Archive for the ‘3DGuy’ Category

Sony and Toshiba are reportedly in a race to develop quality 3D technology that you can watch with bare eyes, though they seem to be concentrating on this benefiting television screens. There are some pricing and tech issues, but there’s no reason to think at least an expensive model will be ready in a few years, perhaps just in time for Sony to market its product as a tie-in with a 3D Blu-ray release of its Spider-Man reboot.

Don’t expect to see that superhero movie in the format without glasses on the big screen, though. Given how long it took (and is still taking) for theaters to convert to digital 3D-capable screens, I don’t see the industry going too crazy for any further advances requiring more costly equipment upgrades. Not anytime soon. So the big issue here is that 3D TVs will keep improving and adapting to consumer satisfaction while cinemas will have to deal with what they’ve recently invested in for a long time. And people will have another reason to stay home: the 3D in their living room will be better and more comfortable.

Despite some spin made by blogs like Superhero Hype and Splash Page, I have to note that there’s no real connection made by Sony or by AP’s report on this topic between the Spider-Man reboot and its potential to be available in glasses-free 3D. By the time the Marc Webb-directed film hits home video 3D DVDs and Blu-rays will be fairly common, so it’s not a big deal or surprising that this 3D movie would also be available for 3D home video formats. However, it would behoove Sony to mark the film’s home video release as a temporal aim for its tech plans due to it being a Sony title. 

Last year, Fujifilm debuted the world’s first consumer-oriented 3D compact, the Real 3D W1. Today, the company announced the successor to the Real 3D W3. 
The new 3D point-and-shoot sports several improvements over its predecessor. The most significant upgrade would be the inclusion of a 3D HD video-recording function. This is one of the first cameras that can output content to stereoscopic 3D format, allowing mainstream consumers to capture high-definition 3D movies with ease. Additionally, the camera sports a mini-HDMI port, so users can connect the shooter to a compatible HDTV to view the images and videos stored on it. The LCD display has also increased from 2.8 inches on the W1 to 3.5 inches on the W3.

As with its predecessor, the W3 has two lenses spaced 75mm apart to simulate the space between the human eyes. Behind the optics are two 10-megapixel CCD image sensors. Other than producing 3D pictures, the dual-lens setup lets users take two shots at various lens or image setting.

The W3 captures 3D video in a special AVI codec and it comes with an HDMI output that allows for seamless playback on any of the current 3D TV models on the market.
That tech allows the captured video to have a multi-dimensional appearance, but of course must be viewed with special active shutter glasses to merge the two simultaneous videos together.

Users who really just aren’t in a 3D mood can also toggle between 2D capturing as well.

The Real 3D W3 will be available in the US from September at US$499.95. We have yet to receive any confirmation on availability and pricing of the camera in Asia, but will update once we receive more information.

Most of you know now that Cameron’s Avatar has crowned the filmmaker once again with the Worlds highest grossing movie of all time earning a whopping 3 billion dollars at te box office. While this position has contributed greatly to the traction 3D cinema currently spellbinding entertainment consumers, there is on glaring drawback in Mr. Cameron’s opinion, companies jumping on the 3D bandwagon and putting out horrible conversions.

Movies like Clash of the Titans andThe Last Airbender were shot in traditional 2D and converted into 3D after seeing Avatar’s success.

“I think it’s horrible and absolutely the wrong way to go,” Cameron said before the re-release of Avatar in 3D with added footage.

“I think it’s a quick, knee-jerk reaction to seeing the gold rush happen and the studios just wanted to jump in on it and that’s the only way they could do it. It’s the studio making the decision and then handing it over to some company to process it through a sausage grinder and come up with some kind of faux 3D, or a 2 1/2D mess,” he added.

The interesting footnote is he plans on re-releasing 1997’s Titanic in a 3D redux. Cameron fully admits that the conversion will be a “2.9D”, but goes on to add, “We won’t succeed. It will wind up being 2.9D, but it will still be .9 better than the 2D we released before. These other slapdash conversions, where they are not spending the time and money and not involving the filmmaker, are like 2.2D,” The Herald Sun quoted the 55-year-old filmmaker as saying.

Samsung today unveiled the first portable 3D Blu-ray player at a press conference in New York today to an expectant audience.

The BD-C8000 ships with a 10.3″ screen and a built in Wi-Fi adapter, has preinstalled apps – including Netflix, Vudu and Pandora - for the same online content available with Samsung’s Internet-connected 3D-capable HDTVs. And it can output 1080p HD video. Read the rest of this entry »

A central point of contention about 3D technology is the negative effect it may have on the health of the watcher’s eyes. But a doctor in the US bravely spoke out this week saying that there is no evidence to support such a claim.

Mark Borchert, LA-based ophthalmologist, doesn’t believe that 3D is likely to cause any significant problems, giving the gaming geeks the go ahead in the third dimension. Read the rest of this entry »

The model, announced last month, is Samsung’s first 720p set. Most of the major models on the market so far are 1080p, though still not entirely high definition. Because the current crop of 3DTVs rely on dual images to create the illusion of depth, each image is only half of the TV set’s full resolution. The dual images are stacked one atop the other in the progressive format, so the vertical resolution of 3D content on a 720p set would be 360 lines.

The PN50C490’s feature list includes “Mega Dynamic Contrast,” Anynet remote-control networking and 600 MHz subfield motion.

source: Deborah D. McAdams  www.televisionbroadcast.com

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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.

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

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.”

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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

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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.

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“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

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