SMPTE has launched a new YouTube channel for 3-D enthusiasts.

The Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE) has launched an official YouTube channel with a series of 60-second clips on the scientific and research findings presented at its recent International Conference on Stereoscopic 3-D for Media and Entertainment.

The conference, held on June 21 and 22 in New York City, focused on the critical technologies and strategies needed for widespread and sustained 3-D adoption.

The SMPTE channel includes clips such as society president Pete Ludé discussing key topics like the human factors related to viewing 3-D materials, live holographic television and computational photography.

Other topics include a look at the stereoscopic and the human visual system.

Also part of the discussion is stereoscopic image acquisition and processing. Are side-by-side and beam-splitter cameras the only ways to capture stereoscopic images? Are we heading toward the use of machine vision to address key acquisition issues? What is the state of the art of 2-D-to-3-D conversion? Can we really fix it in post? How do we color correct stereo? How are we handling shot tracking for visual effects in stereo?

Samsung has introduced a 4000 x 2000 pixel resolution 3-D television set (called 4k-by-2k). The number of typical pixels was multiplied by a factor of 100,000.

Leading 3-D manufacturers like Sony, Panasonic and Samsung do not seem worried that a lack of enthusiasm for 3-D by North American audiences could cause lasting damage to sales. All three have introduced expensive new, high-end 3-D viewing technology for the home.

Both Sony and Panasonic have introduced new projectors. Sony’s VPL-HW30ES incorporates the latest lamp technology, dynamic lamp control system and a brightness level three times greater than the company’s first 3-D home projector, the VPL-VW90ES. 

The VPL-HW30ES is equipped with Sony’s High Frame Rate 1920 x 1089 SXRD chip. This helps to reproduce sharp and smooth motion, and reduces the motion blur for a crisper image (Motionflow) and delivers a dynamic contrast ratio of 70,000:1 and brightness of 1,300lm. No complex lens switching between 2-D and 3-D is needed.

Panasonic has announced the development of a 3-D Full HD home theatre projector. In the earlier PT-AE4000E model, the company used 2.35:1 extra wide aspect cinemascope viewing with its Lens Memory Feature. Now it expands the viewing experience to 3-D, bringing a new level of large screen viewing experiences to the home.

The new 3-D home theatre projector was developed in collaboration with Panasonic AVC Networks’ Emotive Technology Development Centre and Panasonic Hollywood Laboratory engineers, who have taken key roles in meeting industry standards for 3-D.

Samsung boosted the resolution of its 3-D monitors. The company introduced a 4000 x 2000 pixel resolution 3-D television set (so-called 4k-by-2k). The number of typical pixels was multiplied by a factor of 100,000.

The VPL-HW30ES 3-D projector is equipped with Sony’s High Frame Rate 1920 x 1089 SXRD chip.

That was done by shrinking pixels and using better transistors. In most cases, manufacturers can’t miniaturize pixels because the current silicon transistors can’t conduct electrons fast enough to work with smaller parts. Samsung, however, has metal oxide transistors, which can and do very well at conducting electrons quickly.

In addition, the implementation of the metal oxide backplanes is inexpensive and is one of the few mixes — IGZO: indium, gallium, and zinc — that work with current technology.

Current HDTV video comes in 1920 x 1080 or 1280 x 720-pixel resolutions, depending on whether it’s 720p or 1080i/1080p. A 1080p television set has a bit over 2 million pixels, so 4k-by-2k would a major leap in performance.

With its modular components, the Meduza can be set up in minutes, has interchangeable lenses, precise remotely controlled variable interaxial and precise convergence adjustments.

The Meduza, a camera that can capture 4K digital stereoscopic 3-D images, has been chosen by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to shoot the final Space Shuttle Launch at Cape Canaveral, FL, in mid-July. 

Crews from NASA will use the Meduza camera to shoot the launch in 4K 3-D and high-speed (120fps) 2K.  Weighing less than 15lbs, the camera system can support any number of cameras fully synchronized without the use of cabling.  

