Exclusive

Sony Electronics didn’t debut any new TVs at the 2023 CES Show in Las Vegas, but did have plenty of other offerings to share, including a new proof of concept with the English Premier League football club Manchester City, one that takes fans to the metaverse.

The virtual fan engagement experience aims for the realization of the next generation of online fan communities and engagement through the combination of physical and virtual, to excite and engage with both new and existing sports fans, Sony said. In the Sony booth, visitors can experience metaverse content as if they were in the Etihad Stadium, Manchester City’s home, reproduced in virtual space.

Fans can express their feelings and passion for the team by creating their own customizable avatars on their smartphones and, in the future, connect with millions of fans across the globe, in addition to accessing various services to increase engagement.

Additionally, booth visitors saw an offering that provides new sports fan experiences created using live sports data. This exhibit introduces initiatives related to new data-driven sports fan experiences, taking visitors through the journey of sports data from data capture on the field, creating virtual content in real-time, and offering it on various platforms to fans.

Also from Sony:

Portable Volumetric Capture. This exhibit showcases a prototype of a new system that can capture and distribute animated 3D reconstructions of people, objects, and spaces with low latency in any location. The system only requires seven sensors, which allows it to be set up anywhere quickly, meeting the demand for live 3D video distribution. The booth lets visitors enjoy experiencing a 360-degree view of Manchester City players and the audience shown in a 3D metaverse space, through tablets and Sony’s Spatial Reality Displays.

Spatial Reality Display: New Prototype with a Large 27-inch Screen. Sony is unveiling a 27-inch prototype of the Spatial Reality Display (SR Display) which reproduces the real world with 3D spatial images.

The larger screen format enables the display of life-sized objects so that medical images and product designs can be reproduced more realistically. At the booth, the SR Display will be used to show 3D computer graphics content with applications in various fields, such as point cloud data used in VR (virtual reality) and AR (augmented reality), as well as architecture and computer-aided design (CAD), in a virtual space. In addition, multi-view video created by Hawk-Eye’s live sports data and virtual characters can now be reproduced on the SR Display as a new style of entertainment.

Previsualization Powered by “mocopi.” Previsualization technology will be demonstrated using Sony’s mobile motion capture system “mocopi,” which allows creators to check their camerawork and character positions with VFX editing at the pre-production stage. A CG model is shown on the viewing monitor, which is synchronized in real-time with the movement of a performing model who is wearing the “mocopi” device. This technology contributes to streamlined production workflow, allowing creators to simulate production at an early stage, improving the quality of their work.

PlayStation VR2 and PlayStation 5. Sony will exhibit PlayStation VR2 (PS VR2), the next generation virtual reality headset for PlayStation 5 (PS5) that brings an immersive gaming experience like never before.

PS VR2 has some key features that are realized through PS VR2 Sense Technology, such as headset feedback, eye tracking, 3D Audio and adaptive triggers, as well as haptic feedback from PS VR2 Sense Controller. Select PS VR2 and PS5 games are available to try, along with PS5 accessories that will be showcased at the booth.

Also at CES:

Technicolor

Hisense, Sinclair Broadcast Group and Advanced HDR By Technicolor announced a demo during CES 2023 showcasing high dynamic range (HDR) programming.

Sinclair Broadcast Group will deliver high dynamic range content broadcast over the air to Hisense TVs that have integrated Advanced HDR by Technicolor solutions on display at the Hisense booth located at Tech East, LVCC, Central Hall – 16659.

Today, 36 NextGen Broadcast (ATSC 3.0) stations owned by Sinclair transmit over-the-air content in HDR 24 hours a day, seven days a week, using Advanced HDR by Technicolor solutions.

“The integration of Advanced HDR by Technicolor into Hisense TVs — a brand that is rapidly growing in the United States — means more viewers will be able to enjoy vibrant HDR content offered by leading broadcasters, such as Sinclair,” said Tony Bozzini, head of business development for Advanced HDR by Technicolor at Philips.

The single-stream solution from Advanced HDR by Technicolor uses metadata to upconvert legacy standard dynamic range (SDR) content to HDR on devices like the U7K and U8K models of Hisense TVs, which can decode the metadata and display the enhanced signal, greatly increasing the viewing experience compared to SDR. Meanwhile, households that still need to purchase TVs capable of displaying content in Advanced HDR by Technicolor can continue to receive the highest quality SDR signal.

