Comments on: Stop the insanity: CNN's 'hologram' was horrendous

CNN's decision to use a "hologram" during its election coverage ruined the broadcast--for one, green screens and overlay images aren't even real hologram technologies.

[snoebiz]

I agree. That was freak show.

[theantibush]

The elections?

spot on!

[gpenglase]

I wish Obama was a hologram. Then we could just turn off the power and he would go away.

[inverse137]

gpenglase, what, you like high taxes and corrupt government? Then I can understand why you wouldn't like Obama. In your view, who would want to change the corruptness and actually have someone in the office who is quallified. Why your little republican heart is probably wishing George Jr. could go another 8 years!

[st430]

Real journalist does not use hollogram.
CNN has nothing more to deliver, and since they are bias anyway...play some camera tricks to make people wow.
!inverse137.
high tax? bush cut tax.
corrupt government? there is equal number of corrupt democrates senitors and congress just as republicians...both side are taking money. So is Obama. The internet does not give him the hundred millions to spend on his campain...
or else, he took public financing.
President is the person to blame.
The swaps trades start getting popular in clinton year, so is the low interest rate housing bubble and the internet bubble. The good clinton year is when everything start bubbling up. Including not killing Binladin when clinton has a chance and let the talibans expends to the whole alfgan.
then bush took over and it all blow up in front of his face.
I will blame bill clinton for not doing anything when he could have instead of bush.
yea...your good economy time in clinton year comes from all the stock and housing bubbles that everyone borrows too much and spend too much.
Check your facts.

[fredpwatson]

Finally a sane article about CNN's "hologram." Such a lame gimmick. One thing they did get right was that this is 'Star Wars' technology... since I'm pretty sure the technology to do simple blue screens and matched moved cameras has been around since Star Wars...

[nhimack]

Come on it's was cnn at it's best glitsy and full of _ _ _ _ hmmm O remember when news was news and reporters were real... who is to say that hologram was real

@Inverse137: You're an idiot. First off, Obama's only cutting taxes for "poor" people. His ideas scream socialism so don't even try the "taxes" line because it's not a nationwide thing. Second, corrupt government? Spoken like a true democrat. I'm not a Republican, but I couldn't just stand by and let you get away with such an ignorant, stupid comment.

The tax cuts are only going to apply to...poor people? So I'm guessing that anyone who makes less than $250K a year is poor, then. And as for Socialism being the great evil...the most basic function of government is the preservation of life (and by inference, the quality thereof) and the property of its citizens. For as much so-called "government" that we Americans have, very little of it actually focuses on these core ideas -- most of it is simply a self-oiling machine, feeding itself money to be able to continue to feed itself money. Most of Obama's policy initiatives serve simply to guide our government back towards being functional and responsive, and one that takes care of ALL of its citizens, as opposed to the ones who aren't "poor".
Oh, and st430, I understand that you have to shut your brain off to be a Republican in this day and age, but if you could turn it back on long enough to type (you know, so that you actually come across as being functionally literate), it would be great, thanks.

[schwinn8]

Thank you, Don, for the first reasonable answer behind this "hologram" nonsense. CNN should be slapped around for calling it a hologram in the first place, but more importantly for making such a big deal of it.

[fugawe]

Thanks, Don. I've been saying this for a while but everyone seems to be impressed by shiny objects. These "holograms" are nothing more than chroma key + the NFL "1st down" tracker. i.e. green screen over lay combined with an angle of viewing calculation to display the proper camera.

It's ironic that they used 32 HD cameras to film the subject, only used two, non moving, cameras in the main studio, so there were only two views ever shown. They could have impressed us if the studio camera moved around and we got to see a changing view of the subject.

[yanchineseguy]

Actually, if you look at the footage, the studio camera did move and pan around Jessica Yellin during the broadcast. They didn't move too far, but they did pan.

[theantibush]

You might call their panning 'bed panning' : )

Yep. Wasn't the outcome of the election interesting enough without having to dress it up with special effects ILM would be embarrassed to produce?

[gopnick]

You can't blame CNN for trying. They've been falling behind Fox News in ratings and MSNBC in production quality for years.

[Eideard]

Haven't read the Nielsen numbers from Election Night, eh?

Fox Snooze came in 3 or 4 places behind CNN.

[verheyen2008]

I agree. At least they tried. The election this year was important enough to keep my attention, but in the past, new technology would have helped. Who cares if it wasn't a hologram? There are way more imprtant things to worry about these days.

[Penguinisto]

@Eideard: HAving good ratings once every four years doesn't really help the finances much... ;)

[monkeyhouse]

Hear Hear!

[Wiz Zee]

CNN stop outsourcing American jobs to holograms!

[setgo]

lol

[nhimack]

Mr Blitzer could be replaced by a new hollow gram, call him Wolfe Headroom saving CNN the cost of paying any reporters, except the weather person standing in the hirricane, flood, earth quake, fire etc.

