Announcement

**donaldk** · 04-17-2016, 03:55 AM

Argon Design launches real-time video stitching IP

Argon Design Ltd, a design services company specialising in digital video, is launching Argon360, a unique hardware-based real time video stitching technology, at the NAB Show in Las Vegas, 18-21 April 2016.

The prominence of 360-degree panoramic video (often termed immersive video or Cinematic VR) is increasing with users at all levels from consumer to film studio and there is now a high level of interest and support from companies such as Google and Facebook. Stitching of the video output from multiple image sensors is a crucial element in the capture of 360-degree panoramic content and doing this complex processing in real-time is essential for applications such a live streaming of sporting events or news. Real time stitching will be increasingly desirable for consumer products, where users increasingly expect live streaming capability for social media and the simplicity of a single output video file for upload to sites such as YouTube.

Using scalable hardware based technology, Argon360 offers a unique combination of high quality stitching in real time, with the additional benefits of compact form factor and low power consumption. The patent pending Argon360 technology is available as an IP core building block for incorporation into an ASIC, offering the ultimate in performance for volume produced products. It is also available for FPGA implementations, suitable for lower volume products.

Steve Barlow, CTO of Argon Design explained: "Argon360 is the culmination of a series of internal research projects which started with the investigation of topics including simultaneous location and mapping (SLAM) and stereo depth perception techniques. We recognised that some of the ideas we had used in those research projects could be applied to correcting parallax artefacts that can present major challenges when stitching video from multiple cameras."

Clifford Dive, Argon's VP of Business Development continued: "Market research indicated a number of excellent software-based stitching solutions for use in post-production, but also an unsatisfied demand for a high performance real-time solution. After considering a number of approaches, we concluded that a hardware-based design would have the performance and scalability required to address a broad range of market needs for panoramic video, from live broadcast to consumer action cameras."

For more information visit www.argondesign.com/products/argon360/,

**donaldk** · 04-17-2016, 03:57 AM

Announcing Streambox Real-time VR Video Streaming to Oculus Rift Headset Demonstrations at NAB Show in Las Vegas

The VR technology demonstrations include 4K VR video workflow from 3D & 360 video capture, video stitching, compression and transport to the cloud video servers for multiplayer Virtual Reality video distribution

Streambox, an industry leading pioneer delivering unique video streaming solutions, today announces its StreamboxVR, an end-to-end 4K 3D and 360 virtual reality streaming infrastructure for Live Events, Sports, Broadcast, Education and Enterprise applications.

The StreamboxVR video infrastructure include 4K Encoder with proprietary ACT-L3 4K VR video compression optimized for high quality lower data rate 4K video and Cloud-based Live Server for video routing, archiving and management. The Cloud includes reliable video transport for video distribution and streaming to 4K VR Media Player for video play out.

The current StreamboxVR 4K Media Player is integrated with Oculus Rift® for 3D 4K and 360 live video streams. In the feature the VR 4K media player would support, Microsoft HoloLens®, Google Cardboard®, Samsung Gear VR®, HTC Vive® and others.

With much advancements and innovations in VR from the industry, StreamboxVR solves and improves upon video quality while lowering bandwidth and video infrastructure with reliable Low Delay Multi-Path video transport from capture to distribution of VR videos for both professional VR productions to consumers and enterprises using 360 cameras.

For VR video transmissions, StreamboxVR supports mobile networks by bonding all available 3G, 4G, LTE networks for higher bandwidth streaming with network reliability and redundancy.

At NAB booth #SU8125, Streambox will be demonstrating 3D VR utilizing Blackmagic 4K cameras and 360 VR from Ricoh Theta camera utilizing StreamboxVR software, mobile hardware and cloud infrastructure.

"We want to help solve VR problems and bring value with quality to professional VR productions for media, film and broadcast customer we serve today," said Bob Hildeman, Streambox Co-founder and CEO. "Additionally, VR brings opportunities for us to bring value with quality to consumers and enterprises that will be driving the VR usage and applications where our infrastructure would serve and service there needs and requirement."

"VR is the future media platform that is technically challenging with many problems to solve and with large ecosystem being worked on by many companies," said Alex Telisine Co-founder and CTO at Streambox Inc. "The core problems we could solve well today are live real-time VR/4K/3D and 360 video compression and video transport infrastructure where we have much knowledge, experience and IP."

**donaldk** · 04-17-2016, 04:01 AM

Anvato, the complete TV Everywhere and OTT platform provider, today announced support for immersive 360 degree video content on Anvato's Media Content Platform (MCP). Content owners, programmers and other OTT service providers can further enhance their video offerings by streaming 360 video in virtual reality (VR) with an Anvato player, or they can syndicate videos to 360-enabled sites like Facebook and YouTube.

