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N M

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Posted on Wednesday, October 17, 2001 - 7:25 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post

The 3D DVDs were released by Slingshot www.slingshot.com. I found them listed on several websites. Encounter in the Third Dimension comes with anaglyph glasses, I was wondering if the others used the anaylyph glasses or only the shutter glasses? Has anyone see these DVD's to tell me how the 3D part works?
Thanks
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Ross Rainville

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Posted on Wednesday, October 17, 2001 - 9:26 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post

I have watched Ultimate G's 3D DVD using the i-glasses 3D. It was awesome. i-O Display Systems is one of the sites they are available at, for use with shutter glasses, or the i-glasses 3D.
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N M

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Posted on Wednesday, October 17, 2001 - 11:11 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post

Did you watch it on the tv or the computer?
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N M

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Posted on Wednesday, October 17, 2001 - 11:38 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post

Also, do you have a choice between anaglyph and shutterglass?
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M.H.

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Posted on Thursday, October 18, 2001 - 8:01 am:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post

Some details are on this link:
http://www.i-glasses.com/Store/IMAX2.php3
Does anybody have some information about
the stereo-format used ?
I expect that it is mpeg2 interlaced (using
non progrsive mpeg2 mode). Such format will
be playble in 3D on TV.
This format is playbale on PC by the ASUS de-luxe board after redigitalization from analog source.
It is posible to do total DVD reprocesing,
demultiplexing, and coversion to above/below
DIVIX coded CD playable by sync. doubling
or my Winx3D based software ...
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Anonymous

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Posted on Friday, October 19, 2001 - 1:25 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post

Went to the slingshot.com site and did not find any information on the dvds. does anyone have the correct link?
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N M

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Posted on Friday, October 19, 2001 - 3:47 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post

Here is the correct link.
http://www.slingshotent.com/index_flash.htm
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Anonymous

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Posted on Saturday, October 20, 2001 - 1:39 am:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post

Hi,

Does anyone know where I can order one of these from? I live in the UK.

Thanks
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Anonymous

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Posted on Saturday, October 20, 2001 - 2:38 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post

http://www.stereovision.net
lists a few places that you can get them at.
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Anonymous

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Posted on Monday, October 22, 2001 - 6:38 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post

I tried those, none of them seemed to have actual places where you could buy them. E.g. I-glasses.com didn't have a 'buy' button - just a listing.
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M.H.

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Posted on Monday, October 22, 2001 - 8:55 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post

I-glasses.com do have a buy button +
secure WWW for credit card based order.
Tey have the add to basket and than
checkout buttons ...

Did anybody have this DVD ?
Could anybody confirm the presnce of
fiedl sequantial (mpeg2 interlaced
- like stereo VHS) stram on them ?
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Alexander Oest

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Posted on Tuesday, October 23, 2001 - 8:11 am:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post

Yesterday, I bought the Nu-View starter kit with a Nu-View adapter plus the three DVDs from the I-glasses.com website. The website didn't specify which 3D DVDs came in the package, but I imagine it'll be "Haunted Castle", "Alien Adventure" and "Encounter in the 3rd Dimension".

When they arrive, I'll let you know the stereoscopic format.

I already have "Encounter in the 3rd Dimension" in an anaglyph-like format called colorcode3d. It's better than red/green anaglyph, but still doesn't come close to field-sequential video.

At the i-glasses site, "Encounter..." is said to have "3-D Anaglyphic Glasses Included", so I guess it's in colorcode3d. However, the other DVDs haven't any glasses specified, so they might be in another format.

I'll keep you informed.

Alex
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Giorgio Bogoni

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Posted on Tuesday, October 23, 2001 - 9:12 am:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post

I think they're in interlaced format; where can I buy some cool 3D DVD in anaglyph format?

Alex,
you'll enjoy the Nu-view adapter - last saturday I shooted some videos with it; you can download two of them (very small) converted to side-by-side format (DIVX compressed) at Holostereoitalia.
Giorgio.
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Alexander Oest

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Posted on Tuesday, October 23, 2001 - 11:57 am:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post

I don't know about anaglyph DVDs, but maybe you can rip a DVD, convert it to above-below and play it with Michal Husak's video player under Winx3D. Here, you can choose anaglyph as stereo viewing method.

I already have a Nu-View, but I haven't used it much, as there's a scratch on one of the shutter panels. I've so far been unable to get a replacement panel, so I thought I might as well buy another now they're so cheap(ish).

I joined the holostereoitalia group to see your work. Nice fish shoots.

Alex
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M.H.

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Posted on Wednesday, October 24, 2001 - 10:46 am:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post

It is better to do a conversin to anaglypg
directly during ripping by post-procesing
in Premiere ...
But it is a bit complicated proces, standard
ripping methods do not work becouse they
dinterlace ... Demultiplexing, non-deinterlacing
decompression, Premiere post-procesing nessesry
+ A LOT OF DISK SPACE :-)
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Giorgio Bogoni

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Posted on Thursday, October 25, 2001 - 7:14 am:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post

Does anybody out there knows of a free software (like VirtualDub) that can read interlaced-3D MPEG-2 VOB files from a DVD and convert them to side-by-side without ripping the whole DVD?
THX,
Giorgio.
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M.H.

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Posted on Thursday, October 25, 2001 - 12:33 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post

Gorgio:
The required proces is so unusal, that
I do not expect that such software exist ...
Normal ripping tools are based on the fiters
from DVD PC players witch deinteralce
the streem ...
I can do that by demultiplexing the VOB
to source mpeg2 streem and this mpeg2
procesing ... But it is realy not the optimal
and easy way ...
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Giorgio Bogoni

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Posted on Thursday, October 25, 2001 - 8:50 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post

THX Michal,
I was thinking about something like you tell me but, as you know, VirtualDub doesn't support MPEG2 ... only Premiere out there?
Giorgio.
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M.H.

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Posted on Friday, October 26, 2001 - 10:35 am:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post

Giorgio:
Premiere does not support mpeg2 as well
without some HW support in video HW ...
What I do when I transfer interlaced
mpeg2 to other format:
I demultiplext the mpeg2 stream
and get pure audio and video (mpeg2) steem.
I deompress the mpeg2 streem by the help
of non-deinterlacing mpeg2 decompresor
(from www.mpeg.org, works from command line

Download:
ftp://ftp.mpegtv.com/pub/mpeg/mssg/mpeg2v12.zip ).
I get serise of uncompress interlaced TGA images as the results. A lot of disk space, but
the best method according quality ...
The conversion from interlaced TGA images into
above/below format or any other could be done
in any video editing software, probably in
VirtualDub as well ...
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Anonymous

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Posted on Friday, October 26, 2001 - 10:56 am:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post

Flask doesn't de-interlace DVD content though bicubic filtering can give that effect. I've ordered some of the DVDs and I'm hoping to rip them to the hard disk in DivX and then use 3DCombine to convert that interlaced video file into a side by side one for viewing in 3DCombine or Michael Husak's player. I just hope it can handle files that large. I'll have to do the sound separately in VirtualDub or something (not that 3DCombine plays the sound yet anyway - you have to play it in winamp or something at the same time).
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Giorgio Bogoni

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Posted on Friday, October 26, 2001 - 12:41 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post

THX Michal, now I understand what you do mean when you say "an hard job".
Anonymous, I've never succeded in making 3DCombine working with files larger than 500 frames.
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Anonymous

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Posted on Sunday, October 28, 2001 - 10:20 am:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post

I used it to convert the Mars Conquest video off MH site which is 1259 frames, though admittedly that's a long way off a full film (was that with version 2.6.1?). BTW I'm still waiting for the DVDs to arrive. I know I live in the UK, but if they charge me $30 for postage I kind've expect prompt delivery.
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Christoph Bungert (Admin)

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Posted on Monday, October 29, 2001 - 11:35 am:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post

The single 'Encounter...' DVD comes bundled with anaglyph glasses.
As part of the Ultimate 3D Collection 'Encounter...' comes bundled with shutterglasses (available from early November).
So maybe there are 2 different versions of the DVD?

