XpanD | Absolute Sound

There is a lot of confusion with respect to 3D regarding the wide range of 3D glasses and the products and brands that they will work with. Questions abound: Will the ‘tired and true’ red/blue 3D glasses work with everything, or do you need different color glasses for different sources? What about the polarized 3D glasses like they use at Disney? Will you be able to take your Samsung 3D glasses from the family room to watch your Panasonic 3D TV in the bedroom? Will your active-shutter glasses work at the local cinema? Confused? Let’s see if we can give you a better understanding of 3D by explaining how it works and describing the different types of glasses needed for the different systems.

The Power of Love was the first ever 3D movie. It came out in 1922 and was the only film released in the two-camera, two-projector stereoscopic 3D process. While many thought that Bwana Devil, released in the 3D crazed 1950’s was the first 3D movie, it actually debuted 30 years too late.

 

How 3D works:

Humans come equipped with two eyes spaced about 2 inches apart. This two-eye view creates binocular vision which in turn gives us a 3-Dimensional image from everything we see. Don’t believe it? Try closing one eye and have someone throw you a ball and try to catch it. With one eye closed you lose the ability to properly discern depth and width. It’s like the difference between looking through a telescope, or mono vision, as opposed to a pair of binoculars which gives you stereo vision. For those of us that are old enough to remember, a View-Master viewer was an early stereoscopic viewer that provided a separate image to each eye. The resulting image was a lifelike 3-dimensional picture.

When you go to a movie theater to see a 3D epic like Avatar, you wear 3D glasses so they can feed two separate images to your eyes. Two projectors are synchronized to project two images or views onto the screen, and the glasses cause one image to enter one eye and the second to enter into the other eye. The result is a spectacular lifelike 3 Dimensional picture, or what we call 3D.

 

There are two basic systems for viewing 3D:

 

Red/Green or Red/Blue 3D Glasses
Although the red/green or red/blue system is now mainly used for television 3D effects, it was used in many older 3D movies. In this system, two images are displayed on the screen, one in red and the other in blue (or green). The red and blue lenses filter the two images allowing only one image to enter each eye, and then your brain does the rest. You cannot really have a color movie when you are using color to provide the separation, so the image quality is not nearly as good as with the polarized system.

 

Polarization
At Disney World, Universal Studios and other 3D venues, the preferred method uses polarized lenses because they allow color viewing. Two synchronized projectors project two respective views onto the screen, each with a different polarization. The polarized glasses allow only one of the images into each eye because each lens has a different polarization.

 

So which type of 3D glasses will you need?

3D Fireworks glasses – Specially treated holographic lenses break light into the spectrum through a process called holographic diffraction grating. They make an exciting addition to fireworks displays, laser light shows, city and holiday lights. While these add a cascade of shimmering light to outdoor displays, they should not be used for viewing 3D video displays.

 

Anaglyph 3D glasses – These are the ones you have probably owned at least one time in your life. The most popular ones are made out of paper with a cellophane lens and are extremely low in cost (and disposable). There are also higher-quality plastic framed versions of this popular format which fit over most regular frames with corrective lenses. They come in various lens color combinations, but Red / Blue is the most popular. They also come in Red / Cyan or Red / Blue-Green or Magenta / Green for optimum viewing of different sources.

 

Anaglyph 3D Clip On Lenses – Another way to get the 3D experience without having to wear an additional pair of glasses is to use the handy flip-up style that fits over most corrective lenses. These clip right on to your existing glasses so wearing them is very natural.

 

So which color combination should I use?

For the new Monsters vs. Aliens, Coraline, My Bloody Valentine in 3D and Journey to the Center of the Earth 3D, choose Magenta / Green 3D glasses… remember the Magenta lens goes over the right eye!

For viewing 3D Blu-ray discs like Hanna Montana 3D, Polar Express, Shrek 3D, Barbie 3D and theAdventures of Shark Boy and Lava Girl, choose Red / Blue 3D Glasses. Be sure you have a 3D-ready Blu-ray player connected directly up to your display device with a high-speed HDMI cable (must meet the 10.2 Gbps data rate at 340MHz). We recommend a direct hookup because not all A/V receivers can pass a proper 3D signal, and we won’t have a full understanding of what will and won’t work until more product hits the market.

Pulfrich 3D Glasses- (named for Carl Pulfrich , the creator, who never actually lived to see it) should be used For viewing TV in 3D. The 3D effect is based on the phenomenon of Dark and Clear lenses. The image through the dark lens reaches the brain slightly later than the image through the clear lens, thus creating the illusion of 3D. It works with objects or scenes moving horizontally across the field of view but not vertically. This is one of the only viable ways to experience broadcast TV in 3D. Because the Pulfrich effect depends on motion in a particular direction to instigate the illusion of depth, it is not useful as a general stereoscopic technique. The Pulfrich method of 3D is used for TV, video, and computer screens. These 3D TV viewers are great for viewing live sporting events in HD.

 

Linear or Circular Polarized 3D Glasses - – These are the plastic polarized glasses that you see at the theme parks (Disney, Universal, IMAX) and are used primarily in movie theatres. They WILL NOT WORK for home movies, home theatre or TV. In a movie theater, the reason why you wear 3D glasses is to feed and separate two different images into your eyes. Two projectors are synchronized and project two respective views. The screen actually displays the two images, and the glasses cause one of the images to enter one eye and the other image to enter the other eye. They come in two angles of orientation: most commonly used are the linear polarized glasses, while the circular polarized are used for StereoGraphics Z-screen and Real D theaters.

 

LC or Active Shutter glassesare glasses used in conjunction with an HD display screen to create the illusion of a three dimensional image, an example of stereoscopy. Glass containing liquid crystal and a polarizing filter has the property that it becomes dark when voltage is applied, but otherwise is transparent (just like the chromatic glass doors we have in the conference room in our showroom). The glasses are controlled by an IR or RF, DLP-link or Bluetooth transmitter that sends a timing signal. The glasses alternately darken over one eye, and then the other, in synchronization with the refresh rate of the screen, while the display alternately displays different perspectives for each eye, using a technique called Alternate-frame Sequencing (which effectively cuts the refresh rate in half) . They are called LC shutter glasses (since they do not feature a liquid crystal display) or Active shutter glasses. 3D glasses maker XpanD says its glasses will work with 90 percent of 3D TVs that come to market, and the company expects to roll out fashion, designer, and even prescription 3D glasses. Accessory glasses won’t be cheap, selling for $50-$250 depending on lens type, construction, materials and style–and depending on the designer name on the frame.

 

Health concerns – Some people who watch 3D experience motion sickness and nausea, headaches, and eye strain. It usually goes away, but if it doesn’t then you shouldn’t watch 3D . Additionally , some people have stereo blindness, resulting in an inability to perceive stereoscopic depth when combining two images. These people cannot get the benefit from a 3D experience either .

 

3D movies hit traffic jam with cinemas struggle to keep up with demand

http://today3d.blogspot.com/2010/04/3d-movies-hit-traffic-jam-with-cinemas.html

IT may be the future of movies, but cinemas are struggling to keep up with the demand for 3D, as an increasing number of films battle for limited screen space.

The 3D traffic jam worsened this week with the release of swords-and-sandals epic Clash of the Titans, starring Aussie Sam Worthington.

 

There are about 300 3D-capable screens in Australia. And, according to distributor Roadshow,Clash of the Titans opened on 166.

 

It entered the 3D fray with last weekend's box office No. 1, animated adventure How to Train Your Dragon, as well as Alice in Wonderland and the highest-grossing film of all time, Avatar.

Films are now knocking each other off screen as they vie for 3D space.

 

IMAX Melbourne, which shows specialist 3D films as well as mainstream blockbusters on its single screen, enjoyed unprecedented success playing Avatar in 3D.

 

But IMAX general manager Richard Morrison says the hit film had to be pulled while still selling out sessions, to make way for Alice in Wonderland, then How to Train Your Dragon.

 

"We did over 100,000 admissions for Avatar here in three months, and its last session here was sold out," Mr Morrison told the Herald Sun.