Anvato's MCP leverages massively parallel video processing, treating 360 videos as segments (as opposed to single files) which results in lower latency and rapid delivery of video files. This process also results in much faster processing of the content, dramatically reducing the amount of time between video ingest and playback. Anvato's 360 video outputs are playable using our powerful player SDK, and are processed and played without buffering. Scene-dependent adaptive bitrate streaming allows the playback component to optimize the experience in all fields of vision.

"MCP is the first end-to-end turnkey OTT platform that enables 360 video as part of the distribution architecture, without the need for separate workflows to process 360 content," said Alper Turgut, CEO of Anvato. "Our mission is to make it easy for programmers to deliver OTT video, and to help them deliver the most advanced and exciting user experience possible across all platforms, including immersive 360 video."

Deployed by many of the leading brands and more than 200 TV stations in the United States, Anvato's Media Content Platform is a turnkey software-based TV Everywhere/OTT workflow that enables television programmers, content owners and service providers to reach their audiences on any device. From signal to screen, Anvato offers a single, all-encompassing solution that ensures playback and monetization across all screens. Customers can deploy Anvato solutions within a matter of weeks, enabling live or on-demand TV programming on any device in a highly cost-effective manner.

Anvato will showcase MCP and these advanced capabilities at NAB 2016, booth #SU9606CM, taking place in Las Vegas from April 18-21. To schedule a meeting or for more information about Anvato solutions, please visit www.anvato.com or email info@anvato.com.

**donaldk** · 04-17-2016, 04:08 AM

Customized for Sky Italia, the New Experience Leverages an End-to-end Workflow for Live and On-demand Content Distribution in 360 Degrees, and Will Be Showcased at the 2016 NAB Show

At the 2016 NAB Show, Viaccess-Orca, a global leader in the protection and enhancement of content services; Harmonic, the worldwide leader in video delivery infrastructure; and VideoStitch,will showcase their best-of-breed virtual reality (VR) solution that is currently being tested by pay-TV operator Sky Italia to broadcast a basketball game. The trial, powered by end-to-end VR technology from Viaccess-Orca, Harmonic, and VideoStitch, is designed to provide Sky Italia viewers with an immersive, engaging, and personalized television viewing experience. Segments of the recorded broadcasts from the trial will be shown as part of Viaccess-Orca's "Virtual Arena" demo during the 2016 NAB Show, April 18-21, at the Harmonic booth SU1210.

"Creating fan engagement around major sports events represents a huge potential for us. We're experimenting with the end-to-end VR technology to capitalize on brand recognition and satisfy increasing viewer demand for more immersive content," said Massimo Bertolotti, Head of Innovation and Engineering at Sky Italia. "The VR ecosystem offered by Viaccess-Orca, Harmonic, and VideoStitch is flexible, enabling us to streamline installation and our overall workflow without compromising the video experience. We also particularly like the fact that by partnering with well-known premium content management and distribution specialists, we are in the best position to offer quality experiences."

Specifically adapted to sports content distribution, with an emphasis on boosting fan engagement, the VR solution trialed by Sky Italia also benefits from compatibility with industry standards. The satellite operator has the flexibility to leverage existing investments in equipment and lower its CAPEX. The VR solution offered by Viaccess-Orca and its partners is pre-integrated, which allows content owners and pay-TV operators, such as Sky Italia, to quickly deploy VR services and gain a competitive edge in the marketplace.

360setup2

Harmonic provided Sky Italia with essential video delivery infrastructure components, including the ProMedia® Xpress WFS multiscreen transcoder and packager for Ultra HD transcoding in MP4 and MPEG-DASH formats, as well as the ProMedia X Origin media server. These have been integrated with VideoStitch's Vahana VR live 360-degree video stitching software. In addition to managing the entire VR ecosystem, Viaccess-Orca is providing its "Virtual Arena" platform, which includes the Connected Sentinel Player for secure playback and cloud-based Voyage – TvaaS (TV Everywhere as a Service) for interactivity and analytics. By addressing the complex content protection needs of premium video service providers, the Connected Sentinel Player opens up new monetization opportunities.

"Viaccess-Orca offers the industry's most complete solution for premium 360-degree live and on-demand streaming, providing a level of flexibility, immersiveness, and content protection that is simply not available anywhere else," said Alain Nochimowski, Executive Vice President of Innovation at Viaccess-Orca. "Partnering with Sky Italia and our technology partners on the trial, we look forward to bringing a virtual reality experience to the home very soon."

