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Topic: Imax to make TV channel and TV cameras?

Julio Roberto
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 938
From: Madrid, Madrid, Spain
Registered: Oct 2008

posted 01-07-2010 08:34 PM

Oh well.

Wasn't sure what section to put this in. Anyway, Imax's gone crazy again.

http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/globenewswire/181400.htm

quote:
January 07, 2010: 12:52 PM ET
LAS VEGAS, Jan. 7, 2010 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On the heels of this week's announcement between IMAX Corporation (Nasdaq:IMAX) (TSX:IMX), Discovery Communications and Sony Corporation to create a cable television network devoted entirely to 3D content, IMAX today announced that it is developing its first IMAX(R) 3D digital camera. The initiative marks the Company's continued move to explore new growth opportunities that capitalize on its leadership in 3D entertainment technology. IMAX expects its first prototype to be ready by early 2010, with the goal of an official launch in 2011. The new IMAX 3D camera is planned to be a component of a suite of IMAX-branded products and services available to studios, partners and filmmakers for use in production of premium 3D content.

The benefits of the IMAX 3D camera are expected to include:

Proprietary, differentiated content for the IMAX(R) theatre network.
Increased content for the Company's planned joint venture 3D TV Network.
Lower production costs, due to the elimination of expensive film stock.

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Scott Norwood
Film God

Posts: 8146
From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas)
Registered: Jun 99

posted 01-07-2010 10:27 PM

Sounds about as useful as THX-certified computer speakers. [Razz]

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Bobby Henderson
"Ask me about Trajan."

Posts: 10973
From: Lawton, OK, USA
Registered: Apr 2001

posted 01-07-2010 10:56 PM

Shit. Next thing we'll see: IMAX for the iPhone. Giant screen movies from your tiny screen phone! Hey! It works because it's DIGITAL! Forget about the puny native resolution of cellular phones. It's DIGITAL!!! How dare anyone consider something as retarded as native resolution and fixed pixel count!? Only losers think about details like that! It's IMAX for the iPhone! It's automatically as good -no wait, BETTER than 15-perf 70mm!! Because it's on the iPhone! And it's DIGITAL!!!!!!!

And if Steve Jobs doesn't want to talk turkey we'll get IMAX on the Google Nexus One! Snicker.

I'm sure there has to be some tie-in with fellas from Toshiba preaching about up-conversion and other such nonsense.

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Paul Mayer
Oh get out of it Melvin, before it pulls you under!

Posts: 3836
From: Albuquerque, NM
Registered: Feb 2000

posted 01-08-2010 01:49 AM

I'll wait for the iMAX iPhone Shuffle App - it plays a random kinestasis of every scene ever shot in 15/70 ON MY PHONE.

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Mike Blakesley
Film God

Posts: 12767
From: Forsyth, Montana
Registered: Jun 99

posted 01-08-2010 01:05 PM

I'm holding out on the iPhone until I can watch 3-D movies on it.

BTW has anyone ever tried one of those "glasses" style movie viewers? It's sold in the Hammacher Schlemmer catalog -- you wear it like glasses but it supposedly gives the same experience as a 55" TV. Don't believe it? Click here

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Joe Tommassello
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 547
From: Coatesville, PA, USA
Registered: Jan 2008

posted 01-08-2010 05:39 PM

Mike - I've been wondering about that item for years! I'd be very interested to hear reviews from anyone who has actual experience with it. I think there is a field-sequential model available somewhere too.

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Julio Roberto
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 938
From: Madrid, Madrid, Spain
Registered: Oct 2008

posted 01-08-2010 06:14 PM

55"? That's so passé!

Vuzix 67" wrap920 model

With goggles, you can pretty much claim about "any screen size" you want ... at a distance [Smile]

Resolution is VGA (640x480) only. Some models have SVGA (800x600). The highest I've seen was 1024x768. So still a long shot from a 55" or 67" real HD TV [Wink]

Similar products I've tried in the past weren't too good (but not horrible either). Perhaps soon.

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Chris Slycord
Film God

Posts: 2986
From: 퍼항시, 경상푹도, South Korea
Registered: Mar 2007

posted 01-08-2010 06:53 PM

quote:
Shit. Next thing we'll see: IMAX for the iPhone. Giant screen movies from your tiny screen phone!

No get it right. The IMAX people say now that IMAX was never about a big image (even if it factually stood for image maximum); it's all about having an "immersive experience." So if they deem and iphone to be "immersive" then it is so. [Wink]

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Brad Miller
Administrator

Posts: 17775
From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall)
Registered: May 99

posted 01-08-2010 08:34 PM

How do you focus your eyes to a screen less than an inch from your eye?

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Julio Roberto
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 938
From: Madrid, Madrid, Spain
Registered: Oct 2008

posted 01-08-2010 09:36 PM

That's their secret patent pending technology. In the 00's it was removing the front seats. In the 10's it will be +5 diopter Imax Contact Lenses.

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Frank Angel
Film God

Posts: 5305
From: Brooklyn NY USA
Registered: Dec 1999

posted 01-09-2010 07:08 PM

Years ago I got one of those things -- similar to the HS unit (I believe I got mine from Sharper Image). At work I was given the added responsibility of network supervisor and I thought it would be awesome cool if the staff came into the office and there I would be sitting at my desk, typing on the keyboard but with no monitor screen in front of me, just wearing those glasses (I know, it sounds quite dumb, but in my defense, I was younger then and still runnin against the wind).

They allowed you to see THRU the LCD screen so you could walk around the room and not kill yourself running into stuff; the image would "float" out in front of you -- not exactly the way you want to watch a movie or work on your computer for that matter.

The glasses went back in the box and were returned in less that a week. The resolution was awful -- you couldn't read text. That was in the late 90s, I imagine (certainly hope) they have improved that by now. But really how much can they improve the structure of the LCD screen when it's the size of a postage stamp? That would be like putting an LCD screen up to 3 inches from your eyeballs, magnifying it with a diopter and thinking you wouldn't be able to see the LCD structure.

And is this thing 16:9? They keep saying it will support all 3D content, but the format for 3D content hasn't been established yet so WTF? To do 3D with glasses like this would be a walk-in-the-park -- just send each eye the correct image. But they are still talking about NTSC and PAL. So will it display 1080p? Not when the spec says it displays 640x480. The HS ones say they display 428x240 resolution -- hardly High Def. Then also say:

quote:
you'll be able to watch all the latest movie releases, as they were meant to be seen.

Do you know any filmmaker so far who intends his film to be seen in television sets the size of one's eyeballs? [thumbsdown]

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