Disney Unveils KeyChest Technology

The Walt Disney Co unveiled a technology called KeyChest to enable consumers to buy films or television shows from various distributors, store them on remote servers, and play them on multiple platforms ranging from TVs to computers and phones. Disney said it plans to rollout KeyChest for both the U.S. and the international market, and that it will soon announce partners who will participate in the program.

"Discussions are going to step up dramatically at the Consumer Electronics Show," said a Disney spokesman, referring to the upcoming technology conference in Las Vegas.

Disney said negotiations with content distributors, cable companies and telecommunications services have been ongoing for several months. Disney hopes the technology will be deployed before the end of 2010.

The company also said a third-party company will operate KeyChest, and that it expects other studios to make their content available through the authenticating technology Disney has developed.

Company officials said the goal of KeyChest is to make it easy for viewers to see a movie accessed from various outlets and to address the issue of compatibility in maneuvering content from device to device as well as limited storage space on consumers' hard drives. She also said this was not intended as a Disney only venture.

"The idea is to have all the movies consumers want to buy available in this way," said Kelly Summers, vice president of digital distribution at Disney, in a briefing about KeyChest. "If it's Disney only, there really isn't much value here," she said.

Disney officials said they hope to use KeyChest to build momentum for the long-stalled digital distribution of films.

It comes at a critical juncture for the industry which saw the sale of films on DVDs and Blu-rays drop by an estimated 13% in 2009. Online sales of movies, the hoped-for bright spot for the industry, grew from $150 million to $250 million in 2009, but not an enough to offset the decline in physical sales.

With KeyChest, a consumer can buy a movie from a participating store. That customer's account with other participating services, such as telecom services or cable companies, would be updated to show the film is available for viewing.

Summers stressed that KeyChest will not be a service that consumers access directly. Rather, Disney envisions KeyChest as a program that retailers can tap into to verify that consumers have already purchased the right to access a movie, and then make that movie available to the consumer across different devices.

By Alex Dobuzinskis and Sue Zeidler, The Hollywood Reporter

Digital Format Adopted

Hollywood is one step closer to being able to collect more coin from the digital distribution of its movies and TV shows. A consortium of studios, retailers and electronics manufacturers that are members of the Digital Entertainment Content Ecosystem have agreed on a format that will enable entertainment to be played across a number of digital platforms and devices. The first devices and services using the format are expected to roll out early next year.

While specific technical details have not yet been disclosed, studios will essentially have to create just one standard or high-definition file that can be played on any service or device over the Internet, on a set-top box or mobile device. Studios currently have to create multiple files of their movies or TV shows in order for them to play in various formats.

The creation, distribution and storage of such files has created a headache for content creators and retailers looking to capitalize on the proliferation of devices like Apple's iPod and iPhone as well as consumers' growing desire to watch entertainment on their videogame consoles or computers.

During the last quarter, sales of digital content grew nearly 20% to $420 million. The numbers, however, still represent a small piece of what studio homevideo divisions earn.

But introducing one standard file format is expected to increase revenue significantly and provide cost savings as well. With one agreed-upon format, the studios, not retailers like Apple, could also dictate pricing of their movies and TV shows; pricing has proved a sticking point in the past.

DECE's move, which has been in the works since the org was formed in September 2008, is part of a "Buy Once, Play Anywhere" strategy that will utilize "cloud computing" to power much of that effort. Through cloud computing, entertainment that consumers buy would be stored in a digital locker and remotely accessed from any device that meets DECE's format requirements.

DECE has tapped Virginia-based Neustar to operate that digital locker. It's also approved Adobe Flash Access, CMLA-OMA V2, the Marlin DRM Open Standard, Microsoft PlayReady and Widevine as the five digital rights management formats that can protect the files stored in the locker.

The digital entertainment marketplace is on the cusp of a new era of rapid growth," said Mitch Singer, prexy of the DECE and chief technology officer of Sony Pictures Entertainment. "The key to unlocking this potential is giving consumers the 'Buy Once, Play Anywhere' experience they want. That's the goal of DECE."

But getting every major player onboard is key.

Fox Entertainment Group, NBC Universal, Paramount, Sony, Warner Bros. and Lionsgate are among DECE's 48 members and will back the new format, as will companies including Best Buy, Comcast, Cisco, Cox Communications, Netflix, Ascent Media Group, Motorola, Microsoft, Samsung, Philips, Toshiba and Panasonic.

However, Apple has opted not to go along with DECE's efforts. Apple's support will likely prove pivotal in enabling the studios to earn more revenue from digital distribution given iTunes and proliferation of iPods and iPhones. Disney also has gone another route, developing its own cloud computing technology dubbed KeyChest to digitally store and distribute its pics to paying subscribers.

