Christie has announced that it has shipped and installed more than 26,000 digital cinema projectors worldwide, giving it just over 50% market share for DLP Cinema projectors. Barco claims 40% market share – which would leave NEC, the third DLP Cinema licensee, with 10%.
Christie’s news follows TI’s announcement that, in the year to November 30 2011, the number of DLP Cinema screens worldwide grew from 28,036 to a total of 51,620 for an increase of 84% over the preceding year. DLP Cinema 3D screens have risen 65% to 30,290 in total (from 18,367) during the same 12 month timeframe.
TI says that the transition to digital cinema has crossed a threshold with over 50% of the estimated worldwide commercial cinema screens having been converted to digital cinema, and the industry now estimates to reach near completion by the end of 2015.
“The versatility and convenience of our one-stop shopping approach based on our deep understanding of exhibitor needs has won us new customers across the globe,” said Jack Kline, president and chief operating officer, Christie Digital. “Christie continues to be the exhibitors’ choice for financing options like our innovative Virtual Print Fee program in North America, leading edge hardware and software and unparalleled support from Christie’s Managed Services.”
“All of this combines to enable exhibitors to deliver a filmmaker’s vision today in 2D, 3D, 4K and future-proofs their investments for 3D High Frame Rate (HFR) projection quality, depending upon the movie’s format and our clients’ budgets and audience expectations,” added Kline. “Combined with display support for 2D, 3D, 4K and 3D High Frame Rate (HFR) projection, exhibitors can choose between formats to suit their budgets and audience expectations and deliver a filmmaker’s vision or broadcast content the way it was intended while future-proofing their investments.”
