Is the Games Industry Ready for the 3D Revolution?

Stereoscopic 3D is a hugely misunderstood thing. One the one hand, the TV manufacturers’ PR and marketing juggernauts are getting louder and bigger. We’re told that ‘3D’ is the future of entertainment; that it will revolutionise the way we’ll view content and open our eyes to wide new worlds. One nameless daily free London paper even went as far as to say that soon we’ll have ‘characters and effects literally leaping out of the screen’ at us. Impressive stuff.

Take a look at any of the internet’s various forums, however, and people are slightly more cynical – perhaps fairly, due to the understandable security concerns that could result from Nico Bellic bursting out of your TV. And in a more realistic sense, at the doubt of having to wear glasses while playing games or watching films. Plus, with many consumers having just spent hundreds of pounds on a new HDTV after being told that was the only true way to experience games, now the boundaries are being shifted once more?

Speak to anyone involved with the 3D world and they’ll admit that there are obstacles to be overcome before the technology can be as ubiquitous as they’re predicting – but the message is clear; that they will be overcome is inevitable.

Blitz Spirit
One of the few companies already making headway into the stereoscopic 3D space is Blitz, who’ve gone as far as to include support in their BlitzTech middleware. Andrew Oliver, Blitz’s chief technology officer and the spearhead behind the move into that extra dimension, admits that the situation right now isn’t brilliant.

“It’s not a question of if it’ll catch on, but when. The current situation is that hardly anyone’s buying 3D TVs, so they’re very expensive because they’re essentially prototypes,” he tells us. “As soon as it goes into mass-production – and Sony has announced that it’s bringing the polarising technology to the Bravia range, and it won’t be that much more money – then 3D will start to take off.”

The other problem is one of content – even if you do have a 3D set, and many people do without even knowing it, there’s nothing with which to show it off, keeping it a feature that many manufacturers are reticent to shout about.

“It’s a chicken and egg situation at the moment,” says Oliver. “If a shopkeeper says ‘this TV can do 3D’ then the consumer will want that proved, but there’s no content to show it off. But those TVs do have 3D – Samsung and Mitsubishi are selling them but keeping quiet about it. So in a sense, what we’re doing is kind of a call to arms. We can say that we’re accelerating the process, because it’s in our technology and we’re licensing that out, and it’s already working on consoles.”

Epic Chalenge
So, that’s the ‘when’ – or, perhaps more realistically, the ‘if’ – covered. What about the ‘why’? Why would a company that has made its fortune on licensed games for US publishers spend all that time and effort making its proprietary technology capable of displaying 3D images? The genesis of the decision was Oliver’s visit to SIGGRAPH last year, which focused on how the movie industry was going 3D.

“Epic was there, and Mark Rein gave a demonstration of Unreal Tournament 3 in 3D on a really high-spec PC. After the display, someone asked him when we’d see Gears of War in 3D, and his response – that neither the Xbox 360 or PS3 were powerful enough to run a 3D display – stuck with me slightly.

“I thought: ‘Why can’t they do it?’ After all, these systems are engineered for graphics, and they’ve really got some power – how hard can it be?” He smiles: “It turns out that it’s a lot bloody harder than we thought.”

The motivation was that Oliver wanted to show that the technology could be put into a real game, not just a technology demo. But there are some issues to overcome; issues that make Rein’s statement somewhat true. Firstly, the 3D ‘standard’ that exists – more about that later – specifies that the image has to be 1080p. Secondly, unless you want the image to look stuttery, you need to be hitting 60 frames per second. Given that games like Gears of War are getting 30fps at 720p, that’s more than a tall order. And it gets worse: the TV needs to display two images per frame – one for each eye – essentially doubling that again.

“Now I understand why Mark Rein said it was impossible to do – because it’s hard. How many games are there that run in 1080p and at 60 frames per second, and then are comfortable with essentially doubling that? Still, on the other hand, it’s really pushed our tech. It’s about getting the engine running really fast – we’ve had to push it to get faster and faster and faster to get the bloody thing just working.”

But while Blitz can make the tech work now – we’re treated to a proof-of-concept based on one of the upcoming titles from its Arcade division, and the effect is certainly impressive – is there anyone else that’s going to want to put the effort in?

Beyond the current scarcity of 3D TVs, the one thing that’s scaring a lot of developers – including ones that told us they were experimenting in this area themselves – is the lack of a unified standard. Currently, the way a Samsung 3D set operates is different to a Sony TV. Blitz’s way around this is to write different drivers depending on the TV type, but admits that this isn’t optimal and would require testing on a huge number of different TVs.

So, while companies like Sony may be showing their intention with displays at events like CES, the actual reality is that 3D gaming is still a while off – even to the early adopters – and most likely won’t see significant support on this console generation.

But with a ratified standard, a bigger install-base and next-gen systems designed with it in mind – which, with Hollywood proclaiming 3D as the ‘future’, isn’t unlikely – we’ll all be enjoying that extra dimension. So long as you’re okay with dangerous objects ‘flying out’ of your TV, that is.

By Ed Fear, Develop

Sky Backs UK Talent on 3D Shoot

Sky is continuing its push into 3D following the recent live broadcast of a music gig with the stereoscopic recording of a ballet. The shoot, which used three dual-camera rigs, took place at the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich, London on Thursday (9 April) and featured a performance by the English National Ballet.

Using technicians and a full-zoom rig from US company Pace, the images were captured on Sony F950 cameras with each 'eye' recorded onto HDCam SR decks. The results are expected to feature at NAB where Gerry O'Sullivan, director of strategic product development is giving a keynote speech.

While the high-end technical knowledge was shipped in from the US, much of the talent on show – including camera operators – was from the UK with a specific emphasis on increasing the UK's knowledge base.

Sky chief engineer, broadcast strategies, Chris Johns said: "We're trying to encourage more people to gain 3D experience. We're utilising people from the UK and training them to do inter-oculars and balance cameras so we're not reliant on someone from the US."

Johns, who is also encouraging directors to "linger longer" and shoot wider to allow viewers to receive the full benefit of the 3D images, is now keen to make 3D production work more quickly.

"We have to speed up the workflow, which can be labour-intensive as everything has to go through high-end suites," he said. "But we don't want to leap in and buy equipment while we're in this process of evaluation."

By Will Strauss, Broadcast

Homevid Awaits 3-D Ready Hardware

Not long ago, 3-D homevideo seemed to be running full steam ahead. There was talk of 3-D hardware being available for the 2008 Christmas shopping season, and the format was all the rage at the Consumer Electronics Show in January. Indeed, you can walk into your Best Buy and buy a 3-D-capable TV, though it's unlikely to be labeled as such and even more unlikely the sales clerks know which TVs are 3-D-ready and which aren't.

