LAS VEGAS—Mar 22, 2004
Digital Cinema Solutions Provide Next Generation Features for Digital Cinema Projection at ShoWest
Microsoft Windows Media 9 Series, AMD64(TM) Technology, NVIDIA Quadro Graphics Combine to Power Digital Cinema's Most Robust Solution
igital Cinema Solutions (DCS) announced today at ShoWest, next generation
digital projection equipment providing robust power and rich features for the
nation's top digital cinema art houses. Powered by dual AMD Opteron(TM)
processors based on AMD64(TM) technology and NVIDIA Quadro graphics solutions,
DCS's new products feature new and improved theater automation, the ability to
playback 2K, subtitling and advertising/pre-show applications.
DCS's new products and presence at ShoWest is part of an on-going collaboration
with Microsoft, AMD and NVIDIA to provide support for the distribution of major
motion pictures and other digital content based on the Microsoft Windows Media
Video 9 Series high-resolution format to movie theaters.
DCS's specially-equipped digital projection workstations utilize the latest open
Windows PC architecture technologies catering to specialty movie theater chains
across the U.S. to drive the presentation of digital feature films.
"As the number of digital cinemas increases through deployment at additional
theater chains, AMD's scalable 64-bit, open architecture incorporating
technologies from Microsoft and NVIDIA will be at the heart of such systems,
enabling the digital cinema revolution," said Marty Seyer, vice president and
general manager of the Microprocessor Business Unit, AMD.
"We see the combination of technology built around AMD64 technology being able
to scale from 2K to 4K very quickly," said Jim Steele, CEO of Digital Cinema
Solutions.
Currently, professional workstations featuring 64-bit capable AMD Opteron(TM)
processors and NVIDIA Quadro professional graphics solutions are utilized by
major film production houses to create high-definition content. When combined
with Windows Media Video High-Definition and integrated secure rights management
features to combat piracy, filmmakers can now take their content from the big
screen to the home screen, with no discernable loss in visual quality or
copyright infringement concerns.
"By keeping the entire content in the digital pipeline, filmmakers can be
assured that their creative visions will remain as they intended, regardless of
where or how their content is viewed," said Jason Reindorp, group manager of the
Windows Digital Media Division at Microsoft Corp.
To date, there have been over 5,000 commercial screenings on DCS's Cinema System
workstations deployed at 27 theatres across the nation, including films from
major independent distributors such as Sony Pictures Classics and Lions Gate.
Most recently, both Oscar nominated "The Cooler" and Oscar winner "Fog of War"
played digitally across the DCS network. The DCS network is the largest digital
cinema deployment of its kind in the U.S.
"By keeping the content in the digital pipeline, filmmakers can be confident
that their creative visions will remain as they intended, regardless of where or
how their content is viewed," said Adrian Sexton, Executive Director, Business
Development for Lions Gate Entertainment. "DCS has provided a robust digital
solution and brought solid technology partners in AMD and NVIDIA to the table.
We look forward to working with them on upcoming digital releases."