 

"So it's hard to pull those types of films off your screen when it's still pulling in lots of people.

 

"Certainly a lot of the mainstream cinemas are now starting to feel that squeeze on how you effectively juggle competing product."

 

The juggling act will intensify again in June when two animated favourites release new 3D instalments - Shrek Forever After and Toy Story 3.

 

Cinema chains went on an upgrading frenzy last year, increasing the number of 3D screens in preparation for Avatar.

 

At its peak, in December-January, Avatar was showing on 263 3D screens - almost every 3D screen in the country at the time.

 

In its wake, some titles, such as Clash of the Titans, have been hastily converted to 3D in post-production to cash in on the growing appetite for the format.

 

US distributors began voicing concerns last year as the slate of 3D films grew bigger (30 3D titles will be released in the US this year), but the amount of time titles could spend on a 3D screen - the "release window" - shrank.

 

Now the race is on for more screens.

 

Pundits predict that in the next few years, almost a quarter of all cinema screens in the US will be 3D-capable.

 

Will “Clash” Unleash A Titanic Backlash Against 3D?

http://ow.ly/1tSv0

Posted by J. Sperling Reich | April 1, 2010 9:31 am

"Release the Kraken," Liam Neeson's Zeus commands in the WB's "Clash of the Titans" re-make, but Hollywood should be more concerned that the film itself might release a backlash against the 3D format. There are several indicators that point to a perfect storm brewing against what has come to be regarded as the cinema industry's digital savior.

Amongst Hollywood filmmakers there has been unusually vociferous attacks against Warner Bros.' decision to go for a rushed eight-week conversion of "Clash of the Titans" to 3D.  The conversion is a true test for Prime Focus whose technology is unproven on such large scale projects.  Fresh off the global success of "Avatar" James Cameron weighed in against "slapdash conversion" in a recent BBC article that re-hashed Mike Fleming's more in-depth Deadline article, where Cameron said that after the success of his award-winning epic:

"Now, you've got people quickly converting movies from 2D to 3D, which is not what we did. They're expecting the same result, when in fact they will probably work against the adoption of 3D because they'll be putting out an inferior product."

Micheal Bay threw more fuel on the fire in a Deadline post and even appeared to take a direct swipe at Prime Focus, an Indian based post-production company that has been doing the bulk of the work on "Clash of the Titans'" conversion from 2D-to-3D :

"I'm used to having the A-team working on my films, and I'm going to hand it over to the D-team, have it shipped to India and hope for the best? This conversion process is always going to be inferior to shooting in real 3D. Studios might be willing to sacrifice the look and use the gimmick to make $3 more a ticket, but I'm not.  "Avatar" took four years. You can't just sh*t out a 3D movie. I'm saying, the jury is still out."

Ouch! Interestingly neither Cameron nor Bay have directly disputed the quality of the most recent film converted from 2D-to-3D, Disney's "Alice in Wonderland", though the film's director Tim Burton has taken pains to stress that there is a difference between how to use Dimensionalization.   In the same BBC article which quoted Cameron, Burton observed, "With all these tools, you can see good 3D, bad 3D, good conversion and bad conversions."  Reading between the lines, the filmmaker was saying "Alice" falls into the camp of 'good conversion' while "Clash" does not.  (If you're wondering why Dimensionalization is capitalized in this paragraph it's because the word is a trade mark of the company In-Three which did the majority of the work on "Alice".)

Others who have come out vocally against "slapdash conversion" are Jeffrey Katzenberg, angered that "Clash" is threatening to take away screens from DreamWorks Animation's 3D "How To Train Your Dragon" in its second week.  Meanwhile, Jerry Bruckheimer, at ShoWest last month, said there had been some pressure to go for a fast conversion of "Prince of Persia: the Sands of Time", but he felt the the quality wasn't good enough.

As the media began to get an advance look at "Clash" over the past week they seem hard pressed to say anything kind about the 3D aspect of the film, at best saying that it was "okay". But it was Kirk Honeycutt in his Hollywood Reporter review of "Clash" who put his finger on what Hollywood should find most worrisome:

The major drawback, especially now, when 3D is all the rage, is its feeble effort in that department. Added as an afterthought in post-production, the 3D barely registers. Few moviegoers will think it's worth the extra bucks. It's a pity the idea didn't occur in preproduction, as the opportunities for real 3D excitement exist in virtually every frame.

Honeycutt was not the last to have a few choice words regarding "Clash's" 3D conversion.  Besides influential film critics such as Roger Ebert weighing in on the topic by calling it a 'juvenile abomination', so too are popular bloggers like Anne Thomnpson of indieWIRE, who in a recent post weighed in with her thoughts:

When designed in advance and shot in 3-D, a movie can work really well. But turning movies into 3-D after the fact looks awful…"Clash of the Titans" throws you out of reality, blurs and muddies the action, makes the movie look even worse than it probably is. That good old-fashioned feeling of getting lost inside a fantasy space is GONE."

Added to this is what appears to be a festering resentment amongst the general public about the higher ticket prices that have been imposed by theatre owners for 3D titles.

Take this provocatively titled post on TechDirt "Hollywood Seeks To Kill Off 3D Golden Goose With Much Higher Prices ".  It's not so interesting for what the post says (there's nothing new to the argument that nobody likes higher prices for anything, whether food, fuel, cinema tickets or e-books), but it attracted far more comments than any other recent item on TechDirt; 119 at the time of writing.  These following comments are representative missives:

by Anonymous Coward

Another dumb, greedy move on Hollywood's part. The last time I sat in a movie theater the ticket price was $7.50, and that WILL forever be the last time.

by sehlat

3D is the industry's "highest quality product"?

That line really needed a spewage warning. Movie prices are already high enough that it's about $30 for me, my wife, and my pact brother to go for one showing. When we went to see UP in 3D, they tacked on $3 per ticket for the glasses and asked us to return them after the show. That's one hell of a price for an hour-and-a-half rental.

Should audiences feel the 2D-to-3D conversion of "Clash" is not on par with previous 3D titles, it could serve as a troubling precedent and trigger a public backlash against being overcharged for what is perceived as an inferior cinematic experience.  In fact, we have a recent industry example of a similar scenario.

Less than a year ago television actor Aziz Ansari went to see the "Star Trek" reboot on an Imax screen, only to come out fuming that he had been ripped off by paying for a big screen experience which was only marginally bigger than a regular multiplex screen. His blog post was quickly picked up by online publications such as Slashdot (Why You Probably Shouldn't Waste $5 More For Digital IMAX) as well as Celluloid Junkie and put Imax's executives on the defensive over the big screen screen experience offered by multiplex Imax screens.  While Imax screens have performed nicely with titles such as "Avatar", an increasing number of major exhibitors have set up their own brand of big screen experiences, which could serve to undermine Imax's long-term business.

Audiences growing skeptical of 3D titles is a serious threat which some in Hollywood have taken notice of.  Cameron spoke about it directly in a USA Today interview stating, "If people put bad 3-D in the marketplace they're going to hold back or even threaten the emerging of 3D. People will be confused by differences in quality."  Cameron himself is considering converting his blockbuster "Titanic" to 3D, though he has major reservations about the process and technology under which "Clash of the Titans" was converted.  "It's never going to be as good as if you shot it in 3D, but think of it as sort of 2.8D."

Celluloid Junkie contributors have been labeling converted titles 2.3D when speaking with one another.  No matter what you call it, if after this Friday's opening of "Clash of the Titans" audiences revolt against "slapdash" 3D at an inflated price, Hollywood might rue that it released the monster of 2.3D.

 

ShoWest 2010: Turning Many Corners

http://www.digitalcinemareport.com/node/1628

Submitted by Nick Dager on Sun, 03/28/2010 - 16:04.