The problem is that 3-D homevideo isn't "real" without 3-D Blu-ray players, and it seems unlikely 3-D-capable Blu-ray players will be in stores before 2011.

JVC, which is getting ready to roll out 3-D-ready TVs that are already causing a lot of buzz, has no plans to release a 3-D-capable player, says a spokesperson.

Sony, the company most responsible for the Blu-ray standard, "doesn't have any information to share at this time" about 3-D Blu-ray players, another spokesperson says.

At CES, Panasonic recently demo'd a complete 3-D system that includes a 3-D capable Blu-ray player of its own design, but other manufacturers are unlikely to get behind the system.

"It's a standards issue," says Wendy Aylsworth, engineering VP at the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE). "While any one proprietary method could get into the market and take over within a year, I don't think you'd get all the manufacturers and content creators to agree to pay money to that specific method."

According to Aylsworth, SMPTE is in the process of defining standards for the way studios master their content. By June, Aylsworth expects SMPTE to begin writing its content mastering standard for all methods of delivery, including Blu-ray. A published spec should be available by mid-2010.

Meanwhile, the Consumer Electronics Assn. (CEA) is developing standards for displaying in-home 3-D content. Its goal is to generate standards that will make the choice of display and 3-D technology irrelevant.

"You want to mix and match with the least amount of pain and make them independent of how the studios mastered the content and whether it got there through a Blu-ray disc or (another delivery system)," says Brian Markwalter, vice president of technology and standards at CEA.

Standards committees move slowly, however, says Chris Chinnock, president of Insight Media and a 3D@Home Consortium board member who adds that the Blu-ray Disc Assn. (BDA) "needs to pass some judgment on the ways we will accommodate 3-D on the Blu-ray platform."

But the BDA has yet to begin formulating its own 3-D standards for either players or discs, says BDA prexy Andy Parsons. "We are interested in studying the possibilities of joining together the best high-definition technology with 3-D applications to create a superior consumer home theater experience," Parsons says. "Compatibility and uniformity will be important considerations once we begin evaluating the various technologies."

And when will those evaluations begin? Parsons can't say.

In the meantime, though, Kerner Broadcasting is leapfrogging them. Kerner is partnering with AMG TV to launch a 3-D TV network and will offer an "enhancement" to convert existing HDTVs to 3-D for under $50, including glasses, and an add-on 3-D set-top box for cable and satellite subscribers -- before year's end.

By Robyn Weisman, Variety

4K Production Poses Challenges

While 3-D has been catching fire, another digital format has been mostly languishing: 4K. That is changing, as AMC Theaters has struck a deal to convert the entire chain -- more than 4,500 screens -- to 4K-capable Sony projectors. Faster computers and cheaper storage are making 4K more practical all the time, and now that there will actually be thousands of 4K screens, the format is a more viable option.

Film moving through a projector wobbles enough to slightly blur the image on the screen, and 2K d-cinema is just a bit sharper than 1080p HDTV. But 4K is different.

"4K digital projection is so sharp and so rock-steady you really see every detail," says Kim Libreri, visual effects supervisor at Industrial Light & Magic. "It doesn't look like movies you've seen in the past. It's got this hyper-real quality."

For now, the format requires some trade-offs. First, it means eschewing 3-D. Today's d-cinema projectors can't process data fast enough to show a left and right eye at 4K. Also, shooting options are limited. The Red camera can shoot in 4K, but most 4K capture happens on good old-fashioned film. Going back and forth from film to digital is slower and more expensive at 4K, whether it's scanning film for digital intermediate or digital visual effects, or printing out to film at the end of post.

Also, in digital intermediate, "We're color-correcting 2K proxies" (i.e., smaller versions of the huge 4K files), says Erik Rogers, senior DI producer at Company3 in Santa Monica. "You can't get real-time playback (in 4K)."

Digital vfx in 4K can be challenging, but some companies already work in that format part of the time. Sony is committed to 4K from cameras to projectors, and Sony Pictures Imageworks has long worked at higher resolution for many shots, even when it only needs to deliver in 2K.

SPI's chief technical officer Rob Bredow notes that, even so, only certain elements in a vfx shot have to be made at 4K -- "anything with a high degree of detail that's in focus, (like) leaves on a tree or a person's face."

Today, 4K is a way to future-proof content. Eventually, it's likely there will be projectors that show 3-D in full 4K resolution so audiences -- and distributors -- get the benefits of both.

"It's clear that things are going there," Bredow says. "The fact we're building 4K theaters speaks to the fact that there's a demand for that level of quality."

By David S. Cohen, Variety

Sony Agrees to Digital Conversion Fee

Sony has finalized its deal to pay the country's three largest circuits -- Regal, AMC Entertainment and Cinemark -- a "virtual" print fee in the effort to help the conversion to digital cinema. Sony's deal with the Digital Cinema Implementation Group, a consortium repping Regal, AMC and Cinemark, means that Warner Bros. is the odd man out. Every other major, as well as Lionsgate, has already signed its own agreement with DCIP.

DCIP intends to use the studio deals as collateral in securing a multimillion-dollar line of credit that theaters can use to pay for the cost of the conversion. Those efforts have been sidelined by the economic crisis.

A screen must first be converted to digital before it can be equipped with 3-D technology. Studios had wanted many more 3-D screens by now.

By Pamela McClintock, Variety

Keane on 3D

A special gig performed by rock band Keane for Sky and Vue Cinemas has established a new production landmark in 3D, writes George Jarrett. The gig was broadcast from Abbey Road Studios on April 2, and produced in stereoscopic 3D for Sky and Vue Cinemas, and anaglyph 3D for a well-planned webcast.

The enabling players were the production company Nineteen Fifteen headed by Vicki Betihavas, and the 3D technology outfit Inition, headed by MD, Andy Millns.

"What we had was a live HD multicamera shoot with a more complex set up because you are talking about a very fundamental change," Betihavas said.

"Mirror rigs are much heavier than single cameras, so it was like a television shoot with film practices," she added. "There are also certain bits of grip equipment you cannot work with, but at this point mirror rigs seem to be the best solution for what we are looking for in the way of nice close-up shots."

Asked what production sectors will adopt S3D first, Betihavas said: "All arts will embrace 3D because they lend themselves better than sports, not because sports are not good in 3D but because the fundamental way you cover a sports match is dictated by physical locations."

Talking about Keane's set, Betihavas explained: "We tried to keep it as natural as possible. It was actually more of a rehearsal set-up. It's been all to do with giving the fans something different."

Millns provided all the kit. "On the three (P+S Technik) mirror rigs we used Hitachi HVD 32 cameras, which are split block, and Zeiss Digi Primes," he explained. "We used synchronous, two-camera follow focus units, and on the crane rig we also had a motorised interactual between the cameras."

