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Christie highlighted its commitment
to the development of high frame
rate (HFR) technology at Cinema
India Expo 2012 with a live demo of
HFR content using a standard Christie
Solaria Series digital cinema projector
equipped with the Christie IMB, an
integrated media block solution that
seamlessly converts and delivers
feature-film and alternative content
within a secure environment to all of
Christie's 2K and 4K, DCI-compliant
Solaria Series 2 projectors.
With the advent of HFR movies such
as Hobbit and Avatar's sequels
expected to debut across the world,
beginning in late 2012, audiences
can look forward to ultra-realistic
movie-going experiences as the
technology delivers fast-moving
images in exceptional detail,
improving the quality and
smoothness of the images. HFR
technology empowers directors and
cinematographers with a new
medium that enhances their creative
freedom with support for a wider
range of action scenes and camera
movements.
"Today we are proud to showcase
our newly-developed suite of
solutions for HFR at Cinema India
Expo 2012. As a market leader in
cinema technology, Christie is an
early innovator to create solutions in
response to the fervor of HFR from
Hollywood filmmakers, directors and
producers. HFR is pivotal in setting
the benchmark for image quality and
therefore the ultimate cinematic
experience in the near future.
Christie is committed to helping the
industry develop the best HFR
content and the best delivery
systems," said Lin Yu, vice president,
Christie Asia Pacific.
Speaking at the Cinema India Expo
2012 Conference, Dr. Don Shaw,
senior director, product
Christie Highlights its Commitment toHigh Frame Rate Technology atCinema India Expo
management, Christie Entertainment
Solutions, explained the inherent
advantages of the Christie approach,
with its IMB: "Most digital projector
installations use a media block in an
external server that is linked by
cables to the projector. This creates
bandwidth limitations that have an
impact on picture quality, and restrict
the system's ability to offer higher
frame rates and increased pixel
resolution. The Christie IMB operates
within the projector, becoming an
integral part of the display device.
The result is a secure connection that
can manage the high bandwidth
required for HFR and 4K content
while maintaining full colour display
and terrific image quality."
Qube Cinema Network showcased
the power of the cinema theatre as
an advertising medium while
First Ever CinemaAd SMS Conteston Qube CinemaNetwork
conducting the draw for winners of
the first ever SMS ad contest run on
a cinema network. Long neglected,
with digitisation, the cinema
theatres have now become a
remotely addressable and
accountable medium whose impact
on the consumer has been proven to
be over 8 times that of TV through
international research.
The draw, selected by Parvathy
Omanakuttan and Sudhanshu
Pandey, stars of Billa 2, declared 5
winners from 18,000+ correct
answers received to the Qube
Cinema Network Audio contest from
across Tamilnadu. The winners will
receive the advertised 5.1 channel
home theatre system each!
Parvathy Omanakuttan &
Sudhanshu Pandey, the stars of Billa
2, are also anticipated to give away
the prizes in the respective cities /
towns in the coming weeks to the
release of Billa 2, the movie in
Tamilnadu.
"SMS contests apart, the consumer
engagement opportunities for
advertisers abound in a cinema
theatre environment and, with
power of a network that rivals TV
and is possibly the second best in
terms of effective reach in TN, the
Qube Cinema Network has ushered
in the resurgence of cinema as a
powerful adjunct channel medium,
as it always used to be in the times
before TV", said Mr. M.S.
Rajagopalan, President QCN.
"With the popularity that has been
brought back to the cinema theatre
as an advertising medium by Qube
Cinema Network, we expect in time
for this advertising opportunity
from a network perspective to
become a stable and predictable
revenue earner for the theatres,
alleviating the somewhat risk based
revenue opportunity of the movie
screening itself", said Mr. Arvind
Ranganathan, CEO Real Image, the
company behind the Qube Cinema
Network across India.
July-September 2012TM-4
Harkness screens, the world's leading
manufacturer of projection screens
has now expanded its global
operations in India by starting their
distribution facilities with the
manufacturing operations underway
to be functional by mid of 2013.
The new facility will enable Harkness
Screens India to effect quicker
deliveries of its cutting edge spectral
and perlux digital screens to
customers in India and neighbouring
countries. Customers will also benefit
from lower shipping costs with the
commencement of this facility.
With the conversion to digital gaining
rapid momemtum in India, this move
will help Harkness reach out to all
customers who demand the best.
Andrew Robinson, managing director
of Harkness Screens says, "Harkness is
delighted to appoint Sriram Sistla,
who has vast experience in the cinema
industry as sales director to spearhead
the foray into the Indian market.
Sriram with his wide network, strong
relationships and initimate knowledge
of the cinema market in India will help
forge stronger relationships with
customers by understanding their
requirements better. This is a part of
the investment that Harkness is making
to ensure that customers around the
world have easy access to some of the
world's best projection surfaces".