There was a genuine sense of the changing of the guard – or guards – at ShoWest 2010. The obvious one was the fact that this was the last ShoWest ever; the National Association of Theatre owners will take over the convention next year. The new show will be called CinemaCon and it will be held at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas. There was also the fact that Motion Picture Association of America president Dan Glickman announced that he is resigning to become president of the charitable organization Refugees International. But for most attendees the big news was the fact that the Digital Cinema Implementation Partners has finally received its funding, meaning that corner has been turned at last and the digital roll out can proceed in earnest.

All of this took place with a backdrop of one of the most successful box office years in history that saw exhibition take in nearly $30 billion worldwide.

"There are many reasons for this tremendous success," NATO president John Fithian said in his opening address. "Movie theatre owners have invested millions in new theatres with the latest technology, providing our patrons a better viewing experience with more comfortable seats and unobstructed sightlines in stadium seating. Modern multiplexes provide moviegoers with unprecedented convenience in selecting movies and show times. Online ticketing and automated kiosks make ticket purchases simple and hassle free. In many locations, exhibitors have begun to offer premium experiences with reserved seating, valet parking, concierge services and restaurant and bar services. And of course, digital cinema and 3D projection have begun to provide the ultimate immersive visual experience."

The industry still faces many challenges and Fithian touched on three key ones: the ongoing threat of piracy; exhibitors' wish to have more good movies released in the fall and spring; and the studios' wish to shrink the theatrical window so they can sell DVDs when a hit movie is still fresh in the public's mind. He acknowledged that progress has been made on all three issues and said discussions continue.

Thanks in large part to last year's box office success there were a significant number of business deals announced and many new products introduced. What follows are the business and technology highlights of the show.

Business

The DCIP deal dominated most conversations.

DCIP represents nearly 14,000 movie theatre screens across North America, including screens operated or managed by AMC, Cinemark and Regal and has secured a total of $660 million in financing from JPM, GE Capital, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, Barclays Bank, Credit Suisse, Morgan Stanley, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Deutsche Bank, and Citi. The junior capital was placed with third party investors identified by Blackstone.

"We are excited that with the continued support of our owners, studio partners and financial advisors we have completed this critical step in our process," says Travis Reid, CEO of DCIP.

"Over the next few years, we'll be aggressively implementing the transition to digital technology in theatres across North America. Guests will enjoy enhanced presentation and additional entertainment options at their favorite theatres as exhibitors and content providers capitalize on the flexibility enabled by digital technology, including many upcoming releases using digital 3D. Having this substantial financial package and our studio partnerships in place, we're pleased to launch this new era of technology to guests looking for an exceptional out-of-home experience."

"AMC is a strong advocate of the industry's move to a digital platform, as we believe digital cinema delivers a new world of programming opportunities for exhibitors, along with a more efficient method of supplying content to our theatres," says Gerry Lopez, president and CEO of AMC. "Most importantly, digital cinema will provide an enhanced entertainment experience for our guests."

"Digital cinema is an industry transforming technology, allowing us to significantly enhance the use of our auditoriums. The success of 3D reflects the potential of digital cinema, differentiating the theatre experience from other entertainment venues and providing additional value to our patrons," says Alan Stock, CEO of Cinemark. "DCIP's funding will allow us to capitalize on this opportunity."

"The rollout of digital cinema is an historic milestone for our industry. Our patrons have overwhelmingly embraced digital 3D and the alternative programming made possible by digital projection. Regal is confident that this technology enriches the movie-going experience and greatly enhances our business," says Amy Miles, CEO of Regal Entertainment Group. "The completed funding of DCIP allows us to expedite the pace of Regal's digital cinema deployment."

The DCIP news helped unleash a large number of business deals.

Sony Electronics announced it has entered into purchase agreements with Digital Cinema Implementation Partners, under which Sony Digital Cinema 4K projection systems will be deployed to both AMC Entertainment Inc. and Regal Entertainment Group theatres across the United States.  AMC and Regal are the two largest theatre chains in North America.

"We are pleased that AMC and Regal have recognized the benefits of Sony's 4K technology and we are now moving forward," says Gary Johns, vice president of Sony's digital cinema systems division. "AMC and Regal's commitment to Sony 4K will significantly accelerate the expansion of digital cinema, and also enable exhibitors to provide their customers with a more dynamic and immersive movie-going experience on a much broader scale."

"We believe digital cinema enables the future for our industry, as it provides us versatility and delivers our guests a better entertainment experience," says AMC president and CEO Lopez, president and CEO of AMC.  "Sony's 4K digital systems take the customer experience to the next level.  We are proud to install their systems in our circuit."

"Regal Entertainment Group selected Sony 4K systems because they provide the highest resolution possible for a picture-perfect presentation," says Regal CEO Miles, CEO of Regal Entertainment Group.  "Regal is now poised to expedite our nationwide digital rollout of Sony 4K projectors and 3D technology.  Regal continues to accelerate the expansion of RealD locations and our capacity for presenting 3D movies. Digital 3D movies have already proven to be a big hit at Regal's box offices. Patrons have enthusiastically responded to our Sony 4K projectors for a truly state-of-the-art experience."

Doremi Cinema has an agreement with DCIP to exclusively provide 2K- and 4K-server technology to Cinemark Holdings for their digital cinema deployment. Under the multi-year agreement, Doremi will be the sole server supplier for Cinemark's digital cinema roll out. Doremi will also support Regal and AMC for their ongoing deployment requirements.
 
"Our relationship with Doremi is solid. They've been supplying systems to our theaters for over two years," says Cinemark CEO Alan Stock. "Doremi has been an exceptional partner with outstanding technical support and proven 4K expertise. Their outstanding experience in large deployments is an added benefit given the scale of this agreement. We are very excited that all the final details and funding are now in place to proceed aggressively with installations."

"Doremi has remained focused on our clients needs and dedicated to staying at the forefront of technology," says Michael Archer, vice president of Doremi Cinema. "Customers trust our ongoing commitment to integrating "future-proof" features into our servers that will continue to benefit the industry as digital cinema becomes the norm."

Barco announced a purchase agreement with DCIP for the supply and installation of more than 3000 digital cinema projectors to Cinemark

Cinemark announced the opening of five new Cinemark XD, Extreme Digital Cinema auditoriums in Colorado Springs, Colorado; Moosic, Pennsylvania; Jacksonville, Florida; Valley View, Ohio; and Des Moines, Iowa.

"The Cinemark XD auditoriums have become very popular with our customers across the nation and now we have the ability to share this new experience with our valued guests in five more cities," says Cinemark CEO Stock. "Each week we will show the newest and biggest 2D and Real D-3D movies in our Cinemark XD auditoriums."

Cinemark has transformed one auditorium at the Tinseltown 20 theatre in Colorado Springs , the Cinemark 20 in Moosic, the Tinseltown 20 in Jacksonville, the Cinemark 24 in Valley View (Cleveland area), and the Century 20 Jordan Creek in West Des Moines into a cinema experience unlike any other. The new auditoriums feature large, wall-to-wall & ceiling-to-floor silver screens, plush seating, custom JBL sound systems featuring crisp, clear digital sound, and digital images delivered by Doremi servers and Barco digital projectors.

Christie announced that Studio Movie Grill has selected its 4K-ready Solaria series digital cinema projectors for 60 screens in multiplexes across Texas, Missouri and Georgia. SMG audiences watch the latest first-run movies while enjoying restaurant-style table service with upscale foods that include gourmet pizza, BBQ ribs and fresh salads.

"The contrast and brightness of Christie digital cinema projectors are unparalleled. We foresee a much lower cost of operation while providing a new level of excitement for our audiences, especially with all the great new 3D movies coming down the pipeline this year," says founder and President, Brian Schultz of Studio Movie Grill.
 
In addition to retrofitting all existing theatres across Texas, SMG will also install Christie projectors in two new theatre complexes – Zona Rosa in Kansas City, Missouri, and Holcomb Bridge in Atlanta, Georgia.

"SMG is making the investment to go all-digital to ensure that customers enjoy an enhanced cinema experience. With 35 percent of our screens currently featuring 3D, we look forward to displaying the most vivid images, and benefiting from the more efficient optics and lower lamp wattages of Christie projectors," says Schultz.  

