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jimcondon
My big concern is that auto 2d to 3d conversion is that it is not ready for ...
junko.yoshida
Trident offers three new ideas to bring 3D to mainstream TVs
Junko Yoshida
9/3/2010 7:10 AM EDT
NEW YORK – Trident Microsystems is rolling out three new digital TV ICs: a low-cost, connected-TV chip with enhanced picture resolution capability; a 3D TV chipset integrated with an on-the-fly 2D-to-3D conversion feature; and a single-chip 240Hz frame rate converter essential to high resolution frame sequential 3D TVs.
Is there a common thread?
All three ICs leverage Trident’s crown-jewel picture enhancement IPs. Trident recently disclosed its plan to pursue license agreements with consumer OEMs and semiconductor companies for several of its motion estimation/motion compensation.
The first one, called HiDTV Pro-SXL, is a digital TV system-on-a-chip (SoC) -- a global TV solution designed to bring 3D and connected TV features to mainstream TV sets. The SoC offers connectivity functionalities with DLNA, Internet portals and HDMI1.4 to transfer 3D content.
Through this SoC, Trident also provides to mainstream TVs with the company’s own “enhanced super resolution” (ESR) technology – which used to be available only in the high-end digital TV solution. The ESR technology lets standard definition (SD) digital content scale up to an HD display, without making its picture look soft, said Dirk Wieberneit, senior vice president and general manager of the Trident business unit. “Instead, it sharpens it, while maintaining detail.” The SoC is sampling now.
Trident’s second silicon is a video post processor integrated with 2D-to-3D conversion feature.
Trident’s PNX5130, which is based on TriMedia core tightly integrated with other hardware blocks, runs in software the company’s proprietary 2D-to-3D conversion algorithm. Trident’s engineering team has been working on the software for the last three years. It is “content aware” so that it will adapt to the specifics in the sequence to deliver optimal results, according to the company. Instead of depending on brute processing power, Trident’s 2D-to-3D conversion software “achieves good results with modest processing demand,” Said Wieberneit. “There is no need to add a separate chip [for 2D-to-3D conversion], or use an expensive, flagship chip like Toshiba’s Cell processor designed into high-end TVs to do this.”
Trident’s proprietary software also offers full flexibility for handling frame sequential and line interleaved 3-D panels. The chipset comes with the company’s halo-free, motion estimation and motion compensation technology – a feature previously exclusive to high-end TVs. When the silicon is used for a 240Hz, high-end DTV, two pieces of PNX5130 are required.
Trident’s third IC, designated as FRC-V, is a single-chip solution that can convert 50Hz and 60Hz material directly to new 200/240Hz systems. Trident is adding significant enhancements to the FRC-V’s motion estimation and motion compensation technology to eliminate movie judder, motion blur, and halos.
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Is there a common thread?
All three ICs leverage Trident’s crown-jewel picture enhancement IPs. Trident recently disclosed its plan to pursue license agreements with consumer OEMs and semiconductor companies for several of its motion estimation/motion compensation.
The first one, called HiDTV Pro-SXL, is a digital TV system-on-a-chip (SoC) -- a global TV solution designed to bring 3D and connected TV features to mainstream TV sets. The SoC offers connectivity functionalities with DLNA, Internet portals and HDMI1.4 to transfer 3D content.
Through this SoC, Trident also provides to mainstream TVs with the company’s own “enhanced super resolution” (ESR) technology – which used to be available only in the high-end digital TV solution. The ESR technology lets standard definition (SD) digital content scale up to an HD display, without making its picture look soft, said Dirk Wieberneit, senior vice president and general manager of the Trident business unit. “Instead, it sharpens it, while maintaining detail.” The SoC is sampling now.
Trident’s second silicon is a video post processor integrated with 2D-to-3D conversion feature.
Trident’s PNX5130, which is based on TriMedia core tightly integrated with other hardware blocks, runs in software the company’s proprietary 2D-to-3D conversion algorithm. Trident’s engineering team has been working on the software for the last three years. It is “content aware” so that it will adapt to the specifics in the sequence to deliver optimal results, according to the company. Instead of depending on brute processing power, Trident’s 2D-to-3D conversion software “achieves good results with modest processing demand,” Said Wieberneit. “There is no need to add a separate chip [for 2D-to-3D conversion], or use an expensive, flagship chip like Toshiba’s Cell processor designed into high-end TVs to do this.”
Trident’s proprietary software also offers full flexibility for handling frame sequential and line interleaved 3-D panels. The chipset comes with the company’s halo-free, motion estimation and motion compensation technology – a feature previously exclusive to high-end TVs. When the silicon is used for a 240Hz, high-end DTV, two pieces of PNX5130 are required.
Trident’s third IC, designated as FRC-V, is a single-chip solution that can convert 50Hz and 60Hz material directly to new 200/240Hz systems. Trident is adding significant enhancements to the FRC-V’s motion estimation and motion compensation technology to eliminate movie judder, motion blur, and halos.