By Marc Graser, Variety

JVC Introduces IF-2D3D1 Stereoscopic Image Processor

JVC Professional Products is introducing the IF-2D3D1 Stereoscopic Image Processor, which works as a 2D-to-3D converter and as a 3D L/R mixer for video content producers. Housed in a rugged, 1RU metal cabinet and compatible with a wide range of HD formats, the IF-2D3D1 is designed to help 3D content producers improve their workflow, whether they are converting archived 2D material or shooting original content in 3D.

IF-2D3D1 Stereoscopic Image Processor

Using unique JVC algorithms, the IF-2D3D1 converts 2D content to 3D in real time, offering no fewer than four 3D mixed formats (which combine left-eye and right-eye images) for stereo video output on a compatible device: line-by-line, side-by-side-half, above-below, and checkerboard. JVC is making this 2D-to-3D conversion technology widely available under license. The IF-2D3D1 can also output discrete left and right signals via HD-SDI or HDMI for dual projection or editing. Output can be adjusted for parallax (image displacement) and 3D intensity – both with natural, anaglyph, and sequential viewing modes.

Generally, 3D footage is shot using a pair of video cameras, but producers have not had a practical method of real-time monitoring on location. The IF-2D3D1 easily combines the left-eye and right-eye images – nothing else is required except a 3D capable monitor, such as JVC's GD-463D10U, a 46-inch 3D LCD panel. A built-in HD-SDI frame synchronizer provides sync for two cameras that lack external sync, plus anaglyph and sequential viewing modes provide multiple ways to check 3D content.

Content creation workflow can also be improved through a variety of additional features. The Scope feature provides a waveform monitor and vectorscope for comparing both video streams on a display to ensure the settings for both cameras – such as exposure and white balance – are matched. The Split feature combines the two video streams on one screen with a moveable boundary, allowing instant L/R comparison. And when one of the two cameras has to be positioned upside down (to ensure correct spacing), Rotation makes sure both streams can be viewed the right way up and in sync.

The IF-2D3D1 will be available March 2010.

Source: JVC U.S.A

Next3D to Launch Broadband-Delivered Stereoscopic 3D Home Service in First Quarter of 2010

Next3D announced that Next3DTV, the company's broadband-delivered 3D HD Home service will begin operation in the first quarter of 2010. Next3DTV will offer the home consumer a variety of stereoscopic 3D content, including theatrical 3D movies, films originally created for 3D IMAX theaters, movie trailers, sports, news, documentaries, live 3D weather maps, and games.

Additionally, Next3DTV will offer user-created content channels for stereo 3D enthusiasts to post and share stereoscopic videos and still images. Movies, special events, games and other premium content will be offered on a rental basis, while some content will be free.

"With millions of 3D-ready TVs, computers, and monitors rapidly entering the home, we've created Next3DTV as a one-stop-shop for the consumer to easily get great 3D entertainment and content," said Steve Heyer, Chairman of Next3D. "Our encoding and playback technology provides an amazing viewing experience. Next3DTV wraps that experience in ease of access and convenience."

Next3DTV will be initially available for PC's, with support for Mac, game consoles and select set top boxes to follow. For PC users, Next3DTV will support 3D Laptops, most NetTop PCs, and modern PC's with NVIDIA or ATI video cards.

Source: PR Newswire

Next3D Announces Patent-pending Technology for Encoding and Universal Playback of Stereoscopic 3D Content

Next3D announced a patent-pending technology for highly efficient encoding and decoding of stereoscopic 3D video content. The company's Compound-Entropy Stereoscopic Encoder (CESE) greatly reduces the redundant information in the left and right-eye views of stereoscopic video. This process results in high-quality stereoscopic video that requires far less bandwidth to transmit than two independent eye-views.

Next3D's universal decoder/player provides high-quality stereoscopic video when used on PCs, game consoles and dedicated video processors found in consumer electronics and television set top boxes. The encoder/player works with Next3D's CESE format as well as the emerging Multi-View Coding standard (MVC), a version of MVC, which is enhanced by Compound-Entropy technology (MVC+CE), and a side-by-side format, which is enhanced by Compound-Entropy technology (SS+CE).

By working with the company's proprietary stereoscopic format as well as other emerging and popular standards, the Next3D universal decoder/player offers the customer a unified solution for viewing stereoscopic video. Additionally, content transmitted in CESE forms of MVC or side-by-side formats can be viewed with any standard-compliant decoder, without the enhancement. When viewed with the Next3D decoder/player, CESE provides improved stereoscopic fidelity and a superior viewing experience.

Source: PR Newswire

Mitsubishi Digital Electronics America Brings 3D to Life

Mitsubishi Digital Electronics America (MDEA) will showcase the flexibility and versatility of its 3D-ready TV products by displaying 3D content delivered by various video sources, including Blu-Ray players at CES 2010. MDEA has also announced a new 3D adapter which will provide Mitsubishi 3D-ready Home Theater TV owners with an easy and affordable solution to display 3D from a 3D Blu-Ray player.

