Check Out Cool New 3D Television Shows From Beampath3D!

Check out some cool new 3D television shows that Beampath3D has produced. These guys are serious about 3D and have lined up some very interesting stuff! Namely, a 3D shark documentary entitled SHARK DEFENDERS, a paranormal 3D series called ANOMALY 3D and a children's 3D television show - DOLPHIN LIFE 3D.

Here's the synopsis for SHARK DEFENDERS: 
Monsters lurk in our oceans...
...and they are slaughtering an estimated 250,000 sharks PER DAY.
Shark Defenders 3D is the first made-for-3DTV documentary to chronicle research and conservation efforts to save rapidly diminishing shark populations. Coming soon to Next3D and other 3D TV outlets. Check back soon to view the Shark Defenders 3D trailer and for air dates. 

Here's the synopsis for ANOMALY 3D:
Anomaly is the worlds-first 3D television program to focus on the paranormal and unexplained. Anomaly uses never-before-seen 3D night vision cameras and new production techniques to immerse viewers in the world’s most unusual and frightening locations. The show’s 1-hour docu-reality format is fast paced, entertaining and often chilling. You can download a preview of the show here, including 2D options if you're not set up for S3D yet.

In order to accomplish what Beampath3D have done to date, they have had to put on their inventor's hat as well. They have come up with some very cool technology to assist them in their 3D content creation including a NightVision Beamsplitter (clearly needed for ANOMALY 3D), a 4K Red Scarlet Beamsplitter and 3DHD Underwater capabilities.

You can catch these shows in 3D through Next3D, a company who delivers stereoscopic content to the home at the highest quality, over broadband, cable and satellite connections. They are a pay-per-view service with absolutely no monthly subscriptions or contracts. You need a broadband Internet connection, a PC + graphics card + NVIDIA's 3DVision or 3DTV Play software, 3D glasses, and a 3D-ready TV, projector or monitor. Next3D delivers these shows, plus movies, documentaries, sports and concerts too.

If you've got the equipment - check them out! I'll have more updates from these guys as it happens - they have some very cool things percolating!

Next3D & Turner Broadcasting Expand Alliance to Include S3D Production & Delivery of Live Events

Very excited to hear about this news! I have been working with Next3D for a while now and once I saw this I had to pass it on to you.

Here's the official press release (emphasis is mine):

ATLANTA, (April 5, 2011) — Next3D and Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. (TBS, Inc.) have expanded their collaborative alliance to include efforts to deploy 3D technology for the real-time production and streaming delivery of Live events to the emerging home 3D audience. The relationship leverages Next3D’s proprietary stereoscopic encoding technology and content delivery service to implement industry leading tools and techniques for end-to-end stereoscopic content acquisition and delivery.

“Our approach is to partner with advantaged technology companies, such as Next3D, to deliver high-quality 3D content over existing digital infrastructure,” said Jim McCaffrey, Executive Vice President, Operations & Strategy Chief Strategy Officer Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. “Next3D has demonstrated to us that its compression technology addresses some of the major challenges to delivering 3D content.”

“Next3D technology preserves and enhances image quality, producing a theater-like experience, the way 3D in the home should be,” said Steve Heyer, Chairman of Next3D. “Partnering with Turner to deliver Live events in vibrant High-Definition 3D is an important vote of confidence for us.”

Unlike current 3DTV broadcasting methods, which squeeze the 3D image into a single 2D image frame, Next3D’s patent-pending technology enables stereoscopic 3D video encoding and delivery in full high-definition 1080p. Reducing the amount of data to deliver a high definition 3D image by up to 75%, Next3D encoding reduces the bandwidth needed for home-delivery without sacrificing image quality. The ground-breaking technology also retains and enhances image details, critical to pristine 3D HD.

Next3D will demonstrate its advances in 3D technology at NAB 2011 in Las Vegas. To schedule a meeting or request an interview with company executives, visit next3d.com or contact Pedro Chen (pedrochen@maxborgesagency.com).

About TBS, Inc.
Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner company, creates and programs branded news, entertainment, animation and young adult media environments on television and other platforms for consumers around the world.

About Next3D
Next3D, Inc. is a leader in stereoscopic 3D technology with more than 65 years of combined experience in media, content production, and stereoscopic delivery and display. With expertise and intellectual property spanning back to the first digital stereoscopic video distribution technology in the mid 1990s, Next3D has one of the most comprehensive and mature technology platforms in the stereoscopic industry. Next3D's proprietary, patent-pending video compression technology delivers a crisp, clear, and comfortable 3D experience over cable, satellite or broadband.

For more information about Next3D, please visit http://next3d.com. For a downloadable PDF detailing Next3D’s quality advantage, visit here.

More when I get it!

Next3D is a sponsor of MarketSaw.

Sony's PS3 and NVIDIA's 3D Vision Are The Tip Of The S3D Gaming Spear!!

Jim here. Wow - CES really has our heads spinning with stereoscopic 3D (S3D) announcements and product unveilings! Not the least of which is S3D gaming...

Of note is Sony's PS3. From what I can see, Sony plans on using the Playstation 3 as the centerpiece of their company's S3D products, and justifiably so. The PS3 has the ability to update its firmware over the Internet whenever it needs to - and that includes 3D.

There will be two firmware updates in 2010 for the PS3: The first will add S3D GAMING functionality to the console. The second will bring S3D MOVIE functionality. To the best of my knowledge, these updates will be FREE and will certainly support their awesome new lineup of S3DHD televisions - including the new HDMI 1.4 spec.

Those firmware updates will obviously be preceded by game developers SDKs (Solution Development Kits) for the industry. That way we can anticipate a nice selection of S3D content for consumers when the time comes to upgrade.