His crew also used Polecam and Steadicam units, each with Toshiba mini cams. Asked what was new and difficult, Millns said: "The motorisation is vital, especially when you have got a rig on the end of a crane. It is also good enough to pull during a shoot.

"Zooming at the moment, certainly for live transmission, is very challenging. This is partly to do with the lenses and the follow focus systems, but it's mostly to do with working live," he added.

The first thing to handle is the upside down image produced by the top camera. Inition's StereoBrain processor takes care of flipping images.

"It also does the multiplexing, so we have a live director's monitor and also a preview feed, so we can check any of the cameras on a 3D TV," explained Millns.

Asked about the live set he said: "It does have an impact, how the physical space is set up. Ideally, it wants to be a more confined space so you are not wasting any space in a gap."

Inition accommodated Sky very quickly. They worked together to create a post produced version of the gig, and Inition gave Sky its live feed via its Sensio encoding system. Sky provided Vue's trial feed. People at the gig watched on laptops via anaglyph glasses, or Sky's polarized option via RealD glasses.

Commenting for Sky, Gerry O'Sullivan, director of strategic product development, said: "What's brilliant is that so much happened with that content on one night. If the 3D skeptics had been at Abbey Road, they would be the ones saying: 'Yes, we can do this in a year or two'.

"The producers have to come on board. The manufacturers must flood the market with 3D sets. If we can get a good amount of content together, consumers will lap it up," he added.

Source: TVB Europe

SMPTE Releases 3D Report

SMPTE has released its task force report titled '3D To The Home', with a 3DTV standard to follow in the fourth quarter of 2010, writes George Jarrett. The report specifically concerns the standards needed for: "A 3D Home Master that would be distributed, after post production, to the ingest points of distribution channels." These outlets would be everything from mobile to cable, but not cinema, which has its own mastering process.

In effect, the home master will be an uncompressed and unencrypted image format or file package, but the task force and standardisation process is too slow according to Sky Chief Engineer, Chris Johns.

"It's about here and now, not in three years' time," he said. "However, the big question is: what will be the catalyst to make it happen?"

Sky has settled on its own STB as the scope of its first Stereo 3D playground, and has announced opera and ballet productions as well as sport and music, but its market ambitions do not clash too badly with SMPTE expectations. Its use of the Sky Box to deliver content might.

According to Wendy Aylsworth, SMPTE senior VP of technology and Warner Brothers' VP of engineering, "We could have the new generation capabilities in the home within three years.

"I don't think the economy is affecting efforts to create standards. Everything seems to be a go for manufacturers who are investing in 3D," she added. "I anticipate that 3D standards could be published in late 2010. That said, the economy could impact on overall sales of displays and players, and it could impact on the production of new 3D content, both of which might slow the uptake of this new digital format."

Aylsworth believes it will be impossible to convince consumers to purchase special second devices on which to watch only 3D content.

"We have to ensure that 2D content can play well on new 3D displays, and that 3D content will not make an old 2D display look bad," she said.

"There are many approaches for both problems, for a variety of different transports. The challenge is to a) design formats that can service both these issues over any transport, and b) design the transport solutions to hopefully be very similar across the various channels. Some transports, like optical disk, are easier to adopt than others like live terrestrial broadcast. Once one transport method makes it to market, the others will rapidly follow suit," she added.

The task force report offers a ton of helpful conceptual data, the full glossary the market has needed, and multiple application cases. What impact does Aylsworth expect from its launch at NAB?

"I just hope more people start thinking about how we provide consumers with a great quality experience," she said. "And how to achieve that through cohesive, interoperable standards across the many standards bodies that are necessarily involved. Quite a few organisations are liaising with SMPTE and are committed to implementing standards in their areas of expertise: ITU, DVB, ATSC, CEA, SCTE, etc. I am very encouraged by the level of engagement and coordination."

Asked about the chances of a rival technology getting into the home as de facto standard before SMPTE can implement its own one, she said: "There are plenty of short cuts, that would allow reasonable quality to reach the consumer sooner, but they may not stand the test of time - of being flexible and extensible.

"We need to have the core standards to be able to last many years without forcing consumers to frequently buy new equipment," Aylsworth added. "The logical way to do it is with packaged media."

Source: TB Europe

3ality Digital Launches '3DIQ' to Share Best Practices with Industry

3ality Digital announced the company will launch the entertainment industry's first professional training and certification program in the field of live-action digital 3D. 3ality Digital Image Quality (3DIQ) will elevate 3D offerings industry-wide by sharing unrivaled expertise in the creation and distribution of pixel-perfect live-action 3D entertainment.

3DIQ consists of a series of educational sessions that range from a general overview of the principles of 3D production to personal tutorials that provide hands-on experience in operating state-of-the-art camera, production and broadcasting systems. The program will be overseen by professionals who are at the forefront of the medium, having contributed to such groundbreaking 3ality Digital projects as the movie U2 3D, the first live 3D broadcast of an NFL game, the first live 3D sports broadcast available to consumers (the FedEx BCS Championship Game), and the first 3D commercial to air during Super Bowl halftime (Sobe's Lizard Lake).

Each training session generally lasts for one day; sessions that incorporate hands-on experience include field work. The 3DIQ curriculum also offers a five-day "master class" in stereography that can lead to certification as a 3D stereographer. Each certification requires achieving a passing score on the appropriate examination.

3DIQ training can lead to the following certifications: Certified 3D Director, Certified Stereographer, Certified 3D Technical Director, Certified 3D Camera Operator, Certified 3D Platform Technician, Certified 3D Broadcast Engineer, Certified 3D Production Engineer.

Each certification is valid for one year and may be renewed annually by re-taking, and passing, the certification exam. Periodic refresher courses will be offered to keep professionals abreast of this new technology's rapidly changing applications.

3DIQ certifications entitle the holder to operate 3DIQ-certified products, such as 3ality Digital's 3flex camera systems and Stereo Image Processor Advanced Functionality Packages (SIP AFP'S). 3ality Digital will list the names of certified professionals in a database on its website as a resource for firms who are seeking resources for 3D productions.

Source: PR Newswire

International Datacasting Corporation at NAB

International Datacasting will be showcasing the following at NAB 2009:
- Digital Cinema applications - Complete end-to-end solutions for the delivery of both file encoded (i.e. JPEG2000 DCP) movies as well as live 2D and 3D alternative content events for digital cinema and e-cinema applications. Key features include ultra high speed dual-tuner receivers, multiple layers of encryption/CAS for extra security, built-in "on the fly" forward error correction using IDC's flagship Datacast XD software and DVB-S2 8PSK or 16APSK delivery. IDC will be unveiling the latest addition to the Superflex Pro Cinema product line, the Pro Cinema Caching Server, a high capacity integrated caching server for digital movie file distribution.

