The IMAX Private Theatre is quite simply the ultimate home entertainment experience. A quantum leap in home cinema performance with unmatched picture and sound performance and a screen that is as immersive as it gets.
The term “The Best” is often used too casually…we may tune out what comes after those words as mere hyperbole. Not this time. Everyone knows what the IMAX Experience® is; we pay more money at the box office to be immersed in the larger, lifelike images and superior sound you can literally feel. You are pulled into the action…you become part of the movie. Now, for the first time, IMAX Experience® can be had in the privacy of your home. Following are some details that make IMAX special.
System approach
As it should be, the IMAX Private Theatre is designed as a complete system, not a bunch of disparate components put in a room as is often the case with many home theater “systems”. Every aspect of the IMAX Private Theatre – from IMAX’s renowned projection and sound technology to the room acoustics and theatre geometry – work as a fully integrated solution that IMAX optimizes specifically for your home.
IMAX’s team of specialists will work with your architect and interior designer throughout the process to ensure that the room meets the company’s exacting requirements while catering to your specific design preferences. While IMAX engineers address each theatre on a case-by-case basis, the reference specs for the minimum screen width is 21′ by 12′ high, and it goes up from there. An IMAX theater can easily accommodate 50 seats or more, as the system is scalable. As you can surmise, you need a large room for this…minimum core shell requirements for the room are approximately 15.5′ high, 26.5′ wide, and 36.5′ deep.
Unique projection system
IMAX’s proprietary projection system is completely unique – and extremely powerful. There are two projectors in the system, each roughly being 4′ high x 4′ wide x 2′ deep and weighing 1200 pounds each. The projectors face each other and their light output is collimated with a specially-designed, patent-pending mirror rig which sits between the projectors. Each projector is 4K resolution (also known as Ultra HD, which is 4x the resolution of the current high-definition 1080p format). Both projectors run simultaneously for 3D viewing, and for 2D material, the system will alternate use of one projector at a time. The projectors are located in a projection booth behind the back wall of the theater space, just like in a commercial cinema. The projection booth minimum space requirements are 8′ high, 14′ wide, by 10′ deep.
The projection screen includes a unique compound curve unlike any other home theater screen in existence. A compound curve screen means that the screen’s inward-facing curve isn’t uniform…parts of the screen curve at different rates. The reason for this design is that every seat in the house gets a great, sharply focused, uniformly bright picture…not just the “money seat”. IMAX isn’t about compromises.
Every IMAX Private Theater gets its own wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling and uniquely curved IMAX screen that is designed around that specific theater’s seating layout. The screen spans wall-to-wall, and floor-to-ceiling.
Maximum field of view
The seats are also brought much closer to the screen to maximize your field of view and make you feel like you are part of the action. This is a major differentiating factor of the IMAX Experience, and IMAX makes this is possible while still maintaining pristine image quality using IMAX’s unique blend of video projection, image enhancement techniques, and custom optics/screen technology. This can’t be replicated by any other technologies on the market, as again, this is a full system approach by a company with decades of experience in immersive theater design.
Image enhancement
IMAX uses a proprietary image enhancer to maximize image fidelity regardless of the source material. In addition to the built-in audio/video media server, you can watch PRIMA Cinema day-and-date movie releases and connect up to 4 video sources to the system, such as a cable box or satellite receiver, AppleTV, video game console, etc. For more on the PRIMA Cinema movie player, click here.
Proprietary sound system
IMAX’s proprietary, laser-aligned sound system is custom-designed using true cinema-grade hardware capable of much higher-performance than consumer-grade speakers. Uniquely, IMAX uses a proprietary microphone system that performs daily tuning calibrations to ensure the sound you hear is always perfectly tuned.
IMAX-engineered acoustic design
Very importantly, acoustic design is required and is included in the offering. Since a room’s acoustic signature account for roughly 50% of the sound quality, it is important to design the acoustic envelope properly so the sound is heard the way the movie’s director intended it. IMAX engineers are involved in the acoustic design of each IMAX Private Theatre to ensure that all seats get the best possible sound.
Sound isolation requirements
There is a sound isolation specification that must be met before the components can be installed, which further ensures a great, distraction-free environment. Not only will you not hear outside sounds interfering with the movie experience, very little sound will escape the theater to disrupt others outside the space.
Remote monitoring
IMAX Private Theaters are remotely-monitored by IMAX headquarters 24/7, and if any problems are detected with the system, they can be addressed remotely or IMAX will proactively schedule service in coordination with VIA.
Some of today’s leading filmmakers have access to a special screening room in IMAX’s Santa Monica facility, where they review their films in IMAX for the first time after it goes through IMAX’s digital re-mastering (IMAX DMR). Besides these filmmakers and A-list actors, few have experienced what is possible in private cinema entertainment. Not anymore…that experience can be yours to own in the comfort of your home. Click here to visit the IMAX Private Theatre website. As it says on their website, ‘Everyone’s Experienced It. Few Will Own It.’ Each IMAX Private Theatre comes with a plaque authenticating that installation as a true IMAX Private Theatre.