Digital cinema - The ticket to low cost, high quality and thwarted pirates (CHINA)

GOING to the movies costs a lot in China because there are so few screens - just around 4,000. But expanding cheap digital cinema will bring down prices. Xu Wei buys a ticket. Over the past four years, the sale of half-price tickets on Tuesdays by all city cinemas has delighted moviegoers.

Tuesday screenings, of course, are packed for blockbusters like "Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen" and "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince."

Last Tuesday when Kevin Yang, an IT supervisor, and his girlfriend rushed to a downtown cinema at 6pm to see "Transformers 2," they were out of luck. The next available screening was after 10pm.

They gave it a pass since they needed to get up early for work the next morning.

"We postponed it until an early weekend morning when tickets are half price," he says. Before noon many cinemas also sell reduced-price tickets.

Tickets for big films like "Transformers 2" costs 100 yuan (US$14.7) at most cinemas, a lot for many moderate-income people like Yang. That means the cost of a date is more than 300 yuan, including eating out and transport.

In the United States last year, the average movie ticket cost US$7.18.

A recent survey by the Chinese film industry shows that spending on movies represents 5 percent of a person's monthly salary. That's higher than in the US and South Korea.

The high cost of tickets in China is determined by the market.

Compared with the 40,000 or so screens in the States, China has only about 4,000, according to Lin.

"The small number of screens can't satisfy the demands of a large population," he says. Just as cell phone and computer prices fell when output increased, ticket prices will fall when there are more theaters and economies of scale, he observers.

The price is lower both because the theater is more distant and the digital technology is cheaper.

Though many Chinese moviegoers have little idea about digital cinema and can hardly tell it from standard one, developing digital cinema is a big trend worldwide.

In 2008 there were 8,614 digital screens worldwide, 33 percent more than in 2007, according to entgroup.cn.

China has around 800 digital cinemas, ranking second after the US that has 5,474.

The Chinese government is encouraging domestic cinema chains to adopt digital cinema.

The National Film Supervisory Bureau under the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television (SARFT) gives financial support to new digital cinemas. The plan is to expand it to small and medium-sized cities as well as major urban centers.

The state-owned Shanghai United Cinema Lines, the city's largest chain, is rapidly developing digital capacity. By the end of this year it plans to have 160-190 screens.

Digital cinemas are also good news for young film makers.

Lin, from Dadi Digital Cinemas, says that distributors for low-budget films usually can't afford to develop several hundred traditional Data-Transmission System (DTS) film copies around the country.

"But with the increasing number of digital screens, their dream to promote films at major theaters will come true," he says. "Going digital can also drive diversity in Chinese cinemas."

According to film professor Gu Xiaoming from Fudan University, the rapid development of digital cinemas will give movie theaters new functions.

"Besides movie screenings, cinemas can also provide digital projection of a live broadcast of a performance, a game or other events," Professor Gu says. "Many Western theaters can also reap big profits from acting as a meeting room or a 3G product demonstration center."

Experts suggest that theaters offer lower ticket prices for second runs of popular films and for less-desirable seats closer to the screen.

Zon Lusomundo Selects Barco’s Digital Cinema Projectors for XDC’s Deployment of 213 Screens in Portugal

Barco, a global leader in digital cinema projectors, is proud to announce that it has been chosen by ZON Lusomundo, the largest cinema chain in Portugal, for the deployment of 213 digital cinema systems. By the end of 2010, 28 of ZON Lusomundo's cinema complexes will be equipped with Barco digital cinema projectors.

XDC, a leading digital cinema service company in Europe, and ZON Lusomundo have signed an exclusive agreement for the deployment of 213 full digital cinema systems in ZON Lusomundo's theatres in Portugal. Under the terms of the agreement, XDC will exclusively install Barco's DCI-compliant 2K digital projectors in combination with their CineStore® Solo G3 D-Cinema server and a fully integrated and networked solution in each complex.

With the DP series, Barco has developed a modular digital cinema projector platform offering a cost effective solution at everyone's desire and for every screen size. To support its rapidly growing digital cinema installed base, Barco has launched a Certified Service Partner program to establish a worldwide support network with the highest quality local service and support.

All of Barco's digital cinema projectors are based on the pioneering DLP Cinema® technology from Texas Instruments, guaranteeing perfect re-production of film, time and time again, and ensure movie goers enjoy the highest quality film experience with consistent picture brightness, contrast and vibrant colors.

BARCO Digital Cinema Installation mark's Top Chinese Position also in Asia Pacific

A global leader in digital cinema technology, Barco, has announced that it has completed its 1,000th digital cinema projector installation in China.

This again confirms Barco's solid position in the Asian Pacific digital cinema market in general and China in particular, where the company has a market share of more than 80%.

Ever since the beginning of digital cinema in China, Barco has been working closely together with GDC Technology to provide one-stop digital cinema solutions to exhibitors. Since the announcement of the partnership in March 2007, both companies have worked on a number of successful deals and will continue to do so in the future. Only recently, major deals with prime exhibitors like Jinyi, Hengdian and the China Film Group were announced for a total of more than 200 digital cinema projectors.

Frank Christiaens, Barco's President Greater China, commented: "China is one of the fastest growing cinema markets in the world and Barco is proud to be part of its transition to digital. Barco has a long term commitment towards the digital cinema market and has made severe efforts towards the China market. We very much value our existing partnerships and our customers' confidence in Barco digital cinema projectors."

Alain Solomon, VP of Barco's Digital Cinema business, said: "China has always been at the forefront in digital innovation. Already in 2006, Barco signed a historic deal with Dadi Digital Cinemas and we have a market share of more than 80% in China.

"Our Chinese customers especially value our reliability and low total cost of ownership, resulting from the modular design and use of standard lamps in our projector design."

Barco's digital cinema projectors are based on the pioneering DLP Cinema technology from Texas Instruments, guaranteeing perfect reproduction of cinema content time and time again, ensuring moviegoers enjoy the highest quality experience with consistent picture brightness, contrast and vibrant colours.