The prototype Kodak Digital Cinema Projector will be supported by a custom operating
system that will be used to manage loading, scheduling, control and playback of
features, trailers and other pre-show content on multiple digital screens. The projector
will incorporate proprietary Kodak color management technology and electronic drivers
designed to ensure artistic integrity.

The company is also developing anti-piracy safeguards that will conform to encryption
standards for digital cinema being developed by the Society of Motion Picture and
Television Engineers (SMPTE).

"We will also incorporate best-in-class technology provided by other companies," said
Glenn Kennel, Digital Cinema Program manager for Kodak's Entertainment Imaging
division. "We are integrating a server and networking hardware from Sun Microsystems,
and our digital projector will be the first to use the new JVC 2048 by 1536 D-ILA
microchips."
http://www.kodak.com/US/en/corp/pressReleases/pr20010307-02.shtml

4K resolution is eminent, I dare say, and 6K is on the horizon (according to the JVC website a few months ago).

Make yer peace.

Tim is correct: Kodak will continue to improve BOTH.

------------------
John P. Pytlak, Senior Technical Specialist
Worldwide Technical Services, Entertainment Imaging
Eastman Kodak Company
Research Labs, Building 69, Room 7419
Rochester, New York, 14650-1922 USA
Tel: 716-477-5325 Cell: 716-781-4036 Fax: 716-722-7243
E-Mail: john.pytlak@kodak.com
Web site: http://www.kodak.com/go/motion

Surely if we are going to advance technology, we might as well take the opportunity to make picture quality BETTER than film, right?

Of course, there are always people who say "SFX are done at 2K resolution, so that should be enough". That's bull. I can almost always tell whenever 2K resolution movie special effects come up, and they just don't look as good as the rest of the film. The only time I can't tell is when the movie is so poorly photographed on a grainy, underexposed, Stupid-35 format negative, that 2K actually looks okay by comparison. Of course, that kind of "worst-case" scenario argument should not be allowed to decide future movie standards.

Occasionaly I see movies with SFX shots done at 4K resolution, such as the ones Kodak's Cinesite did for Wonder Boys, and in those cases, the digital stuff actually blends in with the film. 2K just doesn't cut it.

John, the press release says that this system will not be available for a year or two. I don't understand why it takes so long, if there is already a working demo. In that amount of time, DLP-based 1280x1024 projectors will be everywhere, then and no one will want these things, because they'll have decided that what they've got is "good enough". Isn't Kodak worried about getting to market quickly? There was yet another news story on Monday about Philip Anshuntz wanting to take Regal all-digital. They are not going to wait!

IMHO, Digital Cinema is in its infancy, and still evolving. There hasn't been a rush to purchase the existing systems, and the few dozen current installations have been heavily subsidized. In a year or two, the SMPTE standards should be in place, along with the technologies to meet or exceed those standards. It will be a while before Digital Cinema is better than "Film Done Right".

------------------
John P. Pytlak, Senior Technical Specialist
Worldwide Technical Services, Entertainment Imaging
Eastman Kodak Company
Research Labs, Building 69, Room 7419
Rochester, New York, 14650-1922 USA
Tel: 716-477-5325 Cell: 716-781-4036 Fax: 716-722-7243
E-Mail: john.pytlak@kodak.com
Web site: http://www.kodak.com/go/motion

But I indeed read it. I'll look around.

All this is still in the prototype stage, folks; and from all indications, it's only going to get better. If we simply accept this fact, we'll sleep better at night.

Also, unless I missed the point, 35mm doesn't look like 70, either. (When was the last time anything was even MADE in 70mm?)

------------------
Better Projection Pays!

Kodak makes the 65mm and 70mm films. Panavision and Arriflex have the 65mm cameras and lenses. Labs have the printers and processing machines. And theatres have the 70mm projectors. We're ready if you are.
http://www.widescreenmuseum.com/widescreen/wingto1.htm
http://www.redballoon.net/70mm.html
http://hjem.get2net.dk/in70mm/magazine/magazinemain.htm

My computer monitor cost $200 and it can almost meet or exceed the resolution of digital cinema thus far. Great. I think digital cinema should stay in development for a while longer until the image quality EXCEEDS what audiences have ever seen with film. On large screens. Why compromise? Can anyone give me a good reason why there should be a compromise? It better make sense! American companies always want to compromise, and even Japanese ones, too. Ah well, I guess it's easier to be "just good enough" then to be "fantastic".

This whole thing reminds me of VCD, or MPEG 1 Video CD's awhile back. They were nowhere near as good as even VHS, but hell, they were digital. They MUST be better! As we all know by now, VCD's suck hairy ass, even when you digitally dupe them from DVD. Oh and look at their market share!

Don't rush technology. Always a bad idea. Then you will be stuck with it and forced to upgrade later. Dumb, dumb, dumb.

But just as with 16mm, 35mm and 70mm prints, there is a range of product needs, depending upon the size of the screen. You don't usually show 70mm on a 10-foot screen, but you shouldn't really try to fill a 30x66 foot screen with anything less than 70mm.

I know I'm a trouble maker, but isn't that what we're hear for?

I just find it ironic that the two companies that were "totally against" Digital Cinema only two years ago, are now leading the charge... Kodak and Technicolor. Will there be another 180 in the next two years when Sony's projector hits the market?

The record shows that Kodak was NOT "totally against" Digital Cinema. We have supported objective comparisons of the quality from the start (IMHO, "Film Done Right" is still much better than anything in Digital Cinema's immediate future). We have pointed out the miriad of technical and economic issues that still need to be addressed. We have participated in the work of the SMPTE DC28 study groups. And Kodak digital technology is at the heart of the Philips Spirit DataCine used to transfer many of the films being shown in the prototype digital cinema installations and demonstrations.

This week's announcement at ShoWest is evidence of Kodak's continuing committment to improving theatrical presentation by "raising the bar" on the image quality and reliability that Digital Cinema must provide. Digital Cinema may someday be better than "Film Done Right", and Kodak technology will help it get there.

I suggest you reread what Kodak has been saying, and you will find that it is based on our committment to improving theatrical presentation for BOTH film and digital. Kodak will keep asking hard questions, and is ready and able to provide solutions for the many problems Digital Cinema still faces:
http://www.kodak.com/US/en/corp/pressReleases/pr20010307-02.shtml
http://www.kodak.com/US/en/motion/news/theFuture.shtml
http://www.kodak.com/US/en/motion/newsletters/notes/june2000/mayson.shtml
http://www.kodak.com/US/en/motion/newsletters/notes/march2000/
http://www.kodak.com/US/en/motion/newsletters/reel/june99/pytlak.shtml
http://www.kodak.com/US/en/motion/newsletters/reel/june99/shoot.shtml
http://www.kodak.com/US/en/motion/newsletters/reel/march99/future.shtml

------------------
John P. Pytlak, Senior Technical Specialist
Worldwide Technical Services, Entertainment Imaging
Eastman Kodak Company
Research Labs, Building 69, Room 7419
Rochester, New York, 14650-1922 USA
Tel: 716-477-5325 Cell: 716-781-4036 Fax: 716-722-7243
E-Mail: john.pytlak@kodak.com
Web site: http://www.kodak.com/go/motion