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Technology
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June 2, 2008
Barco launches a training program
According to Digital Cinema Buyers Guide, Barco is starting a formal training program at their California and EU facilities.
The press release says that the major topics covered during the course include:
Introduction to Digital Cinema
Projector components
Specifying lamps, lenses, and projectors for the environment
Installation procedures
Communicator software
Upgrades, troubleshooting, and maintenanceSeems like a good step forward in the evolution of this technology shift. There are many more potential points of failure than the projector, of course. But it is one of the more significant parts of the system. That, and the server, and the network itself, and the satellite download gear, and the encrypted key system.
I wonder if Cinemeccanica, a Barco sub-licensee of the TI technology will have this training. I would rather go to Milan.
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May 19, 2008
DTS Digital Cinema business sold to Beaufort
Beaufort International Group Plc announced that it has acquired the business and assets of DTS Digital Cinema from DTS, Inc. for an undisclosed sum. Beaufort made the acquisition through its US subsidiary, Beaufort California, Inc.
Full story at: Digital Cinema Info.
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May 7, 2008
IMAX sells $18 million worth of shares
IMAX has centralized a larger portion of its ownership with this new deal.
IMAX Corp. has announced that the Douglas family, its largest shareholder, is adding to its stake by buying 2.7 million shares for $18 million in a private placement. As a result of the move, the Douglas family now owns 19.9 percent of the company.
In addition, IMAX also said Wachovia Capital Finance Corp. has agreed to expand and ease the terms of its credit facility.
These transactions will help fund the roll-out of the IMAX digital projection system.
Full press release at: Digital Cinema Info
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March 12, 2008
Plan for Regal, AMC, Cinemark to go all digital
Three exhibitor chains are negotiating a financing plan to go all digital.
Several theater chains and studios are nearing an estimated $1.1 billion financing deal to deploy in cinemas digital technology that promises to boost attendance and save Hollywood billions of dollars in annual print and delivery costs, industry officials said on Sunday.
“We’re hopeful that in the second quarter we will get it all arranged,” said Travis Reid, chief executive of Digital Cinema Implementation Partners. DCIP is wholly owned by theater chains Regal Entertainment Group, Cinemark Holdings Inc and AMC Entertainment Inc, which collectively operate over 14,000 screens.
Read more at Yahoo News.
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March 7, 2008
NATO issues digital guidelines
NATO released specifications for digital theaters that will hopefully smooth things out and give exhibitors an extra level of confidence in the product.
The National Assn. of Theater Owners has issued more guidelines for vendors and manufacturers in the digital cinema supply line to follow, saying the additional guidelines will ease the growing pains facing exhibitors as they begin to operate digital screens.
NATO released its first Digital Cinema System Req-uirements report two years ago. An updated report released Tuesday tweaked and expanded those suggested requirements.
For the full story, go to Variety.
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January 16, 2008
U.S. movie theaters going digital
Movie theaters nationwide are going digital in film projection.
By the end of 2005, there were fewer than 200 auditoriums equipped with digital-projection equipment in the United States. At the end of 2007, there were about 2,500, and by the end of this year, there’ll be at least double that number.
Among the leaders has been UltraStar Cinemas, the 102-screen San Diego County-based theater chain whose mantra is ‘'pure digital cinema.’‘ It operates seven local multiplexes and others in Riverside, San Bernardino and Imperial counties.
Read the full article in the Union-Tribune.
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December 10, 2007
Parent company of Technicolor Digital to install more digital systems at theaters worldwide
Thomson has agreed to install digital projectors in a number of major theater chains around the world. This includes Clearview Cinemas here in NJ, although this story is not as big as the IMAX/AMC deal.
Thomson intends to complete the first phase rollout of digital projection systems in up to 5,000 screens over the next three to four years, with 15,000 screens in the United States and Canada over the next 10 years.
All hardware and software placed in each site will conform to industry-standard specifications published by Digital Cinema Initiatives LLC (DCI). Furthermore, the Technicolor Digital Cinema plan is technology agnostic, enabling both exhibitors and studios to benefit from the best available technology, including both 2K and 4K projection.
Read the full story in Business Wire.
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November 21, 2007
BEOWULF 3-D Locations
Digital 3-D = *
Imax 3-D = **ALABAMA
Auburn: Carmike Wynnsong 16
Birmingham: Carmike Summit 16
Birmingham: Rave Lee Branch 15
Cullman: Carmike 10
Daphne: Rave Jubilee Square 12
Decatur: Carmike 8
Florence: Carmike Regency Square 12
Homewood: Carmike Wynnsong 12
Hoover: Rave Patton Creek 15
Huntsville: Carmike 10
Huntsville: Rave Valley Bend 18
Mobile: Carmike 14
Mobile: Carmike Wynnsong 16
Montgomery: Carmike Eastdale 8
Montgomery: Carmike Wynnsong 10
Montgomery: Rave Festival Plaza 16
Orange Beach: Rave Wharf 15 *
Vestavia Hills: Rave Vestavia Hills 10 * -
August 22, 2007
Digital cinema widebreak
The looming takeover by digital cinema projection recently took another leap toward fruition. The Arts Alliance Media, a United Kingdom based provider of digital cinema technology, announced a deal involving aggressive mutual interest cooperation with Universal Pictures and Twentieth Century Fox.
The three companies will combine forces to facilitate digitizing nearly 7000 european cinemas in only a few years. The countries involved include: Austria, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. For additional information checkoutArts Alliance Media.
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May 25, 2007
1,000+ D-Cinema Bookings For ‘Pirates’
According to Buena Vista, as reported in the trades, “Pirates Of The Caribbean: At World’s End” is the first movie to be shown domestically in the Digital Cinema format on 1,000 screens, suggesting continued growth of D-Cinema installations and industry commitment to a digital future.
Here’s a list of (most of) the D-Cinema locations for “Pirates” (minus the screen counts) courtesy of www.FromScriptToDVD.com