Now we’re talking. According to engadget and other sources, Samsung has shown a prototype 34′ diagonal 4K LED display that is intended for movie theaters. Clearly there are larger displays (like the “jumbotrons” at stadiums) but this is designed for theaters, with color and clarity that meets the supposedly high standards of theater owners.
(Side note: I have been going to movies for about half a century and I would not say that theater owners as a whole have high standards. Even so-called “luxury theaters” often have dim, out-of-focus projectors.)
But more to the point, this new technology is about ten times brighter than traditional projection systems, meaning that 3D presentations could easily be as bright as regular ones (a pet peeve of mine) and regular films could look about as close to reality as you could imagine.
None of the articles mentions a price, probably because Samsung hasn’t come up with one yet, but I’d assume it’s going to be in the range of 23 gadzillion dollars, at least for the first year until you will probably be able to buy one at Costco for $599.
Seriously though, theater owners are in trouble. Movie theater attendance keeps going down, and although there are more films that make a ton of money overseas, that doesn’t help a theater owner who gets to keep about $1 of that ticket price after renting the film, paying the people, keeping up the equipment, etc. I have this image of theater owners as cigar-chomping caricatures out of 1930s movies, not caring about anything or anyone, but most likely there are a few of them who actually think that improving quality will help the bottom line eventually.
Let’s hope that they find a way to get this new technology, and even more, let’s hope it comes to my local theater (or yours.) If not I guess I’ll just have to start saving up…
