Dolby Laboratories, Inc. (NYSE:DLB) ushers in a new era of entertainment at CinemaCon® 2013 (Caesars Palace, booth 2303A) with the general availability of the Dolby® Atmos™ Cinema Processor CP850 and the ability to bring Dolby 3D imaging to Sony® 4K projectors. In addition, Dolby has temporarily equipped the prestigious Colosseum theatre at Caesars Palace with Dolby Atmos to support presentations by several studios.
“Since it was introduced at CinemaCon 2012, we believe that Dolby Atmos has become the preferred choice for next-generation sound in the cinema with major studios, directors, sound teams, and exhibitors around the world embracing its innovative approach to sound,” said Doug Darrow, Senior Vice President, Cinema, Dolby Laboratories. “In addition, Dolby Digital Cinema continues to evolve, as offerings like the Dolby Atmos Cinema Processor CP850 and Dolby 3D capabilities for Sony 4K projection deliver what we believe to be best-in-class solutions to help filmmakers ignite the senses of sight and sound.”
Dolby Atmos unleashes the potential of sound in storytelling by giving sound experts the creative freedom to easily place or move specific sounds anywhere in the movie theatre, not just where there happen to be speakers. The result is what some moviegoers have described as the most engaging and immersive cinema sound experience ever. Within one year of launch, and just 10 months since the first Dolby Atmos release, nearly 40 films around the world have been announced or released with Dolby Atmos sound. With more than 100 screens enabled and more than 20 global postproduction facilities capable of Dolby Atmos mixing, Dolby Atmos is becoming one of the fastest adopted multichannel formats in cinema.
Dolby Atmos Cinema Processor CP850
The new CP850 offers a complete audio solution to today’s digital cinema theatres and brings a natural, realistic, and immersive sound experience to audiences with Dolby Atmos. Using specific speaker location and performance attributes, the CP850 renders in real time a custom mix for that room that accurately replicates the audio experience intended by the sound mixer. The CP850 also supports Dolby Atmos playback of up to 64 speaker feeds, configurable between 16 analog outputs and a Dolby Atmos Connect output. The CP850 supports Dolby Surround 7.1 and 5.1 digital playback as well as common Dolby formats used with alternative content in cinemas: Dolby Digital Plus™, Dolby E, and Dolby’s latest up-mixing technology. To ensure proper setup and playback, each CP850 also includes the Dolby Atmos Commissioning Service.
Over the past year, Dolby sound engineers have worked closely with exhibitors, installers, studios, and mixers to ensure all installations meet consistent, high performance standards. The CP850 works seamlessly with the Dolby Screen Server DSS200, the Dolby Integrated Media Block (IMB)/Dolby Screen Server DSS220, or with digital cinema servers from other companies in conjunction with a future software update. All major server manufacturers have been given access to Dolby’s technical specifications and a detailed reference design for integrating Dolby Atmos support into their products.
The Dolby Atmos Commissioning Service is included with purchase of the CP850. The service provides a review of a cinema’s sound-system design to ensure that the speakers and amplifiers have the necessary performance and room coverage to deliver a high-quality Dolby Atmos experience. It also includes initial room equalization after the equipment is installed.
Dolby Atmos Digital Cinema Packaging Specifications Now Available
The specifications for mastering a Digital Cinema Package (DCP) containing a Dolby Atmos soundtrack are now available. These specifications outline how the encoded Dolby Atmos mix is stored as a data track within a Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE)–packaged DCP, how it is synchronized during playback, and how to generate security keys (key delivery messages, or KDMs) to enable playback of the content. Dolby has provided detailed specifications and a reference design to major DCP mastering and packaging vendors so they can integrate Dolby Atmos into their mastering products.
The Dolby Secure Content Creator SCC2000 has been updated to support the creation of DCPs containing a Dolby Atmos soundtrack, and the v4.2 software update (which adds support for Dolby Atmos) is available for existing SCC2000 customers. Several movies mixed in Dolby Atmos have already been distributed to Dolby Atmos–equipped theatres through a SMPTE DCP. With the release of the CP850, all Dolby Atmos soundtracks will be distributed through a SMPTE DCP.
Experience Dolby Atmos at CinemaCon
Dolby Booth at Caesars Palace
See how Dolby Atmos mixes are created. Experience the Dolby Atmos format in live content-creation demonstrations in the Dolby booth.
- Tuesday, April 16, 11:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. PDT: Ongoing Dolby Atmos mixing demos
- Wednesday, April 17, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. PDT: Ongoing Dolby Atmos mixing demos
- Wednesday, April 17, 3:00 p.m. PDT: Guest mixer Erin Rettig, Dolby Atmos Mix Tech, A Good Day to Die Hard,Chasing Mavericks, Life of Pi
- Thursday, April 18, 9:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. PDT: Ongoing Dolby Atmos mixing demos
Brenden Theatres in the Palms Hotel
Scheduled one-hour public demonstrations of Dolby Atmos, featuring newly mixed content, will include round-trip transportation between Caesars Palace and the Brenden Theatres. Visit the Dolby booth for transportation information
- Tuesday, April 16, 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. PDT
- Wednesday, April 17, 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. PDT
The Colosseum, Caesars Palace
CinemaCon attendees with full pass access will be able to experience Dolby Atmos in select footage during studio presentations from Paramount Pictures, Warner Bros., Twentieth Century Fox, and Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures in The Colosseum, Caesars Palace.