[rucknrun]

I agree it was awful. The magic wall's on the other hand were awesome.

[fuzbears]

I can forgive them for not being the "true" definition of hologram, since I made peace the Prius being called a hybrid, when it is only a battery assisted traditional engine. As long as it meets the same goal, a real implementation beats an abstract concept any time.

Use of masking technology (green screen) and the low number of angles does not mean it does not capture light (defined as recorded on cam) and reconstruct it (video overlay).. The only problem was that most of the angles were simulated from a 3D model, and not an analog playback.. But arguing against that would be like saying a compressed digital movie is not a movie, because it is stored in format that does not depict all the movie information.
This is a quality argument, but no matter how primitive, it is still a hologram technology. But since we could not see the 3D model at home, what really was the point. Sure it was stupid and overblown, but it was still a creative implementation, and even a bit more practical than other ones.

[pixelpusher220]

Prius isn't a hybrid? Look up the definition of hybrid: combining 2 or more distinct concepts.

As you say, both the electric batteries and gas engine provide propulsion. That is the definition of a hybrid. There are certainly many different types of hybrids possible, as the mix of the 2 or more concepts can be anything. But saying it's not a hybrid because the electric doesn't provide complete propulsion ignores the very definition of hybrid.

The Chevy Volt for instance is not a hybrid. it's an electric vehicle that will have multiple ways to charge the batteries; but the propulsion is completely electric.

[sethum1]

No offense meant, fuzbears, but this response is exactly what the author is warning about. Under NO definition does CNN's "princess leia" qualify as a hologram. The technical definition of hologram is the recording of a diffraction light pattern created by a pair of coherent light sources, one of which acts as a reference beam. There was none of that going on at CNN, just the blending of a few different camera angles. However, more importantly, because there was no physical holographic diffraction pattern, no 3-dimensional image ever existed in real life. Wolf Blitzer was talking to a green screen. The CNN images were no more holograms than the characters from Toy Story are.

The more salient point that Don makes though is that CNN, like many other news programs, are trying to add value by making flashier graphics and fancy sets, which really doesn't improve the quality of the news or the clarity with which it is communicated at all.

[ndostepe]

hybrid in this case is the combination of battery and traditional engine.
When you have two alternatives working for the same result that's hybrid.

[gggg sssss]

so you might say the weather girl is a hoogram as well? LOL

[Penguinisto]

Don, Agreed. Exactly. Seeing some blue-fuzzed reconstruction just made it look hokey and wannabe (for lack of better terms at the moment). Sure, if you're going to interview some high-up so-and-so, okay... but a reporter? Err, why did you bother sending 'em to the scene?

Now the touchscreen tech they had going OTOH was first-rate, in spite of the occasional glitch caused by Blitzer's mis-handling.

/P

[geopgeop]

Ooh: how about putting Blitzer's "hologram" (or any other anchor's) where the reporter is situated instead, live and real-time at the location? It might remind me of the green screen footage used in "The Daily Show" somewhat, but live; there could even be some "funny" moments (depending on your point-of-view), like live tornado/hurricane/danger/etc shots where the reporter talks to Wolf while he's just standing there in the middle of the danger - whoa! a tree branch/rock from a volcano eruption/space shuttle takeoff/judge's pounding gavel/bunch of cars driving by a scene/etc just passed through Wolf's head, but he's fine - that kind of thing.

Then again, the reporters would get mad at him as they watch themselves on the monitor talking to him on live TV while they're shivering in the cold and his hologram on location looks dry in his nice suit unaffected by the rain... as if they weren't miserable enough already stuck to that assignment....

Just a thought...

(Probably not a good idea, but the reporters could also actively vent their frustrations at his "hologram", but then that could be perceived as a threat somewhat)

[ddots]

Why all the hate! Someone had to bite the bullet to bring the technology to the mainstream... now the "so-called" "true technology" will have a window to step forward. and get the support it needs... How soon we forget that the first commerical cell phones wasn't something to jump up and down over... (if you could even jump with it...lol)

[frclocks]

Folks are awakening to the realization the entire universe is a hologram. We are holograms. Think about it.
Why would anyone build an entire universe when a hologram would work just a well? Actually better!
Space travel is then a snap (child's play). We may soon build "universes" with our own technology. Then we will have holograms within holograms and possibly and explosion of such creations to follow. Big, Big, Bang!

[theantibush]

we are but ordered random manifestations, existing along with and as the universe as platforms from which to contemplate spectrums of reason, for the purpose of dividing them.

-Dr. ?shroomer, Ls.D

[arey0userious]

Except that the first commercial phones were actually phones. CNN is lying about the technology that they are supposedly introducing. These "holograms" are just a lie that CNN is using to try to increase ratings.

[kaibelf]

Nonsense. If Star Wars pulled it off with far more effect 30 years ago, there was no excuse for that mess. It was retarded.

