As a front projector patron I became curious just how good my projector stacked up against the cinema. A trip to the movies was in order. In another thread and at least another movie house or two, I'll publish my results. In the meantime, I challenge all forum readers to do the same and share their experience.

It has been done recently: this thread (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=291190).

Good point. Apart from the direct comparison between the screen/picture and the sound, there are other differences in the environments that make each enjoyable. There are lots of fun things that can make going to the movies interesting.

1) You're going out, there are other people around and its a more social activity.
2) The movie theatres, even the smaller ones, are large rooms, large spaces and the environment is neat.

Other than that, home theatres are great. I think my AE100 has equalled or bettered the picture quality of a few movie outings I've been to. As far as sound, some cinema's are actually quite good, with quality sound and decent bass, while others are quite inferior to my home sound setup.

adding to cpc's comments....

1) peoples mobile phones ringing in the cinema
2) people talking while the movie is running
3) stupid youths ruining the film by making funny noises and throwing popcorn
4) paying lots of money for entrance fees

but of course, i do still love the cinema, i love seeing the latest trailers, kicking back and having some snacks, and watching on a really big screen!!!

nevertheless, im very happy i have my ht, when the billing is what i want to see, when i want to see it!!!!

krlock

Me? I'll take my home theater. I took the approach beginning last year that if I waited about 6 mo. without going to the theater I would have a those movies I missed being released on DVD. Yes, I will go to an occasional must see movie at that theater. But to be honest, I'm no longer compelled to do so. $3 and change is a lot nicer price to pay than the $12-$20 I pay for the movie.

In fact, now I'm looking for an old theater style popcorn popper. I'd rather invest money in things I can own.

Oh, and here is something about the movie theaters that I hate. Have you ever tried to get an extra CUP from a movie theater?? I once bought a huge tub of popcorn; my brother inlaw and I were going to share. The theater was so full that we had to sit on two opposite sides of the theater. I asked for an extra cup to put some popcorn in. They responded, "$2.50 please!"

I like the home theater much better.. Drink,, popcorn,,,, great sound,, excellent picture.. it equals an investment I can keep. Keep the Cup theaters!!! I don't need you anymore!

;)

HotAhr climbs down from his soap box

Originally posted by krlock
but of course, i do still love the cinema, i love seeing the latest trailers, kicking back and having some snacks, and watching on a really big screen!!!

If you've got an HTPC you can simulate the theatre experience. On mine I have a 15 minute pre-movie "slide-show" I cobbled together myself using trivia slides off a movie slide supply website, and in between I post funny pictures found off "comedy" websites. People love it. Then my home theatre intro, then a couple of the latest previews (downloaded off the net), and to the movie... Not to mention IR turns down the lights at the proper moment etc etc.

- Cryo

I even leave the theatre in the middle of the movie, go upstairs and call down to my wife's cel phone just to simulate a real theatre. Then I come back and sit behind one of my guests and kick his seat for a while, throw popcorn in his/her hair, and finally pinch my 2-year old so she'll cry throughout the film. Ahhh the movies...

Touche!

I love my HT and gave up going out to the theater years ago (except when my 10 year old daughter begs me to bring her... I can't say no to her... I am in therapy). I love my HT. The only downside no one mentioned is my family still calls me with telephone interuptions. They do not get that I am "not home". Also, my wife would rather talk on the phone then watch a movie, so when I watch with her there are at least 3-4 interuptions.

Otherwise HT has, better seats, better treats, less traffic and a better crowd. Think I'll stay in tonight.

Originally posted by cpc

1) You're going out, there are other people around and its a more social activity.
2) The movie theatres, even the smaller ones, are large rooms, large spaces and the environment is neat.

Funny, these are the precise reasons I stay home. And I don't even have a PJ yet.

On average, I enjoy watching movies in my HT more than going out to a cinemaplex. The goal is to beat the cinemaplex in some overall subjective way, and that's the reason I've spent thousands on my HT. On the rare occasions that the cinemaplex has a well-behaved audience, proper volume levels, a clean screen with a focused picture, etc., then I find that I can't quite match the ambience in my HT and the cinemaplex gets the nod. However, such occurrences are so few and far between that my HT is the overall favorite for consistent movie-watching enjoyment.

yeah margomaps.... i thought i was the only one who thought that volume levels are often neglected in a lot in cinemas.....

once i had to go and ask the manager to turn up the volume during The Perfect Storm.... sounded more like The Slight Breeze......

krlock

you forgot sticky seats at the movie theater!

I only see arty, 'unpopular' movies in small independent theaters nowadays. The audiences for these types of movies are quiet and well-behaved (and usually mature).

I find the audiences for blockbuster-type movies to be loud and obnoxious. For these types of movies, I will skip the theater and wait for the DVD.

Why I like Home Theater better than the cineplex:

- Pause button!
- The movie can start exactly when I want it to
- Sound and video adjustment are to my liking 100% of the time
- Much more comfortable seating (no elbow fights with the person next to me)
- WAY cheaper snacks and refreshments
- No people talking or coughing, no babies crying, or people getting up and down during the movie necessitating that I either stand up to let them by, or shift sideways. That is very distracting!
- No parking hassles
- No dress code (no shirt, no shoes, no problem...) ;)
- More sanitary (no "mystery smells")

--Scott

Originally posted by scottpe
- More sanitary (no "mystery smells")

Dunno about that, my kids can generate some pretty good mystery smells... But at least I know its family gas, not from some sweaty stranger...

- Cryo

Originally posted by Cryofax
Dunno about that, my kids can generate some pretty good mystery smells... But at least I know its family gas, not from some sweaty stranger...

- Cryo

LOL, I here ya. I have four crumb-crushers myself... ;)

I was more referring to the odors coming from the theaters themselves sometimes (floors, seats, who knows?). If you happen to sit in the wrong place it can be rather unpleasant...

--Scott

Originally posted by krlock
adding to cpc's comments....

1) peoples mobile phones ringing in the cinema
2) people talking while the movie is running
3) stupid youths ruining the film by making funny noises and throwing popcorn
4) paying lots of money for entrance fees



Damn, I've got three kids so 2 and 3 are still a problem. #1 is my own phone and as for number 4: I could see a lot of movies (with popcorn) for what I've spent so far this year.

Originally posted by HotAhr:
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Oh, and here is something about the movie theaters that I hate. Have you ever tried to get an extra CUP from a movie theater?? I once bought a huge tub of popcorn; my brother inlaw and I were going to share. The theater was so full that we had to sit on two opposite sides of the theater. I asked for an extra cup to put some popcorn in. They responded, "$2.50 please!"
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HotAhr,

When I share a large popcorn (or even a small one), I solve that problem by asking for one of those fold-out tray/boxes they give you to carry drinks and goodies all together and dump half of the popcorn into it. They're free and just as clean inside as a 'real' popcorn cup.

Just one word of caution; if you're going to rest the cardboard tray/box on your lap in the theater, butter (flavoring) can soak through the cardboard a little easier than through a regular popcorn cup, but a couple of napkins on your lap is plenty to keep it from staining your trousers.

Incidentally, if it's one of those theaters where you add the butter yourself over at a separate, self-serve soda and condiment bar, using one of those tray/boxes is about the only way to then get some butter in the middle of your popcorn order instead of just on top. You dump half of it into the tray/box, drizzle the butter (flavoring) into your bag and then dump it back into the bag and add more to the top.

It's all in my book. I've devoted an entire chapter to Popcorn Management.
:D

Hitchfan,

I just scoured Amazon looking for your book. Is it out in paperback yet? I am especially interested in chapter 6 "Manipulating ushers for fun and profit".

I still like the cinema, but less and less. I live in a smaller city and both our cinemas are crappy. Their pictures never quite seem in focus, the sound is either ear-splitting or too quiet. I do like the social aspect of it sometimes however.

I've realized that my humble little HS10 combined with my DVI DVD player is besting the cinema about 90% of the time. I am truly awed thinking what HD-DVD combined with a 1080 projector will look like in my home many moons from now.

~Dominic

HitchFan,

Shhhhh,

They are listening. "$2.50 please!"

:D

HotAhr

My wife and I love movies. We would go every week. Between dinner & movie it was 4, sometimes 4 1/2 hours. With the home theatre we now go out 3 hours, come home and watch a movie. That's more time out doing other non-movie stuff, and a better movie experience when we get home.

Not to mention between baby sitter, movie tickets, popcorn, etc we easily save over $100/month and enjoy our movies more than ever.

- Cryo

I can easily spend a whooping 30.00 @ my local theater for me and my wife.

At home,, I got the comfort, big screen, better speakers and not all the childish kids talking and making funny noises to be the clown of the room.

I used to go to the movies every tuesday which used to be "half-price" evenings. Well, used to. Now it's just maybe $1.50 below normal price...

And just this week, I bought myself an Infocus X1. And ohhh... Ohhh! OHHHH!! How can I ever go back to the theater!!! Me and my fiance watched "Two Towers" last night and we both agreed that this is going to be a very very enjoyable winter coming. :)

And it's only the beginning for me and this expensive addiction...

Cryofax,
could you give me the link to the slide supply website
Thanks

Everyone, I have a very nice theater near my house, and I go occasionally, but $10 for one ticket is just too much, between me and my housemate we could buy the DVD and watch it as often as we like.
Matt

Another advantage of NOT going out to the cinemaplex is that I don't have to worry about parking hassles. I'm as protective of my car as I am of my HT, and I find movie patrons on average to be rather disrespectful of other cars; in other words I'm worried about door dings or worse. Plus it's often a headache getting out of the parking lot when multiple screens let out at the same time.

Originally posted by enginerd
Cryofax,
could you give me the link to the slide supply website
Thanks


Sure...

http://www.akonscreen.com/trivia/index.html

plus don't forget some stuff from our local forum members:

http://www.scslawin.com

and

http://www.theaterintros.com/freeintro-47651.html


- Cryo

Thanks Cryo

How about this one for Midwesterners and Canadians....No freezing your butt off in January!

Fellow readers,

My challenge was NOT to rant your dislikes about the cinema but rather to compare its picture quality against your home theater. Ideally, we would compare color fidelity and saturation, clarity of image, black levels, shadow details, and the like. For good measure, we can compare home audio vs cinema audio too. Any takers?

Well, CMRA, there are several problems with doing the comparison you want: for example, 99.9 percent of theaters are showing film, while 99.9 percent of us are using digital systems. Furthermore, considering the film/cinema industry these days, I would expect that the control of the film showing in the cinema is left to fairly inexperienced people, leading to wide variations in the quality of the presentations.

I think that while HT has been improving dramatically and prices are plummeting, cinemas are going in the opposite direction! I realize this is before everyone's time, but during the 1920s and 1930s theaters were called "movie palaces" and they were quite spectacular inside. Think of a smaller version of Radio City Music Hall in NYC, for example. There was, of course, no HT then, but, I would imagine, the choice between a HT and a "movie palace" would not be as easy as that between a HT and cineplex.

Also, with large companies owning theater chains, the focus is solely on profit -- equipment maintenance probably consists of fixing something only when it breaks, for example, or upgrading to new and better technology only when it is cheaper than fixing the old equipment.

We, OTOH, mostly spend on maintaining and upgrading our equipment.

Here's an interesting article.

http://www.cbc.ca/stories/2003/09/09/Consumers/dvd_movies030909

Originally posted by CMRA
Fellow readers,

My challenge was NOT to rant your dislikes about the cinema but rather to compare its picture quality against your home theater. Ideally, we would compare color fidelity and saturation, clarity of image, black levels, shadow details, and the like. For good measure, we can compare home audio vs cinema audio too. Any takers?
Ohhh, THAT'S what you wanted. ;) Although my dislikes are the answer to your question.

HT wins, easy. Except in size.

Audio: speakers about the same quality level, but calibrated and at MY preferred volume at home, so the experience is superior. Except for the sub, my sub wins. No contest.

Video: my direct-view is more consistent, although I still need to fix the red push. But at least it's always framed properly. :rolleyes: Basically, it comes down to the DVD. Is it a good rendition of the film, almost invariably it is.


3 movies left to complete 3 trilogies. Then I'm done with theaters. (unless there are, um, other benefits to going out)

Originally posted by Spiky
...3 movies left to complete 3 trilogies. Then I'm done with theaters. (unless there are, um, other benefits to going out)

OK, Lord of the Rings: Return of the King and Star Wars Episode 3 are obvious, but what is the third trilogy?

Originally posted by BMAG
OK, Lord of the Rings: Return of the King and Star Wars Episode 3 are obvious, but what is the third trilogy?

Star Wars isn't a trilogy.... (unless you choose to see 1-3 and 4-6 as separate trilogies, which technically they're really not)

I'm guessing Matrix Revolutions, Return of the King and....???

--Scott

D'oh!! I forgot about Matrix.

I don't mean to gross you guys out, but there was a study done on theater seating and guess what they tested for? Fecal waste! Yep, that's right and due to the amount of flatulence that's let loose by theater patrons, every single seat had traces of fecal matter on the seat. Think about that next time you go to a public theater!

Originally posted by Marissadad
I don't mean to gross you guys out, but there was a study done on theater seating and guess what they tested for? Fecal waste! Yep, that's right and due to the amount of flatulence that's let loose by theater patrons, every single seat had traces of fecal matter on the seat. Think about that next time you go to a public theater!
...or sit in a restaurant, or on a bus, or on a train, etc...