- Monday, April 15 at 6:00 p.m. PDT: Gala Opening Night presentation by Paramount Pictures with select footage in Dolby Atmos
- Tuesday, April 16 at 4:30 p.m. PDT: Warner Bros. presentation with select footage in Dolby Atmos
- Tuesday, April 16 at 8:45 p.m. PDT: Twentieth Century Fox screening of The Heat in Dolby Atmos
- Wednesday, April 17th at 10:30 a.m. PDT: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures presentation and screening of Disney•Pixar’s Monsters University in Dolby Atmos
- Thursday, April 18th at 10:30 a.m. PDT: Twentieth Century Fox presentation with select footage in Dolby Atmos
Dolby Digital Cinema: A Feast for the Eyes and Ears
Dolby 3D Now Available with Sony 4K Projectors
Dolby 3D now delivers realistic color and a sharper, clearer image from every seat in the house with Sony’s SRX-R320SP/P 4K projector, a special version of the industry-leading SRX-R320 4K projection system. This new offering from Sony Digital Cinema provides exhibitors flexibility when it comes to showcasing 3D movies on any type of screen, including white and silver screens.
Dolby IMB with High-Frame-Rate Support and Dolby Screen Servers
The Dolby Integrated Media Block (Dolby IMB) offers exhibitors a platform for the future. The DCI-compliant Dolby IMB is compatible with all Series 2 projectors and offers built-in support for high-frame-rate 3D (48 and 60 frames per second [fps]) as well as 2K and 4K playback, all at a single price, combining compatibility, lasting value, and cost-effectiveness.
Exhibitors have three options for purchasing and installing the Dolby IMB:
- Dolby Screen Server DSS220 and Dolby IMB: New customers can purchase the Dolby DSS220 with the Dolby IMB. The Dolby DSS220 is a smaller and lighter server designed specifically for use with the Dolby IMB.
- Dolby Screen Server DSS200i and Dolby IMB: A Dolby IMB can also be paired with the Dolby Screen Server DSS200i. The DSS200i is a 6 TB server based on the popular and robust DSS200, but without an internal media block.
- Standalone Dolby IMB: For customers who have already purchased a Dolby Screen Server DSS200 and want to upgrade to the benefits of an IMB solution, a simple software upgrade pairs the Dolby DSS200 with a Dolby IMB.
Dolby Show Library DSL200
The Dolby Show Library DSL200 is a high-capacity central server designed to facilitate the networking of a multiplex cinema and meet its content-storage needs. The Dolby DSL200 acts as the heart of the network, simplifying content loading at one central location.
Dolby Screen Server DSS220
The Dolby Screen Server DSS220 has been optimized to work exclusively with the 2K/4K Dolby IMB. Capable of playing back 24, 48, or 60 fps, the Dolby DSS220 is also capable of 48 and 60 fps 3D content. The Dolby DSS220 significantly reduces the cost and size of the server chassis while providing the same reliable performance as the market-proven Dolby DSS200.
Dolby Screen Server DSS200i
Dolby will feature its newest server, the Dolby Screen Server DSS200i, which has been optimized to work exclusively with the 2K/4K Dolby IMB. Capable of playing back 24, 48, or 60 fps, the Dolby DSS220i is also capable of 48 and 60 fps 3D content. The Dolby DSS200i features 6 TB of storage in the same robust server chassis that our customers have come to love, but without an internal media block.
Dolby Screen Server DSS200
The Dolby Screen Server DSS200, the nucleus of the Dolby Digital Cinema system, is designed by Dolby as an all-in-one platform to store, decode, and deliver pristine movies to a digital cinema projector. Previously deployed Dolby DSS200 servers can be upgraded to support the 2K/4K Dolby IMB with high-frame-rate 2D and 3D capabilities for 24, 48, and 60 fps.
Dolby Cinema Processor CP750
The Dolby Cinema Processor CP750, the industry-leading cinema audio processor, makes the upgrade from 5.1 to 7.1 channels easy and economical. Designed to work with the new digital cinema environment, the Dolby CP750 seamlessly integrates with preshow servers, alternative content, and digital cinema servers. The processor has an easy-to-use interface and powerful setup and remote software. It can play back analog audio, PCM digital audio, Dolby Digital, Dolby Pro Logic®, Dolby Pro Logic II, Dolby Digital Surround EX™, and Dolby Surround 7.1 content.