- The SuperFlex Pro Cinema 3D Live Encoder and Decoder, with leading Sensio 3-D technology onboard, will be a highlight of the IDC booth. The Pro Cinema Live line of products expands the range of offerings for digital projector equipped cinemas by delivering high quality stable 3D live content at half the bandwidth of other approaches that have been tried before. The SuperFlex Pro Cinema 3D Live Encoder and Decoder supports both 2D and 3D live and pre-recorded events, which allows movie houses and other venues increased new revenue opportunities via alternative content programming.

- Expanded SFX Pro Video receivers - Developed specifically for professional video distribution applications, the SFX Pro Video line of DVB-S/S2 receivers feature hardware decoding of MPEG2 and MPEG4 AVC SD and HD video in a single 1 RU high 19-inch rack configuration complete with an integrated hard drive for drop and insert store and forward applications. The Pro Video line of receivers now include file playback capabilities as well as enhanced decoding of IP video input streams. The SFX Pro Video features a choice of IP, DVB-S or S2 satellite and ASI inputs and a multiple outputs that include IP, ASI, component video, HDMI and HD-SDI. Ideal for SD and HDTV broadcast as well as live digital and e-cinema applications.

- IDC will be showcasing the SFX Pro Video 4104, an extension of the core Pro Video product line. Already installed in networks around the world, the 4104 enables the distribution of both pre-recorded files and live events to be delivered on two separate carriers, which provides operational flexibility and reduced capital costs for theatre owners and operators.

Source: International Datacasting

AMG to Become First 3-D Network

The seeds of the nation's first 3-D broadcast network have been planted, repping a small step for television, but a giant leap for 3-D. Signet Intl. Holdings, a publicly traded company led by former NBC and PBS exec Tom Donaldson and boxing promoter Ernie Letiziano, is buying AMG TV, a modestly sized net that feeds syndicated programs to some 200 terrestrial station affiliates, some of them carrying programming only part of the day.

Simultaneously, Signet has pacted with Kerner Broadcast Corp. for exclusive use of Kerner's 3-D TV technology. Kerner, a spinoff from Lucasfilm's Industrial Light and Magic, is also taking an equity position in Signet.

"We fully plan to have, as soon as we can acquire the library, the first full-time 3-D network in the country," Donaldson told Daily Variety.

Donaldson said as part of the deal, the company expects to receive a capital infusion of around $14 million, to be used for personnel expansion, technical development and an advertising and PR campaign. Currrent set-top boxes for cable and satellite aren't equipped for 3-D, though many TVs already sold are technically 3-D ready.

To that end, Kerner plans to introduce two solutions: an add-on box for cable and satellite subscribers; and an "enhancement" that will turn any HD television into a 3-D TV for about $50, including the cost of glasses.

Yuska Siuicki, CEO of Kerner Broadcasting, said "on a one to 10 scale, it's a five" in terms of 3-D picture quality, but it would make home 3-D TV affordable and widely available for the first time.

To fill the sked, Kerner plans to convert existing programming to 3-D. AMG will also make its 3-D network available to other content providers that want to try 3-D but are not yet ready to upgrade their own systems. Companies known to be experimenting with 3-D broadcasting include ESPN, Fox Sports, 3ality Digital, the National Football League, the NBA and the NCAA. Japan's Nippon Broadcasting launched a limited schedule of 3-D programming over a satellite channel in 2008.

AMG claims 200 terrestrial affiliates in North America and Latin America, many of them in the exurbs of major markets, including WRNN in the Hudson Valley and KHIZ Victorville, Calif., which has carriage on some L.A. cable systems. Net is also on cable in the Caribbean and is negotiating for carriage in Europe. Donaldson said AMG is in "over 70 million homes."

The plan is for AMG to be broadcasting in 3-D several hours a day by year's end.

"We don't feel it's rocket science on the broadcast end," said Siuicki. "The rocket science is getting 3-D pictures into the household."

Kerner is the former practical f/x shop of Industrial Light & Magic. It was spun off by Lucasfilm with the proviso that it not compete with ILM in the digital visual effects field. Instead, its engineers have supplemented the f/x business with advanced electronics and 3-D technology. Their other efforts include 3-D camera rigs and advanced imaging software.

Terry Elaqua, prexy of AMG TV, said, "I think in the baby stages of this you'll see a series of specials" that would be released on the network and made available elsewhere.

By David S. Cohen, Variety

Silicon Imaging Digital Cinema Cameras go 3D

Silicon Imaging will unveil the world’s first integrated 3D cinema camera and stereo visualization system at NAB 2009. The SI-3D shoots uncompressed raw imagery from two synchronized cameras and encodes directly to a single stereo CineFormRAW QuickTime file, along with 3D LUT color and convergence metadata. The stereo file can to be instantly played back and edited in Full 3D on an Apple Final Cut timeline, without the need for proxy conversions.

Traditionally, 3D content was captured from two independent left and right cameras, each with its own settings, color controls, record start, timecode, content management and monitoring outputs. A variety of complex devices would be used to synchronize the recordings or combine the outputs for viewing. The content would then have to go through a tedious process of being ingested or converted to formats compatible with the editing or grading systems, matched up from the independent left and right sources, flipped if the shot was on a beam splitter and the timeline adjusted to have the first frame overlapped. A color grade could then be applied, convergence adjusted and finally a stereo image viewed for dailies playback.

"The SI-3D camera system streamlines the entire stereo-3D content acquisition and post production process;" states Ari Presler, CEO of Silicon Imaging. "Combining two cameras into a single control, processing and recording platform enables shooting and instant playback like a traditional 2D camera with the added tools needed on-set to analyze and adjust the lighting, color, flip orientation and stereo depth effects. In post, a unified stereo file plus associated metadata can be immediately graded for dailies, edited, and viewed in either 2D or 3D."

The SI-3D system uses two remote SI-2K Mini cameras with an P+S interchange lens mount connected to a single processing system via gigabit Ethernet where they are synchronized and controlled through the familiar SiliconDVR touchscreen interface. On-set, each camera can be viewed individually or in stereo mixed modes using modern 3D LCD and DLP displays. Various tools are used to visualize and adjust the focus, lighting and 3-D effects including alignment grid overlays, false color zebras, digital zooming, edge detection, spot meters, dual histograms, parallax shifts, anaglyph mixing and wiggle displays.

Unlike modern HD cameras, which develop and compress colorized imagery, the SI system captures raw "digital negatives" where they are non-destructively developed and colorized for preview using the cinematographer's desired "look" for the scene. This color metadata, along with stereo convergence, flip orientation from beam splitter rigs and alignment data are encoded into a single CineFormRAW QuickTime stereo file. These files can be edited directly in Apple Final Cut without the need for conversion or rendering. With the addition of CineForm’s Neo3D, convergence plus stereo or individual eye color adjustments can be dynamically controlled and modified, while viewing live 3D playback using side-by-side, over-under, or interlaced output modes.

