Cowan Explores 3D In The Home

RealD’s Matt Cowan explored the future of 3D in the home, addressing consumer trends and technology challenges.

“3DTV sales are happening and there is very high visibility,” he said adding that according to DisplaySearch’s latest projections, there will be 3.2 million 3DTV sets sold in 2010 and 90 million sold by 2014.

But he added that there is still a substantial amount of work ahead for engineers.

He related that not many of the 3DTVs that have been sold, are actually being used for 3D. And he emphasized the necessity for 3D glasses to be interoperable between brands.

 His points included:

--Shutter glasses: Expensive, break, need charging, incompatible with other brands of TV sets.

--Shutter glass solutions: Universal glasses, CEA moving to define a universal synchronization protocol, pricing might come down

--Passive glasses: Inexpensive, no charging needed, lightweight, requires a change in display technology.

--Future? Cowan predicted full resolution using a polarizing switch at the display, this puts the complexity in the display. And put passive glasses into the living room.

--He pointed out that glasses-free 3D remains the Holy Grail. The technology is improving with high resolution LCDs; generating multiview remains a challenge.

A Mobile DTV Status Report

Kicking off the “Video on the Go” session, Jerry Whitaker offer a look at ATSC Mobile DTV. “It is TV on the move,” he said. “It is real, and it is out there. It is a new way to think about broadcasting.”

--ATSC Mobile DTV is a standard for delivery of real-time and non-real-time TV content to mobile and handheld devices, which is backward compatible. The system uses a portion of the 19.39 Mbps ATSC payload.

--Mission critical tools include: Channel listing for simple signalling; electronic service guide; subscriber interactions; a rich media environment; and expected services including live video, live audio, datacasting, traffic, weather, news and sports.

--Mobile DTV implementation can be relatively low cost since the DTV infrastructure is already in place (average is $150,000 per station).

--Efforts of the Open Mobile Video Coalition have been instrumental in the rollout of the ATSC Mobile DTV. So far, more than 70 stations have been launched.

--Some initial results (Source: OMVC): Most viewers say they watch on the go, most viewing occurs between 9 am-4 pm, viewers tune in about six times a day, more viewing is done on weekdays than weekends, and local news is most popular program genre.

--A broad array of receiving devices is under development, including portable and in-vehicle receivers.

--Work continues to complete Recommended Practices on ATSC Mobile DTV. The initial version focuses on the management layer issues. ATSC could have the document published by January 1.

--Whitaker’s conclusion: “I think Mobile DTV is a game changer for broadcasters. It provides broadcasters with a direct connect from broadcasters to consumers.”

SMPTE to Honor Luminaries at Tonight's Banquet

From a director who help pioneer a new style of filmmaking to a technologist whose work laid the foundation for high-definition television, SMPTE will celebrate more than 30 motion-imaging and audio luminaries at a banquet this evening. The SMPTE Honors & Awards banquet is the capstone to the Society’s 2010 Technical Conference and Expo.

“The reason people enjoy their favorite programming on everything from a digital cinema screen to a smart phone is because of these honorees and other SMPTE members who created innovative and advanced technologies, comprehensive standards, and even entirely new forms of entertainment,” said Barbara Lange, Executive Director of SMPTE. “It is a great pleasure for SMPTE to honor their accomplishments.”

During the evening award event, Lange, SMPTE President Ken Fuller and Executive Vice President Pete Ludé will be joined by Master of Ceremonies Steve Hytner, one of America’s most recognized character actors and star of the HBO hit series, “Hung,” in recognizing the award winners and new SMPTE Fellows.

2010 Award Recipients and Fellows

This year’s awards include:

·       Honorary Membership, SMPTE’s highest accolade and whose past honorees include Walt Disney, Ray Dolby, George Eastman and Thomas Alva Edison, will be awarded Dr. Ian Childs, for a lifetime of technical leadership and pioneering research, from recording digital television signals in holographic form on black-and-white film, to investigating digital radio and TV broadcasting systems, to understanding image processing and the study of HDTV; and to Stanley N. Baron, whose contributions in the development, advancement, and implementation of digital imaging technologies included the proposal for a digital sampling structure and equipment interface that formed the basis of component 4:2:2 digital television, the foundation for HDTV.

·       2010 SMPTE Progress Medal recognizes outstanding technical contributions, will be awarded to Takuo Miyagishima in recognition of more than 50 years of innovation in motion picture optical systems.

