Category Archives: Advices

A source for information from the Societies and consultants…

Consultants

2012: The DCinema Year of…

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Barco has brought a somewhat mainstream 3D audio system into the market after years of Iosonno and immsound plowing the ground. Building on Dolby’s work to fill the void in large stadium-seating auditorium venues, this Auro-3D system seems to have some momentum. Barco | Digital cinema | 3D sound | 3D sound technology for digital …

Meanwhile, IMAX and Laser Light Engines still promise laser driven projectors this year. Barco showed their work-in-progress last month getting 22 ftL on a 70+ foot screen. (More data coming.) RED made rumblings last year about an imminent release, though they have been redefining what imminent means. Regardless, laser will soon be mainstream. This year?

Alternative Frame Rates took the stage with James Cameron demonstrating how in tune the drum was that he has been pounding for years – that higher resolution was well and good, but not as well and good as higher frame rates. What we know is that the Hobbit will be released in 48 frames per second and Pandora II will be in 60…when it arrives.

What else? Maybe this will be the year that alternative content starts showing the promise it held in making up for the huge increase in equipment costs of the digital world?

What else, or which?

Maybe it is just the year of Catchin’ Up. The frame rate should have been 48 frames from the beginning, but who knew? (…or could do it until now?_) Audio should be more refined for the larger spaces and voids of stadium seating, for alternative content and for the room next door. And getting rid of the heat sucking xenons for lasers? … not a moment too soon. This year will also finally see the conversion to the SMPTE standard from the InterOp standard. Hopefully no one outside the projection booth will notice.

Consultants

2012: The DCinema Year of…

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Barco has brought a somewhat mainstream 3D audio system into the market after years of Iosonno and immsound plowing the ground. Building on Dolby’s work to fill the void in large stadium-seating auditorium venues, this Auro-3D system seems to have some momentum. Barco | Digital cinema | 3D sound | 3D sound technology for digital …

Meanwhile, IMAX and Laser Light Engines still promise laser driven projectors this year. Barco showed their work-in-progress last month getting 22 ftL on a 70+ foot screen. (More data coming.) RED made rumblings last year about an imminent release, though they have been redefining what imminent means. Regardless, laser will soon be mainstream. This year?

Alternative Frame Rates took the stage with James Cameron demonstrating how in tune the drum was that he has been pounding for years – that higher resolution was well and good, but not as well and good as higher frame rates. What we know is that the Hobbit will be released in 48 frames per second and Pandora II will be in 60…when it arrives.

What else? Maybe this will be the year that alternative content starts showing the promise it held in making up for the huge increase in equipment costs of the digital world?

What else, or which?

Maybe it is just the year of Catchin’ Up. The frame rate should have been 48 frames from the beginning, but who knew? (…or could do it until now?_) Audio should be more refined for the larger spaces and voids of stadium seating, for alternative content and for the room next door. And getting rid of the heat sucking xenons for lasers? … not a moment too soon. This year will also finally see the conversion to the SMPTE standard from the InterOp standard. Hopefully no one outside the projection booth will notice.

Societies

AES Attacks DCinema Sound

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To affect the latter, the AES has a new technical committee forming around audio reproduction for Digital Cinema. Television is also stuck onto the title, though either outlet is a large enough mandate.

The challenge of audio in the modern cinema comes from many angles. One is keeping it sane safe and listenable during and before movies. On the other hand, there is a different experience potential and expectation for sports and live performance. Since they are part of the magic of alternative content – the miracle that is supposed to compensate for the additional 4X digital costs over film equipment – handling customer increased audio expectations will need to be addressed.

Editorially, we’ll let this article – and press release from the AES – begin a series of AudioRants that will bring out the issues, problems and potential solutions. As vice-chair of the committee Dr. Toole has said, “It’s not rocket science, but it is science.”

Formative AES Technical Committee on Sound for Digital Cinema & TV

December 8th, 2011 Posted in News, newsletter

New York, NY — The Audio Engineering Society has formed a provisional committee to review audio reproduction for Digital Cinema and Television. Spearheaded by Brian McCarty, Managing Director, Coral Sea Studios (Australia), the new AES Technical Committee on Sound for Digital Cinema & Television, AESTC-SDCTV is planning a meeting in Los Angeles in early 2012. To participate in this event or to join the AESTC-SDCTV Committee contact: Brian McCarty (http://www.aes.org/technical/sdctv/).

