hd 3d
Latest
NHK demos Hybridcast streaming, teams up internet and cable TV for superior 3D delivery
With all the hubbub surrounding competing 3DTV technology, it's easy to forget the all important delivery process: how is your TV getting its content, and what does it mean for the viewer? It may seem trivial, but the answer is all-too important to the folks at NHK, who are hoping to facilitate Full HD delivery for 3D content using a new hybrid broadcast system. Think you already have Full HD 3D? Think again: most broadcast 3D content is delivered via side by side transmission, forcing two images (one for each eye) into a single 1080p frame. This allows 3D content to pipe through existing HD channels, but when the separate images are reconstituted and upscaled, resolution and picture quality suffer. NHK hopes to resolve this by fusing broadcast transmission with broadband streaming, what it calls Hybridcast. In a recent dual-stream demo, NHK sent the image for one eye over standard HD TV broadcast pipes, and the other through those wondrous internet tubes, eventually reassembling the two streams into a single, Full HD image, ready for your hungry eyeballs. This prototype delivery system is little more than a demo right now, but with any luck, it'll be giving us a whole new reason to freak out about broadband bandwidth caps in the near future.
Sony shoots out CineAlta F65 4K camera and PMW-TD300 3D camcorder at NAB
The current trend in the world of home theater may seem like 3D cinematography is all the hype these days, but Sony's latest imager in its CineAlta family begs to differ. Unveiled at the 2011 NAB Show, this F65 mammoth camera (pictured right) packs one beastly 20.4 megapixel, Super 35mm CMOS sensor -- a huge leap from the F35's 12.4 megapixel 1080p CCD. Aside from the obvious quantitative difference, what's special about this new chip is that unlike the Bayer BG-GR subpixel matrix on conventional 4K sensors, here we have green pixels forming the 4K grid while an RB-BR matrix fills in the space, thus doubling the number of horizontal pixels to 8K for a finer 4K picture (see illustration after the break), as well as allowing better visual effects editing using the extra data. What's more, this sensor is fast -- not only can it capture up to 72fps on 4K, but it can also crank up to a smooth 120fps on 2K. As for those seeking to squeeze out every bit of detail from their clips, don't worry: the F65's got you covered with a 16-bit RAW output (19Gbps) at 4K resolution, or it can be compressed to 5Gbps for the convenience of recording onto the new SR-R4 portable 4K recorder. Looks like Sony's finally found a candidate that'll put a lid on film stock, but then again, at the end of the day it'll depend on the price tag when it comes out in Q3 this year. Of course, Sony isn't going to just ignore the 3D scene here. Also announced at NAB is the PMW-TD300, which will be the first professional 3D camcorder sporting a shoulder mount. Featuring a pair of Exmor 3CMOS sensors, hardcore cameramen will finally be able to go mobile with this new toy while filming 3D in 1080p. Not sure how the videos will turn out, though -- we're not keen on the idea of watching shaky and potentially nauseating 3D captured by someone running along the sideline. Anyhow, this camera will be up for grabs in Autumn this year. [Thanks, Blackjack]
Museum of The Moving Image plans multi-million dollar updates with HD, 3D
In 1988, The Museum of the Moving Image opened in Astoria, Queens, to share the history and technology behind -- ding, you guessed it -- "moving images," of all forms. Now it's set to undergo a $67 million dollar renovation. Designed by architect Thomas Leesers, its main 264-seat theater was conceived as "as a capsule for the imaginary voyage of moviegoing," and will have the capability to display everything from 16mm to 70mm film along with 2D and 3D digital HD content -- yeah we're geeking out. Additionally, the facility will gain a digital learning suite, functioning production studio, and 68-seat screening room, as well as a 10,400 sq. ft. courtyard for outdoor events. Despite the scale of these changes, the new theater is scheduled to open on January 15th, 2011 for the film series, "Recovered Treasures: Great Films from World Archives " which will feature 20 newly-restored movies from archives around the globe and run until February 20th. No matter how loudly we plead, though, we doubt Last Action Hero will headline. Full PR after the break.
