GearBits

2K DLP Comes to North America

North America's first 2K DLP Projection system, a Christie CP2000, has been installed at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, CA. Millimeter.com has the complete story. The movie first shown on the new projector was The Last Samurai.

While this is the first US deployment of this technology, multiple international orders for 2K DLP Cinema projectors for early 2004 include 20 in Singapore, 20 in China, and 10 in Belgium. The 2K DLP technology from Texas Instruments allows 2048 x 1080p resolution and employs 3 DMD (digital micro-mirror device) chips, one each for red, blue, and green. The Christie CP2000 system installed at Grauman's also provides a contrast ratio over 500:1 and screen size up to 75 feet wide, and uses either a 4,500 or 6,000 Watt lamp. More information on DLP can be found at DLP.com.

Granted, this isn't really "Home A/V" news, since this technology won't be coming to home users any time soon, but it's interesting nonetheless. As home systems get more and more sophisticated, theater owners will be under increasing pressure to convince movie fans that it's worth the extra admission price and hassle to come to the theater instead of just watching movies at home. Once on-demand first-run movies come to cable, which I expect they eventually will, theaters could go the way of the community well.