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Author
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Topic: Japanese manufacturer to compete with movie theaters
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Julio Roberto
Jedi Master Film Handler
Posts: 938
From: Madrid, Madrid, Spain
Registered: Oct 2008
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posted 02-13-2010 04:35 PM
A japanese manufacturer is going to compete with movie theaters.
And no, it's not Sony ![[Wink]](wink.gif)
quote:
Panasonic Corporation (NYSE: PC), the Official Worldwide Olympic Partner in the Audio and Visual Equipment category for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games, today opened the doors of its Olympic Pavilion “Panasonic FULL HD 3D THEATRE” featuring two 103-inch full HD 3D theatres at LiveCity Yaletown, official celebration site of the 2010 Olympic Winter Games.
Open February 12-28 from 11 am to 11 pm daily, the theatres will screen high definition, three dimensional images of the Opening Ceremony, highlights footage of the 2010 Winter Games, as well as the video of Sarah Brightman performing Panasonic’s song, “Shall Be Done”. There is no entrance fee for Panasonic’s Olympic Pavilion at the LiveCity Yaletown site in David Lam Park.
“This theatre is our way of sharing the passion of the 2010 Winter Games with Vancouver residents and visitors from around the world,” says Takumi Kajisha, Managing Executive Officer, Panasonic Corporation. “Panasonic believes 3D systems will greatly enhance at-home viewing of future Olympic Games, combining the enjoyment of watching the greatest sports event with the stereoscopic images of full HD 3D.”
Panasonic’s Full HD 3D Theatre at the 2010 Winter Games offers the public the first opportunity to experience a new era of immersive visual entertainment that will soon be available for consumers to enjoy at home. It is a 3D experience that easily rivals the best that can be seen in cinemas.
“We’ve successfully moved from black and white, to color, to high definition television. But immersive, totally realistic 3D imagery has been the final frontier,” said Eisuke Tsuyuzaki, Chief Technology Officer, Panasonic Corporation of North America. “With Panasonic’s new line of full HD 3D products which will be launched in North America this spring, we will conquer that as well.”
With Panasonic’s frame sequential technology, images are alternately reproduced at 60 frames per second for each eye for a total of 120 frames per second. These images are viewed alternately through high-precision 3D eyewear with shutters driven in synchronization with the video. As a result, each eye views a separate 1920 x 1080 full-HD image for beautiful, clear 3D images with no degradation in quality.
Panasonic has always been a leader in standardizing consumer electronic products and is proud that Panasonic full HD 3D technology has greatly contributed to the standardization of Blu-ray 3D™ which was announced by the Blu-ray Disc Association at the end of last year.
In January 2010, Panasonic announced its latest twin-lens full HD 3D camera recorder, and a Full HD 3D home theatre system (50″, 54″, 58″ and 65″ sizes) at the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. The full HD 3D home theatre system is expected to be introduced to the North American market in the spring of this year.
Highlight videos of 2010 Winter Games screened in the full HD 3D theatre are sourced from the International Olympic Committee. The theatre has been developed in cooperation with the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC), the City of Vancouver and Canada’s Olympic Broadcast Media Consortium, the official Canadian broadcaster of the 2010 Winter Games.
Just to be clear, the largest 3D flat-screen currently manufactured is a 152" 4K one, so these 103" ones are old technology ![[Razz]](tongue.gif)
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Frank Angel
Film God
Posts: 5305
From: Brooklyn NY USA
Registered: Dec 1999
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posted 02-13-2010 11:36 PM
quote: Bobby Henderson
Another issue is CONTENT. What else is Panasonic going to show in their HD 3D "theater" besides the Olympics TV coverage? Panasonic's HDTV endeavor is nothing more than a public experiment without a legitimate content supply deal from movie studios.
Why, they will be able to play every 3D movie ever made and ever will be made. You don't think for a moment Pixar and Disney and all the rest of them are not going to want to cash in on the home 3D theatre market and sell millions of costly 3D Bluray discs to the home theatre consumer, do you?
Anything that the comsumer can see in a theatre will now be availabe to seen in his home. So much for exhibitors buying into digital 3D because, as the Regal CEO proudly stated when he announced Regal's committment to a bunch of new 3D installs, that 3D was the one thing that Joe Moviegoer wasn't going to be able to get at home. 3D digital was going to protect the exhibitor with "exclusivity." So how is that workin out for ya, Mr. Regal?
I laughed then....I laugh now.
And yes, Bobby, you are right, 8ft it IS miniscule compaired to the theatre size screen, but in the end, it's the relationship of that 8 ft size to the viewer in his small size living room or even his screening room.
