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YouTube to introduce support for 60 frames per second
YouTube videos rendered in 48 and 60 frames per second are to finally become a reality in the coming months. Following a year in which 1080p and 60fps have become increasingly familiar bedfellows for the video game industry, YouTube promoted its higher framerates with new videos of Battlefield: Hardline and Titanfall. Among other features coming to the video site including fan-submitted translations and tagged shout-outs to collaborators, the one to keep an eye on is Fan Funding. Essentially an online tip jar, this allows viewers to donate to content creators direct through YouTube. For now, only "a handful of creators" are testing the feature out. Head below the break for the Battlefield: Hardline and Titanfall vids in full 60fps glory.
Sony listing touts Watch Dogs at 60fps, 1080p on PS4
While Ubisoft has yet to confirm technical details of its open-world vigilante simulator Watch Dogs, a Sony summary of the game on PlayStation.com claims the game will run at 1080p and 60 frames per second on the PS4. The full text reads: "The world of Watch_Dogs comes alive on PS4 with the best graphics on any console and exclusive missions found only on PlayStation. Hack everything as you make your way through Chicago's underground as you experience Watch_Dogs in a way that only PS4 can provide, at 60 Frames Per Second in 1080p." Watch Dogs recently faced harsh criticism when a recent gameplay trailer failed to live up to the visuals set forth by the game during its E3 2012 debut. [Image: Ubisoft]
Titanfall averages 46.5 frames-per-second on Xbox 360, Digital Foundry reports
The recently released Xbox 360 version of Respawn Entertainment's mech-dropping first-person shooter Titanfall maintains an average unlocked framerate of 46.5 frames-per-second, gaming performance analysis site Digital Foundry reports. Digital Foundry finds that the Xbox 360 version of Titanfall runs at a 1040x600 native resolution, compared to the Xbox One's 1408x792 resolution. The Xbox 360 version boasts an unlocked framerate of up to 60 frames-per-second, along with an option to lock the framerate at 30 FPS to eliminate screen tearing and input lag. Presentation-wise, Digital Foundry notes that the Xbox 360 version of Titanfall has "a necessary reduction in texture detail compared to the other versions, but nothing that overtly compromises the look of the game." The testing results are consistent with pre-release claims from porting studio Bluepoint Games, which promised a framerate above 30 frames-per-second in the final Xbox 360 version of Titanfall. [Video: Digital Foundry / Respawn Entertainment]
Red posts high frame-rate video demonstration to smooth out misconceptions
If you're still unsure about what you'll be getting into if you see the 48fps version of "Hobbit," Red has jumped into the fray with an article on its website and, most importantly, high quality HFR (high frame-rate) videos. It delves into all the aspects of the tech, starting with a primer on the minimum frame rate required to perceive motion, illustrated by a pair of clips to show the threshold. From there it details "judder" when panning at 24 fps versus 60 fps, motion blur, the possibility of brighter projection with HFR in 3D and of course, action at slower versus faster frame speeds. Finally, it demonstrates the hated "TruMotion" soap opera-esque interpolation method on modern TVs, and why that's different from true fast-frames. Sure, Red has a vested interest in seeing upcoming HFR films from its Epic camera succeed, but a little education might be what's needed to break old habits.
Editorial: Despite shaky 48 fps Hobbit preview, high frame rates will take off
Well actually, the Hobbit preview wasn't shaky, it was smooth -- maybe too smooth -- and that's the point. "It does take you a while to get used to," Peter Jackson has admitted, referring to the surprisingly fluid motion of his 48 fps movie footage. But is he right to think audiences will even give it a chance? The launch of high frame-rate (HFR) cinema is surrounded by publicity in the run-up to the Hobbit's debut on December 12th, but it equally has a lot going against it. For starters, the film's 48 fps preview wasn't exactly received warmly. On top of that, the video-style appearance of HFR has a long history of being disliked by movie-goers -- past attempts since the 1970s have all flamed out. 85 years after the first 24 fps movies, the same number of frames are still going stubbornly through the gate (digital or otherwise) each second, so that must be what "filmic" is, right? Or will we look back on 24fps as the bad old days? Read on to see if these new/old-fangled frame speeds might survive, and though a 48 fps Hobbit trailer isn't available, we've provided a couple of clips to help you judge what two-dimensional HFR looks like.
