Christie®, a world leader in visual technology displays, has entered into an exclusive partnership with Crystal CG, a leading digital media company, to supply innovative visual display solutions for the new Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) multimedia exhibition and information center in Paris, France. The Center, a collaboration between Crystal CG and BIE and 100 percent funded by Crystal CG, will be dedicated to the history of world expos. It will house a permanent exhibition highlighting BIE’s accomplishments, presented on the latest cutting-edge multimedia technologies from Christie. It will also feature meeting rooms to discuss Expositions, large-scale events and a comprehensive digital research library for delegates, scholars, students and future Expo organizers. The Center held its official grand opening July 27.

Crystal CG is a major Christie AV partner in China and the Official Digital Imaging Service Provider of the 2012 Olympic Games. As a corporate partner of the BIE Center, Christie will be providing a diverse array of advanced digital displays that include the award-winning Christie® MicroTiles® in the reception area, as well as projectors throughout the facility, including the exhibition area, meeting rooms and an immersive first-person experience area.

“As a result of the hugely successful collaboration between Crystal CG and Christie at the Qing Ming Festival at Shanghai Expo 2010, Christie was given the opportunity to partner with Crystal CG at the Center, and therefore work more closely with BIE,� said Kathryn Cress, vice president, Global and Corporate Marketing at Christie. “It is a great privilege for Christie to be the exclusive corporate sponsor and to play an important role in the developmental phase of many key international Expositions that will have an impact upon the world stage.�

Cress observed that Christie is well positioned to partner with Crystal CG and co-partner the Center, as Christie has been a major provider of displays and projectors for large-scale events such as Shanghai World Expo 2010 and Yeosu Expo 2012 most recently.

Pascal Deseure, Managing Director at Crystal CG’s BIE Center noted, “Both Christie and Crystal CG are visual solutions pioneers with extensive experience in the industry. As partners, we look forward to demonstrating the power of visual technology to deliver messages from event sponsors and host cities on a grand scale, and to play a key role in the continuing success of BIE, the intergovernmental organization in-charge of all Expositions in the world.�

“The BIE is very pleased with this innovative space provided by Crystal CG in the heart of Paris. This showcase is a great opportunity to present and inspire world-class ideas to candidates, organizers and participants, through Christie’s cutting edge visual solutions,� Vicente Gonzalez Loscertales, Secretary General, Bureau International des Expositions.

About Crystal CG
Crystal CG was established in Beijing in 1995 and has 3,000 employees in more 15 cities in China and around the world, including Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Los Angeles, London, Tokyo, Singapore and Paris. It is a leading global creative group of digital and visual services, supplying clients in a wide range of industries (real-estate, mega-events, advertisement, automotive, medical, cultural, gaming, motion pictures, etc…) with integrated solutions and services. Crystal CG is widely recognized for its expertise and technical capabilities to deliver the most comprehensive and richest visual experience on the biggest scale and limited only by the imagination. Its creative visual solutions have powered such notable events as the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the 2010 Shanghai World Expo, the 2011 Shenzhen Universiade and the Yeosu Expo 2012. In March 2009, Crystal CG was recognized as the official digital imaging service supplier for the 2012 London Olympics.

About BIE
The Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) (International Exhibitions Bureau) is the intergovernmental organization in charge of overseeing the calendar, the bidding, the selection, and the organization of World and International Expos. The BIE was created by an international convention signed in Paris, France in 1931, which established the rights and responsibilities of the Expo organizers and participants. The role of the BIE is to supervise and ensure the application of this Convention. As the international governing body of Expos, the BIE provides the regulatory framework for these prestigious global events, in which countries, international organizations, civil society groups, corporations, and citizens participate.

Christie® today announced its partnership with Canada’s Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade’s (DFAIT) “Invest in Canada.â€� Christie has provided two striking digital displays featuring Christie® MicroTiles® and Christie Entero LED rear projection cubes at Canada Olympic House in Trafalgar Square. Operating from July 27 through August 12, in addition to being the Canadian Olympic Committee’s space for athletes, their friends and their families, Canada Olympic House hosts business leaders and government dignitaries and showcase Canada’s leading industries and businesses. Christie is among the select technology companies invited to participate.

