Dolby Cinema Hits Milestone, Samsung Reveals "Theater of the Future"
(Samsung) Samsung's new LED Cinema screen can be viewed with the
house lights on.(August 2, 2017) Dolby recently opened its 100th Dolby Cinema location. The company cut the red ribbon at yet another AMC theater location (this time in Redondo Beach, California), and feels it’s on target to open a projected 325 locations. AMC plans to open 160 Dolby Cinema locations in the United States by the end of 2018, which more than doubles the country’s current operating number (77 locations). Other theater operators, including Wanda Cinema Group (China), Les Cinémas Gaumont Pathé (France, Netherlands, and Switzlerland), and Reel Cinemas (Middle East) also have announced aggressive plans to spread the Dolby Cinema experience.
"It is very gratifying to see top filmmakers and industry creatives whose first choice is to showcase their work in Dolby Cinema," proclaimed Doug Darrow, Senior VP, Cinema Business Group, Dolby Laboratories. "Audiences continue to embrace Dolby Cinema as well. The rapid growth of Dolby Cinema to 100 locations shows that movie lovers around the world are hungry for a truly immersive experience with state-of-the-art images and sound that make them feel like they are inside the story."
Dolby Cinema is proof that movie goers are willing to pay more for a premium experience that’s anchored by several unique technologies. The projection system used in a Dolby Cinema is comprised of twin laser projectors capable of producing 31 foot-lamberts of brightness (106 nits) and a 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio. That level of brightness far outpaces traditional cinema recommendations issued by the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (14 fL or 48 nits). And the sound systems are equally impressive, with as many as 64 speakers and ceiling mounted subwoofers powered by Atmos sound designs. Of course, the plush powered recliners help to make the experience feel special.
If you haven’t experienced a Dolby Cinema, click on this locator and find one near you.
As amazing as Dolby Cinema’s projection system has proven to be, Samsung recently installed the world’s first commercial Cinema LED Screen at the Super S theater in South Korea. In what amounts to be a giant television, this High Dynamic Range capable display system offers an image that’s 33.8-feet wide in full 4K resolution. Brightness levels can reach 146 fL or 500 nits (nearly 10-times the SMPTE recommendation and five-times what Dolby Cinema can offer) the system’s native pixels can deliver a near infinite contrast ratio.
Samsung says the Cinema LED Screen can present a distortion-free image.
One of the drawbacks to this technology is an inability to have sound emanate from directly behind an image. Samsung’s workaround is an array of speakers bordering the screen paired with proprietary audio processing technology, all of which is developed through a partnership with JBL by Harmon.
Samsung has not announced concrete plans to install similar screens at other theaters (yet). According to Screen Daily, the Super S theater has been screening Cars 3 and Spider-Man: Homecoming. Potential future uses include live concert coverage, sports, and other types of cinema experiences.
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