Big Picture Big Sound

Canadian home theater manufacturer D-Box Technologies is hoping that a new motion-enabled demo reel in its dealers will help convince potential customers of the unique value of its products. For those who haven't heard of D-Box, they're the people who make your couch and comfy recliner move to the movie, effectively turning your home theater into an action-packed theme park ride.

D-Box motion designers watch a movie over and over, creating sometimes subtle and sometimes dramatic motion effects that complement the film in a way that draws you into the action. From the subtle bumps of a taxicab driving over a small pothole to the massive shudder of Superman bringing a speeding jet to a halt just before it crashes, D-Box motion codes bring a new dimension to movie-watching.

Guy Marcoux, D-Box's Director of Marketing, wants consumers to understand that the D-Box experience is quite unlike anything else available. "Our previous demos just jumped from high impact clip to clip, shaking our prospective customers up, perhaps a little too much," said Guy at the CEDIA Expo in Denver this past week. "Many folks would get up out of the chair saying 'that was fun, but I can't imagine sitting through that for a two hour movie.' But really our motion-coding designers use motion effects much more subtly and effectively than what you experience in a clip of action-packed highlights."

The new demo reel is part education, part demonstration. It precedes the clips with a brief description of the technology and how it works, then it goes into a couple of short clips, then it replays one of the clips without motion coding so the customer can see what he or she is missing. By delivering this new demo out to all of their dealers, D-Box is hoping that two things happen: 1.) dealers and their reps will have a better idea of how the technology works, thereby being able to sell it better and 2.) consumers will walk away thinking "I need this in my home theater - this is amazing!"

Our own Editor-at-Large Chris Chiarella reviewed some of the D-Box gear back in his previous gig at Home Theater Magazine and he still says it was the most exciting and effective demo for visitors who came to his house (some of whom never wanted to leave). D-Box systems are available built into elegant home theater furniture or as standalone motion platforms which can support a recliner, loveseat or a small couch. Larger D-Box units are available which can support an entire riser with multiple chairs. Pricing starts at about $13,000 for the control unit and two platforms (which can support two recliners, one love seat or a small couch). Over 850 movies are already coded with D-Box custom motion codes with more coming every month.

For more information, or to find a dealer near you where you can "Live the Action," check out the D-Box Web site.