Google, Apple settle longstanding patent dispute
NEW YORK (AP) — Two of the world’s largest technology giants have reached an agreement to settle all of their lawsuits against each other regarding smartphone patents.

Apple Inc. and Google Inc. announced Friday that they are dropping nearly two dozen lawsuits in U.S. and European courts against each other. The disputes revolved around the operating systems Apple uses for its iPhone and Google’s Android software as well patent infringement accusations from Motorola Mobility, which Google acquired two years ago.

The deal has no bearing on a separate patent issue: Apple’s lawsuits against Samsung Electronics Co., also regarding smartphone technology.

Apple and Google said in a joint statement that they would work together on patent reform and that the agreement does not include the cross licensing of technology.

New TERRITORY for Quantel
NEWBURY, UK–Michigan-based creative boutique, TERRITORY, has purchased a Quantel Pablo Rio high quality color and finishing system to enhance its postproduction capabilities. TERRITORY has also invested in a Neo Nano panel to provide seamless interaction with Pablo Rio’s comprehensive color toolset.

TERRITORY offers a complete postproduction experience from creative editorial to finishing, creating motion graphics, compositing, color and audio. TERRITORY works with local and national ad agencies on TV and web spots for customers including Toyota, US Navy, Fiat and Ford.

Pablo Rio is Quantel’s high-quality color and finishing system that provides the ultimate productive workflow for 2D and S3D projects. Capable of handling 4K 60p in realtime, Pablo Rio runs on high performance PC hardware and exploits NVIDIA Maximus multi-GPU technology to deliver true interactivity and maximum productivity.

TERRITORY’s finishing editor and colorist Brent Edwards said, “The color correction capabilities paired with the finishing capabilities is what has always attracted me to the Pablo Rio. It’s a package second to none. Quantel built a robust system that we will be able to scale to our needs for many years to come. They have done due diligence at ‘future proofing’ their product.”

SMPTE and SCIEN set 2014 ETIA Conference Program
WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.–The Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE) and the Stanford Center for Image Systems Engineering (SCIEN) have released details on the second annual “Entertainment Technology in the Internet Age” (ETIA) conference, beginning June 18 at Stanford University’s Palo Alto, California, campus.

The two-day event, co-produced by SMPTE and SCIEN, will explain the complex synergies created by the industry’s volatile mix of creativity, advancing IP/IT technologies, and business drivers. ETIA also will give attendees an unparalleled opportunity to network and engage with executives from both traditional and new media industry sectors.

“As advances in media technology and greater bandwidth availability have lowered barriers to content creation and Internet-based distribution, media consumers have moved in significant numbers from pay-TV services to Web-based services, many relying solely on the Internet for entertainment content,” said Patrick Griffis, SMPTE education VP and ETIA conference co-chair. “These dramatic and ongoing trends demand that we examine both the ‘old’ and the ‘new’ in the context of the technology requirements for delivering a compelling entertainment experience over the Internet, and that’s exactly what this year’s conference will do.”

During the conference, technology and creative experts will explore the convergence of traditional and Web-based media, focusing on key attributes of each and predicting future technical trends. Through engaging panel discussions and presentations, with abundant opportunity for audience participation and networking, the ETIA conference will examine topics including content creation, distribution, and monetization, as well as the technical tools and solutions that shape the user experience.

“No other industry event allows delegates to get so close to this rich mix of technology leaders — the individuals who will shape the industry’s future,” said Joyce Farrell, executive director of SCIEN and ETIA conference co-chair. “The first ETIA conference brought nearly 300 executives, academics, and creative professionals from both Silicon Valley and the Hollywood community together for a unique and important series of conversations on Internet-delivered entertainment, and we expect this year’s event to build on that success, facilitating further discourse on critical issues in entertainment technology.”

Program highlights include a keynote presentation, titled “Evolving Web Business Models for Entertainment,” by Vubitquity CEO Darcy Antonellis, who will offer insight into the new monetization opportunities and models in the multiplatform entertainment environment. With panelists from Sinclair Broadcast Group and CEA, “Is the Big Stick TV Antenna Dead?” will consider the future (dim or rosy?) of traditional over-the-air broadcasting and the impact of evolving transmission technologies on the use of the broadcast spectrum.

ETIA attendees also will have the chance to hear the latest on net neutrality from FCC Wireline Deputy Bureau Chief Matthew DelNero. The FCC insider will offer his perspective on the new rules and on hot issues such as the possibility of paid “fast lanes” and the potential for ISP behavior that harms consumers.

Other 2014 ETIA sessions continue the blending of traditional and Web-based media perspectives, addressing topics including the suitability of Web delivery for high-quality video and audio, the impact of mobility on online media consumption, the race for over-the-top leadership, and evolving business models for Internet-based content delivery. Experts working in the field will discuss the translation of traditional content for multiplatform distribution, the challenges of presenting live sports events, the art of transmedia storytelling, the pairing of data and technology to engage consumers across devices, the preservation of artistic intent through Internet-based delivery, and disruptive innovation in filmmaking, sports, and games.

A reception within the Interactive Exploration Zone, which will feature kiosks showcasing the technologies driving the evolution of entertainment, will give attendees a firsthand look at how concepts that once seemed an impossibility — such as the Holodeck in the “Star Trek” series —are becoming a reality. In the subsequent evening session titled “The Holodeck: Entertainment for the Next Generation,” Bing Gordon will describe the power of such immersive technologies to complement and enhance entertainment experiences.

Christie returns to Toronto International Film Festival
TORONTO–Christie is once again the official projection partner to the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) in September. A Festival sponsor for 14 consecutive years, Christie has played an integral role in ushering in the digital age at this renowned showcase for local and international talents. Today, with the help of this partnership, more than 99 percent of all Festival entries are screened digitally, with an increasing number in 4K, sharpening the shared experience between filmmaker and audience.

