Riding 3D's Tsunami Wave

http://nabshowdaily.com/NABShowToday/98546

By David E. Williams, April 12, 2010

Relatively speaking, new 3D technology was a "trickle" last year according to Heidi M. Hoffman, the new managing director of the 3D@Home Consortium. The group is partnering with the NAB Show to develop the 3D Pavilion, located in the South Lower Hall.

"This year, it's a tidal wave, as content creators, manufacturers, broadcasters and developers have spent the last year putting together a complete pathway for 3D," said Hoffman.

Echoing Babe Ruth's famed batting feat, "Avatar" director James Cameron stepped up to the plate, pointed at the center field wall and hit one out of the park, altering the state of the industry.

Even the most vocal proponents of 3D technology were staggered by the success of "Avatar," which saw the bulk of its record-crushing $750 million (and counting) domestic box-office haul coming from stereoscopic screenings.

Following up, Tim Burton's 3D effort "Alice in Wonderland" has also broken records, while stereoscopic features such as "Clash of the Titans" and "Toy Story 3" hope to enjoy similar success.

"What 'Avatar' has done is establish a standard of excellence in 3D," says Hoffman. "And it was an 'ah-ha' moment for theatrical exhibition."

Last year, the NAB Show saw a significant expansion of 3D production, post and exhibition technology on display, the cornerstone of which was the 3D Pavilion, which returns for 2010 doubled in size — acknowledging both the number of participants and interest from show attendees. According to NAB, the overall number of companies showcasing 3D technologies at the NAB Show has tripled since last year.

Exhibitors in the 3D Pavilion include 21st Century 3D, 3ality, the 3D@Home Consortium, American Paper Optics, Boxx Technologies, Cine-tal Systems, Insight Media, IO Industries, Nautilus Studio Ltd., NetBlender Inc., QoE Systems and Qube Cinema.

This groundswell in the market has also brought in a number of first-time NAB Show exhibitors, including Dynamic Digital Depth (DDD), which focuses on the 3D consumer market; HDlogix, which offers 2D-to-3D software for gaming and other uses; and MasterImage 3D, which services the theatrical exhibition scene.

Longtime NAB Show stalwarts are also leading the charge into 3D, with Panasonic offering the first factory stereo HD camcorder on the market and the AG-3DA1. In just days, the company's Viera VT20 consumer 3D sets sold out across the nation.

Sony Electronics has stepped up with the HDC-P1, a full-HD camera, capable of 3D operation, when used in a 3D camera rig configuration and is the first Sony camera to be designed from the ground up with 3D in mind. Sony also teamed with All Mobile Video to build a new fully 3D-capable, cine-enabled HD video production truck designed for sports and other live-event 3D production.

Meanwhile, JVC Professional Products has introduced 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.

Also on display will be 3D production innovations from Grass Valley Group and Hitachi Kokusai Electric America.In the post-production realm, Avid, Digital Vision, Digital Video Systems, Quantel, and Sony Creative Software return to Las Vegas with a major emphasis on stereo 3D.

"The important thing to understand is that all these companies need each other for 3D to have long-term success," says Hoffman, whose 3D@Home Consortium represents the interests of 40 key corporate players in the stereo space and counts Motorola, and Nagravision as recent additions. "Each individual advancement leads to another."