Introduction - 3DTV: Processing and Transmission of 3D Video Signals - page 15

Development of 3D technology continued. One notable development was
the Stereospace system, which was put together by Richard Vetter for United
Artists Communications. The system provided a step forward in terms of
quality by using two 65mm reels, with the left and right views on separate
reels [18]. A magnetic strip with timing information was used to maintain
synchronization between the two projectors required for presentation. A sim-
ilar system to Stereospace was developed by Disney for inclusion in their
theme parks. Disney's system was more than a straightforward stereo 3D
projection system though. In addition to 3D, in-theatre effects were included,
such as laser shows and smoke. One of the most notable 3D Disney pro-
ductions was Captain EO , which starred Michael Jackson, and was directed
by Francis Ford Coppola. Both the Stereospace and Disney systems were
prone to jitter and vertical parallax. However, Disney's system proved to be
more successful and enduring. This was in part because Disney controlled
everything from film production to projection, ensuring that quality control
was tightly enforced.
The system that became most widespread in the 1980s was IMAX. Special
IMAX cinemas have now been set up all around the world by the IMAX
Corporation. The company control all aspects of the process, from producing
cameras to capture on to 70mm film, to the projection system in each theatre.
Early IMAX systems were installed in the 1970s, while the first 3D systems
were rolled out in 1986. The IMAX system provides high quality 2D colour
picture quality on very large, immersive screens. Filming for IMAX 3D is
carried out using special cameras, where lenses 2 1

2 inches apart are used
to capture material onto two different films. Two synchronized projectors
are used, which have polarizing filters placed over their lenses. The movie
is then viewed using glasses with polarized lenses. The only issue with
IMAX theatres is that they are not currently as widely available as traditional
cinemas. It has managed to carve out its own niche, but movies are still seen
by most people in standard format cinema facilities.

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1.1.5 TheTwenty-first-CenturyRevival

The twenty-first century has seen a significant revival in 3D technology.
Once again, the movie industry has taken the lead by reintroducing 3D
into cinemas. Although - thanks to IMAX - 3D technology has never really
gone away, the twenty-first century has seen more widespread adoption of
the technology by mainstream cinemas. New threats are being faced by the
movie industry, in the form of piracy. File sharing technologies have enabled
new movies to be shared, and freely downloaded. This can sometimes occur
before the official release date. In addition, whereas pirate copies used to be
low quality, modern pirate movies can often be obtained in HD. Therefore,
providing high quality 3D cinema releases is a way of giving consumers
something that cannot be experienced at home. It also acts as an effective