Application of DLP Technology to Digital Electronic CinemaA Progress Report

In the entertainment industry’s quest for the “suspension of disbelief,” two primary sensory stimuli have been engaged: sight and sound. Since the advent of digital audio, a number of new multitrack digital sound formats have appeared in the motion picture industry, all in an attempt to achieve the ultimate audio experience. However, visual presentation has not advanced at the same pace as the aural experience. Many problems associated with conventional motion picture presentation and distribution can be overcome through a digital form of delivery. The missing link, however, has been an electronic display system that delivers cinema-quality images. Certainly the ultimate achievement in electronic projected image quality would be to match or exceed that of motion picture film. Texas Instruments is studying the possible application of DLP technology to electronic cinema. This effort has involved a close working relationship with the motion picture industry to assess DLP performance from technical and artistic perspectives. Knowledge gained from this process has led to improvements in DLP technology that may someday lead to a DLP-based cinema application. This paper addresses some of the advances in image quality made in the quest to achieve the ultimate cinematic experience.