http://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/05/10/poll-is-star-trek-better-at-an-imax-or-a-dlp-theater/ Engadget HD Comments for Poll: Is Star Trek better at an IMAX or a DLP theater? http://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://enghddev.weblogsinc.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/05/10/poll-is-star-trek-better-at-an-imax-or-a-dlp-theater/http://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/05/10/poll-is-star-trek-better-at-an-imax-or-a-dlp-theater/
I have read there are no IMAX shot sequences, so I assume it's going to be letterboxed, right?

Gotta say, watching letterboxed on an IMAX screen doesn't really cut it all that well...]]>May 10th 2009 1:16PMhttp://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/05/10/poll-is-star-trek-better-at-an-imax-or-a-dlp-theater/http://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/05/10/poll-is-star-trek-better-at-an-imax-or-a-dlp-theater/
And Dark Knight only had a few screens in full IMAX format where it would go from letterbox to full screen. The whole thing was not 100% IMAX. It flipped back and forth between normal widescreen and full screen IMAX format.]]>May 10th 2009 3:02PMhttp://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/05/10/poll-is-star-trek-better-at-an-imax-or-a-dlp-theater/http://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/05/10/poll-is-star-trek-better-at-an-imax-or-a-dlp-theater/
While there may be issues with a specific theaters settings or calibration or whatever, I simply can't understand anyone having any complaints with a properly outfitted "Imax Digital" theater. ]]>May 12th 2009 10:49PMhttp://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/05/10/poll-is-star-trek-better-at-an-imax-or-a-dlp-theater/http://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/05/10/poll-is-star-trek-better-at-an-imax-or-a-dlp-theater/May 10th 2009 1:20PMhttp://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/05/10/poll-is-star-trek-better-at-an-imax-or-a-dlp-theater/http://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/05/10/poll-is-star-trek-better-at-an-imax-or-a-dlp-theater/May 10th 2009 10:02PMhttp://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/05/10/poll-is-star-trek-better-at-an-imax-or-a-dlp-theater/http://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/05/10/poll-is-star-trek-better-at-an-imax-or-a-dlp-theater/
If nothing was shot in IMAX then seeing it in IMAX is sort of a waste of time and several bucks on the ticket price, unless you're just into big and loud.

DLP should be best because I'll assume the movie was finished in the digital domain, and output directly to video as well as film and would probably wind up looking a bit sharper than film, just because of the processing and the generational thing.

Going to see it this week and I'll find a DLP theatre for my viewing peasure.]]>May 10th 2009 1:44PMhttp://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/05/10/poll-is-star-trek-better-at-an-imax-or-a-dlp-theater/http://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/05/10/poll-is-star-trek-better-at-an-imax-or-a-dlp-theater/
As far as DLP, I'm assuming if the theater doesn't mention it, they're not using it, although my theater is pretty new, and I know they have digital technology, but as far as what they're using exactly, I couldn't tell you.

Regarding IMAX, the closest IMAX is a couple of hours away, so it's not like it's an easy choice for some of us.