"SMG is proud to partner with a company of the caliber of Christie, with whom we have always had a great working relationship. They also share our vision for the next generation in movie going, and their superior quality products represent not only the future of cinema but an unrivalled viewing experience for our customers." 
 


Craig Sholder, vice president of entertainment solutions for Christie, says, "SMG has truly thought of everything.  They have transformed their cinemas into the ultimate destination for out-of-home entertainment – it doesn't get much better than full service treatment, dinner and a spectacular feature presentation."


Christie also announced that Sonic Equipment Company has ordered 100 Christie Solaria Series 4K-ready Series 2 digital cinema projectors. Kansas-based Sonic Equipment Company, which also offers full-service consulting, remodeling and new construction to motion picture exhibitors, is also a certified reseller of Christie digital cinema projectors.  With more than 400 screens across thirteen states, they have been rapidly expanding over the past several years to become one of the industry's fastest growing companies. 
 


"Having the latest technology is extremely important to us.  We want to make sure our customers are getting the best and widest range of products, with the highest quality technical support.  We recommend Christie DLP Cinema projectors because they have proven to be the most reliable and affordable over the years we have installed them," says Eric L. Olson, director of operations for Sonic. "The Christie Solaria Series offer exceptional brightness and resolution, and at the same time are cost-efficient, which makes our customers confident with our choice of projection solutions." 
 


Mike Covey, Digital Cinema manager at Sonic, says, "We installed digital equipment in over 70 screens in 2009.  Christie has been with us every step of the way and their excellent technical staff has helped us through the many questions that come up in transitioning from 35mm to digital.  Their products and technical expertise ensure the smoothest installations, whether retrofitting existing screens or helping customers design new facilities from the ground-up."


In addition Barco announced that R/C Theatres has selected Barco Series-2 projectors for installation in three cities across their circuit.  A total of 42 projectors will be installed at multiplexes in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, Hanover, Pennsylvania, and Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina.

Barco's turnkey installation and warranty service, which also includes servers by GDC Technology, will be supported by Barco's NOC (Network Operations Center) and 24/7/365 Call Center.

"We've been working hard with Barco and Cinedigm to realize this deployment, and we're very excited that Barco's Series-2 fits our mix of theatres so perfectly," says Scott R. Cohen, CEO of R/C Theatres.  "The conversion to digital is the best thing to happen to our business in years, and our partnership with Barco, both in technology and service, is guaranteed to yield great results."

"As the founders of the R/C brand, the Cohen family has been setting standards in movie exhibition since the 1932," says Barco's Freidberg. "Because R/C has always been the primary champion of the independent exhibitor, their choices are closely watched by their peers.  I'm so pleased to see R/C Theatres validating the Barco model of high operational performance, low cost of acquisition, and superior customer interface."

Memphis-based Malco Theatres has chosen Barco for all 320 screens in the Malco circuit.  Installation of the new projectors will commence in late summer 2010.  

For Mike Thomson, CTO of Malco Theatres, their "all Barco" decision was based on performance, versatility and serviceability.  "The new Barco Series 2 models put out a brighter picture than any other projector," Thomson says. "With 3D, it's all about bright images, and by far, the new Barco projectors are the brightest on the market, making them ideal for 3D."   

Thomson also notes that Barco's software and product design facilitates the industry's fastest and most accurate projector set-up.  "We pioneered the use of dual projectors for 3D, and Barco is by far the easiest for doing a dual convergence.  Barco's also been great about making the technology as easy to use as possible, and that's important because we do most of our own servicing," he says.   

According to Joe DeMeo, director of sales for Barco Digital Cinema, North America, feedback of this nature is an essential component of Barco's on-going efforts to improve its product lines.  "Malco is one of our long-standing digital cinema customers, and they're among the very first circuits to go digital," says DeMeo.  "Our relationship with Malco is based on our mutual passion for providing the very best viewing experience for moviegoers. To us, this latest agreement represents more than the sale.  It's about moving forward with a digital cinema pioneer as a technology partner, and one who provides us with essential feedback and suggestions for our next generation products.  Malco is 100 percent committed to our technologies as we are to them."  

Barco also announced success overseas. In one deal it has signed a contract for the deployment of 100 digital cinema systems for Zhejiang Time Cinema, China's seventh largest cinema chain. The contract calls for the deployment of Barco's Series 2 digital cinema projector family, including the extremely bright DP2K-32B and the compact DP2K-20C and 12C projectors.

"Having previously used Barco projectors, we are very familiar with their solutions' extremely high quality and the company's quick response service program," says Zheng Jintian, Zhejiang Time Cinema's technical director. "Our order for 100 projectors shows how truly confident we are in Barco as both a solution provider and business partner in our rapid growth."

"We are excited in launching Barco's next generation 2K Digital cinema projector line," says Yan Fei, manager director of Barco Greater China. "Equipped with the latest DLP Cinema chip, the new DP2K-series offers the brightest and most cost-effective projection solution available on the market today. We are delighted to be installing the new series II projectors with Zhejiang Time Cinema as this contract honors our continued efforts developing innovative products and solutions."

And Barco has signed a contract for the deployment of 200 digital cinema systems for Jinyi Zhujiang Movie Circuit, China's sixth largest cinema chain.

"We have been extremely happy with the performance of the 100 Barco digital cinema systems we installed last year," says Xu Binbiao, GM of Jinyi. "Needless to say, the quality of Barco products speaks for itself. As we pursue the expansion of our cinema's, it's only natural that we partner again with Barco in our continued expansion into digital cinema." 



"We're happy to continue our relationship with Jinyi," says Barco's Yan Fei. "Building upon last year's order, an additional 200 digital cinema projects is sure to enhance Jinyi's profile as a top cinema provider. This type of domestic growth bodes well for our investment in technical development and localized production to meet the customer demands of the China market."

NEC Display Solutions of America announced an exclusive agreement with Southern Theatres, owners of The Grand Theatres and AmStar Cinemas, to provide digital cinema projectors at locations in nine states.  The exhibitor has more than 30 NEC digital cinema projector systems already installed.

"Our relationship with Southern Theatres has been a strong one for quite some time, but we're especially grateful for the trust they have placed in us with this exclusive agreement," says Pierre Richer, president and COO of NEC Display Solutions. "The 3D juggernaut is upon us, and NEC is prepared to help forward-looking exhibitors, such as Southern Theatres, capitalize on the powerful opportunities presenting themselves to the industry."



NEC Financial Services is providing the financing for the project, which will be rolled out in three phases over the course of this year and early 2011.  Phase I will be completed in time for the movie releases, How to Train Your Dragon 3D and Clash of the Titans 3D.

Ballantyne of Omaha is supplying the ancillary digital components, screens and installation for the 18 Southern Theatres locations, which consist of 268 screens.



"Ballantyne Strong's relationship with Southern Theatres extends back to its start as a theatre circuit.  We have been providing projectors and associated equipment to the Solomon family since the '70s," says John Wilmers, president and CEO, Ballantyne Strong, Inc.  

"Southern has aggressively been equipping theaters over the past two years to keep up with the 3D demand, and we are excited they are committed to lead the pack as the industry transitions to digital cinema." 

"We pride ourselves on offering the best movie-going experience to the public," says George Solomon, president of Southern Theatres. "NEC and Ballantyne Strong are playing crucial roles in that objective."


Doremi announced that it shipped more than 850 DCP digital cinema servers in February alone bringing its worldwide install base to more than 11,300 units. Doremi first demonstrated its digital cinema server prototype at IBC in 2004.   

"Our line of DCP-2000 & DCP-2K4 servers are the lynchpin products behind Doremi Cinema's expanding client base," says Doremi's Archer. "Thanks to our customers, dealers and integrater partners, Doremi's digital cinema server remains the number one installed server globally."