Originally posted by Marissadad
I don't mean to gross you guys out, but there was a study done on theater seating and guess what they tested for? Fecal waste! Yep, that's right and due to the amount of flatulence that's let loose by theater patrons, every single seat had traces of fecal matter on the seat. Think about that next time you go to a public theater!

Yeah, I'll think about that next time I let one rip at the cineplex... :p

LOL... sorry, couldn't resist. :D

--Scott

As much as I enjoy listening to my favorite song on my iPod while driving down the road, it is still more satisfying to hear it on the radio when I am not expecting it. There is something about the spontaneity(sp?) of getting caught off guard and having to listen to the song in its entirety as you can't just pause it whenever you want and resume playback.

I feel the same way about HT's. Understand my X1 arrived yesterday and won't get hooked up until this weekend so maybe once I get a 6.5 foot image my opinion may change. Still, going to a movie is an event and you have to plan for it.

As much as I don't like the crowds they do add to some movies. I would guarantee you there are times in a movie that you won't laugh by yourself but in a crowded theater, everyone laughs out loud together. I just saw Open Range and everyone clapped and whistled at the end of the movie. That hasn't happened in a long time and it helps to reaffirm that what you just watched was a very good movie. By myself I may have thought it was good, but not great. There is something to be said for sharing such an experience with others.

I am also in the bad habit of stretching a good movie out over a couple of days which of course you can't do at the theater. I can also pause the movie whenever I feel like it but too much of that breaks the continuity in a similar manner. If I am disciplined enough to watch a movie from start to finish like I am supposed to it is much more enjoyable. All this is of course up to me to fix but I thought I would mention it.

My biggest gripes about going to the movies are:

1) Long lines
2) Dim picture
3) Crowded theaters
4) Noisy children
5) Expense
6) Parking

BTW, I like the idea of downloading trailers and playing them back before watching a movie. Is there much more to it than just plugging a laptop into the projector and playing the previously downloaded QT movie back. What kind of resolution do you get?

Greg Matty

As far as quality of my HT picture compared to the many cinema's I've been to, I'd say they're at least equal. - this is per my viewing eye - no specific details or scientific measurements.

As far as the sound- my HT setup sounds just as good or better to me depending on the theater. My local theater's sub went out years ago and the owner refuses to replace it. The center channel also cuts out for various periods of time during movies - quite aggrivating. Compared to other cineplexes my audio sounds comparable and the house shakes just as much. :)

For starters, I can't comment on something back to the 20s and 30s but I can assure you the palace theater design lived well into the 60s and beyond. As a child growing up then, we had several older 'grand' monsters to attend. But, I came for the movie and perhaps even the candy. Then, as now, films looked good to excellent. Sound was, well, hugely mono, but I was thrilled just the same.
Getting back to the issue, yes I am comparing digital HT to cinema. I can't speak for others, but on a well mastered DVD or HBO HDTV broadcast I find it very hard to distinguish the differences. A good digital transfer looks incredibly 'film like' to me. I suppose that has a lot to do with the associated playback equipment.
I would have to think the biggest challenge would be a viewer's ability to remember what the film looked like six months prior to the release of the DVD. Is our visual memory that good?
This much I can attest to, some DVD transfers are excellent and give film a run for the money even at a lowly 720x480 resolution. Same with some of the HBO HD transfers. The idea that I can enjoy a 'cinema' experience in my own home is fine with me. And, it's getting better all the time.

I will take my digital HT over cinema picture any day for the fact that I get the best seat in the house every single time. No need to settle for the seat on the sides, front row where you break your neck looking up or way at the back. I'm in the sweet spot every time, all the time. So for that, picture quality wins in my basement. :)

The only movies I have seen at the Theater in the last year have been:

Jungle Book 2 - Screen had a serious dust bunny problem across the whole right side, very annoying throughout the whole show, sound was mediocre at best (center sounded distorted during loud passages)

Finding Nemo - Opening night. Theater was crowded had to sit too close, PQ was pretty good, sound was average.

Matrix - wrong aspect ratio, sides of the film were being projected onto the curtains, sound was so so, too much LFE, too much kHz.

LOTRTTT - not bad PQ but the sound was atrocious could not understand most of Golem's lines.

Conversely I have probably watched on the average of 2 to 3 movies and 2 to 3 sporting events per week in my HT over the last year.

The only PQ issues were either bad transfers to DVD or poor transmisions of sporting events. Color saturation is always dead on, contrast is excellent (blacks are always black not gray), brightness is just right not overpowering or too dark.

Sound is 10 times better than most theaters I have been to; dialogue is always intelligible, sound effects are great, LFE is tremendous (feel it in your soul kind of stuff).

I would probably never go to the movies if it wasn't for my kids wanting to see a new release or myself sometimes getting the itch to go "to the movies" (this itch I am slowly getting over the more bad experiences I have).

I personally feel that my Home Theater was a tremendous investment because of the versatility of it (Video Arcade, Movie Theater, Sports Bar, Concert Hall, Educational Theater etc.) and the pure and simple pleasure of having your own movie theater in your home.

Originally posted by CMRA
Fellow readers,

For good measure, we can compare home audio vs cinema audio too. Any takers?

Hi CMRA,
Our local cinema here in Oz is DTS based with very impressive sound. This is something I'm tried to emulate with my home Theatre. Its not that its overly loud, its the shear 'power' of the sound at lower volumes that is impressive. As far as bass response goes, I can go close with my Jamo 15" THX Ultra sub, but I still can't quite match the authority of the music in my home theatre at lower volumes. I put this down to the fact that the cinema uses large (as a guess 15" drivers) high quality side wall (about 6 per side) and front speakers, for the rest of the sound. Has anyone else noticed this in their local cinema?

cheers,
Stephen

My two most recent experiences were compliments of the U.S. Navy. Retirees and their guests are admitted for free (they make their dough from the concessions).
To the point: Show #1-'Pirates of the Carribean'. Now I know what it is like to watch a movie with a very aged lamp. Obviously I couldn't complain, it was free. The image was dull and lifeless. The colors were hugely muted, far and away from my home experience. Not sure I ever want to go back there again. I suppose the DOD is spending too much money fighting wars and can't afford a new lamp. Anyway, this test is null and void.
Show #2-'Seabiscuit'. At another Navy theater (Lowry) the picture was much less objectionable. Though the colors were brighter they still couldn't match my home theater experience. I did notice the ultra 'smooth' film quality you read so much about. The sound quality was on par with any I've heard at the AMC. In other words, it was quite good especially filling up a theater that big( 2000 seats ). So far, it's 2 to 0 in favor of the home theater.

Originally posted by CMRA
For starters, I can't comment on something back to the 20s and 30s but I can assure you the palace theater design lived well into the 60s and beyond. As a child growing up then, we had several older 'grand' monsters to attend.


Yes, I wasn't writing from personal experience either :)
I grew up in the 60s and there were several of these "palaces" left where I lived. The difference between them and the cineplexes of today (not to mention the audiences) is huge!

Getting back to the issue, yes I am comparing digital HT to cinema. I can't speak for others, but on a well mastered DVD or HBO HDTV broadcast I find it very hard to distinguish the differences. A good digital transfer looks incredibly 'film like' to me.

Yes, that was pretty much my point: we can tweak our pj to our personal taste, but theaters can't do that.

This much I can attest to, some DVD transfers are excellent and give film a run for the money even at a lowly 720x480 resolution. Same with some of the HBO HD transfers. The idea that I can enjoy a 'cinema' experience in my own home is fine with me. And, it's getting better all the time. :)

I agree. As I wrote originally, while HT is getting better, theaters are "getting worse" in the sense that little investment or improvement is made in a timely manner.

The one thing about theaters that we still miss at home is the audience. Many years ago, I saw "Dressed to Kill" in the theater. When Michael Caine, in drag, suddenly stood up behind Angie Dickinson between the subway cars, a woman in the audience screamed "duck, bitch!" and, I venture to say, no one in that audience, that night (the early 1980s) ever forgot it.

Sounds to me like your cinema went to extraordinary lengths to provide the best in sound reproduction. At home or the local cinema sound for the most part is done well, that is, there's really nothing to complain about. Both are loud and clear, silent in the quite passages, and thunderous without breaking up in loud passages. Of course, we have all been to a theater at least once where the sound was atrocious.

Something grand and glorious that currently is only available to HT. It's called WM9. Those who have tested the waters know what I'm talking about. In short, it's DVD at 720p and 1080p. If this ever takes off...hmmmm.

Keeping everyone current, Samsung among others, I have read, plan to facilitate WM9 in some upcoming stand alone DVD players. This obviously is a major push and will make HT just that much better, sooner. Surely Further must like the sound of that also.

To add to the list of gripes about movie theaters - the seemingly endless parade of commercials and trailers that they want to force down our throats.

In all fairness, you get those on many DVDs also...especially Disney. Fortunately, a click of the 'menu' button makes them disappear. My complaint isn't the trailers as much as how sorry the image is compared to the feature movie. A great trailer could be beneficial in showing off your home theater.

Today I took delivery of the Terminator 2 "Extreme Edition" dvd. Without fanfare, it's 1080p DVD! In other circles, HD-DVD. More Later.

Originally posted by CMRA
Today I took delivery of the Terminator 2 "Extreme Edition" dvd. Without fanfare, it's 1080p DVD! In other circles, HD-DVD. More Later.

It is most definitively not HD-DVD. The HD version is in Windows Media Player 9 format and is only playable on a computer.

DVD scaled to 720P in the Bravo D-1 is pretty awesome!!! HDTV ? Well... I'm not gonna make that call, but an image that looks great at 100 inchs !

Chris

Precisely! It's a two disc set. The second disc is the High Def Windows Media file. Yes, it ONLY plays on a PC. A very potent one at that. For those interested it's under the Artisan lable, UPC #12236-14628. You'll also need to download WM9 from Microsoft...for free.

Given the system requirements for the T2 extreme edition, I believe it will be beneficial to inform forum members sample clips are available from microsoft. Members need only download them as well as the WM9 player. Most of the clips are 720p and can be played on less powerful PCs under a variety of operating systems. See what Redwood has in store for you.

WARNING: The T2 disc is a project to get working correctly.

I haven't been able to get it to play cleanly because my vid card is too weak. But, I will say that the picture quality is impressive. Haven't put it up on the X1 yet, but I'm sure it's going to look great.

Originally posted by TurboDog1
WARNING: The T2 disc is a project to get working correctly.



Indeed it is. Again, all readers interested would be better served by downloading the clips.

Now wait a minute CMRA.......you don't want to share in the anxiety and frustration?....Actually, if I had a beefy system, I wouldn't shy away. If it was less than 2 Ghz and the vid card was old, I would indeed stray away.

Good luck to the brave souls. :)

That seems to sum it up. However, the 720p clips are excellent and indicative of HD-DVD. More exposure shouldn't hurt. And, most systems can deal with them.

I agree.....I was just trying to share in some of the pain :D
You're right.....this is where things are going. In a press to stop us all from using HTPCs, they will release a wave of DVD players that can handle what we can now handle....that's assuming that you system has more guts than mine :mad:

After watching HBO-HDTV at 1080i last night on my PJ all I can say now is "Bring it on"!!!

I have now viewed 'Moulin Rouge' three ways: Cinema, DVD, and HBO-HDTV. Without question, the HBO-hdtv broadcast set the standard. What we need now is a TCM-High Def channel. Make that several of them.

Thought it be good to resurrect this thread. Anybody had a good cinema experience lately? Movies you'll want to own when the DVDs are released? Wish list for HBO HDTV?

My next visit to the theatre will only be next Decembre for "Return Of The King". It'll be my first visit to the theatre since last year for "Two Towers" and my first since I bought my Infocus X1 3 weeks ago.

Now that I had time to totally enjoy my home big screen, it'll be an interesting experience to return to Famous Players (the 24 screens theatre we have here). I'm sure I'll be a lot more sensitive to the bad things about it and notice a lot of them. What I'm really looking forward to is for my wife to feel the same way as well to help me justify the purchase. ;)

Originally posted by Glacier991
DVD scaled to 720P in the Bravo D-1 is pretty awesome!!! HDTV ? Well... I'm not gonna make that call, but an image that looks great at 100 inchs !

Chris
I assume that's 720p via DVI. What about component analog? Does the bravo rescale that too? I tried the Momitsu V880 and the component image was SOFT and undifined on my PJ but fine on CRT. Results to share?

I agree w/ all the previous gripes about theathers, but I'm surprised to see no one mentioned SEX, yes SEX. It's damn hard (no pun intended) to have a good sexual experience when everybody in the theatre keeps saying SSSSSHHHHHHHHHH not to mention gawking! Don't people have sex anymore? Pause button baby!

Looks like this thread is about to go extinct. Anybody in this forum have a recent movie experience to share? A comparison? A wish list?

"Under the Tuscan Sun" looked absolutely gorgeous at the theater today. I bet this will look fantastic on most projectors also.

The main thing to remember about movies is that if you want to see a movie as soon as possible, you have to go to the movie theater.

CRMA - yes the Bravo pic was 720P through DVI. DVI is a significant improvement IMHO. Now a Christmas wish list would be an X-1 priced machine (or an X-1) with DVI input. The picture quality (on the Sony HS-10 I was viewing it on) was best on DVI, and visibly better than component at that. I'll be curious to see how the Bravo does with an X-1. I am planning a review and hope to compare all output modes against one another with pictures. I can already tell you on the Sony HS-10, S Video input was least attractive (not "Horrible, just not as good as the others) Componment next (and good) but DVI was hands down the winner (all in 720P scaled in the Bravo). The picture off DVD scaled to 1080 wenr downhill versus 720P. More to come.