Frame rate debate rages on with 48 fps projection of 3D Hobbit footage
With his use of Red cameras, 3ality rigs, and high frame rate 3D technology, no one can accuse Peter Jackson of being stuck in the past. Need more evidence of his anti-luddism? He just gave the first projection of footage from his 3D opus "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" in its full 48 fps glory at the CinemaCon convention in Las Vegas. With the public having endured 80 years of 24 fps film-watching, Jackson appealed to viewers to allow their eyes to adjust to the doubled rate during the ten minute screening. But the reaction showed that public acceptance might take a while. One projectionist compared it to made-for-TV fare, and others referenced Mexican soap-operas and TruMotion. The reply to these criticisms by Jackson (and James Cameron) has always been that 3D is better suited to faster frame rates than 2D -- making it more immersive, reducing headaches and improving stereoscopy. We'll have to wait for the film's release this December to find out whether he's right, or if this attempt at high frame speeds will go the way of Showscan.
SteelSeries Sensei mouse points at the moon, we concentrate on its finger
It's been more than two years since SteelSeries unveiled its Xai and Kinzu gaming mice, but the peripheral maker has now returned with a brand new sword in hand -- the sleek and presumably sage Sensei. The device, unveiled yesterday, is powered by a 32-bit ARM processor that can digest images at up to 12,000 frames per second and rocks up to 5,700 CPI, with a Double CPI option that extends to 11,400 DCPI, for users gaming across multiple screens. The ambidextrous controller also comes outfitted in a metal coating that won't slip from your hands and connects to computers via a gold-plated USB. Best of all, PC gamers can use SteelSeries' Engine software to customize their experience even further, with pre-set configurations and user profiles. The Sensei is slated for release next month, when it will retail for $90 (or €90). Click past the break for more details in the full press release.
Vision Research's Phantom v1210 and v1610 do slow motion in style (video)
No matter how fast that piece of Jell-O landed on the floor, you'll be able to review the journey in all its slow motion glory with the newly announced Phantom v1610 and v1210 cameras. Vision Research is calling the latest entries in the Phantom line the "world's fastest one megapixel digital high-speed cameras." The v1210 is capable of capturing 12,000 fps to 16,000 fps, with its higher end buddy the v1610 capturing between 650,000 fps and one million fps, if you sacrifice resolution. Shooting 1280 x 800 widescreen images (at regular speed), the v1210 boasts 12GB, 24GB, or 48GB of segmented memory, while the v1610 can hold 24GB, 48GB, or 96GB of segmented memory. Other features include an image-based auto-trigger, ethernet port, SMPTE & IRIG timecode, genlock, 28 micron pixel size, 12-bit depth pixel depth standard, and an HD-SDI output. No word on pricing, but if you have a budget like NFL Films, let the epic sports montages and Truffle Shuffling commence. Check out some slow motion footage captured on the Phantom HD Gold after the break. Update: pricing starts around a cool $100,000.
World's biggest CMOS sensor could help doctors detect and treat cancer
Move over, Canon, because scientists at the University of Lincoln have just seized the crown for world's biggest CMOS image sensor with their new Dynamic range Adjustable for Medical Imaging Technology microchip -- or 'DyNAMITe,' for short. Measuring a hefty 12.8 square cm (or about five square inches), DyNAMITe is roughly 200 times bigger than the chips you'd find in most PCs, making it the largest imager ever made on a wafer of standard, eight-inch diameter. This extra girth allows the active pixel sensor to capture images in high detail, with a 100-micrometer pitch boasting 1280 x 1280p aligned next to a 50-micron layer, carrying 2560 x 2560p. DyNAMITe can also run at up to 90fps and withstand high levels of radiation for several years, making it ideal for medical imaging, including radiotherapy and mammography. Researchers say these enhanced images could help doctors detect cancer in its earliest phases, while allowing them to monitor radiotherapy treatments more closely. No word on when we should expect to see DyNAMITe pop up in hospitals (or a Hasselblad back), but physicists at the Institute of Cancer Research and Royal Marsden Hospital are busy looking for other, potentially life-saving applications. Full PR after the break.
Peter Jackson shooting The Hobbit at 48FPS, should speed up those long walking scenes
Say goodbye to blurry Orcs, because The Hobbit is going 48 frames per second. King of Kong Peter Jackson announced via Facebook that the two-part Lord of the Rings prequel will be shot at an increased frame rate, double the 24FPS that has been the industry standard for the better part of a century. Halo's non-director preemptively addressed critics of the technology, comparing it to the transition from vinyl to CDs -- which, let's face it, some folks still aren't all that psyched about. The technology, when combined with a 48FPS projector, should cut down on blur and strobe. Jackson and Warner Bros. have their fingers crossed that a sufficient number of theaters will be capable of projecting at that speed when the film opens in December 2012. We're eagerly awaiting James Cameron's reaction -- and George Lucas's inevitable Star Wars re-re-re-re-release at the new speed.
