December 4, 2014—D3D Cinema and Moody Gardens are pleased to announce the grand opening of the MG3D laser theater, the first institutional giant screen 6P laser projection system in the world. The 6P laser illuminated 4K 3D dual projector system is manufactured by Christie Digital Systems. The 6P eyewear is designed and manufactured by Infitec GmbH. The 1.4 gain premium white screen provided by MDI.
“This installation marks a great step forward for giant screen projection technology—and Moody Gardens has once again taken a pioneering step with D3D to create a truly great theater experience for their audience,” said Don Kempf, president of D3D Cinema. “Their continuing willingness to forge ahead with new cinema technology and branding will help push the museum cinema market forward into a new era of cinema clarity, brightness and profitability. This industry has been waiting for lasers for a long time.”
“There is a bit of nervous excitement with being the first institutional theater in the world to implement laser technology,” added John Zendt, President and CEO of Moody Gardens. “But, when I walked into the theater and saw my screen light up like never before, I was thrilled! And that first impression was only at 75% of our brightness capability. I can now happily invite my giant screen colleagues to come and see firsthand what D3D, Christie and Infitec are capable of delivering on an 80-foot screen. To be first to market is very exciting. But the results themselves are amazing and it is an experience our guests will certainly appreciate.”
Christie’s laser system provides unparalleled image quality using a pair of state-of-the-art 4K laser projection heads, a 6P modular laser light farm with fiber-optic delivery, and Christie 4K 3D high-bitrate IMBs. “We can confidently say that Christie’s 6P laser design is a real breakthrough for the industry,” said Don Shaw, senior director of product management, Christie. “Our non-flashing 6P architecture is without question the most light-efficient 3D technology on the market, providing 4 times the 3D brightness versus the competition, and enhanced color gamut and a remarkable contrast ratio as well. On a speckle-free premium white screen, Moody Gardens has achieved a peerless cinematic presentation.”
Infitec’s new 6P glasses deliver unsurpassed efficiency characteristics, delivering a startling 90% efficiency. The 80 foot wide MG3D Theater is now capable of light levels many times brighter than its 3D 70mm system and capable of over 16 foot-lamberts in 3D (measured through Infitec’s glasses), far exceeding any ‘ultra-bright’ industry standards.
“We're thrilled to be a part of this project,” said Markus Fritz, COO of INFITEC GmbH. “We had to move a few mountains to make this happen but the results are incredibly gratifying. INFITEC is now uniquely positioned to provide 6P eyewear technology as giant screen venues turn to laser 3D in the coming years. Moody Gardens is now a flagship theater for us, and we will continue to improve on efficiency capabilities and giant screen eyewear designs in 2015.” “I'm so happy with the final result the brightness and clarity is amazing” added Ronald La Faver, President of INFITEC Inc. “The vision of INFITEC on a pure laser based system came true.”
This latest collaboration between D3D and Moody Gardens builds on a longstanding partnership. In January 2011, D3D and Moody co-hosted the first annual Digital Cinema Symposium, showcasing 4K projection technology on a giant screen for the first time, including the first 4K vs. 70mm split screen shootout. The following year, at the 2012 Digital Cinema Symposium, D3D showcased the first 4K 3D demonstration, 11.1 3D audio, high frame rate 3D as well as a prototype laser on a giant screen, all industry firsts. The 2012 event was a milestone, marking the first time that industry professionalsoverwhelmingly acknowledged a digital presentation exceeded the quality of a 70mm film in a side-by-side comparison. A case study was recently published by D3D & Moody Gardens illustrating the financial benefits and qualitative success of digital presentation and rebranding.
ABOUT D3D CINEMA
D3D Cinema offers complete digital 3D cinema solutions and services to museum and attraction industry clients worldwide, providing a unique partnership approach to cinema design and 3D content production built around four core capabilities – theater design and installation; touring exhibition theaters; an award-winning library of 3D content; and custom signature film production. Comprised of institutional theater specialists, D3D excels in bringing first-to-market immersive cinema technologies to its clients, offering technology-agnostic consultation, strategic planning, installation, content production & distribution, operational support, and ongoing service. D3D is headquartered in Evanston, IL with offices in Philadelphia, Ottawa, Canada and Valencia, Spain.
ABOUT CHRISTIE DIGITAL SYSTEMS
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.
ABOUT INFITEC
INFITEC GmbH, founded in 2002 and located in Ulm, Germany, is the leading technology for premium 3D projection displays. The company holds the rights of the INFITEC stereoscopic 3D technology, which are licensed, amongst others, to Dolby Inc. for use of the technology in 3D Digital Cinema. Beside this INFITEC delivers premium 3D experience to a variety of other applications like virtual reality, simulation, rental and staging, home cinema and theme parks.
ABOUT MOODY GARDENS
Moody Gardens is a public, non-profit educational destination utilizing nature in the advancement of rehabilitation, conservation, recreation and research.