The feature image was incredible. Far superior to the 35mm counterparts. Colors almost looked like Technicolor dye transfer. Of course, this is because they are CHEATING by taking the digital signal direct from the computer files to the digital cinema master.
The image on the trailers was disappointing. The last demo I saw of the DLP projector was fantastic, but today's trailer presentation did not measure up. There was positive dirt, negative dirt, bob/weave and the colors weren't quite on target. The next door identical sized theater's 35mm presentation clearly was superior in regards to any material that originated on film.
Overall, I found the right 1/3 of the image was not sharply focused and the "digital aperture" was severely bleeding over onto the bottom edge in the middle (due to the curved screen). Brightness was identical to the 35mm presentation as best as I could tell, but I don't know what the difference was between xenon lamps.
The biggest disappointment was the sound. Let's just say lots of midrange and lots of upper bass! The deep bass that I heard in the DTS and SRD auditoriums was nonexistent here and it was as if the high end's B-chain was rolled off too severely. The other 3 35mm auditoriums all sounded good and all the theaters in the complex have the same equipment, so I'm thinking it's something else at work...namely the source material. Does anyone know what kind of compression DLP cinema uses? Also, the left surrounds were either not on, or the level was set significantly too low. And let's not forget the obvious dialogue leakage from the right surrounds! (I couldn't hear the left surrounds to verify, but I would assume the leakage went into both.)
My first impression of DLP was fantastic. Today's was very disappointing. If this system was carefully set up by the top TI techs and tweeked to no end (which I'm sure it was, being there was only a half dozen installations), then the future of digital cinema is a lousy one. Everyone knows how the quality goes downhill once items become widespread.
I'll swing back by and check it out in a few weeks and report what I find (to be fair in case they were rushed with the install).
Anyone else have a report from this theater or another running Toy Story 2 in DLP?
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Scott
AND it's not even mass produced yet! They're STILL trying to sell it to the masses.
HA!
I will have to see what they are doing about the sound so. Where I sit with my family, I get the pleasure of hearing the distinct channels.
The real test, I think, will be in a couple of weeks when Bicentennial Man is presented in Digital.
See other thread for more information about this machine.