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Author Topic: THX returns to Cinemark > OT Speaker Cables Darryl Spicer Film God Posts: 3250 From: Lexington, KY, USA Registered: Dec 2000 posted 03-28-2008 03:20 AM                    Digital Cinema Buyers Guide THX Certification Expands to More Than 500 Cinemark Theatres Screens in U.S. March 11, 2008 Source: THX THX Ltd. and Cinemark Holdings, Inc. today announced that Cinemark Theatres will add more than 200 THX Certified screens domestically, bringing the total number of Cinemark screens with THX certification to more than 500. Cinemark will be rolling out the THX certification program in major metropolitan areas across the United States, including Los Angeles, San Francisco and Denver. "Cinemark and THX share a common vision of driving advancements in film exhibition. THX has a strong association with great movie experiences, and is instantly recognized by movie audiences around the world for sound and image excellence," said Tim Warner, President of Cinemark Holdings. "By extending THX certification to more than 500 of our theatres, it further communicates our commitment to delivering the best movie-going experience to our customers." THX Certified cinemas are precisely engineered to meet THX requirements for sound and visual quality, focusing on surround sound and acoustic performance and projection technology. THX gets involved early in the design process, working with cinema architects and builders to ensure sound effects, music and dialogue can be accurately distributed throughout the cinema auditorium, and background noise from other cinemas, parking lots and lobby concessions do not distract from the feature presentation. "With nearly 25 years of experience in cinema design and certification, THX has mastered the art of presenting high impact experiences in movie theaters," said Robert Hewitt, vice president of sales at THX. "THX has shared a long and successful partnership with Cinemark Theatres, having teamed with them to create some of the nation's premiere cinema venues, and we are thrilled to extend this relationship to more and more movie-goers around the country." Moviegoers recognize the difference THX brings to the cinema experience. A recent Nielsen NRG study revealed that U.S. moviegoers associated THX with the best sound systems, excellent picture quality, the most advanced technologies and a more exciting movie-going experience. [ 04-20-2008, 06:25 PM: Message edited by: Adam Martin ]  |  IP: Logged Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 03-28-2008 04:30 AM                     Wow, where did that come from all of a sudden??? Kudos to Cinemark for taking the step. I just hope THX learned from their past such things as not permitting a chain tech to re-certify his own theaters so that the end result is not compromised. (I don't think Cinemark was ever guilty of that, but we all know other chains were.)  |  IP: Logged Scott Norwood Film God Posts: 8146 From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas) Registered: Jun 99 posted 03-28-2008 09:19 AM                        It is too bad that THX has really diluted its brand image lately. When it is possible to buy THX-certified computer speakers and VHS videotapes, it is hard to associate the "THX" logo with quality. The good thing is that this is only really a marketing problem, and that theatres built to THX specifications really do have a good chance of having quality sound (though, sadly, not all do).  |  IP: Logged David Zylstra Master Film Handler Posts: 432 From: Novi, MI, USA Registered: Mar 2007 posted 03-28-2008 10:45 AM                     I think it's great the Cinemark is committing to upgrading the experience where most other big chains are looking to cut costs without too much regard to quality. quote: Brad Miller I just hope THX learned from their past such things as not permitting a chain tech to re-certify his own theaters so that the end result is not compromised I hope so too, but I'm not holding my breath - they need profit to the bottom line just like any other company and I'm sure past policy and procedures will continue (and that includes passing auditoriums their own techs show as failing). Although I can speak to one experience where they eventually came back to a theatre and pushed them to get the auditoriums to meet spec (after the original post construction certificatoin they did not return for 3-4 years), but the company could not because in the design phase some value engineer changed the HVAC units on the big auditoriums (one big noisy unit instead of 2 quiet ones). Since that was in the dark years for cinemas (when several chains went bankrupt) the decision was to cut out the $30,000 yearly expense and concetrate on keeping the company afloat.  |  IP: Logged David Stambaugh Film God Posts: 4021 From: Eugene, Oregon Registered: Jan 2002 posted 03-28-2008 11:27 AM                        In a market like here in Eugene, where two rival chains control the market (Regal & Cinemark), THX branding would seem like a definite plus. Regardless of how THX has been diluted by silly things like THX-Certified 1/2" computer speakers, the general public is still very aware that THX = Better. Just from observation I suspect Cinemark's attendance here has fallen off dramatically since Regal opened their new 15-plex a year ago. THX might give them a boost.  |  IP: Logged John Walsh Film God Posts: 2490 From: Connecticut, USA, Earth, Milky Way Registered: Oct 1999 posted 03-28-2008 06:28 PM                     One good thing that can't be 'taken away' is when an auditorium is designed with THX, there's a baffle wall, (or bafflette) good basic auditorium design, isolation between auditoriums, proper amp wattage, speaker dispersion, etc., etc. So even if a chain decides to stop paying the licensing fee and THX pulls the crossover, they are still left with a pretty good sounding auditorium. OTOH, I never saw THX take the same amount of interest in the picture quality. I don't think THX makes the crossover/monitor anymore. Last I heard they were just telling people to buy a DCM.  |  IP: Logged Steve Guttag We forgot the crackers Gromit!!! Posts: 12814 From: Annapolis, MD Registered: Dec 1999 posted 03-28-2008 09:03 PM                     THX no longer sells/licenses their crossover anymore. The crossovers are now on the approved THX list now...the new DCMs are on it as are som dbx Drive Rack stuff. Steve  |  IP: Logged Bobby Henderson "Ask me about Trajan." Posts: 10973 From: Lawton, OK, USA Registered: Apr 2001 posted 03-29-2008 01:29 AM                     I can't help but wonder if chains like Warren Theaters (operating in Kansas and now Oklahoma) are part of what is putting pressure on Cinemark to get its proverbial shit together. Their Tinseltown theater in Oklahoma City is way the hell down on the list of theaters I would consider in priority of visiting to see a movie. The new all-THX Warren Moore 14-plex would be #1 by a very wide margin, followed by the Harkins site in Bricktown, and then the AMC 24-plex on OKC's north side and then maybe the Tinseltown location off of MLK. Of course, I still have the option of the Carmike 8-plex right here in town with one "officially" certified THX auditorium, along with another featuring the exact same equipment (including the THX built crossover). Could this be something that home theater and stuff like Blu-ray is suddenly making an effect on getting movie theater bean counters to pay more attention to put emphasis on show quality?  |  IP: Logged Louis Bornwasser Film God Posts: 4441 From: prospect ky usa Registered: Mar 2005 posted 03-29-2008 04:52 AM                        Let's go back & remember when Cinemark used "our own picture formats." "Hollywood will change to suit us." That is not too many years ago. Many of these theatres are still cranking. Most have Cinema Film Systems consoles. Back on topic; THX will be remembered for bringing back the Western Electric baffle wall & reeducating the theatre owners on what good sound and picture are. This was standard-issue stuff in the 30's and 40's. Even non-THX theatres are better now because of Tom Holman. Louis  |  IP: Logged Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 03-29-2008 12:02 PM                     quote: Louis Bornwasser Let's go back & remember when Cinemark used "our own picture formats." "Hollywood will change to suit us." That is not too many years ago. Huh? Care to refresh my memory on this?  |  IP: Logged Scott D. Neff Theatre Dork Posts: 919 From: San Francisco, CA Registered: Oct 1999 posted 03-29-2008 12:21 PM                        I think another thing to consider about Cinemark going THX is that a number of Century Theatres, whether certified or not, were built and likely continue to be built with all the THX requirements in mind. I'm sure now that Cinemark's construction department has handled a number of Century builds, they've seen that it's not unreasonable to build the baffle wall and get the right equipment so they can make this move. I'll be surprised to see how many original Cinemark builds get certified vs. how many Centurys. Then, of those Centurys how many were originally certified vs. newer builds that Century stopped certifing at.  |  IP: Logged Mark Lensenmayer Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1605 From: Upper Arlington, OH Registered: Sep 1999 posted 03-29-2008 03:19 PM                     The Cinemark (now Movie Tavern) in Hilliard (Columbus), Ohio had 2 THX rooms when it was built, and they were some of the sweetest sounding rooms I've ever been in. That was when THX meant something. Marcus had some THX rooms, and those also had superb sound. An 8-plex in Downtown Columbus had (and may still have but not advertised) THX certification, and those rooms sound very dry. I don't go there for that reason. I really thought that THX was dead. Glad to see someone keeping it up and hopefully getting good sound.  |  IP: Logged Louis Bornwasser Film God Posts: 4441 From: prospect ky usa Registered: Mar 2005 posted 03-29-2008 03:40 PM                        Brad: I believe they built 1.66 ratio screens with scope as a strip through the center. Tim Reed "knows" more than I. Louis  |  IP: Logged Darryl Spicer Film God Posts: 3250 From: Lexington, KY, USA Registered: Dec 2000 posted 03-29-2008 04:01 PM                    was this pre 1990? None of the Cinemark locations that I know of use that method. I don't know about any locations that were part of another chain that they purchased. It could have been that way in some of the old premier built theatres that they picked up back in 1989. one thing that is interesting is that Cinemark built a lot of their theatres with some of the THX specs in mind. One of them was not putting the HVAC units right over the theatre auditoriums. They have been putting them all over the booth area of the buildings.  |  IP: Logged Aaron Garman Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1470 From: Toledo, OH USA Registered: Mar 2003 posted 04-02-2008 10:31 PM                     I hope these plans also include projectioni...er...Usher "B's" that understand THX and run the booth as it should be. I think this is wonderful news, just so long as those showing the films keep the whole idea of THX in mind. I'd love to see our Cinemark here get a couple THX screens. We have two auditoriums that do have the baffle wall, which is a good start. AJG  |  IP: Logged

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