“Our mission is to identify a consistent approach to controlling perceived loudness and frequency response from installation to installation, and from position to position within Digital Cinema installations worldwide,” McCarty said. “And, for this to be adopted as the formal reference for all contemporary dubbing stage recording and mixing activities, and ultimately as the unified method for film reproduction at home.”

Originally addressed at AES Technical Committee meetings in London in 2010, the initiative was inspired by the AES historical involvement in film sound. The lack of electroacoustical response reference data for Digital Cinema systems was underscored by Dr. Floyd Toole’s statement, “It seems that no real science has been done in terms of Digital Cinema Sound.” Dr. Toole, Vice Chair of the committee, is developing a ½ day seminar on these issues to be held in L.A. in March that will serve as the first meeting of the committee.

McCarty underscores the point that global acousticians, engineers and systems installers have expressed the need for a working standard. “In simple terms, what is recorded digitally in the studio does NOT sound the same at the theatrical end,” McCarty says. “As an art form our goal should be consistency of sound quality. Acoustical design of theaters is typically incorrect for sound reproduction in large rooms. Current soundtrack EQ reproduction curves are inconsistent with large-room audio practice and, with the rest of the audio industry. And, loudspeaker technology typically used in theaters has yet to be optimized for proper playback of wide bandwidth soundtracks. Basically,” McCarty concludes, “the current Digital Cinema Audio System is simply not the best we can do. The AES is committed to improving this situation.”

About AES

The Audio Engineering Society was formed in 1948 by a group of concerned audio engineers. The AES counts over 14,000 members throughout the U.S., Latin America, Europe, Japan and the Far East. The organization serves as the pivotal force in the exchange and dissemination of technical information for the industry.

www.aes.org

Societies

AES Attacks DCinema Sound

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To affect the latter, the AES has a new technical committee forming around audio reproduction for Digital Cinema. Television is also stuck onto the title, though either outlet is a large enough mandate.

The challenge of audio in the modern cinema comes from many angles. One is keeping it sane safe and listenable during and before movies. On the other hand, there is a different experience potential and expectation for sports and live performance. Since they are part of the magic of alternative content – the miracle that is supposed to compensate for the additional 4X digital costs over film equipment – handling customer increased audio expectations will need to be addressed.

Editorially, we’ll let this article – and press release from the AES – begin a series of AudioRants that will bring out the issues, problems and potential solutions. As vice-chair of the committee Dr. Toole has said, “It’s not rocket science, but it is science.”

Formative AES Technical Committee on Sound for Digital Cinema & TV

December 8th, 2011 Posted in News, newsletter

New York, NY — The Audio Engineering Society has formed a provisional committee to review audio reproduction for Digital Cinema and Television. Spearheaded by Brian McCarty, Managing Director, Coral Sea Studios (Australia), the new AES Technical Committee on Sound for Digital Cinema & Television, AESTC-SDCTV is planning a meeting in Los Angeles in early 2012. To participate in this event or to join the AESTC-SDCTV Committee contact: Brian McCarty (http://www.aes.org/technical/sdctv/).

“Our mission is to identify a consistent approach to controlling perceived loudness and frequency response from installation to installation, and from position to position within Digital Cinema installations worldwide,” McCarty said. “And, for this to be adopted as the formal reference for all contemporary dubbing stage recording and mixing activities, and ultimately as the unified method for film reproduction at home.”

Originally addressed at AES Technical Committee meetings in London in 2010, the initiative was inspired by the AES historical involvement in film sound. The lack of electroacoustical response reference data for Digital Cinema systems was underscored by Dr. Floyd Toole’s statement, “It seems that no real science has been done in terms of Digital Cinema Sound.” Dr. Toole, Vice Chair of the committee, is developing a ½ day seminar on these issues to be held in L.A. in March that will serve as the first meeting of the committee.

McCarty underscores the point that global acousticians, engineers and systems installers have expressed the need for a working standard. “In simple terms, what is recorded digitally in the studio does NOT sound the same at the theatrical end,” McCarty says. “As an art form our goal should be consistency of sound quality. Acoustical design of theaters is typically incorrect for sound reproduction in large rooms. Current soundtrack EQ reproduction curves are inconsistent with large-room audio practice and, with the rest of the audio industry. And, loudspeaker technology typically used in theaters has yet to be optimized for proper playback of wide bandwidth soundtracks. Basically,” McCarty concludes, “the current Digital Cinema Audio System is simply not the best we can do. The AES is committed to improving this situation.”