At CES, MDEA will be rolling in its massive and impressive 53-foot Mobile Marketing Showroom (MMS) into the "Experience 3D Tech Zone". The MMS will provide a 1000-square-foot showroom showcasing a wide variety of new 3D content displayed on both LaserVue and Home Theater TVs. 3D entertainment will be demonstrated on a laser-powered television, using a 65" LaserVue TV and MDEA's Home Theater TV product line will be displaying cross-platform content on its 60", 73" and 82" televisions.

In order to display 3D images, Mitsubishi LaserVue & Home Theater 3D Ready TVs require source devices to support checkerboard format for display of 3D gaming or 3D Blu-ray content. Some 3D Blu-ray players (BDPs) may output a checkerboard format that is compatible with Mitsubishi 3D Ready TVs. For 3D BDPs that do not output a compatible checkerboard format, Mitsubishi plans to offer the 3DC-1000 3D adapter. The 3DC-1000 will convert the 3D BDP output to a 3D format that can be displayed by any Mitsubishi 3D Ready TV.

Source: PR Newswire

WirelessHD Next Generation Standard Now Supports 3DTV, HDCP 2.0, Data Applications and Data Rates in Excess of 10 Gbps

The WirelessHD Consortium, the first and largest 60 GHz initiative worldwide and the only wireless standard that provides wireless lossless A/V support, announced a major enhancement to the WirelessHD 1.0 specification. The next generation of the WirelessHD specification will enable HDTVs, Blu-ray disc players, PCs and portable devices to transmit, share and display content in billions of colors with unprecedented vividness and accuracy as well as instantaneously transfer large multi-gigabyte media files among a variety of devices. The WirelessHD standards group also announced its new authorized self test house (ASTH), extending the WirelessHD Compliance Test Program capabilities.

Panasonic has developed a WirelessHD Authorized Self Test House. They now have an internal facility where they will be able to test WirelessHD products for protocol compliance and interoperability in early 2010.

The WirelessHD specification, the de facto standard wireless digital interface for high definition consumer electronics, is currently supported by almost 50 global technology industry leaders. Products with the updated technology, which is the only 60 GHz specification that is included in the Institute of Electrical Engineering (IEEE) 802.15.3c global standard, will be backward compatible to those products using WirelessHD 1.0 that have been shipping since early 2009. The update reflects the determination of the WirelessHD founders to ensure WirelessHD continues extending its utility and evolving ahead of future consumer demands.

New WirelessHD specification capabilities include:
- Highest data rates: The next generation spec increases the data rate to 10 – 28 Gbps, an unprecedented level of wireless bandwidth. This will support the demands of future high definition display devices, such as higher resolutions, Deep Color and high frame rates, as well as high speed data applications.

- 3D over WirelessHD: The new specification will define common 3D formats and resolutions for WirelessHD-enabled devices.

- 4K resolution support: Enables devices to support HD resolution four times beyond the resolution of 1080p. This feature allows the WirelessHD interface to transmit content at the same resolution as many digital theaters.

- Data support: Connected devices that include this feature supports sync’n go file transfers at 1Gbps for portable and fixed devices. This new specification also provides for IP connectivity for Internet access and networking of WirelessHD devices.

- Portable device support: The scalability of WirelessHD technology has been extended to support lossless video streaming plus 1Gbps data connectivity in low-power portable devices such as portable media players, netbooks and smartphones.

- HDCP 2.0 content protection over WirelessHD: In addition to DTCP, both the current and future versions of WirelessHD will include support for HDCP 2.0 content protection. WirelessHD is the only standard to support both streaming and copying of multimedia content.

Source: BusinessWire

Sigma Showcases New Range of 3D Technologies at CES 2010

Sigma Designs, a leading provider of system-on-chip (SoC) solutions used to deliver entertainment and control throughout the home announced that they will be showcasing a new range of 3D video and 3D graphics technologies - highlighting the emergence of next generation consumer products.

At CES, Sigma will demonstrate 3D video capability that takes advantage of advanced 3D video algorithms and content from RealD to show stereoscopic output on a 3D equipped television. This 3D video platform is based on Sigma’s SMP8644 media processor combined with Sigma’s GF9452 VXP video processor which will output full HD left eye/right eye interleaved images. Additionally, the demonstration will provide image enhancement of the 3D content using proprietary VXP detail enhancement and adaptive contrast enhancement algorithms.

As a second demonstration, there will be also a showcase of the robust 3D graphics capability that operates over the OpenGL ES interface to render high performance 3D imaging. This 3D graphics platform is based on Sigma’s latest silicon that offers a new 3D engine - featuring a tile-based architecture with a universal shader engine supporting multi-threaded operations with both pixel and vertex shading. It is capable of rendering 16 million polygons/second, pixel fill rates of 500 million pixels/second, and texture element fill rates of over 100M texels/second.

This 3D demonstration from Sigma is another milestone toward the creation of a chipset that will power next generation platforms for set-top box and consumer electronics products.