The SI-3D system is also establishing new benchmarks in image quality and data rates with its ability to record dual-stream 12-bit uncompressed raw directly to mobile 2.5” SSD (Solid State Drives), with peak rates up to 200Mbytes/sec (1.6Gbit/sec). A 250 GB drive can store up to 1-hour of footage per camera. The resulting Silicon Imaging Video (.SIV) footage can be seamlessly viewed and graded directly in Iridas FrameCycler and Speedgrade XR with look and stereo metadata applied. The files can also be exported as a CinemaDNG sequences or converted to CineFormRAW 2D or 3D files, at a later time.

Source: Silicon Imaging

SMPTE to Kick Off 3DTV Effort in June

Stereoscopic 3-D content is taking a small step closer to the home TV. The Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers said it will define a single mastering standard for viewing on TVs, PCs and mobile phones stereo 3-D content that could come from optical disks, broadcast networks or the Internet.

Responding to a task force report released Monday (April 13), a SMPTE executive said the group will kick off a standards effort this summer with the aim of finishing the specs within a year. Other organizations including the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) are working on their own 3DTV standards in parallel with the SMPTE effort.

"It's probably somewhere around 2012 that there will be an interoperable standard available in consumer systems to handle all the delivery mechanisms for 3DTV," said Wendy Aylsworth, vice president of engineering for SMPTE and a chief technologist for Warner Brothers studios.

In its report, the SMPTE task force, launched in August, called for the group to define a so-called 3D Home Master. Studios or game publishers would deliver the master as source material for uses ranging from DVD and Blu-ray disks to terrestrial and satellite broadcasts and Internet downloadable or streaming files.

The 3D master will essentially define "high-level image formatting requirements that could impact 3DTV designs," said Aylsworth. "There may be some key items here that will affect hardware designs, but the larger bulk of [the 3DTV standards for hardware] probably will come from other organizations such as CEA," she added.

In late October, the Consumer Electronics Association said it started efforts to define 3DTV standards, beginning with an upgrade of the HDMI spec for carrying left and right eye images.

The SMPTE task force recommended a mastering standard based on 1920x1080 pixel resolution at 60 frames/second/eye. It said the spec should support an option for falling back to a 2-D image. It also said the standard should support hybrid products, such as Blu-ray disks that can support either 2D or stereo 3-D displays.

Extensibility will be key because stereo 3-D technology is still evolving, the group noted. Current displays "are essentially based on 2D display methods with some technology extensions to allow them to render two views (one for each eye) temporally or spatially interleaved. It seems reasonable to expect that future displays will be based on completely different technologies and principles," the report said.

The standard should also anticipate future distribution networks that offer greater bandwidth as well as the need to support more narrowband nets. The group said it is not clear how the standard should address the problem of data loss over a network or whether the spec should support a way to restrict content changes by some display devices.

Although many questions remain unanswered, Aylsworth took an upbeat tone on the task force report. "My hope is we can get something to the market soon and then we can improve it later," she said.

In a sign of the broad interest in 3DTV, more than 200 people from more than 90 companies participated in the task force. They included chip makers such as National Semiconductor and Texas Instruments, TV and broadcast manufacturers including Panasonic and Sony and studios such as Disney and Warner Brothers. Indeed, several TV makers gave demos of stereo 3-D sets at CES in January, and Panasonic called for the industry to set a 3DTV standard this year.

The SMPTE task force "was a good exercise in coalescing viewpoints on what this world could reasonably look like within a few years," she said. "It helped bring everyone on to a common page of what's reasonable to get this off the ground in a few years."

The report will be distributed for a nominal fee at the NAB conference next week and will be posted on the SMPTE Web site soon.

By Rick Merritt, EE Times

Doremi Introduces GHX‐3D

Doremi announced the introduction of its latest contribution in 3D technology with the new GHX‐3D product. This compact, 3D encoder/decoder enables 2D equipment to work with 3D content. This is a useful and timely innovation with the increasing popularity of theatrical and home video 3D content. The GHX‐3D is a simple, economic way for post houses to expand their 3D capabilities with existing playback hardware.

The GHX‐3D encodes 2 separate left and right eye streams into a single 2D stream that can be recorded on a standard 2D tape machine or video server. Then, the single encoded stream is fed into the GHX‐3D which will generate a 3D stream to feed a variety of 3D display devices. The 3D stream is generated in several ways including two separate SDI links (left eye and right eye), one SDI, HDMI or DVI stream using Side by Side, Checkerboard and other standard 3D formats.

Source: Doremi

P+S TECHNIK Launches Professional 3D Mirror Rig with Optional Motorization

The newly developed professional 3D Stereo Rig from P+S TECHNIK offers the possibility to create stereoscopic films without the limitations of side-by-side systems and to take the cameras and lenses you want. A sophisticated calibration mechanism for the mirror allows accurate and easy adjustment of two cameras – that saves valuable time on set. This 3D Stereo Rig masters all kinds of applications you are used to from 2D recording: Shoot on a tripod, on a crane or even on steadicam. At moment it supports SI-2K Mini Camera Head, RED One, Sony HDW-750, -790, Sony HDC X3000, Sony PMW-EX3, Digital SLR cameras like Canon EOS 5D as well as DigiPrime, UltraPrime, MasterPrime, Cook lenses and Linos lenses. A larger mirror box for very wide angle lenses is coming out soon.

The motorization offered in combination with the Cmotion lens control system allows to remote control all relevant adjustments of 3D Stereo Rig and cameras, e.g. making it possible to realise continuous and smooth changes of the interaxial and the angulation of cameras on air. P+S TECHNIK now offers the 3D Stereo Rig motorization in combination with the Cmotion lens control system.

To provide the information needed in order to shoot good 3D P+S TECHNIK cooperates with partners like 3D Consult and Inition conducting 3D workshops for DoPs and Stereographers.

Source: P+S TECHNIK

JVC to Debut 46-inch Professional 3D Display

Victor Company of Japan Ltd (JVC) will release the GD-463D10, a 46-inch three-dimensional (3D) liquid crystal display designed for business use. The display has a resolution of 1920 x 1080. With the use of polarizing filters, it reproduces 3D images that can be viewed by wearing a pair of dedicated circular polarization glasses. JVC reduced the thickness to 39mm at the thinnest part and 75mm at the thickest part (excluding the stand).

Initially, the product will be targeted for use in production and promotion of 3D movies and various events. But the company plans to expand the sales, targeting scientific, medical and educational applications, as well as simulations. The GD-463D10 employs the "Xpol polarizing filter method," which allocates right and left images respectively to the odd- and even-numbered lines and displays the images through polarizing filters that have properties inverse to each other.

