RealViz launches SMART-enabled suite at Siggraph

RealViz today said it would launch its first applications from its new line of "Powered by SMART" tracking products at the Siggraph exhibition in Los Angeles, USA next month. The new product collection includes version 4 of the RealViz tracking software, MatchMover Pro 4, MatchMover Pro 4 Motion Capture and 2 new automatic 3D tracking plug-ins, MMTrack for Autodesk 3ds Max and MMTrack for Maya. The products are expected to ship in August 2005. RealViz will demo the SMART-enabled products, as well as version 2 of their 3D previz and storyboarding software, StoryViz, at Booth No. 1161 at Siggraph at the Los Angeles Convention Center (Aug. 2-4, 2005).

SMART ('Scalable Matching Architecture for Tracking') is a powerful new automatic tracking kernel, based on new generation algorithms, which brings "radical" performance increases to the RealViz tracking products. The new technology, which debuted at NAB 2005, provides 2D tracking up to 6 to 10 times faster than previous engines, while simultaneously making optimum use of available processing power. SMART also produces much higher quality feature tracks than previously, more steady, with a longer lifespan and fewer interruptions and drops.

The SMART tracking engine also automatically places significantly more tracking points on footage, as well as enabling users to adjust the tracker quantity factor - for smarter and more reliable solves than ever before. In addition, the SMART technology, integrates seamlessly with existing REALVIZ features, such as Motion Capture, 3D Mesh-based Tracking with Elastics, Survey Data & Motion Control Support.

"SMART offers our users the most advanced automatic tracking engine on the market," said Luc Robert, REALVIZ CTO. "The new MMTrack plug-ins for Maya and 3ds Max integrate this technology super-smoothly within 3D apps. MatchMover Pro v4 offers in addition the highest level of control, and brand new, very cool UI. All these applications interact together, and integrate our new matchmoving assistant to ease the job of newcomers to matchmoving. Workflow, learning curve, power... what we're bringing to the market at Siggraph this year is a unique tracking solution, that can be tailored exactly to the needs of any production facility."

MatchMover Pro 4

MatchMover Pro 4 offers a powerful new central automatic tracking engine that leverages SMART. In addition to providing new performance levels, MatchMover Pro 4 boasts a new look, with redesigned icons, colors and a slick, minimalist feel. It offers a complete re-write of export formats and allows a perfectly smooth import of results, as well as additional features such as direct non-linear distortion management within Maya, 3ds Max, XSI & LightWave 3D. Script interpreters are now included as standard (PERL/PYTHON/TCL), and full interoperability with RealViz ImageModeler is provided through an XML-based/rzml file format.

MMTrack for 3ds Max and MMTrack for Maya are new automatic tracking products, which draw on the power and speed of SMART. The plug-ins slot seamlessly into the workflow of a 3ds Max or Maya user, and combine new-generation matchmoving technology with a range of features. MatchMover Pro Motion Capture also benefits from the powerful new automatic tracking engine central to SMART, offering users improved performance levels for faster and more efficient motion capture.

MatchMover Pro 4 will be available for $4000. Owners of version 3 can upgrade for $1,800, while upgrades from prior version are $3000. New purchases from June 2005 through August, when the product is expected to ship, qualify for free upgrades.

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Other story tags: video editing