Panasonic's 1080p twin-lens P2 camcorder seen behind three-dee glass at CEATEC
We can't say for certain how good it feels to hoist this big-faced behemoth onto one's shoulder, but it's the first time we've seen Panasonic's 1080p twin-lens P2 3D camcorder out and about since its fabled introduction at NAB earlier this year. Strategically placed beside a 3D Avatar trailer demo, the camcorder looked exactly like the press shot we saw of the prototype before, though there's still no formal word on when it'll be used to film your friend's Bar Mitzvah (or anything else half as cool). A boy can dream, yeah?%Gallery-74852%
Panasonic developing 1080p twin-lens P2 camcorder for native 3D captures
You know that 3D bandwagon you're still hesitant to jump on? We get the feeling that this year's NAB show may just push you over the top. Shortly after hearing of Fujifilm's newest P2 memory cards comes this, a conceptual camcorder in which to eventually slot 'em in. Currently, Panasonic's 3D Full HD Camera Recorder is merely a prototype, but it's made clear that the company intends to bring this to market as soon as possible. Essentially, the device will boast a twin-lens system for capturing 3D footage natively in 1080p, and all of the video streams will be stored on Panny's professional P2 cards. It's hard to say if this would even be useful for 2D shooting on the side, but with practically every major studio at least considering (if not committing to) 3D production, we'd say it's a solid investment on Panasonic's part either way.
Sony to finally unveil larger-screen OLED TVs at IFA?
We've been waiting for what seems like ages for the next iteration of the XEL-1 to dash in and swoop us off of our feet, but frankly, we're growing anxious. As the world waits for a commercial-ready OLED TV that's larger than a standard sheet of paper, industry insiders down at the IFA briefings in Malta this past week believe that Sony could be gearing up to make all sorts of hopes and dreams come true this September. Jens Heithecker, executive director of Messe Berlin, which organizes the IFA trade fair, noted that "IFA is a trade show which is focused more on market-ready technologies," hinting that anything we see in just a few short months will be prepared for release into the wild. We're also told that more "ultra-widescreen" 21:9 sets -- like Philips' masterpiece -- could be on display, not to mention scores of internet-ready HDTVs and a Samsung set with refresh rates of 400Hz. Needless to say, IFA's shaping up to be quite a show for the television sector, so you may want to think twice (or thrice, if necessary) about snagging a new panel on August 31st.[Via OLED-Info]
JVC intros 1080p GD-463D10 3D LCD monitor in Japan
Not that JVC's been avoiding the 3D bandwagon or anything, but it has yet to formally introduce a 3D HDTV to really take advantage of the in-home 3D revolution that 3D backers just swear is right around the bend. The GD-463D10 is a 46-inch LCD HDTV with a native 1,920 x 1080 resolution, 2,000:1 contrast ratio, twin ten-watt speakers and support for three-dee material. We're also told that the set will come bundled with a pair of polarized glasses when it ships in Japan early next month. The only problem? That ¥700,000 ($6,978) price tag, which seems particularly painful with no real 3D programming to speak of. Yet, of course.[Via Impress]
3DFusion debuts glasses-free 3DFMax display
Forget all those 1080p sets with internet connectivity -- what you really want is an HDTV that does three-dee. Over at the Digital Signage Expo in Las Vegas, 3DFusion has announced the market launch of its 3DFMax stereoscopic, glasses free, broadcast ready (get all that?) 3D display. The set is built upon the Philips WOWvx 3D solution, but outside of that, we're really left to wonder what this thing's made of. No resolution, no contrast ratio, no price. Just the hope of a chicken in every pot and a 3D HDTV in every den.
TDVision demonstrates HD-3D TDVisor / TDVision applications at SID 2008
TDVision Systems has been pushing its mysterious TDVisor since just after CES, but now the firm is looking to get serious about demonstrations at SID 2008. Both the visor and a "complete suite of TDVision applications including the stereoscopic virtual world, the AlterSpace, Dejaview and the 3D media player" will be showcased, and even more interesting will be the demo "of the 2D and MPEG-compatible TDVCodec running on a Blu-ray Disc." If you'll recall, the TDVCodec (a stereoscopic 3D format) was designed to be backwards compatible with 2D systems, and it's suggesting that the same BD flick can carry the traditional 2D imagery as well as 3D scenes thanks to its technology. Now, all that's left to do is wait and see how fantastic the results really are (or aren't).
