Hoyts Chooses Christie Duo for Blacktown Cinema 5

NEW YORK, NY, July 19, 2012 (Press-News.org) Christie , a global provider of visual display solutions, is proud to announce that Hoyts has chosen Christie Duo for the theater's premium custom projection needs, lighting up Australia's biggest traditional screen - the Blacktown Cinema 5 - with the brightest images available. The single-mirror configuration of Christie Duo with projectors from the Christie Solaria CP4230 Series was installed in time for the June 21 premiere of Snow White and the Huntsman.

"We're very excited to be the first exhibitor in the world to deploy the Christie Duo single-mirror, 90 degree projector configuration, which is a cutting-edge technology that delivers the brightest, pixel-perfect 4K images onto Australia's largest traditional movie screen," said Adam Wrightson, executive director and CTO of Hoyts Cinema Technology Group. "The technical capabilities that the product opens up for us will help us give our guests all the features of advanced cinema that they expect from Hoyts."

"The light levels achievable with the Christie Duo are unprecedented for large screens. Most dual projector installations are installed for 3D output, and configured to use only one of the projectors for 2D films, resulting in lower than acceptable light levels. Christie's solution allows both projectors to be utilized for playback of 2D content, delivering spectacular images on large screens. Christie's technology ensures that convergence is not a problem, with Christie Duo perfectly aligning each of the 8 million pixels from the two projectors," added Wrightson.

Hoyts Blacktown is the destination for Sydney moviegoers to enjoy Xtremescreen - Australia's Largest Multiplex Screen - with its record-breaking 28.1-meter wide screen. The entire complex features 10 state-of-the-art cinemas, with comfortable stadium seating and the latest Digital Surround Sound.

The engineering teams from Hoyts' Cinema Technology Group and Christie worked flawlessly together to resolve operational issues and get the world's first single-mirror installation up and running in just a few days. To ensure the sound experience matched that of the new visual experience, Hoyts also replaced the auditoriums speakers and sound processing equipment with the latest equipment from QSC. "The system has been tested with 4K content and in my opinion is second to none in regards to Big Screen experiences available in mainstream multiplexes today," added Wrightson.

"We pride ourselves on responding to customer needs and when numerous exhibitors approached us in late 2011 and into January with requests for a flexible and economical alternative to the industry's standard premium-cinema experience, Christie responded with Christie Duo. With Christie Duo, Hoyts is receiving the ultimate in performance, at a reasonable price point," said Jim Dukes, product manager for Christie Duo, Christie Entertainment Solutions.

Christie Duo, available for the 2K or 4K Christie Solaria Series digital cinema projectors, is an integration kit specially designed to optimize 3D and other special effects on the largest screens. It features a choice of configurations including a compact stacking system for 3D installations, or a physical configuration that exactly aligns every pixel on the screen for optimal 2D and 3D presentations. With automated features that calibrate, align and optimize the images for 2K or 4K projectors, Christie Duo delivers a completely seamless, premium movie experience for the world's largest screens at a cost that all manner and size of exhibitors can afford. Christie Duo answers the global market demand for a solution that delivers a high performance and financially accessible premium movie experience.

Hoyts Corporation
Hoyts currently operates a total of 55 multiplexes and 448 screens in Australia and New Zealand. Hoyts also owns and operates Val Morgan cinema advertising, the largest cinema advertising company in Australia and New Zealand; Hoyts Distribution, one of the key independent film distributors in Australia and New Zealand; and Oovie, Australia's leading DVD Kiosk rental business. Visit http://www.hoyts.com.au for more information.

About Christie
Christie Digital Systems USA, Inc. is a global visual technologies company and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ushio, Inc., Japan, (JP:6925). Consistently setting the standards by being the first to market some of the world's most advanced projectors and complete system displays, Christie is recognized as one of the most innovative visual technology companies in the world. From retail displays to Hollywood, mission critical command centers to classrooms and training simulators, Christie display solutions and projectors capture the attention of audiences around the world with dynamic and stunning images. Visit http://www.christiedigital.com for more information.