2D-to-3D conversion software success for ETRI and NHNZ

Global production house NHNZ is now offering highly cost-effective 3D content after completing a 3-year-long collaboration with Korean tech giant ETRI to create new 2D-to-3D conversion software.

ETRI’s conversion software, called SIGN (Stereo Image Generation Nodal Pipeline), offers a faster and easier way to convert 2D footage to 3D, reducing the costs to a quarter of conventional techniques.

NHNZ has supported the development of ETRI’s SIGN since its early stages, providing information about broadcast quality needs and technology, and contributing its blue chip series Life Force as a test case for the project.

The end of the project’s development marks the hand-over of the technology to NHNZ for commercial use with Life Force: New Zealand, the first of NHNZ’s new 3D content available for licensing.

NHNZ’s Technical & I.T. Systems Manager Wayne Poll says, “While demand for 3D content for broadcast television has dropped off, there is still a strong market for 3D content in the theatrical and exhibition market sectors, and one of the strengths of the ETRI software is the ease with which conversions can be tailored to suit different display sizes. The resulting 3D content can be optimised for nearly any screen size, from small TV screens to large theatre projection systems.”

John Crawford, Head of NHNZ Business Affairs, is happy to see the results of the new conversion software, “Life Force has been a great case study. The diversity of HD imagery – from super slomo to macro imagery – means that we have really put the technology through its paces.”

“As a company we are always looking towards technological advances that enable us to do things better. While the 3D market is not what it was when we started the project, there is still a vibrant and growing theatrical and exhibition market. With the reduced cost of the SIGN software it really will be worth the effort.”