Christie®, the industry-preferred brand in the digital cinema projection market, today announced the unveiling of the world’s first permanent commercial pure laser projection system installed at the prestigious Shanghai Film Art Center on June 13, 2014.
The Shanghai Film Art Center,
the first cineplex to be built in China, has just installed the Oriental Mega
Screen and is equipped with state-of-the-art equipment and amenities. The
installation of Christie’s laser projection system at this facility is a clear
indication that high-brightness laser projection technology is officially ready
to enter commercial operations. Having successfully demonstrated high powered laser
projection systems at numerous industry events for the past two years, including
the world’s first commercial laser engagement in 2013, Christie has once again
accomplished the pioneering feat of placing this groundbreaking projection
technology permanently within the reach of the mass audience.
Laser Projection Redefines 3D Cinema
As the pioneer and leader in laser
projection technology, Christie is in constant pursuit of maximum brightness
and the most realistic color reproduction. Through continuous research and innovation,
Christie’s industry-leading products and solutions have time and again
captivated and amazed audiences around the world, and constantly elevate the audiovisual
experience to new heights. Christie laser projectors will provide industry-leading brightness
of up to 72,000 lumens per projector head, wider color gamut capabilities,
higher contrast, and dramatically reduced maintenance requirements, resulting
in a better experience for all applications.
With a maximum brightness of up
to 72,000 lumens, Christie’s laser technology has achieved an astounding
breakthrough, which completely shattered its previous record of 34,000 lumens
using conventional xenon lamp technology. Not only does this greatly increase
the brightness when viewing 3D content, it also further pushes the capability
of high quality visuals and art forms to new heights and restores cinematic
colors to its intended realism and brilliance.
One of the biggest advantages of
Christie’s laser projection system is its scalable and upgradable architecture,
which allows users to precisely select the amount of laser light needed for
their screen, with the capability to simply add more laser modules in the
future if they wish to increase the brightness. Moreover, using the
industry-proven Christie Duo system, there is no practical limit to the amount
of light that can be put on a cinema screen. For maximum reliability, Christie’s
laser system features integrated cooling in each laser module to provide the
right amount of cooling for the lasers that are in use.
If the mechanical cooling
components in one module experience a failure, then only that module goes dark,
but the movie can still play very brightly with the light from other modules.
Competitive architectures feature a single cooling unit, which represents a high
risk, single-point of failure for the entire system.
Smooth Installation of World's First Commercial
Laser Projector
The process of installing the
world’s first commercial 4K laser projection system in Hall 1 of the Shanghai Film Art Center by
Christie’s highly-proficient technical personnel has been smooth sailing.
Boasting a brightness of 60,000 lumens, a contrast ratio of 3000:1, and a 1.4 gain high uniformity white
screen measuring 23 meters in width, these technologies are set to deliver an
unprecedented and ultimate visual experience for the audience. Christie is on
track in setting a new record in the global film industry with the installation
of this cutting edge laser projection system.
“As a pioneer in the visual
display industry, Christie prides itself in the pursuit of achieving the
highest in brightness and achieving the most realistic color reproduction,” said Don Shaw, senior director, Product Management,
Christie.
“With our rich experience in the
field of laser research and development, and having conducted a number of
professional and commercial laser demos, Christie is able to deliver
full-fledged laser technology at the Shanghai Film Art Center. The installation has been exceptionally smooth due to our
longstanding expertise and practical experience in laser projection
technology.”
Christie is the world’s first visual
technologies company to receive the US FDA approval of variance allowing the
sale of laser projectors for use in a cinema.
Christie Leads the Way in Commercial Laser
Projection
The event at the Shanghai Film Art Center
showcases the capabilities of Christie’s 4K laser projection system in displaying spectacular images that redefine
the cinematic experience. From the gleaming bodywork of the hottest automobiles
to flying sparks from chainsaw-wielding workers, the minute details on an owl’s
feathers to soaring grains of sand generated from swift motions of a shark, the
crystal-clear waters of natural landscapes to glimmering lights from multiple
windows of a New York skyline at night, Christie’s laser projection system
elevates stunning and lifelike visuals to a whole new level.
Guests who attended the event are
not just enthralled by this exceptional visual experience, they are also
convinced that this installation marks a new milestone in cinema projection
technologies. At the same time, they look forward to enjoying these
breathtaking visuals at more theaters in China. The gala event concluded on a
high note with the special preview of the
Hollywood blockbuster film Godzilla.
“We are very proud to install and showcase the superiority and
brilliance of the world’s first commercial laser projection system,” said Lin
Yu, vice president, Christie Asia Pacific. “This revolutionary projector system will show how
3D light levels, color fidelity, image uniformity, viewing comfort, and a sense
of immersion can be vastly improved, versus the conventional 3D systems found
in cinemas around the world today. This heralds a new chapter in the milestones
of global film technology and reinforces Christie’s position as the leader in
ushering commercial theaters into a new era of high-brightness laser
projection.”