With its modular components, the Meduza can be set up in minutes, has interchangeable lenses, precise remote-controlled variable interaxial (the distance between the lenses) and precise convergence.  It is a single camera, with a single set of electronics and a single set of controls that powers two imaging sensors at the same time.

The Meduza not only makes it easier, faster and cheaper to produce 3-D content, but by allowing filmmakers to shoot in the native 4:3 format at beyond 4K, the content is acquired at  4096 x 3072 pixels and can be used for everything from 15/70mm giant screens to general theatrical screens, as well as 3-D TV viewing in the home. 

3D Visual Enterprises, the UK-based holding company, was established specifically to service the growing demand within the professional film and television community for a complete and technically advanced 3-D image capturing system.  Meduza Systems was created to develop an imaging system that would solve the single camera problem within an architecture that could be constantly upgraded to keep pace with the growth of the industry and advancing technology.  

The system had to be versatile, flexible, capable of being upgraded and adapted to match the pace of developing sensor and optical technology and to deliver visual images at the highest resolution possible at all times.  The Meduza was designed to fill the void in the market with compatibility in all of the production environments and in any industry, from Giant Screen 15/70, to live events, to handheld natural history productions.  Above all, the company’s mission is to create a stereoscopic digital 3-D camera that would never be obsolete and that could constantly strive to meet the growing and changing needs of its customers.

Crews are using five 3-D camera rigs from Element Technica with Sony HD cameras mounted in different configurations.

This year’s 2011 Wimbledon Championships tennis tournament finals matches are being broadcast live in 3-D by the BBC with support from UK-based production company Can Communicate.

Crews are using five 3-D camera rigs from Element Technica (ET) with Sony MPE-200 HD cameras mounted in different configurations.

Duncan Humphreys, head of production of Can Communicate, said the ET rigs with Sony cameras “provide, in our opinion, the most durable and robust 3-D platform available in the market.”

Of the five ET rigs, three are the large camera Quasar rigs, while the other two are smaller Pulsar rigs that accommodate smaller cameras that make them less obtrusive to the tennis action.

ET said its rigs are configured in the “broadcast mode.” Most beam-splitter 3-D rigs mount the mirrored camera above the rig, which does not allow conventional placement of the operator’s viewfinder monitor, and can block spectators’ views of the event. The under/thru configuration is not as high, which cuts down on the need to eliminate spectator seating. It also allows use of a full monitor and operator controls in the back, which provides a familiar look and feel to a camera operator new to 3-D production.

The broadcast mode also provides for the pairing of a portable digital camera with a smaller but electronically identical box-style camera. The portable camera provides for operator viewfinder, intercom, tally and other controls for the camera operator. Employing a box camera for the second camera on the rig reduces the total weight and obtrusiveness of each 3-D camera position. Cabling from camera position to production truck has also been streamlined and slimmed down for Wimbledon.

The on-air 3-D graphics were produced from prebuilt templates, designed by Information & Display Systems (IDS) of Jacksonville, FL.

ET co-founder Stephen Pizzo said that during a number of tests for last year’s World Cup Soccer production, they re-engineered the rigs’ control-electronics and protocol to support the use of fiber and bidirectional metadata. Another key development from this, he said, was reduced power consumption.

“We maintained the same torque and speed while consuming less than 30W,” Pizzo said. “This allows the SMPTE fiber cable to power the rig and everything attached to it. The Element Technica/Sony system is the only full featured single fiber system, and it comes in three sizes and nine configurations.”

The on-air 3-D graphics for the milestone production were produced from prebuilt templates, designed by Information & Display Systems (IDS) of Jacksonville, FL.

The company created an HD 3-D graphics package with Brainstorm Multimedia’s estudio 3-D render engine for its client, IBM — the official Information Technology Supplier and Consultant to the All England Lawn Tennis Club (home to the Wimbledon Championships).

