VizWorld.com

At NAB recently, NVidia has their usual presence showing off their Quadro products and various software technologies.  Many people may not have noticed, however, that NVidia was actually present in over 40 booths, covering everything from encoding technologies to color grading systems to rendering tools.  Many people thought that CUDA would fade away as the more open OpenCL took hold, but Nvidia is still reaping the benefits of the powerful software development pipeline they’ve built around CUDA as it continues to be integrated into more and more products.

While Nvidia admits the existence of OpenCL and offers support, the company says it is getting new customers for CUDA and it is not seeing a shift to OpenCL even though OpenCL gives developers a cross-platform approach. What Nvidia’s booth really demonstrates is that customers are seeing the benefits of optimizing for multi-core and GPU compute and they aren’t waiting for the OpenCL tools to evolve or for Intel to get tools out there for its multi-core MIC processor. There really was an impressive amount of Nvidia partners at NAB this year. The case has been made for multi-core, for GPU compute, and, for now, CUDA.

via GraphicSpeak » Nvidia preaches the GPU compute gospel at NAB.

Hardware cuda, nab, nvidia, opencl

At NAB, WASOL was demonstrating a new lens system called the ’3D Lensys’ which allows any traditional lens to be converted to a 3D lens.  It’s a hefty lens at 21kg, but it’s a great simple way to add 3D to your existing equipment.  Although, if it wasn’t for the fact that people saw it at NAB, the copy on their site reads like a phishing attempt.

As it is possible you to use all the functions such as auto/manual mode, zooming and focusing built in the camera. You can produce any kind of motion pictures and TV programs such as TV shows, sports events, live perfomance, etc, which require several cameras.

You don’t have to spend much time and energy on synchronizing two cameras mounted on a rig in order to converge right and left images, which is one of the biggest problems caused by two-camera-based 3D capturing system. This innovation technique have made us to have many patents in many countries and to be awardrd many technical.

via the One & Only 3D system ::: WASOL.

Hardware 3d, camera, nab, stereoscopic

Autodesk has posted a pair of videos in The Area detailing the new capabilities of the integrated Real-Time Color Grading in Flame Premium.  Showing the effects of volumetric light, 3d cast shadows, lens flares, and the multi-layer timelines, it’s a great way to get a glimpse of what’s available.

In Flame Premium, Total Control in Finishing means Flame Artists now have Real-Time Color Grading as part of their toolset. For Colorists, it’s all about having control over Light in 3D Space. And for Smoke Editors, you get all of the creative tools of Flame you’ve always wanted but with the Timeline workflow you know and love.

Get the second part in The Area.
via Area :: Blogs :: NAB 2011 Flame Premium “Total Control in Finishing”.

Graphics autodesk, flame, nab, software

NVidia has a huge presence at NAB this year, showing up in over a dozen different booths and cementing their place as a guiding force behind much of the production and broadcast business.  With capabilites in the compositing, rendering, live editing, and routing spaces, it’s really no surprise but the sheer number of booths they are in at NAB is impressive.

NVIDIA Quadro professional graphics solutions, based on the NVIDIA Fermi architecture, are being trumpeted by industry leaders including Adobe, ARRI, ASSIMILATE, Autodesk, Avid, Chyron, Pixel Power, Quantel, and Vizrt, among many others.

“Some of the biggest names in the production and broadcast business, including CNN and DIRECTV, are using tools that embrace the power of the GPU,” said Greg Estes, industry executive, Media & Entertainment, NVIDIA. “Proof is all around us here in Las Vegas that NVIDIA is a key force behind much of the latest software and hardware solutions that are now being used in the marketplace.”

Read the full press release after the break that lists the individual booths, including 3ality, Adobe, ARRI, Assimilate, Avid, Quantel, Vizrt, and many more.

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Hardware conference, nab, nvidia

At the recent PreNAB Editor’s Lounge, some experts got together to discuss what’s going on in the field of post-production.  Between discussions of the new Final Cut Pro and the impact of the Japanese quakes on availability of HD-CAM-SR tapes, they got into the popularity of 3D.

3-D was coined the “wild west” and does not appear to be a fad.  Consumers now base their decision on whether to see a movie in 3-D based on story content vs. the 3-D experience. Bigger budgets still remain limited to film, while the broadcast market remains more events driven with the networks looking for a budget conscious business model for creating content. It was stressed that the editorial process for 3-D is quite different than 2-D.  Cutting and pacing is quite distinct along with managing transitions with similar depth cues.  There are things you simply can’t do in 3-D that you can in 2-D. To complicate matters even more, there is currently no QC for the technology. In order for an editor to learn the art of 3-D editing it was suggested by Lucas Wilson (Director of Business Development for 3ality Digital) to search for free 3-D footage to download.