Harkness ScreensStarts Operationsin India
Underscoring the positive growth
and development of HARMAN
India's professional division, the
company announced the
appointment and promotion of
executives to key roles in the
division. Effective immediately,
Prashant Govindan is named Sales
Director for HARMAN India's
professional division.
The announcement follows very close
to the promotion of David McKinney
as Senior Director- India Operations
for the Professional division, earlier
this year. With McKinney's relocation
to Bangalore to lead the division's
overall operations - including
engineering, sales & marketing,
business development and service, the
company's expansion and business
outlook has stepped up another gear.
Govindan will report to David
McKinney and will also work closely
with global sales teams. In his role as
Sales Director,
Prashant he will
focus on 'Go- to-
Market' strategy,
drive revenue
growth and will
lead the sales
efforts in India
across the
business segments. Prashant's
appointment as Sales Director also
follows with Karan Kathuria being
promoted as
National Sales
Manager-
Installed Sound,
reporting into
Govindan. Karan
has over the last
year, successfully
led significant
projects in
hospitality industry within the
installed sound segment.
Commenting on the appointments,
David McKinney noted, "We are
excited to have Prashant on board
Harman India's Professional DivisionAnnounces Key Appointments
and value the rich and varied
industry experience that he adds to
our management team. Karan on the
other hand will add greater value to
his role in installed sound, and build
on the significant traction that we
have witnessed in this segment."
With an imperative of growing the
business today, exceeding customer
demands, and building future
business, a new team has been
formed within the division, to
identify and build on key areas and
potential markets, design and
customize existing products for the
Indian market, as well as develop
unique solutions. In order to support
this strategy, Ankush Agarwal has
been promoted
as Director -
Marketing &
Business
Development. In
his current role,
Ankush will lead
the Business
Development
team, while
spearheading the Marketing
function.
An effective and streamlined after -
sales experience with service has been
a comprehensive offering by Harman.
Under the leadership of Ganesh Kumar
- Service Manager, new processes and
policies have been introduced. He
took over the role of Service Manager
earlier this year, reporting to McKinney
and brings in vast experience in the
areas of "After Sales Network
Management & Support" and "Field
Quality Assurance.
"Ankush is one among the first
members of Harman's Professional
team in India, leading the marketing
function. His new role is an
acknowledgment of the tremendous
success with which he has effectively
and efficiently led Harman's
marketing and communication
efforts and we are confident that he
will continue to do so in future. On
the service front, over the last month,
many of our customers and partners
in cities like Kolkata, New Delhi &
Mumbai and even Tier 2 cities have
experienced a greater improvement
in response times, new policies,
availability of spare parts and
undivided attention to customer
queries on service. We want to
constantly raise the benchmark for
the service levels and this will
continue to be our major focus in the
future as well." said McKinney.
Ankush AgarwalDirector - Marketing &Business Development
Karan KathuriaNational Sales Manager-
Installed Sound
PrashantSales Director
July-September 2012TM-8
The cinema segment being a key
focus area Harman India saw another
significant milestone being achieved
with the second consecutive year of
direct participation at Cinema India
Expo 2012 at Renaissance Convention
Centre Hotel, Powai, Mumbai on the
23rd & 24th July 2012. Cinema India
Expo is a premier annual Expo that
brings together the best of cinema
technology in the sub- continent.
As the audio partner of the Expo for
the second consecutive year, HARMAN
India provided a complete suite of
cinema solutions best suited for world
class audio experience for the dynamic
and demanding cinema segment in
India. The large 90 sqm Harman
Pavilion booth was uniquely designed
to display and present live
demonstration of its wide range of
Crown amplifiers and JBL cinema
speaker systems. Keeping the pace
with the challenging industry
requirement of providing solutions for
varied demands - Harman's booth
displayed three key real time
solutions based on the three seating
capacities - small (upto 125), medium
(upto 275) and large( upto 500).
The showcase of the Harman's cinema
range as specific solutions reinforced
the company's position as a
comprehensive provider of premium
solutions provider. This was used to
highlight the key products like JBL
Screen Array 3730, 4732 & 5732
combined with a best configuration
of the JBL Cinema sub woofers and
surrounds, which worked perfectly
well in sync with well-designated
racks of Crown Dsi series ( 2000, 4000,
6000) amplifiers. Visitors to the
Pavilion were intrigued by the
complete display and representation
of the solutions which connected
aptly with their immediate and future
requirements.
"The highlight of this year's
participation at the Expo was the
systematic approach to provide clear
Harman India Presents a Blockbuster Premiere ofCinema Solutions at Cinema India Expo 2012
understanding of specific solutions
and ideal configurations effectively
addressed by Harman India's technical
and sales teams. Overall we are
encouraged by the overwhelming
response for the Harman cinema
solutions at the Expo." said Prashant
Govindan, Sales Director, Harman
Professional Division, India.