"Sky Italia is a long-term Harmonic customer for broadcast and OTT applications," said Thierry Fautier, Vice President of Video Strategy at Harmonic. "Together, on this project, we will set a new standard for amazing video experiences by exploring modern applications such as virtual reality. Harmonic's advanced media processing solutions are capable of delivering Ultra HD video content to a variety of devices with superior video quality at low bitrates. The integration with Viaccess-Orca and VideoStitch equipment made the project run smoothly and is easily deployable for future events."

360cameraskyitalia

"Our vision of providing the highest-quality video for VR is shared by Viaccess-Orca and Harmonic, and we were delighted to work with them on this project. Sky Italia allowed us the perfect opportunity to field test the end-to-end solution we've been developing together," said Aksel Piran, COO at VideoStitch. "The delivery of the first head-mounted displays to end users herald the rise of VR as a platform, yet live content is still scarce and was hard to produce until today. Together, we aim at providing the most immersive experiences to unleash the market potential of VR with a flexible solution that fits into the standard production workflow of broadcasters."

To set up a meeting at the NAB Show to view this unique demo, please visit http://marketing.viaccess-orca.com/what-s-new/events/nab-show-2016. The demo will also be presented at TV Connect 2016, at London's ExCeL Centre on April 26 - 28, at Viaccess-Orca's stand 87.

**donaldk** · 04-17-2016, 09:53 PM

StereoStitch announced the launch of its high-quality, production-ready, real-time 3D 360 Video Stitching software at the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) Show in Las Vegas, NV. StereoStitch helps content creators with their 3D and Virtual Reality needs, be it live-stitching of 3D content (e.g. film making), or projection of VR concepts (e.g. sports match or a fashion show using drone mounted 3D cameras).

Currently, 3D Video Stitching relies on lengthy post-production man-hours, and expensive and powerful computing capacity. Other players on the market are trying to address the need for high-quality, real-time, mobile solutions for 3D Video Stitching, but no existing player offers a solution that combines all of the above.

With its proprietary real-time Stereo Spherical Videos technology (3D 360 Videos), StereoStitch offers color correction, video stitching, stereo and 3D generation in a single, super-fast mobile GPU-compatible process that can be embedded right into the camera. With real-time throughput reaching up to 60 frames per second, and monoscopic, multi-3D stereoscopic output support, StereoStitch lowers video production costs with a software-only solution that provides high quality stitching in real-time.

"We are passionate about empowering VR content producers with an affordable, high-quality software solution that doesn't require additional complex equipment," stated Elie Khoury, StereoStitch CEO. "In combining over 10 years of computational imaging research and development, the StereoStitch software package makes professional 3D video stitching accessible to the amateur and professional content producer - in real time!"

**donaldk** · 04-18-2016, 04:49 AM

360Heros Debuting Blackmagic Design Virtual Reality 360 Video Camera Systems at NAB .

360 Helios 3 camera 360 video rigClick here for high-resolution version

360Heros Inc., a company specializing in 360 video technology, will debut a line of spherical video solutions utilizing Blackmagic Design cameras at the 2016 NAB Show. The new virtual reality camera systems feature genlocking capability, position cameras and lenses for optimal frame overlap and leverage Blackmagic Design's cinematic quality cameras for professional grade spherical content.

360Heros Inc., a company specializing in 360 video technology, will debut a line of spherical solutions utilizing Blackmagic Design cameras at the 2016 NAB Show. These solutions leverage the professional quality of Blackmagic Design's camera systems to create cinematic 360 video content.

Coined 360 Helios, 360Heros' new products are compatible with both the Blackmagic Micro Cinema Camera and the Blackmagic Micro Studio Camera 4K and are available in three, four, five, six and seven camera arrays. The 360 Plug-n-Play™ design allows users to easily install and remove cameras as well as offering the option to add additional cameras to achieve greater frame overlap and resolutions.

"Creating professional and cinematic 360 video content is not only a reality, but it's also an in-demand medium, and delivering on it starts with investing in the right technology," said Dan May, President, Blackmagic Design. "360Heros is answering the call for high quality 360 rigs with essential features, such as remote control and syncing, and we are thrilled that Blackmagic Design's Micro Cinema Cameras and Micro Studio Camera 4Ks are a part of that, helping to capture and deliver cinematic 360 video."

"In creating 360 video systems, syncing cameras has been a huge challenge," noted 360Heros CEO Michael Kintner.

"With Blackmagic Design technology, we're answering content creators' demand for higher quality spherical content and genlocked remote controlled solutions," he added. "This year's virtual reality head mounted display (HMD) releases, and the growth of YouTube and Facebook's 360 video platforms have led to massive demand for professional content creation tools."

"Our goal with this new product line is to support content creators and we're proud to partner with a manufacturer like Blackmagic Design to create these solutions," Mr. Kintner said.