The home viewer is seeing an equivelant size screen, or close to it as he sees when he's sitting in row 30 in the theatre. And not to mention, 3D video projection which can be done with a very expensive (but available) 3D projector and projected even bigger than 8ft. Can you say wall-to-wall? So relatively speaking, Mr. I've-Got-A-Home-Theatre consumer isn't going to be bothered about how ITTY BITTY TINY MINUSCULE his TV is because to him it will look as good as the local plex. Personally, I plan on eschewing the very expensive 3D projector and am going to use 2 not so expensive projectors, one for each eye. I am told the two images can easily be sent one to each projector.
No doubt about it, the home theatre is still going to be stiff competition for the exhibitor.
Now of course, if 3D interest fades....if long after AVATAR has been released on Bluray, we come to see that it WAS the apex of this 3D craze and it was just slow decline after that, well, people will be able to play their bluray of AVATAR and ALICE IN WONDERLAND 3D for their kids and grandkids, just like I play THE HOUSE OF WAY and KISS ME KATE (sequential 3D....very slow sequential 3D) for my friends and family. Other than that, they still will have their big Panasonic 3DTV that can still play 2D. And I'll still have a spare projector.
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Bobby Henderson
"Ask me about Trajan."
Posts: 10973
From: Lawton, OK, USA
Registered: Apr 2001
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posted 02-14-2010 01:12 AM
quote: Frank Angel
Why, they will be able to play every 3D movie ever made and ever will be made.
Not unless they pay for the pleasure to do so.
The way Julio put it, this new Panasonic branded venue is meant to compete against commercial movie theaters in the area. The home video "release window" doesn't mean much while the movie is still in theaters. Nevertheless, I cannot see Hollywood studios (or studios from other continents) agreeing to undercut traditional theatrical business with a tiny TV screen based movie theater.
As for this 3D craze lasting, it all depends on the quality of the movies.
Look at past efforts on 3D. The movies were mostly SHIT. Utter garbage. HDNET movies played Friday the 13th Part III a few months ago. I think that was the best release out of the full color 3D releases of the 1980s and that movie really honestly was a piece of shit. It's fun to see in 3D, but it is laughable garbage outside of that.
Today, we have a FAR BETTER supply of 3D movies. I think Avatar is nowhere near being James Cameron's best movie. Yet is stomps the shit out of any 3D movie I saw in the 1980s or 1990s. Up was, by far, the best movie I saw in 2009. The 3D thing seems to be growing up and gaining a far better sense of legitimacy.
IMHO, the thing that will make full color 3D a permanent staple of top shelf home theater is 3D gaming. That's the main reason why Sony is working hard to make the PS3 forward compatible with Blu-ray 3D. They know very well they have a giant opportunity to make a lot of money with an existing gaming system and a new way to watch movies and play games.
I guarantee the next versions of the X-Box, Wii and Playstation will make 3D a very crucial part of the gaming experience. I think all three platforms will also support Blu-ray 3D movies. I agree there's a number of odd drawbacks with 3D movies, but this time I think the 3D "fad" is just going to turn into a mainstay of Hollywood conducting business.
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Frank Angel
Film God
Posts: 5305
From: Brooklyn NY USA
Registered: Dec 1999
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posted 02-14-2010 08:53 PM
Bobby, you are absolutely right -- the 80s crop of 3D were exactly what you said, pure crap, hence the swift, falling off the cliff decline. BUT there were some 3Ds from the 50s that were very well done and the 3D was judiciously used as is Cameron's use in AVATAR. I am thinking THE HOUSE OF WAX, DIAL M FOR MURDER, KISS ME KATE and maybe a few others. Of course you are right we have much better quality of 3Ds today. Which leads me to believe it won't be a fad that falls of the cliff like previous attempts. So home hardware that can play these things will just support more product from Hollywood and as true to Hollywood, some will be good, some will be mediocre and some will be crap.
Here's an interesting tidbit (and I heard this third hand so don't hold me to the exact details), Panasonic is working on a TV that will not require glasses. The technology seems to be similar to the plastic lens 3D system that Minslo used -- taking left and right eye images and "slitting" each into very thin stips and laying then alternatively, next to each other side by side. A plastic sheet which consists of thin strips of "lenses" is placed over the image; the lenses aim the appropriate sliver for each eye underneath it to either to the left or right eye of the viewer. Panasonic is using something similar concept with micro lenses over the pixal beneath it to aim the pixal to the appropriate left or right eye. TV without glasses. They say it's only three years away.
If the home 3D experience can be gotten without glasses.....
Uh oh; what will Mr. Regal and Mr. Landmark do now?
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