PlayStation Phone prototype video reveals 3D benchmark results
Given that the PlayStation Phone has yet to be officially announced -- though, ya know, come on -- you probably shouldn't look disappointed that Qualcomm's Neocore benchmark app only showed the phone averaging 24.4 frames per second. As Engadget points out, the hardware is likely not final and neither is that software. That said, another clear video of the PlayStation Phone in action certainly doesn't hurt, right? At the very least you'll get to bask in your monitor's warm glow for another few moments before venturing back into the freezing tundra that is the outdoors during this part of the year. Maybe this time next year you can at least bring your PlayStation Phone along with you.
Confirmed: EVO 4G update removes framerate cap
You hoped, you opined, you might have even prayed -- and as it turns out, you win. As many of you have suspected, the latest firmware update to Sprint / HTC's EVO 4G does, in fact, let us break past the former 30 frames per second barrier. You know, the one HTC said couldn't be crossed with software updates alone. At least, it did for our handheld, as you can see above. Good news for everyone bothered by this (now seemingly) artificial limit -- now back to your regularly-scheduled WiMAX enjoyment.
Phantom camera captures flamethrower vs. fire extinguisher in ultra slo-mo (video)
Korn's "Freak on a Leash," Smashing Pumpkin's "Tonight, Tonight" and Michael / Janet Jackson's "Scream" come to mind when thinking of stunning music videos of the past score, but we're guessing that a 3:19 clip from the good people in Dancing Pigeons will be joining that fray. The music video for "Ritalin" was shot entirely on a Vision Research Phantom and Canon EOS 7D, with the former handling the slow motion work. Which, of course, is the star of the show. You may not think 199 seconds of flamethrower vs. fire extinguisher would be entertaining, but you'd be wrong. Hop on past the break and mash play, but be sure to position a drip rag beneath your chin beforehand.
HTC EVO 4G's graphics capped at 30FPS?
Reports are flying in from across the internet -- and by that we mean the xda-developers and Google Code forums -- that the EVO 4G might have something of a framerate issue. It seems that the device is "locked in" at 30 frames per second both in 2D (Canvas) and 3D (openGL) modes, while anecdotally, a phone like the Hero hits 54fps on average and has "smoother scrolling" in the menus. This apparently is visible both with the standard Sense UI installed and with the Froyo preview build, although in the latter case the Nexus One bootup video is 60fps before halving upon reaching the home screen. So, wherein lies the culprit? For Google's part, Android framework engineer "Romain Guy" responded to one thread reasserting the platform team's "target was, is and will be 60fps." We can't imagine it's related to the hardware given the EVO's impressive specs. Some fingers, ergo, are being pointed towards firmware. This wouldn't be the first time HTC's handsets have come under scrutiny for troubling graphical performance -- 2008 was not the company's finest year in that department. Whatever the reason is, we just want a quick resolve -- after all, it's just not fair when our Hero-carrying buddies are scoring better benchmarks.
Halo: Reach beta visually dissected by Digital Foundry
Well, we knew it was bound to happen sooner or later, right? First things first: Yes, Halo: Reach is apparently running at a full 720p according to Digital Foundry's review of the beta thus far (so many Ps!). And, like Halo 3 before it, the Reach beta achieves a near constant 30 frames-per-second of highly frenetic gameplay, albeit dropping a few every now and then during, um ... explosive situations (let us once again remind you that the game is still in beta). In fact, aside from the occasional screen tear and a bit of a "ghosting" issue ("frame bending" -- two or more images being blurred together -- can sometimes result in objects on screen not appearing solid, as seen in this image), DF is quite impressed with the beta's visual presentation, not to mention the gameplay. The three pages on the beta go into far more detail than we've dropped into this post, and, well, we've got a lot more Reach to play, so we'd encourage you to read more right here.
Vision Research's Phantom Flex captures 1080p at 2,800fps, our full attention
Inside tech fiends the world over, there is a deep-seated desire to film lightning strikes, bullets penetrating glass and objects dropped into water, if only to see the fantastic, chaotic patterns played back in slow motion. (Peep an example after the break.) Thing is, most cameras fast enough to catch such phenomena do so with a tradeoff -- like the Phantom V12, which had a tiny 256 x 8 picture at its impressive 1,000,000fps. But now, Vision Research claims they have a camera that does it all: the Phantom Flex, which captures 1080p images at up to 2,800fps -- with 1000 ISO sensitivity -- and can shoot higher (2560 x 1600 at 1,560fps), faster (640 x 480 at 13,000fps) or even slower (down to 5fps) for regular filming. Since the high speed modes fill the onboard 16 or 32GB of memory in the blink of an eye, the sexy black number supports hot-swappable SSD modules for storage, and can even be synced in pairs to film blue alien Pocahontas reenactments in stereoscopic 3D. Hit the source link for a mouthwatering spec sheet, and don't ask how much it costs. You really don't want to know.