About AES

The Audio Engineering Society was formed in 1948 by a group of concerned audio engineers. The AES counts over 14,000 members throughout the U.S., Latin America, Europe, Japan and the Far East. The organization serves as the pivotal force in the exchange and dissemination of technical information for the industry.

www.aes.org

Societies

AES Attacks DCinema Sound

Leave a comment

To affect the latter, the AES has a new technical committee forming around audio reproduction for Digital Cinema. Television is also stuck onto the title, though either outlet is a large enough mandate.

The challenge of audio in the modern cinema comes from many angles. One is keeping it sane safe and listenable during and before movies. On the other hand, there is a different experience potential and expectation for sports and live performance. Since they are part of the magic of alternative content – the miracle that is supposed to compensate for the additional 4X digital costs over film equipment – handling customer increased audio expectations will need to be addressed.

Editorially, we’ll let this article – and press release from the AES – begin a series of AudioRants that will bring out the issues, problems and potential solutions. As vice-chair of the committee Dr. Toole has said, “It’s not rocket science, but it is science.”

Formative AES Technical Committee on Sound for Digital Cinema & TV

December 8th, 2011 Posted in News, newsletter

New York, NY — The Audio Engineering Society has formed a provisional committee to review audio reproduction for Digital Cinema and Television. Spearheaded by Brian McCarty, Managing Director, Coral Sea Studios (Australia), the new AES Technical Committee on Sound for Digital Cinema & Television, AESTC-SDCTV is planning a meeting in Los Angeles in early 2012. To participate in this event or to join the AESTC-SDCTV Committee contact: Brian McCarty (http://www.aes.org/technical/sdctv/).

“Our mission is to identify a consistent approach to controlling perceived loudness and frequency response from installation to installation, and from position to position within Digital Cinema installations worldwide,” McCarty said. “And, for this to be adopted as the formal reference for all contemporary dubbing stage recording and mixing activities, and ultimately as the unified method for film reproduction at home.”

Originally addressed at AES Technical Committee meetings in London in 2010, the initiative was inspired by the AES historical involvement in film sound. The lack of electroacoustical response reference data for Digital Cinema systems was underscored by Dr. Floyd Toole’s statement, “It seems that no real science has been done in terms of Digital Cinema Sound.” Dr. Toole, Vice Chair of the committee, is developing a ½ day seminar on these issues to be held in L.A. in March that will serve as the first meeting of the committee.

McCarty underscores the point that global acousticians, engineers and systems installers have expressed the need for a working standard. “In simple terms, what is recorded digitally in the studio does NOT sound the same at the theatrical end,” McCarty says. “As an art form our goal should be consistency of sound quality. Acoustical design of theaters is typically incorrect for sound reproduction in large rooms. Current soundtrack EQ reproduction curves are inconsistent with large-room audio practice and, with the rest of the audio industry. And, loudspeaker technology typically used in theaters has yet to be optimized for proper playback of wide bandwidth soundtracks. Basically,” McCarty concludes, “the current Digital Cinema Audio System is simply not the best we can do. The AES is committed to improving this situation.”

About AES

The Audio Engineering Society was formed in 1948 by a group of concerned audio engineers. The AES counts over 14,000 members throughout the U.S., Latin America, Europe, Japan and the Far East. The organization serves as the pivotal force in the exchange and dissemination of technical information for the industry.

www.aes.org

Consultants

Resource of 3D eBooks

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The SD&A is the Stereoscopic Displays and Applications group, which not only reproduces several excellent resources (available here: Stereoscopic Displays and Applications Virtual Library), but also has a conference – the next will be in San Francisco on Monday-Wednesday 23-25 January 2012 – Conference and Exhibition

The most recent book that the SD&A is promoting now in the Virtual Library is “The Theory of Stereoscopic Transmission and its application to the motion picture” by Raymond and Nigel Spottiswoode – originally published in 1953.

“The Theory of Stereoscopic Transmission” provides a theoretical analysis of the three-dimensional geometry of capture and presentation of stereoscopic images as typified by 3D movies. Titles of chapters in the book include: Stereoscopic Depth Range, The Stereoscopic Window, Stereoscopic Calculators, Cameras with Variable Separation and Convergence, Projection, The Human Factor in Stereoscopic Transmission, and much more. An errata list is provided at the end of the book. Also included is an 8 page anaglyph 3D insert “Stereoscopic Diagrams” by Brian Borthwick and Jack Coote which illustrates some of the concepts in the book in 3D.

See the site and download this and many other books, including Lenny Lipton’s well regarded Foundations of the Stereoscopic Cinema by Lenny Lipton

Societies

EDCF DCinema Yearly Review for IBC

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The EDCF annual review of progress in D-Cinema will be on the last day of IBC, Tuesday September 13th at 10:00 in Room E102 of the RAI Conference Centre.