Among the systems displayed the
5742 Ultra High Power ScreenArray
speakers provide extreme power for
large format cinemas and are
designed to enhance 3-D visual
experience. The newly launched JBL
3730 was also demonstrated at the
Expo. This system provides smooth
and accurate reproduction of cinema
soundtracks in a compact and very
cost effective system.
The conference sessions organized at
the Expo were much awaited and well
attended considering they were
chaired by senior industry and cinema
professionals. David Mc Kinney, Senior
Director, India Operations, Harman
Professional was part of a key three
member industry level panel
discussion on "Importance of Sound
in the digital cinema world"
moderated by Kabir Bedi, the
renowned actor. McKinney presented
a very incisive insights and
experiences on the changes in
technological trends and the
adoption of same in the complex
dynamic market like India.
Commenting on a successful
participation and presence at the
Expo, Ankush Agarwal, Director,
Marketing and Business Development,
Harman Professional- India said,
"With the advent of digital cinema,
today's cinema patron is even more
demanding of perfect coverage in
every seat of the auditorium.
Harman's cinema solutions address
those exact needs of our existing &
new customers and technical partners
with customized solutions to fit every
screen requirement.oose 1 and use
India's Premiere Exhibitor to Operate
a Total of Five IMAX Theatres with
Three Slated to Open in 2012.
IMAX and PVR, India's leading cinema
brand and operator of the country's
top-performing multiplexes,
announced an agreement to install an
IMAX theatre system in Bangalore that
is scheduled to open by March 2013.
The deal follows an earlier
agreement with PVR Cinemas
announced in March 2011 for four
IMAX theatres, bringing the
exhibitor's total IMAX commitment
to five. This deal also brings to 14 the
total number of IMAX theatres open
or contracted to open in India.
PVR CinemasExpands IMAXCommitment
July-September 2012 TM-9
Global visualization leader Barco has
been recently selected by Indian
cinema chains Inox Leisure and Fame
India to deploy its latest digital cinema
projectors through GDC Tech. Earlier
this year, Real Image Media
Technologies, India's leading provider
of film, video and audio technology,
confirmed an order for 300 DCI-
compliant Barco projectors while its
subsidiary Qube Cinema equipped 39
screens of Kuwait National Cinema
Company (KNCC) with Barco solutions.
These deals have catapulted Barco to
the top of the country's digital cinema
industry, with an install base of 500
digital projectors by end 2012 and
about 700 by the end of 2013.
Upon assuming management control
of multiplex operator Fame India Ltd,
in January last, Inox Leisure Limited
('INOX') became the largest theater
chain in India. All INOX 68 multiplexes
boast state-of-the-art technology.
When INOX decided to convert all of
its cinemas to digital, it carefully
prepared the transition and
organized thorough selection rounds
to ensure they would team up with
the best technology partner. The
group chose Barco and its partner
GDC Tech. Around 300 High Frame
Rate (HFR) READY digital projection
systems have been installed now,
featuring Barco DCI projectors and
GDC's Integrated Mediablock ('IMB').
The deal confirms Barco as the No. 1
provider of digital cinema projectors
in India. Earlier this year, Barco signed
a contract with Real Image for the
provision of digital cinema projectors.
In April, Real Image's subsidiary Qube
Cinema - specializing in digital
cinema - announced the installation
of 39 screens owned by Kuwait
National Cinema Company (KNCC). To
successfully take on this turnkey
project, Qube turned to Barco to
provide the DCI projectors, and
Masterimage for the 3D systems.
Barco Further Strengthens inIndian Digital Cinema
"We studied several digital systems
before adopting Qube, Barco and
Masterimage," said Mr. Hisham Al
Ghanim, General Manager of KNCC.
"We are very pleased with the
systems and support offered."
"It was clear to us, upon completion of
our earliest deployments, that Barco
projectors ensure the lowest TCO and,
thanks to their modular design, are
also easy to maintain. These are major
benefits of the Barco technology. On
top of that, Real Image, like Barco,
understands product support like no
other and has a long-term vision
focused on technology sustainability. It
seemed only logical to expand our
relationship," said Arvind Rangnathan,
CEO of Real Image. "It has been a
pleasure for us to work with Barco.
They perfectly combine world-class
products with outstanding support. By
offering our Qube server together
with Barco projectors as a cutting-
edge, all-in-one solution, we can offer
India's theaters the very best quality
and flexibility available in today's
market."
"We are proud to be the DCI-
compliant projector partner for this
digital cinema rollout at INOX as well
as KNCC cinemas. Through these
recent successful deals with leading
players in the Indian entertainment
industry, Barco further confirms its
position as digital cinema market
leader," said Abel Garamhegyi, Vice
President Growth Markets EMEAI and
Managing Director for India at Barco.
"Barco's wide portfolio of projectors
and projector packages with IMB are a
perfect match for the Indian market.