·       Herbert T. Kalmus Gold Medal, sponsored by Technicolor, recognizes outstanding contributions in the development of color films, processing, techniques, or equipment, will be awarded to Vince Roth.

·       John Grierson International Gold Medal Award, sponsored by the National Film Board of Canada, recognizes significant technical achievements in documentary film, will be awarded to D.A. Pennebaker a pioneer of cinéma vérité filmmaking whose credits span “Don’t Look Back,” which followed Bob Dylan’s last acoustic concert tour in England to “The War Room,” produced with Chris Hegedus, which documented the first presidential campaign of Bill Clinton.

·       Samuel L. Warner Memorial Medal Award recognizes outstanding contributions in the area of design and development for motion picture sound, will be awarded to Noboru Nishio, for more than 50 years of deep involvement in film recording technologies.

·       David Sarnoff Medal recognizes outstanding new techniques or equipment that have contributed to the improvement of the engineering phases of television technology, including large venue presentations, will be awarded to Kohji Mitani for more than 20 years of developing advanced camera systems.

·       Kodak Educational Award, established this year and sponsored by Eastman Kodak Company, recognizes advances in the motion-imaging educational process, will be awarded to Stephen Lighthill, ASC, whose documentary work in 1960s San Francisco has appeared in hundreds of social issue documentaries as well as in iconic films such as “Gimme Shelter,” and who now serves as head of the cinematography department of the American Film Institute.

·       SMPTE Journal Award recognizes the most outstanding paper originally published in the SMPTE Motion Imaging Journal during preceding calendar year, will be awarded to Nigel Seth-Smith, Gareth M. Heywood, and Ryan Latchman for “11.88 Gbits/sec: Continuing the Evolution of Serial Digital Interface,” published in the May/June 2009 issue.

·       SMPTE Journal Certificate of Merit Award recognizes meritorious articles in the SMPTE Motion Imaging Journal, will be awarded to Akira Nakagawa for “The 4:2:2/4:2:0 Perfect Reconstruction Filter Set and its Application in HD-SNG,” published in the July/August 2009 issue; and Karl E. Paulsen, Michael E. Walter, Keith Ian Graham, and Randall Hoffner for “Considerations in Physical Infrastructures for 3 Gbit/sec Systems Design,” published in the May/June 2009 issue.

·       Citation for Outstanding Service recognizes dedicated and sustained service to SMPTE, particularly at the Section level, will be awarded to Richard Perin (Atlanta Section), Michael Strein (New York Section), and Peter G. Wharton (Washington, D.C. Section).

·       Excellence in Standards Award recognizes active involvement in standards activities and processes, will be awarded to Thomas A. Scott, for a wide range of activities that have been critical to the continued proliferation of SMPTE standards and materials.

·       Outstanding Student Paper Award recognizes a paper prepared and submitted by a SMPTE student member, will be awarded to Justin Kovar, for “Challenges in the Migration of Analog Closed Captioning.”

·       SMPTE Fellow Award recognizes individuals who, by proficiency and contributions, have attained an outstanding rank among engineers or executives in the motion-picture, television, or related industries, and will be awarded to:

Jay C. Adrick, Al Barton, William Elswick, Robert Gilmartin, Michel Golitzinsky, Paul J. Hearty, Bill Hogan, Bob Lambert, Harry Mathias, Kohji Mitani, Nestor M. Rodriguez and Clyde McKinney.

2D-to-3D Conversion: Identifying the Good and the Bad

SMPTE put the 2D-to-3D conversion process under a microscope Thursday, during a session that explored how to identify good and bad 3D, and examined various conversion techniques as well as how they can be used to enhance the storytelling process.

“The use of 2D-to-3D conversion has become an important if not controversial process,” said session chair Brad Hunt of Digital Media Directions. “It has become an integral tool in creating 3D content.”

Lack of quality of 2D-to 3D conversion is often caused by budgetary constraints, believes Matthew DeJohn of In-Three. Yet he suggested that 3D can vary from highly realistic to extremely unsettling.

DeJohn outlined three stages for conversion: Roto/image segmentation, depth creation, and the paint phase.

He discussed and demonstrated some approaches that many lend themselves to lower quality conversion:

--Rubber-sheet approach: Tends to avoid roto by creating a single piece of geometry.

--Watery or messy edges: Artifacts due to an automated fill. This is often used to cut costs in the paint process.

--Cardboard cut out approach: Used to cut costs on generating accurate models.

--Other issues: Lack of transparency, miniaturization and a “composited” look.