Christoph
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Greg Kintz

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Posted on Monday, October 29, 2001 - 2:14 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post

You're wondering the same thing I am Christoph!
Slingshot had considered a Color-Code anaglyph
version for the DVD, and a few (R0) have even been
available on eBay. But during my talks with
Slinghot, they indicated it was the Color-Code
version that was now on shakey ground, not the
field-sequential version. Of course that was back
in August, and many things can change. Slingshot
and IO Display's website claim both a 2-D and 3-D
version will be included. So does this mean:

1) There will be two DVD versions, as Christoph
hinted at?

2) Will there be three versions on one disc?

3) Or is there a press release typo somewhere,
and one of the versions (2-D, or the field-
sequential 3-D format) will not be included?

I'm hoping mine arrive soon.
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Giorgio Bogoni

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Posted on Monday, October 29, 2001 - 4:16 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post

I asked Slinghot, they told me I cannot use anaglyph glasses to see their DVDs but I need shutterglasses.
Giorgio.
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M.H.

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Posted on Monday, October 29, 2001 - 5:13 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post

Does anybody now some alternative link to the
I-Glasses one for ordering this DVD ?
The people on I-Glasses are cooeperating with some stupid bank, becouse theyr bank servise had rejected 2 of my VISA cards with "noth enought
money" message - total nonsence, I have checked the money ammonunt and card validity in my bank
twice :-( .
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Christoph Bungert (Admin)

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Posted on Tuesday, October 30, 2001 - 5:52 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post

These DVD's are distributed normally. Just go to http://www.dvdpricesearch.com/ to get a list of dealers and the best prices of course.

Christoph
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Alexander Oest

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Posted on Wednesday, October 31, 2001 - 2:24 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post

I recieved "Alien Adventure", "Haunted Castle" and "Ultimate G's" from i-glasses.com today (together with a Nu-View and some tv-shutterglasses system).

I had a look at the DVDs. They all contain two versions of the movies - 2D and 3D. The 3D versions look like something field-sequential. You see a double image; like when you look at a field-sequential stereo game without shutter glasses.

I tried playing them in ASUSDVD (similar to - or identical with - PowerDVD), and used ASUS shutter glasses on an ASUS 6800 Deluxe graphics card. Unfortunately, the glasses didn't remove the double vision - let alone give depth to the picture.

I captured a frame from "Ultimate G's" a part of which can be seen here: http://stereoscopy.cti.dtu.dk/pictures/ultimategcap.jpg

From this image, it doesn't look interlaced. But if it's field sequential, I'd expect only to see one field, not this double image. Still, that might depend on how ASUSDVD captures frames. It's not the jpg compression of the image that makes it look double. It also looks so when I pause the DVD player. I'm a bit confused as to the nature of the stereo information.

Does anyone have a solution how to view these DVDs on a computer? I've tried using shutterglasses with TVs and it doesn't work for me due to the slow refresh rate.

Alex
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Greg Kintz

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Posted on Wednesday, October 31, 2001 - 2:44 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post

I also recieved the same three DVDs from IO
Display, and it's important to mention a bad
quirk on the "Ultimate G's" disc:

There's a cheezy polarity check right before the
the feature starts, which shows a left / right
test pattern and and some very cool but very
brief 3-D test clips. Then the movie starts.
But the problem is, the feature itself is reverse
polarity!

So unless there's a new corrected pressing of this
given disc, enjoy the test clips, then flip the
'reverse' switch on your shutter glasses to enjoy
the film properly. :)
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Anonymous

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Posted on Thursday, November 01, 2001 - 11:25 am:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post

The picture that was posted isn't interlaced, however I suspect that the DVD player may have treated it as a 2D video stream and de-interlaced it. I also contacted I-Glasses who told me that all the 3D DVDs are proper stereoscopic ones, not anaglyph. I think they said the format was interlaced, though I can't remember. I'm still awaiting delivery.
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Giorgio Bogoni

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Posted on Thursday, November 01, 2001 - 2:28 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post

I think the posted image WAS interlaced.
Probably during the capture process has been used a compression algorithm not-suitable for interlaced images (for example MPEG1) or maybe this de-interlacing is caused by the high JPEG compression.
Alex, can you try to capture another frame with no compression (you can try a screenshot ALT-PRINT if you can access the image not throght a de-interlacing DVD player)?
Then, please, upload it in PNG format (lossless compression) not in JPEG.
Giorgio.
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Alexander Oest

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Posted on Thursday, November 01, 2001 - 2:31 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post

If it's interlaced it might be possible using a line blanker when viewing the DVDs. Problem is, the software DVD players I've seen all de-interlace in some way.

Might there exist a software DVD player that doesn't de-interlace the movie?

Greg, how did you play the DVDs? On a TV?

Alex
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Alexander Oest

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Posted on Thursday, November 01, 2001 - 2:43 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post

Giorgio,

Somehow my screendumps leave out the video picture. There's a black rectangle when I paste it into photoshop.

But I assure you, in the DVD software, the image looks the same as on the jpg picture. I haven't seen the usual jagged edges that are typical of interlaced stereo.

Btw, my suggestion of a non-deinterlacing DVD player was from before I read your post. Seems you just beat me to it. Do you know of any such piece of software? ASUSDVD only gives me an option to choose between different de-interlacing algorithms, but not to disable de-interlacing altogether.

Alex
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Giorgio Bogoni

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Posted on Thursday, November 01, 2001 - 2:57 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post

Alex,
I read in THIS discussion (some posts above):

"I decompress the mpeg2 streem by the help
of non-deinterlacing mpeg2 decompresor
(from www.mpeg.org, works from command line
Download:
ftp://ftp.mpegtv.com/pub/mpeg/mssg/mpeg2v12.zip ).
I get serise of uncompress interlaced TGA images as the results."

You can try this ...I haven't tried yet.
Giorgio.
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Alexander Oest

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Posted on Thursday, November 01, 2001 - 3:17 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post

Giorgio,

I downloaded and tried it, but it was some command line dos-like thing. Couldn't seem to get the commands right.

Also, I'm not keen on having to put all the DVDs through such time and space consuming process. So I'll direct my efforts towards finding a way of playing the DVDs.

Alex
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Anonymous

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Posted on Thursday, November 01, 2001 - 6:24 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post

Asus VR video viewer: Has been removed in the newer drivers so might work better with old drivers.
Use the Asus IMAGE viewer to set the desktop to interlace, then view the movie with the movie player.

