NEC Technologies Breaks New Ground With Flexible, Affordable Alternative To The New Wave Of Digital Cinema Projectors

SX6000-DC Provides The Clarity Of Digital And The Look Of Film At A Fraction Of The Cost Of Competitive Products

5-Mar-01

Revolutionizing the digital and electronic cinema industry, NEC Technologies announced its new SX6000-DC HD Cinema Projector, the first compact SXGA High Light Output (HLOô) cinema projection system to feature exclusive TriDigitalô Image Processing film decoding technology. At a fraction of the cost of the traditional projectors currently available, the SX6000-DC is also the first digital cinema projector to provide an affordable alternative to traditional film projection. The SX6000-DC is designed to be the perfect solution for small to medium size theatre venues as well as for post production applications. It joins the XT5000-DC as the latest in NEC Technologiesí line of HD Cinema Projectors, and will be publicly demonstrated for the first time at ShoWest 2001, March 5-8 in Las Vegas, Nevada.""One obstacle to implementation of electronic and digital cinema up until this point has been cost,"" said Steve Jackson, Director of Product Development for the Visual Systems Division at NEC Technologies. ""The SX6000-DCís TriDigital Image Processing Technology allows NEC Technologies to offer remarkable image quality, recreating the look and feel of film at a fraction of the price of the digital cinema systems currently available."" Small System Delivers Large BenefitsAt one-fifth the volume and one-third the weight of competitive SXGA high light output projection systems currently available, the SX6000-DC provides operational simplicity, reliability and a long service life. The projection system utilizes .9-inch, three-chip Digital Light Processingô (DLPô) mirror technology from Texas Instruments to produce bright, evenly illuminated images. The SX6000-DC also integrates easily with existing systems. In addition, NEC Technologies offers options to provide projector operation and maintenance training to site maintenance personnel, making the transition to digital cinema less of a challenge. The SX6000-DCís input flexibility guarantees compatibility with virtually every type of signal source. It and the XT5000-DC are also the first HLO projection systems to feature PanelLinkô digital connection interface for the cleanest, artifact-free computer connection possible, as well as SDI - serial digital interface. As a result, everything from video, component video and satellite to the highest resolution digital, computer and HDTV sources are easily displayed on the SX6000-DC in the way the content creator, cinematographer and the post artist intended. ""The SX6000-DCís unrivaled input flexibility separates it from rigid, single-purpose digital cinema projectors, giving it the versatility to handle virtually any entertainment venue or post production application,"" said Jackson. ""This flexibility allows theatre owners to use the projector not only for film-based entertainment, but also for alternative entertainment or corporate events when the theatres are currently unused. Its multiple inputs ensure that the projector will not be easily obsolesced due to emerging standards, making it a long-term, all-in-one solution for theatre venues, studios and post production facilities.""In addition, through the use of NEC Technologiesí proprietary AutoSenseô technology, the projection system automatically adjusts and optimizes all computer and video signals to help further increase ""hands off"" operation at the venue location.TriDigital Image Processing TechnologyThe concept behind the TriDigital Image Processingís display of film transfer material for large venue exhibition is simple, yet revolutionary. The technology required to achieve this new standard of image quality is exclusive to NEC Technologies. Like the name implies, TriDigital Image Processing entails three key steps to optimally decode film transfer material for digital projection. First, the ColorBitô Pre-Processor decodes incoming signals to satisfy the unique requirements for film-based materials as opposed to a conventional video processor. Then, the Deep BlackBitô Decoder extracts the maximum dynamic range of the original filmed image to produce deep, dark blacks that still exhibit the contrast and detail of the original film material. This is achieved without increasing the noise level or producing detail contours inherent in conventional electronic projector systems that attempt to deliver dark area detail. Lastly, the Wide ColorBitô Post-Processor manufactures an image that overcomes the RGB characteristics of the projector - characteristics that would otherwise make the image appear as video. This element of the process is crucial because film is not an RGB medium, but instead is composed of dye particulates suspended in an emulsion that interact with the light from a traditional mechanical projector. ""This is the essence of the look and feel of film,"" explained Jackson, who added that the TriDigital Image Processing technology strives to duplicate the ""age-old"" mechanical and optical/light interaction of film within the ""new-age"" digital domain. Furthermore, the TriDigital Image Processing technology is entirely automatic and requires no setup, adjustment or intervention at the exhibition venue of any kind. In addition, no special pre-encoding of the source material is necessary - it works with any standard film transfer from virtually any source. The NEC Chief Scientist who developed this process has more than 40 years of experience in Hollywood film industry consulting. NEC Technologiesí HD Cinema products have gained the approval of the keenest eyes in the film industry as the projectors of choice at the American Society of Cinematographers Awards for the past two years.The SX6000-DC projector will begin shipping directly through NEC Technologies in early summer of 2001. For more information about the SX6000-DC, visit www.TriDigitalCinema.com.For more information about NEC Technologies, Inc., visit www.nectech.com.

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