The discussion of Apple was another hot topic, as Apple continues to ignore the popularity of BluRay.  Their reasoning is that the world is moving to a live-streaming and online media space, but it leaves lots of people forced to work in “the current” instead of “the future” without a simple route to BluRay.

Get the cliff-notes after the break, and watch the event via some videos on Vimeo.

PreNAB Editors’ Lounge 2011 Part 1 from Editors' Lounge on Vimeo.

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Graphics alphadogs, apple, nab

I missed this when it came out at NAB, but Panasonic has now officially released their new AG-3DA1 professional stereoscopic camcorder.  Some of what Engadget originally proposed is true, but the details are even better, such as the adjustable convergence point:

The twin-lens system adopted in the camcorder’s optical section allows the convergence point*** to be adjusted. Functions for automatically correcting horizontal and vertical displacement are also provided. Conventional 3D camera systems require these adjustments to be made by means of a PC or an external video processor. This new camcorder, however, will automatically recalibrate without any need for external equipment, allowing immediate 3D image capture.

The camera comes with dual lenses and dual 1/4.1-inch full 1920×1080 2.07 megapixel 3MOS imagers, and captures at 1080/60i,60i,30p,25p, and 24p (native), as well as some 720p formats.  It can store up to 3 hours on dual 32GB SD cards, and offers dual HD-SDI out, HDMI, and a pair of XLR connectors.

Still definately not “consumer grade”, with a suggested price of $21k, but probably one of the best 3D cameras on the market (nearly the only one).

via Panasonic USA Pressroom.

Hardware 3d, camera, nab, panasonic, stereoscopic

StudioDailyBlog’s Scott Simmons has posted the first of 3 articles about the recently completed NAB conference in Las Vegas.  He’s decided to cover it in 3 parts, the Big, the Medium, and The Small.  First up, the Big:

Another NAB is on the books and the 2010 edition was a biggie. Attendance was up and the show floor seemed visibly more crowded than last year. Certain booths were so crowded from Monday on that you had to fight your way into a demo seat or to get your hands on a piece of gear.

He mostly talks about Avid, that began the week with their announced acquisition of Euphonix, and the Adobe CS5 suite.  Great read.

via Studio Daily Blog » Reflections on NAB 2010 – The Big.

Hardware conference, nab

If you weren’t able to attend NAB this year, then definitely head over to StudioDaily where they’ve got dozens of short videos interviewing and demonstrating technology from RED, JVC, and many more.

Studio Daily Blog » NAB Video: RED, Angenieux, Zacuto, Cooke Optics, and More.

Hardware nab

Another neat piece of kit from NAB comes courtesy of Vision Research and their new Phantom Flex camera.  It sports a nice CMOS sensor capable of 12-bit color depth and 4k images, but what distinguishes it from the competition is the unreal frame rates previously reserved for analog film:

At maximum resolution the camera can capture up to 1,560 frames per second, and up to 2,800 when stepped down to HD res, though an HQ mode is also available which boosts image quality but reduces frame rates to 780 and 1390 FPS respectively. And if you were to take the resolution all the way down to 640×480, you’d be able to record at 6,300 FPS to capture every last particle of that apple you just shot.

Also, the camera can be boosted up to 1,000 ISO to work in low-light situations, and is compatible with 35mm, 16mm, and 2/3″ lenses from all the major players.  No word on pricing, but rest assured it’s out of the means of mortal men.

via OhGizmo! » Archive » Phantom Flex Can Capture 1920×1080 HD At 2,800 FPS.

Hardware camera, nab, vision research

Last September, NVidia debuted their “Quadro DVP” product, a combination of NVidia Quadro cards with special video input and output cards to enable GPU-accelerated processing of multiple SD streams simultaneously.  Today at NAB, they’ve released the latest version of the Quadro DVP which adds even more horsepower that handle four simultaneous HD-SDI streams, or two stereoscopic streams, and enable a whole realm of real-time effects and processing options.  Already in use by several main companies, they have quotes like:

“The Quadro Digital Video Pipeline delivers the essential technology to revolutionize live 3D production,” said Paul Lacombe, president at Brainstorm America. “Working with NVIDIA, we are delivering solutions to customers such as ESPN who will define the future of live 3D sports broadcasts.”

“NVIDIA Quadro is the processor of choice for our 2D and 3D graphics generation systems,” said Gerhard Lang, chief engineering officer at Vizrt. “The new Viz Engine adds support for the NVIDIA Quadro Digital Video Pipeline, and the direct access to the NVIDIA GPU gives us the ability to render more intricate 3D scenes at a higher level of detail without additional latency.”

The hardware meshes seamlessly with the 3D Vision for real-time preview of stereoscopic video, and Adobe Premiere Pro CS5 for editing.

Full release after the break.

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Hardware dvp, nab, nvidia