Screenshots: Use HyperSnap-DX at http://www.hyperionics.com/hsdx/index.html
"performs screen capture from Windows desktop programs and game screen capture from those hard-to-grab DirectX, Direct3D, 3Dfx Voodoo and Glide mode games. HyperSnap-DX can also capture screen frames from many software DVD players and video software."
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Giorgio Bogoni

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Posted on Friday, November 02, 2001 - 9:05 am:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post

Michal,
can you help us?
I've downloaded from
ftp://ftp.mpegtv.com/pub/mpeg/mssg/mpeg2v12.zip
Can you tell us an easy "how-to-do" procedure to make it work? (basic syntax, location of files, parameters ...)
And two questions:
1. can we access directly the .vob file on the DVD drive?
2. can we select a range of frames to create TGA images? (I've no enough disk space to traslate an huge vob file to TGAs)
THX,
Giorgio.
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M.H.

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Posted on Friday, November 02, 2001 - 10:17 am:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post

I know exactly where is the problem.
The toll from
ftp://ftp.mpegtv.com/pub/mpeg/mssg/mpeg2v12.zip
can correctly proces only pure mpeg2 video
streem.
The VOB files on DVD are a multiplex
of:

position marks
several audio layers
the pure mpeg2 video streem ...

It is nessesery to use some DVD authoring tools
to extract the mpeg2 stream from the VOB file.
I am using one coled VOBSnoopi, but it have some
stability problems. From correct VOB files,
it can extract pure mpeg streem and tha audio
layers in AC3 format ...
I am personaly very interested in this problem,
I have ordered this DVD as well and I will let you
know the exact proces when it will be well tested.

Unfortunately all PC DVD players witch I know
(tested about 5) deinterlace the image efectively ... Non deinterlacing require modification of the
mpeg2 decoding routines ...
The lovest level of deinterlacing was in some
older PowerDVD (ver 1.5 or so) players.
Such outpup shuld be suitable for line-blanking
playback ...

According plyaback of this DVD you can do folowing:

1) Play them on standalon DVD player,
conect the output with the ASUS video in,
use the ASUS stereo-video playback futures

2) Play them on TV throw TV standalone DVD

3) Wait util somebody will transfer them
to above/below coded DIVX files :-).

4) Pray for some company witch will
give me acces to DVD specification,
fast enough mpeg2 decoding routines
=> make writing real stereoscopic PC-DVD
playback software possible ....
Tha is what I am suggesting for several years ...
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Alexander Oest

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Posted on Friday, November 02, 2001 - 10:54 am:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post

I emailed Slingshot Entertainment (who made the DVDs) about the problem, and they passed it along to Ross Rainville of i-O Display systems.

He emailed me and suggested a couple of solutions:

- Activating the shutterglasses with h3d.exe from the i-glasses website.

- Viewing the DVDs with PowerDVD in 640x480 fullscreen.

I'll give it a try.

Thanks to Ross and Slingshot Entertainment for taking time to help solving the issue. Too often you spend your time writing emails to companies whose products you've purchased - never getting any replies.

Alex
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Alexander Oest

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Posted on Friday, November 02, 2001 - 11:51 am:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post

Michal, I hope you get the DVDs soon so we can have som test results. Have you had any luck with the credit card transfer so far?

I like the ideas with the ASUS VR video player. It might even be possible to decode the DVD through a Hollywood Plus Mpeg2 decoder card and connect the S-video-out of it to the S-video-in of the ASUS graphics card and hereby running it all on one PC. A project for the week-end!

Anonymous, thanks for the tips. It's a shame that the ASUS VR video player is no longer included in the drivers. It was a superior way of watching interlaced VHS tapes. It would be nice if the player could be extracted from the drivers install file and used as a separate application with e.g. Nvidia Detonator drivers. Does anyone know if this is possible?

Michal, could you integrate such a feature in your video player? That would be really useful. And so would interlaced mpeg2 decoding, but that's another matter.... And out of interest: How can it be so difficult to get the proper DVD specification? Is it kept secret?

Alex
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M.H.

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Posted on Friday, November 02, 2001 - 2:11 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post

Alexandr:
I have got the idea with Hollywood as well.
Unfortunately I have H+ but I do not have
the ASUS DeLuxe graphic card ...

The most easy way of transfer will be following:
Play on standalone player. Capture by good
digitalization card with non-deinterlacing
compression (properly set MJPEG or DV,
Miro DC-10 or better are the candidates).
Proces the editable AVI to above/below.
I can not do that - I have equipment
only for PAL processing ....
The quality shuld be O.K. when the S video
signal will be used. The quality botleneck
will be the final copression.
This method is one of the oldest for DVD ripping ... Maybe that Macrovision protection shuld
be handled in this case

According my video player - it can do on the fly conversion from interlaced to HW page flipping,
unfortunately there is no mpeg2 compatible
DirectShow decompresor

According DVD:
Yes, the DVD format specification is secret,
available ony for selected companies.
Tolls for DVD ripping are based on revers enegeneering of existing DVD players (a bit
out of may capabilites).
In adition I need acces to source code of the
mpeg2 routines - to rewrite the final
rendering parts deinterlacing usualy the frames.
Public available codes are not fast enought ...
Optimalization of such code for MMX, revriting
to asambler e.t.c. is to diffcult for me ...
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M.H.

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Posted on Friday, November 02, 2001 - 2:14 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post

P.S.
I have ordered the DVD at www.dvdplanet.com.
They are cheper than I-glasses and they
did not report troubles with my VISA ...
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Richard Scullion

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Posted on Sunday, November 04, 2001 - 1:10 am:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post

I've been following this thread with interest and just today received my 3D DVDs from I-Glasses. Ripping with smartripper and then conversion with Flask/VirtualDub lead to an interlaced 3D AVI (DivX 4) file. I then pulled this into 3DCombine which set about converting the interlaced 3D file into a Parallel format. I made a modification to the 3DCombine binary to not display every frame while processing, which sped things up significantly (if anyone wants this Beta binary send me an e-mail). It ran happily until 24000 frames when the computer locked up - I was running several other programs so I can't say for definite that it was 3DCombine but I shall test it further. Repairing the AVI in VirtualDub produced a 3D AVI file that quite happily played in 3DCombine - I used OpenGL to view it with the revelator glasses. I got the audio by converting it to a WAV file and playing it in Winamp. The chevron keys skip forwards and backwards a few frames in 3DCombine video playback (this is undocumented) which can be used to adjust the sync. The result was excellent. I am very interested in people's experience in using 3DCombine for video processing, though I am still working on new routines. Changing the video playback options in 3DCombine could produce an anaglyph output as well.
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Giorgio Bogoni

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Posted on Sunday, November 04, 2001 - 11:53 am:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post

Richard,
can you give us exact links for the software you used?
How can DIVX keep an interlaced AVI? I though DIVX compression mixes up odd and even lines.
Can you place somewhere a small (<500 kb) DIVX parallel file? And a small DIVX interlaced one?
THX, Giorgio.
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Richard Scullion

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Posted on Sunday, November 04, 2001 - 1:14 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post

For a DVD ripping guide I recommend the Doom9.org website. It doesn't really matter how you rip the DVD so long as you don't de-interlace it and you don't resize it vertically. I also recommend using the inverse telecine available if you use VirtualDub. I don't know about the DivX3 codec, but the DivX4 codec set to encode at constant 100% quality doesn't de-interlace. You can get the DivX codec from www.divx.com. I have posted a screenshot of the ripped AVI at http://www.photoalb.com/combine/encounter.bmp. Pull it into 3DCombine as interlaced (www.photoalb.com/combine) to view it as a parallel image. I may post video clips at a later date.
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Giorgio Bogoni

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Posted on Sunday, November 04, 2001 - 2:21 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post

Richard,
thanks for info.
I hope DIVX4 codec setted to 100% quality gives enough compression, I'll check it.
I've seen your image turned to parallel, I expected something with more depth - maybe the frame you choose isn't the best one (I hope, I was thinking about buying the DVD).
Thanks again for support, Giorgio.
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M.H.