With financial backing for digital cinema deployments finally coming to fruition, exhibitors worldwide are pressing forward in securing systems for their screens.  "We have spent years researching and developing technology that has allowed us to incorporate a multitude of additional features into our server.  Many of these are not part of the DCI spec, but are seen as necessary value adds by our customers when choosing our product", says Archer. "It is our job to make sure that exhibitors can take advantage of tent pole films like Avatar and Alice in Wonderland, leverage the top down studio marketing that comes with them, and deliver the latest digital content to their theater patrons, who are packing theaters for these films and paying a premium ticket price."


MasterImage 3D announced that Montreal-based Guzzo Cinemas has chosen to convert 43 of its screens to stereoscopic 3D projection with MasterImage 3D digital theatre systems.

The chain, which encompasses 148 screens in 11 theatre complexes in the greater Montreal area, began implementing the MasterImage systems last December.  Twenty-seven systems are installed today, with all 43 expected to be in place this month.

"The MasterImage system hit every point we were looking for," says Vince Guzzo, executive vice president and chief operating officer of Guzzo Cinemas.  "The presentation is high quality of course, and MasterImage offers single-use glasses, which to us, is preferable to cleaning and re-using glasses.  A big benefit of the MasterImage system is that it can be very easily moved and redeployed in different theatres along with the projection system in the weeks after a movie opens. It doesn't require us to call in a technician. Finally, we absolutely prefer to own our systems outright. That is critical for us."

"We're pleased and honored to support Guzzo Cinemas as they continue to expand their 3D offering across the Montreal area," says Peter Koplik, executive vice president at MasterImage.  "They are a forward-thinking exhibition company and with the completion of their 43 screen conversion, this will be the largest installation of MasterImage 3D theatre systems in North America."

Screenvision has signed long-term extensions with regional exhibitors Classic Cinemas, Uptown Entertainment, and Studio Movie Grill. Through these deals, Screenvision says it furthers its position in important markets such as Chicago, Detroit, Dallas and Houston. 
 

"Our partnerships with Classic Cinemas, Uptown Entertainment, and Studio Movie Grill demonstrate Screenvision's ability to provide advertising, technology and entertainment solutions that add real value to exhibitors across the country," says Darryl Schaffer, executive vice president, exhibitor relations, Screenvision. "These chains are strong in markets such as Chicago, Detroit, Dallas and Houston all of which are important for our network and I am delighted they have renewed with us."
 


Sonic Equipment Company has signed a sales, service and installation agreement with B&B Theatres to provide equipment and service.  B&B Theatres, a member of the National Association of Theatre Owners, Cinema Buying Group is participating in Cinedigm's Phase 2 digital cinema deployment. 

B&B Theatres brings their 205 screens to the program and plans for a complete deployment over the next 24 months.  "We have been providing our PM service to B & B Theatres for their 35mm systems and are pleased to be able to continue our relationship into the digital era," says Sonic's director of business management, Steve Zimmerman.  "We look forward to this exciting transition."

"I am pleased that B&B can continue our long term relationship with Sonic Equipment Company as we move into the digital age.  Sonic was one of the top installers of digital equipment in the United States last year and so we are confident in their knowledge and experience.  Eric Olson and his well-trained techs have installed all of our current digital equipment and we have had perfect presentations and no failures.  We look forward to working with Sonic as we transform our company to an all digital circuit over the next two years," says Bob Bagby, president of B&B Theatres. B&B Theatres has one fully digital Cineplex in Hannibal, Missouri. Plans are made to fully convert at least 50 percent of their remaining theatres to digital in 2010.

Cinedigm also announced that Starplex Cinemas would participate in its Phase 2 digital cinema deployment program by transitioning 102 screens from analog to digital cinema projectors. Starplex will become Cinedigm Certified in eight locations.

"We are pleased to welcome the Starplex group of theatres to the Cinedigm family," says Cinedigm chairman and CEO Bud Mayo. "We share a vision to improve the movie-going experience and to provide choices for Starplex's customers that only digital cinema allows."

Steve Holmes, CEO of Starplex Cinemas, says, "Starplex is very excited to be transitioning our circuit to digital cinema. Enabling our theatres to use the latest technology to bring feature movies and other exciting content to our customers is an opportunity to distinguish our theatres from others. We believe Cinedigm is the best partner for this transition and look forward to our work with them."

"Starplex Cinemas is continually enhancing the movie-going experience for their audiences," says Chuck Goldwater, president of Cinedigm's Media Services Group. "Their innovations in theatre design and operations have been leading the way in the industry, and this is one more giant step in that direction. Cinedigm is honored to have been chosen as their partner in entering the digital world."

SmartJog and XDC have signed a non-exclusive partnership agreement.

 Under the terms of the agreement XDC will offer the SmartJog solution to exhibitors under contract with them, as part of their portfolio of services including electronic distribution and storage of content.

 Exhibitors who are part of the XDC network will have the possibility to deploy the SmartJog Central Library Servers for the electronic reception and storage of Digital Cinema Packages into their cinemas.

SmartJog's and XDC's equipment will be integrated to provide exhibitors a complete solution for the management of content within their cinemas.

 In addition, XDC and SmartJog have inked a digital distribution partnership agreement enabling XDC to use the SmartJog digital delivery platform to deliver DCPs to cinemas under contract with XDC but also to any connected cinemas to the SmartJog network in Europe.

"After an initial phase of testing, we have decided to broaden our service offering to include the SmartJog solution. Our cinema customers will have the possibility to receive digital cinema content via SmartJog and our XDC Digital Content Lab will also offer to theatrical distributors a digital delivery service to all cinemas connected to the SmartJog network," says Fabrice Testa, vice president sales and business development of XDC. 



"SmartJog is thrilled about this agreement as our XDC & SmartJog services complement each other, allowing distributors and exhibitors to benefit from an integrated and complete solution for content distribution and storage," says Nicolas Dussert, European theatrical sales director for SmartJog. 



D-Box Technologies has an agreement with San Diego-based UltraStar Cinemas to equip two additional theatres with its D-Box MFX Seats, bringing the total number of UltraStar theatres offering the D-Box experience to five.

UltraStar's Mission Marketplace will equip an auditorium with 26 of the D-Box MFX seats while the Poway Creekside theatre will feature 18. With both theatres scheduled to debut with D-Box this March, moviegoers can continue to live the action at two current area locations, Apple Valley Cinema in San Bernadino and Mission Valley in San Diego as well as one of the first D-Box equipped location, namely, UltraStar Cinemas Surprise Pointe near Phoenix.

"We are very proud to continue our expansion with UltraStar Cinemas who was the first exhibitor chain to sign on with D-Box," says president and chief executive officer of D-Box Technologies, Claude Mc Master. "About this time last year we were preparing to debut the first D-Box theatrical system to the public at their Arizona location and now audiences throughout North America, and even Japan, can enjoy the D-Box experience."

"The team here at UltraStar Cinemas could not be more pleased with our partnership with D-Box. After almost a full year of operating D-Box's motion system in my theatres, I can truly say that this is a technology that has made an impact and a difference in our business. Our current installations successfully draw guests from miles around, and continue to generate additional income. It only made business sense to expand our D-Box offering," says Damon Rubio, executive vice president of operations UltraStar Cinemas.

Technology

The good news for exhibitors is that the sea change days for digital cinema are over, at least for the near term. The new challenge is sorting through a fairly dizzying number of upgrades and enhancements that all manufacturers are adding to their product lines.  Technology changes – at least major ones – are unlikely to happen for the next two-three years or so as manufacturers operate overtime to meet the current demand to convert film screens to digital.

Texas Instruments announced that all DLP Cinema subcomponents for DLP Cinema 2K and its upcoming Enhanced 4K platforms have recently completed testing for Digital Cinema Initiative standards by passing the procedural test administered by CineCert, the leading third-party authorized test facility. This enables DLP Cinema's OEM licensees, Barco, Christie Digital and NEC, to complete final testing of their new DLP Cinema next-generation electronics platform models and ship in the coming months.  

"We are very pleased to confirm that the DLP Cinema next generation platform is the first device to clear procedural testing in our lab," said John Hurst, CTO of CineCert. "Our goal is to facilitate and guide manufacturers, integrators and exhibitors on the technical details and testing required for compliance. DLP Cinema-based projectors are expected to meet each requirement to ensure the highest quality motion picture experience."

