Figment1986
Well-Known Member
Mayb you thinking the imax muvico in st pete? I just looked the it appears the channelside imax and cinemas is now independent...
-
Welcome to the WDWMAGIC.COM Forums!
Please take a look around, and feel free to sign up and join the community.
Imax
- Thread starter bruiser659
- Start date
Mayb you thinking the imax muvico in st pete? I just looked the it appears the channelside imax and cinemas is now independent...
Mr.EPCOT
Active Member
Yeah, I think I was getting them confused. I suppose what I mean to say is, I don't ever remember the Channelside theaters changing hands.
First time I went there was when the Polar Express was released, saw it in IMAX 3-D. I know I've also seen Superman Returns, and both Batman Begins and The Dark Knight there. And you bet I'll be seeing STAR TREK there!
The permitting will tell the story.
JEANYLASER
Well-Known Member
where is it!
PaisleyMF
Active Member
By the specs of IMAX are up to 8 floors not a standard. The projection, the fabric and the sound is what matters as part of the IMAX Experience.
Pointe Orlando has an IMAX screen is not a retrofit is built in it.
Now there are 2 more theater retrofitted in the Central Florida / Orlando Area: Regal Cinemas at Waterford Lakes, and AMC at Altamonte Springs.
New screen sound system and an awesome projection system. Is a Digital DLP projection and is worth it.
Pointe Orlando has an IMAX screen is not a retrofit is built in it.
Now there are 2 more theater retrofitted in the Central Florida / Orlando Area: Regal Cinemas at Waterford Lakes, and AMC at Altamonte Springs.
New screen sound system and an awesome projection system. Is a Digital DLP projection and is worth it.
JEANYLASER
Well-Known Member
thanks for the info! Where you get this info!
PaisleyMF
Active Member
The retrofit is just the new IMAX theater listed in the IMAX site even if you check this were theater open already.
Pointe Orlando I do remember all the fanfare for the IMAX presentation of Fantasia 2000 on IMAX. This was back in 2000.
I just look for info, and Back when it was Movieco in 2001 they removed the Original IMAX equipment. And 2007 when Regal took over they reinstalled the theater back.
Pointe Orlando I do remember all the fanfare for the IMAX presentation of Fantasia 2000 on IMAX. This was back in 2000.
I just look for info, and Back when it was Movieco in 2001 they removed the Original IMAX equipment. And 2007 when Regal took over they reinstalled the theater back.
Mr.EPCOT
Active Member
Okay, this is driving me nuts trying to research this: Does anyone know anywhere to find out what the various IMAX screen sizes are? Specifically, what's bigger: Regal Pointe Orlando, Channelside in Tampa, or Baywalk in St. Pete? Or is there a bigger screen in Florida somewhere else?
Dragonrider1227
Well-Known Member
OOOOHH!! I LOVE IMAX! This is great news!! :sohappy:
PaisleyMF
Active Member
Will write IMAX about this.
"A typical IMAX screen is 16 meters high by 22 meters wide (approximately 52 by 72 feet), but they can be much larger. The largest IMAX screen is 30 meters (98 feet) high. Imagine standing next to an eight-story apartment building that is wider than it is tall."
Taken from howstuffworks.com
"A typical IMAX screen is 16 meters high by 22 meters wide (approximately 52 by 72 feet), but they can be much larger. The largest IMAX screen is 30 meters (98 feet) high. Imagine standing next to an eight-story apartment building that is wider than it is tall."
Taken from howstuffworks.com
DisneyCane
Well-Known Member
I can guarantee you that all they are doing is converting Auditorium 1 or 2 or both to the new Fake IMAX (AKA Digital IMAX) that they charge more for.
You do get the real IMAX sound system which is good but the screen sizes are nowhere near real IMAX sizes. Those two screens at Pleasure Island 24 are about 60 feet wide vs real IMAX at 70 to 80 plus. Real IMAX is also a very tall picture which was designed so that when there was sky in the documentary type films it was designed for, the sky would seem to go on forever like the real sky since the screen filled your peripheral vision.
Also as far as picture quality goes these new "IMAX" systems are simply the same DLP projectors that are being used for every other digital projection theater on earth. The only difference is that for 3D, instead of using Real-D to do 3D on one projector, they use two projectors (one for each eye). The main reason for this is since they are using largish screens, one projector with Real-D can't get 3D bright enough.
The ironic thing is that AMC just signed a deal with Sony last week to change the whole chain over from film projection to Sony's 4k (over 4x the resolution of HDTV) digital projection systems over the next few years. The digital "IMAX" installations are using 2k (slightly more resolution than HDTV) DLP projectors. So basically at some point you will pay more to see a lower resolution picture on the "IMAX" screens vs the "regular" screens. It would take an 8k or more resolution system to truly match the picture of real film-based IMAX.