Asked what are the opportunities to use automated tools that might reduce cost, DeJohn suggested technology for the paint stage. “There are algorithms out there,” he said. “But they are not that advanced at this point.”

Stereo D’s head of stereography Graham Clark emphasized that 2D-to-3D conversion is artistic. “We treat it as a creative process and there is almost no automation.”

For conversion, Clark reported that one should consider: The lens, story, context, sound, depth cues, perspective, occulusion, atmospheric/aerial perspective, lighting and shade, texture/texture gradient, and motion parallax.

As an example of Stereo D's work, the “Thor” trailer was screened.

You Want That 3D Channel On Air When?

Are SMPTE members ready for 3D distribution? The topic was addressed during a Wednesday afternoon session.

“When will it be your turn to launch a 3D channel, and when it is, will you be ready?” Harris’ Christopher Lennon asked the audience. “There are going to be unrealistic timelines, no budgets—but we need to get it right.”

He suggested that the step from HD to 3D is “not nearly as tough” as going from SD to HD was for broadcasters. But he offered some suggestions on how to prepare, including that one should consider what one will need for 3D when buying new equipment.

“The lack of 3D standardization is making it very difficult for companies to implement,” Lennon also said during a wrap up panel. “This has a life of its own. Standards bodies are working, it is just not quick enough…there is so much going on.

“The only continent where I don’t know of any concrete (3D channel) plans is Africa,” he added. “I would say I’ve seen more concrete plans in Europe then anywhere else.”

Added Ericsson’s Matthew Goldman: “Korea is leading the effort in how to do 3D with terrestrial broadcasting. Terrestrial broadcasting has unique issues unlike cable or satellite. It has a strictly limited bandwidth. You can’t add a channel.”

He added that it has becomes easier to do 3D on small, portable devices “that have autostereo issues resolved because single view on a small device makes that viable.”

SMPTE Honors New Fellows

SMPTE honored its newly-named SMPTE Fellows today during a luncheon. The new Fellows are: Jay C. Adrick, Al Barton, William (Bill) Elswick, Robert Gillmartin, Michael Golitzinsky, Paul J. Hearty, Bill Hogan, Bob Lambert, Harry Mathias, Clyde McKinney, Kohji Mitani and Nestor M. Rodriguez.

Clyde D. Smith senior VP, global broadcast technology at Turner Entertainment Networks, delivered the Fellows luncheon keynote address.

Recognizing and Correcting Common 3D Problems

As part of Wednesday’s 3D program, 3Ality’s Howard Postley discussed how to identify and correct common problems with the format.

“Nausea and headaches are not inherit in 3D, but in bad 3D,” he suggested, adding that “as Jeffrey Katzenberg has said, ‘making your audience hurl is not a good business model.' ”

During his talk, Postley explained some of the basics:

--In 3D, one is talking about perceived dimensions, which are subjective. Physical dimensions are objective. They are meansureable and real.

--The physical dimensions are depth cues. These include binocular cues, focus-based cues, knowledge-based cues, motion-based cues, occlusion-based cues, and perspective-based cues.

--A key to technically-good 3D is to start with correct geometry, as physical misalignments distort geometry. Additionally, all dimensions must be consistent.

--Postley presented a series of clips that showed common problems, as well as solutions. That included iris and focus mismatch, and issues such as divergence or edge violations. Edge violations, he suggested, can be addressed for instance by reframing the shot or changing the depth of the person or object in question.

He suggested that 3D creativity will be built on technically correct 3D production. 

Students Visit SMPTE

SMPTE had some guests today.

The SMPTE student chapter from Pasadena Community College were on hand at the Technical Conference and Expo, as volunteers, as well as to listen to the presentations and explore the exhibition. They also toured the Mann Chinese Theater—and gave the entire experience high marks.

“Everyone is doing 3D,” Stella Cao observed, offering “I think they should make the 3D glasses more comfortable for people who wear glasses.”

Timothy Sargent said he enjoyed the presentation of Oculus 3D’s method of using film for 3D. “It’s so cool,” he said. “It could make more 3D available.”

“There is more to learn than I ever imagined,” student chapter president Donald Williamson summed up, adding that the visit helped him to understand the importance of networking and really sparked his interest in learning much more..

Asked if they plan to attend future SMPTE events, the students responded with a chorus of ‘yeses.’

"North By Northwest" Screening in 4K Scheduled

As a special treat for SMPTE attendees, this evening there will be a screening of a restored version of the Hitchcock classic “North By Northwest” starring Cary Grant, in 4K at the Mann Chinese Theater.

