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FIRST, feature films; now, broadcasting – there’s no stopping the stereoscopic 3D wave sweeping across the globe. And Singapore is in the thick of the action, if the buzz created by its media companies showcasing their 3D capabilities at the recent BroadcastAsia is anything to go by.
Hosted by the Media Development Authority of Singapore (MDA), this year’s BroadcastAsia saw the participation of 620 exhibitors from 41 countries taking up 16 percent more exhibition space than in the previous year.
Fifty-five Singapore companies featured their leading-edge products and services under the MDA-led, 2,000-square metre Singapore Pavilion themed Future of Media. Among these, 11 companies, as compared to only two last year, stirred up much anticipation and excitement with their 3D solutions.
BroadcastAsia, held 15–18 June at the Singapore Expo this year, is one of the region’s key events for buyers and sellers of digital multimedia and entertainment technologies. Industry professionals also have opportunities to network and make deals at the event. Check out this year’s spotlight on next-generation media technologies. |
Singapore’s 3D Capabilities
Telecommunications companies SingTel and StarHub, for instance, showed how 3D content would be delivered on their respective platforms. Post-production specialist Blackmagic Design presented its various 3D solutions, including the DaVinci Resolve system for colour-grading such feature films as Avatar.
One highlight of BroadcastAsia 2010 was the “live” 3D showcase, a combined effort by several Singapore companies, and the first of its kind in Southeast Asia demonstrating the simultaneous 3D production chain. High-definition (HD) footage of Muay Thai exponents in action was recorded, converted to 3D format and then transmitted for screening. The audience on the show floor, donning 3D glasses, eagerly lapped up the real-time footage.
Riding the Digital Wave
Besides 3D technology and solutions, another major focus at BroadcastAsia 2010 was digital media. Seven MDA-supported companies showcased consumer-oriented projects that could be deployed across various platforms such as TV, IPTV, mobile and the internet.
TangoFX™ from ABOVE Technologies, for example, is a unique social TV platform for PC, IPTV and mobile devices. While watching content, users are able to share views and interact with family and friends through the use of on-screen widgets on demand.
The company scored a coup recently, with Microsoft selecting TangoFX™ as one of the first few third-party applications for its Windows Phone 7 operating system, for its to-be-released handheld device, in the Asia Pacific.
SyQic, another exhibitor at the Singapore Pavilion, highlighted its YOONIC broadband TV/content platform, which delivers entertainment coupled with information and services using proprietary technology that enables seamless delivery over infrastructure that is not optimally made for rich media content. YOONIC has made debuts around the region through partnerships with telcos.
In the area of digitisation, Singapore unveiled its capabilities through Alternative Content Distribution Network (ACDN). The company brought a full suite of hardware, software and technologies to the Singapore Pavilion, to demonstrate the entire workflow for content digitisation and repurposing. Visitors enjoyed the rare experience of having their own content digitised and uploaded onto a web portal for viewing.
Meanwhile, Singapore’s national broadcaster MediaCorp gave a sneak preview of its HD Outdoor Broadcast van, which will provide timely “live” solutions for upcoming major events like the Singapore Youth Olympic Games and National Day Parade.
At the digital signage showcase, the focus was on the latest digital signage technologies and applications. This generated much interest among the visitors as broadcasters and production companies continued to seek signage solutions to meet rising demand across Asia.
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