As a world leader of visual display technologies and solutions, with manufacturing in Canada, Christie’s partnership with DFAIT at Canada Olympic House in London includes a large lobby display of up to 37 Christie MicroTiles and four 72� diagonal Entero cubes, the world’s first LED-based ultra-high resolution projection display system, for the Business Club, site of numerous networking events throughout the month. Both displays show a video and graphical montage highlighting Canada’s leading sectors and landscapes. Float4 Interactive is providing the interactivity kit to allow multiple users to interact with the displays.

Business leaders, government dignitaries, world-class athletes and executives from all over the world are expected to attend the various events to be presented at the facility. This includes a special Information Communications Technology (ICT) day on August 6, put on by Invest in Canada in association with the Financial Times, as well as a technology showcase organized by Invest Ottawa on behalf of the Consider Canada Alliance.

“From award-winning games and visual effects, to digital cinema and e-commerce, to wireless and mobile applications, Canada is an important player in the global economy,� noted Kathryn Cress, vice president of Global and Corporate Marketing at Christie. “As a major contributor to Canada’s technology revolution with manufacturing facilities in the Waterloo Region, Christie is proud to bring its expertise to Canada Olympic House to help further the country’s strategic expansion upon the world’s digital stage.�

According to the government of Canada, Canada’s digital industries are a robust and rapidly advancing sector, with 32,700 companies, more than half a million employees, annual revenues in excess of $162 billion and annual exports of $26 billion in 2010. Profiling these activities is part of the government’s economic strategy to create conditions for businesses in Canada to succeed on a global scale. At Canada Olympic House, senior policy-makers and global business leaders will inform potential investors about Canada’s ICT sector, its key areas of growth, as well as the challenges and emerging investment opportunities.

“As a leader in the ICT sector, Canada long ago recognized the importance of fostering innovation and creating the right business environment to attract world-class companies to our shores,” said International Trade Minister Ed Fast. “With our low taxes, strong and stable economy, significant research and development incentives, and highly-educated workforce, Canada continues to be a premier destination of choice for foreign investors. Christie’s revolutionary digital cinema technology and powerful visual displays highlight how Canada’s competitive strengths and economic vision benefit a global audience and drive economic growth here at home.”

Contribution Will Assist With Training and Disaster Preparedness.

Christie is proud to be part of the American Red Cross’ “Prepare SoCal� campaign, which aims to prepare Southern California businesses and households for natural disasters such as earthquakes, floods and other emergencies. Through its contribution of four Christie LWU420 3LCD digital projectors for the American Red Cross’ Orange County Region Emergency Operations Center (EOC), Christie will be powering real-time emergency information during disasters. The American Red Cross Orange County EOC serves three counties (Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino); an area that would affect 453,000 businesses and 4.5 million workers if there was a large disaster.

Known as a first responder in many natural disasters around the world, the American Red Cross is launching the renovated center as part of its “Prepare SoCal� initiative, which involves improving its local disaster response capacity, training more volunteers, and strengthening links with neighborhood and other community organizations. The EOC, situated at 600 Parkcenter Drive in Santa Ana, Calif., will be the hub of activity in any emergency and linked with public health, emergency service and other government agencies to provide vital information. Its grand re-opening is July 28.

The EOC suite, including the EOC and Room #213, is a 2170 square foot facility, not including technical support space. In addition, there are also two classrooms that have additional voice and data capability and can be quickly converted as a call center or support space, and another 120 square foot communications room with telephone, radio and satellite capabilities to provide emergency communications support
for the EOC.

“We’re very proud to be part of this important community initiative,� said Jack Kline, president & COO, Christie Digital Systems USA, Inc. “We helped the Japan Disaster Relief Fund last year, through staff volunteerism and the donation of equipment, so it was natural for us to look closer to home to assist the American Red Cross, as our projection systems can make a life-saving difference in communicating information during natural emergencies.�

Ty Woolworth, corporate relations and development at the Orange County American Red Cross chapter, learned of Christie’s technology and altruism during the Japan crisis, and decided the company would be a good choice for meeting the Red Cross needs for reliable digital projection that can adapt to the challenges of a rapidly changing situation.

“We knew Christie could do an amazing job at updating our EOC, and helping to sponsor Prepare SoCal, so that we in turn could provide the best possible information and service during any emergency,� said Woolworth.

After the installation, support for the projectors will be delivered by Spinitar – a full-service AV company headquartered in Orange County that is a Christie-certified audio/visual supplier and one of the industry’s top fifty integrators in the United States.