A look at the framework of Apple's iPad ad
The iPad, like the iPhone, used the Oscars to make its ad debut. As is typical with an Apple ad, the iPad's ad featured a montage of different uses for the device, all while set to the backdrop of a catchy tune. In making his case for the iPad, Apple CEO Steve Jobs noted that it would offer a better experience than a smartphone and a notebook computer in the following areas: Browsing Email Photos Videos Music Games eBooks The iPad's first ad reflects this ideal. The ad, when analyzed based on the on-air time dedicated to a particular function, reveals a device that will be marketed for jack-of-all-trades functionality, with a particular focus on its media consumption appeal and differentiation. About 80 percent of all 720 frames (30 seconds of total ad's total time multiplied by 24 frames per second) of the iPad's ad showed an app being used. And within this time, the photo app was shown the most, accounting for 26 percent of total frames where an app is being used. The mail app came in second, with 22 percent. With 20 percent of airtime, the iBook app highlights Apple positioning the iPad to compete against eBook readers. While a New York Times app wasn't shown, the ad, which shows the paper being displayed in a Safari browser window instead, also points to Apple positioning the iPad to appeal those who consume traditional print media publications -- such as newspapers and magazines. Although a Safari browser was briefly shown toward the end of the ad browsing Facebook, almost all Safari activity displayed the New York Times. In a September 2009 interview with the New York Times' David Pogue, Steve Jobs provided somewhat of a glimpse into how Apple would market and differentiate the iPad. Jobs argued that while dedicated devices such as Amazon's Kindle will always exist and that they may have offer some advantages in doing just one thing, "general-purpose devices will win the day" because "people just probably aren't willing to pay for a dedicated device." The iPad's first ad clearly follows this ideal.
Digital Foundry analyzes the Halo: Reach ViDoc
By now, you've likely dissected every frame of the new Halo: Reach trailer, mining its most precious infoz to your heart's content. Or maybe (like us) you work for a living, or have other responsibilities that keep you from busting out the microscope and going to town. That's where Digital Foundry comes in. DF conducted a thorough breakdown of the X10 video, monitoring the frames-per-second (fups, as us cool kids call it) in all of the presented gameplay. All in all, the ViDoc seems to have spoken the truth: Halo: Reach's engine is a significant improvement over that of Halo 3's. It looks like Reach should run at a smooth 30fps, the same as its predecessor, at a higher resolution: 1152x720 over Halo 3's 1152x640. Yep, you pixel-counters just read that right. Head on over and give the video a gander. [Via HBO]
Fixing FPS issues with patch 3.1
A few people are experiencing slowdown issues with patch 3.1, and since our last bit of technical help went over so well, we figured we'd do a little troubleshooting for you on this one, too. If your computer is running slower since you updated into patch 3.1, the first thing to do is check your video options -- Blizzard has tweaked a few things in there, and chances are that by tweaking them again, you might be able to fix your problem (or at least make it a little better). Specifically keep an eye out for the new Video Mode Ultra setting -- that specifically is not designed to be used unless your computer is current and top-of-the-line. Shadows also are quite a drag on the video card and CPU, and turning them down won't affect gameplay that much.If your options are already low, the next thing you might do is check your videocard's make and driver version (scroll down to the "manually" section there -- you don't need to run Intel's program). Nvidia, who makes the common GeForce series of video cards just updated their drivers to version 182.50 on April 2nd, so if you have an earlier version than that, running the update will probably help. If you have an ATI card, you can find the drivers over on their site.And of course if all of your software is set up and you're still having issues, there's always the possibility of updating your hardware. That can be quite an ordeal, though, so if you're not so sure on how to install new RAM or can't recognize the difference between SATA and IDE, you might want to enlist a friendly techie for a little help. WoW is still very forgiving, but Blizzard has been slowly adding on the graphical goodness, so if you've been playing with the same PC since launch four years ago, it might just be time for an upgrade.
Ricoh's CX1 camera gets reviewed
The kids at Photography Blog have finally got their hands on that Ricoh CX1 that won our respect not too long ago, and they've been cool enough to post a review online. The camera, the reviewer said, begins where the ol' R10 left off, throwing features like multi-pattern auto white balance, multi-target auto focus, and 4fps continuous shooting speed into the mix, making this "the best Ricoh point-and-shoot yet." That said, it can't all be groovy -- the review goes on to cite the camera's "bog-standard" 640 x 480 / 30fps video and rudimentary face detection as "nothing to write home about." Image quality -- often a deal-breaker for this company -- has greatly improved, with a new 9 megapixel CMOS sensor sporting "a now usable ISO range of 80-800." Of course, the big news is the camera's high dynamic range. DR mode is, for the most part, "radical and very effective." But there's much more to it -- hit that read link for all the gory details.