The 360 Helios rigs feature a new version of the Bullet360 control board system already being utilized in the 360Abyss. Coupled with Blackmagic Design's Mini Converter Sync Generator for genlocking, these boards have the ability to control and sync an unlimited number of Blackmagic Micro Cinema Cameras and Blackmagic Micro Studio Camera 4Ks.

With the Bullet360 control boards, producers can remotely operate all cameras in sync via the cameras' expansion ports.

The 360 Helios systems are capable of outputting 4K (4,000 x 2,000 pixels) resolution content for virtual reality HMDs and can create content upwards of 6K (6,000 x 3,000 pixels) depending upon different lens and camera arrays.

These new systems will be on display at 360Heros booth N8619 and B&H Photo booth C11016 at the NAB show in Las Vegas, NV, and will be available for pre-order in early May.

Key features:
- Utilizes Blackmagic Micro Cinema Cameras and Blackmagic Micro Studio Camera 4Ks
- Output up to 6K resolution cinematic 360 video content for VR HMDs and web streaming
- Multi camera arrays can be controlled in sync via the cameras' expansion ports -- Compatible with the industry's leading 3rd party stitching solutions

About 360Heros:
360Heros Inc., a company specializing in virtual reality 360 video technology, creates camera systems that capture 12K resolution spherical VR content. 360Heros also develops 360 video workflow solutions such as 360CamMan, the world's first VR media management software. Through years of research and innovation, 360Heros is empowering content creators to push the limits of this emerging technology and our ability to create immersive content. 360Heros, Inc. is not an affiliate of GOPRO® or Woodman Labs, Inc. 360Heros is a very proud user of GOPRO® cameras.

**donaldk** · 04-18-2016, 04:51 AM

**donaldk** · 04-18-2016, 04:57 AM

Sphericam announced it is to begin full-scale production of the Sphericam 2 in the U.S. this summer following $5 million investment from China’s Kingnet. Sphericam 2, the vendor claims is the world’s first 360˚ VR camera capable of self-stitching and livestreaming 4K video in real-time, will start shipping this summer. Full-scale production is scheduled to begin at a U.S. production facility this July following a successful Kickstarter campaign and new $5 million investment from China’s Kingnet Technologies.

“The Sphericam 2 is like no other camera on the market. With a global shutter capable of shooting at 60 frames per second and the ability to self-stitch and livestream 4K video, it sets a new bar for performance. It’s also incredibly compact, roughly the size of a baseball. We designed the camera with professionals in mind which is why we’re thrilled use our presence at NAB to announce it will be available this summer” says Jeffrey Martin, Sphericam founder and CEO. The National Association of Broadcasters trade show in Las Vegas marks the first time the public will be able to view a live demo of the Sphericam 2.

The camera was first announced on Kickstarter in 2015 where it received backing of $450,000, more than four times the initial target.

“Our Kickstarter backers and pre-order customers will be the first to receive the Sphericam 2 once it ships. We also have large media and technology companies eager to start using the camera. The recent investment from Kingnet helps us not only accelerate our production timetable but to broaden our product and service portfolio,” says Martin.

The Shanghai-based online and mobile gaming company Kingnet is investing $5 million as part of a new strategic focus on VR content.

“We invested in Sphericam because it’s clear that it’s more than just a VR hardware company,” Wang Yue, CEO of Kingnet Technologies. “Sphericam is building a bridge between people’s real-world experiences and the VR space. The Sphericam 2 allows people to capture and share 360˚ video in a format that’s perfect for today’s virtual reality headsets and this is only the beginning.

Sphericam will be important part of Kingnet’s “platform+content+VR” strategy far into the future.”

The Sphericam 2 is available for pre-order at a cost of $2500.

NAB 2016, Booth N8022, North Hall, VR Pavilion

**donaldk** · 04-18-2016, 02:23 PM

ALLie Camera integrates with YouTube to Enable 360-Degree Live Streaming

ALLie Camera users can now live stream their 360-degree content on YouTube live streaming service

Alongside the launch of IC Real Tech's new ALLie Camera today, the company announced the integration of the ALLie Camera with YouTube – enabling any user to live stream 360-degree video on YouTube. With its launch, the ALLie Camera becomes the world's first 360-degree everyday use camera with 24/7 viewing, recording, live streaming, still-capturing, social sharing and virtual reality (VR) viewing capabilities – allowing users to see it all, all the time, no matter where they are, the vendor claims.

With the integration with YouTube, ALLie Camera becomes an ideal platform for video bloggers, sports arenas, music venues and others to give their fans or viewers complete freedom for how they see an event, allowing them to be there like never before. Users can now publicly or privately live stream events like birthday parties, weddings, graduations, concerts, sports games and more. Viewers simply swipe, zoom and pan on their phone or tablet to see what's going on and essentially be there when they're not – gaining complete control over their viewpoint. They can even view with the included VR headset for a fully immersive experience.