There will be 13 speakers covering a wide range of topics including:-

Dave Monk                  – the tipping point for D-Cinema

Peter Wilson                 – recommendations for screening Alternative Content

Siegfried Foessel          – the Prime 3D project

Reiner Doetzkies          – an update from TI

John Hurst                    – DCI testing & 21DC activity

David Hancock            – current status of worldwide deployment

CJ Flynn                       – ISDCF activity

Kommer Kleijn             – screening quality concerns amongst cinematographers

Tim Sinnaeve                – 4k from Barco

Benoit Michel               – XDC & delivery of Alternative Content

Francois Helt                – Screen Measurement

Nigel Dennis                 – latest developments from Qube

Laurence Claydon        – current issues in post-production

Entry to this session is free but you will need to be registered to enter the RAI

Also please note that the EDCF/SMPTE Post-Production Workshop at 16:00 on Sunday 11th is also a free entry session.

European Digital Cinema Forum is a great organization to support.

Societies

[Ongoing Update] IBC 2011 – EDCF LineUp Announced

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The EDCF annual review of progress in D-Cinema will be on the last day of IBC, Tuesday September 13th at 10:00 in Room E102 of the RAI Conference Centre.

There will be 13 speakers covering a wide range of topics including:-

  • Dave Monk                  – the tipping point for D-Cinema
  • Peter Wilson                 – recommendations for screening Alternative Content
  • Siegfried Foessel          – the Prime 3D project
  • Reiner Doetzkies          – an update from TI
  • John Hurst                    – DCI testing & 21DC activity
  • David Hancock            – current status of worldwide deployment
  • CJ Flynn                       – ISDCF activity
  • Kommer Kleijn             – screening quality concerns amongst cinematographers
  • Tim Sinnaeve                – 4k from Barco
  • Benoit Michel               – XDC & delivery of Alternative Content
  • Francois Helt                – Screen Measurement
  • Nigel Dennis                 – latest developments from Qube
  • Laurence Claydon        – current issues in post-production

Entry to this session is free but you will need to be registered to enter the RAI

Also please note that the EDCF/SMPTE Post-Production Workshop at 16:00 on Sunday 11th is also a free entry session.

Win an iPad: Cabletime to hold iPad prize draw Stand:13.373

Here’s some friends or things that I want to see (none of which have offered me an iPad):

The new GefenPRO 3GSDI to 3GSDI Scaler, 3GSDI Fiber Optics Extender and 16x 3GSDI Rack Tray all make their first appearance at IBC. A plug and play methodology with support for high definition resolutions up to 1080p full HD makes each solution ideal for professionals who want support for the most current formats and a true high definition performance.

GefenPRO 3GSDI to 3GSDI Scaler

This new scaler will automatically adjust incoming video to the maximum resolution supported on the connected display using all SDI formats including SD, HD and 3G SDI. This is important when multiple displays do not support the same native resolution in a system. If two displays are connected with 3GSDI capability, and a third is connected with HDSDI  capability, the GefenPRO 3GSDI to 3GSDI Scaler will allow the HDSDI display to show video in its native resolution, while the other displays show 1080p full HD in the 3GSDI format. This scaler can also be manually scaled to all SDI formats up to 1080p full HD.

GefenPRO 3GSDI Fiber Optic Extender Short Range

This short-range extender offers another option for integrators that need to extend 3G SDI up to 100 meters (330 feet). It uses uses small, dongle-type sender and receiver units to extend a source using 3GSDI to its display over one single-mode fiber optic cable terminated in ST connectors.

GefenPRO 16X 3GSDI Rack Tray

This companion product to the GefenPRO 16×16 3GSDI Matrix works in concert with Gefen’s 3GSDI Fiber Optic Extenders to centralize all audio/video equipment. It is a flexible accessory that can hold up to 16 3GSDI Fiber Optic Extender sender units in a single rack space, giving installers an easy way to access all audio/video equipment in the rack. The modular tray can be scaled to fit any combination of Gefen’s fiber optics extenders, up to a total of 16, using removable mounting brackets. Comprised of die-cast metal, this rack tray offers an open top design for easy access to insert or remove individual sender units. Cable brackets on the rear of the tray streamline cables out the back in an orderly fashion. Dual power supplies  strengthen performance.