Chris

Originally posted by simmike
[BThe main thing to remember about movies is that if you want to see a movie as soon as possible, you have to go to the movie theater. [/B]

Isn't that the truth! Perhaps in time movies will be broadcast in homes on a pay per view basis WITHOUT the wait. I suppose after HDTV becomes mainstream this idea may become plausible. Somebody with the clout and vision is probably working on it as we speak.

Originally posted by CMRA
Isn't that the truth! Perhaps in time movies will be broadcast in homes on a pay per view basis WITHOUT the wait.

I already posted about this earlier in the thread. :)

http://www.cbc.ca/stories/2003/09/09/Consumers/dvd_movies030909

Originally posted by Vantorax
I already posted about this earlier in the thread. :)

http://www.cbc.ca/stories/2003/09/09/Consumers/dvd_movies030909

Thanks for this informative link. It sounds like a step in the right direction even if only on a limited basis. I see no reason, after HDTV has a significant market penetration ,why movies can't be broadcast immediately on the heels of the cinema release. It would have to be pay per view, of course.

Originally posted by simmike
"Under the Tuscan Sun" looked absolutely gorgeous at the theater today. I bet this will look fantastic on most projectors also.



I forgot to inquire. Could you elaborate on 'gorgeous'? What about the audio? Soundtrack? TIA

I have to put in my 2 cents.

I go less since the sound in my house became better than the sound in a lot of theaters, many times just from the ability to actually raise the volume to the level needed for a more immersive experience.

BUT.. there is something to be said for the really big show. I find that if I wait just a week or two and go to the movies on Wednesday at 1PM or earlier (whenever the first showing is) I am usually alone in the theater or with other adults there for the same reasons I am there....

To see the movie away from the annoyances of the general public.

Any really good sci-fi, fantasy, or action/adventure should be sampled on the big-screen and heard over the required 40 (or however many...it's more than seven...that's for sure) speakers.

Like cars, there ain't no substitute for cubic inches.

...this thread is about to go into oblivion! SUrely someone on this forum has a new cinema experience they wish to share. I plan to see 'Open Range" this week and maybe "Under the Tuscan Sun" just to keep a fresh cinema perspective. What about the rest of you?

Aside from some clever dialoge I walked out of the theater wondering why I went. Could I nominate this for the turkey awards? Slow pokey throughout and I'm still waiting for the action. Gunshot sounds did rattle through the theater nicely, however. If you liked "Reds" you'll probably like this.

The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King

That will be the only movie I will see in theatres in 2003 because I simply cannot wait for it to come out on DVD next year. The last one I saw being "Two Towers" and some idiot in the theater kept running his laser pen on the screen. :mad:

Summer's over and it's getting cold again in Canada (well, at least where I am) and with the recent install of my new PJ, it will be a very sweet winter in my basement. I already have the 5.1 DD/DTS sound so I'm all set!! :D

Theater employees get all pissy if you bring hard liquor to the movie....go figure. :D

-Scot

Over here in some of the cinemas in ireland (Cork anyway) my own setup at home is nearly better most of the time. Saw finding nemo the other day and the PQ was really poor. Dolby Digital, well its there kinda. For DTS, never have i seen a DTS trailer in a Cork cinema. Although i know you cant beat the big ass screen and the a packed audience for the experience...

Originally posted by ScotWithOne_t
Theater employees get all pissy if you bring hard liquor to the movie....go figure. :D

*cough* *cough* *choke*

How can I possibly forget this excellent reason to enjoy movies at home!! :D

Scot:

You should see how pissy they get when you try to light up a cigar.

I have no more "Bad Theater Experience" simply because I stopped going after getting the PJ.

Am I going to risk viewing Return of the King right besides a nachos eater? I'd rather have my left nut chopped off...

Am I going to risk having somebody answer his cell phone and have an ongoing conversation in the theater room and in the middle of the movie? Guess what I'd rather have chopped off...

For the last year or so, I only go to a theater to see really important releases, and I only go to see them at the cinerama (www.cinerama.com). The cinerama kicks my HT's butt up and down the street :)
I went there for both LOTR's, the last star wars, and the first matrix. Will be going back for the last matrix, last LOTR, and however many more star wars' there are left :)

Otherwise I have been watching movies at home on my crappy 27" tv on DVD. Now that I got my X1 this week, I'm that much more (quite a bit) compelled to stay out of theaters for the majority of films. Even with my cheap RCA home theater in a box, the sound is very fulfilling at home. Even with my (*gasp*) plain wall for a screen, the image is very fulfilling at home. Beyond that I can watch in my underwear, drink a beer, and pause it to take a leak :D

Actually I might go see Kill Bill in the theater.. haven't decided yet.

I think Opera'sFantom is really on the right track. It's all about the risk that's involved in a theater outing. I find HT to simply be an elimination of risk. As a finance guy, this is a heavenly solution as our entire profession can be summed up by the search for risk reduction. Ah, the elimination of even the possibility of a cell phone talker, or a baby, or a this or a that. HT rules.

have we forgot what HT was all about? MOVIES!

Saw three over the holidays: Master and Commander, Runaway Jury, and...well it wasn't worth mentioning.
Must say, Runaway was a movie that kept my interest all the way. Well done, snappy dialog, and a surprise ending. AN Encore Gene Hackman performance.
M&C had its moments. The battle scenes were first class. Might just turn out to be a showoff HT DVD if the sound track transfers over well.

From the posts here, it seems like NO ONE here has seen a movie at the movie theater where they used a commercial DLP projector to project a completely digitally shot film.

I saw Star Wars, Episode II: AOTC on one of these commercial DLP (which for some reason, this theater in Olathe, KS does not have anymore :-( ), and that blew away ANYTHING I have ever seen on a PJ, even the high-end PJ's.

If you live near a theater that has a commercial DLP projector (Check the DLP website to find out), you are nuts to wait for the film on DVD, let alone go see it on a regular commercial movie theater projector. And no, there isn't even a hint of rainbows with commercial DLP. I can't even begin to describe how awesome commercial DLP is...

That experience is ridiculous: I love Finding Nemo on my Dell 3200MP via DVD, but I kicking myself for not seeing it on a Commercial DLP PJ (The DLP site listed it as a movie that was out for DLP in 2003).

Other than commercial DLP, I agree: Stay home.

Originally posted by pappy97
I can't even begin to describe how awesome commercial DLP is...

That experience is ridiculous: I love Finding Nemo on my Dell 3200MP via DVD, but I kicking myself for not seeing it on a Commercial DLP PJ (The DLP site listed it as a movie that was out for DLP in 2003).

Other than commercial DLP, I agree: Stay home.

Thanks for bringing that to everyone's attention. This weekend I saw "Cold Mountain" and found the viewing very favorable. Maybe it's time to look into the 'theater of the future'. I'll head over the the DLP site and see what's cooking.

I stopped going to the movie theatre years and years ago......Social Experience? I can get a better social experience shopping at WalMart.

If you're 15 and have to get dropped off somewhere to meet your friends, thats what movie theatres are for.......the last movie I saw in a threate was not only out-of-focus, but I had two 40 year old idiots who laughed at every scene, even ones that weren't supposed to be funny.......I think I realized about half way throught the movie that I'm not longer cut out for theatres...since, after 5 solid minutes of them giggling and discussing the scene they'd just witnessed, I leaned over the empty seat between us and asked if they'd mind politely "Shutting the #($*$ up, as I paid $8.50 to listen to the movie, not their commentary". Well they did shut up :)

Like I said...these were a woman and man in their 40's......

I used to work as a manager at an AMC. They have pretty high standards and usually have a nice presentation. I've been to 6 AMC theaters and all but one had great presentations. Yep the one bad one was the one i worked at; The staff was a bunch of rude lazy bastareds with few exceptions. They didn't like me from the start, so i am gone. So AMC is alright unless you live in Houma LA.

also you can watch whatever you want and it is cheaper. like each trop to the theater will cost as much as 1-2 dvd. even up to 3 if you are on a date.

Originally posted by CMRA
Thanks for bringing that to everyone's attention. This weekend I saw "Cold Mountain" and found the viewing very favorable. Maybe it's time to look into the 'theater of the future'. I'll head over the the DLP site and see what's cooking.

After continually seeing people (other than yourself) ignore posts about commerical DLP (no one is even saying, "Well I haven't experience that yet so I have a limited opinion),

I am left to think people, even HERE on avsforum, are incredibly ignorant about COMMERCIAL "Movie Theater" DLP. I guess it *may* be the fact that very few movies each year are made digitally and then shown that way, because of the money to make the movies and the money it costs to revamp theaters to make them DLP friendly.

I guess these people have never visited www.dlp.com to see what is currently playing and if they could go see a movie in that format. I really think they would be blown away, if my fellow avs'ers would at least ACKNOWLEDGE that they have not experience COMMERICAL DLP yet.

Just acknowledge it, do some DLP research on www.dlp.com, drive to a theater that has it and see it on the DLP big screen with a kick a$$ DLP projector. It will BLOW your mind, even for you HT fanatics like myself.

Check it out. EVERYBODY.

I saw Attack of the Clones on a commercial DLP projector. It was a lot cleaner looking than film, no doubt about it. It was very nice.

Originally posted by ChrisDuncan
I saw Attack of the Clones on a commercial DLP projector. It was a lot cleaner looking than film, no doubt about it. It was very nice.

The DVI DVD wasn't half bad either. It amazed me how big you could blow this DVD up on a HT screen. Wouldn't mind seeing more.

We all know about LOTR and those Superbit transfers, but if you want to see two excellent 'show off your home theater' transfers I most highly recommend these:

'Seabiscuit' and 'Pirates of the Carribean'

If you are into animation and vivid 'show off' colors are your thing, Disney's 'Lion King' and Dreamwork's 'Sinbad' will floor you.

All excellent demo discs. I rate them better than Superbit.

How does one know if they have a "superbit transfer" or whatever else it might be? Is this a type DVD one can buy at a store? How does one recognize it?

Thanks,
Ed

Originally posted by EdPruett
How does one know if they have a "superbit transfer" or whatever else it might be? Is this a type DVD one can buy at a store? How does one recognize it?

Thanks,
Ed

Superbit is Columbia TriStar's (SONY) higher definition standard. Do a 'google' search to get the full monty. They are sold in retail stores like Best Buy and Fry's. For awhile they were even selling at Costco. They usually come packaged in silver jackets.

Originally posted by CMRA
We all know about LOTR and those Superbit transfers, but if you want to see two excellent 'show off your home theater' transfers I most highly recommend these:

'Seabiscuit' and 'Pirates of the Carribean'

If you are into animation and vivid 'show off' colors are your thing, Disney's 'Lion King' and Dreamwork's 'Sinbad' will floor you.

All excellent demo discs. I rate them better than Superbit.

Will 'Master and Commander' be as visually stunning as Seabiscuit? I shall know tonight.

"Master and Commander" has a great audio track - lotsa creaking wood and ropes, and superb surround...

As far as CMRA's original query - HT vs cinema... I find the folks running the cinema are very unresponsive when I ask them to pause the movie while I flash out to grab another cold beer that I don't want to pay them for!!!

Customer service counts! You ask at my HT, and as long as you bring back something for me too.... I'll pause the movie for ya!

Originally posted by Betaguy001
"Master and Commander" has a great audio track - lotsa creaking wood and ropes, and superb surround...



The movie grows on you with repeated viewings. By all means gives your surround sound a workout. Opening battle scene two thumbs way up.

Pappy, I too saw SWepII in DLP glory.... In Yuma, AZ nonetheless!! It is one of the reasons that there is now an X1 DLP in my family room.. the PQ was awesome!! I have always been bothered by the inevitable spots, specs, whatever you call them on film as well as the inevitable hair in the mechanism. I have even found myself always noticing the little "signal" that happens when film has to change to a new reel. None of that with DLP though.

Now I'm in NC and will definitely have to find my nearest DLP theater for SWepIII.

Ya Bardman, I notice the reel changes to, never used to....

Thanks for fuining my movie-going experience Fight Club! :mad:


:p

Originally posted by DV8mad
Ya Bardman, I notice the reel changes to, never used to....

Thanks for fuining my movie-going experience Fight Club! :mad:


:p

Dual layered DVDs suffer the same fate...but only one time per movie. Beats getting up and flipping the disc.

I just saw Shrek2 at the local megaplex. Even though it was a brand new theater, the picture was dreadful. I'm getting really spoiled with the crisp, punchy image output by the Z2, but there was no hiding the fact that the theater's image was terribly soft and colors were drab. It was DISTRACTING bad. I honestly don't remember the first half hour because I was muttering to myself how dreadful it looked and how much better my home was. I went home and watched Shrek1 and enjoyed a significantly better picture.

Here's my tally card

Screen size: HT smaller - Cinema bigger, 0-1.
Screen clarity: HT clearer - Cinema softer, 1-1.
Cleaniness: HT cleaner - Cinema dirty, 2-1.
Missed dialogue?: HT rewind - Cinema forget it, 3-1.
Interuptions: HT phone calls - Cinema almost anything, 4-1.
Breaks?: HT pause or stop - Cinema missed scenes/dialogue, 5-1.
Traffic?: HT none - Cinema varies, 6-1.
Snacks: HT anything - Cinema limited, 7-1.
New releases? HT have to wait - Cinema NOW, 7-2.
Costs?: HT initial high $$$ - Cinema low $, varies for each person, I'd give it to Cinema, 7-3.
Foreign releases?: HT yes - Cinema limited, 8-3.
Large group?: HT no extra costs - Cinema harder to arrange+ $$$, 9-3.
Viewing selection: HT anything you can rent or own - Cinema only what's showing, 10-3.
Sound: HT tailored to you - Cinema wyhiwyg, 11-3.

