PARIS FRANCE and BURBANK, Calif.—Mar 12, 2007
Technicolor Digital Cinema Selects Christie Digital Cinema Projector For North American Beta Test
Thomson, Through its Technicolor Business is the Only Provider Deploying Projectors from All Leading Digital Cinema Projector Manufacturers’
Thomson (Euronext Paris: 18453; NYSE: TMS), through its Technicolor Digital Cinema business, today announced it has selected Christie’s CP2000-X digital cinema projector for deployment in the company’s North American beta test of end-to-end digital cinema services and equipment.
The Technicolor Digital Cinema beta test is a critical element of the Group’s plans to ensure equipment reliability and adherence to Digital Cinema Initiatives, LLC (DCI) standards prior to its North American rollout. The beta test, covering approximately 250 screens throughout the United States and Canada, will evaluate at least three different projectors, including Christie, in combination with a minimum of two servers. With this announcement, Technicolor is the only digital cinema provider deploying projectors from all leading digital cinema projector manufacturers.
“Technicolor Digital Cinema is pleased to have selected Christie’s digital cinema projector for inclusion in our beta test of digital cinema services and hardware,” said Curt Behlmer, executive vice president of Technicolor Theatrical Services and COO of Technicolor Digital Cinema. “We selected Christie because of their proven leadership, and the projector’s reliability and excellence in presentation performance.”
At its headquarters in Burbank, Calif., Technicolor Digital Cinema performed rigorous testing on numerous digital cinema projectors and servers. Based on the results of those tests, Technicolor Digital Cinema chose Christie’s CP2000-X projector for installation in up to 120 beta test site locations.
“As a company at the leading edge of the digital transition, Technicolor Digital Cinema continues to demonstrate their commitment to the exhibition community through their beta program. We’re delighted to be part of this program—it provides exhibitors with access to the Christie CP2000, the world’s most installed and preferred DLP Cinema® projector,” commented Craig Sholder, vice president, Entertainment Solutions, Christie USA. We look forward to working with Technicolor to deliver this exciting technology to theatres across the country.”
The Christie CP2000-X digital cinema projector features 2048x1080 native resolution and delivers presentations from next-generation DLP Cinema® technology, including advanced, high-quality optics and 15-bit image processing. The experience results in a crisp and clean image with perfect color saturation in every show.
The Technicolor Digital Cinema beta test is part of a broader rollout of complete digital theater systems at up to 5,000 screens over the next three to four years. Thomson intends to equip at least 15,000 screens in the United States and Canada through the initial rollout and subsequent implementation phases.
As previously announced by Thomson, the Group has signed digital cinema equipment usage agreements with DreamWorks SKG, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Twentieth Century Fox, Universal Pictures, and Warner Bros. to support its plans for the distribution of digital cinema content and systems throughout North America. Under the separate, long-term accords, each of these studios has agreed to distribute content digitally throughout the United States and Canada, and pay a virtual print fee to Thomson for screens equipped with Technicolor Digital Cinema systems, which began in late 2006. Thomson is currently in negotiations with other film studios to expand the range of its non-exclusive content agreements in North America. In addition, Technicolor has digital cinema projector deployment agreements with NEC, Barco, Sony and now Christie.
As part of its beta test, the first phase of its roll-out, in North America and Europe, Technicolor Digital Cinema has installed digital cinema systems with several prominent exhibitors including ArcLight Cinema Company, Mann Theatres, National Amusements, Wehrenberg Theatres, Zyacorp’s Cinemagic Stadium Theatres, and Kinepolis Group in Belgium.