Christie LWU420 Projector a Workhorse for Red Cross
The compact and portable Christie LWU420 digital projector is designed for educational facilities, corporations, government agency and house of worship applications that require high brightness and cost-effective widescreen 3LCD projection at 4200 ANSI lumens. The line features 3D Keystoneâ„¢ technology, a four-corner geometry connection tool for flawless image alignment on flat or simple curved screens.

The Christie LWU420 is packed with premium features such as inorganic 3LCD light engine, H/V lens shift and Pro AV connectivity. The inorganic 3LCD light engine produces a more natural black state to greatly improve black levels for a broader, dynamic range and enables the Christie LWU420 to achieve richer detail in dark video scenes.

In other community activity, Christie USA recently participated in a Kids Against Hunger food packaging event onsite. Christie employees packaged 11,664 meals, of which 2,376 meals are going with the US Navy out of San Diego this summer to feed the hungry abroad while 9,288 meals are dedicated to those less fortunate in Orange County.

As the Platinum Sponsor of SIGGRAPH 2012, Christie®, the first in the world to publically demonstrate 3D High Frame Rate (HFR) projection technology using a single projector, is proud to host the SIGGRAPH HFR Panel, “High Frame Rate Cinema, Impacts on Art and Technology,� to be held Wednesday, August, 8 at 10:45 a.m., at the Los Angeles Convention Center, Hall K. The panel will feature 10 cinema industry leaders, led by Gordon E. Sawyer Academy Award winner Douglas Trumbull and Dennis Muren, Senior Visual Effects Supervisor at Industrial Light & Magic. It will be moderated by Paul Salvini, chief technology officer (CTO) of Christie. SIGGRAPH 2012 will be staged August 5 – 9. (In late breaking news, Jon Landau, Academy Award-winning producer of “Avatar� and “Titanic� has confirmed his participation in the HFR panel.)

Filmmaker and Visual Effects legend Douglas Trumbull’s photographic effects credits include groundbreaking films such as “2001: A Space Odyssey,â€� “Close Encounters of the Third Kind,â€� “Blade Runner,” and “The Tree of Life.â€� Douglas Trumbull pioneered work on High Frame Rate cinematography and projection with his Showscan process of 70mm film photographed and projected at 60 fps, and is now exploring 3D at 120 fps. Dennis Muren is the recipient of eight Academy Awards for Best Achievement in Visual Effects, with credits that include “Star Warsâ€� and “Terminator 2: Judgment Day.â€�

“The SIGGRAPH HFR panel will explore the technology behind high-frame-rate cinema, and look at what it will mean to producers of content and to the audience experience,� noted Paul Salvini. “The panelists are pioneers in their fields, addressing the challenges of HFR across the entire workflow, to provide the post-production and visual effects communities with important guidance regarding the challenges and rewards of developing HFR content for the exhibition community.�

Additional panelists include:

• Jim Beshears, Head of Post-production at DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc., oversees all aspects of the studio’s self-contained editorial and post-production facilities. Jim has been instrumental in creating a solid support system capable of simultaneously managing multiple feature-length animated projects and multiple short projects.

• Matthew Cowan, co-founder of Entertainment Technology Consultants and currently Chief Scientific Officer at RealD, of California, developed RealD’s successful 3D cinema system and is respected in the post-production community for his knowledge and application of human perception to 3D systems, color, and transfer functions in digital cinema.

• Darin Grant, Chief Technology Officer, Digital Domain Media Group, is responsible for the overall technology strategy for the company and its many subsidiaries. He is the former head of production technology at DreamWorks Animation.

• John Helliker is Founder/Director of Sheridan College’s SIRT Centre, a research and training facility focused on digital workflow innovations including HFR and virtual production. Based at Pinewood Toronto Studios, SIRT’s leading edge work is based on a unique set of partnerships with major industry guilds and associations, individual companies, as well as government and academia.

• Luke Moore, Director of Special Projects at Canada’s Side Effects Software, in Toronto, is responsible for identifying and addressing the unique technical challenges faced by studios using the popular Houdini VFX and Animation software. Luke brings first-hand knowledge and anecdotes regarding challenges of managing large datasets necessary to enable higher temporal and physical resolution to meet the needs of new challenges in modern production environments.

• Phil Oatley is Head of Technology at New Zealand-based Park Road Post Production, where his visionary talents have guided the company through incredible growth, including establishing key partnerships to promote HFR research and development.

