The difference between stereo vision and "3D"
August 29, 2006
Fox Sports Conducting 3-D Tests | www.tvweek.com
Stereo vision, with or without glasses is not satisfying long term. Stereo vision is not 3D.
However, 3D models of a game, as the BBC did after the world cup, which allows you any POV, even the ball’s, is very interesting.
3D on the Crest of HD to the Home
August 25, 2006
Fox Sports Conducting 3-D Tests | www.tvweek.com
HD is in the process of being rolled out to the marketplace, not withstanding the current reports on which I have commented that only about 1/3 of the US households with HDTVs have subscribed to an HD service.
This article discusses how Fox Sports, an innovator in every respect, has experimented with capturing an NFC Championship game, a Lakers game and a boxing match in 3D with HD cameras and has shown them internally on auto stereo monitors.
Auto stereo monitors do not require the use of 3D glasses in order to view the images in 3D.
Fox Sports is going to ride the wave of more HD sets going into the home, the number of movies being created and/or exhibited in 3D and the number of video games that are being developed in 3D stereo. David Hill, Chairman of Fox Sports went so far as to remark that HD is merely a stepping stone to 3D.
Fox is not alone in this, although, according to the article, ESPN, a leader in HD is reportedly “evaluating” 3D.
The Korean government announced its 3-D Vision 2010 initiative last year, an attempt to develop 3D technology that can become the worldwide standard by 2010.
The article acknowledges that there are still some skeptics on the subject of 3D, but that is likely a result of the problems with old 3D technology. It is possible that they may not have ever seen good 3D.
Impetus for HD Required – Is It Next Gen DVDs?
August 25, 2006
Number of HD households grows, but service still only available in a few countries | broadcastengineering.com
This article discusses the state of High Definition (HD) Households around the world based in large part on a recent study by In-Stat.
The number of HDTV households, defined as those with an HDTV and buying/receiving HD signals is expected to increase by nearly 1/3 from mid 2006 to the end of the year.
Not surprisingly the US and Japan lead the way with 91% of the total, with Canada, Australia and Korea following.
Europe is expected to open up big in the next few years, but does not make the top 5 at this time.
Most interestingly, and most importantly, the study indicates that fewer than 1/3 of the US HD households subscribe to an HD service.
Given that Toshiba and Sony are the two major players in developing the next generation of high definition DVD players, these statistics and predictions should be meaningful to both companies.
August 24, 2006
It's a war of the words | www.variety.com
It has been a war of words as the article states about the announcement yesterday about Viacom/Paramount parting ways with Tom Cruise, his business partner Paula Wagner and their production company Cruise/Wagner.
Not only has it been a war of words between the two camps, with Chairman Sumner Redstone leading the brigade on the Viacom side, but it has been a bonanza of words for the entire talk show circuit, celebrity magazines, blogs, syndicated prime time access entertainment shows, etc.
In the end, Paramount will continue and maybe in better shape as they continue to change the way that the studio does business. This has been happening since Jon Dolgen and Sherry Lansing left and Tom Freston and Brad Grey took over.
Frankly, while the Dolgen/Lansing regime had some good years, the talk around town had continuously been how risk averse they were and how difficult it was to do business with them and Paramount.
While the studio had been in a state of turmoil as executives came and went, it seems that things have settled down and that there is a game plan to make more movies and to do them at a fair price.
The acquisition of DreamWorks and the decision to upgrade the status of MTV Films and Nickelodeon to full divisions should minimize any downsides to the departure of Cruise.
Movies, More Risk Than Glamour
August 22, 2006
Picture This: Warner Bros. Having a Rare Down Year | www.latimes.com
To those who go to the movies regularly, movies and the life surrounding them appears to be glamorous. Syndicated TV programs that cover celebrities add to the feeling as does the weekly Box Office Report on many news programs from Sunday noon to mid day Monday. Most people who hear the box office reports do not know the difference between box office and the film rental that is returned to the studio distributor. They are thus dealing with incomplete information.
For those who make the movies, such as Warner Bros. it is a very risky business. Glamour can fade quickly in the heat of battle for box office and raising money for future movies.
