National Amusements, Inc. and Barco Establish Strategic Partnership to Convert All Showcase XPlus Auditoriums to Flagship Laser Projection

Exhibition News • Boxoffice Staff • September 22 2016

PRESS RELEASE

Barco, the worldwide market share leader in digital cinema projection, is the laser projector partner of choice for global movie exhibition company National Amusements, Inc. (NAI). As part of this strategic partnership, NAI will install Barco’s Flagship Laser projectors in all of its premium large format Showcase XPlus auditoriums beginning with 6 of its top theater sites in the Massachusetts, New York and New Jersey areas. In the future, all XPlus auditoriums will feature Barco’s Flagship Laser projection technology.

A game-changer for premium cinema

In the past, NAI selected Barco xenon digital cinema projectors for the digital conversion of select theaters and all XPlus auditoriums in South America. When considering laser projection options for its U.S. XPlus locations, NAI sought a partner that would allow it to offer patrons the best movie presentation possible. This led the company to Barco’s Flagship Laser technology, a game-changer for Showcase XPlus. In addition to new laser projection, Showcase XPlus features high gain floating screens, immersive sound and power-operated fully reclining reserved seats, all of which contribute to a superior moviegoing experience.

“We always have our eye on the latest and greatest technologies in cinema and work to be first in the market to deliver the most excellent and unique experiences to our patrons,” comments Duncan Short, Senior Vice President, U.S.A. & International Operations for NAI. “National Amusements is proud to partner with Barco in this new launch. Barco is a dedicated partner who has mastered the laser projection technology.”

Acknowledged by audiences 
Recent surveys have indicated that audiences experience a significant ’wow’ factor between lamp-based digital cinema projection and Barco’s Flagship laser-illuminated projection technology. Moviegoers are acknowledging the premium image quality Barco’s Flagship Laser projectors bring. When asked to rate the image quality, more than half of the respondents gave the top score of 5/5. This premium experience also has a positive effect on patrons’ cinema visit frequency; 2 out of 3 moviegoers stated that laser projection would make them go to the movies more often.
High operational efficiency
The Barco Flagship Laser projector eliminates all lamp-related costs and maintenance, and thanks to the single projector setup, it can be seamlessly integrated it into current systems for worry-free operations with less downtime. Thanks to its superior optical efficiency level, it allows exhibitors to drive down operational costs. The top-of-the-line model, DP4K-60L, consumes 40 percent less power than xenon projectors with the same brightness. And its reliable laser light source offers a lifetime of 30,000 hours or more.

A one-of-a-kind movie experience

“We are honored to grow our relationship with an exhibitor as prestigious and well-respected as National Amusements,” comments Stijn Henderickx, Vice President Cinema for Barco. “Together we will take National Amusements’ XPlus immersive cinema concept to the next level. Our Flagship Laser projector family drives image quality to new heights for a one-of-a-kind moviegoing experience, while helping them to reduce their maintenance and operating costs.”

Leading in laser

With close to 150 units deployed internationally, Barco’s Flagship Laser projectors are the #1 choice for movie theaters across the globe. Representing the pinnacle in engineering, Barco’sFlagship Laser projector offers moviegoers the ultimate visual cinema experience. Their cutting-edge image quality is realized through a brightness level 2X greater than any xenon projector, increased contrast ratio and vivid colors for a radically improved 3D movie experience.

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