For my family, HT makes more sense.

Originally posted by JPinTO
I went home and watched Shrek1 and enjoyed a significantly better picture.

We all hear and read you well. And, HT keeps getting better and better...just like digicams.

BTW, anyone see 'Hollowman' on their HT yet?

Yes the Pixar releases and Shrek movies look heaps better on my X1 and custom built 100" 16:9 "Krystalvision" Grey screen.
I had the privilage late last year of seeing "Alien" in the Cinema then coming straight home and putting it on the HT. The Picture on my Ht
walked all over the megaplex.

Love the movies as a night out experience, but really that is all it has going for it.

yeah but of course theres still a MAJOR size difference. I go to the cinema and the quality of the picture is very good, but the sheer size makes me think my projector is just like a large tv rather than a 'cinema' in my home.

that means you need a bigger image at home :)

Originally posted by AnthonyP
that means you need a bigger image at home :)

and...with 1080p on the horizon, you'll have that and more. Wanna see more? Goto MS HDV site. The future looks super for HT!

Originally posted by Jediboy
I had the privilage late last year of seeing "Alien" in the Cinema then coming straight home and putting it on the HT. The Picture on my Ht
walked all over the megaplex.

Love the movies as a night out experience, but really that is all it has going for it.

If the rest of the world ever catches on to this...

Had my sis and her husband over and exposed them to 'HT'. I'll lay odds they won't forget this vacation anytime soon.

I saw a commercial for "The Chronicles of Riddick" and my first thought was that I would like to see it. My second thought was that I wish I could watch it at home and not have to watch it on film at any of the theaters I've been to. The two biggest factors for me are that I don't like seeing all the film grain noise that bugs me in with regular film (I have an Algolith Mosquito coming that significantly reduces this with HD and DVD, but at an MSRP of $5k) and that my contrast ratios are significantly better at home (on my Sharp 11k). Even with lower cost equipment I've had I still feel like I get much better images at home with HD (DVD varies). I expect even the InFocus 4805 to have better contrast ratios than I see at the cinema.

The one exception was "NASCAR 3D" at an IMAX theater. I've never seen anything at home that rivaled that overall (it was extremely clean), even though my contrast ratios at home look better to me. As far as regular film I've never seen anything in a regular commercial theater that could rival "Moulin Rouge" or "X-Men 2" on D-Theater and that includes the second Matrix movie at the IMAX. I do have a 116" wide High Power screen that some here have called my "Drive-In Movie Screen" though and that covers a lot of the cinematic effect.

--Darin

Originally posted by wixy
yeah but of course theres still a MAJOR size difference. I go to the cinema and the quality of the picture is very good, but the sheer size makes me think my projector is just like a large tv rather than a 'cinema' in my home.

Says you -- my daughter saw Raising Helen last weekend at our local five-plex. With Harry Potter and Shrek 2 each playing on two screens, it was relegated to their "Art House" screening room. When she got home she told me that the screen was the same width as my DIY 90" wide 2.35:1 screen, but taller (apparently 16:9).

Darin said:
"Even with lower cost equipment I've had I still feel like I get much better images at home with HD (DVD varies). I expect even the InFocus 4805 to have better contrast ratios than I see at the cinema."

Recent quotes from a first time viewer of my home theater: "Could I get something like that for under $5000?" "It never looked that good(Monster's Inc.) at the theater"

And, to think, I only have an entry level setup.

Originally posted by cpc
There are lots of fun things that can make going to the movies interesting.

1) You're going out, there are other people around and its a more social activity.



The main reason why I dislike going to commercial theatre and why I hardly ever go.

I guess I'm just not someone who is drawn to being "social" with complete strangers whom if I got to know I bet I'd hate 85% of them.:)

I think when I was made I didn't get the "got to go out and be around people" gene which is funny since my dad is a very social person as is somewhat my mom. The stupidity of the avg human as well as their lack of truly anything interesting to say (people constantly talk about the same cookie cutter topics with non friends/new people when socializing) just totally turns me off from interaction. heh

I'm with you Rob ...
I took the kids to see Garfield last night (actually a decent movie, but you didn't hear that from me) ...
I nearly knocked the teeth out of the half a dozen people who were being "social" at the movie theater. (eggageration for dramatic effect, I would never really knock anyones teeth in ... :D )
If you want to be social ... go to the park, pub, ballgame, mall, art gallery, etc etc etc ... especially when I just paid $20 and have no pause or rewind feature when your big fat mouth just made me miss a pivotal line in the plot.

Oh ... and my homemade popcorn is better ... and $3.75 cheaper.

Not to mention the fact that I continually had to look around someone's head in front of me while watching an abysmally poor quality print of Shrek2. Man, I can't wait to finish my HT!!

John

I intend to pick up a PJ soon. I have to say though, that my local theater actually has excellent sound and video quality. The first movie I saw there was Saving Private Ryan.

The first 20 minutes of that movie is the most intense experience I've ever had in a theater. The big battle scene in LOTR ROTK ranks right up there as well- just awesome.

Abingdon Cinemall (http://www.cinemall.com/?CONTEXT=art&cat=6&art=11&BISKIT=1157045430)

All that said, the occasional crowd of loud-mouth bumble-gum poppers is a pain; and the simple matter of convenience makes a big difference for me. Everything considered, even with an awesome theater; and even without a PJ, I still prefer to watch most movies at home.

I avoid the theater. Its been so long that I forgot why. Then my 9 year old son asked me to take him to the latest Harry Potter movie. It was very enlightening.

I got to stand in a line, I paid $18 for tickets (more than I paid for the last two on DVD) and waited through the Regal Cinema "20" which is basically 20 min of terrible commercials.

Then I sat through what I felt was the most entertaining Harry Potter yet, while listening to phones go off, children scream (some sibling argument, I believe "he" started it), adults talk about how bad and good the movie was and even one man go on and on with his wife about how he'll never go to the movies again because people talk during the movie /boggle.

My dad tells a story about when he took me to star wars when I was 8 years old. He says I fidgeted until the moment the music started and then I sat there being more silent and still than he had ever seen me in my entire 8 years.

Well thats not happening anymore. Just too much going on thats NOT the movie for my son to really get engrossed much less me. I'll be avoiding the theater regardless of how wonderful the picture is.

Give me my quiet HT with my good old Z1 and 85" screen with outdated 5.1. I'll keep saving $$$ and bite the bullet for upgrades before I go back to the hell that is commercial cinema.

Well, my wife and I just took the kids (6 and 2) to see Shrek2 this past weekend at the local Carmike cinema, and I will say that I also would rather watch a movie in my family room through my X1 (with 96" diag 16x9) and Yamaha RXV-1300.
The print was rather clean and the sound good (rather new theater) and we were able to get good seats in the center of the theater (at the bottom of the Stadium slope), but I just didn't feel like the experience was worth the $26 it cost us.
I would have loved to be able to pause and rewind at will. Also, something weird... I kept waiting for the screen to "fill up" at the beginning of the movie. Apparently, this theater's screen masking was either broken or the projectionist didn't know how to work it. I was annoyed by the rounded corners of the projected image that were well inside the masked screen area. Shrek2 is obviously a 16x9 native movie and the screen was capable of at least 2.35:1 if not wider.

Anyway, it was a matinee, so there wasn't alot of people in the showing, in fact, I believe my 6 year old was probably the loudest one in the theater (until I told him if he didn't shut up we were leaving). There was a person who actually took a cellphone call during the first couple of minutes of the movie... at least she took the phone into the hall (since when did we become a society that can't be "unreachable" by phone for two hours???)

I just saw Shrek 2 (I liked it) in an IMAX theatre the other weekend in the Calgary’s Famous Players Paramount Theatre at Chinook Centre and I was VERY disappointed in the picture quality. In fairness there was a warning when the movie began stating that this movie was not made for IMAX and therefore the picture and sound quality would not be as high. Were they not kidding…the picture looked very blurry to the point that I would swear the projector was out of focus! Perhaps we literally reached 35mm films capabilities on a screen that size?

Since I got my BenQ6100 projector I have found myself very picky at the few movies I’ve been too lately. They all seem to be less crisp, less colorful and have more frame rate jitter than watching movies on my 110” DYI screen. Then there is the dust and other image imperfections due to constant film use, which are no big deal, but are something I never get at home at all.

Even the sound (though I am sure is on far better audio equipment than I have), does not seem as surrounding or as good. Perhaps a smaller room helps here?


Bottom line, I still enjoy going OUT to the movies, but my home theatre is definitely an overall step above (never thought that would happen).

Originally posted by teluan


Bottom line, I still enjoy going OUT to the movies, but my home theatre is definitely an overall step above (never thought that would happen).

THe future is even brighter. It'll take awhile even though the technology is here today. 1080p for the mainstream. Make sure you check out MS High Definition Video.

I really didn't know why people complained about cinema until last week. I took a trip to florida and caught two movies in the local cineplex ( Muvico? ).

It wasn't horrific, but it was dirstracting. Dull picture, sound was WAY too low and dull, the higher feqencies were non-existant, and one of the speakers was crackling ( in specific, rare situations ). My home theater was definatly better.

But in my home town of Albany I have access to a modern Regal ( was built Hoyts ) 18 and an independant called the Specrum 8. Both have pictures and sound that far surpas what I could ever do at home ( within my budget ). Both cinema's have consistantly perfect video and audio on all films.

People have to realize that the quality of the theater experience is far from consistant. I now have a much better understanding of why people go to great lengths and can make such sweeping claims of superiority over their local cineplex.

Originally posted by snowmoon
I really didn't know why people complained about cinema until last week. I took a trip to florida and caught two movies in the local cineplex ( Muvico? ).

It wasn't horrific, but it was dirstracting. Dull picture, sound was WAY too low and dull, the higher feqencies were non-existant, and one of the speakers was crackling ( in specific, rare situations ). My home theater was definatly better.

But in my home town of Albany I have access to a modern Regal ( was built Hoyts ) 18 and an independant called the Specrum 8. Both have pictures and sound that far surpas what I could ever do at home ( within my budget ). Both cinema's have consistantly perfect video and audio on all films.

People have to realize that the quality of the theater experience is far from consistant. I now have a much better understanding of why people go to great lengths and can make such sweeping claims of superiority over their local cineplex.

You must have been to the Muvico down the street from my house ... :mad:

On a side note:
I am almost afraid to ask why you would come to sunny Florida only to go to the cinema?

Actually.... YES!!!

Rt19 rought out side of tarpon springs around the corner from the community college.. wow.. it's a small world. I was down visiting my father who lives in the Harbour Watch community.

In the evening after many a day in the sun and running around it's nice to catch a new flick in the theaters. :)

Originally posted by snowmoon

But in my home town of Albany I have access to a modern Regal ( was built Hoyts ) 18 and an independant called the Specrum 8. Both have pictures and sound that far surpas what I could ever do at home ( within my budget ). Both cinema's have consistantly perfect video and audio on all films.


I wonder how long its going to take Regal to put in a digital projector.. that might drag me back to Crossgates.

They use Christine ( sp? ) Projectors for "The 20's" ( the commercials before the movie ). The quality of the digital projection is close to that of the movie ( better at times ) my estimates is that it's 1080p give or take light cannon LCD or Dila.

I mentioned this in a prior post. This is the future, today. SO, what's better than 1080i? 1080p, on demand, with pause. And, you don't need 1080p equipment to SEE the difference.

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/content_provider/film/HDVideo.aspx

Originally posted by teluan
I just saw Shrek 2 (I liked it) in an IMAX theatre the other weekend in the Calgary’s Famous Players Paramount Theatre at Chinook Centre and I was VERY disappointed in the picture quality. In fairness there was a warning when the movie began stating that this movie was not made for IMAX and therefore the picture and sound quality would not be as high. Were they not kidding…the picture looked very blurry to the point that I would swear the projector was out of focus! Perhaps we literally reached 35mm films capabilities on a screen that size?

Since I got my BenQ6100 projector I have found myself very picky at the few movies I’ve been too lately. They all seem to be less crisp, less colorful and have more frame rate jitter than watching movies on my 110” DYI screen. Then there is the dust and other image imperfections due to constant film use, which are no big deal, but are something I never get at home at all.

Even the sound (though I am sure is on far better audio equipment than I have), does not seem as surrounding or as good. Perhaps a smaller room helps here?


Bottom line, I still enjoy going OUT to the movies, but my home theatre is definitely an overall step above (never thought that would happen).

I'll be seeing Shrek2 this weekend. You bet I'll take notes. I did see Shrek1 on HBO HD at home...incredible. Sometimes their transfers can't be beat. Hollowman, Moulin Rouge. Wild Wild West also come mind.

I saw the latest Harry Potter feature last night. Frankly, the image quality was deplorable. Or, was that just the way the film was made? The projector was clearly in focus yet there wasn't a sharp scene in the movie. Even the close ups looked abysmal.
The colors even in the brighter scenes were muted and contrasty. Perhaps others have seen this flick and had a different experience?

Originally posted by CMRA
The projector was clearly in focus yet there wasn't a sharp scene in the movie.

I'm not trying to be a contrary SOB but if nothing was sharp how are you so sure the pj was focused??