 

 

Qube is really pushing their new faster, more of everything, cheaper DCP creation platform for digital cinema. Booth 7.F45

This should be of great interest to everyone. QubeMaster Xpress 2 is a Windows platform tool.

Nick Dagger has a piece up about QubeMaster Xport on a Mac working with Compressor 4

2d-to-s3d-conversion-process011

YUV Soft 3D Video 11.F74

Just because they kind of look interesting and they are stuck in the hinterlands.

 

 

 

See Big Pic at IBC – Booth 7.K01
Big Pic Media is bringing a full lineup of production and postproduction technologies to IBC. This year, the UK-based systems integrator will be presenting Cintel, YoYotta, MARVIN and Pandora.
“The exciting thing for Big Pic at this year’s IBC is the fact that the worlds of production and postproduction are actually merging,” said Adam Welsh, director of Big Pic Media. “It’s interesting to present products that cross those boundaries.”
1. CINTEL
Cintel will be at booth 7.B35 showing the new user interfaces for the ImageMill 2 GRACE, STEADY and ORIGIN. FLOW provides a full timeline user interface enabling GRACE, STEADY and ORIGIN to be adjusted on a scene-by-scene basis. The price for FLOW will be £995.
COLOURFLOW adds zoom pan and rotate effects PLUS additional real time data primary colour correction. The price for COLOURFLOW is £3,995.
Cintel will also announce new upgrades to diTTo evolution at IBC, including a capstan drive and a true 4K camera.
In addition to this, Cintel is using IBC to announce three new Film2Film Image Restoration packages. These all feature diTTo evolution, imageMill2 and the CCG DEFINITY Film Recorder (which will be on the stand at IBC).
2. MARVIN
MARVIN Technologies will introduce its new MARVIN 2.0 on-set camera data management system in Hall 7 booth 7.K01e. Along with support for all common digital cinema cameras, including RED, ARRI Alexa, Silicon Imaging SI 2K, and others, IBC attendees will get a sneak peek at MARVIN’s new stereoscopic 3D support.
MARVIN automates the creation of backups, LTO tape masters, QuickTime proxies for offline editing and DVD dailies as well as shot logging. Now, with MARVIN 2.0, filmmakers have a choice of three models, ensuring data safety and efficient transcoding for any size of project.
The new stereo 3D support in MARVIN 2.0 allows the system to ingest left- and right-eye images simultaneously, archiving to two LTO tapes – one for each eye. MARVIN 2.0 will render stereoscopic content to side-by-side, interleaved or checkerboard QuickTimes for Final Cut Pro or MXF files for fast import into Avid systems.
3. Pandora
Widely recognized for its industry-leading line of colour grading systems, Pandora International will be introducing a new product at IBC 2011 at booth 7.K01b.  PLUTO is a new image processing system that is designed to run various applications for postproduction and production workflows.
PLUTO hardware allows for HDSDi 4:2:2, 4:4:4 dual link and 3G I/O with options for HDMi and display port to follow.
PLUTO currently has three optional applications that can run standalone or simultaneously, Display Colour Management, Cursor and Blanking Generator and 3D Stereoscopic processing.
PLUTO supports the main colour management software solution for the profiling of displays and applying the calibration and creative LUT’s created.
Pandora will also be presenting the highly acclaimed  REVOLUTION real-time file-based colour correction system, the PILOT machine controller and the Spirit Classic update to real-time 2k scanning PSi.
4. YoYotta
YoYotta will be showing the latest version of the YoYo postproduction workflow system at IBC 2011. Already deployed around the world at major postproduction facilities, the new YoDailies application now has multiple seats in use at a major LA-based studio for file-based digital dailies workflows. The YoYo suite of products can this year be seen in two locations.
You can also see YoYotta at the Tangent stand (7.B16) where YoYo will be running as a portable setup known as YoMobile. The latest Apple MacBook Pro, Mac Mini or iMac models include Thunderbolt, which is a fast data connection running over a single cable.
YoYo can use Thunderbolt to connect to RAID and HD monitoring which makes YoDailies even more portable for on set use.
At IBC YoYo will be using the latest Tangent element panels which are very compact and modular. YoYo continues to support the Tangent Wave panel.
At the Sony stand (12.A10) Big Pic will be showing the development of new YoYo workflows for the F65 camera and SRMASTER format.

 

Qube is really pushing their new faster, more of everything, cheaper DCP creation platform for digital cinema. Booth 7.F45 

This should be of great interest to everyone. QubeMaster Xpress 2 is a Windows platform tool.