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Posted on Sunday, November 04, 2001 - 4:09 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post

If you will use any MJPEG codec instead of DIVX4, it will not deinterlace even for hi-compression. MPJPEG codec were targeted for
interlaced video storage - they can use 2 JPEG for both fields internaly. Several pure software MJPEG AVI codec are available on the net ....
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Richard Scullion

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Posted on Sunday, November 04, 2001 - 5:43 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post

Thanks Michael. I'm not too concerned about the compression on the interlaced video file as it's only an intermediate stage. However, looking at the frames I think that DivX4 may use half resolution for the colour and full resolution for the intensity. It's not really a problem (slight colour bleeding) but it would be fixed by MJPEG. Unfortunately I've been emailed by several users who say 3DCombine(AVI API) has trouble with MJPEG codecs - does anyone know differently? There may be a way to do this without using an intermediate file with the VFAPI codec but I haven't tried it yet because I wanted the inverse telecine.
Giorgio, I haven't really had a chance to watch the film yet but I think there is more depth than the screenshot suggests. The entire film is shot so that it comes out of the screen which doesn't work so well for still images. You might want to try moving the image back into the screen. FYI, the interlaced DivX4 AVI at 100% quality is 1.15GB for the 35 minutes of Encounter in 3D. I originally used 85% which produced a smaller file and a 3D image, but the picture quality was low because of the re-encoding needed when 3D combine processes it.
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Giorgio Bogoni

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Posted on Sunday, November 04, 2001 - 10:36 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post

Richard,

now that I look at your image switching left and right, I realize I was looking at it in reverse-stereo ... that's way it looked so strange: I'm sorry, it's a good frame!
Maybe it's too small; what's the native resolution of your ripping process?
Can you upload a full-size one? (you can use 24-bit PNG lossless compression - enabling "interlaced" option - instead of BMP, to share a small file)

I think your process is, by far, the best and easier of all.
Let me see if I've understood it.
1. You rip the VOB files getting an interlaced DIVX4 (100% quality) avi file and an audio one
2. You turn the DIVX4 interlaced file to DIVX4 (smaller quality) side-by-side one using the filters of VirtualDub (de-interlace with "unfold side-by-side" option + resize 2xH)
3. You add the audio track in VirtualDub
Now you can use this file for polarized projection with 2 projectors and a dual-head graphic card or you can turn it to, let's say, anaglyph format using 3D-Combine.

There's something I cannot still understand: why DIVX4 doesn't de-interlace?
I suppose it use standard MPEG4 compression so I can see two possibility:
1. there's somewhere an explicit "keep interlaced frames" option like in MPEG2 compression and you turned it on
2. setting "100% quality" you reduce the compression blocks to 1x1 pixels size so that there's no way to mix up odd and even lines.
I've downloaded the DIVX4 codec directly from www.doom9.org website, I'll do some testing but I've to wait for the next week-end.

Well, now can someone tell me if at least one of the 3 3D-movie is worth to be seen? (stereo-3D speaking)
Michal, can you suggest us the best MPJPEG codec you experienced and the exact link where we can download it? (I think it's better to use it for (1) but we need DIVX for (2), when encoding the side-by-side format)
Thanks for info,
Giorgio.
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vestamen

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Posted on Monday, November 05, 2001 - 8:00 am:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post

I'm waiting for some cool software, which can convert ALL normal DVDs into real3D movies.
Isn't it amazing, huh?

http://3Dplus.ssc.co.kr

Anyway, they said the release date is October but I've heard from them the DVD version will be released in February in 2002.

I'll test the downaload version with VideoCD and let you know the result!
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Richard Scullion

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Posted on Monday, November 05, 2001 - 10:31 am:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post

I've got an even better way to do the conversion:
1) Use SmartRipper or something else to Rip the DVD to the harddisk.
2) Use DVD2AVI to create a project file (*.d2v). I recommend selecting the Forced FILM option to inverse telecine. Also, select audio Track 1.
3) Use the VFAPI codec program to create a virtual AVI file from the DVD files (no recompression required).
4) Open the virtual AVI file in 3DCombine as interlaced. Set the output to whatever format you want (side by side/anaglyph etc). Use the filters to either double the height or halve the width (I chose the latter to reduce CPU usage on playback.)
5) Click Go and select the DivX4 codec with whatever compression settings you want.
6) Use VirtualDub to add the audiotrack created in step to to the AVI file created by 3DCombine.

The above steps will give the best quality possible. I am going to start placing the latest Beta version of 3DCombine on the homepage at http://www.photoalb.com/combine/download.htm so that people can use it without waiting for the next release. Also, if you need more help on some of the above stages they are similar to the steps on doom9.org in the guide for ripping with Nandub, except that the Nandub stage is replaced by 3DCombine. All files are also available from Doom9.org
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M.H.

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Posted on Monday, November 05, 2001 - 11:22 am:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post

I do not understand one thing:
Why evrubody suggest to use side by side for storage ?
You will deform the images in both direction in this case.
Conversion to above/below format could be done by
line re-ordering without any quality lose.
In adition - human eye is more sensitive to distorsions in horizontal direction ...

I thing that it is almost impossible that
DIVIX does not deinterlace. I use at least 4:2:2 YUV quantization mixing colors from neares lines.
I will attach some images showing the diferences between using MJPEG,DV and DIVIX for interlaced compression later ...
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Giorgio Bogoni

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Posted on Monday, November 05, 2001 - 11:26 am:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post

Richard,
can you upload somewhere a not-so-big file (<6/7 Mb) of some minutes of Encounter-in-3D in anaglyph format DIVX4 compressed (80/85% quality).
You can skip audio so that none would tell you that someone is enjoying the movie without buying it (by the opposite, watching it maybe someone more would decide to buy it).
If you want you can upload it to 3dtv group at Yahoo.
THX, Giorgio.
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M.H.

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Posted on Monday, November 05, 2001 - 12:18 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post

vestman:
I expect that you are working for the
company developing the 3D PLUS.
It looks like you have acces to fast
mpeg2 decoding routines and DVD specification.
I have a suggestion for you:
What about to develope an stable stereoscopic
DVD player for interlaced coded stereoscopic DVD with OpenGl, Winx3D, above below for sync. doubling and anaglyph output instead of playng with this unreliable 2D->3D conversions algorims ?
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Richard Scullion

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Posted on Monday, November 05, 2001 - 5:37 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post

Michael,

There is no deformation inherent in side/by/side storage. The advantage of it is that you can preview the video using cross-eyed methods. The aspect ratio of the de-interlaced DVD is wrong so you either have to double the vertical resolution or halve the horizontal (unless you are playing it using sync-doubling which isn't as nice). I merely choose the latter to ensure that my PC can play the file back fast enough in 3D.
BTW the new method I mentioned above doesn't use an intermediate file (VFAPI is just a router to the actual VOB files) so it doesn't matter whether or not the codec you use de-interlaces or not.
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M.H.