My first job fresh out of high school was a projectionist at the dirt theater on the ass-end of town. Equipment was terrible--we were still running a mono speaker behind the screen. The projectors had been upgraded ONCE - in the 70's - to allow for automation so projectionists didn't have to jump reel to reel. And the guy that was training me was like, this crystal-meth addicted Grizzly Adams type Booth-Lifer, so he didn't like me usurping his royalty or whatever.

Anyway, I remembered that even then, it was rough trying to get a good presentation onscreen, but I tried. The managers didn't give a crap if the picture was crooked, or if the wrong aperture plate was in, or if the bulb was ridiculously dim. These were all things I ended up trying to fix on my own. What sucks is that I hadn't really known about home video calibration or any of the image quality info that was out there--I was kinda going by eye. I worked there for a year and then a couple years later, got a job doing Delivery for Circuit City, so setting up TV's was pretty much my job. and best believe I was using whatever calibration tools available to set their picture up for them before I left.

Basically, I got used to really big, really nice images, really early. But what I'm used to are the super-solid CRT tube blacks, the blacks that just anchor the picture down, make everything that much more alive and vivid in comparison, that not even a lot of THEATERS have now. And with my home projection system, I just cant get that.

This is the thing: The last 2 times I've been in a movie theater--I've had to fight with watching the movie and comparing between what's on that screen and what's on my screen at home--and I'm finding that a lot of the time, even the THEATERS aren't getting true black up on that screen. It's a very dark grey. And so I spend time not watching the movie, but looking at the contrast ratio. Same thing at home.

And it's starting to REALLY wreck my movie watching time. I'm that high school projectionist again, trying to fix the image while I watch it so no one goes out to the front desk to complain. I'm switching between image pre-sets, putting filters on. at the theater, my eyes are just darting all over the screen, looking for details that should be visible but the info is just muddied due to the poor contrast up on screen.

In my experience--the best picture I've seen has come from a CRT tube. color fidelity, contrast, brightness. And that's sorta sad. it says something about the majority of theater exhibitors and their commitment to quality presentation, that film running through a projector somehow looks less vivid and real than what I can get on a basic 300 dollar TV on sale at a retail behemoth. Or that a 1000 dollar projector intended for powerpoint presentations can be thrown onto a painted piece of hardboard and equal the picture quality at the theater, and with a couple tweaks (I've been re-painting the screen, tweaking my proj with filters and masks) actually IMPROVE on the blacks as compared to the local theaters I go to.

At this time--I think the theaters around my way have SLIGHTLY better picture quality than my projector at home. But my little DLP is putting up a hell of a fight. But I'm starting to worry that my quality control side is dampening my ability to simply enjoy the story being projected in front of me. I'm constantly critiquing and analyzing the visual info bouncing back at me, instead of simply paying attention to the story. I'm wondering what my projection booth would have looked like back in 96 if I'd known even a fraction of the stuff I know now. I'm mentally comparing between my x1 and the 32mm exhibition, and meanwhile the movie itself is just flying by.

double edged sword, this hobby..

people who compare HT to cinema forget one MAJOR FACTOR: The giant screen in the theater.
My friend has a 8ft screen and NEC LT150. Even if the room door is opened just a little it looks washed out. Even HD on such a big screen wasnt all that jaw dropping.

Try any of the DLP PJ's with 400-500 lumens (optimized) and put the
same size image as in the theater and then see how it looks. That is a reasonable comparison.

people who compare HT to cinema forget one MAJOR FACTOR: The giant screen in the theater.

I didn't.

We're talking relative image quality. Your comparison methods aren't reasonable at all, they're impossibilities.

The main point of my novel-size post is not to overpraise DLP home projectors, but to crap all over how horrible exhibitors have been treating their prints and equipment. There is NO EXCUSE for film presentations to look as sub-par as they do. none. Yet almost to a theater, the blacks aren't black, the picture is soft, the bulb is dim, there's scratches and dust all over the the thing--the image captured on that film could and SHOULD be projected much better. Film should still have people marveling at the depth, the vibrancy, the vividness, but it doesn't, because that's not a priority.

Yes, the picture is much bigger, but I'll take a smaller picture that looks considerably nicer. And at this time, compared to the theater presentations around my way--my 7' wide screen has just BARELY lighter blacks than the theaters in the area, better color and a comparable picture. And my 32 TV in the living room, properly calibrated, has better blacks and color reproduction than either of the two.

I go to theaters now pretty much just for the visual spectacle of the latest blockbuster. That's where the size factors in most--I need to see Spidey 30 feet tall. I need to see the Oliphaunts on Pellennor 30 feet tall. Besides that, there are the art house flicks that I know I'm not gonna get on DVD any time soon (City of God, anyone?). but other than that, the quality difference between what I have at home and what I can get at the theater is so small that even the size of the screen at the theater isn't enough to make up for it. it's just a bigger picture full of magnified flaws that reinforce how disappointing it is that film projection has been treated so poorly by the people making money off of it.

I mean, you talk about jaw-dropping..how a DLP home pj isn't jaw dropping. when was the last time a theatrically projected image was jaw dropping? I can't think of one. I can't remember the last time I went to a theater and said "Man--the picture quality is NICE here." It's not a priority for theater owners, really. I speak from experience, not just at my dirt theater, but the other theaters in the chain in that city. Sure, they don't want to send a print to another house with a giant streak down half a reel--but they don't really care how they're throwing that image up onscreen. As long as it's up there.

And Ambient light kills the image at a regular theater, too. it's why regular theaters don't have the doors all wide open and a skylight at the top.

Theater owners dont care much about the black level brightness or
scratches etc because 90% of the people who go to a theater just go for
fun and not to compare black level, color saturation etc. etc.

Take the same projector in the theater, use a brand new scratch less reel and a 8ft screen in a small room it will look stunning. Take your DLP, put it in the projection room in the theater and throw a 25ft image. it will look crappy.

The comparison has to be apples to apples to be reasonable. comparing a 1000 lumen PJ with a 80inch screen to a projector in the theater with a 25-30 foot screen is not apples to apples. Thats all I am saying.

Why dont people compare a 27inch WEGA TV with a DLP PJ and say that DLP black sucks. Because it is not apples to apples.

How many of you have really tried your DLP pj on a 25ft screen. Then talk about how bad the theater is.

If cinema theaters are so bad they wont be making millions in the first week. People go there for entirely a different experience. not for black levels or color saturation. I bet most of them sitting there dont even know what DLP is. all they know is to munch pop corn and enjoy the show and thats how cinema theaters make money.

well, since the entire TOPIC is "IMAGE QUALITY COMPARISON" then I dont' really know what you're trying to get at. The image quality at a theater is not what it could be, and you even admit to that.

Why dont people compare a 27inch WEGA TV with a DLP PJ and say that DLP black sucks.

They can and do. Hell, I just did in both my comparisons. It was to balance out my observations. It's a valid comparison, isn't it? Why wouldn't it be? Compared to a CRT--DLP black isn't as black. So what's wrong with that comparison?

We're talking image quality. Why would I throw a DLP projector image across 25 feet? How is that going to improve image quality? How is that a good representation of typical home projector image quality? What point are you trying to make? That a home pj bulb isn't as bright as a xenon projector bulb? That 800x600 isn't as sharp as film?

What we're talking about is comparing your average theatrical presentation's image quality to the image quality you get at home with your own video projector. Not the POTENTIAL image quality of film vs the POTENTIAL image quality of single chip DLP. That's the comparison you're arguing for, and that's not what this thread is trying to do. It's saying "Go to a theater, look at the image on that screen. Now come home, and look at the image on YOUR screen. How does it stack up, quality wise?"

Not SIZE wise. Quality wise.

The fact that it's even CLOSE should be cause for alarm, not an alarm bell to run to the defense of exhibitors for shortchanging their audience because they're ignorant as to how much more immersive their viewing experience could be. You're basically saying "The audience don't care, so why put forth the effort?" and that just rubs me wrong. For one--it promotes apathy. secondly--it shortchanges the audience willingly.

how bout them apples to apples ;)

Fatboy Roberts: I agree with you that the picture from an Infocus X1 and a good DVD is very close in quality to what most of us can see in the theaters. When I come home from seeing a film in the theaters, I am not unhappy with my picture quality. Except after seeing a DLP Cinema showing.

Neither DLP or film has CRT level blacks. The maximum density of the film print just can't stop all the light from a several kilowatt arc lamp.

I've reached the point where I can sit back and enjoy the film on my X1. And watch the extras or listen to the commentary track... That option doesn't exist at the theater. (Apart from noisy patrons.) BTW, 'City of God' is out on DVD and in my Netflix queue.

in Region 1, though? I'm having a hell of a time finding it in Region 1 anywhere.

I'm on the lookout ;)

City of God (2002) Cidade de Deus
http://www.netflix.com/MovieDisplay?movieid=60026106&trkid=73

Mupi: why is your comparison any good (and if you used the projector that looked good on 25' screen on a 8 ' screen it would not look good because the image would be blinding andsince I like bright images that is saying a lot. An HT device is built for a small room and a 8' screen, it was not built for a 25' screen.

I plan on seeing SpiderMan 2 this week. The last movie I saw in a theater was The Ring thanks to my X1 and NetFlix subscription.

Anyone been to the cinema lately? Is it just me, or has the print quality gone south as of late? Just wondering if this is a unique situation or is it happening elsewhere? What's in your cinema?

Originally posted by CMRA
Anyone been to the cinema lately? Is it just me, or has the print quality gone south as of late? Just wondering if this is a unique situation or is it happening elsewhere? What's in your cinema?

Adding insult to injury, how is it possible for theaters to introduce a color shift to films?

A theater I frequent tends to project 'yellowish' skintones. Since it is apparent in all the movies I KNOW it has to be a theater issue. Could this be an aging xenon bulb? WHo knows the answer?

The Yellowish tint is mainly from a mixture of old screens and projection lenses. Zenon bulbs don't change color temp much over their rated life, they just get darker.

It is a rare treat to go out to a movie and have it presented as well as I can at home. I've even been to a couple art films in nyc where the screen was smaller than the one I project at home. :D If it isn't a beat-up print, or a poorly maintained sound system, it'll be something else. There is always something that is out of whack. Maybe if our HT's did 8 showings a day, every day of the year, we'd have more issue too.

Best show I saw was a private viewing of Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon put on by Sony in their midtown building---the large amount of wine and hor's d'oevre circulating before the showing may've skewed my opinion slightly. They've got at least one really nice theater setup there. I guess that really counts as home theater too, heh, since it wasn't a public cinema.

All that said, certain movies, at least for me, require the traditional cinema outing. Something like Army of Darkness or Freddy vs. Jason---yes, I know these aren't exactly the pinnacle of the art---is more of a team event than a solo experience, imho. Everybody laughing together at one of Ash's lines, or half the theater jumping out of their seats when Freddy pops out of nowhere really makes the experience.

Originally posted by random2
All that said, certain movies, at least for me, require the traditional cinema outing. Something like Army of Darkness or Freddy vs. Jason---yes, I know these aren't exactly the pinnacle of the art---is more of a team event than a solo experience, imho. Everybody laughing together at one of Ash's lines, or half the theater jumping out of their seats when Freddy pops out of nowhere really makes the experience.


Yea I cant wait to go see Seed of Chucky.

Has Spielberg lost his touch?

This past week I took in "War of the worlds".
Seemed to me the very best part of the movie was the Morgan Freeman narration about the microbes in the opening and closing scenes.
Those who saw, what did I miss?

When there is no origin theme to the production, even directors like Spielberg get lazy.

Remakes tend to suck, loved the original. (I went along to see this movie)

Will we will ever see a movie like ET from this man again?

BTW the local movie theater experience has not changed since 8.24.04

Pfft. You can't even see ET like ET again. Watch out, or I'll shoot you with my cellphone.

The Academy Awards are just around the corner. Anyone have a favorite "must see" recommendation besides a gay cowboy flick?

Was this a bad year for Oscar or what?
Did I miss something or was the best of 2005 on the big screen Wallace and Gromit?

My whole life I always dreamed of having a great HT. I always wanted to have a huge screen and an amazing sound system. My dream finally came true a couple weeks ago and my "going to the movies" days are definately over! For years my wife and I went to the movies and I constantly said "When the HT is finished, I'm never coming back!" Annoying people talking, cell phones ringing, stepping on sticky floors, hearing people chewing popcorn and sounding like farm animals, OVER!!! Now I just sit back and enjoy the show.

Bad Year? Try bad "20 years"........the oscars used to be intersting when movie stars existed, and were larger than life. It was one of the few times you got to see them all gathered in the same place, what with studio contracts and such and limited accessability.

Today you see the same 8000 people currently posing as 'stars' every day on entertainment tonight. Want to know what Jack Nicholson had for breakfast when he was spotted farting up a storm on a golf course in San Trope' at 11am? No problem, pull up a website......want to know what motion picture star is recovering from a teeth-whitening treatment THAT ALMOST WENT HORRIBLY WRONG!? Stay glued to Entertainment Tonight for ALL The information... :P


:)

Seriously, my wife watches those entertainment shows at night...I sit there and I cringe like someone was making me chew up lightbulbs....see the forgotton-about star from 4 years ago tell her AGONIZING TALE of having to have her toenails clipped by an Illegal Immigrant...."..she sits down with our own reporter in this exclusive candid interview!".

.....oh the pain...!!!! :D

This is a good thread. I liked post 19:

I've realized that my humble little HS10 combined with my DVI DVD player is besting the cinema about 90% of the time. I am truly awed thinking what HD-DVD combined with a 1080 projector will look like in my home many moons from now.