• Dr. Lincoln Wallen, Head of Research and Development at Dreamworks Animation, in California, and formerly CTO at Electronic Arts Mobile, where he was instrumental in shaping EA’s approach to the mobile business, creating a strong portfolio of mass market mobile games, as well as games delivering a next-generation consumer experience.

“As the first licensee to market digital cinema projection based on Texas Instruments’ revolutionary DLP Cinema® technology, Christie has remained an industry leader, helping the post-production and exhibition communities with the latest-generation products, service, and technical expertise,� noted Paul Salvini. “We are proud to moderate this panel, which brings together true industry visionaries to discuss HFR, the next phase of the digital cinema revolution.�

Salvini added: “Christie continues to forge alliances in Hollywood with powerful proponents of HFR such as James Cameron, as well as partnering with leading post-production facilities such as Park Road Post Production and Weta Digital Ltd., to ensure a seamless transition to HFR and a superior movie-viewing experience.�

Among the movies on the horizon to feature HFR is the sequel to James Cameron’s “Avatar,� as well as Peter Jackson’s “The Hobbit,“ both of which will also be presented in stereoscopic 3D.

Salvini noted that Christie recently affirmed its HFR leadership with the world’s first and only single-manufacturer DLP Cinema projector and Integrated Media Block (IMB) combination that meets the DCI specifications in both the 2K and 4K mode of operation. It’s the best combination for producing the brightest and sharpest image and the most reliable HFR solution.

“Christie has earned a solid reputation for accelerating innovations in digital projection technology that includes the first to market a fully stereoscopic 3D DLP projector, in addition to providing leadership in the development and implementation of visualization and immersive technologies,� said Salvini.

To register for the conference, visit SIGGRAPH 2012. Also visit Christie at SIGGRAPH 2012 Booth #1123.

Christie Innovation and Dual 4K Projectors Light Up Australia’s Largest Traditional Movie Screen.

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.

Two Christie® MicroTiles® displays are stopping moviegoers in their tracks when they walk into the Cinemas Guzzo IMAX® theater lobby at the Mega Plex Marché Central 18 in Montreal. Les Cinémas Guzzo (“Guzzo�), one of Canada’s leading independent chains and the largest privately owned cinema chain in Quebec, has more than 151 screens in 12 theater complexes.

The eye-catching displays – one in a 6 high by 11 wide archway, and the other centered just past the archway in a 3 wide by 6 high array – draw audiences into the theater itself with captivating content produced by Arsenal Media, who specialize in digital content creation and concept development with Christie MicroTiles. Once customers walk under the arch, the interior Christie MicroTiles wall greets them with a large movie poster with movie trailers playing inside the poster.

Everyone Loves the Christie MicroTiles Display
Vincenzo Guzzo, executive vice president, Cinemas Guzzo, was immediately impressed with Christie MicroTiles.

“I saw them for the first time at CinemaCon 2011 and I had never seen something so bright, crisp and sharp – and those are the most important things for me,� he said. “Arsenal Media produced some very interesting and complex content that runs on the MicroTiles. Everyone loves it and, in particular, the younger crowd who has said it’s really cool. The MicroTiles makes a lot of people just stop and take a minute to look at the whole display. Once they walk through the arch, they stop and stare again at the movie trailers playing inside the movie poster.

“The Christie MicroTiles, out of all comparable products, are probably the best because not only are they so bright and crisp, they can they be built into irregular shapes and are practically seamless.�

For visually appealing displays, Christie lobby advertising solutions – including Christie MicroTiles – offer high brightness, high-resolution technology that captivates audiences with lifelike, vibrant colors. Combining the strengths of both DLP® and LED technology, Christie MicroTiles can reproduce 115 percent of the NTSC color gamut and exceed standard LCD flat panel color output by more than 50 percent. Christie MicroTiles automatically self-calibrate for color and brightness with built-in sensors monitoring each LED’s performance. Throughout the life of the display, each tile detects its neighbor and adjusts its image to optimize the overall presentation.