"Having reached this major milestone, we are unwaveringly confident that our OEMs will be able to ship compliant DLP Cinema 2K projectors in the very near future," says Nancy Fares, business manager for Texas Instruments, DLP Cinema Products. "These latest projector models will have a seal of security while upholding the unmatched advantages of the DLP Cinema platform."

Texas Instruments was also proudly proclaiming that the company won the 2009 Academy Award for Scientific and Engineering. Acknowledged during a private award ceremony, D. Scott Dewald, Greg Pettitt, Brad Walker and Bill Werner were recognized for their contributions furthering the design and refinement of the Texas Instruments, DLP Cinema projector, achieving a level of performance, which enables color-accurate, digital intermediate previews of motion pictures.

The fact that the projectors in theatres today do not meet the Digital Cinema Initiative specifications has been widely known and widely overlooked, for the most part, because the systems in place were doing a good job. But as the roll out matures that issue is certain to become more critical and the studios, exhibitors and manufacturers have taken note.

Barco announced that its Series 2 digital cinema projector has successfully passed the procedural test for DCI compliance administered by CineCert, the leading third party authorizing test facility. With these tests completed, Barco has reached another important milestone in the rollout of its brand-new DP2K projector series.

"We are thrilled to be the industry's first digital projector manufacturer that has successfully passed the stringent assessment procedures carried out by the DCI approved testing agency, CineCert," says Wim Buyens, vice-president of Barco's Digital Cinema division. "It is a reward for the rigorous quality and security standards applied in our labs during the development of this new DP2K projector series. For our customers, this will result in the most secure, high-quality and low-risk projector solution available today."

"We are very pleased to confirm the DP2K-20C is the first digital cinema projector to complete procedural testing in our lab," says CineCert's Hurst. "It shows that DCI compliance testing is not only possible but also quite practical."

Barco also announced its Diagnostics Companion, a new optional software module that enables users of Barco Series I and Series II projectors to identify, diagnose, troubleshoot and remedy error conditions — without technical support assistance.  

The Diagnostics Companion is integrated in Barco's Communicator software, starting with version 4.0. The Communicator runs as a standard PC application, or more conveniently, runs on Barco's Communicator Touch Panel, a multi-user projector control center that's optimized for quick and efficient operations.

The Diagnostics Companion works with Barco's DP-1200, DP-1500 and DP-2000 Series I projectors, and will be shown on the new Series II projectors at ShoWest 2010. To obtain the Diagnostics Companion, current Series I users can upload the version 4.0 Communicator update.

As an interactive module, the Diagnostics Companion runs in the background until needed.  If an error condition occurs and the projector's red "tail lights" turn on, a pop-up message appears in the Communicator — informing the user about the specific condition.  If more information is available, the user can click an adjacent icon, which automatically opens the Diagnostics Companion.  Within the Companion's window, comprehensive tables are provided that outline the situation and the solution.  In addition, step-by-step troubleshooting procedures are provided, including detailed pictures of specific components.  

"If a problem arises, the majority can be solved using the Diagnostics Companion, without requiring Technical Support," says Andrew Gaweda, product manager for Barco Digital Cinema, NA.  "As a built-in troubleshooting guide, the Companion actually empowers the user with a wealth of knowledge, right at their fingertips.  It goes one step beyond basic error messaging, with clear diagnostics and proven steps to resolve problems."  

"The goal of the Diagnostics Companion is to enable users to perform on-site technical analysis, and to that end, the Companion succeeds brilliantly," says Todd Hoddick, vice president of digital cinema for Barco NA.  "With this application, and the intelligent power that it places right on the Communicator touch panel, a new and highly interactive level of diagnostics is immediately available across the Series I and Series II product lines.  The result is greater up-time, and an increase in the customer's working knowledge of our projectors."

And Barco announced an expansion of its advanced Network Operations Center, a comprehensive set of monitoring tools and services available to all Barco digital cinema customers.  As a proactive service designed to ensure the optimum performance of each customer's digital cinema network, the NOC now offers expanded monitoring capabilities for networked projectors, servers, theatre management systems, automation controllers, switches and Uninterruptible Power Supply units.  

Now well into its second year in operation, Barco's NOC provides theatre owners, service providers and system integrators with a common platform for monitoring, servicing and maintaining their projector fleet.  Based on the overwhelmingly positive customer response, new NOC services have been added, including expanded remote network analysis, new remote upgrade and configuration capabilities, 24/7/365 site schedule and content verification, plus enhanced real-time network snapshots.

"It's all about keeping pictures on our customers' screens," says Jim Wickenhiser, NOC and Call Center Manager for Barco Digital Cinema, NA.  "At any given customer site, particularly when staff resources are at a premium, the NOC provides our exhibitors with the confidence that their equipment, schedules, servers and switches are being monitored.  More importantly, we have the ability to be proactive. Not only do we have knowledge of all these network devices, but we can reach out into the network, to diagnose and troubleshoot remotely.  We've had scenarios where the customer isn't aware of a network problem, yet we're already working on it.  Overall, the NOC enables our customers to concentrate on business, yet know that they have a direct interface to Customer Service, 24/7."

Dolby announced it is working with Walt Disney Pictures and Pixar Animation Studios to deliver a new audio format, Dolby Surround 7.1. The new format, which was being demonstrated at the show, will be launched in select theatres with the release of Toy Story 3 in 3D this June.



"For 40 years Dolby has not only provided content creators with the tools to create a more realistic audio experience, but has also enabled the exhibitor to deliver audiences the ability to experience the content as the creator intended," says Page Haun, senior director, marketing, cinema market segment, Dolby Laboratories. "The release of Toy Story 3 in a discrete 7.1 mix will raise the bar for movie theatre owners and their patrons."

Dolby Surround 7.1 provides content creators four surround zones to better orchestrate audio channels in a movie theatre environment. The four surround zones incorporate the traditional Left Surround and Right Surround with new Back Surround Left and Back Surround Right zones. The addition of the two Back Surround zones enhances directionality in panning 360 degrees around the theatre.

Dolby Surround 7.1 format comprises 8 channels of audio and has the following channel layout: Left, Center, Right, Low-Frequency Effects (LFE), Left Surround, Right Surround, Back Surround Left (new), and Back Surround Right (new). In order for exhibitors to deliver the new format, Dolby will be providing Dolby Surround 7.1 playback capabilities in the Dolby CP650 and Dolby CP750 digital cinema audio processor lines.

Dolby also announced it has reduced the price of its reusable 3D glasses. Starting today, Dolby exhibitors can purchase new 3D glasses at a list price of US $17, reduced from US $27.50. Dolby is also offering additional cost savings through new, bundled pricing for its standard Dolby 3D single projector kit with up to 500 pairs of glasses as well as a Dolby 3D bundle for its large-screen solutions 3D kit with up to 1,000 pairs of glasses.

"Since our market entry just over two years ago, Dolby has shipped more than 3,200 3D systems to over 400 exhibitor partners in 67 countries. This growth in the number of Dolby 3D equipped digital cinemas around the world has enabled us to reduce the price of our glasses further," says John Carey, vice president, worldwide sales, products, and services, Dolby Laboratories. "Our eco-friendly glasses are designed to be used repeatedly, bringing per-ticket costs well below disposable single use 3D glasses."

Datasat Digital Entertainment introduced the AP20 and unveiled a dealer certification program for the 16-channel audio processor. "With a product as feature-rich as the AP20, a certification program like the one we have developed assures each and every theatre will be tuned to the highest quality possible and soundtracks will sound as they were originally designed," says Dusty Thomas, vice president of sales at Datasat Digital Entertainment.

Certification will involve technical training of the audio processor's many features including Dirac Live Room Optimization, a technology new to the cinema space. This certification mirrors that which is required for a majority of digital cinema enhancements.

"Audio cannot be left stagnate in this pivotal time in our industry's advancements," Thomas says. "This processor and supporting certification programs greatly advance the audio options available to the cinema environment."