Highest ease of use and reliability,
combined with lowest TCO is what
exhibitors are looking for when going
through such a rapid digitization as
India's cinema industry" comments
Tim Sinnaeve, Market Director, Digital
Cinema at Barco.
Under the terms of today's
agreement, PVR Cinemas will install
an IMAX theatre in a multiplex in
Bangalore's Vega Mall, a new
construction project that is slated to
open by March 2013. The exhibitor
also plans to open two of its
previously contracted IMAX theatres
in existing complexes in Bangalore
and Mumbai in 2012, with the other
two IMAX theatres set to go into new
construction projects in the cities of
Delhi and Noida, which are slated to
open in 2012 and 2014 respectively.
"Audiences across India are
passionate about cinema and with
IMAX's worldwide brand, more and
more patrons want to experience
films in the premium immersive
format only IMAX can deliver," said
Ajay Bijli, Chairman of PVR. "We
view IMAX as a competitive
advantage for our business and we
are delighted to bring more
audiences in Bangalore The IMAX
Experience."
"We're excited to expand our
partnership with PVR, now our
second largest exhibitor in India,"
said IMAX CEO, Richard L. Gelfond.
"With a population of 1.2 billion, a
growing middle-class and strong
movie-going culture, India is a
market poised for tremendous
growth. We also believe that by the
end of 2013, we will be in a position
to begin offering IMAX versions of
Bollywood titles, which account for
90% of India's internal annual box-
office receipts."
"PVR is a true innovator in the Indian
exhibition industry, offering guests
modern, state-of-the-art
entertainment venues and we're
pleased to build on our partnership,"
said Don Savant, Senior Vice
President and Managing Director,
Asia Pacific. "Today's agreement
underscores the traction we are
making in India and as the country's
multiplex infrastructure continues to
grow, we're excited to be on the
ground floor of this emerging
market."
July-September 2012TM-10
Dutch audio systems leader Alcons
Audio showcased its trademark digital
cinema-ready sound experience at
India's biggest cinema industry event
- The Cinema India Expo.
The Cinema India Expo 2012, which
was held on the 23rd and 24th of
July at The Renaissance Convention
Centre Hotel in Mumbai, saw Alcons
Audio India showcasing its trademark
pro-ribbon audio technology
through their unique range of
cinema products that delivered a
superlative Digital Cinema ready
sound experience.
While Alcons provided a captivating
static display of their products, they
also hosted live demonstrations of
the pro-ribbon based cinema sound
systems, which garnered a lot of
attention from visitors. In partnership
with Real Image, a leading digital
cinema technology company, Alcons
provided the audio system that was
on active display at a special
demonstration room. This allowed
visitors to participate in the finest
cinematic experience, enjoying a 1:1
non-compressed reproduction of the
original sound source.
Visitors who experienced the
demonstration in person got a taste
of what pursued Universal Pictures to
choose Alcons as their principal
audio setup within the screening
room at their London headquarters.
At the same time, Alcons also
showcased the CR1 ultra-compact
screen system, with 7-inch system
depth - in a Left-Center-Right
configuration, along with the CB181sl
single 18-inch subwoofer with a
depth of only 11 inches, and the CSS3
micro-surround system. This entire
setup was powered and controlled by
the impressive Alcons ALC series of
amplified loudspeaker controllers.
The entire Alcons Audio India team
was present at the show to interact
with visitors and familiarise them
Alcons Audio Delivers Digital CinemaReady Experience at Cinema India Expo
with the cinema systems and specific
technologies on offer.
High dynamic range, low distortion,
shallow form factors and well
defined coverage capabilities are all
hallmarks of Alcons systems, while
basic listening of the pro-ribbon
systems makes the significant benefits
of pro ribbon technology amply
clear. And with factory offices in
Germany, UK, India and USA, Alcons
offers factory-direct support to all
their patrons.
Recent cinema ambassadors in the
international market include Lotte
Cinemas South-Korea, Cinemaxx
cinemas Germany, Eye Filminstitute
The Netherlands, iHome theatres
India and Universal Pictures United
Kingdom.
Alongside, Recent Indian patrons
include highly established clients
such as Blue Frog - the popular music
destination in Mumbai and Penthouz
- a premium lounge club premiering
shortly in Pune, along with a range
of private projects in the form of
home theatres/private screening
room installations.
Patel India Eases Transition to 4K 3D
Digital Cinema Systems For Theatres
Across Southern Asia.
New DigitalCinemaDeploymentDivision Opens inMumbai
Patel India, Mumbai, has opened a
new digital cinema deployment
division to provide high quality 4K 3D
digital cinema systems and specialist
integration services to theatres
throughout southern Asia. The new
division will supply, install and
maintain world-class, future-proof
solutions in compliance with
international standard JPEG 2000
Digital Cinema Package (DCP)
formats. It will operate alongside sister
company, Filmlab, one of India's
largest and most advanced film
processing and digital post facilities.
