Print page
Email page
Download PDF
« Previous Release | Next Release »
February 18, 2003
San Francisco, February 18, 2003--At this year's ShoWest convention in Las Vegas,
Dolby Laboratories, having sold over 10,000 units of its flagship CP650 Digital Cinema
Processors, will showcase new add-ons aimed at improving all cinema, as well as
supporting emerging digital cinema technologies. In addition, on Monday, March 3,
Dolby will host a reception and on Wednesday, March 5, Dolby vice president Ioan
Allen will moderate a seminar on digital cinema.
The latest CP650 product features will be shown, which include a new Dolby® Digital
Surround EX™ Card (Cat. No. 790), a Digital Crossover Card (Cat. No. 791), and the
Auditorium Assist™ feature. These new enhancements make the Dolby CP650 Digital
Cinema Processor the most comprehensive cinema processor available anywhere.
Additionally, Dolby will show its new Automation Network Adapter, which is used to
simplify the integration of new digital cinema equipment with existing cinema
automation systems. The Automation Network Adapter can also convert the film
projection equipment into a network device which allows the operator to monitor and
control either a film projector or server from the same interface, thus providing a
seamless transition from film to digital cinema.
Dolby Digital Surround EX Card
In addition to maintaining all the functionality of its predecessor, the Cat. No. 794, the
new Dolby Digital Surround EX Card (Cat. No. 790) provides four S/PDIF digital
inputs, allowing up to eight channels of digital audio plus an expansion slot for the
Digital Crossover Card (Cat. No. 791).
Digital Crossover Card
The addition of the Digital Crossover Card (Cat. No. 791) with the Dolby Digital
Surround EX Card (Cat. No. 790) integrates screen-channel crossovers within the
CP650, allowing the cinema audio to remain in the digital domain while adjusting
crossover filters and 1/3-octave equalization. The card has an extensive PC setup
software package and a variety of settings are available to optimize the playback chain
of a cinema. The Digital Crossover Card provides additional balanced outputs for twoor
three-way screen channel speakers. These outputs carry the mid-range and highfrequency
audio for L, C, and R channels. Setup of the crossovers is incorporated into
the CP650 PC setup software to simplify the installation and alignment. The Cat. No.
791 also provides support for five screen channels when configured in the two-way
mode.
Auditorium Assist
Auditorium Assist provides a quick and accurate test of a cinema's entire sound system,
including the speakers, crossover, amplifiers, and auditorium acoustics to provide a
consistent entertainment experience for each screening.
After careful alignment of the cinema sound system, the frequency response and sound
level of each speaker are checked and stored in the Dolby CP650 memory as the
"Auditorium Reference." Whenever Auditorium Assist is subsequently selected, all
channels are measured and compared to these reference settings, alerting the theatre to
any differences from the approved Auditorium Reference. Auditorium Assist also checks
and compares the level of the ambient noise floor in the auditorium to the reference
level originally stored.
Dolby manufactures the microphone (Cat. No. 735) and the software that is used in
conjunction with Auditorium Assist.
An Evening of Independent Film
Dolby will host an Opening Night Reception at The Orleans 12 Theatre at 9 p.m. as part
of The ShoWest Showcase, which features all content encoded and played back with
Dolby technology. Co-sponsored by Dolby, the showcase includes screenings of Fox
Searchlight Pictures' In America (Dolby Digital), Newmarket Films' Whale Rider
(Dolby Digital), Hypnotic or Angela from First Look Pictures (TBD) (Dolby Digital),
IFC Films' Casa de Los Babys (Dolby Digital), and Winged Migration (Dolby Digital)
from Sony Pictures Classics.
Seminar: "Digital Cinema--Today and Tomorrow"
Oscar-winning Dolby Laboratories vice president Ioan Allen will moderate a timely
seminar on the new challenges and opportunities related to the world of digital cinema
on Wednesday, March 5. Panelists include David Gray, Dolby vice president,
Hollywood Film Production, who will address the opportunities afforded to film audio
by digital cinema.
About Dolby in Cinema
Dolby Laboratories has been the leading force in film sound for over 25 years, and is
dedicated to improving the cinema-going experience. Over 65,000 screens are equipped
to play back Dolby Digital. Currently, 13,500 film titles with soundtracks encoded with
Dolby technology have been produced by over 200 Dolby licensed studios in 43
countries around the world; 4,500 of these are encoded in the Dolby Digital format. In
addition, thousands of non-English versions have Dolby soundtracks. Dolby Digital
Surround EX has recently become the fastest-growing format in cinema sound history,
with 8,500 screens equipped for the format and 70 films (to date) encoded in the
Surround EX format.
About Dolby Laboratories
Dolby Laboratories, the worldwide leader in sound innovation, creates technologies that
intensify and enhance the entertainment experience, making it richer, fuller, and more
involving. For nearly four decades, Dolby has been instrumental in defining highquality
audio and surround sound in cinema, broadcast, home audio systems, cars,
DVDs, headphones, games, televisions, and personal computers. Based in San Francisco
with European headquarters in England, the privately held company has entertainment
industry liaison offices in New York and Los Angeles and licensing liaison offices in
Hong Kong, Shanghai, Beijing, and Tokyo. For more information about Dolby
Laboratories or Dolby technologies, please visit www.dolby.com.
Dolby and the double-D symbol are registered trademarks of Dolby Laboratories. Auditorium Assist and Surround EX are trademarks of Dolby
Laboratories. S03/14623
Media Contact:
Jim Arnold, Dolby Laboratories, Director of Public Relations, 415-645-5116 jja@dolby.com