That was from Sept, 03.
And now that time is soon upon us. This read is a poignant little time capsule.

I have to admit that theatres do give you that "shared experience" feeling. Its a semi-social outing where, even though you don't interect directly with anybody else in the theatre, you do share the viewing experience with everybody in the theatre at that same time. Another plus of the theatre is, you are not as limited to the number of people in your group, where-as at a home theatre it can get cramped after you reach your seating limits.

I like home theatre for the opposite reason, since its just you and/or a few close friends alone in a smaller setting. Its more intimate, you have better food, and you can break for washroom and food/drink refills.

One thing that I noticed though, is that I sometimes enjoy watching TV knowing that I am watching something along with countless others around the world at that exact moment. I don't go out of my way to watch TV for that reason, but you get the idea. The old, talk about the tv program with other people the following day or later that week type of thing.

I find that video "picture" quality in theatres is usually quite variable, sometimes very good, other times mediocre, and often very bad. At home, its usually very good, apart from the odd poor dvd. I also find that I never hear the same quality sound in a theatre vs my own meager ht av system.

:)

I have to admit that theatres do give you that "shared experience" feeling. Its a semi-social outing where, even though you don't interect directly with anybody else in the theatre, you do share the viewing experience at the same time, plus, within reason, there is almost no limit to the number of people in your group, where-as at a home theatre it can get cramped after you reach your seating limits.


If by "semi-social outing" you mean "I, within about 5 minutes, desperately want to choke the life out of at least 5 people within earshot because of their poor behavior, their inability to parent their children, their inability to turn off their cellphones, their inability to keep their mouths shut OR their inability to behave in a manner consistant with going to the theatre"...then yes, its quite a social endeavor :D

One I'll never miss.

..har dee har har...

Yes, I agree that can happen sometimes, but it doesn't happen that often for me. I would say the biggest hassle is sitting behind somebody who is tall enough to block your view. That doesn't happen as much with the newer, steeper theatre seating, but it can be annoying when it happens.

Don't get me wrong, I invested heavily in my home theatre and I enjoy it immensely, but going out to the movies has its good qualities. I admit, given the choice, I much prefer to watch films at home.

The year saved by Peter Sallis.

My last 2 theater experiences:
1) Balti-MORON: (whispering in the FRONT of the theater) "Psssssssst, Mike. Mike, MIKE WHERE ARE YOU! Hey Mike.
Crowd: (yells) "SHUT UP!"
Balti-MORON: (yells back) "WHY DON'T YOU SHUT THE F*** UP!"
This goes on for about 5 minutes before secuirity comes. Did I mention this was about 45 min into the movie.

2) A lady sitting 4 people away has her cell phone ring about 30 minutes into the movie and starts to converse with the person. Then she says hold on to the person on the phone and passes it to her friend who then starts talking on the cell. I bust out my trusty Nextel and make it ring. I then pretend to pick up the phone and in a 10 person radius loud enough voice, I say: "Oh hi, how are you. No, no you didn't catch me at a bad time, I'm at the movie theaters watching a movie. No, no I don't need to get off the phone, some B**** is on the phone next to me so it's ok!" She then hung up and gave me mean looks. I hope I got my point accross to her though.

I have learned that Baltimore movie theaters suck on the weekends because of these types of people. I can tell you for a fact that going to the theaters during the week is a much more enjoyable affair, other than that, I have not been to the theaters in about 6 months and I don't plan on going back now that I have my Panny 900U.

I get NOTHING from the "communal spirit" of attending commercial theaters but grief. The other carbon based life forms are rude, loud and stupid. The picture is dim. The print will be scratched. A speaker will be out. I can't stop the film and go to the head. I can't rewind to catch something I missed. The only slight advantage is the sheer volume that I can't get to in my apartment. But watching at home is better than going to the theater in every conceivable way. And hey, if I want a groupl social experience, I've got friends fer gawd's sake. :D

Or, a night out at the picture show- Double Feature.

Last night's twin billing was "MI3" followed by "United 93"
I won't debate the form and substance here. Just an observation on print quality.
The former was everything an AVS enthusiast looks for in a film. Aside from the man saves the world and the girl from Mr Evil plot, the movie was a visual bonanza in every sense of the term. Aside from a few scenes, everything was a cinematic feast. Action captured only the way 'film' and the BIG screen can deliver.
The 'United' feature was just the opposite. Story aside, the print was deplorable by comparison. It was so inferior I had to relocate from my usual 1.5x seating to 4x just to make it watchable. A night vs day comparison.
I kept thinking to myself, what equipment could be used to make this image so bad? And, how many print generations deep was this copy?

My compliments to the theater. Sound was excellent, patrons behaved, theater clean and orderly, and projection equipment obviously first rate given a good print to work with.

the ulitmate is to be lucky enough to be the only person in the theatre. That only happened for me once while my car was in the repair shop I went to the neighboring Regal Cinema to waste time and ended up seeing Jackie Chan's "Super COp" all alone. The movie was okay but the experience of being the only person in the whole theatre was fantastic. I HATE going to the movies with other people and there is nothing worse than having to "share" your movie going experience with others..

HT should be better when MOST theatres have problems with film deterioration and of course the good old NOISY JERKS WHO sit around us!!!!!!!!!!!!!

HT should be better when MOST theatres have problems with film deterioration and of course the good old NOISY JERKS WHO sit around us!!!!!!!!!!!!!

At least no one got shot 4 times in the chest at your local theater....

one word: beer

Yes, I'm sure Superman Returns will be just as impressive on a 100inch screen. Not.

Yes, I'm sure Superman Returns will be just as impressive on a 100inch screen. Not.

Right...it'll be so much better......because when I go to the theatre now and stare at the whatever-sized screen, all I see is film grain, bad flickering, and uncomfortable seating. Maybe you seem to think that a movie needs to be 8 stories tall to be immersive, but I guarantee you....most of us don't.

Yes, I'm sure Superman Returns will be just as impressive on a 100inch screen. Not.


Sitting distance is all that matters. Sitting 9 feet away from a 100inc screen fills up your field of vision just the same. Plus I get way better, more immersive and personal sound from my HT.

Right...it'll be so much better......because when I go to the theatre now and stare at the whatever-sized screen, all I see is film grain, bad flickering, and uncomfortable seating. Maybe you seem to think that a movie needs to be 8 stories tall to be immersive, but I guarantee you....most of us don't.

HAHA! My wife now yells at me because all she sees in commercial theaters are the flaws compared to what we have.

And I can garauntee you that when Superman comes out on BD/HD-DVD, it WILL be more immersive on my 103" screen with me sitting about 8 feet away vs. whatever junk the commercial theaters decided to thow up on a dirty nasty screen with dirty nasty people sitting around me. Since the guy got shot a few weeks ago, there are at least 2 cop cars outside the theater at all times. We went the HT route for safety and comfort reasons.

I just stumbled onto this thread ... and some of the posts are pretty old at this point. But that doesn't diminish their quality. Marx-7 ... I had to pick myself up off the floor laughing about your Cinema in Baltimore.

This can't be new info to any of you ... but I think it's worth touching on. A Home Theater will truly equal the Cinema experience if all the tangential amenities are present. Motorized drapes, proper deep black velvet screen masking, constant height, slow-fading complete lighting control. And finally, an audience of more than just one or two people.

When we do our presentations here at "The Buckboard Cinema", I insist that all guests turn off their cell phones. I physically unplug the land line in our home. And we frequently have an audience of eight people.

We're in the middle of a film series that I started in March. I call it the "Best Films of the Decades" series. One really fantastic film presented each month. We started in the '40s and just last week, presented "Alien" (D-Theater) as the selected film from the 70s. With all those tangential amenities in place, it really does feel like the Cinema. The lights fade slowly, the image hits the front, the drapes open ... and we're off and running. Why would anyone ever want to go back to a movie theater?

My system:

Infocus SP4805 DLP projector
Zenith 318 DVD player
Toshiba HD-A1 HD DVD player
JVC 5U DVHS player/recorder
Panamorph UH50 HE anamorphic lens
Lutron Grafik Eye 2-zone lighting control
Makita motorized custom draperies
Denon 1604 DD/DTS HT receiver
Polk Audio speakers all around
92" CinemaScope compatible CH screen

Before affordable home theatre I wonder if people ever complained about the cinema quality. When I think back I don't recall ever having a particularly bad experience. If the movie was good I always came away feeling satisfied. I still do. Maybe people are more fussy and more critical these days. With the improvement and affordibility of home theatre in recent times I wonder if the box office is doomed. They say it is making a come back but I don't see how.

Here's a question. If they could greatly improve the picture qaulity in cinema's beyond the quality of the best home theatre would you go?.

Here's a question. If they could greatly improve the picture qaulity in cinema's beyond the quality of the best home theatre would you go?.

Ans. Most of us go, at least from time to time, if just to enjoy the new releases...can't wait kind of thing. As much as all of us enjoy our theaters, we will suffer the cinema if the motivation is right. Content is and always will be King, donchaknow? Hence, better quality, though nice, won't be the driving force. That's one AVSer's opinion, anyway.

The alliance that is putting together the new digital standards for commercial cinema has set several goals. One of them is to specifically make the technical presentation better than what is available through what they call "HDTV". They know what they have to beat. And they're making a plan to beat it.

I think the commercial cinema will survive. They've been down this road before ... and they made it though then with flying colors. In the early '50s they had to make major enhancements to best the threat at that time ... Television. So we ended up with 70mm, CinemaScope, Todd-AO, VistaVision, Technirama, etc. These were substantial improvements in the way films were presented. And the public kept coming out to see these new, better-than-TV movies.

They can ... and I predict will ... do that again. The capital requirements to the exhibitors coupled with their relative financial weakness right now will make it a little more challenging. But I think the entire industry (studios, equipment manufacturers, exhibitors) will come together to make it happen.

I have a new rule in my cinema life. I don't go to a cinema unless it's a DLP presentation. The last movie I saw in a cinema was "Eight Below" ... in King Of Prussia, PA. It was in a DLP theater ... and it was worth going that distance and paying that price to have that experience. BTW, I just received the SD DVD of that film from Netflix today. Even though it's only SD, it's quite good. Very nice transfer.

So I think the Cinema will live on. But they've got a lot of work to do.

Before affordable home theatre I wonder if people ever complained about the cinema quality. .

Back in the seventies I had several bad quality complaints:
I saw films jam and burn.
I saw reels loaded in the wrong order.
I saw films projected with the wrong lens.
I saw films that were in such bad shape they looked like the projectionist had dumped it all on the floor and walked over it for a couple of days before reloading the reels.
More times than I can count, there were torn speaker cones rattling around or sound systems that were so inadequate that they were constantly distorting.

I could go on, but I think everyone get the idea.

Marx-7 ... I had to pick myself up off the floor laughing about your Cinema in Baltimore.


Well the problem is that I should not have this problem. I live in the Baltimore-Washington corridor so the issues at my local theater should not be there. The area is a highly populated, well-to-do Jewish area, yet they decided to put a theater 200 yards away from the metro. Our baltimore metro (aka LOOT RAIL) goes from some of the worst parts of the city out into the county and ends at the theater and mall. The mall has gone downhill, people are literally getting shot and robbed and all of this is because of some of the people that take the loot rail.

Sorry for the rant. I can say that when the theater opened up they did one thing that I thought was wonderful. A 21+ SECTION! The seats were leather and in the love-seat fashion so you could get comfy with your date and they served dinner and drinks in this area. It was a bit more for the ticket, but the theater held about 60% of the people normal theaters hold, so it was much quieter. Now that is all gone and they play the movies that are about to be taken off the roster in those theaters. :confused:

So here is a question, would you be willing to pay an extra charge if your theater had an upscale area with better service, equipment, and NO NOISE. Or, are we paying enough that they should have good service, keep the noise out, and have equipment that is maintained.

I just hate how a handful of people can ruin the experience for hundreds of others.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/baltimore_county/bal-md.co.bail20jun20,0,3751976.story

So here is a question, would you be willing to pay an extra charge if your theater had an upscale area with better service, equipment, and NO NOISE. Or, are we paying enough that they should have good service, keep the noise out, and have equipment that is maintained.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/baltimore_county/bal-md.co.bail20jun20,0,3751976.story

Well pardner, I'm the guy with the badge in these parts and I make ALL my patrons check their guns at the door.

Such innovation you mention seems like an effort in the right direction. On the other hand it seems excessive and out of place for a two hour popcorn traditioned spectacle.
The number ONE draw is and always will be great features. I can recall back to the early eighties when "ET" hit the theaters. A waiting line around the theater for every performance and every seat in the house 'SOLD OUT'.
Allow Hollywood to do what they do best and the rest will take care of itself.
(Popular pricing and realistic concessions wouldn't hurt either)

Here's a question. If they could greatly improve the picture qaulity in cinema's beyond the quality of the best home theatre would you go?.


For me, it's not so much the quality as it is the experience. I want to be in control of my movies and not have to deal with people chatting in the next row (among many other things - too many to describe).

The last movie I went to see in the theatre was "LOTR: Return Of the King". I simply had to with this one. Two rows ahead of us was a couple who brought their baby along. I guess they couldn't find or afford a baby-sitter, but they couldn't keep him quiet. Eventually, after enough complaints, they had to be removed.

