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Zspace adds the 3D Wow Factor

Press release from Zspace

For anyone who missed it the other night, 3D television has now landed in Australia, with Fox Sports and tonight the Nine Network televising live games in full 3D. The new technology allows any viewer with a 3D television, to don a pair of ‘shutter’ glasses and experience television like never seen before.

FOX SPORTS – SOCCER
In an Australian first, zspace was called upon to provide the 3D graphics for Australia's first ground breaking 3D event. zspace created all the on-screen VizRT live stereoscopic 3D HD graphics and the Fox Sports 3D logos for their 3D coverage of the Socceroos’ final friendly match before the World Cup in South Africa.

The technology and techniques involved threw up a whole new set of challenges for zspace, as they had to be acutely aware of how the graphics were positioned in 3D space, with respect to the plane of zero-parallax also known as the convergence plane. By adjusting the convergence plane they were able to dictate what objects came towards the viewer and what objects were pushed back into their television sets and by how much. If you do not get this placement of the graphic objects just right, it becomes very uncomfortable to watch, especially if you are also trying to focus on the live game behind the graphics. zspaces challenge was then to make the graphic experience as 3D as possible, but without over stepping those boundaries.

zspace were on location Monday night at the MCG with its 3D equipment and support people working side-by-side with the Fox Sports team to make sure the night ran smoothly.

Soames Treffry, Director, Fox Sports Channels
comments: “FOX SPORTS is proud to have been the first network to bring live 3D television into Australian homes. This was a huge team effort and zpace were an integral part of that team. What they delivered in the timeframe they had to work with was fantastic – their work added that ‘wow factor’ to our coverage.”

NINE NETWORK – STATE OF ORIGIN
In the world’s first, free-to-air, landmark broadcast, zspace were very honoured to have been commissioned to create the Nine Networks hero ident in stereoscopic 3D. This ident will be the worlds first hero ident ever created for a network and will be televised during their State of Origin 3D telecast. With only 5 days to complete the hero ident in 3D HD, the dedicated team of 3D artists and compositors managed to pull off the project without a hitch. Zspace are proud to contribute to the number one Australian network identity, helping to write a new chapter in Australian television broadcasting.

Andrew Peace, Creative Director, Nine Network comments: “With Channel Nine being the first free-to-air to venture into 3D, it was a really exciting opportunity to commission the first stereoscopic 3D ident. Zspace are at the forefront of all 3D and Design and therefore the obvious choice to throw this exciting new challenge. We were the first in the country to do this, the guys at zspace as always rose to the challenge with vigour, speed and expertise, all of which we needed (as we only had 5 days to do it!). Zspace knows how to work in zspace… Haha!… They rock in 3D.”

zspace General Manager, Adam Duncombe says: “It’s an exciting time for us right now. The depth that stereoscopic 3D has, gives zspace a whole new creative canvas to play with and we plan to make the most of it. We look forward to developing new ways in which the 3D technology can be pushed even further, as zspace is always looking at ways to offer new technology to our clients.”

Catch the first free-to-air worldwide 3D State of Origin broadcast on digital channel 40 at 7.30pm on Wednesday 26th May 2010, or visit http://www.HarveyNorman.com.au for instore viewing listings.