The home theater has long been the core of custom home technology, but in the wake of iPhone automation controllers and RoomBots, the home theater may have actually become a bit stodgy. So it might be time for the media space to get its own 2.0 makeover.
Projector maker Runco just launched its Digital Cinema Concierge service that lets dealers provide clients with custom-engineered projection and media server systems certified to conform to Digital Cinema Initiatives (DCI) standards. DCI is a joint venture between major film studios created to establish technical specifications for first-run commercial digital cinemas, offering literally trillions of colors and ultra-high resolution. Runco sales engineers develop a complete solution for every new Digital Cinema Concierge installation using a DCI-compatible projector, lens options, and a proprietary Runco Digital Cinema Media Server. Each system is set up at the factory and tested in a similar environment to the eventual home to ensure performance and then shipped to the site where Runco will provide on-site installation and calibration services as well as two years’ worth of on-site service and repair, as part of its PremierCare program.
3D is another hallmark of home theater 2.0, but be advised that most 3D projection systems require glasses. However, glassless options are on the horizon. Most are lenticular, limiting the viewing area. But Microsoft has developed a new lens that’s thinner at the bottom (6 mm) than at the top (11 mm) and steers light to a viewer’s eyes via LEDs along its bottom edge. It’ll be a good way to watch the home theater regain its cutting edge.
