Barco, a global leader in digital cinema technology, proudly announces that Dallas, Texas-based Rave Motion Pictures has selected Barco Series-II projectors exclusively for a major deployment of 277 new digital cinema screens nationwide.
As one of the nation's most prestigious exhibitors, Rave selected Barco after an extensive evaluation based on Barco's innovative technology, the comprehensive lineup of Series-II projectors, and the industry's lowest total cost of ownership. All Rave's theatres will become Cinedigm Certified™ with Cinedigm's proven technology to provide exhibitors the very best experience possible along with choices of programming never before available.
Commencing in April, with a full deployment target by Q4 2010, Rave's agreement with Barco marks the largest Cinedigm Phase 2 rollout to date. The Phase 2 rollout encompasses screens of all sizes across 22 theaters in 9 states, thus the new lineup of six Series-II projectors perfectly underscores Barco's ability to match the right projector to the right auditorium.
Barco's six new Series-II projectors support 2D and 3D projection, and represent, by far, the most complete family available today. Specifically, the three projector models in Barco's “C family” utilize Texas Instruments' 0.98” DLP Cinema® chip, and are perfectly positioned for Rave's small and mid-sized theatre venues. In addition, the three new projector models in Barco's “B family” use Texas Instruments' 1.2” DLP Cinema® chip, and are ideal for Rave's mid- and large-sized auditoriums. These Barco projectors will be connected to central library servers which will store content and will use Cinedigm-developed software to manage and program each auditorium's playlists from a central location using the movies, trailers, advertising and other content stored on that central server.
“Barco continues to distinguish themselves as a trusted partner and a catalyst for our Phase 2 deployments,” said Bud Mayo, Chairman and CEO of Cinedigm. “With an impressive work ethic and a genuine focus on serving exhibitors, Barco continues to help Cinedigm provide our shared customers with inspired solutions. Cinedigm has enjoyed a lengthy and productive partnership with Rave and we believe they are in excellent hands with Barco.
“We're very excited about our relationship with Barco, and going forward, the impact it will have on Rave and especially our audience,” said Thomas Stephenson, President and Chief Executive Officer for Rave Motion Pictures. “Barco's willingness to listen to our business needs with openness and integrity, combined with their ability to directly and deliberately bring solutions, sets Barco at the top of our list.”
“With this year's release of DLP Series-II technology and the changes that result, it's my team's job to secure the best solutions for Rave,” explained Rob Warnes, Manager of Digital Services at Rave Motion Pictures, “In our discussions with the Barco Team, they spoke to the unique capabilities of their projectors —both from a deep technical standpoint, as well as from a layman's point of view. By doing so, everyone involved in our discussions walked away with a very clear understanding of what sets Barco's technology apart. These are the right projectors for our complete mix of screens.”
“On behalf of everyone in Barco's digital cinema organization, we're honored that Rave Motion Pictures has selected Barco for their deployment,” said Todd Hoddick, Barco's Vice President of Digital Cinema, North America. “Given Rave's high standards for presentation quality and audience experience, we're confident that we've secured a mutually beneficial relationship — one in which we're excited to share our passion for picture quality, accurate colors, and the brightest images in the industry.”