Source: BusinessWire

Bit Cauldron Fills Demonstrates 3D Glasses for Home Theater and Gaming

Bit Cauldron announced that it will demonstrate its upcoming stereoscopic 3D shutter glasses at the 2010 Consumer Electronics Show, showcasing how consumers will soon get to enjoy high-fidelity 3D movies and games at home with their own televisions or computer.

- No more flicker: Bit Cauldron electronic shutter glasses never miss a beat. Advanced RF radio and synchronization technology allows you to enjoy the show, not goof with the glasses.

- Seeing is believing: At the upcoming 2010 Consumer Electronics Show, Bit Cauldron will be demonstrating Blu-ray stereoscopic 3D entertainment at the AMD exhibit.

- Get the picture, clearer and brighter than ever: Bit Cauldron glasses incorporate fast, neutral density lenses for a clearer, brighter picture than ever while preserving HDTV color and resolution. Whether you’re placing Bit Cauldron glasses over your own glasses to watch a movie or head banging to your favorite video game, Bit Cauldron glasses stay comfortably on your face while you enjoy the 3D experience.

“Bit Cauldron glasses work together with AMD GPU’s to provide the world’s best 3D experience,” said James Mentz, CEO of Bit Cauldron. “Plus, these glasses are the ‘universal remote control’ of 3D glasses, interoperating with 3D-Ready televisions from several major manufacturers.”

“Bit Cauldron glasses use advanced IEEE 802.15.4 radios for a reliable connection from display to glasses,” said Samuel Caldwell, VP of Engineering at Bit Cauldron. “With other glasses at the show, look away from the TV or step out from the carefully controlled viewing area and you’ll see them flicker, while ours keep working just fine.”

Bit Cauldron glasses will be available from major household brand names in the second half of 2010.

Source: BusinessWire

Next3D and Turner Broadcasting to Collaborate on Stereoscopic 3D HD Content Delivery to the Home

Next3D and Turner Broadcasting System have entered a collaborative partnership to deploy 3D technology for the production and delivery of three-dimensional content to the emerging home 3D audience. Next3D has Stereoscopic 3D Full high definition encoding and player technology for nearly every platform: PCs, Mac, Xbox 360, PS3, Blu-ray disc and television set top boxes. Content encoded with Next3D's enabling technology delivers full stereoscopic 3D in 1080P high-definition to the home over a broadband, cable or satellite TV connection. Next3D has demonstrated its proven technology to the videogame industry, Hollywood studios and broadcasters.

"We are uniquely positioned to provide turnkey or customizable solutions to our partners with proprietary stereo 3D encoding and playback technology that works flawlessly with off-the-shelf components already in the market and in millions of homes," said Steve Heyer, Chairman of Next3D. "From movies to live sports to videogames, Next3D encoding delivers a stunning and immersive 3D HD experience to the living room."

Source: PR Newswire

Korean Government Will Look Over 3D Broadcast

The government will inject a massive amount of investment to 3D Research and Development sector to get hold of the 3D market. A total of US$35 billion will be spent on 3D R&D and more investment is to be expected if includes the money in the private sector. The fact that the three main ministries -- Korea Communications Commission, Ministry of Knowledge Economy, Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism -- cooperating on 3D development is unprecedented and foreshadows a sensational hit in the 3D market this year.

According to these three ministries, on the fourth of this month, they will come up with a comprehensive plan that is targeted to expanding 3D market in South Korea. More specifically, this grand plan entails that Korea Communications Commission will inject US$5 billion to focus on the research of technological elements that allows the transmission of 3D to public TV. Ministry of Knowledge Economy will concentrate on the development of broadcasting equipments and display panels that requires a spending of US$10 billion. Lastly, Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism will research on the transfer of 2D contents into 3D and plan to develop 3D camera league technology that connects two cameras; all these research and development is expected to require around US$20 billion.

The focal point in these large amounts of investment by the government on R&D of 3D technology is to dominate the 3D market in advance. The outlook on the 3D market is bright and seems to be growing at a rapid rate. Recently, Sony has hold hands with FIFA and the Olympics will be relayed by 3D and also with the rise of 3DTV the whole nation is expected to broadcast 3D in the future.

By Bang Jung-hyun, Korea IT Times

VIZIO Launches NEW XVT Pro Series of Advanced HDTV Technology

VIZIO, America’s #1 LCD HDTV Company, has unveiled their new high-performance XVT Pro Series of 480Hz SPS 16x9 TruLED Full HD3D HDTVs available in 72”, 55” and 47” sizes, as well as a 58” Cinema Wide HDTV that displays content in 21 x 9 aspect ratio.