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Posted on Tuesday, November 06, 2001 - 10:25 am:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post

Richard:
Does it mean that you transfer
640x480 video into 1280x240 video ?
If no, your procesing is sub-optimal
in comparison according quality and compression
to above/below in 640x480.
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Richard Scullion

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Posted on Tuesday, November 06, 2001 - 11:16 am:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post

Michael,

I transfer 640x480 into 640x240 video, purely to decrease the CPU load on playback. If you don't use any filters at the 3DCombine stage then you end up with a 1280x240 video file which you can playback by selecting 'double vertical height' in the 3DCombine video player.
You are quite right that I am throwing away some video quality by making it 640x240, but I can't maintain the framerate in a page flipping mode otherwise.

BTW I watched 'Enounter in 3D' last night, the 3D effect is good but the film is pretty crummy. The Elvira music video at the end is the best bit but in general there's too much random CGI stuff and not enough live action footage. The Terminator 3D clip is about a minute long (the very end with the spider for those who've seen it). I am about to try Ultimate G's which looks like it might be a lot better.
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Giorgio Bogoni

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Posted on Tuesday, November 06, 2001 - 3:52 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post

When I turn it to side-by-side format a 640x480 interlaced video, I get a 1280x240 size (=307.200 pixels).
Well, if I don't care about CPU load and I want to get the max quality, I can translate it to 1280x480 using some CPU-intensive interpolation algorithm - no matter how long it will take, I'm working in batch mode now.
Then, playing back using a fast computer, I can enjoy it.
I cannot see any reason why making 3DCombine (or any other player) doubling lines in real time playback when we can make a better video off-line.
Of course this is just to get the max video size regardless of CPU load on playback ... (see above).

BTW, has anyone seen all 3 DVD? Are they worth the price? Are they Region2 coded? Who offers the better price?

Giorgio.
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Alexander Oest

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Posted on Wednesday, November 07, 2001 - 7:03 am:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post

I haven't seen any of the videos from start to finish, but I've looked at various scenes and had them running while doing other work.

Whether they're worth the price must depend on your expectations. I agree with Richard on the "too much CGI" issue. Still, it's well made. "Ultimate G's" is with real actors and looks quite good. I think they're worth the price.

I've noticed that the i-glasses.com site states, that playing time for "Haunted Castle" is 132 minutes. I can't see how that can be true. The movie itself is less than one hour. I believe the exaggerated playing times appliy to all three DVDs.

They are all region 0 coded (i.e. no region coding). Nice!

Don't know who's got the lowest prices.

Alex

P.s.: Haven't had any success running them from a software DVD player yet. I ran them on a computer with a Hollywood Plus Mpeg2 decoder card via s-video onto another computer and viewed them in ASUS' VR player (don't remember the exact name of that app).
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Richard Scullion

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Posted on Wednesday, November 07, 2001 - 11:37 am:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post

I watched UltimateG's last night and there's some really good footage. I recommend moving the image back into the screen slightly and sitting well back. This one was well worth buying.
On the time issue - all the 3D films are about 35 mins long, the quoted playing times seem to include all the junk such as trailers and 'making of featurettes'.
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Giorgio Bogoni

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Posted on Thursday, November 08, 2001 - 6:44 am:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post

Michal, you bought them at www.dvdplanet.com, have you been satisfied by their service? What's the category I have to look for? (I searched for "Ultimate" but with no success).
THX, Giorgio.
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M.H.

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Posted on Thursday, November 08, 2001 - 8:16 am:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post

Giorgio: search for IMAX ...
I did not get the DVD yet, some credit
card verifiction trouble again ...
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Anonymous

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Posted on Thursday, November 08, 2001 - 9:22 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post

Any one who saw those DVD..... please answer me.
It seems like that those are TV format (60Hz).
Have you tried to see it on monitor?
Setting 640x480 at 60Hz will work? Then, how is the flicker?
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Richard Scullion

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Posted on Thursday, November 08, 2001 - 9:50 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post

I just had an interesting thought while watching Alien Adventure. Since the DVDs are designed to be played back as interlaced, left image then right etc., if you convert it to a stereo pair, the right image is actually being played 1/48 second too early and hence is out of sync with the left eye. I think this becomes noticeable when things move very fast. Any thoughts on how to deal with this, short of dropping the refresh rate to 60Hz?

Anonymous - I'm not quite sure what you're asking. It might be possible to view them directly if you had a DVD player that didn't de-interlace and glasses that worked in interlace mode. The refresh rate is irrelevent.
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Giorgio Bogoni

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Posted on Thursday, November 08, 2001 - 11:12 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post

"1) Use SmartRipper or something else to Rip the DVD to the harddisk.
2) Use DVD2AVI to create a project file (*.d2v). I recommend selecting the Forced FILM option to inverse telecine. Also, select audio Track 1.
3) Use the VFAPI codec program to create a virtual AVI file from the DVD files (no recompression required).
4) Open the virtual AVI file in 3DCombine as interlaced. Set the output to whatever format you want (side by side/anaglyph etc). Use the filters to either double the height or halve the width (I chose the latter to reduce CPU usage on playback.)
5) Click Go and select the DivX4 codec with whatever compression settings you want.
6) Use VirtualDub to add the audiotrack created in step to to the AVI file created by 3DCombine.
"


Richard,
I was trying to understand the last procedure you described above but I cannot find the guide for ripping with Nandub at www.doom9.org.
The main question is:
up to point(4)is there any compression? when you rip to the hard disk are you compressing or just copying? have I to look for a non-de-interlacing compressor at this stage? (I understood that, later, the VFAPI is just a router)
Thanks for info,
Giorgio.
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Richard Scullion

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Posted on Thursday, November 08, 2001 - 11:41 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post

When you rip to the harddisk you are just copying the DVD to the hard disk. This stage is normally required because the DVD requires decrypting before it can be processed, however since these 3D DVDs aren't encrypted (at least Alien Encounter isn't) it may be possible to select the ISOs directly from the DVD. However, you must unlock the drive first by running a DVD player or something.
I know I said to select the forced film option but there appears to be some ghosting which may be down to this. I am investigating further.
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Giorgio Bogoni

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Posted on Friday, November 09, 2001 - 8:28 am:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post

So you compress only the side-by-side format accessing directly the interlaced VOB file on the DVD ... fine!
Giorgio.
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Richard Scullion

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Posted on Saturday, November 10, 2001 - 12:32 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post

A note on my previous comment about interlacing. Ultimate G's appears to actually update both images at the same time (good), except that it is Telecined. This means that for two out of every 5 frames, only 1 of the eyes advances. This messes you up a bit when something moves vertically, espeically if it is moving fast. The Forced FILM option in Dvd2Avi doesn't correct for this (it probably makes it worse), so I have added inverse telecining functions to 3DCombine. Note that for UltimateG the offset is 2.
The other two DVDs however, (Alien Encounter and Encounter in 3D), seem to use blended telecining which can't yet be undone by 3DCombine (though VirtualDub may be able to do it). Furthermore it appears that the right eye is actually a couple of frames ahead of the left at various points in Alien Encounter. This REALLY messes things up on the rollercoaster scenes.
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N M

