QuVIS, Inc., a pioneer and leader in digital cinema servers with wavelet based digital
motion imaging technology, today announced an agreement to license a high fidelity
player incorporating Quality Priority Encoding (QPE(TM)) technology to Kaga Electronics
Co. Ltd. Kaga Electronics is known for its ability to boldly incorporate original
ideas into commercial designs and has positioned itself to take advantage of the
growing digital revolution. Kaga Electronics will distribute and service these players
for the emerging digital cinema market and Ikegami Tsushinki will provide the support
as the partner.
The new player is a third generation design derived from QuVIS' QuBit range of
digital imaging servers. It incorporates QuVIS' new QDMC(TM) (QuVIS Digital Mastering
CODEC) ASIC. The QDMC includes real time QPE (a wavelet based motion imagery process),
support for a variety of transport methods, and AES encryption to guarantee secure
delivery and playback of pristine digital images mastered in a QPE environment.
Optimized for the digital cinema environment, the new unit will be aggressively
priced and offer playback of digital cinema content at today's resolutions (including
2K) and optional playback of image resolutions up to 4K.
In development now, the player will be demonstrated at ShowWest in March 2004.
First shipments of these units in North America and Asia are anticipated in the
second quarter of 2004. Final pricing will be available in the first quarter of
2004.
"We are very pleased to license our high fidelity digital image player to Kaga
Electronics Co.," says Kenbe Goertzen - QuVIS CEO, "Kaga and Ikegami provide an
excellent combination of quality, engineering and worldwide support. We are excited
to team up with them to provide the emerging digital cinema industry with another
source for QPE enabled players delivering the world's highest fidelity digital cinema
imaging."
"QuBit is one of most exciting technologies existing at present." Says Ryo Shima,
General Manager Kaga Electronics, "Kaga's goal is to be the best in the digital
field. This license is another example of choosing the best technology to enable
further expansion of Kaga into the digital market."
In related news, QuVIS announced the debut of a technology that will enhance
the art of filmmaking with a player that supports a full 4K image file. On December
16, 2003, QuVIS was joined by the ETC Digital Cinema Lab to provide an invitation
only demonstration to members of the filmmaking community. The premiere showing
included a demonstration of QuVIS' third generation technology playing a 2K image
extracted in real time from a 4K master. With this announcement, QuVIS continues
to pioneer digital cinema by leapfrogging the limitations of current technology
and providing a system that meets the needs of today with a growth path to the higher
resolution requirements of the future. Among the guests invited to participate in
the meeting are members of the Digital Cinema Initiative (DCI,) a consortium of
the seven major studios in Hollywood (Disney, Paramount, Universal, Warner Bros,
MGM, Sony and 20th Century Fox). DCI was formed to develop a mutually agreeable
set of minimum performance requirements and general technical recommendations for
digital cinema that includes projection resolution and file compression format.