But anyway, this is one of the movies that plays well on the big screen.]]>May 10th 2009 4:48PMhttp://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/05/10/poll-is-star-trek-better-at-an-imax-or-a-dlp-theater/http://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/05/10/poll-is-star-trek-better-at-an-imax-or-a-dlp-theater/
With all the dark space scenes in this movie, I'm really interested to see how it is reproduced on Bluray. As far as I know, we don't have any released Bluray movies where blacks have been so very important (ok, may The Dark Knight...)]]>May 10th 2009 1:51PMhttp://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/05/10/poll-is-star-trek-better-at-an-imax-or-a-dlp-theater/http://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/05/10/poll-is-star-trek-better-at-an-imax-or-a-dlp-theater/May 11th 2009 5:36PMhttp://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/05/10/poll-is-star-trek-better-at-an-imax-or-a-dlp-theater/http://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/05/10/poll-is-star-trek-better-at-an-imax-or-a-dlp-theater/
I noticed the same thing with Iron Man last summer. In Iron Man I also noticed that DLP had much less motion blur, but didn't seem to noticed that with Star Trek.]]>May 10th 2009 3:04PMhttp://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/05/10/poll-is-star-trek-better-at-an-imax-or-a-dlp-theater/http://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/05/10/poll-is-star-trek-better-at-an-imax-or-a-dlp-theater/May 10th 2009 2:10PMhttp://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/05/10/poll-is-star-trek-better-at-an-imax-or-a-dlp-theater/http://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/05/10/poll-is-star-trek-better-at-an-imax-or-a-dlp-theater/May 10th 2009 2:14PMhttp://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/05/10/poll-is-star-trek-better-at-an-imax-or-a-dlp-theater/http://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/05/10/poll-is-star-trek-better-at-an-imax-or-a-dlp-theater/May 10th 2009 2:20PMhttp://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/05/10/poll-is-star-trek-better-at-an-imax-or-a-dlp-theater/http://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/05/10/poll-is-star-trek-better-at-an-imax-or-a-dlp-theater/May 10th 2009 2:40PMhttp://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/05/10/poll-is-star-trek-better-at-an-imax-or-a-dlp-theater/http://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/05/10/poll-is-star-trek-better-at-an-imax-or-a-dlp-theater/May 10th 2009 3:01PMhttp://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/05/10/poll-is-star-trek-better-at-an-imax-or-a-dlp-theater/http://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/05/10/poll-is-star-trek-better-at-an-imax-or-a-dlp-theater/
It did look Awesome in Digital IMAX.

-Brian]]>May 11th 2009 12:06AMhttp://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/05/10/poll-is-star-trek-better-at-an-imax-or-a-dlp-theater/http://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/05/10/poll-is-star-trek-better-at-an-imax-or-a-dlp-theater/
But the sound alone makes it worth the extra ticket costs to me. 12,000 watts of warp speed.]]>May 10th 2009 2:47PMhttp://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/05/10/poll-is-star-trek-better-at-an-imax-or-a-dlp-theater/http://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/05/10/poll-is-star-trek-better-at-an-imax-or-a-dlp-theater/May 10th 2009 9:46PMhttp://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/05/10/poll-is-star-trek-better-at-an-imax-or-a-dlp-theater/http://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/05/10/poll-is-star-trek-better-at-an-imax-or-a-dlp-theater/May 10th 2009 9:56PMhttp://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/05/10/poll-is-star-trek-better-at-an-imax-or-a-dlp-theater/http://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/05/10/poll-is-star-trek-better-at-an-imax-or-a-dlp-theater/May 10th 2009 4:10PMhttp://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/05/10/poll-is-star-trek-better-at-an-imax-or-a-dlp-theater/http://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/05/10/poll-is-star-trek-better-at-an-imax-or-a-dlp-theater/
On a more general note, unless something is shot in IMAX resolution, I do not see the point in watching it in IMAX.

I watched ST on a 1.2" Christie DLP. It was severely cropped left and right indicating the system was never installed correctly.

Beware of generalizations. Just because DLP does not suffer from the damage visible on film, does not mean it will be a better presentation.]]>May 10th 2009 3:52PMhttp://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/05/10/poll-is-star-trek-better-at-an-imax-or-a-dlp-theater/http://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/05/10/poll-is-star-trek-better-at-an-imax-or-a-dlp-theater/
Still, "bigger letterbox" means what? IF a commercial theater MAY need to letterbox, the amount of screen real estate in black in very small. However, a academy AR film will show a LOT of black top and bottom in an IMAX screen, because said screen is far closer to square. The letterboxed feature I saw on an IMAX screen occupied about 60% of the overall screen, so there was a LOT of blank screen.

As for Dark Knight, I'm surprised you saw it the way you did... like I said, it was not letterboxed at all when I saw it (i.e. just like pan and scan is used to display a widescreen feature on a standard TV AR of 4:3). If it had been swapping like you said, I'd be VERY annoyed.