The two teams will work together to
provide digital content to theatres.
PID has already established a
relationship from the world's leading
manufacturers of high-quality 4K and
3D digital cinema and audio
processing systems, namely 'Sony'.
The new division will supply Sony's 4K
digital cinema integrated projection
system, providing outstanding picture
quality including superior, flash-free
3D playback. The Sony 4K system is the
world's first Digital Cinema Initiative*
(DCI) specification-'compliant' 4K
digital cinema projector. The system
features advanced cutting-edge
technology and guarantees correct
reproduction of movie content at a
constant 4K resolution.
Likewise, Patel India will also supply
the top of the range audio processors
with features that include 16 channels
of digital and 8 channels of analogue
inputs coupled to 16 digital and 16
analogue outputs. The division will
calibrate theatre halls using room
optimising technology that ensures
audio set-up and sound clarity are
optimised at every installation.
Patel India will offer payment terms to
help theatres owners with the initial
investment required to transition from
analogue and low-quality e-cinema
equipment to the new 4K digital
cinema systems. This arrangement will
also help production studios by
enabling them to have their pictures
screened at a higher number of DCI
compliant venues.
July-September 2012 TM-11
The much-awaited `Gangs of
Wasseypur II' debuted pan-India in
528 UFO digital theatres.
'Jism-2' screens in 494 UFO digital
theatres in its second week and `Kyaa
Super Kool Hai Hum' screens in 151
UFO digital theatres in its third week.
`Cocktail' screens in 29 UFO digital
theatres in its fifth week while `Bol
Bachchan' screens in 25 UFO theatres
in its sixth week.
In the South, Telugu film 'Julayi'
debuts this week in 311 UFO digital
theatres and superhit `Eega' in its
sixth week continues its strong run
by screening in 69 UFO digital
theatres. Kannada film 'Sagar' debuts
this week in 55 UFO digital theatres.
Tamil film 'Mirattal' in its second
week is in 50 UFO digital theatres
andMarathi film `Bharatiya' debuts in
61 UFO digital theatres.
'Gangs ofWasseypur II'Debuts in 528UFO DigitalTheatresHindi multi-starrer 'Bol Bachchan',
which debuted in the week of July 6-
12, joins UFO's Millennium Club -
films that are screened in over 1,000
UFO digital theatres from the first
week onwards. 'Bol Bachchan'
debuts in 1,015 UFO digital theatres
across India, following in the
footsteps of other successful films
such as 'Housefull 2', 'Agneepath',
'The Dirty Picture', 'Don 2', 'Ra-One',
'Bodyguard', 'Singham', 'Force',
'Ready' and 'Desi Boyz' -- all of
which screened in over 1,000 UFO
digital theatres.
Another new film 'Three Bachelors'
debuts in 47 UFO digital theatres.
'Rowdy Rathore' screens in 99 UFO
digital theatres in its sixth week.
'Gangs of Wasseypur' screens in 94
UFO digital theatres in its third week.
'Teri Meri Kahaani' screens in 57 UFO
digital theatres in week 3.
New Telugu release 'Eega' debuts in
201 UFO digital theatres in week 1.
Bol Bachchan and Telugu Film EegaScreens in UFO Digital Theatres
'Sakuni' (Telugu) and 'Saguni' (Tamil)
screen in 75 and 71 UFO digital
theatres respectively in week 3.
'Pawan Kalyan's Gabbar Singh'
continues to screen in 74 UFO digital
theatres in its ninth week. Kannada
film 'Dandupalya' screens in 79 UFO
digital theatres in its second week.
Salman Khan has proved yet again
that he reigns supreme at the box
office, with his latest film Ek Tha
Tiger netting a whooping 32 crores
on the first day. However though the
film is setting new records in India,
across the border, Ek Tha Tiger seems
to have run into trouble.
Apparently, post the back and forth
pertaining to the release of the film
in Pakistan, it is now learnt that Ek
Tha Tiger will not hit the theatres
there.
Ek Tha TigerBanned inPakistan
This comes after initial reports that of
the film being banned in Pakistan on
the grounds of its theme being anti-
Pakistan, but recently an NOC was
granted for Ek Tha Tiger to be
screened for the censor board
members there. However, now it
appears that ETT failed to convince
Pakistani board members of the
benevolent treatment of their
country in the film.
July-September 2012TM-12
Cinemax, India's one of largest
multiplex chain launched its flagship
property in Cyberabad; it's the
second multiplex in Hyderabad. The
property was inaugurated by Hon.
Sri K Raghvendra Rao, Mr. Sanjay
Dalia - President Cinemax Exhibition
India Ltd and Mr. Girish Wankhede -
Spokesperson Cinemax Exhibition
India Ltd, the property has opened at
Inorbit Mall and is operational since
1st June 2012 with the release of
"Rowdy Rathod".
