for the 3DGuy? Please leave a comment and we will reply to you.

Copyright 2010 Al Caudullo All rights reserved.  The content and photos within may not be distributed electronically or copied mechanically without specific written permission. The content within is based upon information provided to the editor, which is believed to be reliable. Data within is subject to change. Al Caudullo is not responsible for errors or omissions.

Related Blogs

  • Related Blogs on Mobile instant 3D modeller
[Facebook] [LinkedIn] [MySpace] [StumbleUpon] [Twitter] [Email]

3D Print; the Lead Story continues…

Yesterday we ran a story about the Bangkok Post doing an Asian first 3D printing – here is part of the 3D print story from the rest of the World. Together with today’s story about universal 3D glasses we’re looking at uses of 3D outside of TV and cinema.

The pioneer of 3D print on the written press market in Europe was a Belgian newspaper La Derniere Heure, the first ever in Europe to release a 3D edition. It was followed by the British tabloid The Sun which also went 3D at the beginning of June. Just a couple of months after these European launches, two of the leading sports newspapers in Romania released 3D editions. Competitors Gazeta Sporturilor and ProSport published their first 3D editions on the same day, at the beginning of this month.

“The moment when 3D newspapers appeared abroad, it was clear to us that ProSport needed to offer its readers at least one such edition,” Cosmina Noaghea, publishing director of PubliMedia International, tells Business Review. So far, there have been two ProSport 3D editions – on July 1 and 12. If advertisers continue to be interested in these projects, the publication is willing to release more.

All the investment required was in the special glasses that reached the paper’s readership in the same package as the newspaper. But then, this paid off since there were higher revenues from advertising, says Noaghea.

“Of course, more effort was required from everyone involved in this project – the editorial, marketing, production and distribution departments,” she adds.  For instance, much greater effort for processing the images is needed for a 3D edition. The lay-out department started working a few days earlier in order to process the pictures. All the images were processed and the 2D images modified using a depth map in order to emphasize the various fronts. Thus, most pictures had three fronts – the main front, the secondary front and the background. More attention was also given when the paper went to print.

The 3D format was seen as an opportunity “to bring one more argument in favor of the value of the written press. It does not represent the future of the written media,” says the director.  But it appears that for a while at least, until 3D mania dies down – if it does – these newspapers have found the successful recipe to keep print relevant.


original source: www.business-review.ro


Have a question for the 3DGuy? Please leave a comment and we will reply to you.

Copyright 2010 Al Caudullo All rights reserved. The content and photos within may not be distributed electronically or copied mechanically without specific written permission. The content within is based upon information provided to the editor, which is believed to be reliable. Data within is subject to change.  Al Caudullo is not responsible for errors or omissions.

[Facebook] [LinkedIn] [MySpace] [StumbleUpon] [Twitter] [Email]

2D ads talk; 3D ads speak volumes

“3D projection mapping has recently emerged as one of the coolest forms of advertising, and is fast becoming something of an obsession for the advertising world,” reveals Megan O’Neill of SocialTimes. But how and where did this concept first originate?

According to TrendHunter, marketers have begun to set their sights on large-scale, low-cost mediums to get their messages across. “Billboards and print ads are stepping out of the spotlight, as large-scale projections on buildings in pedestrian-heavy areas begin to become the focal point within the marketing sphere.”

The online magazine adds that, “Battersea Power Station took off with a large projection of Super Mario Galaxy 2 for the game’s release, created by AdTrace. This venture marked the next generation for building projection technology. The emergence, then, of video mapping technology by AdTrace, has now had an impact on advertising, in that big brands are now keen to put their marketing spend into outdoor projection.”

Wikipedia describes 3D projection mapping as, “any method of mapping 3D points to a 2D plane.” O’Neill states that “using this technique, video artists are able to match video to buildings that they are projecting on and create cool 3D effects, making it look as though buildings are crumbling; changing their structure; and so much more.” This form of low-cost advertising is catching on fast, with world-renowned brands, such as BMW; Nokia; Sony; Lancome; and Louis Vuitton, among others, jumping onto the bandwagon, and experiencing first-hand the positive feedback of working with this viral medium, dubbed ‘projected publicity’.

