For years, homeowners have been trying to recreate the theater experience at home. Big screens, multiple speakers, seating and even popcorn machines at home can make for a more realistic viewing experience. Soon, select theater enthusiasts will go well beyond that, adding an IMAX fix into the equation. It's for "select enthusiasts," because the new IMAX Private Theatre will cost around a cool $2 million.
The company just announced IMAX Private Theatre, a program that will put an IMAX theater right in your home. Now, this doesn't seem to be a carbon copy of what you'd see in a commercial IMAX theater, but it should be pretty darn close.
According to IMAX, each room will be custom-designed according to IMAX specifications, which should deliver a one-of-a-kind experience. Well, maybe not one of a kind, but we can't imagine that there will be too many of these out there. Even IMAX says it's for only a select few.
"With this, we are targeting a new group," says Rich Gelfond, IMAX's chief executive (via The Wall Street Journal). "People with this kind of wealth aren't going to the movies."
Yes, think about people that actually make movies, as well as TV stars, sports stars, and other all-around wealthy people.
Besides being able to deliver eye-popping 2D and 3D, there isn't much known about the process or the equipment involved. The company says that each IMAX Private Theatre is designed using everything from the company's "projection and sound technology to the room acoustics and theatre geometry." In other words, the secret sauce will remain a secret for now.
However, the company says that each IMAX Private Theatre will have the company's proprietary, state-of-the-art dual 4K projection system, 7.1-channel laser-aligned loudspeakers, and a curved floor-to-ceiling screen for a full panoramic view.
Those willing to cough up the cash will also have exclusive access to IMAX's Commercial Service Center, which promises to monitor your entire system around the clock and deliver a response time of less than 5 minutes -- even on Christmas Day!
If you're considering the IMAX Private Theatre, think about adding in the Prima Cinema System. This rack-mountable 2TB player can store up to 50 full-length, first-run films. That box sells for a mere $35,000, with each movie costing $500 for a 24-hour rental period. Seems like chump change for an IMAX Private Theatre owner, no?
According to the WSJ, the first two IMAX Private Theatre installs will be completed within the next six months. From there, the company expects to do between 10 and 15 per year after 2014.
To get a better peek at what the IMAX Private Theatre will look and sound like, you can contact IMAX to set up an appointment or take the cheap way out and just watch the video below.
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