Demand for a freeware 2D->3D image conversion program?

[cybereality]

Please vote in the poll. Basically I am wondering if there is any community demand for a freeware 2D->3D image conversion program. I tried to search for a program like this, but my search turned up empty. There were a few free programs like this but they proved unusable (basically broken or too weird to get to work). The ones out there that were decent were commercial software and really expensive at that (over $100). No way I'm paying that much just for an image conversion program. Maybe like $30 would be ok, anything over $100 I'm not going to bother with.

At that point I thought maybe I could write a good image converter and release it as freeware. It would work like photoshop a bit, but you could only paint on a "depth map" (a greyscale mask layer that would determine the depth of the image). Then you could adjust some conversion parameters and have the program output in a variety of formats (JPS, side-by-side, anaglyph, etc.). I already started coding it (a bit) but I realized this is going to be a pretty big undertaking. I'm just trying to figure out if this is something the community wants and would appreciate and if its worth my time (although if no one cares I might still do it for fun). Let me know by voting and leave a reply explaining why. Thanks.

[BlackShark]

How about option # 3 :
I don't use a 2d to 3d conversion software, I don't need one and I don't want one ?

[UndeadD3vi1]

I also don't have any need for a 2D > 3D Photo Converter. However is there any way you'd consider using the same approach with videos? (You'd need to detect camera angel changes, scene changes, etc)
Basically a program that is good enough so we only need to do a depth-map every time the camera changes.
If done right we'd have a tool that with only a couple days of work would produce decent S3D videos from 2D videos. Is this possible?

[cybereality]

I also don't have any need for a 2D > 3D Photo Converter. However is there any way you'd consider using the same approach with videos? (You'd need to detect camera angel changes, scene changes, etc)
Basically a program that is good enough so we only need to do a depth-map every time the camera changes.
If done right we'd have a tool that with only a couple days of work would produce decent S3D videos from 2D videos. Is this possible?

Well my original idea was to do a video conversion application, but I wanted to start with something simple and move on from there. The image application would lay the groundwork for a future video converter. My vision was that 3D depth files could be linked to commercial DVD/BluRay releases. That way people could share only the depth files (basically grayscale videos with the depth information) and you could just go out and buy a BluRay and play it in 3D with the special converter application. This would avoid any copyright issues, and of course you could convert your personal video files as well.

However, video conversion is very difficult. I looked into automatic conversion but its nearly impossible to do in real-time. You could probably get some 3D effects, but the quality would be sub-par. So manual conversion is the only way to go. Except manually painting depth maps for a full-length movie would be insane. We are talking about a 90 minute movie at 24 frames per second. That's 129,600 frames right there! So this is not a simply task. I guess some scenes have limited motion, so you could reuse keyframes, but even so, its a serious effort. I guess for short test clips it would be possible to do this, but for anything longer it would be a whole lot of work. Maybe there is some way to mix auto-conversion with manual tweaking that could give decent results, but I would have to look into this more. Right now I'm just trying to gauge what market there is (if any) for 2D->3D conversion.

[martinlandau]

Cyber, this is a great idea. I would like to see old movies like blade runner or tron in s3d, and using the s3d community to crowdsource the work can provide a huge s3d library fairly quickly. Wouldn't have to be real time. I can put the dell workstation on montgomery scott overdrive and let it work crunching on it for a few days to get my present. Have you posted the idea on any film maker boards? With lucas saying he is going to s3d his star wars, wouldn't you be taking candy out of his mouth though?

[cybereality]

With lucas saying he is going to s3d his star wars, wouldn't you be taking candy out of his mouth though?

Well we could convert a lot more than just Star Wars. Potentially any movie could get the treatment. I would be interested to know the work-flow as to how they are converting the movie. Obviously some of the effects were 3D rendered in the digital remasters so thats a piece of cake, but for the original set-pieces and actors thats a hard one. Surely they developed their own proprietary software, I would like to try that out.

[cybereality]

Even though there doesn't seem to be much interest, I'm still pushing forward with the image conversion application. I've done some coding but I am still developing the framework so theres nothing functional yet. I did however, map out all the features and design the actual look and feel of the program. Below is a mockup render I did in photoshop just so I could get a solid vision of how the program would function. Don't know if anyone cares, but this is how the app is going to look:

3D-Image-Pro-mockup.jpg

[Babazoz]

I like it. Very simple interface.

[UndeadD3vi1]

C#? Sorry i'm curious what lanaguages you know cyber.

Also I've taken two pictures of a object at seperate angles, what options do I have to join them together for a Stereoscopic Picture?

[cybereality]

C#? Sorry i'm curious what lanaguages you know cyber.

Also I've taken two pictures of a object at seperate angles, what options do I have to join them together for a Stereoscopic Picture?

Well I know a bunch of different programming languages but I am using C++ for this application. I tried C# out and its ok for some purposes, but I'd rather just use straight-up C++ and have the extra flexibility.

