Panasonic just opened its Panasonic 3D Innovation Center-Hollywood, an addition and “West Coast base” of the existing center at its regional North American headquarters in Secaucus, NJ, which opened in September. Panasonic already has an R&D presence with its Panasonic Hollywood Laboratory, located in Universal City. The new 3D Center is aimed at “deepening the company’s ties with the movie studios, broadcasting, and entertainment industries, encourage the creation of a wide range of high-quality 3D content and new 3D applications, and further improve 3D production technology. ”

The Center is expected to provide a venue for demonstrating 3D display and 3D gear for consumers and industry professionals as well as a site for 3D promotional events. Panasonic also states it will use the site to hold 3D educational seminars.


Photo by Debra Kaufman

At CES 2011, Panasonic and Verizon teamed up to demonstrate streaming 3D at full HD definition via Verizon’s FIOS TV system. The companies collaborated “to co-develop the required network, software and user-interface enhancements” to make the streaming demonstration possible. The 3D content was played from a Panasonic Blu-ray 3D player and the 1080p resolution was maintained in the transmission process.

Elsewhere in 3D, Panasonic received two International CES Innovations 2011 Design and Engineering Awards in the video components and video display categories. Panasonic’s DMP-BDT210 full-HD 3D Blu-ray Disc player features 2D-to-3D conversion, 3D Enhancer and Depth Controller, lower power consumption and improved sound quality, and video/voice conferencing. The DLNA-certified player also allows users to play content on the Blu-ray Disc player from any other DLNA-compatible device; an iTunes app lets users control the content via iPad, iPhone or iPod touch.

Panasonic has also created a portable High Definition Visual Communications System (Mobile HDVC) that takes advantage of the Verizon Wireless 4G LTE Mobile Broadband network. Each site consists of a Panasonic display, Panasonic VCD500 HDVC CODEC, Panasonic HD microphone, Panasonic pan/tilt/zoom camera and optional secondary camera, all connected via the 4G LTE network.