Touching on two topics in this thread:
Lets talk about concessions for a second: I saw X3 in the theatres...the first movie I've seen this year. Each year I average between 1 and 2 films per year seen in a theatre. The ticket cost me $6.50 for a noon day show. My SMALL popcorn and SMALL soda cost me $7.50 I think, or $8.00.....it was something flat out insane. Now....thank God my twins aren't old enough for the movie experience yet....and did I get any kind of enjoyment from my concessions? NO, not when they were so OBSCENELY overpriced.

Anyone whos ever taken a marketing class knows that restaurants make their money on Sodas and low-cost foods. $4.00 for a bag of popcorn 1/2 the size of your average Microwave bag? The same for a cup full of ice and carbonated water? Give me a break..$6.50 for a ticket is hard enough to swallow when I have to watch 1/2 an hour of commercials before the show starts.....getting raped trying to have a snack just ruins the overall experience.

The other topic I wanted to touch upon: Video Quality
believe me, there is nothing video-wise that a theatre could do to get me to go there. Hell, I already thing DVD's look so good that the jump to HD wont happen for me for some time. Yes, Movies in HD look sharper...but honestly....thats practically it. VHS to DVD was like "Oh...My...God". DVD to HD was...."Yeah its..better...sharper.....nicer, sure" but definately not as exciting as the DVD jump was.

So now if theatres want to implement some super high rez image better than HD......will that appeal to me? At some point higher resolution doesnt' yield a better picture. On a PC, when I play a game..does 1280x1024 look any worse than 1600x1200 or higher? Answer, no, hardly......not enough that I'd pay $10+ a ticket and $10 for a popcorn to experience it.

The only things that Theatres had going for them were Size, and the Communal Experience.
Unless you're out on a date, or a teenager who can't drive and needs a place to burn up a friday night with your friends.......the theatres hold little appeal to me now. Today the communal experience is more negative than positive..cell phones, people with bad manners........and the big screen size is almost a detriment. All I see now are flaws in the print, grain in the film stock, etc. Bleech.

Anyone whos ever taken a marketing class knows that restaurants make their money on Sodas and low-cost foods. $4.00 for a bag of popcorn 1/2 the size of your average Microwave bag? The same for a cup full of ice and carbonated water?

I always get the soda without ice, unless there are free refills.

You have to wonder sometimes how people were raised when you experience thier lack of manners at a theater.

When I go to a theater I try my hardest to: sit still, keep my feet off of the chairs in front of me, chew with my mouth closed, not talk, and in general, just be quiet. Yet, as others have mentioned, people have to use their cell phones to either talk on them or text-message for God's sake. Text-message! Why are you at the theater, people?!?! Not too long ago, there were a couple of teens in front of me at "Silent Hill" that had the big bright screen of their phone open and were text-messaging. They just didn't get that this is a little distracting to those behind them?

At the same film, more teens to my left had a smart comment for what seemed like every scene in the film. SHUT...THE HELL...UP!

I recently went to see "The Benchwarmers". I enjoyed the film. I would have enjoyed it MORE, if a woman behind me hadn't enjoyed it so much that she forgot she was saying everything in her normal...speaking...voice. Not whispers, normal volume. Unreal.

Granted, these were mainly teens, and I understand that teens are a little less controllable than adults. But, sometimes, we all know that's not the case. Like a previous post mentioned about a baby at "The Lord of the Rings". Don't bring your baby to the theater. If you can't find a sitter, I'm sorry, that's your problem. Don't make it our problem.

And remember, those of the ill-mannered ilk, just because you put your feet up on an empty stretch of chairs in my row to the right or left of me, that doesn't mean that I can't feel every little kick and stomp that you make on those chairs. They're all connected. Why don't you just sit right behind me and rest your feet on my head.

Sorry about the rant. I know I'm preaching to the choir. :)

What I like most about my 106" DLP as opposed to the cinema is no traffic or looking for a parking place, and I can pause it if I want and come back later.

My wife and I went to see 'Cars' last weekend with our 2 1/2 year old son...it was his first time at the movie theater so we figured a good animated flick would keep him occupied, especially since he really likes Nemo, Shark Tale, Monsters Inc, etc, etc. Well, as expected, he was sucked into the experience of the huge screen, LOUD surround sound, and cool animation. Overall, it was a really positive experience for him and mom and dad enjoyed the flick too :) I was so happy to see him just soaking it all in that I almost forgot how horrible the picture quality was... :( I know I'm preaching to the choir here but I'm telling you, the entire middle of the screen was out of focus. From top to bottom it was just crap...the left and right 1/3 was fine...but the middle was terrible. I found myself having to focus on the sides of the screen just to keep my eyes from going wacko....

Once again, it just reminded me why I much prefer to go down to my basement and watch "Daddy's big TV' as my son calls it...

That was my first, and probably last, movie for some time....well, at least until the next animated kids film comes out and we take my son again...

cinema is not to god her in sweden so its better to have control over the picture at home in stade

Well, Cinema isn't too good here in the USA either. You really have to hunt down a good movie theatre. Most people just go to the closest one with 12 or more screens inside, and those generally...suck.

All of my experiences at the movies for the past few times have been less than stellar, which is why I only go 1 or 2 times a year.

I'll join in the cinema bashing. I went to see Xmen 3 the first afternoon it was released. Payed extra to sit in the "directors" theater ( supposed to be nicer with less teens).

PQ was not even close to my 92" screen. Soft...blurry...colors washed out....nasty.

Somewhere...someplace I'm sure there is a decent movie theater...I'm 50 years old....I haven't visited one.

The last movie, in a theater, that we went to was 8 years ago. We just wait until the movies, we want to see, are released on DVD. At twice the price (for 2 tickets) of the DVD version, it's just not worth it. If I want LOUD surround sound, I just crank up the volume control :D, but my other half complains (my rear surrounds aren't hooked up to my 7.1 channel receiver yet, so I only have a 5.1 channel system right now :( ).

I used to go to the local theater a LOT, like 60-80 times a year, that's how much I love movies. Ever since getting my projector, however, I've not been to the theater a single time, and I am now perfectly content with waiting for the movie I want to see to come to DVD. The only time I even consider going to a theater now is if the movie is on an IMAX screen, like Superman Returns. (Especially Superman Returns because it's also in 3D.)

In the past month I have seen 4 movies at the same theater (two last night).
Of the four, only one looked astounding-MI3. So, I know this theater has superb projection equipment.
So, what does that say for the other three movies? CRAPPY prints! I do believe this is getting to be universal. Theaters are getting away with this because their audiences are too young and ill educated what good cinema is all about. Twenty and thirty years ago you rarely witnessed a bad print.
DVDs, on the other hand, must be transfered from much better prints. Rarely do I buy a DVD that doesn't look much better at home than it did at the theater.
MI3, as mentioned earlier, was the exception.

And I can garauntee you that when Superman comes out on BD/HD-DVD, it WILL be more immersive on my 103" screen with me sitting about 8 feet away vs. whatever junk the commercial theaters decided to thow up on a dirty nasty screen with dirty nasty people sitting around me.

Saw Superman yesterday at our local theater that is actually a nice theater. I was amazed at just how bad the film looked. Sometimes it is hard to tell if the 'bad presentation' is actually the fault of the theater or if it is just "the look" the director intended.

I got home and fired up my XBOX360 and watched the compressed HD preview of Superman and was amazed at just how much better it looked on my zoomed in 136" 2.35 screen! It was amazing!

Hmm...I haven't read all of the above 7 pages. But i guess i wouldn't be seeing CSI season 7 coming to a theaters near you. (maybe except the one in your basement)

Went to see Superman returns yesterday, only because I didn't want to wait for it on DVD. What a mistake.

Between little kids yelling everytime an explosion occured, and the 10 year old kid two seats to my right who kept turning on his cellphone with the blazingly bright screen, I think I'm finally ready to say that I won't go to the theater even a couple of times a year anymore.

The tendency for people to act like a-holes is growing stronger and stronger, and it's growth rate is only matched by my inability to tolerate them.

I was considering also going to see Cars in the theater, but this episode finally convinced me that it's just not worth it. "Considerate Society" is officially extinct.

DVD's only for me now.

I just saw Superman Returns at the Union Square theater in New York. I didn't get there early enough and ended up in the second row. I noticed that the pre-show programming was projected on some kind of DLP projector, the screen door effect was very obvious. They ended up projecting the movie on film and it was much, much better in resolution than the DLP projector. It looked like each pixel from the DLP was about an inch across on the screen, where the actual film was smooth and had details much smaller than the DLP pixels.
I'm all for digital projection, but the projector they have in this theater wasn't good enough. Anyone have any idea what resolution DLPs they are using in theaters?

I just saw Superman Returns at the Union Square theater in New York. I didn't get there early enough and ended up in the second row. I noticed that the pre-show programming was projected on some kind of DLP projector, the screen door effect was very obvious. They ended up projecting the movie on film and it was much, much better in resolution than the DLP projector. It looked like each pixel from the DLP was about an inch across on the screen, where the actual film was smooth and had details much smaller than the DLP pixels.
I'm all for digital projection, but the projector they have in this theater wasn't good enough. Anyone have any idea what resolution DLPs they are using in theaters?

A 'rule of thumb' in digital displays is to view at least 1.5x the screen width. When it comes to commercial applications, "Christie" comes to mind. I've read some of the earliest DLPs were not ready for prime time.

I just saw Superman Returns at the Union Square theater in New York. I didn't get there early enough and ended up in the second row. I noticed that the pre-show programming was projected on some kind of DLP projector?
A lot of pre show stuff is actually shown on LCD projectors, which tends to be very bright, but sometimes only XGA.
http://www.christiedigital.com/products/lx55/lx55Overview.asp

A lot of pre show stuff is actually shown on LCD projectors, which tends to be very bright, but sometimes only XGA.
http://www.christiedigital.com/products/lx55/lx55Overview.asp

I'll second that observation. The Regal Theaters here in suburban Philly use LCD projectors to present their pre-show stuff. It's OK ... but not great. I spoke with one manager about it recently and asked if they had any plans to bring in DLP equipment anytime soon. She said she hadn't heard a thing. This was probably 6 months ago.

And Philly's only DLP Cinema, in King Of Prussia, has only been in place for six months or so.

I HATE the public movie gowing experience. I have gotten up and walked out in the past when the theatre is more than 1/3 full. I need a buffer of a couple rows in front and behind as well as as many empty seats to the left and right of me and whomever I happen to be with if I go with anyone at all. I dont really like doing that but sometimes you have no choice. I cant stand hearing people whispering, talking, munching. Also it never fails that someone decides to pour on themselves an entire bottle of after shave or perfume. HORRIBLE people.

And when I do go there is only 1 theatre I will go to. ITs only a mile from where I live and it is an 8 screen multi. The number 1 theatre has just been renovated to include state of the art(thats what they call it and I believe it) projection and speaker systems. I dont know alot about theatre technology but this particular screen is much larger than the other 7 in the theatre or any other Ive ever seen in a conventional theatre. Also its curved.

I saw Star Wars Ep 3 last year at a more conventional theatre and hated it because it was so blurry and the sound sucked. I got a headache trying to watch. A couple of weeks later I saw it again on the huge curved screen and it was visually speaking as perfect as ive ever seen in a theatre.

SO I will only go to see a movie on the huge curved screen at my local and then only when there are as few people possible. I lucked out during King King in that there were only 5 others in there. Hated the movie. War of the Worlds was even better though

I saw Superman Return when it came out (the 3rd running). I was already running with dirt, i saw at least 3 Cigar Burns (Film Can Changes), the color were really under saturated, i mean come on, the suit is supposed to be Hyper Blue and Red.. not light blue and light red.

FOr the sound, the REAR speaker were boosted to dead to a heart attack point. The music was really low, i was kinda disappointed since i wanted to ear that John William score again but it failed to impress me.

In all it was nice with friend, but i really can't wait to grab my HD DVD copy this autumn/winter and watch this at home..

Sounds like we have a new social issue for the 21st century. Lets call it Cinema rage.

I'll second that observation. The Regal Theaters here in suburban Philly use LCD projectors to present their pre-show stuff. It's OK ... but not great. I spoke with one manager about it recently and asked if they had any plans to bring in DLP equipment anytime soon. She said she hadn't heard a thing. This was probably 6 months ago.

And Philly's only DLP Cinema, in King Of Prussia, has only been in place for six months or so.

I live near King of Prussia. Where is this DLP theater you speak of? Part of the United Artists theaters at the mall? If so, they don't seem to advertise it much.

How do you know which one -- I was just there for the IMAX showing of Superman Returns -- didn't see any reference to DLP anywhere?

Sounds like we have a new social issue for the 21st century. Lets call it Cinema rage.

I believe so much of our 'outrage' lies in the fact we now have something to compare the cinema with. In this past year , with the exception of MI3, my theater experience has been trumped by my home viewing experience. And, this, mind you, is with SD DVDs.

Went to see Pirates yesterday (good flick IMO) enjoyed it very much although the sub was turned up just a tad too much for my liking but that is not why I'm posting.


My wife and I and our two children were already in our seats and a couple came in and sat right in front of us. No sooner than they sat down we all got an overwelming smell of body odor!!!!!

We were disgusted to say the least so we moved to higher ground!

Just another reason why I can't wait until my basement ht is done!

Regards,

RTROSE

My wife and I and our two children were already in our seats and a couple came in and sat right in front of us. No sooner than they sat down we all got an overwelming smell of body odor!!!!!

RTROSE

Donchaknow,
That's the new Smell-o-Vision feature coming standard with 'pirate' movies?