[upstateNYguy]

"Help me Obi Wan ....." one of the greatest effects in the first movie (original non special edition). Which it was not a true hologram, just really good special effect with allot of editing.
As for the technology, I remember reading some 25 years ago it was said that by the year 2000 holographic TV would be common place. Holograms in the simplest form are hard to produce. Truthfully I think that effect was good but more than likely could have done it better with some effort.

[celticbrewer]

Amen! And star wars pulled it off better. Granted it wasn't live, but c'mon. 30 years and all we get is a chick with a blue halo?

Oh- and projecting a supposdly 3d image onto a studio to be viewed on a 2d television? Yeah, that's genious right there. What a waste. All flash and no substance- pretty much what we've come to expect from the Communist "News" Network.

[theantibush]

BTW, Im a genious : )

[brahmus]

CNN a Communist News Network? Are you kidding? CNN is about as redneck, right-wing, religious as they come. And the "hologram" sucked. So did NBC's. The reporters looked like glorified weather men.

[quantum_force]

To upstateNY:

Star Wars was NOT the first film to create a fictional hologram. I believe that is Forbidden Planet 1956)....Morbius creates a hologram of Altara using a machine that reads brain impulses.

[mikedrud]

That hologram reminded me of the scene in Star Wars where R2D2 projects a "hologram" of Princess Leia.

Where are the Death Star plans?

[Compumind]

Wait a second.

Wolf Blitzer was looking into a Monitor to see her!

When you look at a real *HOLOGRAM* you actually *SEE* the image.

Just like Star Wars.

We have the technology.

[alan_06]

Why was she sent to Chicago? Was that purpose achieved?

Why send the reporter to Chicago and bring her back as a 3d image? Ask her to stay in the studio itself and speak. Viewer can't anyway see the reality of crowd behind her. I don't see it'll impress the viewers.

But, I agree the technology would be really impressing if the reporter 3D image appears before the CNN viewers at home.

[rcpmac]

What's the big deal! The hologram was fun if not perfect and gives us a peek into the future of broadcast possibilities in the future. Perhaps in 10 years Luke Russert will appear to be be standing on a yellow pad in your living room delivering the news.

BECAUSE IT'S NOT A HOLOGRAM!!!!!

[gggg sssss]

what future? we have had the weather maps since 1950

[arey0userious]

The only future this is giving us a glimpse of is a future where news agencies are no longer responsible for what they say

[Everlovin G]

Yeah, Don, and those early gasoline engines were too noisy (scared the horses), and those dang moon shots were too dangerous (probably no good technology came out of that endeavor), and what about that crazy television thing; why would you want to *see* anybody doing a radio show? And, don't even get me started on that 'Internet thing'...

Wannabe Luddite, get thee behind me. = ^ )

Reisinger: "...the "hologram" technique made the show look shoddy and stupid..."
Reisinger: "I applaud CNN for at least trying something new."

Uh, what?!

[scoates2482]

Yours is one of best comments on this thread. Yeah, the "hologram" was stupid hype (glad I didn't watch it, myself.)

But perhaps this could drive on to something better. The hologram "purists" have a point, but more rightly should go back and watch their old VHS recordings of Star Trek and give this a rest.

On the other hand, perhaps all the hype will just encourage the networks to keep on with the glitzy, gimmicky crap..but then again: what else is new?

Time will tell.

Either way, this article is a useless rant...

You're missing the point. IT WAS NOT A HOLOGRAM... not by ANY definition. It was live, 3D rendering... TOTALLY different! It was dishonest, misleading, and shows that they're technically inept (the people calling it a hologram, that is). It's a neat idea (the live, 3D rendering of a real person), but it was NOT a hologram and it looked really bad. It was also pointless, but the main theme of the article is that IT'S NOT A HOLOGRAM!!!

[alejmora]

She said that she was in a tent surrounded by dozens of small cameras. Which is the point to show her if she is isolated from her surroundings ? Is the same if she is 10 meters from Blitzer or in the north pole.

[Revelation-23]

ESPN's Virtual Playbook (or whatever they call it) is much more impressive and doesn't look as obviously fake. I saw it in action - where they put a sportscaster in the middle of the feld during a play's recreation) once a couple weeks ago on MNF and thought it was impressive. CNN's "holograms", not so much.

[alejmora]

She said that she was in a tent surrounded by dozens of small cameras. Which is the point to show her if she is isolated from her surroundings ? Is the same if she is 10 meters from Blitzer or in the north pole.

[neighborhoodcomentator]

I think what was a more interesting, and effective application of the same concept, was NBC's use of hologram like bar graphs and election maps, etc.

Yes. That technology was both useful and effective. ...and I don't think they called it a hologram, did they? It's just 3D graphics synced with they're in-studio camera... like the virtual lines on a football field in a live TV sportscast.