Technicolor Digital Cinema Selects Barco Digital Projector For North American Digital Cinema Beta Test

http://www.dcinematoday.com/dc/pr.aspx?newsID=434

 

LAS VEGAS, Nev.—Mar 14, 2006

 

Barco’s D-Cine Premiere DP100 Digital Projectors Chosen Based On Superior Equipment Performance, Reliability, and Functionality

 

Barco today announced that Technicolor Digital Cinema, part of the Services division of Thomson (Euronext Paris: 18453; NYSE: TMS) has selected Barco’s D-Cine Premiere DP100 digital projector model for deployment in the company’s upcoming North American beta test of end-to-end digital cinema services and equipment. The announcement was made in Las Vegas at ShoWest, the largest gathering of motion picture professionals and theatre owners in the world, and a prominent showcase for digital cinema technologies.

 

The Technicolor Digital Cinema beta test is a critical element of the company’s plans to ensure equipment reliability and adherence to Digital Cinema Initiatives, LLC (DCI) standards prior to its North American rollout. The beta test, covering approximately 200 theatres throughout the United States and Canada, will evaluate up to three different projector and server configurations, and will begin in the second quarter of 2006.

 

“The digital cinema space is a dynamic, vibrant market which is changing daily, and exhibitors are quickly realizing that a bright, new cinema experience awaits them — now, and in the future, said Stephan Paridaen, president of Barco’s Media & Entertainment division. “Barco is honored to be part of Technicolor Digital Cinema’s beta test deployment, which places both companies at the leading edge of digital cinema’s expansion throughout North America. This is a great partnership between two industry leaders.”

 

“Technicolor Digital Cinema is delighted to have selected the Barco D-Cine Premiere DP100 digital projector for inclusion in the company’s North America beta test of digital cinema services and hardware,” said Curt Behlmer, senior vice president of digital cinema operations for Technicolor Digital Cinema. “The decision to go with Barco as an essential beta test participant was based on the manufacturer’s extensive digital projection expertise, and the projector’s sophisticated engineering, high-brightness output, superior optics, and impressive performance and functionality.”

 

Each Barco D-Cine projector offers 2048 x 1080 native resolution, and a 2000:1 contrast ratio, meeting or exceeding the SMPTE standards for screen brightness. Based on Texas Instruments’ DLP Cinema™ technology, the DP90 is purpose-built for screens up to 15m (49 ft.) wide, while the DP100 is designed for screens up to 20m (65.6 ft.) wide.

 

At its headquarters in Burbank, Calif., Technicolor Digital Cinema performed rigorous testing over the past several months on many digital cinema projectors and servers. Based on the results of those tests, Technicolor Digital Cinema chose Barco’s 2K D-Cine projector for installation in numerous beta test site locations. Following its beta test, Technicolor Digital Cinema plans to deploy digital projection systems in up to 5,000 screens over the next three to four years, with the strategic intent to install systems in at least 15,000 screens over the next 10 years in the United States and Canada.

 

During equipment evaluation and analysis, Technicolor Digital Cinema engineers examined both server and projector abilities to efficiently handle such core digital cinema operations as subtitle display, simultaneous playout and movement, inter-server movement, automation, 2K and 4K interoperability, alternative content playback, remote management, 3-D capabilities, and on-screen advertising integration. The company also tested each unit’s ease of distribution and back-of-house systems integration, since projectors and servers are required by the DCI specification to work seamlessly with each other, and with different distribution and theatre management systems