To view 3D images, users need to wear a pair of dedicated circular polarization glasses that are lightweight and do not need batteries. The product comes with two pairs of glasses. It can reproduce 3D images with no flicker because it simultaneously displays the right and left images on the screen, JVC said.

The GD-463D10 supports the signal input by both the line-by-line and side-by-side methods. In the former method, video signals for the right and left eyes are alternately arranged in every other line. And, in the latter method, video signals for the right and left eyes are compressed to 1/2 only in the horizontal direction and arranged on the right and left sides. The display has three HDMI input ports and supports the 1080/24p, 1080/50p, 1080/60p, 1080/50i and 1080/60i video signals. 3D representation at 1080/50i and 1080/60i are only possible by signals compliant with the side-by-side method.

The GD-463D10 is slated for release in early July 2009. There is no manufacturer's suggested retail price. JVC plans to produce 2,000 units per year throughout the world. The company will exhibit the product at NAB Show 2009, which runs from April 18 to 23, 2009, in Las Vegas.

By Yousuke Ogasawara, Nikkei Electronics

'Aliens,' 'Fast' Big Overseas

The weekend of April 3-5 saw two titles -- Monsters vs. Aliens and Fast and Furious -- jump the $30 million mark at the international box office as kids flooded out of schools for spring break. Monsters vs. Aliens, from DreamWorks Animation and Paramount, grossed $33.5 million as it made its first major push abroad, playing in 7,467 runs in 47 territories.

The 3-D runs for Monsters turned in a disproportionate amount of the gross, indicating that moviegoers overseas are just as willing as Americans to pay a premium to see a 3-D title. In the U.K., Monsters opened No. 1, grossing $6.5 million from 643 locations. The per-location average for the 172 3-D locations was $17,000 -- compared to a per-location average of $7,000 for the 564 conventional runs. Per-location average was even more impressive for the seven Imax runs, clocking in at $43,285.

These stats were repeated in other territories, including Australia, where the per-location average for the 50 3-D locations was $20,000, vs. $7,000 for the 241 2-D runs. The two Imax locations enjoyed a per-location average of $48,500.

Domestically, Monsters' gross was $111.5 million through April 8 for a worldwide tally of $158.5 million. Paramount execs believe the pic will continue to benefit from kids being on spring vacation.

By Pamela McClinotock, Variety

Samsung SyncMaster 2233RZ

If you're interested in Nvidia's 3D Vision Kit and trying to decide which of the two available 120Hz LCD computer monitors to get, we recommend going with the $399 Samsung SyncMaster 2233RZ. Compared with the other 120Hz monitor, the ViewSonic FuHzion vx2265wm. The Samsung has better performance in movies and a useful onscreen display menu with many presets and contrast control. It also has a more pleasing aesthetic and better overall color reproduction. The Samsung 2233RZ performed better than our current 22-inch darling, the Gateway HD2201 did; however, the Samsung is priced about $200 more than the Gateway. Therefore, if you're looking for a 22-inch monitor with a low price and great performance, we still recommend the Gateway HD2201. That said, if you're looking to get your stereoscopic 3D gaming on, walk right past the ViewSonic FuHzion vx2265wm and go straight to the Samsung SyncMaster 2233RZ.

Click to watch the video

Design and features
Since the Samsung SyncMaster 2233RZ and the ViewSonic FuHzion vx2265wm are currently the only two computer monitors on the market compatible with Nvidia's 3D Vision Kit, it's only fitting that we directly compare them whenever possible.

Both the Samsung and ViewSonic include a DVI connection, but lack HDMI and VGA connections. Both are HDCP compatible, so HD content is viewable on them. The lone DVI port is easily accessible with no obstructions or awkward angles to get in the way. However, the Samsung's DVI port is tucked in more snugly, making it a bit of a pain to access. Each screen has an aspect ratio of 16:10 with a 1,680x1,050-pixel native resolution.

The SyncMaster 2233RZ and VX2265wm are two of the first consumer LCD computer monitors with a 120Hz refresh rate. Supported by a dual-link DVI cable, the 120Hz refresh rate ensures the displays' compatibility with the $199 Nvidia 3D Vision Kit stereoscopic 3D glasses. The glasses give 3D games added depth to the image. For example, when playing Unreal Tournament 3, your map and menu items look like stickers, stuck to the screen and the rest of the graphics--characters, vehicles--look much farther away.

Manufacturer's specifications:
Resolution: 1,680x1,050 pixels
Pixel-response rate: 3ms
Contrast ratio: 1,000:1
Brightness: 300 cd/m2
Connectivity: DVI
HDCP compliant: Yes
Included video cables: DVI-D Dual link

Performance
We tested the Samsung SyncMaster 2233RZ with its DVI connection. The display posted a composite score of 89 on CNET Labs' DisplayMate-based performance tests, besting both the 22-inch Gateway HD2201's 86 and the ViewSonic FuHzion vx2265wm's 85. I expected the 2233RZ to test similarly to the vx2265wm and it mostly did; however, there were a few key places it beat the vx2265wm. Overall color reproduction was more impressive on the Samsung with our Low Saturation Color test acting as a prime example. Low Saturation Color tests the LCD's tendency to oversaturate the grayscale (a bad thing) when producing a bright white image. The Samsung scored well in this test; the ViewSonic did not. When the grayscale is oversaturated, colors appear washed out and we saw this manifest itself while watching War of The Worlds on DVD. The movie, when played on the 2233RZ, had accurate colors and a deeper black level. In comparison, the same scenes looked washed out with a yellowish tint on the vx2265wm. This difference is because of our capability to customize the 2233RZ's picture beyond simply adjusting the brightness, which is all the VX2265 offers. We found that the Movie preset and Dynamic Contrast preset worked best for movie watching. With Dynamic Contrast on, we only noticed the screen darkening on scenes where the screen is 90 percent black or more, such as the end credits and during fade to blacks. We found the Samsung's overall movie watching picture quality to be even better than the Gateway HD2201, one of our best-performing 22-inch displays.

The 1080p Blu-ray version of House of Flying Daggers saw many of the same full colors and deep blacks that we saw on the War of the Worlds DVD. It's not going to rock anyone's world, but for a 22-inch, 16:10 computer monitor, we were impressed.

The Samsung SyncMaster 2233RZ posted a brightness score of 280 candelas per square meters, according to our test, which is somewhat lower than the 300 cd/m2 maximum claimed by Samsung display. This score is lower than both the Gateway HD2201's 289 cd/m2 brightness and the VX2265wm's 266 cd/m2 brightness ratings as well. Our tested contrast rating for the 2233RZ actually exceeded Samsung's 1,000:1 claim by scoring 1,024:1, slightly lower than the vx2265wm's 1,057:1 tested contrast ratio. Bear in mind that the methodology used by most vendors for determining contrast ratio is unknown; however, you can read about CNET Labs' methodology here.