Integrator and Content Provider Contribute to Success of Project
“Our company did the consultation for the construction and electrical work necessary, plus the actual installation and calibration of the MicroTiles,� said J.P. Berardini, branch manager, Genesis Integration, Inc. “Guzzo wanted an archway because they want moviegoers to feel like they are walking into ‘an experience,’ not just a movie theater. Genesis helped create a 3D-like experience with both the archway and the interior array and it works because of the MicroTiles.�

“This installation is a perfect fit from both a shape and strategic perspective,� said Angela Tanzi, vice president of operations, Arsenal Media. “We supported the configuration concept by leveraging shape and creating content that generated a very impactful point of focus for the arch. When customers enter the GUZZO-IMAX theater, they recognize right away that they’re up for an enhanced visual and cinematic experience.�

In November 2011, Les Cinémas Guzzo (“Guzzo�) announced that all its screens, support and services were converting to digital with Christie. The contract includes the Christie CP2000ZX, Christie CP2000-SB, Christie CP2210, Christie CP2220, and Christie CP2230 projectors. The agreement also includes the upgrading of 27 screens to the Christie CP4220 and Christie CP4230 4K projectors. The conversion will be completed in the spring of 2012.

The breathtaking majesty of the Rocky Mountains is featured at the History Colorado Center (HCC) in Denver on a 134-unit Christie® MicroTiles® array designed to emulate the jagged peaks of the famous mountain range, complete with spectacular video footage. The HCC, which celebrated its grand opening recently, wanted a large, expressive statement characterizing the history of the picturesque state while redefining the museum with relevant and engaging content.

“The HCC wanted a dazzling display in their atrium,� said Howard Steele, director, Technology Plus, the project’s consultant. “The atrium is very bright and only a 30K lumen projector would even begin to display images in that strong light, but that created issues with where to place the projector and exhaust.�

Ed Nichols, president and CEO, Colorado History Museum, agreed. “We had a wall in our atrium begging for a major media treatment because there was a visitor orientation problem. We thought of projectors but the architect introduced the museum to the Christie MicroTiles. As our staff contemplated the possibilities with a MicroTiles wall, we were intrigued with the idea of letting the wall tell the museum’s story to its visitors.

“The Museum also liked MicroTiles’ flexibility: they are high resolution, high visibility in bright light at different angles and distances. We wanted rear projection and a product that would be financially sustainable. The tiles have a long lifespan, which means a low cost of ownership.�

Christie MicroTiles are perfect for color matching and self-calibration according to Craig Shonka, project manager for AVI-SPL, project integrator. The first plan for using the MicroTiles was installing three simple, yet attractive ribbons running down the wall.

“It was Randy Pagnan of RP Visuals who made the mounting support brackets for the design we went with– which really made it all come together and align properly,� added Steele.

“The atrium is very big and full of daylight pouring in – especially from the south facing glass wall and the skylights,� said Stephanie Stewart, project manager, Richard Lewis Media Group. “When the museum saw the color saturation of the Christie MicroTiles, they went crazy; they loved how beautifully bright and crisp the images are – and so do we. The MicroTiles fit perfectly with what the museum is trying to say.�

Driving the content is the Christie Spyder X20 video processor. A versatile, hardware-based video processor combined with the flexibility of a universal routing switcher, the Christie Spyder X20’s integrated source monitoring allows for simultaneous, real-time, full-frame-rate monitoring of all inputs.

“We also have the option of reconfiguring the wall if we want to change things up or even growing the wall, and, in the end, we have great products (Christie MicroTiles and Spyder) that are running consistently,� continued Stewart. “This project was huge and both an artistic and technical challenge, but that made it exciting. The team that Kevin Barlow (Senior Director, Control Rooms, Christie) put together did a fantastic job. Ken Hartling (Western Regional Sales Manager, Control Rooms, Christie) was so helpful and it was terrific to work with Christie. The entire Christie team kept the project going smoothly; they were always solid and got us what we needed when we needed it.�

Dan Waltens, director of operations, AVI-SPL, said the project went smoothly. “Having worked with Christie in the past, we had that level of comfort when working on a project of this scope. Christie knew every detail, was involved in the project meetings so they understood what the HCC was trying to accomplish, and gave appropriate advice – that was key. The beauty of Christie MicroTiles is that you can access the power supply from the front as well as the back.�

Hartling said the Christie MicroTiles and Christie Spyder installation is “… one of the most extraordinarily complex projects I’ve ever been a part of and one of the most impressive installations I’ve seen. It’s eye-catching, creative and mind-blowing.�

“What we have is so different because a high-tech array in the atrium is an immediate signal to visitors that this is not a typical state history museum,� concluded Nichols. “The Christie MicroTiles array captures the magnificence of the Colorado landscape and furthers our mission in a financially sustainable manner.�

Christie®, the first to market a fully stereoscopic 3D DLP® projector more than a decade ago, announced an expansion to its product offerings for the visualization markets with the addition of its next-generation Mirage M Series high performance digital projectors. The M Series joins the latest Mirage J Series, adding three new 3D capable products to the dual-lamp platform for a total of 21 projectors in the Mirage Series lineup. The Mirage Series offers the broadest range of 3-chip DLP® 3D active stereo digital projectors ­single projector or in a multi-projector array- with advanced features that are specifically created for the demanding needs of the visualization market.

