"Note from Michael Schaffer, Director of Engineering, UltraStar Cinemas"

At first, I was skeptical about "having" to convert to red LED readers, mostly because of the cost factor, even though I had known the advantages from my own several years’ worth of experience. But then I began to rethink that cost factor.

The investment pays for itself rather quickly since the LED readers are much more stable and reliable, unlike exciter bulb-based systems, which go out in the middle of the show and continuously misalign themselves. For exhibitors who do not have the technical training to install the readers themselves and have to hire a technician for the installation, the investment pays for itself, even taking into account the cost of the hardware. Exhibitors will never lose a show because of LED failure, and will have far fewer (if any) service calls after the installation. There will just be the need for occasional level-setting, and this adjustment procedure is easily learned and performed by the projectionists. I think some exhibitors don’t see that.

On the one hand, there is the immediate gain in reliability, channel separation, lower distortion and cyan track compatibility. On the other hand, exhibitors will actually lose the money they could have invested in one red reader every time a full auditorium goes silent because the exciter bulb decides to quit on a Saturday night...

Michael Schaffer
Director of Engineering
UltraStar Cinemas