The 480Hz SPS 16x9 TruLED Full HD3D HDTVs incorporate the very latest in advanced HDTV technology with 480Hz SPS, TruLED brilliant LEDs that pervade the entire screen, Smart Dimming circuitry controls hundreds of zones of LEDs per screen to the precise light level per picture frame. In addition, the set’s Full HD3D delivers stunning 3D images in FULL HD 1080p resolution, with other advanced features like VIZIO INTERNET APPS (VIA) built-in high definition wireless (802.11n dual-band) and wired networking, a Bluetooth universal remote control with sliding QWERTY keyboard, and Wireless HDMI which allows the TV to receive HD video and audio from sources without an HDMI cable. For environments with bright ambient lighting, the 55” and 47” models feature a unique anti-reflective panel that produces better contrast with rich and deep blacks even in brightly lit rooms.

XVTPRO 3D Ready 1080p TruLED 480Hz SPS TVs

FULL HD3D
Utilizing SENSIO 3D technology to deliver 3D content over conventional 2D infrastructure, the new VIZIO XVT Pro Full HD3D TVs display stunning 3D content that the user can view with XpanD active-shutter glasses (sold separately). Unlike other 3D TVs that use passive stereoscopic imaging, VIZIO's Full HD3D TVs can display full 1080p video to each eye by rapidly alternating between the left-eye and right-eye images within the same visual space. The special active-shutter glasses, which communicate with the television over Bluetooth, then transform each lens from opaque to transparent in perfect synchronization with the images displayed on the TV, which allows for delivery of the full frame rate capable by the television for the ultimate 3D HDTV viewing experience.

These sets can produce 3D images from SENSIO encoded material on conventional DVD and Blu-ray players, as well as from future distribution channels such as pay per view, video on demand, DTV and HDTV broadcasts.

Source: VIZIO

Discovery Communications, Sony and IMAX Announce Plan to Launch First 24/7 Dedicated 3D Television Network in the U.S.

Three of the world's leading media, technology and entertainment companies - Discovery Communications, Sony Corporation and IMAX Corporation - announced a joint venture to be established to develop the first 24/7 dedicated 3D television network in the U.S. The partnership brings together three leaders with an extraordinary collection of award-winning 3D content, technology expertise, television distribution and operational strength to deliver a high-quality three-dimensional viewing experience to home television audiences. The joint venture intends to launch the network beginning in the U.S.

"Discovery's business strategy has always focused on delivering groundbreaking content through new platforms, including the first suite of digital channels launched in 1996 and the first 24/7 basic cable HD channel in 2002," said Discovery Founder and Chairman John Hendricks. "Now, as Discovery celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2010 as the world leader in satisfying curiosity and bringing audiences the most realistic viewing experience, we continue to change the face of television with the launch of the first-ever 24/7 dedicated 3D television network."

"Sony is the only company with expertise in every part of the 3D value chain," said Sir Howard Stringer, Chairman, CEO and President, Sony Corporation. "We are delighted to be partnering with Discovery and IMAX, two premier companies also dedicated to leadership in 3D, in this groundbreaking new venture. It is clear to us that consumers will always migrate to a better and richer entertainment experience, and together we are determined to be the leader in providing that around the world."

"IMAX has been a pioneer and recognized leader in 3D technology for more than twenty-five years, delivering the premium in-theatre experience to audiences around the world. We're reaching more and more consumers with the recent expansion of the IMAX theatre network and the growth of 3D movie content," said IMAX CEO Richard L. Gelfond. "This new business venture is the first step in our strategic effort to take 3D into the home and extend the IMAX brand. We've already had strong collaborations with Discovery Communications and Sony in the past on IMAX event film titles, and we are thrilled to work with such strong partners to be the first to make in-home 3D a reality."

Discovery, Sony, through its U.S. affiliate, Sony Corporation of America, and IMAX each will be equal partners in the joint venture. It will be launched in the U.S., with a goal of driving consumer adoption of 3D televisions and giving the network long-term leadership in the 3D home marketplace. In the future, the companies also will explore international distribution opportunities in selected markets.

The new 3D network will feature high-quality premium content from genres that are most appealing in 3D, including natural history, space, exploration, adventure, engineering, science and technology, motion pictures and children's programming from Discovery, Sony Pictures Entertainment, IMAX and other third-party providers.

Discovery will provide network services, including affiliate sales and technical support functions, as well as 3D television rights to Discovery content and cross-promotion across its portfolio of 13 U.S. television networks. Sony will provide advertising/sponsorship sales support, and will seek to license television rights to current and future 3D feature films, music-related 3D content and game-related 3D content, while providing cross-promotion at retail stores. IMAX also will license television rights to future 3D films, promotion through its owned-and-operated movie theaters across the U.S., and a suite of proprietary and patented image enhancement and 3D technologies.

Governance for the joint venture will be handled by a board of directors comprised of members from each of the three companies, with the day-to-day operations run by a separate staff and management team that will report to the board. A search for the venture's general manager will begin immediately.

The parties have signed a non-binding Letter of Intent. Specific financial terms of the venture were not disclosed. The parties will work towards prompt execution of definitive agreements, subject to any necessary regulatory approvals.

