Texas Instruments And Technicolor Unveil Major Expansion Of Digital Cinema Technology

Companies Showcase DLP Cinemaô And Digital Production/Distribution Solutions At AMC Empire 25 In New York City, The World's First Site To Feature Two All-Digital Movie ScreensCompanies Also Announce Expansion Of The Worldwide DLP Cinema Demonstrati

22-May-00

Texas Instruments (TI) and Technicolor unveiled the latest major expansion of digital cinema technology and the companies' joint role in bringing the new motion picture format to the fore during a press conference and tour at the AMC Empire 25 in New York City, the world's only theatre to feature two all-digital screens. As part of the event, TI and Technicolor provided a showcase of the technology, infrastructure, projection systems, installation and digital distribution medium involved with digital cinema. This included a demonstration of TI's DLP Cinemaô prototype projector and Technicolor Digital Cinema's production/distribution solution highlighted by a side-by-side, split-screen comparison between 35mm and all-digital cinema. AMC Empire 25 is using this combined hardware/software solution for a special engagement digital cinema showing of the digitally animated feature film, ""Dinosaur."" As part of this presentation, TI and Technicolor also announced that the worldwide DLP Cinema demonstration program, sponsored by both companies, is being expanded. Along with New York City, new installations are being made in San Diego, California (AMC Mission Valley) and near Boston, Massachussetts (General Cinema Framingham 16). In addition, new DLP Cinema sites are also planned for theatres in Germany, Korea, Mexico and Spain, joining systems already installed throughout the United States and in Belgium, Canada, France, Great Britain and Japan. ""With this showing of ëDinosaur,í moviegoers on the East Coast now have the opportunity to see DLP Cinema technology in action,"" said Doug Darrow, Business Manager for DLP Cinema Products. ""During the past nine months, we have installed eighteen DLP Cinema prototype projectors around the world, and our plans calls for us to effectively double this number in the next three months. It's an exciting challenge, but it's vital that we do this if we're to succeed in bringing DLP Cinema technology, and the enhanced moviegoing experience it represents, to audiences around the world."" In concert with TI, which is providing the projection hardware, Technicolor is taking a leadership role in the evolution of digital cinema and the DLP Cinema demonstration program from the digital delivery and installation sides. Along with creating the digital distribution medium - in the form of DVD-ROM - Technicolor is providing the expertise to deliver, install, upload and then test each digital cinema installation. Additionally, the company is providing significant funding to help offset the costs of the demonstration systems, installation and service. ""For more than eighty years, Technicolor has played a major role in making the moviegoing experience better for everyone,"" said Rob Hummel, Executive Vice President, Digital Development for Technicolor. ""Through the demonstration program, we're taking an active and pioneering role in helping shape the digital age for the motion picture industry. Plus, we're gaining invaluable knowledge and insights that will keep Technicolor at the forefront of the emerging digital film distribution industry."" The worldwide DLP Cinema technology demonstration program began on June 18, 1999 with all-digital showings at two North American locations of ""Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace."" The program is designed to showcase the key attributes of digital cinema: accurate colors, a sharp, high contrast picture, high fidelity sound and an incredible image quality that remains consistent whether it's the first or the one-thousandth showing. Since the program was introduced, it is estimated that close to half a million moviegoers worldwide have now had the opportunity to experience all-digital cinema firsthand - a figure which is anticipated to double in the coming months. ""The purpose of these digital cinema demonstrations are threefold,"" said Brooke Williams, TI's Marketing Manager for DLP Cinema Products. ""First is to demonstrate the outstanding image quality of which the technology is capable. Second, it allows us to demonstrate the viability and reliability of the technology in real world installations. And finally, it gives us - together with Technicolor and the distributors and exhibitors with whom we're working - the opportunity to gain valuable experience in what it takes to make digital cinema a commercial reality."" DLP Cinema technology is Digital Light Processingô technology specifically adapted for the needs of the movie industry. By comparison with the industry-leading large venue DLPô technology-based projectors on which it is based, it features even higher contrast, together with color processing designed to replicate the visual experience of film: commercial projectors featuring DLP technology are designed primarily for video and graphics applications. At the heart of TI's DLP Cinema technology is the Digital Micromirror Deviceô optical semiconductor chip: three of these provide an array of close to 4 million hinged, microscopic mirrors mounted on standard logic devices. These tiny mirrors operate as optical switches to create a high resolution, full color image. Today, TI supplies DLP subsystems to more than thirty of the world's top projector manufacturers, who then design, manufacture and market DLP technology-based projectors. There are now over fifty products featuring DLP technology in the market. Since early 1996, over 350,000 DLP subsystems have been shipped. Over the past four years, DLP technology-based projectors have consistently won some of the audio-visual industry's most prestigious awards, including, in June 1998, an EmmyÆ Award from the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Texas Instruments Incorporated is the world leader in digital signal processing and analog technologies, the semiconductor engines of the Internet age. The company's businesses also include materials and controls, and educational and productivity solutions. TI is headquartered in Dallas, Texas and has manufacturing or sales operations in more than 25 countries. Texas Instruments is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol TXN. More information on TI's DLP technology can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.ti.com/dlp. A leading innovator in motion picture technology since bringing color to the movies more than 80 years ago, Camarillo, California-based Technicolor is the world's number one processor of motion picture film and the world's largest independent manufacturer of DVDs, CDs and videocassettes. The company is a wholly owned subsidiary of Carlton Communications Plc (NASDAQ: CCTVY). Technicolor Digital Cinema provides a complete range of capabilities to serve the emerging digital distribution needs for the motion picture industry. This includes the providing DVD-ROM and other physical digital cinema delivery mediums, on-site distribution, full-scale system installations, digital uploading to projection systems, theatre site testing and verification, and more.