“Hisense is committed to providing the best possible picture quality to consumers. With leading broadcasters, like Sinclair, offering a growing array of HDR content, especially live sports, Hisense ensures those in service areas of Sinclair’s increasing number of deployed NextGen Broadcast stations can access and enjoy the full visual benefits offered by the latest technological innovations,” said David Gold, president of Hisense USA.

Live sports remain a key differentiator for major broadcasters. Including Advanced HDR by Technicolor in the ATSC 3.0 standard ensures broadcasters remain the top choice for viewing live sporting events.

“For broadcasters who put the customer experience at the top of the list, delivering the best visual image is essential. This is especially true when it comes to broadcasting live sporting events. That is why Sinclair Broadcast Group is ensuring that stations implementing ATSC 3.0 do so with Advanced HDR by Technicolor,” said Mark Aitken, SVP of technology for Sinclair Broadcast Group and president of ONE Media 3.0.

Adobe

Before it opened its booth at CES, Adobe came into the show with a new “Future of Creativity” study, showing how the holidays have become creators’ most lucrative time of year.

The study, focusing on the holiday season’s monetization opportunities for non-professional creators, provides an in-depth look at how non-professional creators are evolving their content strategies to drive growth during this holiday season, boosting their income by partnering with brands, working with other creators, and increasing their creative output.

“Creators are at the forefront of driving trends during the holidays, creating new opportunities to engage with and grow their audiences,” said Ashley Still, SVP of digital media marketing, strategy, and global partnerships at Adobe. “We are committed to fueling opportunities for creators to bring their stories to life and express themselves. Adobe Express is a powerful and easy-to-use creative platform that makes it simple and fun for everyone to express their holiday spirit with seasonal templates – and much more.”

During the 2022 holiday season, creators were creating more, engaging more frequently with audiences and brands, and monetizing more content. Some of the study’s top findings include:

• Nearly three-quarters of monetizers (73 percent) indicated that the holidays are their most lucrative time of the year.
• On average, monetizers report that holiday revenue represents just over one-third (34 percent) of their annual creative income.
• Among creators who have been monetizing their work for a year or more, 51 percent anticipate significant growth in 2022 income over 2021, while 26 percent say they will earn at least 50 percent more year-over-year. 
• Over 8 in 10 (86 percent) monetizers will earn income this holiday season through selling directly to consumers, and almost two-thirds (63 percent) will earn income via promotional revenue.
• Despite uncertainty regarding social media platforms and the economic environment, 88 percent of creators expect to grow their audience this season, and nearly half (49 percent) named building brand awareness as a goal.
• Nearly half (47 percent) of creators, who have monetized for a year or more, expect to post content at least once a day, and 59 percent say they have increased their posting frequency since last year.

Dolby

Dolby announced a new partnership for its Dolby Atmos surround sound technology, with JBL’s new lineup of soundbars all including the offering.

Immerse in sound with JBL’s newest feature-packed soundbar series including the JBL Bar 1300X, JBL Bar 1000, JBL Bar 700, JBL Bar 500 and JBL Bar 300. The new JBL Bar Series elevates the audio experience of a movie theatre and delivers it to the living room with Dolby Atmos. The line-up offers a variety of options for entertainment enthusiasts to choose from including the number of up-drivers, DTS:X 3D surround sound, detachable wireless surround speakers and subwoofers.

A true home cinema experience without wires, the 15-surround channel JBL Bar 1300X uses six up-firing drivers and HARMAN’s unique MultiBeam technology to create an immersive audio experience.

A true home cinema experience without wires, the 15-surround channel JBL Bar 1300X uses six up-firing drivers and HARMAN’s unique MultiBeam technology to create an immersive audio experience leveraging its sphere of Dolby Atmos and DTS:X 3D surround sound. With its detachable wireless surround speakers and 12-inch’ wireless subwoofer, film buffs will experience next level audio whether watching movies, playing games or listening to music like never before. Just place the two detachable battery-powered surround speakers anywhere in the room and get swept away with crystal clear audio, free from wires or extra power connections.

“The new JBL Bar series takes in-home theatre sound to the next level and the JBL Bar 1300X truly stands out,” said Dave Rogers, president of HARMAN Lifestyle Division. “We’ve packed this assortment with a record number of features, drivers and jaw-dropping acoustic performance into one versatile, easy-to-use soundbar.”