Source: Discovery Communications

ESPN to Launch 3D Network in June

ESPN is going 3D. The venerable sports network will launch ESPN 3D on June 11 with a World Cup soccer match, creating what it says will be the first all three-dimensional television network to the home. ESPN 3D expects to showcase at least 85 live sporting events during the first year. There'll be no reruns initially, so the network will be dark when there's no 3D event. Among other events planned for 3D broadcast: the Summer X Games (extreme sports), NBA games, college basketball and college football.

ESPN is committing to the 3D network through June 2011. "We're going to assess the viability of this as we did with all our businesses," says Sean Bratches, an ESPN executive vice president for sales and marketing. He's confident that sports fans will immerse themselves in the technology.

To do that, you'll need a more expensive 3D-capable television such as those that industry heavyweights will show off this week in Las Vegas at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES). Viewers also must don special 3D glasses.

Consumer Electronics Association CEO Gary Shapiro says the ESPN 3D announcement parallels where HDTV was six years ago. "This is a turning point for 3D," he says.

Paul Liao, CEO of the CableLabs consortium of cable operators, says that while 3D movies are paramount to the success of 3D in the home, live sports "will engage the consumer to a degree that has been unprecedented."

There are challenges. You may need a new set-top box to watch 3D. It's unclear if you'll have to pay a premium. ESPN says it expects deals with distributors will be in place prior to launch.

Broadcasting live events in 3D comes at an extra cost. Locations where cameras are placed to capture a regular high-definition sporting event don't necessarily translate to a 3D broadcast. If simultaneously broadcasting in regular HD, ESPN needs to employ a second production crew, and different announcers, for the 3D telecast.

ESPN, which is part of Disney, has been testing 3D for more than two years. In September, it produced the University of Southern California vs. Ohio State football game in 3D, shown on the USC campus and in theaters in Ohio, Texas and Connecticut. In surveys afterward, most viewers said they were "wowed." But some said quick camera changes "were a little hard on the eyes." And the research suggested that willingness to pay for 3D was "extremely dependent on (the) matchup."

"We don't have all the answers," says Chuck Pagano, ESPN's executive vice president for technology. "We asked the same questions back in the HD days. Is this going to be better? Is this going to be worse?"

ESPN likely won't have the 3D stage to itself. The HD Guru3D website reports that DirecTV will launch a 3D channel at CES. Robert Mercer, a spokesman for the satellite provider, wouldn't confirm that. But he says "3D is something we are very interested in."

By Edward C. Baig, USA Today

Battle for 3D Format Goes Low-tech?

In between all the discussions of 3D display formats, interfaces and media specifications, there’s a detail that appears to be growing in significance: the 3D glasses themselves. And market considerations are likely to affect not only theatrical implementations, but the home as well.

Three major 3D contenders - RealD, Dolby and XpanD - use polarization, spectral filtering, and electronic shutters, respectively; the prices of the glasses, in quantity, are typically 65 cents, $28 and $50, also in that order. Multiply this by the number of theatergoers, and figure in usable life, as well as hygienic-support (cleaning) costs, and you could have some disparate costs for the film value chain. And it gets more complicated, too. Currently, the throwaway and returnable units are available, for the most part, in one size alone, which makes for quite a nuisance for young viewers. Add the issue of vision correction (how attractive is a cumbersome fit-over solution?), and an entire new product line becomes likely. Several manufacturers are now pursuing variety and personalization as a desirable feature, so expect designer glasses carrying your favorite lifestyle brand to hit the market soon. Expect premium pricing for these units, too. We already know of several glasses deals that will be announced later this week at CES, so stay tuned.

As far as home use, cost is always a major concern to the manufacturers. According to a recent market research study done by Quixel Research, consumers are willing to pay for 3D glasses but don’t expect to pay twice as much for two pairs. (Not mentioned, however, is how cost impacts this figure.) The Quixel report also showed that 50% of those surveyed are interested in watching 3D at home, with those who have seen a 3D movie recently more interested in purchasing than the overall sample. This tantalizing figure must be tempered by display and glasses costs, however, with the latter possibly reaching $75-150 each for shutter units. And it takes just one kid to sit on the glasses to ruin your day.

At the same time, XpanD is now marketing glasses that use the "DLP link" protocol - used to sync the glasses with the display - primarily intended for use with a DLP 3DTV or projector. The DLP-link transmitter can also be provided on a small USB dongle, enabling existing PCs to provide a sync pulse for use with a 3D display. Of course, most PCs and laptops don’t use a DLP imager, but 3D capable monitors and TVs with LCD or PDP technology could potentially be used. Expect an announcement in this area this week at CES in Las Vegas.

Perhaps these issues may amplify the efforts of display manufacturers to produce a good auto-stereoscopic (glasses-free) display. But that will likely be years away, especially with the imminent availability of current 3D consumer displays. Meanwhile, the recent release of the blockbuster film Avatar will likely generate another positive blip in the growth of 3D viewing. With current box office receipts having just topped $1B worldwide, it will be interesting to know the split is between 2D and 3D revenues.