"We are excited to work with YouTube as they take immersive video even further with 360-degree live streaming," said Dmitry Kozko, President of ALLie. "Now that the demand for real-time, 24/7 content has reached its peak, our ALLie Camera aligns perfectly with YouTube to give users the ultimate 360-degree, live streaming experience. ALLie is always on so that users don't miss a thing, and now they can more easily share experiences with friends, family and fans on YouTube."

The ALLie Camera also features 4K resolution, cloud recording and storage, two-way audio, live and recorded VR mode with included VR headset, among others. It doesn't require batteries, has simple upkeep with automatically updated software and features, and can be mounted on walls and ceilings or stand on any surface.

NAB show, booth C3361DPMR.

**donaldk** · 04-18-2016, 02:55 PM

IC Real Tech Publicly Launches ALLie Camera as the First 360-Degree Everyday Use Camera and appoints photography and video industry veteran Mark Sherengo VP of sales and marketing for its ALLie Camera subsidiary

IC Real Tech announced the hard launch of its new ALLie Camera, the world's only 360-degree everyday use camera with 24/7 viewing, recording, live streaming, still-capturing, social sharing and virtual reality (VR) viewing capabilities – allowing users to see it all, all the time, no matter where they are.

The ALLie Camera ensures consumers never miss any of life's most precious moments, whether they're home or not. Users simply plug in the device, open the ALLie app (iOS and Android) and swipe, zoom and pan on their phone or tablet to see what's going on and essentially be there when they're not. Unlike most cameras or home monitors that simply pan back and forth or up and down while showing a partial or fuzzy vantage point of a room, ALLie spurs a new breed of everyday use camera that ensures users get the full, quality picture with no blind spots, and complete control over what they view. They can even view with the included VR headset for a fully immersive experience.

The ALLie Camera not only provides peace-of-mind for those who want to see what's going on at home – it's also an ideal solution for video bloggers, sports arenas, music venues and others who want to give their fans or viewers complete freedom for how they see an event, allowing them to be there like never before. ALLie Camera enables users to bring moments to life including:

Live streaming important events like birthday parties, graduations, weddings and more so remote family and friends across the globe can feel like they are actually there and even talk via the two-way microphone.

Live streaming sports games, concerts and other events opening attractions to a worldwide audience in real-time or replay like never before.

Video bloggers streaming commentary and events to their fans and followers in 360-degrees so they too feel like they are there with 4K resolution clarity.

Never missing family moments like baby's first steps by always having the cameras rolling 24/7 with the ability to capture and store special moments for viewing or sharing socially later.

Seeing what the dog or cat is getting into at home or at the kennel – even if they move out of a typical camera's field of view.

Keeping an eye on elderly family members living at home or in a nursing home to give peace-of-mind.

"In this age of always-on connectivity, everyone wants 24/7 access to what's important to them, whether it's that birthday party you can't bear to miss, or a baby's first steps that you want to capture forever," said Dmitry Kozko, President of ALLie. "We worked hard to make the new ALLie Camera ideal for everyday use to fit any event or life milestone. And, the ability to capture a full, 360-degree view and completely control the way you see any special moment makes ALLie the most immersive way to make sure you never miss a thing."

In addition to the ALLie Camera launch, IC Real Tech announced that it has selected longtime industry veteran Mark Sherengo as VP of sales and marketing. Sherengo will lead sales and marketing for ALLie along will the company's distribution and business development initiatives to drive its leadership in the 360-degree technology space.

Sherengo comes to ALLie with over 20 years of executive experience with leading global photography and video companies like Ricoh, Pentax, Fuji and others. At Ricoh, he was director of sales and helped the company introduce the first ever 360 camera, Theta, to market. Prior to Ricoh, he spent 15 years in roles as director of sales and marketing for both Pentax and Fuji. Before that, he was a professional photographer and helped run the photo lab business for the NFL for more than a decade.

"In my experience as a professional photographer and working for decades across the photography and video hardware spaces, the one theme that's always resurfaced for both consumers and professionals has been the need to be ready to capture memories at any moment. ALLie Camera wins the innovation race when it comes to taking the 360-degree camera and making it an always on, everyday use camera so users never have to worry about missing a single thing," said Sherengo.

**DCI forum** · 04-20-2016, 02:34 AM

VR/AR Reaches ‘Fever Pitch’

APRIL 18, 2016
By: George Winslow, Broadcasting and Cable
With major companies like Facebook’s Oculus, Sony, HTC, Samsung and others launching new virtual reality devices this year, the 2016 NAB Show will provide a notable preview of the newest technologies for virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR).