Assisted by UNREEL, Brainstorm’s North American partner, IDS created a design specific for tennis based on a joint review with IBM of a new BBC Graphics design and subsequently produced a Wimbledon Graphics Reference Guide that was used to build the Brainstorm graphics package.

In January IDS conducted parallel testing at the Australian Open, and a full technology test was conducted in late April. The Brainstorm graphics package incorporates the full 3-D design and animations used by the BBC but is adjusted to reflect the look, feel and colors of Wimbledon.

IBM contracts with IDS to provide a range of technology-related services including the provision of broadcast graphics as well as systems, software and staff to produce the graphics from multiple courts, live, throughout the two-week tournament.

From their financial performance so far, movie executives are running scared.

While 3-D has provided an enormous boost to films such as “Avatar” and “Alice in Wonderland,” it has undercut lesser quality films that are trying to milk the format for extra dollars.

Next up are the most anticipated summer releases. “Transformers: Dark of the Moon” is due from Paramount Studios on July 1, and then, two weeks later, comes Part 2 of Part 7 of the “Harry Potter” series from Warner Brothers. The performance of these two films will go a long way in determining whether 3-D movies are boom or bust for the summer.

So far, things are looking bad. Ripples of fear spread across Hollywood after “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides,” which cost Walt Disney Studios an estimated $400 million to make and market, did poor 3-D business in North America.

Event movies have typically done 60 percent of their business in 3-D. However, “Stranger Tides” sold just 47 percent in 3-D. “The American consumer is rejecting 3D,” Richard Greenfield, an analyst at the financial services company BTIG, wrote of the “Stranger Tides” results.

The Memorial Day holiday did not give studio chiefs much 3-D comfort. “Kung Fu Panda 2,” a Paramount Pictures release of a DreamWorks Animation film, sold $53.8 million in tickets from Thursday to Sunday, a soft total, and 3-D was only 45 percent of the business.

Consumer rebellion over high 3-D ticket prices plays a role, and the novelty of putting on the 3-D glasses is wearing off, analysts told the New York Times. However, there is a deeper problem. While 3-D has provided an enormous boost to the strongest films such as “Avatar” and “Alice in Wonderland,” it has actually undercut lesser quality films that are trying to milk the format for extra dollars.

“Audiences are very smart,” Greg Foster, the president of Imax Filmed Entertainment, told the Times. “When they smell something aspiring to be more than it is, they catch on very quickly.”

Clouding the picture is a discrepancy between the performance of 3-D films in North America and overseas. 3-D is doing very well internationally. Disney’s “Stranger Tides,” for example, did about $256 million in box office abroad, becoming the biggest international debut of all time.

Hollywood, however, needs the American market for overall success, and the situation at the moment is dire. Box office performance in the first six months of 2011 was soft. Revenue fell about 9 percent compared with last year, while movie attendance was down 10 percent.

This comes along with equally poor performance for home entertainment sales. In all formats, including paid streaming and DVDs, home entertainment revenue fell almost 10 percent, according to figures from the Digital Entertainment Group.

Studio executives acknowledge that the motion picture industry needs to sort out its 3-D production strategy, which may lead to a cut-back in 3-D features for release.

 “With a blockbuster-filled holiday weekend skewing heavily toward 2-D, and 3-D ticket sales dramatically underperforming relative to screen allocation, major studios will hopefully begin to rethink their 3-D rollout plans for the rest of the year and 2012,” Greenfield told the newspaper.

From left to right: Howard Lukk, Walt Disney Studios; and Pete Lude, SMPTE president; with Vision Scientists Simon J. Watt, Bangor University Wales; Robert S. Allison, York University, Toronto, Canada; Jenny Read, Newcastle University, United Kingdom; and Martin Banks, University of California, Berkeley. All gave presentations at the second annual conference on Stereoscopic 3-D for Media and Entertainment.