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Posted on Sunday, November 11, 2001 - 2:58 am:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post

Does anyone know of a software DVD player that does not deinterlace but will allow the 3D DVD's to be played as interlaced. I was able to watch the movie by converting to an avi but the audio was out of sync and it would be a lot easier just to have a player that does not deinterlace.
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Richard Scullion

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Posted on Sunday, November 11, 2001 - 12:02 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post

A note on audio sync. The latest version of 3DCombine will sync to the audio exactly, however I discovered an interesting problem. If you convert the WAV file directly to a 48KHz MP3 encoded WAV file, the audio plays at a different speed to that reported, i.e. it will report being at 3.5ms when it is at 3.7ms. Every time you stop and start, they sync but then slowly wander. Converting to a 44.1KHz MP3 encoded WAV file solves the problem (at least with LAME).
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M.H.

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Posted on Sunday, November 11, 2001 - 6:19 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post

N M : It does not unfortunately exist.
It is nessesry to:
1) Switch off deinterlacing in the decompression
routines
2) Switch off deinterlacing in rendering
routines (ues RGB instead of YUV)

For pure mpeg2, it is possibel to use the
Elecard MPEG-2 Decoder - filter (http://www.elecard.com/), switch off
the software deinterlacing + switch off
all YUV modes in your graphic HW capabilites
(all could be done in the Media Player
Properties->Advanced setting).

Maybe that the VOB file could be played in the same way without demultiplexing ...
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Larry Elie

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Posted on Monday, November 12, 2001 - 8:58 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post

I posted this at the 'general discussions' board last week.

Here's more

Review of the new Slingshot Entertainment 3-D IMAX DVD's.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
stereo3d.com webboard: General 3D Discussion: Review of the new Slingshot Entertainment 3-D IMAX DVD's.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By Larry Elie on Friday, November 09, 2001 - 10:03 am:

I finally got the first of the Slingshot Entertainment (http://www.slingshotent.com/) 3-D DVD's. I got them for only $13.99 US at Buy.com, so the investment is not too great if one already has shutterglasses set up for NTSC composite(TV). There has been lots of opinions expressed about whether they are any better than VHS 3-D. That's the point of this review.

First off, these films are indeed set up as NTSC 30 fps interlaced, just like VHS. In fact, the set-up on the DVD shows a video box (I use S-video) and it won't even work with component video boxes. So forget thinking about some high-frequency setup. Yet before passing this off as 'terrible' (which some will do) I want to talk about the content. I find it very difficult to generalize without talking about content; it really makes a difference to how good the 3-D is. It makes a difference in normal video as well; watch an old 18 frame per second silent movie and you see lots of jerkiness. If the director worked with that instead of against it, the result is watchable. So let's talk specifics.

I reviewed with a Sony 42" rear projection TV. The first film I watched was Ultimate G's. Ultimate G's is typical of late IMAX films (actually, they used an IWERKS camera, as described in the 'making of' section of the bonus features, as is the 2D choice of viewing). IMAX has their largest installation base in museums. Lots of kids in museums. So it starts out as a boy and his dream of flight. Plenty of 3-D, but not over done. Later, as he grows up, he becomes a pilot doing fighter games. So they have a film they can market at flight museums as well, and to older guys who love to see flying. Lots of first and second person 3-D flight scenes. I'm a pilot, and I can tell you they did pretty well. Actually, this is where the director must have done some work; airplanes in a blue sky are just begging for 3-D ghosting. They managed without ghosting. Very good. Now I never saw this film in IMAX; perhaps they just did real well. Ghosting is more of a problem on IMAX, the intensity is high and I have really been bothered by the ghosting on several IMAX 3-D films, mostly with pure color backgrounds like 'Wings of Courage' or 'Cirq-du-Sol'. On my projection TV, the intensity is not that high; perhaps on some really bright tube it would be a problem. Personally, I have never rated any IMAX 3-D film as great, in addition to ghosting, there is often flicker in action scenes (even sometime in 2-D...); a small motion projected on that great-big screen translates into inches. On the little screen it isn't so noticeable.

More on Flicker:

Sure, I looked for and found flicker. My teen-age daughter never noticed it. When I pointed it out, she said it wasn't any worse than on several games on the Revelator we use on a 17" monitor at 110 Hz. For example; Disney's Ultimate Ride is great in 3-D, but the flicker is pretty bad. Much worse than this DVD on our TV. It probably has a lot to do with the brightness of the monitor compared to the TV and the persistence of the phospers they used, but she is right, the comparison is valid.

One more complaint. For some reason, they set this up so if you pause the DVD, the thing goes flat. DVD's often have great pauses; my Apex is pretty good. So I found a good 3-D scene and paused, expecting that both fields would still be switching back and forth. Nope. It went flat. Perhaps this is my DVD player, but I sort of doubt it. That's too bad because I can envision a slide show in 3-D and perhaps the way these work that can't work. I will have to try and make an SVCD 3-D slide show and try it myself.

All in all; not bad. Better than any of the VHS shutter-glass tape I have seen. Too bad I don't have any Hollywood classics on DVD in this format; that would be a better test.

Next reviews; Alien Adventure (animated and computer animated 3-D often have ghosting problems so this will be a good test) and 3-D Mania (which I have seen in 3-D IMAX for a real comparison).

Larry Elie

By Giorgio Bogoni on Saturday, November 10, 2001 - 09:26 am:


I couldn't find this stuff at www.buy.com
What have I to search for?
THX, Giorgio.

By Larry Elie on Monday, November 12, 2001 - 09:09 am:


It's under DVD's.

Ultimate g's is at
http://www.us.buy.com/retail/product.asp?sku=40161437

Encounter in the 3rd Dimension is at
http://www.us.buy.com/retail/product.asp?sku=40161459&loc=322

Alien Adventure is at
http://www.us.buy.com/retail/product.asp?sku=40161469&loc=322

Haunted Castle is at
http://www.us.buy.com/retail/product.asp?sku=40161443&loc=322

Ultimate 3D Collector's Gift Set
(Encounter in the 3rd Dimension, Alien Adventure and Haunted Castle with wired glasses-- NOT Ultimate g's) is at
http://www.us.buy.com/retail/product.asp?sku=40160629&loc=322

Some other even CHEAPER places to buy at
http://www.pricegrabber.com/search_getprod.php?masterid=111086301&tab_id=4&zip_code=48197&search=ultimate%20g%5C%27s&ut=88010121365685b5

then re-search on each of the other titles...
and if you link from pricegrabber.com, I think you save a buck each on the DVD's at some of the links. At 800.com it's a buck cheaper, and other may be better after linking.

Ultimage g's is the best of the lot (although I haven't seen Haunted Castle) has the best plot, etc. The others are fun but other than Encounter in the Third Dimension, they are all computer generated 3D. Encounter has some nice history, but is aimed at keeping some audience other then me.


Larry Elie

Slingshot is at http://www.slingshotent.com/index_flash.htm

By Larry Elie on Monday, November 12, 2001 - 09:41 am:


Review of Alien Adventure, as promised.

