3ality Technica @ NAB 2012 - A Review

posted:

07/05/2012

3ality Technicas Showcase at NAB 2012

3ality Technica is best known for its incredibly advanced image processing and software algorithms, as well as the speed, dependability, and ultra precision of its tools. The Stereo Image Processor™ (SIP) is the industry standard and is used on many projects, in 3D, 2D, and in post-production, independent of the 3ality Technica camera platforms. Element Technica, known for exceptional mechanical engineering and dedicated customer support, is a leading provider of innovative 3D rigs, as well as 2D and 3D accessories, and brings a state of the art manufacturing infrastructure. Together, as 3ality Technica, the Company is a powerhouse of design, durability, service, and software that is "years ahead of anyone else in the market".

At this years NAB the showcase included the new Helix™, which is the result of the combined efforts between the former designers and engineers from 3ality Digital and Element Technica. 3ality Technica’s engineering team has combined magnesium, carbon fiber and aluminum into functional, cutting-edge art with the Helix. “The Helix has all the precision, automation and refinement of the TS5 with the configurability and user-friendliness of the Atom,” said Stephen Pizzo, SVP 3ality Technica. “It offers complete functionality when coupled with the Stereo Image Processor™( SIP).” The Helix was designed from the ground up to take advantage of the new IntelleSuite™ enhanced control and automation software, making the Helix the most intelligent system of professional 3D camera platforms.

3ality Technica 3D Rigs with Sony HDC-P1 Cameras

3ality Technica camera systems work the way 2D camera operators expect a camera system to work. Elimination of image misalignment provides directors with live preview and immediate viewing of "dailies." DPs have a range of lensing options unparalleled in 3D, including both primes and zooms, as well as camera rigs that range from very small (palm size) to large systems. The rigs have been used in NASCAR races, on steadicams, on cranes and on a SpyderCam.

Also on show were 3ality Technicas proprietary software applications including IntelleCam, IntelleCal, and IntelleMatte. Coupled with 3ality Technica’s sophisticated hardware, these applications fully automate the hardware, giving DPs and live sports broadcasters smart technology that eliminates setup time and production costs.

IntelleSuite Software Family
3ality Technica's IntelleSuite family of integrated hardware and software solutions revolutionizes the production of live-action Stereo 3D (S3D) by automating the most complex and time consuming processes associated with stereo shooting. Computerized operation ensures fast, easy, reliable, and repeatable results, while reducing or eliminating additional labor. IntelleSuite puts the control back in your hands.

Intellecal
Automated alignment at the touch of a button
3ality Technica's IntelleCal provides automated camera system alignment. Just mount lenses and push a button, and the system automatically profiles and matches the lenses, then performs a multi-step rig alignment. IntelleCal allows complete alignment work in less than five minutes, compared to the 30 to 45 minutes required for manual setup. It also lowers production costs by allowing camera operators to easily set up their own cameras.
•    Automatically creates lens matching data.
•    Automation aligns system on five axes through entire zoom range.
•    Not scene-dependent.

IntelleCam
Automated S3D control
3ality Technica's IntelleCam provides automated S3D control while you're shooting, eliminating the need for S3D operators (convergence pullers). IntelleCam allows you to set parameters, such as maximum divergence, minimum convergence, near/far crossover. The system continuously manages S3D composition within those parameters — throughout a shot — without manual intervention. This revolutionary tool dramatically reduces personnel costs while increasing quality, consistency, and precision.
•    Eliminates S3D operators
•    Automatically manages S3D settings, including depth budget, position relative to depth, convergence, and interaxial.
•    Parametric settings ensure constant, valid S3D positioning without manual changes.

IntelleMatte
Delivers true S3D compositing for accurate real-time graphics placement
3ality Technica's IntelleMatte is the S3D application everyone has been waiting for. IntelleMatte enables live game graphics to be positioned so they appear in front of the players, but behind anyone who walks closer to the camera: no more strange occlusions, no more graphics pushed so far out of the screen that they are hard to watch.
•    Analyzes standard HD video inputs.
•   Dynamic depth map generation for accurate compositing.
•   Works with any replay or graphics source.

3ality Technica serves the global entertainment community—whether it is in sports, feature film, episodic television, live concerts and events, and even in television advertising. Anything that can be 2D on a flat-screen can be 3D and come alive! The company addresses the various issues with which producers of 3D content have had to wrestle in the past.

3ality Technica IntelleMatch Workflow

3ality Technica produces pixel-precise, live-action 3D feature films, concerts, sports, and commercial programming. Whether produced with, or independent of, 3ality Technica, content creators are assured the most technologically accurate 3D image capture in the world. With 3ality Technica's complete system including the rig, SIP™, and proprietary software, a 3D production stays on the same schedule as a 2D production and within a similar budget.