Due to the laws of physics and geometry, scientists studying various demographics and how the human brain processes visual images suggest that Hollywood content creators need a better, academic understanding of the field of stereoscopic 3-D imagery in order to avoid making viewers uncomfortable. That was the general consensus from the recent 3-D conference on Stereoscopic 3-D for Media and Entertainment, presented in New York City by the Society of Motion Picture & Television Engineers (SMPTE).

Long story, short: Hollywood creatives and those that design content creation systems need to get together with “vision scientists.”

 During the first day of the two-day gathering (SMPTE’s second annual), a number of technical yet revealing presentations by scientists in the field of vision imaging detailed where the biological, physiological and image sciences meet. A number of research studies conducted at the University of California-Berkeley, Newcastle University in the UK, York University in Canada, and Bangor University in Wales have been done to determine how people see and react to 3-D images. Virtually everyone was in agreement that more work needs to be done, including by their own community.

 For example, it was revealed that a good understanding of geometry in motion imaging can result in the most effective 2-D-to-3-D conversions.

 “[3-D] really can happen and be a fantastic medium,” said Martin Banks, lead vision science researcher at USC-Berkeley. He served as the chairman of the conference’s Stereoscopy and the Human Visual System sessions and gave a presentation entitled, “Focusing and Fixating on Stereoscopic Images: What We Know and What We Need to Know.”

 “But we don’t know enough about how the human brain processes three-dimensional images,” Banks said. “Because the way brains process information is so different in different people, it’s not an easy thing to get your hands around. The more research we do in the lab, the more we realize the lack of ‘real-world’ testing that still needs to be done.”

 Several of the scientists spoke about the need to test moving image footage, as opposed to controlled dot patterns in a laboratory, in order to spotlight which elements of geometry (depth cues) and color are most advantageous to human perception. Where humans focus their eyes, or “fixate” on a given scene was also discussed, as was “vergence accommodation conflicts,” which can lead to viewer discomfort and fatigue.

 “About 30 percent of people cannot see stereo 3-D, due to specific binocular problems and reduced acuity,” said Jenny Read, of Newcastle University. “So, we wonder whether this medium is right for everyone, as the motion picture studios would like you to believe.”

 Simon Watt, a researcher at Bangor University, suggested that the majority of major motion picture directors are over 45 years old, an age that is more conducive to 3-D viewing. This would mean that many of the effects that appear “normal” to them might not be so pleasing to younger or less experienced 3-D audiences.

The panel of scientists suggested that children’s brains are not fully developed enough to see 3-D clearly until they reach the age of eight to 10 years old. This would seem to confirm what various warnings in the press (and from manufacturers of 3-D technology like Nintendo) have stated about children viewing 3-D for long periods of time. Yet, despite all of the hype, no one can prove that 3-D is harmful to your health.

 “Not enough research has been done to prove definitively the harmful effects [of 3-D] on human vision,” Watt said. “We do know that age is a significant factor in predicting the effect on brain sensitivity. For example, we have surmised that young people have more problems viewing 3-D than older ones.”

 While the sessions were decidedly academic in nature, they could provide clues for cinematographers about what to do and not do when designing a 3-D frame. It was suggested that more light in a scene gives the illusion of more depth. It was also noted that higher frame rates, such as the 48fps workflow being employed by Peter Jackson during shooting of the next “Hobbit” feature in 3-D, produced less flicker and thus smoother 3-D sequences than the traditional 24fps most commonly used to shoot feature films. The real-world problem is that most theaters are not properly equipped to display 48fps (or higher) frame rates.

 Howard Lukk, vice president of production technology for Walt Disney Studios (and SMPTE Technology committee chairman), said his company has conducted a number of tests that found people are more comfortable with slowly moving imagery in 3-D, as opposed to fast action.

 Another engineer in the audience said that it takes at least three months to become adept at viewing 3-D images without discomfort or fatigue.