We tried out Crysis on the 2233RZ and while our testbed cannot come close to the hardware requirements the game demands to run with all the prettifying graphic features turned on, we liked what we saw. With a 3ms response time, there was no evidence of streaking and ghosting. Colors looked accurate and the Game preset worked appropriately. The ViewSonic also ran Crysis well, with slightly more washed out textures. Unfortunately, viewing the game from a lower-than-optimal viewing angle made the screen darken to the point that we couldn't see graphic details of the game--typical of most TN panels and has nothing to do with the game's performance.

When we played movies at 120Hz refresh rate--be they DVD or Blu-ray--we did not notice a difference from playing them in 60Hz. For the 2233RZ and the VX2265wm, there is no advantage to playing movies at 120Hz when connected to a computer. We did not test either with a stand-alone DVD or Blu-ray player. With games, we did see some difference. In Unreal Tournament 3, when we panned our viewpoint back and forth very quickly in 60Hz mode, we noticed that the wall textures were blurry compared with if we did the same in 120Hz mode where the textures remained clear.

The optimal viewing angle for a monitor is usually directly in front, about a quarter of the screen's distance down from the top. At this angle, you're viewing the colors and gamma correction as they were intended. Most monitors are not made to be viewed at any other angle. Depending on its panel type, picture quality at nonoptimal angles varies. Most monitors use TN panels, which get overly bright or overly dark in parts of the screen when viewed from nonoptimal angles. The Samsung SyncMaster 2233RZ uses a TN panel, and when it is viewed from the sides or bottom, the screen appeared to darken only a couple inches off from optimal. Of course, when viewed from the optimal angle, we had no problems.

Service and support
Samsung backs the SyncMaster 2233RZ with a three-year parts-and-labor warranty that covers the backlight. It also offers support through a 24-7 toll-free number, as well as 24- to 48-hour turnaround e-mail and Web chat support. Currently, documentation and support software are not available for the 2233RZ on Samsung's Web site.

Product summary
The good: The Samsung SyncMaster 2233RZ offers great movies and games performance, and has a useful onscreen display. The monitor is aesthetically pleasing and is compatible with Nvidia's 3D Vision Kit. We saw cleaner textures in fast moving games in the 120Hz mode.

The bad: The Samsung SyncMaster 2233RZ is expensive for what it offers. Only supports DVI. There's no screen height adjustment, rotation, or pivoting.

The bottom line: The Samsung SyncMaster 2233RZ is the best choice for 120Hz 3D stereoscopic gaming on the PC, with great movie playback to boot. For all other needs, there are cheaper alternatives.

By Eric Franklin and Bonnie Cha, CNET Reviews

Nvidia Geforce 3D Vision Kit

The Nvidia 3D Vision Kit brings a unique 3D video game experience to your computer and is available from Nvidia for $199. The visual effect it produces in games is a fun gimmick, however, in some cases the 3D effect is more distracting than entertaining. We wouldn't recommend the kit to hardcore gamers who value playability over anything else. However, casual gamers may want to try it, provided they can swallow the relatively high price. When it works, the kit's 3D effect is very convincing. For us though, it just didn't work consistently enough to justify its price or warrant a stronger recommendation.

Click to watch the video

Design, setup, and features
The Nvidia 3D Vision Kit comes with Nvidia's Stereoscopic 3D glasses, a pyramid-shaped IR emitter, two USB cables, a DVI-to-HDMI cable, a quick start guide, a VESA three-pin stereo cable, two extra nose pieces, storage pouch, cleaning cloth, software and drivers, and a demo disc.

The glasses look like normal sunglasses you'd find on someone who doesn't pay much attention to the latest fashion trends. They have a sort of '90s fashion look to them. The frame of the glasses is a glossy black that, like its lenses, retain fingerprints very easily. The glasses fit comfortably on an average-size head. With prescription glasses on, the 3D Vision glasses are slightly less comfortable as they put downward pressure on the nose. Nvidia includes three different sizes of rubber nosepieces. Switching to a different nosepiece may alleviate some of the pressure.



On the right arm of the glasses, about midway between the lens and the tip, is a USB port used to charge them. On the top side of the left arm is a light-emitting diode and a power button. The LED indicates how much power is left in the glasses, it glows green when there's enough juice to function, red when the battery is running low, and clear with a dead battery. At full charge, the glasses should work for several hours of constant use and can be recharged by connecting them to a computer using the included USB cable.

The IR Emitter measures about 2 inches by 2 inches and is meant to be placed on or near your computer monitor. On the front of the emitter is the power button, illuminated by a backlit green LED. On the back is a USB port for connecting it to a computer and a VESA stereo input for connecting to DLP HDTVs.



The kit requires Windows Vista and either an Nvidia GeForce 8800, 9600, or later card or a GeForce GTX 200 series card. Check out the full requirements here. Right now, there are only two LCD computer monitors available that are compatible with the kit: the ViewSonic FuHzion VX2265wm and the Samsung SyncMaster 2233RZ.

The software setup wizard performs a few eye tests to determine if your hardware setup is compatible and that you have the correct drivers installed. After about five minutes--if you pass--you're good to go.

Performance
When playing a 3D Vision-compatible game with the glasses on, 2D screens take on a subtle perceived depth. For example, when playing Unreal Tournament 3, your map and menu items look as though they are stickers, stuck to the screen and the rest of the graphics--characters, vehicles--look much farther away.

If you hold an object in the real world close enough to your eyes so that you get a double vision of the object, you can start to understand how this technology works. Increasing the depth via the slider on the back of the IR emitter simulates that same effect you get when holding that object close to your eyes. The glasses then simulate what happens when you alternate closing each eye while still looking at the close object. Basically, with one eye closed you no longer see double, but each eye gives you a different perspective on the object. Now, imagine alternating the closing and opening of each eye, very quickly. This is what the glasses do, they rapidly darkening each lens, alternating back and forth, to give your eyes the impression of one amalgamated perspective, producing the stereoscopic 3D effect, in theory.

We tested the Nvidia 3D Vision Kit on a PC with an Asus ENGeForce 9600GT and an EVGA GeForce GTX280 with following three games: Unreal Tournament 3, World of Warcraft, and Bioshock. Nvidia gauged how well each of these works with the 3D Vision kit as follows:

Unreal Tournament 3: Excellent
World of Warcraft: Excellent
Bioshock: Good

When running a game in 3D Vision mode, you'll see a diagnostic of that particular game's compatibility with 3D Vision and short tips on how to improve it in the lower right hand corner. For example, for Unreal Tournament 3 it says "Rating: Excellent, Incorrect 3D object placement, World Detail needs to be set to 3 or lower." This information can be toggled off with a ctrl-alt-insert key combination.