The movie—which was restored with a process that included scanning at 8K—will be projected using a prototype of Christie’s Solaria series 4K DLP Cinema projector.

Christie is pleased to contribute to an enjoyable evening for attendees. “This is the first time 4K DLP Cinema technology is being used to show an audience a full 4K feature film,” said Brian Claypool, senior product manager, entertainment solutions for Christie.

The new Christie CP4230 features the new 4K DLP Cinema chip from Texas Instruments and is designed to be compliant with the DCI specification. Pricing for Christie 4K digital cinema projectors is anticipated to be 35% above 2K projector pricing.

For tonight’s screening, early arrival is recommended as seating is limited.

AMPAS Offers IIF Update

During the afternoon, SMPTE attendees looked at the Image Interchange Framework (IIF), an architecture for advanced motion picture imaging developed by an Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences-led committee of industry professionals.

The IIF is essentially a set of components to help facilitate workflows in production and mastering, at a time when film and digital options vary greatly.

“We are done with the science experiment,” said Alexander Forsythe of AMPAS. “The committee of over 50 believe it provides a flexible and robust platform. Feedback has been positive. The goal is to find any bumps in the road.”

A key to the product is encoding the images from all sources using ACES (Academy Color Encoding Spec).

IIF was introduced to the SMPTE community at the 2008 SMPTE Technical Conference. Since that time, IIF's image encoding specifications were published; core transforms and workflows were developed and are now being tested by major motion picture studios, equipment manufacturers and facilities; and standardization efforts were initiated.

“IIF is the workflow of the future,” said Curtis Clark, ASC. “We need to get implementations of this done as soon as possible. This is critical to our future … to produce images that would otherwise be very difficult to achieve.”

Laser Pacific has already implemented the workflow for motion picture production.

Clark reported that the PGA/ASC Camera Assessment Series would go through an IIF/ACES workflow as a test.

Carey Urges Action Against Internet Film Piracy

“The average consumer can access a pirated film in just a few clicks,” warned Chris Carey, executive VP of worldwide technical operations at Paramount Pictures, during a luncheon keynote on the state of Internet film piracy. He urged the audience to get involved in addressing the problem.

The most damaging current models are cyber lockers and streaming sites. The enabler is the revenue that comes from either subscription models or payment processes.

Carey reviewed tool to combat piracy, including watermarking and fingerprinting. He also described “Pirate Eye,” a night vision technology that can be used to detect video cameras. “We hope to be moving to the next generation of the technology and getting the cost down so we can talk with exhibitors about putting it in every auditorium.”

Site blocking, Carey suggested, is a method to “stop piracy at the source. That is what we have to have enablement to do. There is early testing going on.”

To this point, Carey reported that there is a proposed bipartisan Senate bill that if passed would allow the government to block a cyber locker or streaming site that is proven to be illegal. Further information can be found at www. StopIPjobloss.com. Carey encouraged the audience to write letters in support of the bill “so we can put a dent in the piracy problem.” 

SMPTE Opens With Microsoft Keynote

The 2010 SMPTE Annual Technical Conference and Expo kicked off this morning with opening remarks and a keynote from James A. Baldwin, CTO of Microsoft Media Platforms Business.

“We are very excited, not only with the increase in projected attendance but with the sold out exhibition, so there is lots to see,” said SMPTE Executive Director Barbara Lange.

Program Chair Jerry Whitaker reported that the conference encompasses 81 presentations in 14 sessions. Key focuses include stereoscopic 3D, file-based workflow, cinematography and post, TV station infrastructure, and cutting edge technology such as UHDTV.

During his keynote, Baldwin offered a look at the Microsoft Mediaroom software platform to deliver entertainment across all the screens.

Some of Baldwin’s points and comments:

--“Innovation comes from people who recognize where technology can make a sharp difference.”

--“There is a different way of consuming media that is coming.”

--“Mediaroom is a complete TV system to the end user. It had to look like broadcast TV” Functionality therefore includes VOD, DVR, security and the like.

--Mediaroom could be “better than broadcast” because with IPTV one could, for instance, eliminate channel changing delays.

--“We believe in using standards when they apply.” For instance the system uses MPEG transport.

--Mediaroom aims to offer tools to access content anywhere, anytime. This includes a native DVR and time shifting. “It is not a technology problem anymore, it is a rights issue.”

--The need for a nimble application platform: “It is important to be able to add capabilities to the platform. … We can go from idea to implementation as fast as you can set up a web server.”