By Aldo Cugnini, DisplayDaily

DirecTV going 3D in March

It has yet to be formally announced, but most industry observers expect pay-TV operator DirecTV to start transmitting a full 3D channel around March. The official announcement is expected to made at the giant CES show later this week.

Extra satellite bandwidth is just being provided in the shape of a new satellite in orbit which will permit not just this initial channel but further 3D services along the road. The debut channel is likely to include sports, movies and documentary programming in 3D, and will showcase 3D’s attractions for retailers to demo on an increasing range of 3D-equipped TV sets.

DirecTV subscribers will get a firmware upgrade to their existing set-top boxes, but will still need to invest in a ‘3D ready’ set.

By Chris Forrester, RapidTV News

3D Display Revenues Forecast to Reach $22B by 2018

In its recently released 3D Display Technology and Market Forecast Report, DisplaySearch forecasts that the total stereoscopic 3D display market will grow from 0.7 million units and $902 million in revenues in 2008 to 196 million units and $22 billion in revenues in 2018, a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 38% for revenues and 75% for units.

The market for 3D displays—which is encouraged by the recent success of 3D cinema—is forecast to take off in 2010, providing a welcome boost to the electronics industry. “3D displays are taking off with consumers due to increasing availability of 3D content. In addition, 3D standardization has also been addressed or is being evaluated in several 3D organizations,” noted Jennifer Colegrove, Director of Display Technologies at DisplaySearch. “A number of manufacturers of consumer electronics devices, including TVs, monitors, notebooks, Blu-ray disc players, and digital cameras/camcorders/photo frames have aggressively promoted 3D in the home. In addition to consumer use of 3D displays, the technology has also been used for many professional applications and advertisement/public displays.”

3D Display Forecast

Additional findings:
- 3D-ready monitors will grow from 40K units (0.02% penetration) in 2009 to 10 million (3.6% penetration) in 2018.
- 3D notebook PCs are forecast to grow from 66K units (0.04% penetration) in 2009 to 17.7 million (3.2% penetration) in 2018.
- Mobile phones will be the largest 3D display application on a unit shipment basis in 2018, with 71 million units with 3D capability.
- The largest screen size category for 3D display shipments will be 1-4.x”, due to demand from mobile phone and digital camera/camcorder applications.
- The second largest size range will be 40-49”, due to TV, public display and 40+ monitor applications.
- LCD will be the primary display technology used for 3D displays, as a result of its wide range of display applications ranging from small mobile phones to large public displays and TVs.
- Eyewear will be necessary for most 3D applications for many years to come, due to the limitations of auto-stereoscopic (no glasses) technologies.
- DisplaySearch forecasts there will be more than 7,000 new 3D cinema screens installed in 2010 and an additional 9,000 in 2011.

Source: DisplaySearch

Samsung and RealD to Bring 3D Experience to the Home

RealD and Samsung Electronics announced that RealD's industry-leading 3D technology will be integrated into Samsung's impressive line-up of 3D TVs. Samsung will support the proprietary stereoscopic RealD Format for the delivery and display of high-quality 3D content.

True to their mission to continually improve consumers' entertainment experience, the two companies will also work jointly on active eyewear technology and New Passive Display technology to promote the adoption of quality 3D TV.

The RealD Format is an enhanced version of a side-by-side 3D format that uses a unique set of filters and other technology that multiplexes a left eye and right eye 3D image stream into a single channel for delivery of high definition 3D content using today's HD infrastructure to any 3D-enabled display type.

Source: PR Newswire

Epson Discusses Hardware Technologies for 3D Displays

Three-dimensional (3D) TVs are expected to be commercialized in 2010. How much 3D technologies will advance? How will they be used for mobile phones and other devices? We asked these questions to Goro Hamagishi, who is a general manager of Epson Imaging Device Corp and has been engaged in the development of 3D displays for more than 15 years.

What do you think about the current status of 3D displays?
As for displays using special glasses, they are almost ready to be used at home thanks to 3D Hollywood movies. On the other hand, in regard to displays that do not require glasses, some prototypes have just become sophisticated enough to satisfy general consumers in terms of image quality. And there aren't many applications for them.

Thus far, the focus of 3D display development has shifted from displays using glasses to two-viewpoint naked-eye types and to multi-viewpoint types. Though companies have not been able to find killer applications so far, they are now commercializing 3D displays using glasses because of 3D movies.

It is possible to make two-viewpoint 3D video from movies and TV pictures. And video games contain 3D data. It became possible to make 3D video in real time thanks to the improvement of processors. So, we can now tap the 3D display market together with the content industry.

Even 3D displays using glasses reportedly have a problem that an image for one of the right and left eyes can be seen by the other eye (cross talk). And the displays and glasses need to be improved to enhance their comfort and safety.
I think those problems have almost been solved by improving liquid-crystal shutters and polarizing plates. And further improvements can be made by advancing the development of devices. However, even if the performance of 3D displays is improved, problems such as motion sickness might occur due to the low quality of contents.