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junko.yoshida
9/3/2010 2:22 PM EDT
Does anybody have done any comparison -- which on-the-fly 2D-to-3D conversion solution looks the best? Using whose software running on which hardware? I am curious.
Many TV OEMs last year said that they wouldn't offer such a feature because they didn't want to give bad names to 3D. But since the CES this year, everyone has jumped on the idea of 2D-to-3D conversion, because there just won't enough 3D content available.
I am curious if anyone out there has any experience on this.
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Robotics Developer
9/3/2010 4:45 PM EDT
While I have not personally seen 2D-3D TV sets, I am wondering about the current soft market conditions and the next generation TV offerings. Given the fact that HD has been out, is being serviced by multiple media outlets and slow big ticket item sales, I wonder if the future sales growth for next year might not materialize. I am most hopeful for the lower cost more fully integrated chip set solution. A moderate to low cost product might fit the market's mood short term. I would love to know which major manufacturers are talking or working with Trident developing TVs based on these chip sets, anyone know?
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daleste
9/3/2010 8:21 PM EDT
Wasn't there an issue with 3D TV a few months ago saying that it caused eye strain, headaches and maybe permanent health issues if watched too much? I don't worry about an occasional movie, but if the gaming industry latches on to this technology, what will it do to our children? Does any have any comments about this?
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Silicon_Smith
9/4/2010 1:42 PM EDT
True Daleste. There are health hazards and Depth perception altering consequences. I would imagine kids could fall off stairs after long hours watching 3D TV!
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junko.yoshida
9/4/2010 3:10 PM EDT
Indeed, EE Times covered this issue more than a few times.
3-D TV health issues could prompt refinements
http://www.eetimes.com/electronics-news/4088985/3-D-TV-health-issues-could-prompt-refinements?pageNumber=0
Opinion: 3-D TV can't make your kids sick...can it?
http://www.eetimes.com/electronics-news/4088642/Opinion-3-D-TV-can-t-make-your-kids-sick---can-it-
The jury is still out. Truth to be told, we just don't have enough long-term experience with 3D TV.
But of course, that's not stopping any vendors from venturing into the 3D TV market.
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Silicon_Smith
9/4/2010 3:34 PM EDT
Actually, I would say it is. I remember reading reports when Samsung launched public health hazard warnings immediately after ushering in the technology with great pomp. And how it could be a move to deter other biggies by inducing skepticism and leveraging that initial head start to further gain ground. I think the true nature of this strategic game will unfold in the coming few months. It might be that, the early entrants have all the aces up their sleeves!
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ChakC
9/4/2010 5:49 AM EDT
This article gives me an understanding why the recent technology is moving from 120Hz to 240Hz. Although 3D technology is becoming the mainstream these days (for example, so many recent3D movies), we also need to be updated with the 4K and 8K HQ video market, e.g. the recent advancement of the CineGrid.
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Sheetal.Pandey
9/6/2010 12:36 AM EDT
I agree if its accessible for the kids to watch 3d regularly on TV sets it will be a health disaster. i personaly know people getting severe headaches because of 3d viewing. Anyway for the manufactureres will it be cost effective? I mean is there enough consumers ready for 3d viewing on their regular TV sets?
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EE.Mod
9/7/2010 10:31 PM EDT
I am not an expert in this area but I had the same concern and asked the same question from our Eye-Specialist doctor in our recent checkup. According to him, since our eyes are watching 3D all the time, watching 3D movie is nothing but utilizing the same visual capabilities that humman's eye already have. In fact, he showed us some 3D games that are used by doctors to correct Binocular Vision issues that is commonly seen in some children.
It's Amazing isn't it?
Honestly, I wasn't expecting that kind of answer myself and still not quiet sure but have no doubt a little bit of patience from user community and some competitions among manufacturers will give us the final answer.
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junko.yoshida
9/8/2010 6:28 AM EDT
Wow. That is very interesting. I hadn't heard that before.
So 3D scare some of us consumers are talking about could be just an urban legend?
We do need more samples and data. And perhpas, the only way to make that happen is to actually see more of 3D TV on the market...
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jimcondon
9/10/2010 3:01 PM EDT
My big concern is that auto 2d to 3d conversion is that it is not ready for primetime. The examples I've seen are okay only for about 50-75 percent of the time. The other parts look very bad.
I'm not so worried about the supposed health concerns as I am the undermining of 3D by bad user experience. I've never seen a real-time auto-converted 3d clip that looks good from start to end. It's this type of technology that will undermine what movies like Avatar have done to advance 3D.
Rumored health issues or pricing won't kill this generation of 3D, but bad user experiences will. It took substantial editing to make the 3D on Avatar look so good, why do people think we can know just flip a switch and make it happen now? Do we want Avatar or Clash of the Titans? I personally want Avatar and when I watch bad movies (like Clash of the Titans), I'll take them in 2D not in bad 3D since bad dialog bothers much less than bad 3D.
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