The Toronto International Film Festival is recognized as the largest public festival in the world and one of the most prestigious venues for emerging artists. It screens close to 400 films from 60+ countries, from blockbusters to small independents and documentaries at every level, with nearly half the films making their world premiere. Last year’s People’s Choice Award winner, 12 Years a Slave, the powerful British-American historical drama from director Steve McQueen, went on to receive nine Academy Award nominations, win “Best Motion Picture of the Year,” as well as a Best Supporting Actress award for its breakout star, Lupita Nyong’o. Other past favorites that premiered at the Festival and went on to international acclaim, including winning Oscars and Golden Globe awards, were Argo, Slum Dog Millionaire, and Silver Linings Playbook.

“Christie has been a true partner in every sense of the word. Its digital cinema projectors were among the first to be used at the Festival, helping us to demonstrate the exceptional power of this technology to reignite the excitement of the collective movie-going experience,” said Diane Cappelletto, TIFF’s director of technical production services. “The future is 4K and, as Digital Projection Partner, Christie continues to raise the bar of cinema excellence, increasing its 4K presence to more accurately present the filmmakers’ visions.”

A variety of Christie technologies will be used throughout the Festival venues, including the Christie Solaria Series 4K and 2K DLP Cinema® projectors, the Christie HD10K-M projector with dual HD-SDI input module, and six Christie CineIPM 2K digital cinema image processors. Reflecting the Festival’s move to 4K-resolution screenings, Christie’s sponsorship features 4K projections at Roy Thomson Hall, Ryerson Theatre, The Elgin Theatre’s Visa Screening Room, and Princess of Wales Theatre. Christie’s 4K projection technology is also installed at TIFF Bell Lightbox.

“Digital cinema is all about creating pristine, high resolution images that help filmmakers get closer than ever before to their audiences,” said Kathryn Cress, VP, global and corporate marketing, Christie. “Christie has been a leading advocate for 4K technology, and TIFF’s impact in this arena is indisputable, with a programming team that ensures the best and largest variety of films, talent and emerging stars make their mark here.”

Christie’s visual technologies are part of many leading film festivals around the globe, including the current Cannes International Film Festival, and the Shanghai International Film Festival June 14-22.

Camera Corps Q3 and MeerCat to make APAC debut at Broadcast Asia
LONDON–Camera Corps has chosen Broadcast Asia for the APAC launch of its new Q3 advanced robotic pan/tilt/zoom/focus head and MeerCat miniature broadcast camera. Introduced as prototypes at the NAB Show in April, both are now in production and available for rental or purchase. Exhibiting on the Vitec Group stand, 5D1-07, Camera Corps will be represented by Shaun Glanville, business development director.

“Q-Ball, Q3 and MeerCat give program producers and broadcasters the freedom to set up live video cameras quickly and reliably from practically anywhere,” said Glanville. “The Q-Ball and Q3 heads can be steered in any direction to create a new viewing angle or to track the action.”

Developed in response to demand from sports, reality-television and stage-show producers, the Camera Corps MeerCat is housed in a metal case with a very small footprint, 30 x 30 mm, and is only 93 mm in height. Lens protrusion is just 25 mm. High-quality NF-mount lenses are available.

The MeerCat head can be attached to a quarter-inch mount for easy integration into narrow-profile locations. It can also be used as a wearable camera with a full high-definition live wireless link. Full control facilities including manual iris setting with adjustable electronic exposure can be performed remotely using the existing range of Camera Corps joysticks and remote panels.

MeerCat incorporates a high-quality third-inch MOS sensor with 1944 x 1092 effective pixels. This can be switched to deliver 1080p, 1080i or 720p video at 50, 59.94 or 60 hertz frame rate. Video is output as HD-SDI which can be converted to an optical feed using a Camera Corps optical fibre interface. Minimum illumination is 1.2 lux at f/1.4. Chroma, master black, saturation, gain, shutter, detail, white balance, gamma, speed and exposure, video format and noise reduction can all be adjusted from the remote control panel.

MeerCat comes complete with a standard Camera Corps power supply and interface which can be positioned up to 30 metres from the camera head. Control signals can be delivered over a standard audio line, allowing the interface to be located a practically unlimited distance from the operator. Up to six MeerCats can be controlled from a single Camera Corps remote panel.

The Camera Corps Q3 retains the compact spherical housing which made Q-Ball unobtrusive and therefore easy to place within view of other cameras. All commonly used HD formats are accommodated, interlaced and progressive, at up to 60 hertz frame rate. The format can be selected from the operator’s control panel. An enhanced pan/tilt/zoom drive gives producers the freedom to match the precise acceleration and deceleration of much larger robotic heads when tracking moving performers on-air. Initial interest and sales have surpassed all expectations.

The Q3 can perform an unlimited number of 360 degree lateral rotations, 3 gigabits per second video being transferred over high-quality slip rings to ensure complete freedom from cable-snagging. Pan and tilt speed are adjustable from an ultra-slow 360 degrees in 90 minutes to 90 degrees per second. Motion control sequences of up to 25 seconds duration can be stored to internal non-volatile memory.

Minimum illumination requirement for the Q3 is 0.5 lux (color mode) or 0.02 lux (monochrome). Camera alignment features include gamma correction, white balance, 16-step edge enhancement and a 2 second to 1/10,000 second shutter. A genlock input with user-adjustable sync timing offset is provided. The camera can be locked to external C sync or tri-level HD sync. An optional optical-interface provides data control, genlock and 3 gigabits per second video over a pair of single-mode fibers.

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