2D+Z

 

3D is becoming more and more popular and 3D enabled products are introduced every day. The variety in applications, display technologies (whether glassesbased stereo displays or glasses-free multi-view displays) and viewing conditions (display size, viewing distance etc.) calls for a 3D representation format which is flexible and in which depth can be adjusted to match the specific case.

 

ADVANTAGES OF USING 2D+Z

  • Content creation made easy
  • Smaller files, fits in existing distribution and storage infrastructures.
  • Limited additional band-width compared to 2D (<10%)
  • Standard PC can be applied
  • Decoupling of content creation and visualization
  • Rendering algorithm is optimized for display type
  • Create content only once for different displays
  • No picture quality erosion due to compression for distribution
  • Performance of real time applications are comparable to 2D.
  • 3D format standardized in MPEG, supported by major CE companies

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    WHAT IS 2D+Z
    There are several ways in which 3D content can be stored and transmitted. The 2D-plus-Depth (2D+Z) format stores a greyscale representation of an image side-by-side with the ‘real’ image. With the reyscale representation – the so-called depth map – a depth value is assigned to every pixel of the 2D content. These depth values – in shades of grey – are used to render a 3D representation on the 3D display. In the actual 3D experience, the lighter an area is in the depth map, the nearer it seems to the viewer.

     

    A great advantage of this format is that it is compatible with the Dimenco rendering core which can be applied to various display devices, regardless of the technology used.

     

    To decouple content creation from content visualization, a 3D file format is required that can easily be implemented into existing 2D creation and distribution infrastructures. For this the 2D-plus-Depth format is developed. The 2D-plus-Depth format comprises additional depth information with every 2D image. The depth information indicates the position of each 2D image pixel on the Z (depth) axis in or out of the screen plane. In order to generate a 3D image, the display requires a regular 2D representation of the image and a depth-map. This depth-map indicates the distance between each pixel and the viewer.

     

    Original plus Depthmap

    The 2D image and the depthmap are used to create images on the screen, and these images are then merged by the viewer’s brain into a 3D sensation.

     

    The 2D-plus-Depth format offers flexibility and compatibility with existing production equipment and compression tools. It ensures 3D application performance within existing distribution mechanisms and standards, with a required bandwidth close to 2D.

     

    Moreover, it allows applications to use different 3D display screen sizes and designs in the same system, in combination with the Dimenco Core allowing the 3D display to render in a way optimized for its optical components.

     

    The Dimenco Rendering Core enables the user full control over 3D visualization parameters such as the amount and offset of the depth on the display. Read more about Dimenco’s Rendering Core…

     

    This can be controlled on-the-fly. Supported by various companies across the display industry, Dimenco is supportive in MPEG standardization of 3D video based on the 2D-plus-Depth format. Next to MPEG, Dimenco is active in several other standardization committees to promote their depth based format as scalable 3D content format.

     

    For more information please download our 3D Content Creation Guidelines and/or our 3D Interface Specification or feel free to contact us at info@dimenco.eu.

     

    SAMPLE FILES 2D+Z

    Download Big Buck Bunny conversion sample