--Multiscreen is the new main screen: “If I can’t get the media I want on my iPad or TV in the home, I tend to frown on it now. The expectation going forward has to be that it is not jut a TV anymore. We have to start thinking about entertainment being delivered to many devices.”

--Pointing to Shazam’s audio recognition functionality, he added: “I imagine you will be able to do that with all media.”

--“Search is still there, but you want more collaborative filtering.”

--“The lines between games, social interaction and movies are starting to blur.”

--Pointing to Xbox Kinect: “It won’t be long before you don’t need a remote control to operate your TV.”

--On stereoscopic 3D: “I think the technology is not really there. It will be a few more years.” But he added that Mediaroom would offer support for 3D capable TVs in roughly a year.

Pre-Conference Wrap: Digital Media Ecosystem

Bob Lambert, president of Technology and Strategy Associates, led a panel that summed up the day’s exploration of the digital media ecosystem.

He asked the speakers to identify the obstacles.

Mukul Krishna, global director, digital media practice at Frost & Sullivan, pointed out that there will continue to be multiple formats. “There is no end to that,” he said. “I believe we will have to bite the bullet and try to move toward common formats.”

But he doesn’t believe that will happen in the next decade.

Added Scott Smyers, consultant, Sunrise Digital: “Consumers are getting content anytime and anywhere. The problem with digital distribution of content is that companies like Netflix don’t have an incentive to delivery content that is compatible with competitors. Same with Apple, there is no business incentive. We have to remember the consumer. The consumer is the victim in all of this.”

He added that now consumers can access content through unauthorized means, and suggested that that factor might give the industry the incentive to create a consistent platform. He also believes this might be 10 years out.

Before wrapping, Lambert asked each speaker what is most important to watch in the ecosystem? Some responses:

Shawn Carnahan, CTO, Telestream: DRM

Scott Smyers: DECE

Kilroy Hughes, global interop & technology affairs, Microsoft: “HTML5—will that become the delivery target?”

Al Kovalick, fellow, Avid: “Automate or die, that is the most important thing for production.”

SMPTE Offers Online Access to Standards Docs

As of November 2010, SMPTE is pleased to provide customers with new online access to its Standard documents. Through a password-protected service, users will have online access to all relevant documents plus the added benefit of access to new documents as soon as they are published.

Subscriptions will be available to individuals and institutions, member or non-member, with discounted rates for individual and sustaining SMPTE members (and the Individual member rate is reduced from the CD subscription).  Full details at http://www.smpte.org/standards/subscriptions/ .

For new or renewing subscribers the new products are now offered in the SMPTE Store http://store.smpte.org/category-s/58.htm.

SMPTE will discontinue distribution of standards and other documents on CD-ROM.  All existing subscribers who would normally have received the October 2010 CD-ROM as part of their subscription will receive access to the online service until the anniversary date of their subscription. An individual notice will be sent to these subscribers within the next two weeks.

Questions? Check in with SMPTE's Director of Standards and Engineering, Peter Symes.

SMPTE Releases Two New Digital-Cinema Products

As the conversion of theaters to digital infrastructures grows globally, SMPTE today announced two digital cinema products designed to standardize workflows and ensure a consistent movie-going experience: the Digital Leader product for post production and the Digital Projection Verifier (DPROVE) product for theatres. The products both are based on the SMPTE RP 428-6-2009 Recommended Practice.

“As the digital-cinema rollout accelerates, there is a critical need for standardized workflows,” said Barbara Lange, Executive Director of SMPTE. “SMPTE worked with more than 300 people from multiple sectors of the industry to ensure that new these products provide high-value, interoperable performance across the production-to-display chain.”

Digital Leader ensures efficient downstream DCDM creation

The new SMPTE Digital Leader product allows post facilities to add leaders and/or footers to D-Cinema Distribution Master (DCDM) reels prior to encoding and encryption, thereby facilitating reliable and efficient downstream digital master creation and quality assurance. The product features 8- and 4-second head and foot leaders for a full quality-control check and supports a comprehensive range of aspect ratios and frame rates. It also provides 2D and 3D support where applicable.

The Digital Leader product is available on a pre-loaded hard drive with TIFF and WAV files for each variant.

DPROVE provides easy checks for projection systems

The SMPTE DPROVE product addresses a key issue for digital cinema operators: the need for a simple and reliable tool to check critical parameters such as digital projector performance, alignment, masking, and picture-sound synchronization. Like the Digital Leader product, it includes all quality-control parameters and a comprehensive range of variants. It supports both the JPEG Interop and SMPTE 429-2:2009 (2010) standards to verify backward and forward compatibility with digital-cinema servers from multiple manufacturers.