“Both Mirage M and Mirage J Series projector platforms now come with an Intelligent Lens System (ILS™) that features auto lens calibration and an all new version Christie Twist™ hardware that is included as a standard feature of the projector for no additional cost,� noted Larry Paul, senior director, Technology and Visualization Solutions Management, Christie.

“These new Mirage products are brighter than ever, they fill a critical need in visualization applications for display solutions that allow for greater quality in all types of immersive environments, from CAVE™ systems to spherical, curved and flat screen visualization display solutions.�

The new Christie Twist hardware provides enhanced built-in geometric warping with sharper imagery, and advanced edge-blending capabilities that reduce or eliminate all electronic blending artifacts to cover the full gamut of the most demanding of immersive visualization markets, including aerospace, architecture, energy, education and training, government, science, theme parks and transportation.

Christie Mirage M Series
The three new models in the Mirage M series are: Mirage DS+14K-M, Mirage HD14K-M and Mirage WU14K-M. The Mirage M series projectors consist of either SXGA+, HD or WUXGA resolution and now feature from 6,000 up to 12,500 lumens – the highest brightness available at 110V. They are easy to set up and configure, and deliver power and flexibility in a proven, high definition 3D platform. The new Christie M Series models will start shipping in July 2012.

Christie Mirage J Series
Recently introduced, the Christie Mirage J Series, is well suited for the visualization market. It couples the benefits of xenon illumination – for the most natural color accuracy and stability – with the most advanced electronics, performance and flexibility in stereoscopic digital projection today. The Mirage J Series models come in SXGA+ (4:3), HD (16:9) and WUXGA (16:10) resolution to suit any application and are available now.

The Mirage M and J Series projectors come out of the box ready to produce active stereo projection from four different types of 3D source inputs: Up to 120Hz native input over a single Dual Link DVI-D cable or VGA cable, a true 120Hz image from two 60Hz frame locked sources for compatibility with most passive stereo input sources, frame doubled content from 48-60Hz for maximum system compatibility with single link DVI-D or analog and full HDCP support of multiple mode 3D sources from consumer devices including triple flash at 144Hz.

Both the Mirage M and J series offer a host of options including HDSDI and other input cards and can also project polarized passive stereo output with an optional filter. A three-year warranty is standard on all models.

“Our Mirage Series offers high-performance 3D capability and world-wide power compatibility,� added Paul. “Visualization customers will all benefit from these remarkably powerful, flexible and cost-effective visualization display solutions.�

Overall, the Mirage Series projectors offer a wide range of 3D display solutions for single and multi-projector arrays in three illumination platform options: Mirage M with dual lamps that provide an extended lamp life up to 3,000 hours, Mirage J with long life Xenon illumination for the most natural color accuracy and stability up to 1500 hours as well as the Mirage WU-L with LED illumination featuring 60,000 hours of illumination life and stunning color. Mirage Series projectors are compatible with Christie AutoCAL and AutoStackâ„¢, using a camera-based system for the automatic alignment and blending calibration of projector arrays. In addition, users have remote, real-time monitoring through the Christie Netâ„¢ web interface.

BenQ’s Blue Core Laser Projectors Honored With Commercial Integrator BEST Award and ProjectorReviews.com Best In Classroom Award; SH960 Large-Venue Projector Takes Home Rental & Staging Systems/InfoComm Installation Product Award

IRVINE, Calif. — June 21, 2012 — BenQ America Corp. today announced that the company received three awards for its advanced projectors at InfoComm 2012. The LX60ST and LW61ST blue core laser projectors were honored with the Commercial Integrator BEST Award in the category of “Conference/Classroom Projectors.” The LW61ST was also presented with a “Best In Classroom” Award by ProjectorReviews.com. The SH960 large-venue projector was the winner of a 2012 Rental & Staging Systems/InfoComm Installation Product Award in the category of “Best Video Projection — 5,500 Lumens or Less.”

