CineForm Teams Up with AJA to Deliver Stereo 3D Workflow Support for New KONA 3G

(Solana Beach, California--November 15, 2010) CineForm®, Inc., creators of high-fidelity compression-based workflow solutions for the post production marketplace, announced today that it has teamed up with AJA to offer full stereo 3D workflow support for the newly launched KONA 3G card, the multi-format SD/HD/Dual Link/3G/2K video I/O hardware for Mac.

As part of this cooperative effort, AJA released updated version 8.1 KONA software which has added 3D video controls to the KONA 3G’s Control Panel software interface enabling direct ingest into, and playout of, CineForm 3D files, further simplifying production workflows for customers working with 3D content. During ingest, KONA 3G enables simultaneous real-time capture of separate left eye and right eye sources through HD-SDI – including sources previously recorded in stereo mode on HDCAM SR – directly into CineForm 3D files. Each individual eye is multiplexed together into a CineForm 3D file that is available for immediate editing with CineForm’s Neo3D software when used in combination with Apple Final Cut Pro, Adobe Premiere Pro and other compatible software applications. The new KONA software also adds support for recording and playout of CineForm 4:2:2 2D media.

The AJA KONA 3G card featuring support for CineForm Neo3D is available immediately.

“One of our primary goals with the KONA 3G was to deliver a solution that could handle just about anything our customers are dealing with today. Stereo 3D, and our ability to support it, is rising to the top of the list for many customers,” said Nick Rashby, President, AJA. “Through our collaboration with CineForm, our customers who wish to work with stereo 3D in post can eliminate the time consuming step of transcoding material after ingest and instead be ready to edit immediately when using CineForm Neo3D.”

CineForm Neo3D is CineForm’s award-winning 3D post production workflow solution that enables users to edit 3D projects in real time with full frame rate playback to an external 3D monitor. With CineForm First Light 3D as the enabling 3D workflow and production engine, Neo3D users are provided comprehensive control of the 3D image processing workflow.

The new AJA KONA 3G provides professional editors with the utmost in workflow flexibility, supporting a broad range of video formats including: 10-bit uncompressed video 3G/HD/SD SDI I/O, new HDMI 1.4a output for stereoscopic monitoring to consumer 3D displays, 8-channel AES digital audio I/O (16-channel AES with optional K3G-Box) and 16-channel SDI embedded audio I/O, real-time hardware-based up/down/cross conversion to support a range of SD and HD formats, dual-link HD, even 2K formats, a hardware-based downstream keyer and more.

About AJA Video Systems, Inc.
Since 1993, AJA Video has been a leading manufacturer of high-quality and cost-effective digital video interface, conversion and Desktop solutions supporting the professional broadcast and post- production markets. With headquarters in Grass Valley, California, AJA maintains an extensive sales channel of dealers and systems integrators around the world. For further information, please see our website http://www.aja.com.


About CineForm
CineForm develops compression-based workflow solutions for film and video acquisition, post production, and archive applications. Offering the industry’s highest-fidelity compression, CineForm software products are used by discerning film studios, television producers, and digital media artists to enhance their file-based workflows. CineForm products are available for both end users and OEM integrators, offer cross-platform compatibility, support most camera and file-based sources, and enable 2D and 3D editorial workflows with spatial resolutions up to 8K. http://www.cineform.com

James Cameron says glass-less 3D TV is 8 to 10 years away.

As we all know, James Cameron loves to talk about 3D. And considering the guy spent several years and millions of dollars developing 3D technology in the depths of the ocean in order to make Avatar, the least we can do is listen. Cameron believes the next big step in 3D is getting rid of those pesky glasses and that glasses-less 3DTV is about eight to ten years away from hitting critical mass here in the United States. Considering HDTV has been around since the 1990s, but didn’t really hit big until about five years ago, that estimate sounds about right. So, once Avatar 2 and 3 come home, maybe you won’t have to feel silly watching them with 3D glasses on.

However, the main conceptual issue with glasses-less 3DTV is most people have a problem actually visualizing what it means. Even though we live in a 3D world, it’s hard to imagine a 3D movie or TV without glasses. Well, the answer is coming home much sooner than you’d think. March’s release of the Nintendo 3DS will be most people’s first foray into the whole new world of glasses-less 3D entertainment and we attempt to describe the experience after the jump.

Note: I’m fully aware this is a crude example and there surely will be some difference between the 3D technology Nintendo is using in 2011 vs. what we will see in a decade from now. But playing with the 3DS was my first glimpse into this next stage and that knowledge seems apropos with recent Cameron’s declaration at Blu-Con 2010. Thanks to Gizmodo for the heads up

ESPN 3D

ESPN broadcasting is about to bring the world a legit 3D network. ESPN 3D is promising to show no less than 80 live 3D events in its inaugural year, to include FIFA World Cup matches, football, basketball and expanding to cover the X Games featuring skateboarding and rally car racing all live, and all right in the middle of your living room.

Of course to have access to all this high tech wizardry you will need a 3D ready television, and some 3D glasses, and we’re not talking about the newest plastic ones that replace the cardboard red eye, blue eye numbers of yesteryear, we’re talking sophisticated battery operated shutter glasses and you will need a 3D ready set top box from your multichannel video provider.

Discovery Communications is following right behind ESPN and has teamed up with the folks that bring you IMAX in the hopes of having their own 3D offering sometime next year. Unlike ESPN 3D, the Discovery Channel will have 3D programming available 24/7.

source: espn

8 million 3D TV sets by 2015

Oct 31, 20108 million 3D TV sets in Germany by 2015
3D television sets will strongly grow in popularity in Germany in the forthcoming years: By 2015 one in five households will have a 3D set, corresponding with around 8 million 3D sets in German living rooms.

This is the result of a new study “3D Home-Entertainment in Deutschland” compiled by consultancy Goldmedia which industry association BITKOM will present at its 3D conference in Berlin on 9 November.

3D TV sets became available in German retail stores in March. Until the end of 2010, market researchers GfK expect around 150,000 3D sets to be sold with the average price being €2,000.

According to the Goldmedia study, one in three Germans (35%) say that they can imagine watching 3D programmes on television using 3D glasses. On top of the list are movies: Almost two thirds (62%) would watch 3D movies on television while 44% would access them on Blu-ray discs or on video-on-demand services. Almost one third (31%) are interested in sports coverage in 3D.

With Deutsche Telekom and Sky Deutschland, there are currently two TV platform providers in Germany offering 3D content. By the end of 2010, around 25 3D movies will be available on Blu-ray disks in Germany with most current cinema blockbusters to be released on 3D home video next year. There are also already more than 400 computer games with 3D visualisation.

The study „3D-Home Entertainment in Deutschland“ can be ordered at no charge from 9 November at http://www.goldmedia.com. Further information on BITKOM’s 3D conference is available at http://www.bitkom.org/de/veranstaltungen