I think once people figure out that these new "IMAX" screens being installed everywhere are just the same as every other screen with possibly a better sound system they will stop paying the extra charge and just see the stuff on a normal screen. Sadly, I think that real IMAX will be gone within a few years. The market for the typical IMAX documentary-type film is small and it costs A LOT to release a regular movie in real IMAX. An IMAX print of a 3D feature film (actually two prints - one for each eye) costs around $70,000 for each location. For comparison, a normal 35mm film is around $1,500 per print maybe. The digital copies used for digital projection and digital IMAX cost very little.
I'd put my next paycheck on the fact that they're not going to take over the virgin store to build IMAX screens. Just the expense of re-engineering the roof support columns to leave large enough spaces open would make the project cost prohibitive.
You do get the real IMAX sound system which is good but the screen sizes are nowhere near real IMAX sizes. Those two screens at Pleasure Island 24 are about 60 feet wide vs real IMAX at 70 to 80 plus. Real IMAX is also a very tall picture which was designed so that when there was sky in the documentary type films it was designed for, the sky would seem to go on forever like the real sky since the screen filled your peripheral vision.
Also as far as picture quality goes these new "IMAX" systems are simply the same DLP projectors that are being used for every other digital projection theater on earth. The only difference is that for 3D, instead of using Real-D to do 3D on one projector, they use two projectors (one for each eye). The main reason for this is since they are using largish screens, one projector with Real-D can't get 3D bright enough.
The ironic thing is that AMC just signed a deal with Sony last week to change the whole chain over from film projection to Sony's 4k (over 4x the resolution of HDTV) digital projection systems over the next few years. The digital "IMAX" installations are using 2k (slightly more resolution than HDTV) DLP projectors. So basically at some point you will pay more to see a lower resolution picture on the "IMAX" screens vs the "regular" screens. It would take an 8k or more resolution system to truly match the picture of real film-based IMAX.
I think once people figure out that these new "IMAX" screens being installed everywhere are just the same as every other screen with possibly a better sound system they will stop paying the extra charge and just see the stuff on a normal screen. Sadly, I think that real IMAX will be gone within a few years. The market for the typical IMAX documentary-type film is small and it costs A LOT to release a regular movie in real IMAX. An IMAX print of a 3D feature film (actually two prints - one for each eye) costs around $70,000 for each location. For comparison, a normal 35mm film is around $1,500 per print maybe. The digital copies used for digital projection and digital IMAX cost very little.
I'd put my next paycheck on the fact that they're not going to take over the virgin store to build IMAX screens. Just the expense of re-engineering the roof support columns to leave large enough spaces open would make the project cost prohibitive.
PaisleyMF
Active Member
IMAX digital currently uses two 2K-resolution Christie projectors with Texas Instruments Digital Light Processing technology alongside parts of IMAX's proprietary system. The two 2K images are projected over each other, producing an image that is potentially of a slightly higher resolution than common 2K digital cinema. Originally, IMAX had been considering using two Sony 4K projectors.
These are the projectors used in the Olympic Games in Beijing. Remember the round screen at top?
IMAX is almost right now as THX, in not just the projector, is the sound system, the screen, and the movie. Is not the same as seen a movie from a DVD on a 2K projector, than see a 4K movie on a 2k Projector. It will be like watching a Blu Ray movie on a ATM Display.
These are the projectors used in the Olympic Games in Beijing. Remember the round screen at top?
IMAX is almost right now as THX, in not just the projector, is the sound system, the screen, and the movie. Is not the same as seen a movie from a DVD on a 2K projector, than see a 4K movie on a 2k Projector. It will be like watching a Blu Ray movie on a ATM Display.
DisneyCane
Well-Known Member
You don't get any higher resolution by projecting the two images on top of each other (you can slightly offset the pixels for 2D to make the gaps between pixels less noticeable but with DLP they aren't that noticeable to begin with). All you get is higher brightness which is especailly important for 3D on large screens. The only "IMAX Proprietary" technology that is used is the system that aligns the images perfectly from the two projectors. The Simpsons ride at Universal uses this technology from IMAX to overlay 4 Sony 4k projectors to get the brightness needed on that huge screen. I'm guessing IMAX went with Christie 2k projectors instead of Sony 4k projectors for these new fake IMAX systems because of the cost. The Sony 4k's cost a lot more (except to AMC that got a great deal as part of the agreement to change over the whole chain).
These new IMAX systems are really nothing more than a THX type certification. The problem I have with it is that theaters don't charge more to see a movie in a THX auditorium (those that are still out there) but they charge for these new IMAX auditoriums like they were the REAL IMAX system that gave IMAX its brand name.