For example, ‘In-Your-Face projection ads’ or ‘Billbored’ projection ads, allow one to project their opinions onto buildings in and around busy cities, from a projector set up on top of a car. The ads are short statements that don’t beat around the bush, such as ‘Our campaign is bigger than yours’ or ‘Vote, every little helps’ says TrendHunter. BMW has also made use of projected publicity. The BMW Joy 3D billboard, created by Publicis Asia, displayed a gamer-centric projection campaign in the middle of downtown Suntec City in Singapore, using two commercial buildings as its canvas to showcase the campaign – personally, I think that this campaign is nothing less than stunning, and I can see why it was described as a ‘traffic-stopping’ experience. The campaign idea behind this 3D billboard was ‘joy of driving’, and one can achieve this with BMW – the campaign truly defined this with its ocular magic. “Creative and definitely fun to watch, this commercial attracted a large audience that took pictures and stood awe-struck throughout the ad’s duration. In presenting the idea that there should always be joy in whatever you are doing, the BMW Joy 3D ad will definitely bring some good times,” says TrendHunter.

The London launch of Nokia Ovi Maps (free navigation on Nokia’s new navigation optimised smartphones) together with Seeper, combined a real-time projection installation that was able to track your face, and mirror all your real-time movements, and then project these movements onto a building. The project gave spotlight to an interactive campaign all around central London and Covent Garden, and to add to its ‘impressiveness’, was produced in one week. Following the success of the Nokia Ovi Maps projection campaign, Seeper was asked to create a 3D projection campaign for Sony to promote the new ACDC Iron Man 2 soundtrack at Rochester Castle.


source: www.totallymad.co.za - Lindsey Kin


Have a question for the 3DGuy? Please leave a comment and we will reply to you.

Copyright 2010 Al Caudullo All rights reserved. The content and photos within may not be distributed electronically or copied mechanically without specific written permission. The content within is based upon information provided to the editor, which is believed to be reliable. Data within is subject to change. Al Caudullo is not responsible for errors or omissions.

Related Blogs

[Facebook] [LinkedIn] [MySpace] [StumbleUpon] [Twitter] [Email]

Newspapers in 3D ?


Thailand’s English-language Bangkok Post published its Aug. 6 edition with 3D images, the first in the country, according to the Malaysian National News Agency Bernama reports.

The three-dimensional effect, used with most color news photos and ads in all sections, including business, of the 40-page paper, could be seen using the glasses that came with the newspaper.

The special edition, sold at the usual price, coincided with the Post‘s 64th anniversary. Page one carries a 3D shot of a woman looking at Siam tulips in a nursery.

Having just won the Best Overall Design award in Asia Pacific and the Middle East, as judged by the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers at a conference in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, thePost included an “Our Pride” section entirely in 3D.


sources :www.editorandpublisher.com  Malaysian National News Agency Bernama


Have a question for the 3DGuy? Please leave a comment and we will reply to you.

Copyright 2010 Al Caudullo All rights reserved. The content and photos within may not be distributed electronically or copied mechanically without specific written permission. The content within is based upon information provided to the editor, which is believed to be reliable. Data within is subject to change.  Al Caudullo is not responsible for errors or omissions.

Related Blogs

[Facebook] [LinkedIn] [MySpace] [StumbleUpon] [Twitter] [Email]

Germany loves 3D

Strong demand for 3D TV sets in Germany

As an update to a previous story – looking at a huge market for 3D technology in Europe; Germany seems to be leading the way…

3D technology looks set to conquer German living rooms after cinemas : 16 million consumers say they want to buy a 3D TV set, corresponding with every sixth German. Almost every third German is interested in the new technology, but does not currently plan to purchase a 3D TV set.   This is the result of a survey conducted by market research institute Aris among 1,000 Germans from 14 years of age on behalf of industry association BITKOM. Since the market introduction of 3D TV sets in Germany in March, more than 26,000 units have been sold. Average price was €2,000.

“After the successful introduction of TV sets with integrated internet access, the so-called hybrid-TV sets, 3D is the next big thing in the television world,” BITKOM president August-Wilhelm Scheer said in Berlin. The association expects more than 100,000 German households to possess 3D TV sets by the end of the year.

Worldwide, almost 6 million 3D TV sets are expected to be sold this year.  Next year, it will be almost 10 million and 2012 more than 25 million units. “3D will not be restricted to television, but enter other markets as well, in particular computer games and mobile devices,” predicts Scheer.


www.rapidtvnews.com

Have a question for the 3DGuy? Please leave a comment and we will reply to you.

Copyright 2010 Al Caudullo All rights reserved. The content and photos within may not be distributed electronically or copied mechanically without specific written permission. The content within is based upon information provided to the editor, which is believed to be reliable. Data within is subject to change.  Al Caudullo is not responsible for errors or omissions.

Related Blogs

[Facebook] [LinkedIn] [MySpace] [StumbleUpon] [Twitter] [Email]

 Powered by Max Banner Ads