TriDVD-Preview

Stereo3D - DVD/MPEG-2 video technology for the PC by Neotek and 3DTV Corp.

Jane Russel in 3D-action
and for the first time flicker-free!

Related Links:

Michal Husak's 3D-MPEG-1/2  page - free software!
 

Page initially released on January 24, 1998
Last update on:

There are lots of 3D-videos for shutterglasses in VHS format on the market. They make up for a cool gag, but nothing more. The constraints of the NTSC and PAL TV formats and the VHS system are just too severe. Television only works at 50 or 60 Hz frequency giving shutterglasses applications a really nasty flicker. VHS video is known for it's low resolution. Combining the graphics power of the PC and the image quality of MPEG-2/DVD is a natural choice. Problem is that the common interleaved line stereo format often used in Stereo3D applications on the PC is not a good basis for MPEG-2 or whatever compression. Using the above-below 3D-image format known from professional applications and H3D/Wicked3D-games solves this problem. The MPEG-2 algorythm has no problems with this and combined with a sync-doubler controller very high refresh rates are easy to achieve.

Neotek Model SSN  sync-doubling shutterglasses controller
was designed primarily for 3D-DVD video.
It's triggered by a proprietary code on the parallel port.

The Neotek Model SS  sync-doubling shutterglasses controller
is also supposed to work for 3D-DVD.
It uses it's own proprietary line-code-pattern.

The TriDVD preview sample CD dated 8/98 contains:

1.) TriDVD stereoscopic DVD player software
2.) three Adobe Premiere plugins for creating Neotek format stereoscopic
   video from field sequential or separate left & right sources
3.) a demo version of DVMPEG, a software MPEG2 encoder
4.) sample Neotek format stereoscopic video files
 

ad 1) TriDVD stereoscopic DVD player software
The 'readme' says:
The TriDVD playback software is designed for use with MPEG2 playback
cards such as Creative PCDVD Encore and Sigma Designs ReelMagic.  The
software uses the Microsoft Video for Windows interface to play video
files from DVD, hard disk or even a fast (16x or better) CD drive.
It also controls the Neotek LCD shutter glasses interface to switch
automatically into sterescopic mode.

Well, well, now who has a DVD-decoder card? Virtually nobody and nobody will want one, because in the near future everyone will use MPEG-2-software playback Same story as with MPEG-1. On my el cheapo overclocked Celeron 450A it already runs smooth.

ad 2): three Adobe Premiere plugins for creating Neotek format stereoscopic
From the manual:

 These three plugins were written for creating Neotek format stereoscopic
   video using Adobe Premiere for Windows, version 4.2 or above.  They
   should run on all 32 bit Windows platforms.  To install them, simply
   copy them to your Adobe Premiere plugins folder.

Fx-TriD.prm:
   This is a "transition" which combines separate left and right (A and B)
   clips into a single Neotek format stereoscopic clip.  Choose "TriDVD"
   from the transitions menu in Premiere.

Fl-TriD.prm:
   This is a "filter" which converts field sequential stereoscopic clips
   into Neotek stereoscopic format.  Choose "TriDVD" from the filters menu.

Fl-TriD2.prm:
   This filter is like Fl-TriD above, but with an extended setup dialog
   to allow parallax correction on a scene-by-scene basis.  The preview
   window is designed for viewing with 3DTV SpaceSpex anaglyphic glasses,
   but parralax can be adjusted without glasses.  Choose "TriDVD 2" from
   the filters menu in Premiere.  As of August 1998 this filter is still
   under development and has not been tested extensively.

ad 3): a demo version of DVMPEG, a software MPEG2 encoder
From the manual:

DVMPEG, from Darim Vision, is available from http://www.darvision.com or
http://darvision.kaist.ac.kr.  It is a Video for Windows codec which allows
programs such as Adobe Premiere to save video files in DVD standard MPEG2
format.  We have included version 4.32 on this CD, but check their web site
for frequent updates.  To install this codec, just double-click on
dvmpeg4d.exe on this CD and follow the instructions.
 

ad 4) sample Neotek format stereoscopic video files:

The Neotek stereo video files seem to be nothing else than plain MPEG-2 files which show an above-below image.

NuView and TriDVD could make a dream-team!

This doesn't make analogue video equipment, like the NuView obsolete. It makes sense for the first time! It's required to shoot 3D-videos. Later the videos should be transferred from Hi8, miniDV or whatever to the PC, converted to above-below format and stored as MPEG-1 or MPEG-2.

Some stills from the TriDVD Stereo3D MPEG-2  samples.
Click to enlarge!

Use some sync-doubler shutterglasses to watch in 3D!

Special thanks to 3DTV Corp.

Brand and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.
The author can not guarantee the accuracy of the information given on this page.
Christoph Bungert, Germany .