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Broadcast Engineering on 3-D
Archive for January, 2011
by Michael Grotticelli January 24th, 2011
 Element Technica Pulsar beam-splitter rigs were outfitted with a pair of Sony HDC-P1 HD cameras and mounted on lightweight broadcast jib arms, Steadicams and used by handheld camera operators. Pittsburgh-based NEP Supershooters sent its SS9 mobile production truck to help the Golf Channel broadcast live 3-D coverage of the recent Sony Open from Waialae Country Club in Oahu, HI. A full 16 hours of the two-day event was carried in 3-D by participating Comcast, Cox Cable, Time Warner Cable, DIRECTV and other service providers Jan. 15 and 16.
The Sony Open was the first PGA Tour co-sponsored event televised live in 3-D; although, last year’s Masters Tournament, also sponsored by Sony, was broadcast in 3-D as well.
The production served as a real-world test bed for a variety of Sony 3-D HD production technology as the Golf Channel presented stunning 3-D views from the third and fourth holes as well as holes 17 and 18. The Golf Channel also provided HD (1080i) coverage of all four rounds of the tournament, using many of the same Sony HD cameras. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: 3-D, beamsplitter, cameras, Element Technica, golf, Golf Channel, MVS-8000G, NEP Supershooters, Pace, production switchers, rigs, signal processing, Sony, Sony Open, views
Related Topics: Acquisition, Application, Broadcast, News, Post Production |
by Michael Grotticelli January 23rd, 2011
 The submission deadline for technical paper abstracts is Feb. 28 for the SMPTE’s second International Conference on Stereoscopic 3-D for Entertainment and Media in June. The Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE) will hold its second International Conference on Stereoscopic 3-D for Entertainment and Media June 21-22 in New York City.
Conference registration opens Feb. 15, and the SMPTE is now accepting scientific, academic and technical papers for the 3-D event. Abstracts must be received no later than Feb. 28.
Interested parties are invited to submit a one-page abstract (no more than 150 words) including topic heading, paper title, delivery method (presentation, video clip, demonstration), a brief description of the proposed paper’s content, name of author/presenter, company, mailing address and telephone/fax number. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: 3-D, conference, SMPTE, Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers, stereoscopic
Related Topics: Broadcast, Film, News |
by Michael Grotticelli January 22nd, 2011
Prime Focus, of Chandigarh, India, has opened a 50,000sq-ft studio facility for 2-D-to-3-D conversion of feature films and other content. The company said it would create jobs for more than 3000 people.
Prime Focus, one of the world’s largest visual entertainment services groups, now operates 10 feature film production facilities in India, with studios in Hyderabad, Bangalore, Chennai, Goa and Mumbai, in addition to international facilities in London, Los Angeles, New York, Vancouver and Winnipeg. The new 50,000sq-ft facility, which opened Dec. 25, will use Prime Focus’ global digital pipeline that connects India to North America and the UK. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: 3-D, Chandigarh, conversion, facility, India, Prime Focus
Related Topics: Acquisition, Application, Film, Infrastructure, News, Post Production |
by Michael Grotticelli January 21st, 2011
 The American Optometric Association said 3-D viewing for children might help uncover subtle disorders that, left uncorrected, often result in learning difficulties. The debate over whether viewing 3-D entertainment can be harmful to your health continues to vex consumers of all ages, and it doesn’t help that there seems to be an endless wave of conflicting claims regarding the “truth.”
Following Nintendo’s warning to small children to avoid viewing its 3-D games, the American Optometric Association (AOA), representing U.S. optometrists, said 3-D viewing of movies, TV and even on Nintendo’s 3DS game console isn’t necessarily bad for adults or children.
