Christie, a digital projection manufacturer, has signed a contract with Regal CineMedia (RCM), a subsidiary of Regal Entertainment Group, to provide them with a Digital Content Network (DCN) to provide digital cinema content to its theaters. With digital distribution capabilities to 375 theaters, it is expected to be the world's largest digital cinema network to date.
The contract covers Christie's digital projectors, the ChristieNET networking solution and plasma screens to be deployed as part of RCM's DCN, expected to launch in early 2003. It includes construction of a Network Operations Center with Christie single-chip DLP projection cubes and an FRC5000 wall display controller for network monitoring of over 40,000 devices once the DCN installation is complete.
The DCN is being assembled for the delivery of digital video content, including entertainment, sports and educational programming and on-screen and in-lobby/concession marketing and advertising products on Christie's RoadRunner L6 projector. Christe and RCM expect the plasma displays to provide further entertainment and revenue opportunities by giving additional content and information to moviegoers.
The DCN digital distribution capabilities are around 4,500 theater screens and 1,400 42-inch hi-res plasma screens in the theater lobbies. RCM's DCN theatres cover 19 of the top 20 markets through the end of 2003.