The property is situated at Cyberabad
which is an up-coming township with
an increasing urban and corporate
populace. This will be the first
multiplex in Cyberabad. With this
launch, Cinemax now has 40
properties in India, and 141 screens.
Hyderabad being the cultural hub for
the Telegu film industry and cine
lovers, this property will undoubtedly
add to the pride of the city.
The 6-screen multiplex has a total
seating capacity of 947 seats. The
multiplex is well-equipped with its
benchmarked technology, lighting and
acoustic sound system. In addition to
this the property offers luxurious seats,
variety in gourmet food, personalized
Cinemax Launches
6 Screen Multiplex at Cyberabad
café service along with computerized
ticketing. With such state-of-the-art
amenities and an unparalleled movie-
watching ambience, Cinemax will
ensure a memorable experience for all
cine-goers.
Commenting on this occasion Girish
Wankhede DGM-Corp Comm,
Cinemax said, "We are very pleased
to open our second property in the
Nizaam city, Hyderabad. Cinemax has
pioneered the movie premier culture;
various consumers connect activities
to guarantee a complete cinematic
experience for its patrons. With this
launch, audience in Cyberabad will
enjoy the flavor of our warm
hospitality."
Interior Architects / Interior Designer Ar. Sanjay Puri
Technical Design Of Audi & Acoustical Jhaveri & Jhaveri
ServicesHVAC Ketan Shah & AssociatesElectrical Bhuva & AssociatesLighting (Signages) Function Neon
Booth EquipmentsProjectors ScrabbleProcessors Dolby
Audi EquipmentsScreen Zohar & CompanySeating Krishna Quinette
Lighting Tej Light / Lime LightStep Light Shri Krishnashray
Carpet Needle Punch,Hand Tufted Carpet
Fact File
• I N S T A L L S •
July-September 2012 TM-13
United Mediaworks Pvt. Ltd., a
company incorporated with an aim
to support the growth of Media &
entertainment industry with futuristic
and scalable technology based
products & services is promoted,
owned and operated by the
A Conceptwith a Cause
Bhandari brothers, Ashish and
Sachin.
Having a formal launch this June,
UMW offers Secured Digital
Distribution of films to its value
based chain of branded Cinema Halls
(Nukkad Entertainment) pan India
catering the middle & low income
group in phase 1 and further scaling
globally.
The company has developed a
proprietary technology product -
Digital Cinema Server (DIGIBUTOR).
DIGIBUTOR aids in digital
distribution of film at 512 bit
encryption. The company installs this
• S P E C I A L F E A T U R E •
July-September 2012TM-14
product & other digital cinema
equipments at cinema halls. It
delivers content via broadband/
satellite/hard drives to its chain
cinema halls on weekly basis. The
company is into setting up of cinema
halls based on pre-defined quality
standards which every business
associate will have to follow. The
company acquires the desired
content for distribution from the
producers or distributors of films.
Nukkad Entertainment is a novel
concept of small sized digital cinema
halls introduced to cater the
common man across India with their
daily dose of Filmy Entertainment.
"Nukkad Entertainment" targeting
the lower middle & lower income
groups of the country offers
availability of cinema halls in
remotest place in India, secured,
standardized & highest quality
digital viewing experience and real
value for the money spent.
Based on the scalable model with
technology, the company plans to
develop 5,000 cinema halls by 2015
offering "FDFS" films to its target set
of audience pan India. Company
tends to achieve its targets of setting
up cinema halls via its Business
Associates Model.
The concept of this initiative is to get
the potential audience that is lost
due to high pricing of tickets at
multiplexes & lack of cinema halls in
tier 2 & 3 cities and to banish piracy.
Tushar Kulkarni says, "The need of
the TIME - Nukkad Entertainment
"Paisa Vasool!!" is a complete value
based chain of Small Digital Cinema
Halls catering the mid & lower
income groups in India."
• S P E C I A L F E A T U R E •
July-September 2012 TM-15
Galalite
Enhancing the MovieViewing Experience
Galalite, one of the largest
manufacturers and suppliers of
projection screen surfaces to
exhibitors worldwide, offers superior
movie viewing experience with
advanced technology, superior
quality and constant innovation.
A family owned business since
inception in 1959, and headquartered
in Mumbai, the Heartland of the
movie Industry in India, Galalite
remains at the cutting edge of
technology to effectively cater to the
increasing demand for high grade
cinematic experience. Galalite was the
first Indian Company to start
exporting cinema screens world-over.
The product range includes: Regular
Matte White Screens, Digilite Screens
for Digital Cinema and HFR, and
Prism3D Screens for Digital 3D
systems, apart from customized
screens for specific applications.
Regular Perforations and Micro
Perforations are available with
absolutely invisible seams that ensure
a seamless movie viewing experience.
