ChristieA® pulled out all the stops to help the exhibitor community “Make the Move” to digital cinema excellence through a range of product introductions, technology previews and a five-zone booth providing one-stop shopping for exhibitors at the annual ShowEast conference held October 25 – 28 in Miami, Florida.
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“An increasingly complex exhibition environment, characterized by rapid advancements in technology and expanding choices, provides both opportunities and pitfalls to exhibitors,” said Craig Sholder, vice president, Christie Entertainment Solutions. “Christie’s presence at ShowEast is intended to inspire confidence among exhibitors that we can keep them ahead of the digital cinema curve, by future-proofing their investments.”
Leading the HFR Charge
To support exhibitors wanting to future-proof their investments in anticipation of showing high frame rate (HFR) movies – which are currently being developed by Hollywood’s most powerful directors – Christie has announced a major software upgrade for its Christie Solariaâ„¢ Series of digital cinema projectors. Supporting the industry’s efforts to have the most engaging, entertaining content possible and enabling the best delivery system for this HFR content are Christie’s two main goals.
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To these ends, Christie is helping create the standards for 3D HFR movies through formal and informal technology-development alliances with major producers and directors, postproduction facilities, studios and technology partners. On the exhibitor’s front, Christie provides one stop shopping for all the hardware, software and services that enable exhibitors to deliver a filmmaker’s vision in stunning 3D HFR quality.
Helping Customers Improve Their Bottom Lines
In addition to adding HFR capabilities that will deliver audience-attracting cinema content delivery, HFR will also provide exhibitors with new business opportunities that include projection of alternative content such as live sporting events, as well as artistic and cultural presentations, such as concerts and operas.
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This contribution to an exhibitor’s bottom line will be enhanced by Christie’s recently announced Virtual Print Fee (VPF) Program, which is unique in its scale and flexibility, and through improved operations provided by the Christie Avias-TMSâ„¢ (see below) and Christie’s Previstoâ„¢ HFR technology, embedded in Christie’s Solaria V.2.2 software (see below).
The Five Zones in Christie’s Booth Showcase Choices for Exhibitors
“Visitors to the Christie booth will have the opportunity to experience our entire digital cinema offering, whose scope encompasses financing the move to digital cinema, establishing an affordable and flexible upgrade path towards new formats and technologies, and turnkey service and support for their operations,” said Kathryn Cress, vice president, global and corporate marketing, Christie. “Five zones will amply demonstrate Christie’s commitment to be a trusted, one-stop shop for all exhibitor needs.”
Zone 1 – High Frame Rate Support:
Christie’s Solaria V.2.2 software application will be available soon and includes Christie Previstoâ„¢ High Frame Rate (HFR) technology, among other firmware upgrades, which will allow Christie Solaria Series 2 projectors to accept video content at frame rates as high as 48 and 60 frames per second (FPS) per eye in 3D and up to 120 FPS in 2D. The current industry standard is 24 FPS. HFR technology renders fast-moving objects in exceptional detail, boosting the clarity and smoothness of the image. Christie is once again partnering with International Datacasting to show a state-of-the-art demonstration of HFR, utilizing IDC’s Pro Cinema Event Player.
Zone 2 – Projectors, Lamps and Virtual Print Fees (VPF):
One size doesn’t fit all, and in this zone Christie experts will guide exhibitors through the range of Christie Solaria digital cinema projectors, Christie Xenolite lamp options and the details of Christie’s Virtual Print Fee (VPF) Program, which offers unprecedented financing options.
Zone 3 – Network Operations Center:
Christie remote monitoring will be showcased on an award-winning ChristieA® MicroTilesA® display. Visitors can experience a video demonstration of Christie’s state-of-the-art Network Operations Center (NOC) for remote monitoring, maintenance and troubleshooting of digital cinema projection and digital displays. Christie safeguards visual technology displays, keeping them running 24/7/365. The Christie NOC is remotely monitoring more than 50,000 devices at customer locations across North America while also providing the latest in predictive analytics to anticipate and resolve potential technical issues – minimizing theater and lobby downtime.
Zone 4 – Christie Integrated Media Block (IMB) Tech Preview:
Advancing its leadership position in addressing the exhibition industry’s transition to 4K and high frame rate (HFR) projection standards, Christie will preview a fully integrated media block (IMB) solution with 4K and HFR capabilities at ShowEast. Physically integrated into the projector, Christie’s IMB becomes an integral part of the display device, creating a secure, high bandwidth connection that can manage HFR and 4K content without compromising image quality.
Zone 5 – In-Lobby Digital Displays:
Experience what your theater lobby could be with digital signage such as box office, menu boards and engaging interactive video wall displays. This zone, centered on Christie FHD551-X tiled LCD flat panel displays, will showcase how Christie Managed Services will design, build and deploy a digital signage network that’s right for you. Allure Global Solutions, a valued enterprise software solutions partner, will be on hand to demonstrate how Christie and Allure Global support every digital signage project stage, from strategy and content requirements to equipment selection and POS software integration, as well as a synchronized deployment and post deployment strategy. The firms also provide ongoing hardware and software support, maintenance, monitoring and business impact analytics.