I'm not sure where to place Alien Adventure. It's amusing perhaps, but it isn't a movie.

Alien Adventure is a series of shorts loosely held together by a simple plot. The plot is that a group of aliens looking for a new home world land on earth. Finding a not yet open theme park; 'Adventure World', and thinking it representative of earth, they go on the rides.

The individual 'rides' are all 3-D simulations. They are all CGI created. Although the composite 'Alien Adventure' is a big-screen IMAX adventure, I recognize some of the others from riding them on 2-D and 3-D IWERKS motion simulators. Here they drop the motion base (which was the main attraction) and run with the result.

The initial Aliens in space sequence (probably the only original part to the composite) is too dark. It is probably fine in super-bright IMAX. On my Sony rear projector is is too dark. The 3-D is there, but it doesn't work well here. Perhaps if someone has a super bright monitor. But this sequence is short, so one can live with it.

The first 'ride' is 'Arctic Adventure'. You follow an large cut ice-cube on a long series of tracks. I rode this in 2_D IWERKS motion simulator at COSI in Toledo OH. It's fun enough. Without the motion base, it isn't as much fun as the simulator version, even though I only rode the simulator in 2_D. The 3-D is good and bright enough, but not great. This is the best sequence on this DVD.

The second 'ride' is "Aladdin's World". You get to rescue a CGI princess from a Cave of Wonders, complete with lava, rolling stones etc. It's pretty imaginative, and would be outstanding with a motion base. The 3-D is OK, but some parts are too dark. My 16 year old daughter says we rode this at the 3-D IWERKS theater in St. Augustine FL a couple of years back. Parts looked familiar, but not all of it. At the end, the alien's upchuck in green. Aimed for teens.

The third 'ride' is 'Kid Coaster'. You ride a simulation of a miniature roller coaster all over a child's room. I'm sure it's great with a motion base, and it's credible 3-D, and mostly bright enough, but it leaves me hanging after the first minute or so. Fairly original backgrounds. The director even says this was modeled after 'Toy Story'.

The last 'ride' is 'Aqua World.' Undersea and tropical coasters all over. Probably better with a motion base. Credible 3-D but too dark.

This DVD has only one purpose; impress your friends (especially teens and pre-teens, or roller coaster fans) with what 3-D can be. It doesn't have all that much re-watch value.

There are also extras; the 2-D version and a director's voice over on how each scene was made. In this case, since I'm pretty technical, the director's voice over was nice to listen to, at least once.

This DVD is not as good as Ultimate G's.

It is available on VHS as well, but only about a buck cheaper. The DVD has much more going for it.

Larry Elie

By Larry Elie on Monday, November 12, 2001 - 09:44 am:


Oops. Here's a PS.

There is more flicker on this DVD by a fair ammount than I saw on "Ultimate G's" Since it's all pretty dark, there isn't much ghosting. Sorry I neglected to mension it before.

Larry Elie


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Larry Elie

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Posted on Monday, November 12, 2001 - 9:52 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post

Someone asked about anagraph glasses DVD's. There are a few at http://www.3ddvds.com/, but be careful; not everything in this site is really 3D.

Another, much more complete (and expensive site) is
http://www.3dmagic.com/catalog/video_catalog/video_catalog.html

You can get DVD and SVCD's or VHS there.


Larry Elie
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Giorgio Bogoni

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Posted on Monday, November 12, 2001 - 11:36 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post

Larry,
thank you very much for reviews and links!
Buy.com and 800.com seem not to deliver in Italy, that's way I think I'll buy from dvdplanet.com.
Alexander told us these IMAX titles are region 0 coded but at dvdplanet I read they are region 1 coded, do you think I have to expect some troubles?
Another question: at dvdplanet I've found some 3D titles (not IMAX) showing roller costers. They includes 2 pair of glasses, I think they're anaglyph movies - do you know something about them?
Thanks, Giorgio.
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Larry Elie

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Posted on Wednesday, November 14, 2001 - 4:00 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post

A few details...

Glacier Run (A sequence from Alien Adventure) is at http://www.iwerks.com/NotShocked/software/a_titles/index.html

According to the director's voice over, it was re-rendered for large format, but the content is the same.

Similarly Kid Coaster is at:

http://www.iwerks.com/NotShocked/software/n_titles/index.html

Another great link to review these films is
http://www.cinergetics.com/lflinks.htm
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Larry Elie

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Posted on Wednesday, November 14, 2001 - 4:48 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post

Oh, yeah, and nuvision will bundle three of the DVD's with the video 3D camera adapter and glasses for only $200. That is a pretty good deal. Parts are re-manufactured.

http://www.i-glasses.com/Store/3dhardware_featured.php3
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Larry Elie

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Posted on Thursday, November 15, 2001 - 3:14 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post

Review of 'Encounter in 3D'

This film is exactly the same as the 3-D IMAX (IWERKS in this case) '3-D Mania'. I saw the IMAX version 2 weeks ago at the Henry Ford Museum (I work 3 blocks from it) so I think this will be a good contrast.

First off, this film is technically very innovative, but you wouldn't notice if you hadn't herd the voice over directors commentary on the DVD. I listened to it. This tape is not film. No, the whole thing, even the actors, are re-rendered CGI. I know how that sounds, but here is the description. IMAX (or IWERKS here) cameras are NOISY. When they film actors, they typically re-shoot just sound tracks a second time and re-lip-sync (that was described in the voice over of 'Ultimate Gs'), and here they shot both actors on 70mm film with green-screen (I assume in 3-D, but that was not stated, as much re-rendering as they did I suppose it could have been solidized), digitized and put in a total CGI environment. To me that is an impressive feat. The effect in the IMAX version is stunning; you feel you are in the lab, especially after the screen collapses. You could swear the lab is real; the actors interact with it perfectly. Anyway, the technology is very up to date. I wish the content were.

'Encounter in 3-D' was originated as a history commentary, and is likened by the director to 'Thrill Ride' (which I enjoyed in 2-D), but this time, instead just history, he tried to spice it up with comedy. So this is really a history lesson, and lots of opportunity to see 3-D things his and other companies have done. It's a chance to show off 3-D. On the big screen, I enjoyed it more; the professor and his lab worked better. It's targeting kids in science centers and museums with the comedy, and that part works. I enjoy 3-D, and even the DVD gives some neat effects; the train coming at you (much better in IMAX) and Mine Ride in entirety on DVD are nice to have to show people. But to be honest, Elvira doesn't seem to fit very well in the plot. The voice over seems pretty apologetic about it, but really it just one more 3-D thing they wanted to include; A 3-D music video. In other words, the plot is pretty lame. There are some cute comedy moments, but if you want to see 3-D comedy go see 'MuppetVision 3-D' or 'Pirates 4-D'. But this is really just an opportunity to show off 3-D and not about plot. As such, it's fine. It's a keeper.

You have a pretty good history (too brief...) of 3-D that any layperson can follow, and good for a 3-D collection. Only a few statements, like; "There were no 3-D movies from the 50's until theme-park 3-D" are blatantly false.

It is indeed region code 0; you can play it anywhere.

The lighting is well done. Little ghosting (except where they show an example of some red-blue 3-D), and little flicker on the DVD.

