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Broadcast Engineering on 3-D
Archive for the ‘Application’ Category
by Michael Grotticelli May 10th, 2011
 The new Sony MVS-7000X can be configured with one to six M/E channels. A variety of new 3-D cameras garnered attention at the recent NAB Show in Las Vegas, but there were an equal number of new products to support 3-D production and post. Here are a few highlights.
Sony said it had taken what it learned at the Masters, World Cup and other events over the past year and integrated that knowledge into its product development. As a result, the company showed new 3-D switchers, monitors, processors and conversion technology. The company introduced the Sony MVS-7000X switcher with enhanced 3-D functionality. The new switcher, available this summer, supports native 3Gb/s production and leverages many of the features from the higher-end MVS-8000X. It can be configured with one to six M/E channels, with split M/E capability, and, depending on the configuration, it can scale up to eight keyers per M/E with a 2.5D resizer for each keyer. Users can add up to four channels of internal effects, and the switcher can be configured with up to 80 inputs and 48 inputs in 8RU. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Codex Digital, FOR-A, Panasonic, production switchers, signal processing, Sony
Related Topics: Application, Broadcast, News, Post Production, Products, Professional video |
by Michael Grotticelli May 10th, 2011
 Ferdinand Kayser, president and CEO of SES ASTRA, said he’s confident that 3-D will soon establish itself as a “premium layer of television.” Digital+, the Spanish multichannel operator, has launched a free-to-air 3-D demo channel on SES ASTRA, increasing the total number of 3-D channels handled by the direct-to-home satellite system to eight.
At the forefront of 3-D broadcasting in Spain, Digital+ has launched the new 3-D channel to help installers and retailers showcase 3-D TV at the point of sale. The channel will feature high-quality 3-D features film clips and concert clips during daytime hours (when stores are open for business).
In addition to the new channel, other providers of stereoscopic TV channels on SES ASTRA include BSkyB in the UK, Canal+ in France, Sky in Germany, Viasat in Scandinavia, Brava 3D and Penthouse 3D. SES ASTRA also has its own 3-D demo channel.
“In view of the fast ramp-up of 3-D channels together with accelerating 3-D TV screen sales, we are confident that 3-D will soon establish itself as a premium layer of television,” said Ferdinand Kayser, president and CEO of SES ASTRA. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: 3-D, demo channel, digital, Europe, networks, satellite, SES ASTRA, Spain
Related Topics: Application, Broadcast, News |
by Michael Grotticelli May 10th, 2011
 Earlier this year, CableLabs, the nonprofit R&D consortium for cable TV operators, published a new specification for formatting, or “panelizing,” 3-D content into a frame-compatible format for use by cable TV systems in the United States. The spec, which is now being used across the industry, is designed to serve as a guide for producers, programmers and aggregators of stereoscopic 3-D programming so their programs are delivered properly and the end result is a pleasing viewing experience for the consumer. This specification, called Content Encoding Profiles 3.0 Specification (OC-SP-CEP3.0-I01-100827), can be found on the CableLabs website under “OpenCable specifications.” Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: 3-D, CableLabs, delivery, encoding, specification
Related Topics: Application, Broadcast, Film, Post Production, Professional video |
by Michael Grotticelli April 26th, 2011
 At the 2011 NAB Show, a UTAH-400 digital router switched multiple 2-D (HD) and 3-D picture sources, which were then mixed by a specially configured Utah Scientific MC-2020 master control switcher in the booth. Italian company Sisvel Technology, with the technical support of Utah Scientific, demonstrated a new method for 3-D broadcasting that’s compatible with existing 2-D TV displays, enabling 3-D and 2-D viewing from a single broadcast stream. The company said its 3D Tile Format avoids the drawbacks of current frame-packing techniques, including reduced image quality and incompatibility with 2-D sets.