 

Blue George the world’s first professional HDSDI Multi-format BD recorder will be available for demonstration at IBC 2011
Picture of Frontniche Bluray recorder
IBCBlue George Features:

  • Near Real-Time Direct Record to BD
  • HDSDI Input & O/P with embedded Audio
  • Multi-Channel versions
  • New 1 TB HDD version
  • Burn further copies with new HDD version
  • 56 hrs of video Storage at 40MB/s
  • Multi standard and therefore will record US and European Broadcast / Film formats
  • 1080i, 720p at 50/60/59.94Hz, 1080 24p or 23.98PsF, 1080p 30Hz, 1080p 25Hz, 1080p 29.97Hz, 576i, 480i
  • Data record rate is up 40Mbit/s
  • VDCP remote control for integration with NLE systems
  • Control via network TCP/IP sockets, RS422, 7″ Touch Screen and Web Server is standard
  • Disc finalisation process duration: less than 5 minutes
For further Information please visit our new look web site www.frontniche.com

Stand 10.F35 The manufacturer of compact, cost-effective equipment for live production and post-production will demonstrate Video Ghost, its award-winning phantom power modules developed as a low-cost, reliable alternative to traditional batteries.  BHV will also exhibit its full range of rack-mount and portable hybrid digital/analogue switchers, rate/standards and up/cross conversion products.
Stand 10.A49 The designer and manufacturer of VTR and video server remote control panels is demonstrating its newly launched andaward-winning AVITA live production control system at IBC 2011. AVITA is a unique hybrid control system designed to easily and quickly capture, edit and play out media from multiple sources. The system uses the very latest touch screen technology and modular hardware panels to allow multiple users access to multiple server ports over a network.
Stand 8.A94 The manufacturer of award-winning 3G/HD/SD conversion gear will conduct technology demonstrations of loudness processing over IP, debut its 9257 1×9 MADI card-based audio distribution amplifier, introduce +LM virtual loudness metering options, and present a new MPEG-4 signal delivery source. The Company also plans to highlight solutions and enhancements to their Fusion3G® and COMPASS® series of multi-functional, multi-featured cards.
Stand # 8.B96 The oldest antenna company in the USA will turn the spotlight on its broadband products, including its JAT-U UHF broadband super turnstile antenna, JUHD UHF broadband panel antenna, Prostar JA/MS-BB broadband UHF slot antenna, and the new RCEC .2 meter (8”) affordable mask filter.  Jampro will also showcase its RCCC constant impedance combiner along with economical and flexible antennas, combiners & filters, towers, and RF components for every application in the broadcast industry including DTV, DVB-T, FM and HD Radio solutions.
Stand 11.G30 A well-established leader in manual and robotic camera support and virtual reality tracking, Shotoku’s manual highlights will include a new 2-stage pneumatic pedestal and perfect counter-balance pan & tilt head. On the robotic side, enhancements that further ease-of-use and please the most budget conscious will be demonstrated.

Gefen 7.B30
Frontniche 10.F32

Courses

3D Lab in the Middle East – Real Vision

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The 3D Lab was inaugurated last week, and has been well received by the press.

In a nutshell the 3D Lab has been built to encourage best practices in stereoscopic 3D production.

Production studios and professionals from the GCC, Arabian gulf region, and India have already shown keen interest to attend workshops to be conducted at the 3D Lab, and to meet like minded professionals in this collaborative environment.

Mutually beneficial Opportunity:

The 3DLab welcomes hardware and software manufacturers to place on permanent loan, equipment and NFR versions of software, which will be exposed to regional production houses and potential clients.

The 3DLab can act as showcase and will not be polarized or biased toward any one technology or vendor.

Feel free to contact Clyde in this regard.

More on the 3DLab in pictures: http://bit.ly/rsray9

Current equipment and facilities in the 3DLab

  • ET Quasar Rig (for broadcast 3DTV and cinema configs)
  • Panasonic AG3DA1
  • Prosumer 3D cameras from Sony and GOPro
  • Digital Projection’s Titan 2K 3D projector
  • Real D polarizer projection system
  • JVC professional 3D monitors
  • Cineform NEO 3D (full license)
  • The Foundry NUKE + Ocula (full license)
  • Classroom collaborative environment for workshops.
  • Studio zone, Hardware beta test zone and dedicated Software sandbox area.

