The lights dim, a hush falls over the theater and as the sound swells, deep rumbles vibrate your seat. You’re at the movies, and for a few precious hours, the outside world disappears.
There’s no substitute for the big-screen movie. The allure of immersive cinema remains strong, and it’s important for theater owners to stay ahead of the curve in delivering that experience. While the pace of technological advancements in cinema may not match home entertainment, theaters are more vibrant, lifelike and engaging than ever. Traditional and laser projectors have been the cornerstone of unforgettable movie memories — but now, cutting-edge LED displays are taking the silver screen to incredible new heights.
Learn more about the difference between projectors and LED displays and how these advancements are shaping the future of theaters for the next generation.
Traditional projectors
Originally, cinemas relied on manual projectors to shine light through a scrolling reel of film onto a screen. The mechanical process was noisy, and the heat it generated was intense. For the audience, the images — while gratifyingly large — were dim and not always perfectly in focus. But this represented a cutting-edge (and extremely popular) experience, just the same. Manual projector technology improved over time, and the popularity of the cinema continued to grow.
The next big step-change came in the form of digital projection. In many respects, the cinema experience changed for both the customer and owner. The physical distribution of bulky and delicate film stock was replaced by content delivered on optical discs or hard drives or even downloaded via the internet or satellite. The ramifications as far as security is concerned are obvious — digital files that can be encrypted and made immune to piracy make life less stressful for studios and theater owners alike. Digital files are also less prone to damage during transit or storage, which allows theaters to consistently offer the highest quality of presentation.
How to plan and deploy direct view LED signage
Everything you need to know about choosing your LED displays for optimal viewing indoors and out. Download Now
Projectors have become less mechanical, quieter, more energy-efficient and easier to care for and operate. Add in the brightness when compared to celluloid projectors, the ability to create a large, high-resolution, properly focused image, and the relative ease of maintenance — and the advantages of digital projection over the technology it has replaced are obvious. Theaters equipped with digital projectors enjoy hardware that is durable and compact and offers a more dynamic and compelling experience.
LED displays
While projectors have advanced, the next groundbreaking leap in cinema technology came in the form of LED displays. This picture technology has elevated the cinema-goer’s experience and will undoubtedly come to define next-generation cinema.
Unlike projection technologies, which beam light onto a remote surface, LED technology produces its own light. This not only means increased brightness over digital projection technology but brightness without glare. While digital projectors project light onto the entire screen regardless of where it should be dark, LED technology can make unlit areas on an image completely black. LED displays can also generate starker, more dynamic contrasts. Compatibility with high dynamic range (HDR) content means LED screens have the widest range of colors and the highest level of detail both in bright and dark scenes. And the image displayed by LED is completely uniform, no longer subject to the optical distortions of projector technology.
This creates a more immersive, engaging viewing experience by ensuring scenes appear richer and more detailed and allowing audiences to fully appreciate the depth of the visual composition.
Samsung Onyx DCI Cinema
Samsung Onyx Cinema LED Screen was the world’s first cinema LED display. Now, Onyx is taking things a step further for an out-of-this-world movie theater experience with Samsung Onyx DCI Cinema, which can fill an entire wall for the most immersive presentation yet.
Scalable, modular design
Screen size requirements vary from theater to theater. Onyx DCI Cinema’s modular design addresses this, allowing the 4096 x 2160 resolution display to be anything from 5.1 x 2.7m to a whopping 20.5 x 10.8m. The screen can be adjusted as needed, offering floor-to-ceiling coverage in four standard sizes (as well as additional flexible scaling options):
- 5 meters – Ideal for smaller-format theaters
- 10 meters – Industry standard for premium cinemas
- 14 meters – A versatile format that delivers an impressive, large-scale cinematic experience
- 20 meters – A large-format solution for premium auditoriums
The scalability of Onyx provides complete flexibility and enables theaters to optimize their space without affecting image quality. Even at its largest, the pixel pitch of an Onyx DCI Cinema display is just 5mm, which is, for all intents and purposes, invisible to the viewer.
Premium picture quality and 3D immersion
The picture quality of the Samsung Onyx DCI Cinema is exceptional. A conventional digital projector can generate a contrast ratio of around 2500:1 in a dark room. Onyx DCI Cinema is capable of infinite contrast and can create true blackness beyond previous projection standards. The brightness of the Samsung display is measured at 300 nits, compared to the standard 48 nits — and studios like Pixar are mastering content specifically to take advantage of this. The Onyx DCI Cinema’s superior brightness means more vibrant colors. And thanks to compatibility with cutting-edge HDR standards, the color-fidelity upgrade is even more apparent.
The latest Onyx display also offers immersive 3D capability. The active 3D imagery amplifies the viewing experience with enhanced depth and clarity. When paired with specialized glasses, Onyx minimizes flickering, elevating the vibrant 3D visuals for a deeper sense of immersion. Text becomes sharper, and images leap off the screen. Without a decrease in brightness, audiences enjoy the full 3D effect and a truly captivating experience.
Superior surround sound
Onyx DCI Cinema delivers an extraordinary, immersive sound experience. It is compatible with leading audio solutions, including Dolby Atmos, Meyer Sound, QSC as well as custom-designed systems. This flexibility allows theaters to customize their sound environment, ensuring that every auditory detail is heard. For theaters utilizing HARMAN’s JBL speakers, Onyx offers seamless integration, delivering optimized performance. Onyx also features front surround sound technology, strategically positioning audio to create a three-dimensional soundstage that engages the audience from all angles.
Energy efficient
All of this means an elevated experience for the viewer. However, the Onyx DCI Cinema offers theater owners benefits beyond enhancing the customer experience. The power consumption of the Samsung display, for instance, is typically 3.74KW compared to 4.2KW for an RGB laser projector.
Compliant and compatible
The Onyx DCI Cinema is also, as the name implies, DCI-compliant, which means it achieves the uniform and extremely high level of technical performance and reliability established by the Digital Cinema Initiative. It’s compatible with the standards of both GDC Technology Limited’s digital cinema servers and Dolby’s Integrated Media Block servers. This seamless integration with Dolby and GDC media servers allows for smooth content management. And while the cost of upgrading a cinema’s technology is always a consideration, Onyx is built for long-term performance including a 5-year standard warranty with options to extend coverage up to 10 years, offering considerable peace of mind.
The next-gen cinema
LED technology offers theater owners many advantages. The bright, detailed, captivating images are certain to impress audiences that have grown accustomed to an advanced home cinema experience, and the immersive and premium nature of the LED theater can help attract and retain customers.
Ultimately, it’s hard to see a downside. Just as digital projection made the cinematic experience more compelling than when manual projectors ruled the roost, Samsung Onyx DCI Cinema offers a next-gen presentation that’s unlike anything that’s gone before it. From a scalable design to amazing audio and immersive 3D imagery, theater owners offering this premium experience can attract new customers and retain existing ones. In short, everyone owes it to themselves to experience it — after all, we know that when it comes to cinema, seeing is believing.
As the world’s first cinema LED display, Onyx takes you beyond the ordinary by delivering a cinematic experience unlike anything before. Discover how the latest in cinema LED technology, Samsung Onyx DCI Cinema LED Screen, can transform your theater experience and draw in audiences.
