Posts Tagged ‘3d’

ESPN to launch 3D network

You’ve heard the phrase “going HD.” Is “going 3D” going to be next big thing?

ESPN seems to think so. The network has announced plans to launch a 3D network that will carry 85 live events a year.

The network faces many challenges for entering: namely the fact that a special television and 3D glasses are required to view the 3D video feeds.

‘Hologram’ technology headed to ESPN?

Broadcasting and Cable reports about the hologram technology soon to hit ESPN’s air waves. The technology, slated for a spring 2010 debut, will likely be used for ESPN’s coverage of the World Cup.

Ley’s virtual appearance onscreen was remarkably realistic, without the significant image blurring seen in hologram technology used by CNN on Election Night last fall.

Pagano says the hologram technique is an extension of the “EA Virtual Playbook” technology that ESPN already uses for NFL coverage, and Berman said it will allow them to bring the images of players directly into the studio for analysis or interviews.

It is unclear if this is the same technology developed by Vizrt and Stats, but ESPN is a big Vizrt customer. According to the B&C article, “ESPN has written some software for the virtual technology internally, and learned how to tweak the lighting and the seating of talent to create the most realistic effect.”

Baron boosts WX graphics offering

Baron has announced new features for its Omni offering:

Volumetric radar imaging combines available radar scans and creates 3D maps that illustrate the data in ways viewers can understand.

In a demo Tuesday at NAB in Las Vegas, imagery from the Oklahoma May 3, 1999 tornado was shown with a detailed 3D look at the storm, including the various parts of the structure. Though highly technical it was obvious how, when combined with a meteorologist’s expertise, this system could provide a unique and vital view of storm systems. (more…)

Stats unveils first look at virtual set technology

Stats unveiled its first look at its standalone virtual set technology that runs off the same backbone of Vizrt’s hologram technology used on CNN this election season.

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Unique 3D technologies add food for thought

3D seems to be one of the buzz words at this year’s NAB Show.

The National Institute of Information and Communications Technology had some innovative 3D-based technologies on display and made available to the press during a pre-show tour.

The Japanese-based organization works to advance communications technologies and conducts its own research and contributes to national policy in related areas.

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Beat the Traffic takes viewers on a ride with Wii controller

Beat the Traffic has added an innovative new feature to its traffic reporting offerings — the use of the Wii video game console controller as an alternative to the typical garage door opener-style devices used by on-air talent.

Beat the Traffic combines this new offering, which is currently in initial testing at about ten stations, with its high-quality maps and 3D graphics.

Traffic information is key at this time, says Joseph J. Coscia, Beat the Traffic’s spokesperson, because the current economic climate means saving time in traffic translates to using less gas and being more productive. (more…)

Will 3-D NFL game set a trend? We hope not.

UPDATE: This experiment hit a roadblock when satellite glitches knocked the game off the air in some cities.

As you may have heard, the NFL will beam a game in 3D to select movie theaters across the country. Oh great. Can you see it now? “You’re watching Channel 6 Eyewitness News HD 3-D.”

Will sports fans respond? It will be interesting to see. On one hand, new twists on sports television such as the XFL didn’t catch on. But on the other, sports fans do enjoy goofy foam hands and cheese wedge hats so why not some cool 3-D glasses?

Do we realistically think 3-D will ever show up in news? Certainly not any time soon. Stations are still reeling from the HD switch — something that didn’t always pay off in the eyes of executives. Plus, it’s probably a bit too gimmicky for TV news.

That said, many people probably never though we’d see the day when a major cable network would use simulated “holograms” to create the illusion that in-studio anchors are interviewing field reporters.

It does give one reason to pause and wonder how television news can improve on HD once it becomes the norm. Certainly with all the research into such gadgets as paper-thin, flexible television screens and innovative projection technologies such as those seen in “Minority Report” we can expect something new sometime in the not too distant future.

Detailed look at CNN’s virtual Capitol

Here’s a look at CNN’s virtual Capitol that was used to show shifts of power in Congress throughout the night. It’s an interesting idea, but other than a “cool factor” it doesn’t really add much to the presentation of the data. Really, it doesn’t do much more than a standard full screen graphic would do.

It would have been more interesting if CNN anchors interacted more with the animation, such as pointing to it; for some reason it doesn’t seem like they were able to. Another idea would have been to project it on the floor of the studio and allowed anchors to walk around it.

More images after the jump…

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MSNBC unveils new 3D studio

Today, MSNBC unveiled a new virtual studio for Chuck Todd to break down the election results in.

The new virtual studio matches NBC News and MSNBC’s current Decision 08 graphics package. This creates a seamless branding effect across their various election graphics from the networks of NBC. More pictures after the jump. (more…)

More snazziness from ‘Nightly’

We’ve already noted how “NBC Nightly News” has started using rather creative applications of 3D graphics combined with video. Last night’s edition of the broadcast had a particular interesting use of this. A full-screen image showed video of a subway car departing a station, with text superimposed over the station wall (images after the jump).

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Super Tuesday: 3D

MSNBC is continuing to roll out its new 3D visualization tehnology along with many new angles, including using the upstairs RP with talent.

Inside Cable has a story about MSNBC’s new 3D technology. Click here to read more.