“InfoComm 2012 was both a fun and amazing show for BenQ, and we are thrilled to have received these prestigious awards,” said Lars Yoder, President at BenQ America Corp. “Our LX60ST, LW61ST, and SH960 projectors are packed with innovations designed to optimize the price to performance ratio, while providing exceptional brightness. This is especially important in applications such as education, where budgets are tight, and performance is critical. We are honored that our products are recognized by the Commercial Integrator BEST, ProjectorReviews.com Best In Classroom, and Rental & Staging Systems/InfoComm Installation Product Awards.”

The Commercial Integrator BEST Awards recognize products and services that help Commercial Integrator’s readers run their businesses better and more profitably. A panel of commercial industry experts, including editors of Commercial Integrator and leading integrators, judged the entries in each of 62 categories based on creativity, innovation, ease of installation or implementation, and business benefits. In the category of “Conference/Classroom Projectors,” they chose BenQ’s LX60ST and LW61ST, the first short-throw education projectors to feature BenQ’s blue core light engine.

ProjectorReviews.com presented the “Best In Classroom” Award (Non-Interactive Projector) to BenQ for the LW61ST as part of its 2012-2013 Classroom Projector Report: Best School Projectors for K-12 Education. For the report, ProjectorReviews.com editors based their selections on 16 recently reviewed projectors plus 60 other recommended projectors for school use, paying close attention to the products’ special features and image quality performance.

Offering an ultra-high 80,000:1 contrast ratio, the blue core light engine utilizes a laser light source rather than a traditional mercury lamp. The result is up to 20,000 hours of reliable brightness, complete elimination of lamp replacement costs, and a 90 percent reduction in light source power consumption. BenQ’s blue core light engine-driven SmartEco Advanced(TM) technology optimizes the units’ light source system to deliver exceptional brightness, longer life, and greater energy efficiency.

This year’s Rental & Staging Systems/InfoComm Installation Product Awards showcased the most innovative products introduced in 2011. The winners in each category were selected by Rental and Staging Systems’ readers after a month of voting. In the category of “Best Video Projection  5,500 Lumens or Less,” they chose BenQ’s SH960 large-venue projector.

Designed for use in the most demanding settings, the SH960 projector boasts a stunning Full HD 1080p native resolution and 5500 ANSI lumen ultra-high brightness for brilliant images. The SH960 is equipped with a 3000:1 contrast ratio and a native 16:9 aspect ratio with a full 1.07 billion-color palette. The projector’s dual-lamp design allows users to opt for maximum brightness or choose an eco-mode that extends lamp life by up to 30 percent. H+V Lens Shift technology gives users flexibility in projector placement, allowing the focal point of the lens to be adjusted in venues where dead-center placement isn’t possible.

More information about the BenQ LX60ST, LW61ST, and SH960 projectors is available at www.BenQ.com.

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About BenQ America Corp.
BenQ America Corp. is a leading innovator of digital lifestyle products, providing an extensive line of visual display and presentation solutions that incorporate the very latest technologies. The company offers a broad range of projectors and monitors for any application and market — education, home, gaming, corporate, government, and IT — with cutting-edge models that lead the industry in performance, reliability, environmental sustainability, and aesthetics. Whether it’s interactive digital whiteboards for classrooms, 3D-ready projectors for home theaters, short-throw projectors for boardrooms, or LED backlight monitors for professional gaming, BenQ continues to defy the limits of digital displays. The company’s products are available across North America through leading value-added distributors, resellers, and retailers.

The BenQ digital lifestyle stands as a cornerstone of the company’s mission of “Bringing Enjoyment and Quality to Life,” fusing lifestyle with technology, enjoyment with productivity, and aesthetic design with engineering. It is this commitment that has made BenQ the No. 1-selling DLP(R) projector brand worldwide, as well as the No. 1 name in short-throw projectors.

More information is available at www.benq.com.

About BenQ Corporation
BenQ Corporation, a leading provider of networked digital lifestyle devices, is a multifaceted company with strengths in product design, visual technology, and mobile technology. BenQ offers an unrivalled breadth and depth of products and integrated technologies across platforms through the brand promise of “Bringing Enjoyment and Quality to Life,” including digital projectors, LCD monitors, LCD TVs, digital cameras, eBook readers, mobile Internet devices, storage devices, and human interface devices such as mice and keyboards.