Well that pretty much sums up the consoles as Microsoft is practically standing still with regards to S3D. However, in Microsoft standard operating procedure you can use a third party's solution to achieve it - for example, Next3D's fine technology for the XBOX 360.

So what about PC S3DHD gaming? NVIDIA of course. NVIDIA's 3D Vision solution is amazing. I use it everyday and I am still dazzled over the effects. I don't know where ATI is while all this S3D excitement is going on - if they don't act fast they will miss this boat.

Take for example DRAGON AGE ORIGINS. I have been playing this for a while now and I am STUNNED at how well the 3D looks. Sure, the menu systems and cinematics are not in 3D - I don't care about that anyway. But once in the game, you can freeze the action to give instructions to your characters in 'stop time' - AND you can swing the camera around a full 360 degrees, panning, tilting and zooming (no dollying :-) in full 3D. And it is remarkable. It really is. It is something you have to witness for yourself as no amount of verbal disclosure comes close to the enjoyment I get out of this game in S3DHD.

Further, at CES NVIDIA announced their 3D Surround technology which enables S3D to be displayed on three monitors side by side for a wraparound effect. Or, if you have the inclination, three projectors on one very wide screen - this eliminates the monitor frames from your field of view. All of this essentially gives you 6 million pixels at 120Hz. Their new GF100 or Fermi GPU is really supposed to rock with 3D too!

NVIDIA showed off their 3D Vision technology with new Blu-ray 3D software players as well, including Arsoft's TotalMedia Theatre 3 and Cyberlink's PowerDVD Ultra. They played trailers for Disney's TOY STORY 3, A CHRISTMAS CAROL, ALICE IN WONDERLAND and others.

Of course they had existing S3D games on display like AVATAR, BATMAN: ARKHAM ASYLUM (I am still playing this one - look for a review soon!), DARK VOID and JUST CAUSE 2 to name a few.

On the stunningly cool side, NVIDIA gave the world's first sneak peek of YouTube 3D, running on a new S3D demo version of Adobe Flash Player using the NVIDIA 3D Vision shutter glasses. Once this is up and live for the world, there will be MASSIVE S3D user generated content out there. Next3D will also provide a repository for user 3D clips. Can't wait! Exciting times for the 3D industry.

These are the two 3D innovators that you should keep your eye on the most as a consumer. Sure Panasonic is right up there too (I have my eye on that 152" screen hah!), but for end to end commitment to S3DHD as a large company, I would watch Sony and NVIDIA right now. Trust me. :-) Oh and Next3D is a definite up and comer...

Sony audience photo by Amy-Mae Elliott
Next3D is a sponsor of MarketSaw

CES 2010: NEXT3D Co-Founder David Cole Talks NEXT3D

Michael here. Watch below to listen to David Cole, co-founder of NEXT3D, describe what his company does:

I'm looking forward to digging in to all the S3D content that will be made available through NEXT3D's encoder/decoder, player, production and finishing tools, and content distribution technology.

NEXT3D is a sponsor of MarketSaw

Next3D And Turner Broadcasting Bringing Stereoscopic 3D HD Content To The Home

Jim here. You ready for the onslaught of exciting announcements this week? I know I am! Let's start with this one!!

Next3D and Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. (TBS, Inc.) have entered a collaborative partnership to deploy 3D technology for the production and delivery of three-dimensional content to the emerging home 3D audience.

Next3D has Stereoscopic 3D Full high definition encoding and player technology for nearly every platform: PCs, Mac, Xbox 360, PS3, Blu-ray disc and television set top boxes. Content encoded with Next3D’s enabling technology delivers full stereoscopic 3D in 1080P high-definition to the home over a broadband, cable or satellite TV connection. Next3D has demonstrated its proven technology to the video game industry, Hollywood studios and broadcasters.

“We are uniquely positioned to provide turnkey or customizable solutions to our partners with proprietary stereo 3D encoding and playback technology that works flawlessly with off-the-shelf components already in the market and in millions of homes,” said Steve Heyer, Chairman of Next3D. “From movies to live sports to videogames, Next3D encoding delivers a stunning and immersive 3D HD experience to the living room.”

Next3D will be showcasing its technology on the NVIDIA 3D Vision System at the 2010 Consumer Electronic Show, January 7-10. NVIDIA's widely-distributed 3D Vision technology brings immersive 3D gaming, movies, photographs, and Web browsing to personal computers. NVIDIA Booth, Las Vegas Convention Center, South Hall 4 #35912.

About Turner
Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner company, creates and programs branded news, entertainment, animation and young adult media environments on television and other platforms for consumers around the world.

About Next3D
Next3D, Inc. is a leader in stereoscopic 3D technology with more than 35 years of combined experience in media, content production, and stereoscopic delivery and display. Next3D’s technology delivers stereoscopic content to the home at the highest quality, over broadband, cable and satellite connections.

And welcome Next3D as a sponsor to MarketSaw! Awesome products and an exciting time to be in S3DHD!!

CES 2009: Next3D Offers FREE In Home 3D Movie Distribution Service

This seems to be interesting. I was contacted by David Cole, the CEO of Next3D and he says they are offering a free in home 3D movie and webcast service.

Says David: "The player is free and much of the initial content is free. There will be interstitial ads (in 3D) supporting the free content. Additionally, there are premium content providers who's wares will be pay-for-view. Pricing for pay-for-view is TBA, but will be in line with other internet-based streaming services."

So there will be some cost for items you would expect there to be a cost for like premium movies, but I like the free player approach. They have some partners lined up already like theatrical and IMAX rights holders. The player will be available for XBOX 360s and PCs this spring. They plan on being the "iTunes of the 3D media industry".

They will also offer user generated media channels which is a nice premise to think about.

Competition for Next3D would include other 3D media codec providers like TDVision and Sensio. Interesting to see how this will play out.