Reaching the Tipping Point

Christie has recently announced three important milestones for the company: Christie has opened a new manufacturing facility in Shenzhen, China to meet growing global demand; Christie is the first projector manufacturer to pass the full range of tests required by the compliance test plan for the DCI digital cinema system specification; and is the first manufacturer to sell 12,000 digital projectors worldwide. Digital Cinema Report spoke with Christie Digital Systems vice president of entertainment solutions Craig Sholder to get his thoughts about these developments and where Christie goes from here. Sholder believes the digital cinema business has reached the tipping point.

Christie recently became the first digital cinema projector manufacturer to pass the full range of tests required for the DCI certification. CineCert, which is the only organization in North America licensed by Digital Cinema Initiatives to administer the CTP, conducted the tests. 

Digital Cinema Report: What was involved in that process and how long did it take?  


Craig Sholder: The process started in earnest at the beginning of the design phase of our Series 2 DLP CinemaS projectors back in the summer of 2008.    The CTP requirements were published at the time and became integral to our Series 2 projector development program.  We engaged industry consultants to review our designs with respect to Digital Cinema System Specification requirements and we worked closely with Texas Instruments to ensure their designs were complimentary to our projector electronics.   Christie also visited the accredited CineCert test facility to have our designs reviewed before we submitted a digital cinema projector for official testing. In March of this year, Christie provided a Series 2 digital cinema projector for testing, as well as Engineering and Product Management support on-site throughout the testing phase. The CTP process was conducted by CineCert in an efficient and timely manner.


DCR: What does that mean, exactly for Christie?

CS: It represents yet another “first” for Christie and the cinema industry.  Our Product Management, Engineering, Quality and Operations teams worked diligently throughout the product design and development process to ensure we were meeting and exceeding DCI Compliance.  The Christie team is very proud of this accomplishment and it’s a testament to our commitment to quality and customer value.  Both the Studios and our cinema customers can move forward with confidence in converting all their screens to digital, knowing that Christie digital cinema projectors meet and exceed the industry’s technical and security requirements. 

DCR: What effect, if any, will certification have on the thousands of already-installed projectors, made by you and your competitors that technically don’t meet the DCI specifications?  


CS: The recent certification will not have any effect on the “already-installed” base of Christie digital cinema projectors.  Based on previous agreements with our partners, Christie is in the process of retrofitting the installed base.   Our Series 2 projectors were designed from the beginning to be DCI compliant and passed the CTP without any hardware modifications.  This means that the thousands of Christie Series 2 projectors already shipped and installed are DCI compliant.


DCR: How important is the 12,000-projector milestone for Christie and what does it mean for the exhibition business as a whole?  

CS: Being the first projector company to reach this milestone is extremely important because it validates the confidence exhibitors have in Christie’s ability to support them now and into the future. Our success in reaching this milestone is a direct reflection of the loyalty and support of our customers.

DCR: As I understand it, the new Chinese factory will begin manufacturing projectors beginning this month (July). Is that correct and will those projectors specifically be targeted for the Asian market?  

CS: Christie’s new manufacturing facility in Shenzhen, China is operational now and projectors are coming off the line as we speak.  The projectors manufactured at this facility will be predominantly sold domestically into the Asia Pacific market with the ability to supply worldwide.   



DCR: Exhibitors continue to press for the lowest possible prices for digital cinema systems. That isn’t likely to change soon. How does Christie respond to that challenge?  


CS: Christie’s digital cinema projector product line is engineered and priced appropriately to provide exhibitors with the best value proposition of any manufacturer. Christie’s intense focus on engineering the brightest digital cinema projectors and offering the best Xenon digital lamps is recognized by exhibitors for delivering the “lowest” cost of operation.  Our projector optics allow us to spec a smaller lamp than competing projectors and still provide the highest brightness.  Over the long term, this provides the exhibitor with major savings due to reduced lamp and electricity costs.



DCR: Where does digital cinema go from here?  


CS: I think the cinema industry has reached the digital cinema “tipping point” and we anticipate full conversion in the next 3 to 5 years.  Digital cinema is no longer an option, it is a strategic imperative. With the incredible images the projectors can deliver and the creativity that the new tools allow, we’re going to see a wider selection of alternative programming choices including gaming, sporting events and music concerts and new ways for exhibition to build social engagement in the community.