Developing a Fulldome Standard:A Historical Perspective for Success

Jim Costigan & Blair Parkin

Visual Acuity, Ltd.

Standards that have stood the test of time

Heliopolis Obelisk, Cairo, Egypt http://www.istcomprsarto.it/ipertesti/astronomia/merkhet.htm

CAVE Displays

Spatial Standards

A way to define the space in such a way that software could be added as a plug and play.

This is a function of the software and providing a common definition of the physical space.

Problems of Definition

Create a physical space and map a virtual space to it

-where is 0,0,0?

-what is the unit of measure

CAVE Displays

ImmersaDesk™

Avatars & Networking

Reality Centre

Dome

Test Patterns

Centered on a physical location

-CAVE test patterns moved from center of the cave to center of the floor

Multiple test patterns to perform multiple functions

→ Alignment (CRT only?)

→ Scaled registration

→ Sub system test patterns (audience response, navigation, tracking)

→ Residual Error (specific for a projector / bend system)

→ Black Balance / Color balance

→ Users guide with test patterns so that non-engineers can correctly define issues

Test Patterns

The IMAX Example

IMAX Corporation

(90)

(80)

(70)

(60)

(50)

(40)

(30)

(20)

(10)

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Mar

'04

Dec

'03

Sep

'03

Jun

'03

Mar

'03

Dec

'02

Sep

'02

Jun

'02

Mar

'02

Dec

'01

Sep

'01

Jun

'01

Mar

'01

Dec

'00

Sep

'00

Qtr ending

($m

's)

200

205

210

215

220

225

230

235

240

245

Source: SEC filings for IMAX Corporation (NASDAQ: IMAX)

Th

eatr

es (

Inst

alle

d B

ase)

Revenue

Profit before tax

No. of theatres

DVD Format

Movie Retail Revenues, US Mkt

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

2000 2001 2002 2003 (est.)

Year end 31 Dec

% of movie retail revenues

DVD

VHS

Source: The VHS Statistical Report, 14th Ed.

HDTV Television Standards

Advanced Television Systems Committee

Joint Committee on InterSociety Coordination (JCIC)

Electronic Industries Association (EIA

Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE)

National Association of Broadcasters (NAB)

National Cable Television Association (NCTA)

Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE)

Currently 140 voting member organizations

Interactive Television

Cable Operators …………………………………………...OCAP

Broadcasters ……………………………………………….DASE

Others…………………………………………………….....MHP

Others……………………………………………………….GEM

ACAP……………………………………Advanced Common Application Platform

Courtesy of the Association of Radio Industries and Businesses (ARIB), Japan

Estimated Television Ownership in the US for 2000

100,800,000

98% of all households

Standards

It is very easy to have a technical success and a market failure.

If the standard is not supported it doesn’t matter.

The users speak…..

“Vendors who want to play seriously stand behind their products to help customise the solution and provide good customer service for a lasting relationship. Our project needs stable partners with upgradeable technology.”

“Symbiosis is not working well, but there is no reason for this other than the lack of industry standards. The viewing public would be best served, and so would industry, if greater efforts were made to respond to our needs.”

“The one area of this institution that does not need biodiversity is the technology”

“Exchange of knowledge, means exchange of content.”

Format

Format noun the way in which something is arranged or set out:

The medium in which a sound recording is made available:

Computing a defined structure for the processing, storage, or display of data: a data file in binary format.

Framework

Framework noun an essential supporting structure of a building, vehicle, or object: a conservatory I a delicate framework of iron

A basic structure underlying a system concept, or text

Guideline

Guideline noun a general rule, principle, or piece of advice.

ISO

ISO International Organisation for Standardization.

- ORIGIN from Greek isos ‘equal’; the term is often erroneously thought to be an abbreviation.

Standard

Standard noun 1 a level of quality or attainment:

A required or agreed level of quality or attainment:

2 an idea or thing used as a measure, norm or model in comparative evaluations:

adjective 1 used or accepted as normal or average:

(of a size, measure, design, etc ) such as is regularly used or produced:

Care required – do we mean noun or adjective!

Assumptions

•Standards are critical•Methodology is a means to an end•Standards can shape the market place•Good Standards do not inhibit innovation•There are competitive issues involved in standards•Standards reflect the culture

What is needed

•Standards•Formats•Guidelines•Recommended Practices•Common Nomenclature

A suggestion ….

Standard Format Guideline Framework

Theater design

Display Resolution / FOV

Content exchange

Audio

Render / Frame Resolution