I am not engaged in the development of displays using glasses. But, in the case of 3D displays, not only displays but contents will influence the safety. So, it is important to evaluate both hardware and contents to enable to view 3D displays safely.

Please explain about the naked eye-type displays?
In the case of the naked-eye types, the number of viewpoints varies from two to 256. But, because the resolution of display does not change, the resolution of the image seen from each viewpoint decreases as the number of viewpoints increases. So, I think it is important to optimize displays for each application.

In the field of ergonomics, one of the issues of 3D displays is to decide whether the number of viewpoints or resolution should be prioritized. Currently, ISO (International Organization for Standardization) is discussing optical measurement methods for naked eye-type displays. And I think it is very important to establish a method to reasonably evaluate displays and determine required performances from the viewpoint of ergonomics.

Though many companies have announced a variety of naked eye-type 3D displays, consumers will find it difficult to understand the merits and features of each display if nothing is done. Because there is no common measurement method, technology development has been slowed. We have to develop evaluation standards that can be shared by consumers and engineers and can help advance technologies.

Do displays using glasses and naked eye-type displays have different application fields?
In the case of large displays, I think it is OK to require users to wear glasses. However, there are not many users who wear glasses to view small 3D displays such as mobile displays. So, small-size 3D displays should be naked-eye types.

What do you think is the problem of naked eye-type displays? How do you think it can be solved?
The issues of naked eye-type displays are the expansion of viewing angle, the prevention of the deterioration of resolution, the determination of the optimal number of viewpoints and the optimal width of each viewpoint, and so forth. To solve those problems, researchers are now working on head tracking and multi-viewpoints.

Though head tracking enables to make best use of the resolution of flat-panel displays, there were many problems in sensing, such as the detection of human heads, when I was working on it 10 years ago. Because sensing technologies such as facial recognition technologies have been drastically improved since then, it is now important to develop a method to make a display track humans.

In regard to multi-viewpoints, the resolution of a display is divided by the number of viewpoints, and the number of viewpoints and the width of each viewpoint are very important factors. On this point, we announced a method to optimize them based on the relation between the width of each viewpoint and the representation of 3D images in 2008.

Do you think 3D displays will be used for more types of devices in the future?
As I said earlier, we target naked eye-type displays at mobile devices such as mobile phones, portable game consoles and digital cameras.

Is there any issue that should be solved by the entire industry?
I think we should address the safety issue. To ensure the safety of 3D displays, it is necessary not only to improve the performance of displays but to be careful in making contents. Though 3D Consortium has already issued a guideline for the safety of 3D displays, we should keep improving the guideline based on various experiments and know-how and disseminate it in the entire industry.

As for optical measurement methods for displays, ISO and IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission) have already started to establish international standards. It is not possible to provide safe 3D displays to consumers without establishing a method to accurately evaluate the performance of displays. Since we currently do not have a standardized evaluation method, it is necessary for the industry to develop one as soon as possible.

By Hideo Anpo, Tech-On

Testronic Laboratories Launches New 3D Test Lab

Testronic Laboratories, the global leader in quality assurance and testing services to the Blu-ray and Broadcast industries, has announced the opening of its new 3D Test Lab. Set to launch in the first quarter of 2010, the Testronic 3D Test Lab will be housed in the company’s 1st Street Facility, located in Burbank, CA.

The Blu-ray Disc Association’s (BDA) recent announcement of a finalized 3D enhancement to the Blu-ray specification has set the stage for the proliferation of 3D in the home this year. With dozens of 3D movies awaiting release on Blu-ray or in production, and broadcasters actively preparing to deliver 3D content, consumers are eagerly awaiting a true high definition 3D experience for the home that will do justice to what they have been enjoying in the theater.

Recognizing the inevitability of 3D in the home, Testronic Labs has spent the past year consulting with the leaders in the field, including major studios, broadcasters, hardware manufacturers, 3D technology pioneers and authoring facilities, to prepare test plans and procedures for the new technology.

“As a Contributing Member of the BDA, we were confident that 3D would make it into the home in 2010,” says Seth Hallen, President of Testronic Labs US. “We knew we had to prepare to meet our clients’ needs. We invested in developing a deep knowledge base in the technology and putting the 3D Test Lab infrastructure into place.”

With the cooperation of the company’s 3D supply chain partners, the equipment at the new Testronic 3D Test Lab will include pre-release 3D players and monitors. The facility will thoroughly test Blu-ray discs for the entire 3D and 2D viewing experience to ensure quality for the consumer.

“Testronic Labs has been on the forefront of every technology shift in home entertainment from the day that these new things called DVDs were unloaded off the truck, to the launch of BD-Live,” says Adam Lesh, Chief Technology Officer of Testronic Labs US. “In that sense, 3D is no different. We will continue to lead the industry in safeguarding the consumer experience for our clients.”

Source: Testronic Laboratories