When playing Unreal Tournament 3, we noticed that if far away identical objects are symmetrically aligned horizontally multiple times (like with the top of a long fence), ghosting of that object (where we see a less detailed "reflection" of the object) was apparent. Turning the depth to its highest, Unreal Tournament 3 was still playable and the 3D was applied with great effect to the text on the screen, our current weapon, and our heads up display. At times, when it came time to kill far away enemies, we found it was more difficult to focus on them with the 3D effect on. As we placed our crosshairs over the target, the character's name would appear over them and our eyes would have to refocus, throwing off our aim. Decreasing the depth improved matters, but even when turned as low as it could go, it was not as natural as turning it off completely and we never got accustomed to it.

In World of Warcraft, we gradually needed to increase the depth while focusing on one area of the screen. If we did this too fast, our eyes could not adjust properly. Once took the slider to its max, the screen looked fine. That is until we moved our character or lost focus, which resulted in ghosting all over the screen.

When we adjusted the slider to its lowest, the game was playable and had a subtle 3D effect. If we increased the depth to anything greater than 3 ticks (the lowest setting), we couldn't determine if any of our character cooldowns (timers for certain abilities) were available. This proved frustrating and would be an unacceptable trade off for serious WoWers. Also, World of Warcraft's 2D loading screens are not compatible with the glasses and proved to be very jarring transitions when they popped up.

Bioshock is rated as "good" by Nvidia, but it turned out to be the most playable of the three games we tested. We noticed some ghosting on close-range objects, but our eyes didn't constantly have to refocus as they had to in other games. Still, anything above one-third of max depth and our eyes would feel heavier strain, and fast movements were hard for our eyes to track.

We didn't notice a difference in the quality of the 3D effect with the Samsung SyncMaster 2233RZ and the ViewSonic Fuhzion 2265wm. The picture quality of the Samsung is more impressive though, so it gets our recommendation as the monitor of choice if you're planning to buy the Kit.

During three days of periodic testing, the battery of the glasses never died. Even when we left it idle and uncharged over the weekend, it was able to sleep and was ready for more testing Monday morning. Overall, our experience depended heavily on the amount of depth we chose with the IR emitter's slider. Adjusting the slider produced a dial on the bottom of the screen that allowed us easily to gauge our depth. Whenever we changed the depth on the emitter, it took our eyes a few seconds to adjust to the new setting. With the depth turned high, our eyes needed to adjust constantly. It helped if we focused our eyes on one object, but with a fast moving action game, this is nearly impossible. Through all the games over three days of play, we could not get over the "pull" our eyes felt from playing with the glasses on. The constant focusing and refocusing required was just too much strain to be worth playing this way all the time. While the 3D effect is well done and in certain cases, really enhancing our immersion into a scene, it's just too much for our eyes to bear over a long period and in some cases, compromised the playability of the game.

Service and support
Nvidia backs the 3D Vision Kit with a one-year parts and technical failures warranty. For registered users, the company offers toll free phone support Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. PT. It offers a 24-7 knowledgebase on its Web site, and support through e-mail. Drivers for the Kit are easily found on Nvidia's Web site.

Product summary
The good: The Nvidia 3D Vision Kit supports virtually all 3D games, is simple and easy to setup, and the 3D effect looks great when it works properly.

The bad: The Nvidia 3D Vision Kit is expensive ($200) for how gimmicky it is. Also, turning up the depth in some games lowers their playability and it's currently only supported by two LCD computer monitors and requires Windows Vista. Also, it causes eyestrain after prolonged use.

The bottom line: Though casual gamers will be satisfied by the Nvidia 3D Vision Kit's 3D gimmick, the unacceptable compromise to playability of some titles means hardcore gamers should steer clear.

By Eric Franklin and Donald Bell, CNET Reviews

The War of the 3D Glasses

The financial potential of 3D films is one of the major arguments for speeding up movie theatres’ transition to digital projection. However, tensions are growing between distributors and exhibitors over the division of rental costs for the special viewing glasses provided to cinemagoers.

Paramount’s French distribution arm sparked an outcry this week with the release of Monsters vs Aliens, by demanding a €3 increase in admission prices for 3D screenings. Deeming that the increase in admission prices (50% of which the distributor recovers, excluding VAT) should not exceed €1-2 in order to remain attractive to viewers, the CGR and Kinepolis networks, as well as several independent theatres, refused this ultimatum and decided to release the film in just 2D digital. In total, the film has only been released in 3D in 44 of the 80 specially-equipped cinemas in France.

The crux of the debate is whether exhibitors can recoup the rental costs for the 3D glasses, which is estimated at €1.2 per screening. For the release of Bolt in early February, Disney’s distribution arm opted for a more conciliatory strategy, requesting a €1-2 increase in admission prices and reimbursing the exhibitor €0.60 per rented pair of glasses.

The current average admission price in French cinemas is €5.95. In 2008, the number of digitally-equipped theatres rose from 54 to 252 (including 144 for CGR and 33 for Kinepolis). Meanwhile, the number of films released in digital format increased from 30 to 50 (including 35 via the distribution arms of US Majors, ten via distributors connected to TV networks and five by independent distributors).

By Fabien Lemercier, Cineuropa

GDC Technology first to complete integration of RealD’s 3D EQ

GDC Technology (GDC), a world leading digital cinema solution provider, and RealD, the global leader in 3D cinema technology, are pleased to announce the completion of integration of RealD’s 3D EQ (aka ‘ghostbuster’) technology in GDC’s line of SA-2100 digital cinema servers.

RealD’s 3D EQ technology augments the separation of the left and right eye images, providing the best 3D visual experience. In the past, this unique process was incorporated into the master print by the studios; GDC’s new server incorporates 3D EQ technology into the digital cinema server and therefore abridges the distribution process without sacrificing the optimal 3D visual experience.

GDC licensed RealD’s 3D EQ in January 2009 and completed the integration of RealD’s proprietary 3D EQ technology into GDC’s SA-2100 digital cinema server in less than 3 months. GDC’s servers were also validated by RealD’s laboratory ensuring a single 3D DCP format can be used without making a different DCP for RealD’s 3D equipped cinemas for optimal 3D visual experience.

GDC has decided that all existing GDC SA-2100 line of servers will get RealD’s 3D EQ feature in the next software upgrade, and servers shipped from May 1st 2009 will have this feature built-in. It is expected that GDC’s server with 3D EQ will significantly save the movie distributors millions of dollars by adopting DCI requirement of a single 3D DCP format for digital cinema distribution.

Source: GDC Technology