“It is very early days and we’re still in the prerelease phase on some of the devices,” says Ted Schilowitz, futurist at 20th Century Fox, which has been producing VR content at the Fox Innovation Lab based on such movies as “The Martian.” “But companies, big studios and big directors are getting involved.”

Schilowitz will moderate today’s Creative Master Series session “Virtual Reality: Immersive Storytelling Meets Interactive Technology.”

“The market is really converging to a point where there will be a lot more content and hardware starting to come online this year,” said DJ Roller, a session panelist during Wednesday’s Virtual Reality Summit and cofounder of NextVR, which has worked with Fox Sports, Turner and a number of other companies to produce content. “I’ve been around the world talking to rights holders and creators and I’ve never seen rights holders in such a fever pitch for a new medium as they are about virtual reality.”

So far a who’s who of major media players have started to immerse themselves in VR, including CBS, CNN, Discovery, DirecTV, the Disney|ABC Television Group, Fox Sports, Fusion, NBCUniversal, Sky, Syfy, Turner Sports, 20th Century Fox, The New York Times, Gannett Co. Inc. and The Wall St. Journal.

Fox Sports, for example, has already shot VR footage at five events, with three of them distributed to the public. “We view VR as very complementary to our broadcast,” said David Nathanson, head of Business Operations, Fox Sports. “Anything that brings the sports fan closer to the game, we think will make them more loyal to the broadcast.”

Besides producing VR versions of their coverage of golf and basketball events. Fox Sports has also created a VR experience for NASCAR racing. Early movers are also reporting very strong interest from advertisers and agencies, with Toyota working with both Fox Sports and Discovery.

“Many advertisers are being very aggressive in trying to figure out VR,” says Suzanne Kolb, executive vice president and general manager of Discovery Digital Networks, which launched the Discovery VR app in September. “The relationship we’ve had with Toyota is an example of that…It lets the viewer experience with the product become much more immersive.”

How quickly this interest will translate into a thriving VR media landscape remains, however, open to question.

On the production side, Michael Davies, senior vice president, Field and Technical Operations at Fox Sports, said that “VR is much easier than 3D. With a 3D broadcast you needed a whole new crew, another truck and different camera positions, while virtual reality is a pretty small footprint.” Davies also is a session panelist during the Wednesday’s Virtual Reality Summit.

Even so, the medium will take time to develop.

“Our feeling is that the more pricey headsets that are coming onto the market this year are going to be relegated to gaming,” said Matthew Chiavelli, senior vice president of Syfy Digital, whose teams created a VR experience tied to their series “The Expanse.” “It is going to be an interesting year as people try to get the content out there, knowing that only a limited number of viewers can see it.”

To get around that problem, Syfy distributed more than 13,000 Google Cardboard sets at Comic-Con in San Diego last year to promote “The Expanse” with VR content.

Mike Cavender, executive director of the Radio Television Digital News Organization (RTDNA) said that major news organizations have been particularly bullish on the technology, but the costs and lack of distribution have discouraged most local TV stations. “For stations it is still very nascent,” he said.

The lack of devices and the likelihood that those devices will be much more expensive makes AR seem even further away, though a number of executives view it as a very promising technology.

“Augmented reality provides an opportunity to have an experience that is less isolated experiences that are more integrated with current reality,” said Julian Reyes, lead VR producer at Fusion.

In partnership with NASA, Fusion recently demoed an interactive first-person expedition to Mars called “Mars 2030” that will be available in the summer of 2016 on a variety of VR platforms.

In the meantime, vendors and producers will be discussing what they’ve learned from recent productions and will highlighting a number of new technologies at NAB Show during booth visits, VR demos and various VR-themed sessions.

“We are really trying to figure out how these technologies play into our storytelling and how VR capture differs from regular linear capture,” said Skarpi Hedinsson, chief technology officer of the Disney|ABC Television Group.

As part of that effort, ABC News has done several VR stories in Syria, North Korea and Africa, and ABC has developed a VR experience tied to its primetime show “Quantico,” he said. It is also producing VR content for “Nashville” to be tied to the last few episodes of the show this season.

“It is definitely a medium that suits news and entertainment well,” said Hedinsson.

But he cautions that producers still face the challenge of building VR experiences for different devices, and that content creators need to rethink some traditional linear storytelling techniques.

“There are issues [such as where] you place the camera and crew when you have a 360[-degree] view,” he said. “You have to be very thoughtful about how you tell the story.”

Jason Farkas, executive producer of CNNVR, agreed. He noted they decided to use a voiceover for their VR coverage of the Republican debate so viewers weren’t distracted by an on-camera correspondent.