Just de-lurking here to add a few observations, and back-up DisneyCane. (Plus, I've been reading here forever and guess I should join in sooner or later!). I also believe this will be a Screen 1 or 2 retrofit and not new construction. IMAX's new 'philosphy' is for smaller, digital screens. Check out this quote from IMAX's CEO back in September:
------
[FONT=Verdana, Arial]IMAX CEO: IMAX is not the "giant screen"
Richard Gelfond, co-CEO of Imax Corporation, told a meeting of IMAX
theater operators and filmmakers "we don't think of [the IMAX brand]
as the giant screen." Rather, he said, "it is the best immersive
experience on the planet." Speaking to the Giant Screen Cinema
Association in New York City on Sept. 10, he went on to say that
although the 76x98-foot (23x30-meter) screen of the AMC Lincoln
Square IMAX Theater in which he was standing was "phenomenal…it' s not
just this. It's the sound, it's the raking of the seats, it's the
color, it's the content…it's the way the images are captured, it's
the way they're projected, it's the sound system, it's the sum of all
parts."
This new position from the 40-year-old company that has used the
tagline "Think Big" for the last several years, coincides with the
rollout of its new digital projection system, intended to be
retrofitted into 35mm multiplex auditoriums. Imax has signed deals
for more than 170 digital theaters, about 50 of which are expected to
be installed by the end of the year. The screens in these houses will
be between 40 and 60 feet wide, averaging less than one-third the
area of the average film-based IMAX screen of 60 by 80 feet (18 by 24
meters).
--------
You can check out the entire text of the story at:
[/FONT]http://www.lfexaminer.com/Flash200809.htm
I would say this will not exceed the expectations of those looking for and used to a "true" IMAX experience.
[FONT=Verdana, Arial]
Add to the above AMC has a deal with IMAX for something like 100 retrofits around the country, and it's pretty obvious this will be one of them.
Which is a shame, because I think a true IMAX would do well on property. It's nice to have the name back on I-drive @ Pointe Orlando, but they're not showing traditional IMAX documentary content - they actually used to back when it first opened, before Muvico let their IMAX contract lapse and started using it just as a 'giant screen'.
[/FONT]
------
[FONT=Verdana, Arial]IMAX CEO: IMAX is not the "giant screen"
Richard Gelfond, co-CEO of Imax Corporation, told a meeting of IMAX
theater operators and filmmakers "we don't think of [the IMAX brand]
as the giant screen." Rather, he said, "it is the best immersive
experience on the planet." Speaking to the Giant Screen Cinema
Association in New York City on Sept. 10, he went on to say that
although the 76x98-foot (23x30-meter) screen of the AMC Lincoln
Square IMAX Theater in which he was standing was "phenomenal…it' s not
just this. It's the sound, it's the raking of the seats, it's the
color, it's the content…it's the way the images are captured, it's
the way they're projected, it's the sound system, it's the sum of all
parts."
This new position from the 40-year-old company that has used the
tagline "Think Big" for the last several years, coincides with the
rollout of its new digital projection system, intended to be
retrofitted into 35mm multiplex auditoriums. Imax has signed deals
for more than 170 digital theaters, about 50 of which are expected to
be installed by the end of the year. The screens in these houses will
be between 40 and 60 feet wide, averaging less than one-third the
area of the average film-based IMAX screen of 60 by 80 feet (18 by 24
meters).
--------
You can check out the entire text of the story at:
[/FONT]http://www.lfexaminer.com/Flash200809.htm
I would say this will not exceed the expectations of those looking for and used to a "true" IMAX experience.
[FONT=Verdana, Arial]
Add to the above AMC has a deal with IMAX for something like 100 retrofits around the country, and it's pretty obvious this will be one of them.
Which is a shame, because I think a true IMAX would do well on property. It's nice to have the name back on I-drive @ Pointe Orlando, but they're not showing traditional IMAX documentary content - they actually used to back when it first opened, before Muvico let their IMAX contract lapse and started using it just as a 'giant screen'.
[/FONT]
PaisleyMF
Active Member
Again, i like trying to play a video CD (youtube video) against a Blu Ray.
Yes, is a glorified version of a THX theater. But still a larger computer file been played. There for a better image.
Yes is not a "true" IMAX still a much better quality.
Why i am going to worry about a 4K projector when i will still be getting a movie file only on less than 2K?
Yes, is a glorified version of a THX theater. But still a larger computer file been played. There for a better image.
Yes is not a "true" IMAX still a much better quality.
Why i am going to worry about a 4K projector when i will still be getting a movie file only on less than 2K?