 Joseph Flaherty, senior vice president of technology at the CBS Network and the unofficial “godfather” of HDTV — who helped shepherd the technology from the laboratory to the living room — said cinematographers and other creative people should consult with vision scientists and study their research, in order to get a better idea about what will work in on a 40ft movie screen or an HDTV set in the home.

 “One thing that has concerned me about the current state of 3-D is the lack of understanding of the science of 3-D and how to make the technology work,” said Joseph Flaherty, senior vice president of technology at the CBS Network and the unofficial “godfather” of HDTV. “The problem is that we’re looking at this from a top down perspective instead from the bottom up. With HDTV, it took us more than 20 years to get the science right. Here [with 3-D] we’re starting with the screen and working backwards. That doesn’t seem right.”

 In fact, as evidenced by the presence of the technical panels devoted to the subject, SMPTE has been working to foster better relationships with vision researchers. For their part, researchers like Bangor University’s Watt said he encourages feedback and input on his work.

 “We as a scientific community want to understand mainstream media a lot better than we do,” he said. “Our research can make a contribution to entertainment and I think a better relationship with creative and technical people like the members of SMPTE can only help our work. It should work both ways.”

During the two-day event, engineers, scientists and researchers from around the world will discuss the latest work on human factors and the viewing of 3-D materials; stereoscopic image acquisition and production advancements; stereoscopic image metrology and processing, including an open-source camera platform being developed at Stanford University. There will also be discussion regarding the latest advancements in stereoscopic displays.

The conference also will feature a special presentation from Gordon Castle, director, entertainment media and communications at market research firm PwC, on 3-D adoption trends and market opportunities.

Pete Lude’, SMPTE president, said that this year’s conference will highlight many of the remarkable advances that will fundamentally change the way 3-D programming is created, distributed and viewed.

Experts from University of California-Berkeley, MIT Media Lab, Stanford University, Discovery Communications, Dolby, Panasonic, PwC, RealD, Warner Bros, among many others, will all be represented.

 Complete program information is available at on the SMPTE website.

HCP does not create a true stereoscopic view, but provides a kind of monocular 3-D display whereby the same picture (and resolution) is seen by both eyes.

The trick is that the front camera of the device is used to track the face of the user in real time. This information tells the app how the user is looking at the display. The new “i3D” app, which is free, updates the perspective of the 3-D scene accordingly, giving the user the illusion that he’s looking at a small window.

i3D contains several preloaded 3-D scenes that users can view with HCP. It relies on face tracking and does not use the accelerometers or gyroscopes (often used to simulate 3-D effects). Also, the face tracking system does not detect and track the face in every lighting condition.

HCP does not create a true stereoscopic view, but provides a kind of monocular 3-D display whereby the same picture (and resolution) is seen by both eyes. In the future, some say it might be combined with a stereoscopic display and provide a better 3-D effect.

Jeremie Francone and Laurence Nigay, at the Engineering Human-Computer Interaction Research Group of the Grenoble Informatics Laboratory at University Joseph Fourier in France, developed the i3D application.

While the i3D app brings a taste of 3-D to Apple’s products today, a rumor claims that Apple is focusing the third-generation iPad on 3-D. A woman billed as a movie industry insider has claimed it is a “dead cert” and that studios were supposedly preparing 3-D movies and other content for iTunes.

Multiple sources from Foxconn, where the iPad is being built, were supposedly corroborating leaks of early production plans.

The details of how it would work weren’t available. Apple usually only adopts technology if it believes the technology can be kept simple and would very likely reject any plan requiring glasses, just as it rejected the need for pen input on the iPhone.

Director Peter Jackson is shooting “The Hobbit” in 3-D with dual EPIC 4K cameras on 3ality Digital camera rigs.

 Some of the biggest movie productions, like Peter Jackson’s “The Hobbit,” are shooting in 3-D with dual EPIC 4K cameras on 3ality Digital camera rigs.