As for the audio, I'm a ways away from saying "better." My experience is that it's a lot louder, but very difficult to say that it has more "quality" than a standard theater. What distinguishes theater audio is multi-channel sound (and very much dependent on the talent of the film's sound designer, there is some real art involved in really good multi-channel audio). AND one could say that good multi-channel audio CAN be "better" in a regular theater due to the fact that an IMAX theater (here I am making an assumption... I've been many times but only to one specific IMAX theater, the one near Lincoln Center in NYC) has a depth that seems to be almost smaller than it's width. Thus, the rear and side speakers are very close to each other, whereas they can be spread farther apart in a "standard" theater.]]>May 10th 2009 4:19PMhttp://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/05/10/poll-is-star-trek-better-at-an-imax-or-a-dlp-theater/http://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/05/10/poll-is-star-trek-better-at-an-imax-or-a-dlp-theater/
Or, from IMDB:

"For the first time in feature filmmaking, IMAX cameras were utilized. Christopher Nolan had wanted to shoot in the IMAX format for years, thus using this film as his opportunity to do so. Six major action-heavy sequences, along with various high-altitude shots, were filmed on the IMAX ratio. (These sequences are available on the Bonus Disc of the 2-Disc DVD Edition.)"

6 sequences. Not the whole film.]]>May 10th 2009 5:30PMhttp://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/05/10/poll-is-star-trek-better-at-an-imax-or-a-dlp-theater/http://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/05/10/poll-is-star-trek-better-at-an-imax-or-a-dlp-theater/May 11th 2009 6:33PMhttp://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/05/10/poll-is-star-trek-better-at-an-imax-or-a-dlp-theater/http://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/05/10/poll-is-star-trek-better-at-an-imax-or-a-dlp-theater/May 10th 2009 4:36PMhttp://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/05/10/poll-is-star-trek-better-at-an-imax-or-a-dlp-theater/http://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/05/10/poll-is-star-trek-better-at-an-imax-or-a-dlp-theater/
The size of an IMAX film frame is roughly equivalent to an 8k digital image (10240x7470), which is why no one's doing real VFX work in IMAX yet. We're still a generation or two of computing power away from being able to render and composite at that resolution in any reasonable amount of time.

In the meantime, any Hollywood movies you see in IMAX are basically being upscaled to the big film format, just like your SD DVDs get upscaled to HDTV resolution.]]>May 10th 2009 4:48PMhttp://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/05/10/poll-is-star-trek-better-at-an-imax-or-a-dlp-theater/http://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/05/10/poll-is-star-trek-better-at-an-imax-or-a-dlp-theater/
You are wrong. IMAX has started to transition to high resolution DLP. I am not sure how to tell (other than watching) if your theater is DLP or not.]]>May 10th 2009 11:08PMhttp://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/05/10/poll-is-star-trek-better-at-an-imax-or-a-dlp-theater/http://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/05/10/poll-is-star-trek-better-at-an-imax-or-a-dlp-theater/May 11th 2009 1:17AMhttp://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/05/10/poll-is-star-trek-better-at-an-imax-or-a-dlp-theater/http://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/05/10/poll-is-star-trek-better-at-an-imax-or-a-dlp-theater/
See this explanation of why:
http://gadgets.boingboing.net/2009/05/08/vfx-engineer-on-why.html

Short version: Star Trek was shot in CinemaScope, a format that squeezes each frame into half the area of a 35mm camera frame. Native IMAX film has four times the area of a 35mm frame.

"The end result of all this unsqueezing and blowing up is that at the very best, you will get an image that has 1/8th the information of a standard IMAX image."]]>May 10th 2009 4:41PMhttp://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/05/10/poll-is-star-trek-better-at-an-imax-or-a-dlp-theater/http://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/05/10/poll-is-star-trek-better-at-an-imax-or-a-dlp-theater/
They held the queue for a long time due to "technical difficulties" (details undisclosed). The rumor was they were going to herd us into a regular room and show us the "standard" version, giving us passes for seeing the Imax (or whatever) later. But we ended up in the Imax room and everything appeared to work just fine. At the end, they gave us the free passes anyway.]]>May 10th 2009 8:34PMhttp://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/05/10/poll-is-star-trek-better-at-an-imax-or-a-dlp-theater/http://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/05/10/poll-is-star-trek-better-at-an-imax-or-a-dlp-theater/
- Star Trek was filmed on traditional 35mm film
- IMAX release of this film was 'IMAX' DMR which is a professionally upscale version of 35mm to 70mm film format
- IMAX DLP is by far, much lower resolution than the traditional 70mm film counterpart
- IMAX DMR is 'digitally remastered' but not 'digitally projected' unless you are *unfortunate* enough to have a IMAX cinema using their new DLP projectors