The DPROVE product also makes it easy for non-engineering personnel to check the health of their systems. Packaged on a flash-memory drive, it uses standard key-based encryption to unlock its features. Theatre operators can then set it to perform one-time or looping sequences for regular confidence checks of their venues.

Availability

Both new products are available directly from SMPTE: the Digital Leader and DPROVE products both carry a three-year license. Please see http://www.smpte.org/standards/DPROVE_Flyer_2010_08.pdf for more information.

Bridging Blu-ray Disc Physical Media and Digital Delivery

While digital delivery of filmed and TV entertainment content is taking off, the consumer usage and revenue models still pale in comparison to that of physical media.

During the pre-conference program, Todd Collart, senior vp, new technology at Deluxe, examined ways in which Blu-ray—in particular BD Live—can be leveraged to bridge the gap between physical media and digital, over-the-top services.

He emphasized that BD Live should be viewed as an enabling technology, not a feature. And he pointed to potential advantages:

Streaming trailers: The technology allows the streaming of trailers that would have otherwise gone on the Blu-Ray Disc. That allows the content owners to replace stale trailers with new ones. It also allows them to plan a rotation schedule.

Bonus Content: A disc could direct the consumer to free movies or TV episodes.

VOD: Once a Disc is purchased, it could enable VOD access.

“Key Disc:” In this model, the disc doesn’t content the content. Instead it essentially acts as a key to access online content.

Moving further away from the disc, he pointed to the Digital/ECopy (a digital copy that is available with a disc purchase) or secondary device support.

Collart concluded that Blu-ray and Blu-ray models can prompt new opportunities.

SMPTE Examines Digital Media EcoSystem

SMPTE’s Pre-Conference Seminar examining Digital Media Ecosystem Essentials began this morning, at Hollywood and Highland’s Grand Ballroom.

Mukul Krishna, global director, digital media practice at Frost & Sullivan, kicked off the program with an overview of the multi-platform world, pointing to the business and economic impact.

He suggested that the value prop includes the cost reductions involved in moving from a physical to digital archive; workflow optimization opportunities from content discovery to interoperability; and the new opportunities to generate revenue that are afforded by repurposing resources.

He suggested that as a general rule of thumb, one could assume that DAM could save one hour per day, per power user.

Mitch Singer, president of the Digital Entertainment Content Ecosystem (DECE), next offered an overview of DECE’s developing UltraViolet, a cloud based digital rights management system to create an online virtual library for each user.

DECE is a consortium of more than 60 companies including major Hollywood studios, consumer electronics manufacturers and retailers formed to develop a set of standards for the digital distribution of Hollywood content.

On the strategy, Singer suggested “digital distribution is broken.” He added that it offers a “lousy” consumer value proposition due to the fragmented market, there is current a stalled marketplace; and it represents a poor investment.

He addressed aspects of UltraViolet, including:

File Format: UltraViolet would allow a consumer registered device to be interoperable with the common file format (MP4/PIFF, H. 264 and AES).

Blu-Ray: “The goal with Ultraviolet is not to replace BRD,” he said. “This was meant to compliment physical media.”

Legacy Devices: He noted that today, a lot of players are software based, therefore the user would be able to download an Ultraviolet media player, allowing the content to reach legacy devices.

Legacy Libraries: “We are looking at ways (consumers) might be able to ingest older titles, but the studios have to support it in the common file format. That will happen over time. It is going to be a process.”

During Q&A, one audience member asked how UltraViolet would work with Apple.

“Apple is already adding third-party services; it is starting to open up. I think you can expect to see an UltraViolet app on the Apple platform,” Singer responded, though he acknowledged that “iTunes is a little trickier.”

“The market is in the early stages of growth,” he summed up.

Watch this space!

The SMPTE Annual Technical Conference gets under way Monday morning with a Pre-Conference seminar on "Digital Media Ecosystem Essentials" with an impressive lineup of speakers on a wide range of topics from "Rights Management" to "Building the Content Factory"across the business/technical divide.   We all know that new technologies are disrupting existing business models; the seminar will provide lots of input on how these technologies can support new business models!

As the title says, "Watch this Space" --throughout the Conference Carolyn Giardina will be blogging the highlights for the benefit of those who cannot be with us.

We wish you were here (and perhaps you will be; you can register on site!), but if you can't, don't miss Carolyn's insights.

Peter Symes 2010-10-23