It’s a certain irony that, when headlines emerged last week that Apple is significantly reducing its Vision Pro shipments in light of disappointing sales, I finally got the chance to try one out.
I can confirm that it is an outstanding piece of kit and it is a shame that the price means it is not a realistic purchase for the vast majority of people. So far, there is no news. However, if you are a true film fan and have ruled it out, then you should reconsider (as it is worth considering picking one up).
Unlike my first experiences with the iPhone, it took me a little while to figure out how to use it (no, of course, I didn’t read any instructions first).
Not having controllers is in keeping with the same spirit as not using a stylus on a smartphone, but it took me a while to realize that you have to look directly at something to make selections.
While I tested a lot of things on the device, including surprisingly immersive dinosaur-based adventures and appropriately titled immersive videos, the reason I was sent a Vision Pro to test out the movie-watching experience was a technology that’s currently exclusive to Vision Pro. which I will refer to shortly.
Apple Vision Pro Movie-Watching Technology
Even aside from this, watching a movie using Cinema mode in the Apple TV App was amazing. It’s like sitting at your favorite premium movie theater in the best seat, with no one around you to spoil your viewing enjoyment.
Of course, that’s also the biggest drawback of the Vision Pro: you’re on your own. It’s like booking the best movie theater you can for the night, just to sit there alone. An incredible experience, although somewhat misanthropic.
What’s so different about the Vision Pro for movies is that it’s technically on a different level than other headphones. The images are very bright and sharp.
The key difference is that you get 4K resolution for each eye and it offers a wide color gamut (WCG), high dynamic range (HDR), high frame rates (HFR), and 3D. And for stereoscopic fans, the surprising thing is that it offers 3D and 4K at the same time, much better than Blu-Ray 3D which was stuck at 1080p. Yes, it means that for 3D, Vision Pro makes streaming a better option than physical disk, except for one person at a time. So think of Vision Pro as your own private Dolby Cinema.
There is also a specific technology that puts the Vision Pro at the forefront of private entertainment: TrueCut Motion.
What is TrueCut Motion?
For the vast majority wondering what that is, let’s recap. TrueCut Motion is a motion grading technology from Pixelworks that allows filmmakers to adjust the shutter speed and shake level of movies. This is most noticeable in presentations with sharp images projected on very large screens with high brightness, that is, premium format screens equipped with laser and 4K projectors.
Several directors, notably James Cameron, Ang Lee, and Peter Jackson have used high frame rates to compensate for the motion problems inherent in 3D, which can be too dark and blurry at 24 frames per second. Doubling that to 48 frames per second (or more) means more information reaches the eye, making it easier for the brain to distinguish the action.
However, the problem with high frame rates is that it also creates an artificiality in the image, similar to the motion interpolation used by televisions to eliminate judder problems, a problem called the “soap opera effect” because it makes everything look artificial. and cheap.
However, with TrueCut Motion, filmmakers can fine-tune the exact amount of motion smoothing frame by frame, to get all the benefits of a high frame rate, without any of the drawbacks. James Cameron used this to great effect in Avatar: The Way of Water with personal scenes mimicking the 24fps look (in a 48fps container) and some scenes using TrueCut Motion.
However, due to limited time, only certain scenes used the technology, and many people were able to see the seams when TrueCut Motion scenes switched to pure 48fps, and vice versa.
However, Pixelworks was able to do motion grading for the entire remaster of the first Avatar film, and this impressed me when I saw it released in IMAX before the sequel hit theaters.
However, until recently, no home entertainment device could play TrueCut motion content – enter Apple Vision Pro and, thanks to a deal with the house of the mouse, Disney+ offers exclusive Vision Pro movies. At the moment, the only movies TrueCut Motion available on the platform are Avatar and Avatar: The Way of Water. The former is currently the only film in the world that will display the TrueCut Motion logo next to it when browsing Disney+ in Vision Pro, as only films that fully use the technology will be able to carry the official logo. logo.
It’s still early days for TrueCut Motion technology with the Titanic, Argylle, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, and Kung-Fu Panda 4 remasters the only other films created with it, and as of this writing, none of them are in Vision. Pro version of Disney+. Kung-Fu Panda 4 was only available to view in that version in cinemas supporting Cinity, a rival system to Dolby Cinema, with high-brightness HDR, WCG, and HFR based on laser projectors.
While testing the Vision Pro, I was encouraged to keep an eye out for vibrations that appear in regular films. And it has to be said that once you look for it, sparkles and vibrations can be detected everywhere when you’re looking for it – damn Pixelworks! You can see how the camera pans in the 3D version of No Time to Die (yes, it was converted to stereoscopic) and the animals and backgrounds at the beginning of the recent remake of The Lion King (2019).
Of course, it’s not just a question of 3D. You can see it in the fast motion of the dance show at the beginning of La La Land and the spinning camera when DiCaprio’s character comes to town in Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon.
When at this point you return to the first Avatar in Vision Pro, the benefit of TrueCut Motion is evident with its wonderfully smooth, high frame rate images, where everything can be discerned with clarity and depth no matter how much is happening in the frame.
TrueCut Motion certainly lends itself to 3D animation, but I’d be fascinated to see what less tech-focused directors could do with the technology. Pixelworks Senior Ecosystem Director Aaron Drew emphasized that TrueCut Motion is not there to push a technological agenda for its own sake, but simply to help filmmakers realize their artistic intent on screen to better serve audiences.
What’s next for TrueCut Motion?
It’s no surprise that Pixelworks is looking to get more filmmakers interested in its technology, and has said publicly that it’s looking to increase where we can see TrueCut Motion images. I imagine that licenses with television brands are a priority on your agenda and you hope so. it becomes a logo that consumers understand and look for in the same way they do with HDR and Dolby Vision. I would be especially excited if it came to home theater projectors.
Meanwhile, although the Apple Vision Pro is the only TrueCut Motion home game in town (and if you have the means to acquire one), perhaps through eBay sales, from wealthy early adopters who are less demanding, I would take advantage of the opportunity. – even if it means being a watcher of billy-no-mates movies.
Keynote USA News
For Latest Apple News. Follow @Keynote USA News on Twitter Or Google News.
