Barco, Guinness World Record holder for the brightest digital cinema projector, announced today that Barco and Dolby Laboratories, Inc. (NYSE:DLB) have teamed up to present first-ever high frame rate 2D and 3D digital cinema demos at ShowEast 2011.
Barco and Dolby will execute a series of demonstrations to show content in a variety of frame rates and resolutions, including: 1) 2D 2K high frame rate at 48 frames per second (fps); 2) 2D 4K at 24 fps; and 3) 2K high frame rate at 48 and 60 fps per eye for 3D. All demonstrations will utilize a single Barco DP2K-20C projector with a prototype 2K/4K Dolby Integrated Media Block (IMB) and Dolby DSS200 cinema server.
These demonstrations will represent the first time this diversity of content will be played back at a high frame rate via a standard digital cinema package (DCP) and will showcase how the combined capabilities of Barco’s and Dolby’s digital cinema solutions are capable of achieving higher frame rates for 2D, 3D and 4K movie presentation. The solution – with Barco’s Series 2 projectors and Dolby’s prototype IMB – demonstrates how Barco and Dolby continue to drive cutting-edge cinema imaging technology.
The ultra-high brightness and technical superiority of Barco’s DLP Cinema® projectors, combined with Dolby’s 3D digital cinema system and IMB, show that a single projector can playback at nearly three times the frame rate of traditional movie exhibition rates of 24 fps. This high frame rate 3D presentation is another in a long line of industry firsts achieved by Barco, including the first sealed optical engine, first full-panel triple flash 3D technology, first dual-4K projection, and only true modularity to create the highest performing digital cinema projector with the lowest total cost of ownership.
“As industry leaders in immersive cinema, Barco and Dolby are in a unique position to leverage our mutual technologies to create stunning, true-to-life movie presentation projected at high frame rates,” commented Patrick Lee, VP Digital Cinema for Barco North America. “This event is a fantastic opportunity to showcase how high frame rates can elevate the realism of cinema to create a premium experience that exhibitors can bank on.”
“Dolby’s rich heritage in working with content creators and partners like Barco gives us the experience and perspective to anticipate future market needs for the cinema industry,” said Ramzi Haidamus, Executive Vice President of Sales & Marketing, Dolby Laboratories. “Dolby and Barco’s technical demonstration of high frame rate in different formats reinforces our goal to provide filmmakers a choice that matches their creative vision while delivering audiences the highest quality presentation possible in emerging digital cinema environments.”
The event will be held at Barco’s Belgian Beer Bar on Wednesday, October 26, 2011 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Marriott Hollywood Beach Hotel, by invitation only.
In a related opportunity at ShowEast, Barco will present on the topic “Business Implications of High Frame Rates in Exhibition” at the International Cinema Technology Association (ICTA), focusing on the impact of high frame rates to exhibitors; high frame rates and the image quality puzzle; and the role of high frame rates in the “Cinema of the Future.” As Joe DeMeo, Vice President of ICTA and Sales Director for Barco, explained, “Exhibitors need to know that high frame rate is only one piece of the image quality puzzle, and image quality is key to a premium, immersive cinema experience.”
Barco’s “High Frame Rate” presentation will occur on Monday, October 24, 2011 between 8:30 a.m. and 12 p.m. during ShowEast2011 at the Westin Diplomat Hotel Miami/Hollywood, Fla. Barco and Dolby will be exhibiting at ShowEast in Booth #203 and Booth #803 respectively, from October 24-27, 2011.
