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AMC ETX (IMAX) now open
- Thread starter ImaYoyo
- Start date
DisneyCane
Well-Known Member
First of all, ETX has nothing to do with IMAX. ETX is AMC's way of providing the "digital IMAX" experience without paying royalties to IMAX. Cinemark does this also and calls it XD theater or something like that. This is exactly why IMAX made a huge mistake in basically repackaging standard digital projection systems and calling them IMAX because the same quality can be produced without it being "IMAX" and the theater chains have realized this.
Second, real IMAX 70mm film has MUCH higher resolution than digital projection IF the movie (as parts of "The Dark Knight" and "Transformers 2" were) is actually filmed in IMAX 70mm. IMAX is equivalent to at least an 8k resolution digital projection system. 8k is 4 times the resolution of 4k which is the best available digital projection. True 70mm IMAX has even more than 4 times the pixels due to the taller frame ratio. However, for most regular movies shown in IMAX, the 70mm system doesn't provide too much advantage because anything filmed on 35mm film (or digital) will only have 4k of resolution in the source so you can show it with 10 zillion k resolution and there will still only be 4k worth of resolution to show.
I don't know where on earth they are coming up with this 11.1 channel sound system. Considering the movies are mixed in at the very most 9.1 (and that would be EXTREMELY rare except for a couple of Sony Pictures 8 channel SDDS releases with Surround EX) and usually 5.1 or 6.1, having 11.1 channels doesn't make any difference. What I assume they are doing is counting each channel of amplification so if they split the surrounds into 6 zones of amplifiers they will say that it is 6 "channels" even though there will be sets of 3 playing the exact same sound.
Also, there is nothing special about a digital projector being "fully capable and built around 3D operation". All digital projectors can output a 3D picture. The 2k DLP based projectors do the two eyes time sequentially at 144 frames per second and a filter is used to filter the proper sub frame(s) for each eye.
The Sony 4k projectors just show both eyes simultaneously and a special lens with polarizing filters superimposes them on the screen and each eye sees the polarization meant for it. The reason Sony does it this way is that 3D films are only in 2K resolution due to technical reasons so they have 4 times as many pixels on the imaging chip then are needed to display each frame. Using this method allows the system to be more light efficient because not only do they use more of the imaging chip but the time sequential method requires very quick black frames in between each sub frame to give the filters time to set up for the next eye's sub frame which wastes light.
Has AMC changed all of Pleasure Island to the Sony 4k Digital Projection yet? I'm much more excited about that since for regular 2D movies, 4k projection (of movies either shot in 4k digital or shot on 35mm and scanned at 4k resolution) will provide a better picture than 35mm analog projection.
Second, real IMAX 70mm film has MUCH higher resolution than digital projection IF the movie (as parts of "The Dark Knight" and "Transformers 2" were) is actually filmed in IMAX 70mm. IMAX is equivalent to at least an 8k resolution digital projection system. 8k is 4 times the resolution of 4k which is the best available digital projection. True 70mm IMAX has even more than 4 times the pixels due to the taller frame ratio. However, for most regular movies shown in IMAX, the 70mm system doesn't provide too much advantage because anything filmed on 35mm film (or digital) will only have 4k of resolution in the source so you can show it with 10 zillion k resolution and there will still only be 4k worth of resolution to show.
I don't know where on earth they are coming up with this 11.1 channel sound system. Considering the movies are mixed in at the very most 9.1 (and that would be EXTREMELY rare except for a couple of Sony Pictures 8 channel SDDS releases with Surround EX) and usually 5.1 or 6.1, having 11.1 channels doesn't make any difference. What I assume they are doing is counting each channel of amplification so if they split the surrounds into 6 zones of amplifiers they will say that it is 6 "channels" even though there will be sets of 3 playing the exact same sound.
Also, there is nothing special about a digital projector being "fully capable and built around 3D operation". All digital projectors can output a 3D picture. The 2k DLP based projectors do the two eyes time sequentially at 144 frames per second and a filter is used to filter the proper sub frame(s) for each eye.
The Sony 4k projectors just show both eyes simultaneously and a special lens with polarizing filters superimposes them on the screen and each eye sees the polarization meant for it. The reason Sony does it this way is that 3D films are only in 2K resolution due to technical reasons so they have 4 times as many pixels on the imaging chip then are needed to display each frame. Using this method allows the system to be more light efficient because not only do they use more of the imaging chip but the time sequential method requires very quick black frames in between each sub frame to give the filters time to set up for the next eye's sub frame which wastes light.
Has AMC changed all of Pleasure Island to the Sony 4k Digital Projection yet? I'm much more excited about that since for regular 2D movies, 4k projection (of movies either shot in 4k digital or shot on 35mm and scanned at 4k resolution) will provide a better picture than 35mm analog projection.
EPCOT Explorer
New Member
:shrug:
I just want to know why they didn't go all the way for full IMAX. Those are quite the spectacle.
I just want to know why they didn't go all the way for full IMAX. Those are quite the spectacle.