 As part of the initiative, the companies jointly hosted the recently completed REDucation sessions at RED Studios in Hollywood. 

 The companies said the goal is to train professional and aspiring filmmakers on how to create clear and pristine 3-D images using the same equipment as elite Hollywood directors like Jackson and Bryan Singer.

 Red’s Ted Schilowitz said the two companies have been working together for the past few years behind the scenes.  “Now is the right time to take that relationship to the next level and integrate education components for the community,” he said.

 As the “primary stereoscopic 3-D partner” for Red, 3ality Digital lent its technology, currently being used in feature films such as “The Amazing Spiderman” and “Jack the Giant Killer,” to REDucation’s three-day introductory session May 24-26, as well as during the advanced classes May 27-28.  The REDucation Open House included a screening of stereoscopic 3-D content produced with 3ality Digital technology.  Attendees also experienced special presentations from RED including the latest “Tattoo” Epic Reel shown in 4K.

 “S3D is here to stay, and choosing partners at the forefront of the technology that really grasp what true, high-resolution cinema and S3D are all about is essential for business and for the community,” said Steve Schklair, CEO of 3ality Digital. “Educating filmmakers and getting Red and 3ality Digital technology in their hands at events like REDucation is a crucial step toward accelerating and facilitating S3D content production and ultimately consumer adoption.”

The ongoing partnership will also include collaboration at the Camp RED youth summer program Aug. 1-19, where the new partners will provide young filmmakers with training in S3D production.  Students ages nine to 15 will shoot their own S3D films at RED Studios Hollywood during the weeklong day camp sessions, including an exclusive, behind-the-scenes trip to 3ality Digital Studios.

Panasonic’s AG-3DP1 3-D camcorder was used for the first time in a live broadcast.

Eurosport’s live 3-D broadcast was distributed by many of the largest operators across Europe. Sports fans with 3-D-capable TV sets can visit the Eurosport website to know if the 3-D broadcast is available in their country and learn how to access the channel to enjoy the matches in the exceptional immersive experience that 3-D offers.

Laurent Abadie, chairman and CEO of Panasonic Europe, said that in addition to consumers’ homes, the tennis coverage (including the first Chinese woman to win a Grand Slam singles title) was broadcast live to more than 7500 consumer electronics stores where Panasonic TVs are sold.

“Sporting events, especially like the prestigious French Tennis Open, offer a compelling 3-D TV experience, so it is important that the industry strives to do more live 3-D sport broadcasts to help drive the 3-D market forward,” he said.

For the actual production of the event, Panasonic’s latest 3-D camcorder, the AG-3DP1, was used for the first time for a live broadcast. This P2HD series 3-D camcorder comes with a newly developed 17x twin lens zoom lens system and features both wide-angle and telephoto settings to provide an angle of view for diverse shooting situations. It combines three high-sensitivity, high-resolution sensors and high-quality 3-D HD recording in a compact package.

Other Panasonic 3-D products used in the production included several compact AG-3DA1 camcorders, and a side-by-side rig with two AK-HC1800 box cameras, six AV-HS450 multiformat live switchers, numerous P2 Mobile memory card recorder/players, BT-3DL2550 3D production monitors and BT-LH910 3D production monitors.

At Roland Garros, the site of the French Open, Panasonic also unveiled a demonstration of 3-D Hybrid Broadcast Broadband TV (HbbTV). The company said HbbTV is an important step forward for the 3-D revolution, as it allows people to watch streamed 3-D content just as you would HDTV content using catch-up services through connected TVs and set-top boxes.

HbbTV is a new pan-European initiative that combines traditional broadcast and broadband delivery to help consumers manage the rapidly increasing amount of TV content available to them. The HbbTV specification is being promoted by Panasonic to give people more opportunities to view 3-D content.

Last Year’s 2010 French Open tennis tournament will also shot and broadcast in 3-D.