This year, Warner Bros. is going to lose a lot of money on movies such as the mega budget Poseidon, Ant Bully (dispelling the concept that CG animation is a sure fire winner), Lady in the Water and ATL. Superman Returns did significantly less business than expected for this very highly anticipated movie, but it will turn a profit.
Warner Bros. is in a bind. Besides losing money on many of its pictures and needing to satisfy both corporate managers and shareholders, it must satisfy the business partners who have invested equity in their WB movies.
The bottom line is: if equity investors do not see a return then they will not continue to invest once current long term agreements have expired. Sounds simple, but picking the movies in which to invest is tricky. If it was easy, more people would be doing it and doing it successfully.
Hollywood Studios Used To Be Financiers Only
August 15, 2006
Fox DVD, download dates in sync | www.hollywoodreporter.com
20th Century Fox has announced through its Fox Interactive Media that beginning in October, it will sell downloads of its movies and select TV shows day and date with their DVD release for movies and the day after broadcast for TV shows.
This will give Apple’s iTunes some serious competition.
The content will be distributed across many of the Fox interactive sites such as MySpace, its robust, sticky, viral web site that is the most visited site on the web these days and has been a huge hit for Fox and its News Corp. parent since its purchase last year.
While the company has offered TV previously on iTunes, the new downloads will be Windows Media capable only. They will also be enabled for the Microsoft recently announced Zune player due out late this year.
The player, coupled with the popularity of the sites where the content will be available will be the source of the Apple iTunes competition.
The pricing for the movies is reported to be about $20, higher than the cost of a new DVD at Wal Mart, Target or Best Buy, the leading retailers for DVDs. TV shows are at the standard price of $1.99.
This move will increase the competition for making product available for download and will also prompt other studios to sell their product on Fox sites as well.
OmniVision's Game - Displacement in One market, First in Another
August 14, 2006
Micron, OmniVision tip sensors for security | www.pixim.com
Home security - a burgeoning market segment due to the ubiquity of home wireless networks.
OVTI was first into this sector last year due to the fact that they have SOC capability with NTSC/PAL and are being forced out of the mobile handset sector. Only Micron and Pixim have SOC with NTSC/PAL for closed cicuit systems.
August 1, 2006
Dolby dives into digital 3-D | www.variety.com
The competition for both digital cinema and 3D stereo technology just got hotter. Both, digital cinema and 3D are hot topics, and when combined, even hotter.
Now, Dolby has announced a deal with German company Infitec, a company heretofore specializing in virtual reality systems, to develop 3D stereo systems for use in digital cinema theatres.
Dolby knows that 3D is one of the primary drivers of convincing theater owners to convert from film projection to digital projection.
To date, the two movies released in digital 3D have used a system from Real D. One of those movies, Chicken Little, was released under a venture that included Disney, Dolby and Real D.
In-Three, a third company specializing in 3D content, is also in the marketplace with high profile projects in production.
Cinemark, the nation’s third largest circuit recently announced a deal to install 150 Real D systems.
The competition will be good for the marketplace as more theaters convert their auditoriums to digital and 3D as a means of driving more business to the local theater, an important aspect as the studios all seek additional revenue streams in a rapidly changing content delivery environment.
July 28, 2006
MPEG-4 HD encoders - Harmonic's entry | www.harmonicinc.com
MPEG-4 encoders are pretty much the same.
Continuing to Change the Media Landscape
July 26, 2006
Amazon Plans TV and Movie Download Service | www.tvweek.com
Amazon.com, according to TV Week (and other publications recently reporting this as a rumor), is going to launch Amazon Digital Video next month. The Company intends to sell both movies and TV programs according to Advertising Age as reported by TV Week. The service will include digital downloads priced on a per use basis or on a subscription basis.
This will dramatically ad to the competitive landscape. iTunes, Wal Mart, Target and Best Buy are not standing by idly.
Users will need to download Amazon specific software, similar to the way that iTunes from Apple is set up.
February 7, 2012
SOPA and the wisdom of Yogi Berra
January 19, 2012
Larger wafers present a growth opportunity for LEDs
January 6, 2012
Smartphones threaten digital camera industry
December 1, 2011
Google music launches: The end of the end for the music industry
November 22, 2011