Burbank, Calif.—Jul 25, 2006
New NEC Digital Cinema Projector Makes Dazzling Debut on 70-Foot Screen
NEC STARUS Projector Delivers ‘Absolute Miracle’ Picture for Malco Theatres
NEC Corporation of America today announced the premiere of its NEC STARUS™ NC2500S Digital Cinema projector, which debuted on a 70-foot wide screen in a state-of-the-art multiplex owned and operated by Malco Theatres, Inc.
After testing other digital cinema projectors that delivered a maximum of 15 ft. lamberts, NEC’s STARUS NC2500S with DLP Cinema® technology from Texas Instruments® blew the competition away by achieving an impressive 22 ft. lamberts and approximately 31,000 lumens, running at 170 amps.
"The picture is an absolute miracle," said Mike Thomson, vice president, operations and technical, Malco Theatres, Inc. "NEC is the state-of-the-art digital cinema projector right now."
With more than 90 years in the theatre business, Memphis, Tenn.-based Malco is the 14th largest theatre circuit in the U.S., operating 35 sites with over 280 screens in five states. The chain is widely lauded in cinema circles as a leader in the use of cutting-edge sight and sound technology.
Thomson -- a 41-year Malco veteran -- is largely credited with the chain's embrace of technology, and was responsible for Malco's early adoption of Dolby® stereo, digital sound, and THX® systems.
"Finally, a machine has come along that can really put light on a screen," said Thomson. "Not only did the NEC STARUS far exceed its stated numbers, but it simply projected one of the most beautiful, clear and bright movie pictures I've ever seen. This is, without question, the new standard."
The NEC projector debuted for a screening of Warner Brothers' Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire at a charity event at Malco's new Grandview Cinema in Madison, Miss. The screening took place in Grandview's Auditorium 17, which features a 36.5 x 70 foot screen.
The public witnessed the results of the new NEC projection system the next day, during the local premiere of Walt Disney's Eight Below.
The STARUS NC2500S is the world’s brightest DLP Cinema projector for large-sized screens 49 feet wide or larger. Delivering 2K resolution and high contrast ratios (2000:1), the STARUS NC2500S digital cinema projector is easy to operate and requires minimal maintenance.
The projectors deliver amplified brightness, sharper graphics and eye-catching color, using DLP Cinema technology from Texas Instruments.
The complete family of STARUS Digital Cinema projectors also includes the STARUS NC1500C for medium-sized movie screens, and the STARUS NC800C for small theatres, screening rooms, and post-production facilities.
NEC’s STARUS Digital Cinema solution enables theatres to deliver remarkable digital images to screens of all sizes and simplifies theatre management, while reducing costs with the up to 99.999% continuous uptime with robust fault tolerant multiplex/hub servers. The STARUS Digital Cinema solution also allows theatre operators to manage playlists, upload features and perform playbacks from anywhere in the multiplex.