I suspect the 4 DVD's available are examples of things not doing all that well at boxoffice IMAX (check the numbers yourself if you like). This probably won't be playing at a lot of prestigious institutions because of the music video. The others didn't do well either. I suppose some of the other 3-D works might be dropped to video eventually, but don't hold your breath.

Larry Elie
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Anonymous

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Posted on Friday, November 16, 2001 - 7:26 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post

DO you guys think that 3D movie player for those DVD titles is needed? I mean, a software that can automatically display 640x480 resolution on the PC. Would you guys pay for that software?
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M.H.

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Posted on Saturday, November 17, 2001 - 1:57 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post

Anonymous: I am sure that such software is needed.
Only minor modification of existing DVD playback
software is nessesery ... I thing that such player
shuld be distributed for free with this DVD -
just to encourgae people to buy them ...
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Mug Muggler

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Posted on Monday, November 19, 2001 - 4:21 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post

Some thoughts on the Slingshot Ultimate 3-D Collection from a total newbie:

First up, I have never watched a "field-sequential 3-d" video before in my life. But I love 3-d movies, so I purchased the collection from dvdplanet and watched it this weekend.

I was REALLY impressed with the quality of 3-d. I watched it on an old 27" JVC tv and there was hardly any flicker. I did catch some slight ghosting here and there, but the system really worked well in my opinion. Well enough to have me run to the internet looking for more field sequential films to watch!

My only other 3-d television experience has been the anaglyph DVD's that Rhino put out (The Bubble and Comin' At Ya), both of which worked slightly (at least better than any anaglyph VHS) but still caused headaches.

Now if I can only find some classic flicks in field-sequential 3-d, I'd be jumping for joy! Any leads?

-Mug
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scott kane

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Posted on Friday, November 23, 2001 - 5:16 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post

this message is for larry or anyone else who can help me. i purchased the 3 set DVD slingshot collection with wired i-glasses. my set up consists of a 64 inch hdtv with component cables from an integra 7.1 directly to the tv, and the dvd and satellite hd receiver connected to the component inputs on the integra. i also have a s video connection from my vcr to the integra and then to the tv. no matter how i connect this system everything is double, the flying guy at the beginning has four eyes and nothing ever comes off the screen. any suggestions i would really appreciate. thanks to all and happy holidays
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Mug Muggler

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Posted on Saturday, November 24, 2001 - 3:53 am:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post

Scott-

Your DVD player is probably set for "progressive scan." Since the 3-d effect works using both fields of traditional NTSC, you will have to turn off progressive scan in your dvd player. Your manual should tell you how to do that.

Good luck!

-Mug
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Greg Kintz

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Posted on Saturday, November 24, 2001 - 4:00 am:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post

Scott, it sounds like your HDTV set has a built
in line doubler for NTSC interlaced sources, and
it's probably destroying the 3-D information
due to field meshing. Is your DVD player a pro-
gressive scan unit? If so, see if you can change
the progressive-scan conversion to one that will
interpolate (synthesize the new lines, and not
use field meshing techniques) ..then you might be
able to still play the 3D DVDs on your set. Some
progressive scan players call these modes: video1,
video2, film, auto, etc...

Hope this helps!

-Greg-
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scott

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Posted on Saturday, November 24, 2001 - 5:32 am:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post

greg & mug:
i spoke to ross rainville at i-glasses and the line doubler on the hdtv has no effect, however i will try to turn off the progressive scan on the dvd player. thanks for the help to both of you.
scott
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Anonymous

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Posted on Friday, November 30, 2001 - 1:53 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post

I have finaly succesfuly tested an conversion method, with makes conversion of the video streams from this DVD to any other stereoscopic format ...

1) Demultiplex the stream into
audi and video track
- in SmartRipper ...
For Haunted castle, the stereo stram is in vts_01, Tilte 2 , angle 1, Enable demux to extra files in file procesing ...

2) Convert the audi stream from AC3 into
audio .AVI (I do it manualy in GraphEdit by the help of ELECARD filters) ...

3) Dmultiplex the pure mpeg2 stream (XX.m2v) into series of tga images by the help of the
ftp://ftp.mpegtv.com/pub/mpeg/mssg/mpeg2v12.zip
A lot of disk space (about 60 G) nessesery :(

4) Combine the audi and video into what you want in adobe premiere by filters from my WWW ...
I usgest tu sue shifted above below format
with final plyback by the hel pof sync. doubling..
Divix could be used in this case ...


This rather complicated method is more focused on quality than on easy of use ...
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Jason Pang

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Posted on Thursday, December 06, 2001 - 9:21 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post

BTW, when using PowerDVD to play the DVDs on a PC (which has to be done at 640x480) don't forget to change the configuration to "Forced Weave" otherwise it won't work.
Ross said that it definitely works and I will try it later today.

Maybe this is why some of you have not got it to work on a PC.
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N M

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Posted on Sunday, December 09, 2001 - 9:25 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post

I found a progam called DVD Genie found at http://www.digital-digest.com/dvd/downloads/dvdgenie.html that will allow you to keep the DVD interlaced when using your software DVD player. This does not require that you rip the DVD and go through that whole process. I haven't tried it with the glasses, but got it to work on my laptop. (I can't use 3D glasses without a monitor) but will try my laptop with my monitor later.
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Alexander Oest

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Posted on Monday, December 10, 2001 - 8:40 am:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post

Sounds interesting. I've looked for such a feature, in DVDGenie, but didn't find any. My DVDGenie version is 4.01.

Where in DVDGenie did you find this feature? Does it apply to all the players supported, or only one or a few?

Alex
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N M

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Posted on Monday, December 10, 2001 - 4:31 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post

It might only be able to do a few. I use WinDVD and noticed the feature for a couple of others as well. The version I use is 4.05. I do not know if it supports all of the DVD players. It does not look like it does. But it did work for WinDVD and I have not found a forced weave option when running WinDVD.
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cinemavision3d

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Posted on Saturday, March 09, 2002 - 10:36 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post

CINEMAVISION3D
New York
Studio 516 536 6021

All 3D contents available for wholesale distribution
www.CINEMAVISION3D.com


3D Companies merge,
ExoticVision3D has merged with CINEMAVISION3D and Video Enchantment, this joint venture is to provide 3D Entertainment and Education, of the highest standards for the 21st century, using three-dimensional stereoscopic video in a digital format.

Many of you know of ExoticVision3D who has carefully researched this 3D industry, and has started documenting file footage in 3D.

Released Feb 2002
"Reliving American History -A story about the battle at Gettysburg, and the re-enactors who bring us living history. In this first of its kind video, you will experience heart pounding battles, All in vivid 3D Video

"Subway Stops - NYC". Captured in 3D during 2000 / 2001. This video brings you to eye level with the people, ride the subway in 3D, Step up to street level and you never no what you will find, street performers, unusual nightclubs, Time Square, Broadway lights, Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade, Halloween, St. Patrick's Day, and much more.
Also, exclusive footage in 3D, of the World Trade center as it stood pre September 11, 2001.

Much Much More

We are very excited of this merger between our companies, our dedicated and experienced professionals will deliver quality 3D programming.

Visit our web page for a look at the future
www.CINEMAVISION3D.com Videos & DVD's so real!

Regards,
The team

Cinemavision3D
ExoticVision3D
Video Enchantment Prod.

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