Opinions:

Complaints of 'grain' in these comments are rather lol, considering the higher resolution you have, the more grain you will see, which simply means more detail. HD enthusiasts look for things like grain retention from the original source.]]>May 10th 2009 5:10PMhttp://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/05/10/poll-is-star-trek-better-at-an-imax-or-a-dlp-theater/http://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/05/10/poll-is-star-trek-better-at-an-imax-or-a-dlp-theater/
IMAX film has ten times the surface area of a 35mm frame. Hollywood features released in IMAX aren't just blow up they're digitally upconverted with a proprietary process that not only makes it sharper, but removes film grain, corrects color balance, etc.

IMAX also has a digital projection system based on two DLP projectors running simultaneously, but those are generally exclusively meant for multiplexes with smaller screens.]]>May 10th 2009 5:14PMhttp://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/05/10/poll-is-star-trek-better-at-an-imax-or-a-dlp-theater/http://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/05/10/poll-is-star-trek-better-at-an-imax-or-a-dlp-theater/
IMAX: The "IMAX" screen in my city is small. Smaller, it turns out, than the big screens at our local AMC. By quite a margin. And the seats are so close to one another that when a person leans back, his head is in your lap. I will give it points for having a good sound system, but it's really pretty easy to fill such a small room with sound. The hypothetical resolution improvement from the DMR process is something I have never really noticed.

DLP: Far as I know, these screens are still mostly something below even the humble 1080p. Why on earth would I want to watch a movie with truncated resolution? (3d notwithstanding.)

I went with a regular 35mm print, and incidentally saw it on the biggest screens in my city, at the AMC, which sadly doesn't get too many big movies, thanks to some sort of deal Cinemark has with whoever distributes the films.
]]>May 10th 2009 5:23PMhttp://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/05/10/poll-is-star-trek-better-at-an-imax-or-a-dlp-theater/http://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/05/10/poll-is-star-trek-better-at-an-imax-or-a-dlp-theater/May 10th 2009 6:21PMhttp://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/05/10/poll-is-star-trek-better-at-an-imax-or-a-dlp-theater/http://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/05/10/poll-is-star-trek-better-at-an-imax-or-a-dlp-theater/
The movie looked quite good at 4K. I will report back from my findings with IMAX and weigh in on which is better.