The demonstration, using a UTAH-400 digital router switching multiple 3-D and 2-D picture sources, was based on Sisvel Technology’s 3D Tile Format, a new frame-slicing technique for formatting stereoscopic images that transmits two 720p frames within a single 1080p frame. The reconstructed right and left images maintain full 720p spatial and temporal resolution, giving viewers of both versions the full benefit of the original picture. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: 2-D, 3-D, 3D Tile Format, backwards compatible, routers, Sisvel Technology, transmission system, Utah Scientific
Related Topics: Application, Broadcast, Infrastructure, News, Products |
by Michael Grotticelli April 26th, 2011
 Bexel and 3ality helped set up and capture the half-court basketball showcase between the Central and South Halls, which was transmitted to the 3D Fusion booth on the show floor. New York City-based 3D Fusion used a live basketball game outside of the Las Vegas Convention Center during the NAB Show to demonstrate its new 3DFMax autosteroscopic transmission system, which allows viewers to watch live 3-D images without special glasses. The 3-D platform, which is designed to mimic the way the eye sees, addresses the entire production chain, from live camera capture and control room engineering to viewer display. The company also makes a 3DFMax system that requires 3-D glasses. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: 3-D, 3Ality Digital, 3D Fusion, 3DFMax, autostereoscopic, Bexel, glasses-free, live demos, transmission
Related Topics: Acquisition, Application, Broadcast, News |
by Michael Grotticelli April 26th, 2011
 At the 2011 NAB Show, James Cameron and Vince Pace stressed the importance of a streamlined 3-D production process more like that of standard 2-D. James Cameron, the director of “Avatar,” and 3-D production guru Vince Pace have formed a new company, the Cameron-Pace Group, to help TV broadcasters produce programming in 3-D.
“Our goal,” Cameron said at the show, “is to banish all the perceived and actual barriers to entry that are currently holding back producers, studios and networks from embracing the 3-D future.”
Cameron and Pace have already contributed technologies, products and services that were used in movies that produced $4.7 billion in box office receipts and have played an extensive role in 25 features, seven concerts and 40 sports productions. They have provided few details of their business plans, but they stressed the importance of a streamlined 3-D production process more like that of standard 2-D. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: 3-D Production, Cameron-Pace Group, consultants, James Cameron, new company, Vince Pace
Related Topics: Application, Broadcast, Film, News |
by Michael Grotticelli April 26th, 2011
 The PMW-TD300 3-D camcorder features a twin optical lens equipped with three half-inch CMOS Exmor sensors for each eye view. It was another year for new 3-D cameras at the NAB Show as major video manufacturers tackle the production issues and high costs that have been plaguing producers of 3-D content for TV and motion pictures. Counting those introduced last year, there are now literally dozens of options to choose from.
The industry as a whole is clamoring for operator-friendly, light and single-body production equipment that can replicate the 2-D HD production experience, and there was clear evidence this year that vendors understand the requirements and are working to make cost-effective production a reality. Here are a few notable cameras that were presented at this year’s show. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: 3D, cameras, FOR-A, JVC, Medusa, Panasonic, production, Sony
Related Topics: Acquisition, Application, Broadcast, Film, Products, Professional video |
by Michael Grotticelli April 11th, 2011
 Users can view stereoscopic 3-D content on the new EVO smartphone without wearing glasses and send content from the phone to a 3-D-capable TV through an HDMI port. Not confined to the TV, 3-D technology continues to show up in everyday devices, illustrating the technology’s application in virtually any situation where video is displayed. Among the latest innovations, Sprint and HTC have introduced a 3-D smartphone and a 7in tablet that will both run over Sprint’s 4G WiMax network.
At the recent International CTIA Wireless conference, Sprint CEO Dan Hesse said the HTC EVO 3D smartphone and the HTC EVO View tablet will both be available sometime this summer. He also said that the two new products bring Sprint’s lineup of WiMax-capable devices to 22 products.
Sprint and HTC introduced the first WiMax smartphone, the HTC EVO 4G, a year ago. That phone, which started shipping in June, has been Sprint’s most successful smartphone, Hesse said. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: 3-D, 4G, Dan Hesse, display, HTC, smartphones, Sprint, tablets, WiMax network
Related Topics: Application, News, Products |
by Michael Grotticelli April 10th, 2011
 Element Technica’s Pulsar is engineered to stereoscopically mount midsized and box-style digital cameras. Gregg Katano and Ajay Relan, the creative team behind Hi-Ground Media, and producer/director Wayne Miller, of Action 3D Productions, used the Pulsar 3-D camera rig from Element Technica to capture “Red Bull Rampage 3D: The Evolution.” Shot in Virgin, UT, the project captures the story of five top riders from around the world, competing at the world’s most extreme freestyle mountain biking event.
“The location was in the rugged, dusty mountains of Virgin, UT, in close proximity to Zion Park,” said Katano, executive producer and Hi-Ground founder. “The ride began at about 6000ft, and the rugged, rocky terrain required us to move cameras/rigs into position each day via SUVs and manpower.” Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: 3-D, camera rig, Element Technica, Hi-Ground Media, Pulsar, Red Bull Rampage
Related Topics: Acquisition, Application, Film, News, Post Production |
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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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