Areas of exploration and interest:

  • Laser scanning and data set visualization
  • Stereoscopic Caves
  • 3D Rigs
  • Camera systems
  • Virtual Sets and Realtime tracking
  • Broadcast 3DTV infra structure and workflows
  • Stereo 3D gaming

and more…

 

Clyde DeSouza can be reached at Real Vision at [email protected] – The Real Vision site is at: RealVision.ae Knowledge Base and stereoscopic 3D Blog

Societies

NAB / CinemaCon Future Space.Time Conjunctions

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The schedule for the NATO convention now known as CinemaCon* and the NAB Convention has taken on interesting time intersection. They both occur in Las Vegas. 

In the past the NATO convention (then known as ShoWest) was 4 or 5 weeks before NAB. With the first CinemaCon this year (2011) there was a 9 day difference between the end of CinemaCon and the beginning of NAB (if you consider the SMPTE/NATO “DCienmaDays” as the beginning of NAB…the weekend before the NAB Exhibits open.

In 2012 this takes an interesting twist. NAB begins on the 14th and closes on the 19th of April, with CinemaCon beginning just a few days later on the 23rd (and closing on Thursday the 26th.

2013 brings NAB on 6-11 April with CinemaCon on 15-18.

2014 switches them; first CinemaCon on 24-27 March and NAB on 5-10 April. (Perhaps these dates were chosen because Passover is on the 15th and Easter that year is on the 20th. There is no conflicts with these floating holidays the other years.)

Now if only the Hollywood Post Alliance festival in Palm Springs were moved from February to the week before CinemaCon us Europeans could schedule one trip and get our tech fix all in one long drip-fed dose. 

 

 

*It has been confirmed that the Con in CinemaCon has nothing to do with “Putting the Con back in Cinema” as has been suspected. 

Societies

NAB Wrap-up | Andy Marken

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They haven’t figured out exactly how to make money on it all yet but they do like what Netflix has done over the past year. Maybe they’ll try their own channels of distribution shortly…maybe.

Tellywood Works to Reach You Any, Every Way They Can

“You see, this is my life! It always will be! Nothing else! Just us, the cameras, and those wonderful people out there in the dark!… All right, Mr. DeMille, I’m ready for my close-up.” – Norma Desmond (Gloria Swanson), Sunset Blvd., Paramount (1950)

 

This article was sent in by:

 

Andy Marken    Marken Communications
O – 408-986-0100          C – 408.390-0002
[email protected]

If it weren’t for James Cameron’s (Avatar + fame) session at NAB, you would swear you were at a mash up CES (Consumer Electronics Show) and an IT (information technology) conference.

Most of the sessions and discussions focused on:

–          social media and mobile delivery
–          how Tellywood was going to optimize their network/content assets
–          cloud computing/storage (we’ll look closely at this in a few weeks)
–          how the old guard was going to protect their stuff/squeeze out kids who seemed more interested in viewers than profits.

Joe Gilles looked over the proceedings and said, “You don’t yell at a sleepwalker – he may fall and break his neck.”

Cameron loves technology almost as much as he loves movies.

He took his shots at the broadcast folks saying it was their fault we still don’t have a lot of 3D on our entertainment devices.

3D Still Breathing

As for 3D II it’s getting its second wind:

–          ESPN, Discovery regularly have 3D shows and they’re heavying up for 2012
–          There are about 25,000 3D movie screens worldwide (8K in the US)
–          160 3D movies were released between 2008-2011, 140 projected for 2012-2015
–          In the US, 10 3D channels will launch this year, 25 in 2012
–          Similar shifts are taking place in  “Europe, Australia, Asia, the Middle East
–          About 1/3 of US households will buy 3DTV in the next three years (aahh…2/3 won’t)
–          In Europe, 42% of homes are projected to have 3DTVs by 2014
–          95 million 3D devices — including gaming devices, set-tops, PCs — will be sold worldwide this year
–          Western Europe, Japan, the U.S. will be the largest markets, accounting for 93% of 3D device sales in 2011and by 2014 the global installed base is projected to be nearly 900 million 3D-capable devices

A lot of that is contingent on people accepting the idea of wearing glasses for their viewing or refining glasses-free technology.

Cameron likes to push Hollywood as well and said it was time to break from its celluloid past of 24FPS (typical shooting frame rate) and shoot at 48 or 60FPS to deliver entertainment images that are as important as the creative work.

Doing it will only require a projector software upgrade so it won’t be long before you’ll think your movies are better and you won’t know why.

Now you know.

But that wasn’t the real plot for this year’s NAB and beyond.

A person we respect distilled the mad rush of Tellywood, IP firms, Telco to be dominant in the consumer’s mind by saying, “Entertainment.  It’s what we’ve boiled our lives down to.  We’re not too worried about our livelihood.  We work…to fund our entertainment.  Sad isn’t it?”