Well I started developing this as just a 2D->3D conversion application, but there are so many overlaps with a standard 3D image editing program it makes sense to just make it the full package. So I hope to support importing of stereo image pairs (left and right views) or other stereo formats like JPS or MPO and then have the ability to output to other formats (anaglyph, jps, etc.). I also plan to have support for modern stereoscopic solutions like interlaced, iz3d, nvidia 3d vision, etc. So you will be able to preview the results in real-time. Keep in mind I just started working on this so it may be several months or longer before I even have a beta version available. So far I am able to load up images into the program in a variety of formats (JPG, PNG, BMP, GIF, etc.) and do some basic color manipulations (like for outputing anaglyph) and I also have most of the menu and interface in there (but non-functional). So I have a lot of work ahead of me, but I am trucking along.

[Jadentheman]

Cyber how is that program coming along?

[cybereality]

Cyber how is that program coming along?

It was going alright but then I got distracted with the Fujifilm MPO stuff. Right now I am almost finished getting an MPO->JPS converter working. Plus since I got my stereo camera rig I've spent my weekends recording and editing 3D footage and not programming. And I think I am going to revive my DIY auto-stereo project (lol!). So I've got a lot going on, but I still plan on working on this conversion program.

[ftarnogol]

Cyber, did you ever get to finish this project?

[cybereality]

No, I never finished it. Got distracted with other projects, and I'm not sure I will revisit this.

Basically I saw a bunch of 3D converted movies in the theater, some ones that they had dozens of artist convert them (costing millions of dollars) and the quality was still poor. So I guess I kind of gave up on the idea of 3D conversions ever looking anywhere near as good as true native productions.

[Dilip]

Please vote in the poll. Basically I am wondering if there is any community demand for a freeware 2D->3D image conversion program. I tried to search for a program like this, but my search turned up empty. There were a few free programs like this but they proved unusable (basically broken or too weird to get to work). The ones out there that were decent were commercial software and really expensive at that (over $100). No way I'm paying that much just for an image conversion program. Maybe like $30 would be ok, anything over $100 I'm not going to bother with.

At that point I thought maybe I could write a good image converter and release it as freeware. It would work like photoshop a bit, but you could only paint on a "depth map" (a greyscale mask layer that would determine the depth of the image). Then you could adjust some conversion parameters and have the program output in a variety of formats (JPS, side-by-side, anaglyph, etc.). I already started coding it (a bit) but I realized this is going to be a pretty big undertaking. I'm just trying to figure out if this is something the community wants and would appreciate and if its worth my time (although if no one cares I might still do it for fun). Let me know by voting and leave a reply explaining why. Thanks.

Writing Photoshop like program to create a 2D->3D converter is a good idea but its true coding labour and if you are going freeware i would insist you to keep something like "Powered by Cybereality" small icon that get itself stamped at upper right or lower right corner of output image. after all there is no meaning to work without credit.

that said yes such program is super needed. I have many wallpapers on my PC I would love to see in 3D.Many times i think how nice it would be if this wallpaper had been a 3D wallpaper. There is no known site for SBS 3D nature and wildlife full HD wallpapers in my knowledge if they’re please suggest. besides I have passive LG monitor so i can apply 3D wallpapers as desktop background all the times without worry.

Are going to put 'depth map' building totally manual? i think it would be tough to write depth map for single tree in centre with many leafs and branches in open savannah ground with mountains in far background and sky with birds returning to their nest in V flaying pattern. ( I love to see such scene a lot!)

So will it be assisted 'depth map' building or total manual? though nice that you have not gone for automated as results are next to fake most of the times if not always as machine cannot determine proper depth all the time. My DDD Stereo player offers it by playing wallpapers in player then start virtual 3D mode then take screenshot to have it as wallpaper. Results are less than satisfactory most of the time. If you say I will post one example here!

I dream intelligent assisted depth map building with predefine parameters for some obvious shapes like square sphere cone cylinder + more refined ones like defined depth map for branch with leafs or grass, i know its greedy boy demanding but make as good as you can, best of luck!!

[Dilip]

Basically I saw a bunch of 3D converted movies in the theater, some ones that they had dozens of artist convert them (costing millions of dollars) and the quality was still poor. So I guess I kind of gave up on the idea of 3D conversions ever looking anywhere near as good as true native productions.

Simple reason they are trying to put in scene some thing which does not exist. why SBS movies play great when played in interlace or fieldsequntial mode is they have view information (Pixels) for both eyes.

Movies shot in 2D have only one eye view and what artist does to convert in to 3d is they add depth by embossing the scene such method can add depth but not enough to substitute other eye view. The more you try to increase the depth the more other eye view pixels will be missed out. May be this could be primary reason why almost all converted 3D movies are relatively flat.

Conversion can not replace original 3D due to method of human vision and rules of geomatry. you can fool the brain if its single picture shown for brief period.whole movie needs lots of convincing specialy for 3d critic brain like yours....