DCI compliant 3D DCP are always “Frame Sequential”. This means that there is only one MXF file, and this MXF file will have alternating frames for the left and right eye stream. This also means that the MXF file will be at 48fps (or 24fps per eye).
The source file however can be in any of the three following formats:
- Sequential: Frame sequential refers to the format in which alternate frames in the movie file are left and right eye respectively. This presupposes the frame-rate of 48fps, (24fps for each eye). If the frame-rate is not true 48fps, the "sequential" option will not be available.
- Side-by-Side: Side-by-side is the 3D format in which both left and right eye images are included as two vertical halves of a single frame. This is a common format used by NLE applications and 3D TVs.
- Over-Under: Over-under is similar to Side-by-side except that the left and right frames are combined as two horizontal halves of a frame.
