United Kingdom
Sony SXRD 4K projectors help spearhead migration to digital cinema in Norway
Jun 27, 2006
New Sony ultra high resolution projectors are used in ground-breaking Norwegian digital cinema project
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Professional Products
- > Press Centre
Basingstoke, 27 June 2006
Sony today announced a trial of its new SXRD 4K ultra high resolution projectors as part of Norway’s Digital Interoperability in Cinemas (NORDIC) project. The SRX-R110CE is the latest addition to the Sony CineAlta range of digital cinema equipment and is the only projector designed to meet DCI specifications for 4K resolution. Media Block servers will also be installed with each projector as part of an overall digital cinema solution.
Headed by Unique, NORDIC will pave the way for digital migration in Norway’s cinemas and involves leading players in the industry, including the Trondheim-based Norwegian University of Science and Technology. It will look at the impact of moving from 35mm film to file-based distribution and will consider everything from audience response through to operational issues in a multi-screen environment.
Migration to digital file-based distribution
Digital cinema development in Norway mirrors a global movie industry migration in line with the standards laid down by the DCI (Digital Cinema Initiatives) consortium. This move brings with it numerous advantages – both for the viewing public and for the industry as a whole.
Electronic delivery replaces the costly reproduction and shipping of 35mm film prints. This means they can reach cinemas faster and more cost-effectively, reducing the need for staggered distribution that often results in late film releases in Europe and Asia. Digital files are always duplicated at optimum quality, eliminating the picture deterioration suffered during film print reproduction. In addition, there is no loss through physical wear and tear because they are distributed electronically.
Faster, more cost-effective digital distribution will also enable cinemas to include a wider range of foreign language and specialist films as well as screen documentaries, pop concerts and sports events. Finally, file encryption means that access to films is also more secure, minimizing the film piracy that costs the industry over $7 billion each year.
Unsurpassed viewing experience
The launch of ultra high resolution projectors by Sony is the final piece of the overall digital cinema picture. It brings the benefits of digital technology – already seen in the field of content creation and distribution – to movie projection.
Developed in accordance with DCI-guidelines, each of the SRX-R110CE projectors to be installed in cinemas in Oslo, Bergen, Trondheim and Stavanger incorporate silicon reflective display (SXRD) imaging devices to provide 4K resolution. This results in breathtaking picture quality with four times the resolution of 2K high definition television. The high contrast ratio of greater than 1800:1 and brightness of 10,000 lumens ensures crisp, clear images, and twin xenon lamps and a gamma curve of 2.6 provide high-quality colour tonal reproduction. The projectors will be supplied with digital content by a dedicated Sony Media Block server as part of a complete digital cinema presentation system.
An exciting future
The NORDIC trial will last for 12 months and involves multiple technology partners. “We are working closely with Sony as we establish a clear path for the rollout of digital cinema across Norway,” commented Dave Spilde, [job title] at Unique. “We look forward to offering cinema audiences the ultimate viewing experience with unsurpassed picture quality.”
“Digital cinema promises an exciting future of improved choice and quality for cinema audiences everywhere,” concluded Kevin Wakeford, Head of Digital Cinema Business at Sony. “We will continue working with the cinema industry to develop solutions that deliver on that promise.”
