Dolby Atmos Cinema Processor Now Available for Purchase

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Tue, 11/13/2012 - 19:00 -- Nick Dager

Dolby has announced the pre-sale availability of the Dolby Atmos Cinema Processor CP850 which includes the Dolby Atmos Commissioning Service with purchase. The technology will be featured in Life of Pi which is being released later this month. The new Dolby CP850 offers a complete audio solution to today’s digital cinema theatres. In addition to Dolby Atmos playback the Dolby CP850 offers support for 64 speaker feeds and is configurable between 16 analog outputs and a Dolby Atmos Connect output Dolby Surround 7.1 and 5.1 digital playback (PCM as part of DCI movies). It also supports common consumer formats used with alternative content in cinemas: Dolby Digital Plus Dolby Pro Logic II Dolby TrueHD and Dolby E. When more than 16 channels of output are needed the Dolby CP850 uses Dolby Atmos Connect an audio-over-Ethernet protocol designed to efficiently send a high number of digital audio channels to multiple end points including amplifiers and analog breakout boxes. The Dolby Atmos Commissioning Service is included with each purchase of the Dolby CP850. The service provides a review of the 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. Also included is the initial room equalization after the equipment is installed. Since its debut at last year’s CinemaCon Dolby Atmos has received strong support from the cinema industry. Major Hollywood studios that feature Dolby Atmos in production include Disney•Pixar Twentieth Century Fox Paramount Pictures and Warner Bros. Major North American exhibitors including AMC Theatres ArcLight Cinemas Brenden Theatres Cinetopia  Cineplex Entertainment CinemarkTheatres  Kerasotes ShowPlace ICON Cinemas Maya Cinemas and Santikos Theatres  have installed Dolby Atmos audio systems in their theatres. Five movies were produced in Dolby Atmos last year including Disney•Pixar’s Brave; Twentieth Century Fox’s Taken 2 Chasing Mavericks and Life of Pi; and Warner Bros.’ The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. Titles currently scheduled for release in 2013 in Dolby Atmos include Paramount Pictures’  Star Trek Into Darkness and Warner Bros.’ Gravity and Pacific Rim. In addition international movie productions using Dolby Atmos are currently in discussion or will be started in 2013 from movie studios in China France Germany India Korea Spain and the United Kingdom. Acclaimed Singapore director Jack Neo’s upcoming movie Ah Boys to Men released in Dolby Atmos on November 6.