Has anyone else seen both?]]>May 10th 2009 6:23PMhttp://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/05/10/poll-is-star-trek-better-at-an-imax-or-a-dlp-theater/http://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/05/10/poll-is-star-trek-better-at-an-imax-or-a-dlp-theater/May 11th 2009 12:09PMhttp://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/05/10/poll-is-star-trek-better-at-an-imax-or-a-dlp-theater/http://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/05/10/poll-is-star-trek-better-at-an-imax-or-a-dlp-theater/
Here's your first vote for that category.]]>May 10th 2009 7:39PMhttp://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/05/10/poll-is-star-trek-better-at-an-imax-or-a-dlp-theater/http://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/05/10/poll-is-star-trek-better-at-an-imax-or-a-dlp-theater/May 10th 2009 7:59PMhttp://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/05/10/poll-is-star-trek-better-at-an-imax-or-a-dlp-theater/http://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/05/10/poll-is-star-trek-better-at-an-imax-or-a-dlp-theater/May 10th 2009 9:01PMhttp://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/05/10/poll-is-star-trek-better-at-an-imax-or-a-dlp-theater/http://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/05/10/poll-is-star-trek-better-at-an-imax-or-a-dlp-theater/
Why don't movie makers film on IMAX, then lower the resolution for normal theaters?]]>May 10th 2009 10:47PMhttp://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/05/10/poll-is-star-trek-better-at-an-imax-or-a-dlp-theater/http://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/05/10/poll-is-star-trek-better-at-an-imax-or-a-dlp-theater/the cost of renting the camera alone is a big deal. If they already own the camera, it is still the matter of obtaining stock (aka film). That stuff runs by the feet and is obscenely expensive. @140mil for what they did, by using all imax capable equipment, it can increase the cost by atleast 25%]]>May 11th 2009 6:55AMhttp://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/05/10/poll-is-star-trek-better-at-an-imax-or-a-dlp-theater/http://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/05/10/poll-is-star-trek-better-at-an-imax-or-a-dlp-theater/
-Brian]]>May 10th 2009 11:52PMhttp://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/05/10/poll-is-star-trek-better-at-an-imax-or-a-dlp-theater/http://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/05/10/poll-is-star-trek-better-at-an-imax-or-a-dlp-theater/May 11th 2009 3:58AMhttp://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/05/10/poll-is-star-trek-better-at-an-imax-or-a-dlp-theater/http://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/05/10/poll-is-star-trek-better-at-an-imax-or-a-dlp-theater/ HEARING DAMAGE MAY RESULT IF WATCHING THIS MOVIE
I saw Star Trek, and had to plug my ears with my fingers! So bad it ruined the movie for me. But as a guy that has sold surround systems, the movie theaters just don't get it. I called the manager at the AMC and his comment was that they don't get that many complaints. Yeah right! I find that comment all over the internet. Surround is about an experiance, not about blowing someone's ears out. I was shocked, as I really expected a better experiance this time. If people saw what a Blue Ray looked like on a great HDTV, added to a decent surround system....they would never go to a movie again.]]>May 11th 2009 1:21AMhttp://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/05/10/poll-is-star-trek-better-at-an-imax-or-a-dlp-theater/http://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/05/10/poll-is-star-trek-better-at-an-imax-or-a-dlp-theater/
For the record, while I admit it's too loud, I still enjoy it. But then, the loudest movie I've seen on our IMAX screen was Dark Knight.
]]>May 11th 2009 1:49AMhttp://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/05/10/poll-is-star-trek-better-at-an-imax-or-a-dlp-theater/http://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/05/10/poll-is-star-trek-better-at-an-imax-or-a-dlp-theater/
I can clearly say, the IMAX was a better experience for Star Trek overall. It gave me "the tingles" all up and down my spine that a regular size screen just couldn't deliver.

The film was shown in a static aspect ratio and size the entire film. There did not appear to be any IMAX-enhanced scenes a la Dark Knight.

I do not understand the complaints with the IMAX sound, it is loud, but it is not overly loud. I think this is a theatre-to-theatre problem, and not one that should be specifically whacking IMAX, but the theatre itself for having the volume that bloody loud.

I will say, however, that both copies of the film had HORRIBLE detail and definition in (Nimoy) Spock's face near the end of the film, the close up shots. This is even more bizarre because both films had GREAT detail in identical close ups of Nimoy on the ice planet. Did anyone else see this?
]]>May 11th 2009 5:01AMhttp://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/05/10/poll-is-star-trek-better-at-an-imax-or-a-dlp-theater/http://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/05/10/poll-is-star-trek-better-at-an-imax-or-a-dlp-theater/]]>May 11th 2009 12:29PMhttp://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/05/10/poll-is-star-trek-better-at-an-imax-or-a-dlp-theater/http://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/05/10/poll-is-star-trek-better-at-an-imax-or-a-dlp-theater/http://www.cobbcinebistro.com/index.asp I'm going there again for Angels & Demons and then Terminator.

]]>May 11th 2009 9:12AMhttp://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/05/10/poll-is-star-trek-better-at-an-imax-or-a-dlp-theater/http://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/05/10/poll-is-star-trek-better-at-an-imax-or-a-dlp-theater/
I'm really excited to see it Wednesday night at the local Carmike on DLP. I think it will actually be a better experience.]]>May 11th 2009 9:24AMhttp://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/05/10/poll-is-star-trek-better-at-an-imax-or-a-dlp-theater/http://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/05/10/poll-is-star-trek-better-at-an-imax-or-a-dlp-theater/]]>May 11th 2009 4:39PM