In fact, the optometrists group said 3-D viewing for children might actually help uncover subtle disorders that, left uncorrected, often result in learning difficulties. In this context, it is not enough to have 20/20 visual acuity. Eye muscles must be coordinated well enough to experience single, clear and comfortable vision by maintaining alignment of both eyes. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: 3DS, American Optometric Association, children, Nintendo, video games, viewing
Related Topics: Application, News |
by Michael Grotticelli January 19th, 2011
 At the 2011 International CES, Toshiba showed a 65in HDTV as well as a few portable Blu-ray players and a laptop, none of which require viewers to wear special glasses. After a disappointing holiday season for 3-D TV sales, manufacturers were back at the recent CES in Las Vegas trying again. A big focus this year was getting rid of the 3-D glasses, one of the most unpopular aspects of current 3-D home systems. Another trend was a switch to less expensive passive 3-D glasses, enabling consumers to afford more than two sets of glasses to entertain their friends (another major hurdle to widespread adoption).
Called autostereoscopic TVs, glasses-free 3-D sets have become something of a holy grail for the industry, but the transition is not easy. A 3-D image depends on human eyes seeing two slightly different images. The easiest way to do this is to wear a set of glasses that can use the lenses to change or filter the image slightly. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: 3-D, CES, Film Pattern Retarder, iPont, Panasonic, Sony, Toshiba, TV sets
Related Topics: Application, Broadcast, Products |
by Michael Grotticelli January 11th, 2011
 ESPN continues to lead the industry in live 3-D sports production. In early 2010, ESPN launched its 3-D network, promising to air nearly 100 events in its first year. At the International CES, the network said that its ESPN 3D channel would now include content 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Beginning Feb. 14, the network will show replays of previously televised ESPN 3D events when the network is not showing a live event. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: BCS National Championship game, Broadcast, CES, Disney, ESPN 3D, live, networks, production
Related Topics: Acquisition, Application, Broadcast, News |
by Michael Grotticelli January 10th, 2011
 Over the recent holiday season, 3-D TV just didn’t sell — anywhere. Remember a year ago at CES 2010? The new “big thing” then was 3-D TV, and it was hyped everywhere. Manufacturers jumped onboard with 3-D hardware for the home, while programmers announced extensive plans for 3-D programming.
Now, with the CES 2011 conference behind us, it appears that the 3-D hype has dramatically subsided. The technology won’t disappear, but it will not get the same marketing emphasis as before. In American homes, at least, the industry now knows that 3-D TV will be a long, hard slog for years to come. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: 3DTV, Best Buy, CES, holiday season, sales, Sony
Related Topics: Acquisition, Application, Broadcast, Film, News, Products, Professional video |
by Michael Grotticelli January 8th, 2011
LG, the consumer electronics maker that has previously shown prototype mobile DTV chip technology (in cell phones and portable media players) to receive broadcasters’ proposed wireless video service, has introduced a compact, 3-D mobile TV at CES in Las Vegas. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: 3DTV, CES, FLO TV, LG Electronics, LG2161R, Mobile, Qualcomm, video
Related Topics: Application, Broadcast, Products |
by Michael Grotticelli January 7th, 2011
 Nintendo cited experts who said that both 3-D cinema and TV viewing could negatively affect the eye development of young children. Nintendo, the Japanese maker of video gaming devices, has issued a health warning concerning the 3-D function of its new DS gaming console, recommending children aged 6 and younger not play with it to prevent damage to their eyes.
The game maker not only included its own product, but also cited experts who said both 3-D cinema and TV viewing can affect the eye development of young children.
“We will offer 2-Ds alone to children aged 6 and younger as continuing to watch 3-D images for a long time could negatively affect the development of their eyes,” Nintendo warned on its website in advance of a user trial in Japan. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: 3-D, 3DS, children, health warning, Nintendo, platform, video games, viewing
Related Topics: Application, News, Products |
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Michael Grotticelli is writer and editor of Broadcast Engineering’s “Beyond the Headlines” and “Sports Technology Update” e-newsletters. Each week, he provides a fresh perspective on the latest in 3-D technologies and innovations as well as report on real-world applications of 3-D in the broadcast, professional video and film industries.
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