Chape19714
Well-Known Member
$$$$$
EPCOT Explorer
New Member
They already spent $$$$$$$ to put this in. :lol: Is the difference really there?
Thanks for the update!
SHORTY
Member
I've seen Matrix Revolutions in a true Imax theater & it was amazing. The screen wrapped around the front of the theater totally immersing you in the movie.
I've also seen Transformer 2 in an AMC "LieMax" theater in Cherry Hill, NJ. What a joke!!!! Sure the A/V was great but the screen wasn't that big. I wouldn't even say it was double the length & height. :shrug: I remember saying to my GF "I don't think this is really Imax" we even asked an employee if we were in the right theater.
Now I can't speak for the DTD version but there was no comparison between the two I've been to.
BTW, when Avatar first came out everyone said to go see it in Imax 3D for the best experience. Well, considering that Cherry Hill AMC is the only place within a reasonable driving distance, I opted not to. Especially at $17.50 per ticket for nothing more than a slightly larger picture.
maybe i'll check out the DTD theater when we go later this year if there's something good playing. Also pending reviews from people who actually went.
I've also seen Transformer 2 in an AMC "LieMax" theater in Cherry Hill, NJ. What a joke!!!! Sure the A/V was great but the screen wasn't that big. I wouldn't even say it was double the length & height. :shrug: I remember saying to my GF "I don't think this is really Imax" we even asked an employee if we were in the right theater.
Now I can't speak for the DTD version but there was no comparison between the two I've been to.
BTW, when Avatar first came out everyone said to go see it in Imax 3D for the best experience. Well, considering that Cherry Hill AMC is the only place within a reasonable driving distance, I opted not to. Especially at $17.50 per ticket for nothing more than a slightly larger picture.
maybe i'll check out the DTD theater when we go later this year if there's something good playing. Also pending reviews from people who actually went.
Rob562
Well-Known Member
Jeez. Makes me glad I live here in Mass. We have a furniture chain (yes, furniture... Jordan's Furniture) that operates an IMAX theater at two of their four stores. $12.50 for a 3D feature film in IMAX (non-3D feature is $11.50)
I know a few people who'd only ever been to the IMAX Lite theater up in New Hampshire and thought that was true IMAX. They were blown away when they made the drive down to Mass to see Star Trek in a true IMAX theater.
-Rob
fyn
Member
I saw Batman Begins in the Jordan's Furniture IMAX outside of Boston.
Chape19714
Well-Known Member
Yes, they spent $$$$$$$ instead of $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ to do it right. I may have required altering the building itself to fit a full screen.
WDWExplorer
Banned
honestly... the fact that they improved theater #1 is great... thats makes it a diamond in the rough..... the entire set of theaters need a MASSIVE overhaul...... they are in horrible shape..
DisneyYorkian74
Active Member
I had no idea that AMC/IMAX could advertise certain theaters as being IMAX without having the gigantic movie screen size that everybody associates the brand name with to match...
I was thinking about going out of my way to go and see Avatar in an AMC theater (Altamonte Springs, Florida), but now I assume that the movie might just be presented in "LieMax?"
Anybody on here been to that theater that knows if it actually is a true IMAX theater?
And if there actually are any true IMAX theaters in Central Florida?
I was thinking about going out of my way to go and see Avatar in an AMC theater (Altamonte Springs, Florida), but now I assume that the movie might just be presented in "LieMax?"
Anybody on here been to that theater that knows if it actually is a true IMAX theater?
And if there actually are any true IMAX theaters in Central Florida?
Mr.EPCOT
Active Member
Altamonte is LieMAX. So is Universal. Real IMAX is at Pointe Orlando on International Drive.
WDW Vacationer
Active Member
:sohappy:
That same chain also had Mardi Gras and a M.O.M. theater. They are pretty diverse.:lol:
DisneyYorkian74
Active Member
Thanks for the head's up.
I kind of figured that an AMC theater would be too small to fit a true IMAX theater; especially one that's located in a mall.
Has anybody seen Avatar in true IMAX 3D? Is it really worth the extra $$ and time to get to the theater?
slappy magoo
Well-Known Member
aziz ansari, from "Human Giant" and now from "Parks and Recreation" ranted about LieMAX once on his website. I won't copy and paste the content as he's a foul mouthed little perv so dear to my heart 
but here's the link, if you want
http://azizisbored.tumblr.com/post/...________-out-of-this-warning-amc-theaters-are
but here's the link, if you wanthttp://azizisbored.tumblr.com/post/...________-out-of-this-warning-amc-theaters-are
SirGoofy
Member
And before the inevitable posts start rolling in about how the only reason people are hating on this is because of the AC closing, don't even bother. This is all on AMC/IMAX. Disney has nothing to do with it.
My anger is aimed directly at AMC and Imax on this one, so don't waste your time typing.
My anger is aimed directly at AMC and Imax on this one, so don't waste your time typing.
EPCOT Explorer
New Member
Gee...Why the heck does that sound so familiar? :lookaroun
Did a theme park ever do something like that?