DLP Cinema Reaches Major Milestone of DCI Compliance for 2K and Enhanced 4K Platforms

LAS VEGAS, March 15 /PRNewswire/ -- Texas Instruments (TI) (NYSE: TXN) DLP Cinema® announces that all DLP Cinema subcomponents for DLP Cinema 2K and its upcoming Enhanced 4K platforms have recently completed testing for Digital Cinema Initiative (DCI) standards by passing the procedural test administered by CineCert, the leading third-party authorized test facility.

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This is the most significant step in achieving full compliance of the DCI standards, and DLP Cinema is the first-ever projector technology to achieve this status. This enables DLP Cinema's OEM licensees, Barco, Christie Digital and NEC, to complete final testing of their new DLP Cinema next-generation electronics platform models and ship in the coming months.  

"Having reached this major milestone, we are unwaveringly confident that our OEMs will be able to ship compliant DLP Cinema 2K projectors in the very near future," said Nancy Fares, business manager for Texas Instruments, DLP Cinema Products. "These latest projector models will have a seal of security while upholding the unmatched advantages of the DLP Cinema platform." 

DLP Cinema's next-generation electronics platform utilizes the same highly reliable DLP Cinema chipset and integrates high security requirements, quality control and specification architecture defined by DCI.

"We are very pleased to confirm that the DLP Cinema next generation platform is the first device to clear procedural testing in our lab," said John Hurst, CTO of CineCert. "Our goal is to facilitate and guide manufacturers, integrators and exhibitors on the technical details and testing required for compliance. DLP Cinema-based projectors are expected to meet each requirement to ensure the highest quality motion picture experience."

Award-Winning and Cost-Effective Technology

Recently, the Academy Board of Governors bestowed the 2009 Scientific and Engineering Award (Academy Plaque) to four individuals responsible for the color accuracy of DLP Cinema® projectors. D. Scott Dewald, Greg Pettitt, Brad Walker and Bill Werner were recognized for their contributions furthering the design and refinement of the DLP Cinema projector, achieving a level of performance that enables color-accurate, digital intermediate previews of motion pictures.

"DLP Cinema has set the industry standard for superior contrast ratios and color accuracy to produce images the way the filmmaker intended and moviegoers expect," said Richie Fay, President of Domestic Distribution, Summit Entertainment. "When displayed on DLP Cinema, the story comes to life and audiences can now experience our movies like they never have before."

To produce cost-effective solutions to theatres, lamps for DLP Cinema projectors are less expensive to replace, last longer and save energy by consuming less power as opposed to competing technologies. DLP Cinema delivers power consumption advantages with energy- efficient lamps as low as 1.5 kW.

Rapid Installation Growth

DLP Cinema projection technology is installed in nearly 19,000 screens worldwide, setting the industry standard as compared with other technologies that reference future potential installations. Today there are over 10,000 worldwide screens that offer DLP Cinema digital 3-D technology, which uses every pixel in the frame for the brightest picture on the largest screens unlike other technologies. Since last year's introduction, IMAX® digital projection systems powered by DLP Cinema have reached a total of 155 locations worldwide. DLP Cinema's installations continue to rapidly grow both on a national and international level.  

DLP Cinema at ShoWest

This year marks the 10th consecutive year DLP Cinema has served as corporate sponsor at ShoWest. DLP Cinema technology will be utilized throughout the show, including displaying digital screenings and during the "Salute to the $100 Million Movies of 2009" held on Tuesday, March 16, 2010. The retrospective showing will highlight 32 movies including seven 3-D blockbusters that surpassed the $100 million revenue mark. The overwhelming box office success of these motion pictures can be attributed to the immersive experience that DLP Cinema 3-D provides.

For updated information during ShoWest about DLP Cinema, follow DLP on Twitter at @TI_DLP.

About DLP Cinema

DLP Cinema is a proprietary technology that delivers clear, sharp, bright and accurate images to movie theatres globally. To manufacture and market under the DLP Cinema trademark, technology licensees, including Barco, Christie and NEC, must meet stringent standards and guidelines meant to ensure the best possible performance and picture quality. This digital picture and standard of excellence ensures that a DLP Cinema movie screening looks flawless and each showing is as perfect as the first with no annoying scratches, tears or weaving that detract from the moviegoing experience. For more information, or to find a DLP Cinema theatre near you, please visit www.dlpcinema.com.

About Texas Instruments DLP Products

DLP display technology from Texas Instruments offers clarity down to the most minute detail, delivering pictures rich with color, contrast and brightness projectors for business, home, professional venue, digital cinema (DLP Cinema®) and large-screen HDTVs. Many of the world's top projection and display manufacturers design, manufacture and market products based on DLP technology. DLP is the only imaging technology with a legacy in digital cinema where it set the industry standard demonstrated by the deployment of DLP Cinema technology in nearly 19,000 screens worldwide. At the heart of every DLP chip is an array of up to 2.2 million microscopic mirrors, which switch incredibly fast to create a high-resolution, highly reliable, full-color image. DLP technology's chip architecture and inherent speed advantage provide razor-sharp images and excellent reproduction of fast motion video. Since early 1996, more than 20 million DLP subsystems have been shipped. For more information, please visit www.dlp.com or follow DLP on Twitter at www.twitter.com/TI_DLP.

About Texas Instruments

Texas Instruments (NYSE: TXN) helps customers solve problems and develop new electronics that make the world smarter, healthier, safer, greener and more fun. A global semiconductor company, TI innovates through design, sales and manufacturing operations in more than 30 countries. For more information, go to www.ti.com.

DLP and DLP Cinema are registered trademarks of Texas Instruments.

SOURCE Texas Instruments DLP