Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: My visit to Digital Projection

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Posted by Ian Price (Member # 14) on 07-19-1999, 02:15 PM:

Two weeks ago I had the good fortune to visit Digital Projection in Kennesaw, GA, near Atlanta. I met with Chuck Collins of Digital Projection. I got to look at their new product the Lightning 10sx. The Lightning sx series of projectors have a native resolution of 1280 x 1024 with the TI chip and light output of between 5500 lumens and 12,000 lumens. They use Faroudja and Cintel processing. At 12,000 lumens there would be enough light for a mid-sized cinema. The prices are between $94,995 and $123,995. Mere pocket change to the well-paid projectionist. These projectors were without a doubt the best large venue video projectors I have seen.

Chuck Collins did provide me with one little tidbit of information that you will find fascinating. Apparently when Star Wars EP1 was mastered for the digital release, the studio had to master the “print” to each projector. They mastered one for the TI projector and one for the Hughes-JVC projector. In this case the formats were completely different. The TI projector uses a fixed resolution with an anamorphic squeeze. The Hughes-JVC needed the master to be letterboxed. Then there was the color issue. Each master had to be colored to the type of projector. He also told me that even though the TI projector and the Digital Projection sx series use the same resolution chip the coloring would be different. So that the studio would have to color the master differently for each projector even though they have the same type of chip. Apparently the optical coatings on the chips are different, thus rendering the color differently. Then there is the light source. The TI projector uses a readily available cinema Xenon lamp. The Digital Projection system uses compact Xenon “bubble lamp.” This light source may be different colors.

As you see, the questions of Digital Cinema have yet to be answered fully. Can they do it? Yes! Is it practical? I don’t think so!

[This message has been edited by Ian Price (edited 07-20-99).]

Posted by Greg Mueller (Member # 17) on 07-19-1999, 06:20 PM:

Maybe in a few years they will have a digital "standard"

Posted by Jim Bedford (Member # 4) on 07-19-1999, 07:17 PM:

The Telluride Film Festival in Telluride, CO, has recently come to a sponsorship agreement with Chuck Collins and Digital Projection. We will have between three and five of his units on site this September 3-6. It remains to be seen what kind of source material we will be using to project, but we are likely to have a number of different formats.

Ian Price (we call him Large Ian) will be there to see it all and I'm sure report on the continuing demise of film.

More to come.

Posted by Ian Price (Member # 14) on 07-20-1999, 10:13 AM:

Jim-

I have no desire to see or report the end of film. I want film to continue as long as I do.

I do have a good seat to watch, with interest, this new and fascinating way of presenting the motion picture. I think of digital video projection as just another tool to use to put on the Show.

As long as digital video projection doesn't create an economic model that destroys film, I am happy to watch it grow and improve. I had not seen much improvement in film presentation in quite some time. If digital video projection kick starts the film industry into improving film presentation then it will all have been worth it.

Ian