“One of the things we’ve attempted to do is break the rules,” he said. “Everyone says not to move the camera, but in the Republican debate we used a gyroscopic camera and we found that the movement was very effective.

“When it was launched, CNN changed the way people wanted to interact with news with a 24-hour news network,” he said. “In some ways VR offers the same opportunity to take you inside the news in a way that cable did 30 years ago.”

The Virtual & Augmented Reality Pavilion, which is sponsored by Technicolor and G-Technology, is located in the North Hall and features a number of sessions beginning today and running through Thursday.

Visitors to the pavilion can meet with content producers and technology companies that are changing the way we consume information. Among the 20+ exhibitors in the pavilion are: ArgonDesign Solutions, Assimilate, CHIC, Dashwood360VR, Kodak PIXPRO Digital Cameras, LiveLike, Mettle, NextVR, OwlReality, Shanghai Zhizun Electronic Technology and SpheriCam.

The pavilion also will include Kaleidoscope VR Showcase, produced in partnership with NAB Show and presented by JAUNT. The three-day content showcase offers the “best of” from their 2015 world tour, featuring VR films from Hollywood, to Europe, to South America and beyond. Attendees can view innovative narrative, environmental and interactive content, and discover work that harnesses the transformative potential of presence.

Wednesday afternoon offers the Virtual Reality Summit with a session lineup that explores recent developments in the technology, art and business of VR, from audio to streaming to market projections.

**DCI forum** · 04-20-2016, 05:26 PM

GoPro is partnering with over 100 companies to put its cameras everywhere
With partners like BMW, Fisher Price, and Periscope
By Nick Statt on April 14, 2016 12:32 pm Email @nickstatt

GoPro has announced the launch of its new developer program, an initiative designed to get third-party companies to create mobile apps, camera accessories, and physical mounts for GoPro products. The company, which is holding a showcase to feature demos in San Francisco today, is trying to transform GoPro from a signature line of action cameras into a platform for others to build on and connect to.

"The GoPro Developer Program is a way for us to celebrate the innovative work of our developer community and more importantly, help enable what comes next," GoPro CEO Nick Woodman said in a statement. "We’re grateful to benefit from the collective genius of the participating developers and we’re excited to now officially support their efforts with our developer toolkits."

GOPRO HAS SIGNED UP MORE 100 COMPANIES FOR ITS DEVELOPERS PROGRAM

GoPro says it has more than 100 companies participating in the program, which has quietly been built up over the last year. Those companies include BMW, which is making a lap timer app for driving enthusiasts that connects to GoPro cameras, and Fisher Price, which is developing GoPro mounts for various lines of children's toys to let parents capture milestones from a kid's perspective. Periscope is also an early partner, and the Twitter-owned live streaming app can now connect to GoPro cameras for higher-resolution broadcasting. The new program is similar to efforts GoPro has made in the past, when it struck a deal with Toyota to put action cam mounts in the 2016 Tacoma.

The news comes at a tough time for GoPro. The company's fiscal fourth-quarter earnings, posted in February, indicated a 31 percent drop in revenue year over year, and just a month it prior announced it was laying off 7 percent of its workforce. GoPro's stock took a beating as a result, and the company was forced to downgrade its guidance for the year ahead. Part of its troubles are due to a lack of products — GoPro hasn't released a flagship device since its Hero 4 camera line in October 2014. Last year's Hero 4 Session, a small cube-sized camera, was priced too high, the company admitted.

GOPRO IS TRYING TO MOVE BEYOND ACTION CAM SALES

Another reason for GoPro's sluggish sales is the strong longevity of the action camera. Unlike smartphones and other mobile tech, there's very little reason to upgrade from, say, a Hero 3 when it will do its job just fine for years to come. That's where a developer program could come in handy. Partnering with other companies gives GoPro new opportunities to sell parts of its business via third-party products, as well as tying GoPro to other well-known brands like BMW. The developer initiative also helps spread the GoPro name, which has clout in the action sports market, but hasn't quite earned the same recognition in the world of everyday consumers.

In terms of products, there's promise on the horizon. GoPro plans to release a 360-degree consumer-grade camera to take advantage of the growing popularity of interactive film and virtual reality. It's also been teasing its Karma drone for quite some time, which would give the company a brand new market to compete in with the likes of DJI and other quadcopter makers. Earlier this week, GoPro poached a high-profile member of Apple's industrial design team, Danny Coster. That gave its shares a boost, and it's expected Coster will help GoPro deliver on the eventual but still unannounced Hero 5 camera.

