Cypress, Calif.—Mar 9, 2015
D3D and Christie to Introduce Laser Dome System
D3D Cinema And Christie Announce Strategic Alliance To Deliver Premium Laser Projection System for Giant Dome Theaters
Christie®
and D3D
Cinema have partnered in a joint effort to provide a premium
experience using Christie's RGB laser projection platform for tilted giant
screen dome cinemas. R&D and preliminary testing is underway in conjunction
with a host of third-party partners, from veteran dome cinematographers and
post-production labs to optics specialists and test bed theaters.
D3D Cinema will be shooting original dome test footage in
multiple digital and 70 mm formats in the coming months. Classic 70 mm dome
content will be scanned at 11K resolution, mastered and frame-interpolated for
laser optimized high dynamic range and high frame rate playback. The world’s
first and only projection display capable of reaching Rec2020, Christie laser
technology provides the widest color gamut available and the company is
designing its laser-illuminated cinema projector solutions to accommodate the
configurations necessary for proper dome exhibition. Testing will continue
through the summer with an anticipated demonstration to select buyers in the
fall of 2015. The system will be made available through D3D to
institutional dome giant screen clients with D3D targeting the first rollouts
for integration in early 2016.
“Dome theaters have waited a long time for digital projection
technology to evolve to a capable solution that can rival or exceed the quality
of 70 mm,” said Don Kempf president and founder of D3D. “Just as lasers usher
in a new era for dome cinema exhibition, new digital capture technology ushers
in a new era for the production of dome-specific content to support the
incredible dynamic range of the lasers. We’re proud to have produced multiple
films supported by the Giant Dome Theater Consortium and the U.S. Dome Theater
Alliance, and we look forward to continued collaboration as we work with their
members in their transitions to a more economical, brighter, digital future.”
“The goal with this partnership is no compromise, providing
open and flexible high brightness laser projection solutions to the dome cinema
market, which allows end users the creative freedom to use the technology
to meet the changing needs of their audiences,” said Bryan Boehme, national
sales manager, Christie. “Our approach is a dome configuration using a
very special, single laser projector situated in the focal sweet spot,
incorporating true spherical optics. This is the cleanest image available,
without the need to pixel shift, warp, stretch, panel, or overlay the images.
The preliminary tests have been eye-opening and we’re convinced theaters
will be very impressed by Christie’s ability to achieve higher perceived
spatial resolutions through jitter-free image clarity and unparalleled contrast
while pushing temporal resolutions to 60 fps and greater. The high frame rates
and high dynamic range lasers bring to the table will enhance the immersiveness
and realism of the dome viewing experience over anything in any format thus
far.”
The
D3D and Christie dome laser solution will include options such as DCI-compliant
window playback modes and Dolby® Atmos™ surround sound on the groundbreaking
Christie Vive Audio™ platform. As the only current supplier to have obtained
FDA and international regulatory approvals in the giant screen market space to date,
Christie will oversee approvals and variances as necessary. D3D will assist
with the application process and seek regional clearances on behalf of clients.
“Giant screen domes are special and provide the inimitable
viewer experience combined with the underlying technology necessary to deliver
that unique experience,” said Andy Wood, senior vice president at D3D.
“Lasers alone provide the illumination and clarity to allow these theaters to
convert to a digital platform at long last. It was imperative that D3D
and Christie work through the integration complexities of lasers on flat
screens before tackling the dome format. Having successfully introduced the
world’s first
institutional giant screen 6P laser system at Moody Gardens last year, and with
a host of installations underway in 2015, it was time to shift our attention to
the critically important dome market. We’re tremendously excited about what’s on the horizon.”
About D3D Cinema
D3D Cinema offers
complete digital 3D cinema solutions and services to museum and attraction
industry clients worldwide, providing a unique partnership approach to cinema
design and 3D content production built around four core capabilities - theater
design and installation; touring exhibition theaters; an award-winning library
of 3D content; and custom signature film production. Comprised of institutional
theater specialists, D3D excels in bringing first-to-market immersive cinema
technologies to its clients, offering technology-agnostic consultation,
strategic planning, installation, content production & distribution,
operational support, and ongoing service. D3D is headquartered in Evanston, IL
with offices in Philadelphia, Ottawa, Canada and Valencia, Spain.
About Christie®
Christie Digital Systems USA, Inc. is a global visual and
audio technologies company and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ushio, Inc.,
Japan, (JP:6925). Consistently setting the standards by being the first to
market some of the world’s most advanced projectors and complete system
displays, Christie is recognized as one of the most innovative visual
technology companies in the world. From retail displays to Hollywood, mission
critical command centers to classrooms and training simulators, Christie
display solutions and projectors capture the attention of audiences around the
world with dynamic and stunning images. Visit www.christiedigital.com.
Christie Contacts:
John Berkovich, Christie
(519) 741-3829
john.berkovich@christiedigital.com
Mario Almonte
Herman & Almonte PR
(212) 616-1190, ext. 267
malmonte@herman-almontepr.com