First sessions of the dealer certification program will begin late April. 

Harkness Screens introduced its Digital Screen Selector. Intended as an aid to theatre operators seeking to optimize their investment in digital cinema, the Digital Screen Selector can help to reduce operating costs for 2D and optimise light levels for both 2D and 3D.

The Digital Screen Selector is available through the Harkness web-site; it has a user-friendly interface with no software download required and uses industry-accepted standards and vendor data to compare different operating scenarios.  The Selector is intended to be a guide for theatre operators when consulting with projector, lamp, and 3D technology providers.

"We are very pleased to be able to offer our new Digital Screen Selector to cinema professionals around the world," says Andrew Robinson, managing director of Harkness Screens.  "By answering a few quick questions about the screen size and equipment being used in a particular theatre, the Selector suggests Harkness screen options to optimise performance and cost."

Harkness was also highlighting its Perlux gain screens, which the company says reduce digital cinema projector brightness requirements significantly relative to matt white screens, enabling the use of smaller lamps that are cheaper, last longer, consume less power, roughly halving operating costs.  Additionally, if the screen is considered at the same time as the projector investment, a smaller (and cheaper) projector can be an option.  

"We are committed to the trend in digital cinema and will continue to develop our products to optimize this application," says Robinson.

QSC Audio was showing upgrades to its DCP 300 Digital Cinema Processor. The DCP 300 now offers Windows 7 driver compatibility, RS-232 serial automation control, SNMP network remote control and monitoring, and matrix surround decoding for its non-sync and surround EX inputs.

The new SNMP capability offers simple and easy integration into third party Theatre Management Systems and remote monitoring via Network Operations Centers.   

The DCP 300 covers cinema systems ranging from three to five screen channels, and is configurable for passive, bi-amp, tri-amp or quad-amp operation.  Sixteen digital AES inputs provide the flexibility to reproduce current and future soundtrack formats.  The DCP 300 is also compatible with all analog cinema processor formats including Dolby Digital Surround-EX and DTS-ES and features a 10-channel analog input for integration with 35mm audio systems.

QSC also announced a new addition to its digital cinema speaker family, the new SB-15121 subwoofer.  The SB-15121 has been designed for use in premiere cinemas and post-production applications. The 1500W, 21-inch low-frequency transducer features a 6-inch diameter voice coil in a vented, neodymium magnet structure that is designed to dissipate extreme amounts of heat and allow for excursion that is double that of typical 18-inch transducers.  This ensures cool operation, even at high power levels, increases driver lifespan and decreases power compression at high drive levels. 

The large, ported enclosure ensures response to the lowest audible frequency for bass. In fact the frequency range extends to below 25Hz without the need for B6 EQ filters.

Barry Ferrell, QSC senior director, cinema solutions says, "The SB-15121 is a unique product with no direct competitive equivalent.  It was designed with the most advanced measurement tools available to produce a rugged and nearly unbreakable transducer that is also capable of incredibly low distortion.  Strength and finesse are combined in a truly state of the art component. As a result, premium cinemas can offer increased subwoofer performance to go along with enhanced seating and upscale concession items — and achieve a distinctive level of performance compared to their competitors."  

In addition, QSC introduced the new purpose-designed DCS SC-424-8F flyable, four-way, tri-amplified speaker system for Dome and Large Format cinemas that require suspended mounting of screen channels, or point source surround channels.

Both the Mid/High and LF enclosures are built with common dimensions to facilitate easy installation in vertical or horizontal arrays and are constructed of heavily braced, 15mm concert tour-grade plywood.  In addition, 16 M10 attachment-points-per-enclosure are provided for safe and easy suspension.

The DCS SC-424-8F also features a unique coax HF/VHF diaphragm, which has less mass than traditional diaphragms, resulting in exceptional dynamic range, extended high frequency response and lower distortion.

Francois Godfrey, QSC director of sales, cinema, says, "This system has been developed specifically for the unique requirements of Multi-Purpose, Large Format and Dome motion picture playback.  The two main units comprise the MHV-1090F mid-high / very-high-frequency system, and the LF-4215-8F low-frequency system aimed purposely at applications where a point-source surround channel or screen channel must be suspended or flown rather than mounted on a platform or floor."   

Laser Light Engines, a developer and manufacturer of ultra-high brightness, laser-driven light sources, announced that it has demonstrated the first laser light source to completely eliminate laser speckle, reaching the level of performance required for exhibition of artifact-free, laser images suitable for digital 2D and 3D movies.
This development paves the way for commercialization of LLE's RGB (red/green/blue) lasers as what the company believes is an improved high-brightness, solid-state illumination source for projection manufacturers.

The company says that RGB illumination will dramatically reduce operating costs for movie theater owners for a potential per screen savings of $10,000 a year by eliminating the need to replace expensive Xenon arc lamps (projector bulbs) and reducing electricity use as much as fifty percent.

"LLE lasers will reduce power consumption and cooling costs providing a cost effective and green alternative to Xenon arc lamps," says Bill Beck, co-founder and executive vice president of business development, Laser Light Engines. "Unlike Xenon lamps that rapidly decline in output, the LLE system will provide full brightness over the lifetime of the projector, serving as a solution for digital cinema, large venue projection and digital signage applications."

"As the motion picture industry continues to expand 3D and large venue exhibition offerings, laser illumination offers tremendous benefits including higher-brightness, long lifetime solid-state performance and in the future, expanded color space, increased contrast and bit depth," says Doug Darrow, Laser Light Engines president and CEO. "In addition to constant brightness that ultimately could surpass bulb illumination by three to five times, laser illumination will offer significant operational cost and environmental savings for exhibition, eliminating Xenon bulb replacement and reducing power and HVAC costs."

Finally, there were three companies at the show hoping to capitalize on the fact that film distribution and exhibition still dominate the industry leaving many film-only theatres with no way to capitalize on the current popularity of 3D. Technicolor, Oculus and SoliDDD all drew sizable crowds of people curious about their products.  It remains unclear how many, if any, of the studios will actually support these systems, which are all based on the over-under system.


SoliDDD CEO Neal Weinstock made the case for his own company but could have been speaking for the others as well. "For motion-picture producers and distributors, SoliDDD lenses can be hugely important," says Weinstock. "There is a shortage of theaters for 3D. Our lenses are inexpensive enough to be included in a moderate production budget and then provided to theaters along with each release print. We can create a pipeline for distribution of releases that could otherwise find only short, cramped theatrical windows."
  

"This business is not simply a short-term play on film in the several years left before digital takes over," Weinstock says. "We are able to adapt the technology to fit digital projectors, too, and continue to offer a system that is far superior to others, and less expensive than others, in what will likely be a mostly digital market in about a decade."


Across the exhibit hall Oculus3D announced that it is working with Cereplast to offer what it says are the world's first biodegradable/compostable 3D glasses as part of the OculR 3D viewing system to movie theaters. The glasses are manufactured using Cereplast's bioplastic resins and are expected to be available for summer 2010 distribution to movie theaters.

"We are very glad to be associated with Oculus3D, a company that understands and is concerned about the environmental impact associated with traditional petroleum-based plastic. Through the collaboration of our joint effort, we can offer the Hollywood community meaningful 'green' benefits requiring little effort and providing large impact," says Frederic Scheer, founder, chairman and CEO of Cereplast. 



"By using Cereplast's resins in our 3D biodegradable and compostable glasses we can now help the entertainment industry reduce its carbon footprint and provide movie theaters with smarter choices for both affordable 3D systems and compatible 3D eyewear," says Marty Shindler, co-founder and CEO of Oculus3D.

 

The Downside of Good Ideas

http://www.digitalcinemareport.com/node/1612

 

Submitted by Nick Dager on Sun, 03/28/2010 - 14:32.

