How to Retrofit Theaters for CinemaScope

The CinemaScope widescreen viewing experience provides dealers with a new way to tap into their existing client bases, thanks to lens systems that provide opportunities for installers to retrofit existing 16:9 projection systems for 2.35:1.

Leading the way in the 2.35 movement have been companies like Runco and Stewart Filmscreen, who have been advocating the benefits of high-definition video systems capable of displaying CinemaScope content.

Panamorph, which manufactures conversion lenses for home theater projectors, offers the UH480 lens and the IR-controlled ATH1 transport to turn a standard 16:9 projector into 2.35 without the black bars in under three seconds.

Opportunity Knocks

When HDTVs first started to gain momentum, many electronics professionals were installing plasmas, LCDs, and two-piece projection systems that featured 1.78 (16:9) aspect ratios.

John Schuermann, Panamorph's VP of marketing, says clients with these types of products may be ready to upgrade into a retrofittable widescreen solution.

"If the customer has the wall space and budget for a 2.35:1 screen, then our UH480 lens and ATH1 motorized sled can be added to just about any 16:9 projector currently on the market," he says. "We do recommend that the throw distance be at least 1.6 times the width of the 16:9 screen."

He says an effective way to sell clients on the differences between aspect ratios is to demo how much the experience changes from the smaller format to the larger one.

"We recommend starting a demo with the screen masked to its 16:9 mode, with a 2.35:1 or 2.40:1 movie playing with the usual black bars top and bottom," Schuermann explains.