Christie®, a global visual technology company, was selected by Oscar-winning filmmaker James Cameron to assist him in showcasing the first “mass audience” demonstration of cinema projection that demonstrates the higher frame-rate delivery necessary for the next generation of 3D films. The demonstration took place at CinemaCon 2011 at The Colosseum of Caesars Palace.
Christie, the preferred choice for Cameron, used currently available Christie Solaria™ Series Digital Cinema® projectors to project 3D content at up to 60 frames per second (FPS). The current industry standard is 24 FPS, which can result in blurred images (“judder”). Unlike other solutions, the Christie CP2230 and others in its family are capable of delivering over 30,000 lumens on the largest screens, while delivering breathtaking 3D images, which, combined with higher frame rates, will speed the evolution of this next generation cinema experience.
“Our collective vision at Lightstorm is to continually push the bounds of technology to deliver a movie environment that makes cinema patrons feel that they are completely immersed in the locales, sight, sounds and world that the movie is conveying,” said Cameron. “We chose the leader in digital cinema projection technology, to assist us in demonstrating our groundbreaking vision at CinemaCon 2011 because we know Christie for its mission critical reliability, brightness capabilities, and superior performance and support worldwide.”
With Digital Cinema Advancements, Christie at Innovation Forefront Providing Upgradeable Solutions
Movies can currently be produced to incorporate panoramic, fast-paced action sequences but once the final digital content reaches the editing room, and then the theaters, the results hit a roadblock.
“Our cameras can capture scenes from 48 FPS to 60 FPS but end up being projected at the industry-standard 24 FPS, resulting in blurring – what the industry refers to as ‘judder’ – which is disappointing,” said Cameron. “Both the post-production and projection/display phases of the movie-making process need to advance to accommodate higher frame rates and deliver the thrills that these rates can deliver.”
For Christie, the leader in digital cinema projection technologies, the firm’s next generation of digital cinema solutions capable of projecting movies at the frame rates that Cameron desires are already here. The Christie Solaria™ series of 4K digital cinema projectors features Texas Instruments’ (TI) (NYSE: TXN) next generation DLP Cinema® technology and can display 4096 x 2160 pixels of resolution. Among the brightest in the world, these projectors – including the CP2230s used by Cameron for his technology demo – are capable of delivering over 30,000 lumens on the largest screens and breathtaking 3D images. All next-generation Christie digital cinema projectors continue to utilize Christie Brilliant3D™ technology providing the ultimate 3D experience with the lowest cost of operation. Look to Christie to be the first to offer firmware upgrades in the near future to support the higher frame rates demanded by Hollywood’s leading film producers.
“It’s a boon to the industry to have advanced, upgradeable projector technology from Christie to solve part of the frame-rate puzzle,” said Cameron, “but the entire industry needs to step up and realize the benefits. This would start with the standards bodies and would require support from post-production houses, which would have to upgrade the bandwidth and capacity of their entire workflow, as well as enhanced bandwidth support from server and media block suppliers.”
Christie’s Product Upgrade Path to Deliver Higher Frame Rates
“Christie is committed to supporting its customers today and in the future. That’s the primary driver behind our 2K and 4K-ready solutions,” remarked Craig Sholder, vice president, Entertainment Solutions at Christie. “We understand how important it is for exhibitors to safeguard their long-term technology investment. With Christie, exhibitors are assured they have a future-proof solution that can meet their needs both today and tomorrow. “
All projectors in the Christie Solaria series are designed to meet Digital Cinema Initiatives (DCI) specifications. They feature a new modular architecture for improved serviceability and ease of maintenance, with up to 25 percent lower cost of operation than competing technologies.