About BenQ Group
The BenQ Group comprises companies that operate independently while sharing resources and leveraging synergies among them. The BenQ Group companies include BenQ Corporation, AU Optronics Corporation (in the top three of the world’s manufacturers of large-size TFT-LCD panels), Qisda Corporation, Darfon Electronics Corporation, BenQ Materials Corp., BenQ Guru Software Co., BenQ Hospital, BrightView Corp., Cando Co. Ltd., Daxin Materials Corp., Darwin Precisions, Ltd., Dazzo Technology Corp., Forhouse Corp., SiPix Imaging, Lextar Electronics Corp., Raydium Semiconductor Corp., BenQ Medical Technology Corporation, and Wellypower Corp.

All trademarks and registered trademarks mentioned herein are the property of their respective owners.

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ENDS

Image Engine, an award-winning visual effects company, has chosen a Christie® 4K DLP Cinema® projector for its new state-of-the-art screening room. The installation is the first in Vancouver to offer 4K technology for visual effects services.

“Today’s developments in digital cinema technology are giving filmmakers new opportunities to raise the bar and output their feature films at higher resolutions,� said Greg Holmes, Chief Executive Officer. “At Image Engine we are committed to providing not only leading-edge talent, but also the most advanced technology available for our clients.�

Founded in 1995, Image Engine is known for investing in local infrastructure to help filmmakers bring increasingly ambitious productions to the Vancouver region, and the investment in Christie technology is part of that commitment.

Christie’s CP4230 was chosen for its advanced technical capabilities, which include greater image detail, truer and more accurate colour rendition and crisp resolution of 4096 x 2160 pixels, with 34,000 lumens brightness and 3D capabilities. Providing four times the resolution of standard 2K digital cinema, the facility can now review its work at the highest image resolution possible today.

“Working with leading edge technology is part of our company DNA,� said Academy Award®-nominated Visual Effects Supervisor and Chief Technology Officer Peter Muyzers. “4K technology is part of an evolution of filmmaking that we all need to embrace, and this investment means our clients can take full advantage of the latest technology right here in Vancouver knowing that our infrastructure supports them 100 percent.�

“We are already seeing the benefits,� Muyzers added. “Our clients really appreciate being able to come to our facility and see their vision realized as it’s meant to be seen, at the maximum resolution. It gives them the much-needed confidence that they just can’t experience without this technology.�

Kathryn Cress, VP, Global & Corporate Marketing at Christie, said “We offer an unparalleled range of leading-edge product, support and partnerships to make the benefits of digital projection available at all stages of the movie-creation process. Our 4K Christie Solaria® series helps world-leading post-production houses like Image Engine stay true to their client’s visions, showing where any corrections or adjustments are needed every night when reviewing the day’s work. Whether it’s enabling the highest resolution standards or walking hand in hand with them on high frame rate (HFR) production, Christie unleashes the creative freedom of directors, producers and the post community.�

Added Dave Muscat, Sr. Director of Sales, Christie Digital Systems Canada, “Helping Image Engine access the most advanced 4K technology available, in turn helps the firm attract clients, strengthening the local film industry in Vancouver. And with the industry’s only professional-grade quad 3G-SDI connection, Christie ensures that post-production facilities have a robust and convenient, uncompressed digital interface for flawless viewing of 4K digital cinema content.�

The screening room was inaugurated by “District 9� Director Neill Blomkamp, whose upcoming 2013 feature film “Elysium� (Sony Pictures International and Media Rights Capital) is currently in post-production at Image Engine.

Image Engine intends to attract more high-resolution productions by offering 4K services at minimal additional cost to clients. “Our goal is to provide this resource without the high price tag that people might expect,� said Shawn Walsh, Visual Effects Executive Producer. “A top-notch reviewing environment is essential for our clients’ projects.�

Image Engine provides world-class visual effects for feature films. With over 15 years in the industry and several award wins, the company has accrued feature film credits including the Academy Award®-nominated “District 9�, “2012�, “The Twilight Saga: Eclipse� & “Breaking Dawn, Part 1�, “The Thing�, “Immortals� and “Battleship�. Currently in production at the studio is: “R.I.P.D.� and Neill Blomkamp’s “Elysium�.

Image Engine is a privately owned and run company, based in Vancouver, BC. For more information, visit http://www.image-engine.com.