DisneyCane
Well-Known Member
All digital projection theaters use very large files. Digital projection theaters do not use Blu-Ray. Movies for digital cinema are encoded with Motion JPEG2000 compression. Basically each frame is treated and compressed as a still picture (this eliminates the motion artifacts that you can see on MPEG-2, MPEG-4 and other consumer product data compression).
All digital projection theaters use files that run up to 250 Mbps (Blu-Ray runs around 40 Mbps). The reason to worry about 4k projectors is that over the next few years more and more movies will be produced in 4k resolution. True 4k capable digital motion picture cameras are starting to hit the market and these will lead to most major films being shot in 4k resolution. Movies shot on film are already capable of 4k resolution but it costs more to scan the film for post production in 4k than 2k so they just scan it 2k now with a few exceptions like The Dark Knight and Spiderman 3.
PaisleyMF
Active Member
I know that movie theater don't run on Blu Ray but it helps people to compare how it looks.
Now that said movie releases most of the times or all of the times don't use the advantage of digital transfers on 4K, even PIXAR admits using 2K transfers of their movies.
Also that studios are moving into 4K, yes they are, but it wont be as mainstream in the next 3 years.
Now that said movie releases most of the times or all of the times don't use the advantage of digital transfers on 4K, even PIXAR admits using 2K transfers of their movies.
Also that studios are moving into 4K, yes they are, but it wont be as mainstream in the next 3 years.
2K or 4K, digital or film projection issues aside, I think the major issue to look at here is the loss of Screen 1 or 2 as a regular movie screen. As a PI24 regular for years, I make it a point to catch anything I care about on screens 1,2,19 or 20. The decision to re-brand one or two screens 'IMAX' is just a ploy to drive up ticket prices, since those screens will command a premium.
I liken it to the current 3D fad - I saw "Bolt" in RealD out of curiosity mainly. I did not think 3D added to the story, or my experience viewing the film. I saw "Coraline" in RealD because I'm a Neil Gaimen fan, and I was interested in how the art design of the film handled 3D. (a review for another time, but long story short I felt they approached 3D quite successfully, and not as a gag) Will I see "Up" in RealD? I don't think so. I'll pay a couple dollars less, watch it on a larger screen and not feel like I'm missing anything.
Will I go see a film in kinda-IMAX just because I can? Nope. I'll continue to pay regular prices and see it on a regular screen, and in that case my screen choices at PI will now be limited. Screens 1 and 2, once they fixed some of the acoustical issues, are great screens - some of the best in Central Florida. Is it worth it to pay an extra couple of dollars a ticket for a somewhat better sound system, digital projection that may or may not actually look better then the film system did, and a screen that's pretty much the same size as the one that was already in the room?
Now, if they built a 'real' IMAX screen, and mixed some traditional IMAX content in there along with the current hollywood releases, I'd be interested. I missed U23D in IMAX, because it played all of 2-3 weeks here before getting bumped. I would love to watch some of of the NASA films without having to go to the space center. It would be cool if Disney re-ran Fantasia 2000 in IMAX once in awhile on property. But taking the IMAX experience and 'shrinking it down' to fit into PI screens 1 and 2 doesn't do it for me. That's not immersive. That's just large - and we already had that!
I liken it to the current 3D fad - I saw "Bolt" in RealD out of curiosity mainly. I did not think 3D added to the story, or my experience viewing the film. I saw "Coraline" in RealD because I'm a Neil Gaimen fan, and I was interested in how the art design of the film handled 3D. (a review for another time, but long story short I felt they approached 3D quite successfully, and not as a gag) Will I see "Up" in RealD? I don't think so. I'll pay a couple dollars less, watch it on a larger screen and not feel like I'm missing anything.
Will I go see a film in kinda-IMAX just because I can? Nope. I'll continue to pay regular prices and see it on a regular screen, and in that case my screen choices at PI will now be limited. Screens 1 and 2, once they fixed some of the acoustical issues, are great screens - some of the best in Central Florida. Is it worth it to pay an extra couple of dollars a ticket for a somewhat better sound system, digital projection that may or may not actually look better then the film system did, and a screen that's pretty much the same size as the one that was already in the room?
Now, if they built a 'real' IMAX screen, and mixed some traditional IMAX content in there along with the current hollywood releases, I'd be interested. I missed U23D in IMAX, because it played all of 2-3 weeks here before getting bumped. I would love to watch some of of the NASA films without having to go to the space center. It would be cool if Disney re-ran Fantasia 2000 in IMAX once in awhile on property. But taking the IMAX experience and 'shrinking it down' to fit into PI screens 1 and 2 doesn't do it for me. That's not immersive. That's just large - and we already had that!