Newest Tech, Using Six Primary Colors Rather Than White Light to Brighten 3D Images, Slated for Mass Production in 2015

Christie said that laser projectors using 6-Primary (6P) color laser modules will be demonstrated at CinemaCon, which begins March 24 at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas, and NAB, which opens April 5 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. The 6P system is being positioned as a better solution for digital cinema projection, especially stereo 3D, than previously demonstrated technology using only three color laser modules (3P).

"We believe that this is the future of 3D cinema projection, that it is right around the corner, and that it will be a key element in boosting 3D box-office revenues around the world," said Christie's Don Shaw, senior director of product management, in a prepared statement.

Specifically, the company said laser projection using 6P technology will allow more of the light generated in the projector to reach the screen. By using six primary color modules, rather than filtering or polarizing white light, a 6P projector is able to generate complete, separate images for the right eye and left eye, eliminating the need to filter or polarize the light on the way out of the projector to separate the picture into its right and left components. Even the glasses are being tweaked for efficiency—these demos will use specially engineered Dolby 3D glasses that exactly match the primary laser light wavelengths in use. "[Dolby's] color-separation based technique for 3D is well regarded as the gold standard among industry professionals, especially for its true color reproduction, compatibility with low-gain white screens, and superior crosstalk performance," Shaw said.

In all, almost 90 percent of the light generated by the projector should be apparent in the final 3D image, Christie said. The company claims the new technology is "at least twice as efficient as today's best 3D systems."

But this doesn't mean that Christie's 3P laser projection technology is obsolete out of the gate. For non-cinema applications, where stereo 3D on huge screens is not a consideration, Christie said its 3P laser projectors will provide up to 72,000 Lumens from a single projector head and have a wide color gamut, high contrast, and lower maintenance requirements compared to its traditional projection technology.