Galalite has introduced a new
improved formulation for silver
screens which allows the widest
viewing angles in the Industry and
ensures better colour reproduction
and white field uniformity to enhance
the movie viewing experience for
audiences. And with no hot spot even
in 2D presentations, it translates to
absolute value for money for cinema
owners. All this, with an extinction
ratio of 150:1 for a completely mind
boggling 3D effect.
Real Image Media Technologies,
India's leading provider of technology
in the film, video and audio domains,
and pioneers in digital cinema
technology revolutions, has partnered
with Galalite Screens for the supply
and installation of one hundred and
fifty 3D Silver Screens over the next
12-15 months.
"We are thrilled to partner with Real
Image, the only Indian company and
amongst a handful worldwide with
DCI compliant digital cinema
technology. Through this
collaboration we are able to take
bigger strides in cinema technology
and the viewing experience. We
believe it is just a beginning to the
exciting possibilities in digital & 3D
Cinemas" says Mr. Yusuf S
Galabhaiwala, Director - Business
Development, Galalite (GTC
Industries).
Galalite has established a storage
facility and office in Bangalore in
order to ensure faster delivery to
customers in South India. The
company has also planned to open
up a new facility in Germany to cater
to markets in Europe, Middle East and
Africa.
With a brand new visual identity and
a renewed presence on the World
Wide Web, the company exhibits its
ambitious plans to extend its reach in
the global market with its wide range
of innovative projections screens that
lead the pack by way of advanced
technology and consistent quality.
Galalite also makes a significant
statement with its new tagline
'Imagine. See', making futuristic
technology possible for film makers
and taking movie goers to a whole
new level.
• C I N E M A S Y S T E M S •
July-September 2012TM-16
Giant-screen 4K 3D, server upgrades,
high frame and even higher bit rates,
high-speed Ethernet interface on
IMBs, laser demos, software updates,
another DCI certification: From
Burbank, California, to Barcelona,
Spain, and from Las Vegas, Nevada,
to Mumbai, India, it has been a busy
time for Qube Cinema.
"The industry is changing so rapidly
these days and Qube is excited to be
at the forefront of those changes,"
confirms Rajesh Ramachandran,
company president and chief
technology officer. Qube Cinema's
international product line includes
the Qube XP d-cinema server series,
Qube Xi 4K Integrated Media Block, a
suite of digital mastering solutions
(QubeMaster Pro, Xpress 2 and Xport)and the Qube KeySmith KDM
generation system. "We are
committed to creating a seamless
digital-cinema environment for
exhibitors, filmmakers and post-
production houses," he describes the
company goal, "with technologies
that are innovative, flexible and cost-
effective."
Just before hitting Cinema India in
late July, Ramachandran took some
time to call in from Mumbai for an
exclusive update for our readers.
Among the big news items, he
enthuses, is the new version 3.0
software for the Qube d-cinema
servers that were released in June.
"The new modularized software
provides a common user experience
for setup, operation and
maintenance of both our XP-D and
XP-I models," Ramachandran
explains. "The flexible architecture of
our servers will provide current users
of the XP-D with an easy upgrade
and smooth transition to the XP-I
and the 4K Xi IMB. This allows
exhibitors to accommodate 4K
resolution and higher frame rates as
the DCI specs continue to evolve and
D-Cinema Qubed
Anticipating HFR Era
in anticipation of the release of
theatrical content from the likes of
Peter Jackson and James Cameron.
Our 3.0 software supports
stereoscopic 3D systems, as well as
accessibility devices such as onscreen
titles, closed captioning, and systems
for the visually impaired." Having
gained DCI compliance for the Qube
XP-D in June and the version 3.0
software, in fact, "helps validate the
XP-I server," he reiterates.
Plenty of hard proof of powerful
capabilities was otherwise delivered,
going back to CinemaCon 2012. Two
weeks after introducing Qube's
integrated setup that is "capable of
both HD-4K uncompressed color
grading and 2K-4K digital-cinema
playback from a single server-IMB
configuration" during the National
Association of Broadcasters' NAB
Show, Ramachandran and the Qube
team offered another series of
industry firsts in the hallowed halls of
Caesars Palace. The exhibition
community observed multi-IMB
synchronization, 2K 3D at 120 fps for
each eye, and a joint demonstration
with Barco of laser-illuminated
projection. During the tradeshow,
Qube delivered 4K DLP Cinema
content from a single Qube XP-I
server to two Qube Xi 4K media
blocks integrated into Barco DP4K-
32B projectors. (In March, the
Wortham Giant Screen Theater at the
Houston Museum of Natural Science
became the first commercial
installation of this single-server, two-
projector 4K 3D system.)