Guess if you’re in – or want to be in – the entertainment industry that’s a good thing.

Coming Out Party

Google isn’t used to paying for much, just giving you some services and rake in the money from clicks, ad sales.

But offering to put up Tellywood’s content (legally) didn’t sit well with the studio/net moguls since the other guys — Netflix, Hulu, networks, cable companies – “volunteered.”

They finally decided to come out of the closet and admit they were a media company.

Boy, that was a well-kept secret!YouTube on iPadNew

Network – After years of saying they weren’t a content company, Google finally came out of the closet and said that they were going to fund professional content production that would be aired on YouTube.   They will also set up more than 20 video channels with more in the planning stages.  It can only enrich their ad revenues. Illustration – Agency France Presse

They didn’t buy YouTube for a measly $1.6B five years ago just to let folks everywhere upload their stuff (24 hours of video every minute).


Growing Numbers – Content developers upload more than 24 hours of video a minute to YouTube and the site regularly has more than two billion visitors a month.
Source – comScore

They have the traffic – about one billion viewers a month — but the viewing attention span is pretty short.  That’s probably why they put out $100M to indies and others willing to produce higher-end content.

To help with the production generation, they bought Green Parrot Pictures, an Irish video-enhancement firm.

You’ll also see YouTube change their home page from the “you hunt for, find it” approach to a set of channels.

They’re starting with 20 channels featuring hours of professionally produced original programming a week with more added – channels, content – as the year progresses.

YouTube’s channels will also include new social-networking features, including the ability to identify video content that is popular with their circle of friends.

Adults 18 + average 5 plus hours of TV viewing daily, according to Nielsen.

Computer viewing still averages three-five minutes a day.

The Streamers

Of course, that hasn’t stopped folks from proclaiming that the rush to Netflix, Hulu, YouTube viewing is an obvious trend that people are cutting the cable and are moving to IP-based entertainment.

 

 

 

Movie Entertainment – Online users regularly go to entertainment locations like Hulu, Tremor Media, adap.tv, BrightRoll, Nabbr, AOL YouTube and other online video sites for their entertainment.  In the younger demographics, these numbers continue to grow.
Source – Lightspeed Research

True, you’re watching more stuff online; but frankly, a lot of you are just watching more stuff.

Norma looked on in disgust and said, “I *am* big. It’s the *pictures* that got small.”

But online viewing has offered another opportunity for young and old, according to comScore. They reported online video viewing increased last December, compared to the year prior:

–          88.6M daily viewers compared to 67.3
–          5.8B sessions compared to 5.1
–          201 videos per viewer compared to 187
–          14.2 hours compared to 12.7

Tellywood finds the shift “interesting.”  But they’re more interested in the demographics and viewing trends.

Video Demographics – It is true there is an upswing in the number of people who turn first to the web to watch their video content when it is convenient to them; but broadcasters, cable companies, telcos and other content delivery options focus on the up-and-coming age groups’ trends and projections on their future viewing habits…that’s where the money is.  Source – eMarketer

They can handle today, but they’ve got to be ready for your tomorrow.

Norma advised them, “They’ll love it everyplace.”

They spent a lot of sessions and hush-hush meetings discussing this anywhere, any device viewing phenomenon.

That’s why the mobile providers kept bragging about who had faster, more real 4G/LTE.

They talked about who would be first to meet the content consumer’s needs.

The Mobile Gotcha’

They don’t care what the video content is they just want the bandwidth usage.

 


More Video – While feature devices and smartphones do enable people to call one another, most of the bandwidth is consumed by video and to a lesser degree complex data content.  Source – Cisco

Their problem is, they don’t understand that people are only inpiduals, inpiduals who have phones, tablets, netbooks, notebooks, TVs.

One – very reasonable – plan per person is mandatory.

Not a cute little fine print agreement for every device you have in your viewing arsenal.

YouTube doesn’t care what the content was either, as long as folks are using their portal.

The cable’s and theaters’ value are in their silos.   They’re struggling with keeping eyeballs on their screens as people become accustomed to watching what they want, where they want, how they want. YouTube and the other online content producers/providers can slice and dice content for viewers (and the advertisers).

After five years of operating “in the community’s interest,”  Google is in the mood for some serious payback on their YouTube investment.

But don’t forget that content and the people are important.

Even more important is the entertainment consumer.  

Just remember what Norma said, “Without me, there wouldn’t be any Paramount studio.”