**donaldk** · 04-20-2016, 05:29 PM

DJI Broadcasts First Drone Video Over Facebook Live

NEWS2016-04-12
DJI, the world's largest manufacturer of consumer drones, streamed the first Facebook Live video from an aerial platform Tuesday as part of its partnership with the social media leader. The video was streamed during Facebook’s annual F8 developer conference in San Francisco, where a DJI Phantom 4 drone broadcast attendees in the Herbst Pavilion to a live audience watching on Facebook around the globe.

“DJI’s Phantom 4 is the premier aerial solution for video and other imaging needs, and we are pleased that our partnership with Facebook allowed its developers to experience some of the capabilities of our flagship consumer drone,” said Michael Perry, DJI’s Director of Strategic Partnerships. “As Facebook Live expands the reach of exciting live video, DJI’s line of image stabilization and aerial products are the ideal equipment solution to make any video extraordinary.”

With live video an increasing focus of online and mobile activity, DJI’s line of market-leading Phantom consumer drones and Inspire professional drones are a leading choice for streaming high-quality aerial imagery. The image stabilization technology in those drones is also available in the Osmo, a handheld video platform that delivers rock-solid imagery even in shaky environments. Facebook Live video streaming functionality will be available later in April for all devices controlled by the DJI GO mobile app.

The Phantom 4 drone used in Tuesday’s demonstration is DJI’s most advanced quadcopter camera platform for consumers, offering highly advanced computer vision and sensing technology to make professional aerial imaging easier for everyone.

The Phantom 4 includes ActiveTrack technology, a point-and-click system to keep the camera automatically centered on any subject as it moves; TapFly technology, which allows users to simply tap a point on a control screen to allow a drone to fly there autonomously; and an Obstacle Sensing System that continuously scans for obstructions and either stops short of them or routes the drone around them.

**donaldk** · 04-20-2016, 08:44 PM

Live Planet Creates First "No Compromise" System for Live Professional Quality Virtual Reality Broadcasting. Quantum Leap Pro to Ship for Less Than $10,000, Only Seamless 360-Degree Immersive Video Camera Requiring No Post-Production; Live Planet Cloud Software Automates Formatting to All Platforms

Live Planet (www.liveplanet.net) debuts the first "no compromise" live Virtual Reality (VR) video camera, Quantum Leap Pro, which will begin taking orders at the end of May for less than $10,000, making it the only professional-grade video camera to stream live experiences in HD to Oculus Rift, Samsung Gear VR and other VR devices. Delivery is slated for Q4 2016.

This breakthrough decimates the price-performance of the "do it yourself" camera kit announced by Facebook last week that specs out a $30,000 system that must be assembled by the user, buying their own parts, and which does not provide live streaming without post-production. Not only does the end-to-end Live Planet system require no post, it automatically formats to the end devices, as well as allows the video to be edited later.

"When I started CNET, I had to create my own web publishing software which was turned into a company that became the industry standard for web publishing, Vignette," said Halsey Minor, Live Planet founder and CEO. "I was forced to create the web publishing application in order to be able to innovate in content generation and delivery. With Live Planet, I've done the same thing, which is take the complexity out of VR capture, distribution and consumption, so the industry can begin the creative phase of this amazing new technical revolution."

Quantum Leap Pro is a 16-camera device that requires no post-production to render real-time video instantly on a variety of devices, including Samsung Gear VR and Oculus Connect. These 18-megapixel sensors with high dynamic range and low-light performance are integrated into two perfectly stitched 4K spheres -- one for each eye -- providing a truly stereoscopic live VR broadcast, which can also be saved onboard the camera. All stitching happens in real-time onboard the camera itself integrated into a compact package.

Live Planet is the first end-to-end immersive VR broadcast-quality video creation, management and distribution platform. It is a division of Halsey Minor's Reality Lab, which is focused on replacing traditional television with immersive VR technologies. This cloud-based software suite dynamically adjusts the encoding based on platform and available bandwidth.

Minor also said that holders of the Voxel cryptocurrency, which was created by the virtual reality content marketplace Voxelus, would also qualify for a discount in price of at least 5 percent.

Prior to starting Reality Lab, Minor has had an iconic journey as a technology entrepreneur, founding and building NASDAQ 100 company CNET Networks, and as founder of Uphold, Google Voice, OpenDNS and NBCi and co-founder of Salesforce.com and CNET spinout Vignette. At CNET, Minor also produced five television shows for cable television, including two hours of weekly programming on the #1 rated USA Network.

For more information on Live Planet, please contact info@liveplanet.com. At NAB, the Quantum Leap is being demonstrated by appointment only at a private suite in the Wynn Tower Suites. Please contact nab@liveplanet.com to request a demo.

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NAB: Focus on Virtual Reality

NAB: Focus on Virtual Reality

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