D3D Cinema and Christie have completed R&D testing on a laser-illuminated digital giant dome projection system. Client demonstrations will commence this fall, with the first installations on target for 2016.
“After a year of development, the final dome test phase was conducted last week alongside engineers from Christie, D3D, and selected third-party technology partners,” said Derek Threinen, vice president of sales and business development at D3D Cinema. “This dome solution, at long last, will bring the economic and qualitative advantages of digital and laser to our dome partners – a contingent that was largely excluded from the digital revolution without laser projection capability. We listened all along to the priorities of dome representatives and worked closely with Christie to deliver an outstanding, ultra-bright single projector solution that takes advantage of existing theater and doghouse configurations, warrants no theater capacity loss, limits construction requirements, and assures regulatory approvals. Theaters have asked for a system that was simple and open: no multi-projector calibration issues, no real-time warping complications, no closed-system distribution source limitations.”
“With an in-house team comprising multiple former museum dome operators, D3D was able to create a system design that met a number of qualitative and operational criteria,” said Bryan Boehme, director of location based entertainment, Americas, Christie. “First and foremost, we needed to achieve a picture quality that D3D’s dome clients and their customers deserved, taking advantage of the full dome real estate. Second, it was imperative that the system be future proof, allowing for modular, scalable upgrades as new cinema technologies and production trends come to market. These include high frame rate playback up to 120fps, Rec2020 support, and high dynamic range – a powerful technology on the horizon that allows lasers to deliver on their promise. Christie offers a solution that checks off all the boxes and we are thrilled to introduce our laser dome solution to the market.”
The Museum of Science and Industry in Tampa, Florida graciously provided D3D and Christie access to the theater to conduct the most recent technical tests. “I was able to peek in for a quick look,” said Molly Demeulenaere, president and CEO of MOSI. “Honestly, it was stunning! Bright, sharp, beautiful!”
“As a former museum dome theater operator, I know firsthand how incredibly unique giant domes can be in their communities, providing a level of immersion unequalled in the home or multiplex,” said Andy Wood, senior vice president at D3D Cinema. “In the interest of retaining an extraordinary experience but with an eye on the bottom line, our dome theater clients are wisely reevaluating their options, exploring the new economic possibilities and working out the long-term math. I’m proud that D3D can now offer these dome theaters a new morning, saving them hundreds of thousands of dollars per year in operating costs, eliminating, among other things, the high maintenance fees and brand licensing costs of the past. And with D3D’s ability to provide upfront lease financing, we can offer a CFO-friendly business model. In short, we are doing our very best to make our dome theater partners prosperous again, allowing them to redeploy some of these valuable operational savings into marketing a theater experience that is truly extraordinary.”
D3D Cinema www.d3dcinema.com
Christie Digital Systems USA www.christiedigital.com