This is made possible because the XP-I
server features enough data
throughput to play back content at a
super-fast 1,000 Megabits per second,
or four times the current DCI Mbps-
rate specification (more on that
below). "Our 4K 3D demonstrations
have been done at 800 Mbps,"
Ramachandran says with obvious
pride. "With 2K content," he
elaborates, "the Qube Xi IMB can
deliver up to 120 frames per second
in 2K, and up to 30 fps with 4K
content. Alternatively, this very high
processing capability can be used to
drive dual 4K or dual 2K DLP Cinema
projectors from one DCP for stunning
4K 3D at up to 30 fps per eye. Due to
the fact that we offer multiple
projector and IMB synchronization,
we can also play 2K 3D at 120 fps.
That is something that nobody else
has done before."
At Caesars Palace, Qube also paired
the XP-I with a Qube Xi 4K IMB to
drive Barco's prototype laser
projector (aka "The Dragon"). "The
brightness and high contrast were
exceptional," Ramachandran notes
about the clips from Mission:
Impossible Ghost Protocol and other
projected content. "Exhibitors need
the high brightness and color
saturation this delivers." And, during
the Filmmakers' Lunch with Ang Lee
and Martin Scorsese, Qube Cinema
powered 2D and 3D footage on
three separate screens from a single
XP-I server. The side-by-side
comparison was automatically kept
in sync by the Xi IMBs. The left and
right screens featured Barco's DP2K-
20C projector with RealD single-
• T E C H N O L O G Y •
July-September 2012 TM-17
projector stereoscopic configurations
while the center screen was lit by two
vertically stacked DP2K-20Cs that
projected 3D test footage delivering
a whopping 120 fps to each eye.
(Germany's Fraunhofer Institut had
captured the special material with
ARRI cameras at the same high frame
rate.) "When you see HFR 3D at 48,
or even 60 fps for each eye, the
tremendous improvement is obvious
over 3D at 24 fps," Ramachandran
believes. "But 3D at 120 fps blows
everything else away."
While making a clear case that Qube
Cinema has the super-HFR
technology at the ready,
Ramachandran nonetheless believes
that, at this point, 120 fps will be
reserved for special venues like the
Houston Museum of Natural Science.
"Rather than exhibition and
distribution, the issue of higher
frame rates is more important for
production and post-production
because of the tremendous amount
of data that they have to contend
with," he reasons. "In terms of what
we've seen and how the practical
implementation looks, we expect 60
fps will be a good place to be for
movie theatres."
As "high frame rates" and HFR have
entered our day-to-day vocabulary,
"high bit rates," or HBR for short, are
more recent additions to the general
d-cinema conversation. The current
DCI bit rate runs at 250 Mbps, but it
was set seven years ago,
Ramachandran reminds us. "When
first establishing the DCI specs, the
primary focus of the 'golden eyes' of
our industry was to compress data as
little as possible. Around the 250
Mbps mark, they determined the
difference between compressed and
uncompressed content was not
discernible to the eye or was 'visually
loss-less.' Just as importantly, the
necessary throughput was available
from medium-scale, three-drive,
four-drive system servers rather than
more expensive high-speed storage
drives. In 2005, the sweet spot
between storage cost and image
quality was 250 Mbps. Nowadays,
hard drives have become faster,
cheaper and, very importantly, we
are also looking at content beyond
24 fps. 250 Mbps created nearly loss-
less images at 24 fps. With HFR 48 fps,
for instance, we double the amount
of data and the calculation would be
that we double the bit rate along
with that. Of course, we don't want
the hardware to be running at peak
performance capacity of 500 Mbps
but need to have a little headroom.
This said, the general industry trend
seems to be that we standardize 450
fps for HFR material," he has
observed.
Sounds like another case of
technology developing faster than
the specifications are keeping up.
With all the recent innovations and
advancements at Qube Cinema,
Ramachandran seems like a good
source to find out about the
development process. How can
companies even bring new
technology to the market? Does
compliance go on hold? Or is a
product automatically feasible as
long as it exceeds the current, albeit
lower DCI specifications? The
Hollywood studios and major
distributors are allowing "special
cases" into the market, he responds.
"Without trials and field experience,
we couldn't have locked down any
hardware configuration and software
versions to send to the DCI for
certification. Furthermore, once we
are certified, we can't make a
change, as that requires re-
certification. So, in the interest of
both progress and expediency, we
really need to get new products out
into the field and use them in real-
life situations."
And indeed, in addition to the Qube
XP series servers already feeding some
5,000 screens worldwide, 1,500 of
which are to the DCI d-cinema
standard with the balance going to
the e-cinema base mostly installed in
India, there is plenty of experience
being gained. In closing,
Ramachandran asserts that Qube
Cinema will continue to be on the
cutting edge. "We have trial installs of
Qube XP-I in the United States, India
and across Europe where we are
getting practical working experience
and feedback that will go into
making our products even better."
Qube Xi with XP-I 4K Integrated Media Block
• T E C H N O L O G Y •
July-September 2012TM-18