 

As a journalist I thrive on new ideas – good or bad – because ideas are interesting and, of course, because they can make for compelling stories. For that reason the ShoWest convention held in Las Vegas last month was especially enjoyable for me because it seemed as if you couldn't turn around without coming across another fascinating project, product, business development or new idea. Of course, 3D dominated most conversations and there were screenings of several 3D movies including the eagerly awaited Toy Story 3. But it turns out that one man's dream can be another man's nightmare and that if, for example, you have a small or mid-range movie theatre chain to run, too many good ideas may just add to an already growing state of confusion. Call it the downside of good ideas.

I had a trade show elevator conversation with an exhibitor who seemed to fit that description. He manages a chain of twenty or so theatres and was on his way to a meeting when we chatted. And he seemed stressed. What if, he suggested, 3D turns out to be a fad again after all? What if he was already too late to cash in on the really big premiums that exhibitors are currently earning on 3D?

I told him that I'm personally convinced that 3D is definitely here to stay and would be a smart investment for the long term, but I acknowledged to him that it's easy for me to be certain; I don't have to risk thousands of dollars on my conviction.

Welcome to the second decade of the digital cinema transition. The pressure to act quickly – and to raise and spend thousands of dollars quickly – only heightens the stress that many exhibitors understandably feel. As does the fact that, by its very nature, digital technology opens the door to an almost infinite number of refinements, enhancements and innovations.

The days are over when an exhibitor could purchase a film projector and consider that part of his work completed for years – sometimes decades. Digital technology means ongoing upgrades and refinements; the good news is that the upgrades will add value to your business; the bad news is that it means you have something else to evaluate.

The first decade of digital cinema was about getting many pieces of a puzzle put into place – or at least reasonably close to in place. That task has essentially been completed and as the economy continues to improve the pace of the transition from film to digital will quicken.  So much so that exhibitors who failed to make commitment to install digital technology weeks or even months ago will, in all likelihood, miss out on all the economic benefits of what promises to be a summer of 3D blockbuster movies.

The digital projector manufacturers at the show were telling their customers – privately for the most part but in some cases publicly – that if they didn't have a purchase order in hand or were at least ready to make a firm commitment at the show, chances were very good that it would be sometime in the fall at the earliest before their systems could be delivered. The reason? All of the manufacturers are working overtime to fulfill existing orders.

Which brings me back to ShoWest. There were a remarkable number of interesting ideas at this convention related to virtually every aspect of the movie theatre business and what follows is a brief take on a random sampling of some of my favorites. In coming Reports we'll examine these and some of the other ideas presented at the show in greater depth.

Healthy Eating

There is a growing effort across the country to urge Americans to eat a healthier diet. As an example, New York State, where I live, is debating a tax on soft drinks in part to raise needed revenue but also as a measure to curb obesity. These sorts of initiatives are certain to continue and theatres will feel some of the impact.

During a press conference I asked John Fithian, president of the National Association of Theatre Owners, how exhibitors will address the issue. While acknowledging that he personally believes in healthy eating and encourages it in others, theatres can have little real impact on the American diet. He noted that air-popped popcorn was a major issue in the 1990s and theatre owners embraced the concept only to find that the public didn't buy the healthier popcorn. He also pointed out that the average person goes to the movie just over four times a year and said, "That's not eating. People go to the movies to escape and the concessions are part of that experience."

He also said that theatres are continuing to add healthier items to their menus with success in some locations and he predicted that would continue. There were several examples of healthier items introduced by food vendors at the show. Coke, for example, was highlighting an iced tea dispenser that, among other things, offered sugar free green tea. My personal favorite somewhat healthier food – and something of a hit at the show – was M&M's pretzels, which have about half the calories and fat of M&M's peanuts and were delicious.

Customer Service

TPG Rewards, provider of promotional movie tickets, launched an innovation that to me seems certain to be popular:  Movie Cash delivered right to consumers' mobile phones.

"We launched our first Movie Cash program delivery mechanism in 1993, which were paper certificates," says TPG's president and CEO John Galinos. "Now, technology has enabled us to literally and affordably deliver Movie Cash to a consumer's mobile phone.  It's extraordinary how far technology has taken us, and our clients – from major consumer packaged goods to Hollywood studios – are embracing our capabilities."

Coined by TPG as m-Movie Cash, the service can be used for any movie of the consumers choice, even when "no coupon, no pass" feature is displayed. TPG says it will offer its first m-Movie Cash program later this year.

3D Glasses

There were a significant number of international attendees – people from all over the world – and, in my view, something of an Australian invasion. Three Australian companies at the show offered ideas and services that really caught my attention. The first was Look3D.

The state of 3D glasses is currently in flux and there are many choices. Some exhibitors swear by recyclable glasses offered by companies like Dolby because they have found them to be easy to handle and, in the relatively short term, to be less expensive than disposable glasses like those offered by companies like RealD. At some point – and long before we get to successful glassless 3D in theatres – it seems clear the industry will have to settle on some sort of glasses standard. Until that time, Look3D is betting that RealD maintains its sizable market share.

Australians Rhett Adam and Warwick Purves, who come from the eyeglass industry, founded the company. They're selling a complete line of RealD-authorized 3D glasses that range in price and style from about eight dollars – with colorful frames designed for teenagers – to a high of less than fifty dollars with frames for adults. For people like me who wear eyeglasses they also offer clip-ons that are very lightweight and solve the problem of having to wear glasses over glasses. Their plan is to have exhibitors sell the glasses at the concession stand.

Alternative Content

The digital cinema era has already seen a wide and growing variety of programs make their way into movie theatres and exhibitors are getting more adept at building new audiences for these shows. I've seen alternative content providers working the halls and exhibit floor in the past but I don't recall one actually exhibiting on the show floor.

The Australian company CinemaLive was there in full force with programs ranging from opera and ballet to comedy and, if you have ever been around younger children you'll know the name, The Wiggles. Their children's television show is an international success on the order of Barney and as CinemaLive's director Janelle Mason explained to me, the company is offering the program to exhibitors.

Theatre Design

Finally, at an ever-increasing pace, theatre design is changing and the movie theatre of a decade from now will most surely not resemble the theatres of today. Screens and getting bigger, seating arrangements are shifting to accommodate the challenges of watching 3D, projection booths are getting smaller and digital signage and changes in food offerings are reshaping concession stands.

Drive-in theatres are not immune to this change and digital technology played an integral part in the design of a drive-in theatre in Melbourne, Australia. I learned about it from Keith Pullinger and John Wall, partners in Cinema Next, a cinema and leisure consultancy based in London. (For the record, my Australian invasion theme still works because the theatre's in Australia and Pullinger is Australian and he bought me a beer.)

This idea would not work everywhere if only because of the amount of real estate it must consume but the theatre is an all-digital six-screen operation in the shape of a hexagon. The concession stand, restrooms and projection booths are all housed in a large hexagon in the center. For me the cleverest part of the idea is that there are also seats inside that form six theatres where the exhibitor can play movies during the winter months.

3D good for Q1 at German boxoffice

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/film/news/e3i539277d81ea4a9b1f88054b6f40bb59d

18% jump almost entirely due to 3D surcharge

By Scott Roxborough

March 31, 2010, 01:10 PM ET

 

COLOGNE, Germany -- The 3D delights of "Avatar" and "Alice in Wonderland," particularly the delightful surcharge for 3D screenings, helped boost German boxoffice in the first quarter.

Theatrical revenue was up 18% to €268.4 million ($364 million) in the first three months of 2010, a record for the first quarter here.

The jump was almost entirely due to extra revenue from 3D. Ticket sales were flat at 35.3 million sold in Q1.

"Avatar," still in the top five in Germany 14 weeks into its run, has sold 10.4 million tickets for a €105 million ($142 million) take. James Cameron's sci-fi spectacle is closing in on the high water mark set by his "Titanic," which earned €118 million in Germany in 1997, still the all-time record for the territory.

20th Century Fox was easily the top distributor in the first quarter, riding the "Avatar" wave to a 34% share of the total boxoffice. Concorde took pride of place as top indie distributor, with a 6% market share, thanks to Martin Scorsese's "Shutter Island," which has earned €9.4 million ($13 million) in Germany.