Im a movie person myself. I love going to the movies. I'm in the process of building my HT room right now, cannot wait til its done. I just love the big screen and hope that my HT will be as nice. I know after it's done and I've watched a few movies I will probably feel the same as you guys about sound and picture quality at the cinema. I wont miss dealing with others at the movies thats for sure, especially the kid who sits close to you that decides to gass out during the movie. Yep, then the person next to you looks at you like you did it. I wont miss that a bit!! I only go to the movies during the week, first showings..tend to have less people out at that time and gives you room. I've read alot on this post and you guys are getting me more excited about my home theater.

Next time that happens, just turn to the guy and go "Damn I shouldn't have had all that Taco Bell before coming here I guess huh.....BET YOU WISHED YOU HAD A NICE HOME THEATRE RIGHT ABOUT NOW, DONT YOU" :D

Spread the disease....soon Cinemas will be forced to fix all their flaws if they want to survive.

Donchaknow,
That's the new Smell-o-Vision feature coming standard with 'pirate' movies?


Very funny!!!!! I had a really good laugh with that CRMA! If I would have been thinking I would have explained that to my wife and kids that they were "just in caracter" and were adding another sensory experience for the movie.

Even better leaned over to the couple and have said something of the sort to them.

We did notice that even though the theater was pretty full there were a couple of people that came up near the seats but then decided to sit closer to the screen.

HMMMMMMMMM??????????

Regards,

RTROSE

BET YOU WISHED YOU HAD A NICE HOME THEATRE RIGHT ABOUT NOW, DONT YOU" :D


You know I DO!!!

Spent 2.5 hrs in a packed theater watching Pirates (yes it was a wife request) last night. Soft picture, washed out colors, terrible black levels, cramped seats, $4.00 Pepsi.


Couldn't wait to get home and clear my brain with some decent PQ and sound.

Spent 2.5 hrs in a packed theater watching Pirates (yes it was a wife request) last night. Soft picture, washed out colors, terrible black levels, cramped seats, $4.00 Pepsi.


Couldn't wait to get home and clear my brain with some decent PQ and sound.

I can identify with this. At least the 'soft picture' and 'terrible black levels' part. The blacks I suffered through on The DaVinci Code (a dark film) were worse than any 'digital gray' I ever witnessed. The following feature, Poseidon, was so soft it looked out of focus. FWIW, this was the same theater I saw MI3 at, which was in a word 'stellar'.
So much lies in the print quality.

Just saw Pirates this Saturday. Great flick. I think it was more entertaining that Superman Returns. Anyway, it was a much more packed theater than I was used to sitting in. It was about 2/3rds full. Apart from the occasional 7-10 year old with an out loud observation, which I'm willing to overlook because they're children and they deserve to be children within reason, I found this theater experience to be one of my better experiences. For the most part, the people were pretty quiet and courteous. There was one adult with an overly loud crinkly bag of candy over my shoulder at times, but other than that, it was pretty good.

I hadn't gone to the theaters for years after buying into FP for most of the same reasons mentioned above.
A new type of theater opened up in my town with a little bit steeper pricing but a clearly superior picture to the typical theater and also some addition services like a wine bar, having yoru dinner served to you in the theater.
Going to the theater just got exciting for me again, mostly because of the really amazingly nice looking picture (Christie DLP projectors). If you can find a theater somewhere nearby with the Christie projectors, you should try it.
http://www.cinetopiatheaters.com/

I believe so much of our 'outrage' lies in the fact we now have something to compare the cinema with.
No, my outrage is definitely with loud obnoxious rude people, who seem to belong to a club dedicated to attending the theater whenever I do. :)

Apart from the occasional 7-10 year old with an out loud observation, which I'm willing to overlook because they're children and they deserve to be children within reason,
Couldn't disagree more. They don't "deserve to be children" in a movie theater with others trying to enjoy the movie. When I was a child, I never caused a disturbance in a theater, because I was taught not to. I knew that if I acted up, I would get left at home with a sitter the next time a good movie came out.

The "kids will be kids" attitude of today is why so many people look at parents scornfully. A "you kids will behave" attitude would be much more refreshing. :)

I hadn't gone to the theaters for years after buying into FP for most of the same reasons mentioned above.
A new type of theater opened up in my town with a little bit steeper pricing but a clearly superior picture to the typical theater and also some addition services like a wine bar, having yoru dinner served to you in the theater.
Going to the theater just got exciting for me again, mostly because of the really amazingly nice looking picture (Christie DLP projectors). If you can find a theater somewhere nearby with the Christie projectors, you should try it.
http://www.cinetopiatheaters.com/

My problem is that when I watch a movie, I want to watch a movie.
I dont want to hear someone eating a 3 course meal next to me, or commenting on the nose of a recently opened Cabernet.

....now, having said that, I also understand that this is probably a necessary step for theatres to take. Honestly, if I just wanted to go OUT with a friend, or if I was taking a lady out on a date....(my wife would kill me, but I digress)..and seeing the movie wasn't as big a deal to me, but just another component of an evening out, this could be fun. I wouldn't go to an establishment like this JUST to see a movie.

But, damnit, at a regular old movie theatre I at least want to be able to be taken away by the story. To get into it without any distractions. No cell phones, no chit-chatting (they have a nice comfortable lobby for that), no kids playing wireless DS across the theatre...etc.

BUT MOST OF ALL, I WANT DRIVE-IN's BACK!!!

Seriously, Drive-In's were the perfect place to go on a friday or saturday night..and maybe catch a movie if you wanted to. *sigh*

I wished all the drive in's near me hadn't closed up......*cry*

Quote:
Apart from the occasional 7-10 year old with an out loud observation, which I'm willing to overlook because they're children and they deserve to be children within reason,

Couldn't disagree more. They don't "deserve to be children" in a movie theater with others trying to enjoy the movie. When I was a child, I never caused a disturbance in a theater, because I was taught not to. I knew that if I acted up, I would get left at home with a sitter the next time a good movie came out.

The "kids will be kids" attitude of today is why so many people look at parents scornfully. A "you kids will behave" attitude would be much more refreshing. :)
If you would have read my comment completely, you would see that I wrote "within reason". I, as many of us in this thread do, believe parents should teach their kids to be quiet and behave in a theater and behave in general. I was also taught not to cause disturbances. But, as long as the out-loud comments from the kids don't become too frequent and too disruptive, I'm not going to fault a child for experiencing the wonder and amazement in a theater as I once did.

The parents, or "adults", on the other hand can zip it. :D

If you would have read my comment completely, you would see that I wrote "within reason". I, as many of us in this thread do, believe parents should teach their kids to be quiet and behave in a theater and behave in general. I was also taught not to cause disturbances. But, as long as the out-loud comments from the kids don't become too frequent and too disruptive, I'm not going to fault a child for experiencing the wonder and amazement in a theater as I once did.

The parents, or "adults", on the other hand can zip it. :D
I did read your comment completely - we just have different definitions of "within reason" and "too frequent and too disruptive". :)

The number of outbursts I consider "within reason": Zero.
The number of outbursts I consider "too frequent and too disruptive": One.

As a child, I experienced the wonder and amazement in a theater too - without outbursts, and without bothering anyone else. It can happen - it just needs to be given the priority it deserves when being taught by parents.

Do I expect to see that happen in this day and age? Sadly, I do not. Not with the shoulder-shrugging attitudes of "kids will be kids" and "whaddya you gonna do?" that so many parents have today.

It probably sounds like I have a chip on my shoulder, and I do. I'm an old fart at the early age of 44, but it started when I was in my twenties. :)

BUT MOST OF ALL, I WANT DRIVE-IN's BACK!!!

Seriously, Drive-In's were the perfect place to go on a friday or saturday night..and maybe catch a movie if you wanted to. *sigh*

I wished all the drive in's near me hadn't closed up......*cry*

So, would you drive or walk up to a theater being projected from the side of a 20' travel trailer to watch, the movie of your choice, sports PPV, your own provided DVD and bring your own munchies for a change. What's really the perfect place for these times and for tomorrow? "Seriously"!

So, would you drive or walk up to a theater being projected from the side of a 20' travel trailer to watch, the movie of your choice, sports PPV, your own provided DVD and bring your own munchies for a change. What's really the perfect place for these times and for tomorrow? "Seriously"!

I want to reply to this, but i'm not even sure if you're asking a question or making a statement...

Anyways, seeing a movie isn't JUST about picture and sound quality. Going to see a movie at a drive-in is more of an experience than anything else. I guess I can say that since we have one somewhat close to us and we enjoy going there.

I have a question for this HT vs Cinema thread...

How many of you have been to IMAX theaters and also to Landmark?

I haven't been to either yet, but i plan on going to the IMAX here in Tampa soon, not sure if there is a Landmark anywhere close by.

I hate goin to the movies for just about all the reasons you guys listed too, I usually go after a movie has been out for a while though, so there are hardly any people in the theater except me.

For me nothing will be as enjoyable as going to the movies. Its just more fun and seems like you can get into the movie more and not worry or think about anything.
The theater next to me which is only about 5 minutes away is great. They have a Digital Theater so they get movies like Chicken little and Monster House in Digital 3D.

the Popcorn is always so good and put some White Chedder seasoning on its soo good, Love the atmosphere, the trailers, Huge screen, great seats (Tempur-Pedic “form-fitting”). Just a better and funner experince to me then sitting home, just doesnt feel the same even with better sound etc. For me the only negative for going to the movies is the price

It is a question that is also making a statement. Going to the movies hasn't changed since it's inception except the negatives aspects, that have been mentioned, has evolved making the movie going experience less enjoyable for many. So, what's their alternative. Give up going to the movies altogether and allow the rude and obnoxious to dominate? If you look at the statistics the number of movie goers is declining over the last three years.

My question is that if there were another type of movie theater for you to go to like I mentioned, would you go.

The movie and television network industries are highly dependent on viewers responding to their "programming" technique of doing business. Meaning that when a new television series is broadcast or a new movie is released that you see the content when they broadcast the series or do their "theatrical release". Their own rental after market is cutting into their theatrical release. If I wait to see a movie for 6 months after it's release it's the same for me as when it was first released. I get the same satisfaction.

As a matter of fact, I would prefer a theater that allows me to pick and choose the movie I want to see at that time when I'm ready to see it. Not when they want to herd in as many as they can and end up making the experience less enjoyable than what it can be. With our current technology it's time for a major change.

Well it seems that there are people (even in this thread) who really enjoy seeing movies with a crowd of other people. Why they do is completely beyond me, but to each his own I guess.

But I really think theaters are in trouble. With shorter windows between theatrical release and home video release dates along with improved pay-per-view and bigger screens at home, less people will attend theaters as time goes on.

So theaters will raise ticket prices even higher to make up for it, which will keep even more people from going. Add to that unwillingness of most theaters to actually kick out obnoxious inconsiderate a-holes, and there you have it: a bunch of closed movie theaters.

Perhaps acting troops will buy them and we'll see a resurgence of live theater...

I do think alot of people online make a bigger deal of people talking, cell phones etc. I go to the movies alot, and it doesnt happen much maybe more at a kids movie but its rare and when some kid makes a comment or something thats not a big deal doesnt wreck the movie.

I just find it boring to sit home all the time and watch a movie, plus watching a movie with a audience can be awesome, especailly with comedys or movies like Pirates.

For me nothing will be as enjoyable as going to the movies. Its just more fun and seems like you can get into the movie more and not worry or think about anything.
The theater next to me which is only about 5 minutes away is great. They have a Digital Theater so they get movies like Chicken little and Monster House in Digital 3D.

the Popcorn is always so good and put some White Chedder seasoning on its soo good, Love the atmosphere, the trailers, Huge screen, great seats (Tempur-Pedic “form-fitting”). Just a better and funner experince to me then sitting home, just doesnt feel the same even with better sound etc. For me the only negative for going to the movies is the price

I love all of that too... The smell of popcorn invading my nose as I approach the theater, walking past the posters and under the banners, etc. etc. I love the atmosphere.

But you know what f***king ruins the whole experience?

PEOPLE! Seriously.

Yesterday, I went to see Pirates of the Caribbean 2. Lovely theater, new recliners, large screen (50 feet or so), brand new sound system, pristine print. It was shaping up to be a great day at the movies. I sit close to the screen (about 1x the screen width), so I'm usually all alone in the row. However, yesterday, a group of preteens (probably 11-12 years old) sat by me. They were very quiet at first, but as I was thanking my lucky stars, they started to come and go in pairs. First to get popcorn, then to the bathroom, then to God knows where. I'm not a giant, but at 6'1'', I still had to do a fair amount of seat gymnastics to let the kids through every time, without having to get up myself. By the third trip, I was answering their "excuse me, please" with a grunted "just go already!". Then they started talking loudly enough for me to hear the whole conversation even over the loud fight scenes in the film. I told them to zip it, which they did, for about 10 minutes.

And don't get me started on the toddler that started wailing the second Davey Jones and his crew appeared on screen for the first time.

Or the woman surrounded by six or seven kids, all talking at once. Luckily it was on the opposite end of the room, so the shushing was handled by her neighbors. I guess I wasn't the only cranky bastard in attendance, and thank goodness for that.

Hence the reason I'm putting more and more money into my humble HT. Mohammed, meet Mountain.

I do think alot of people online make a bigger deal of people talking, cell phones etc. I go to the movies alot, and it doesnt happen much maybe more at a kids movie but its rare and when some kid makes a comment or something thats not a big deal doesnt wreck the movie.

I just find it boring to sit home all the time and watch a movie, plus watching a movie with a audience can be awesome, especailly with comedys or movies like Pirates.
It has nothing to do with being "online" - it has to do with tolerance levels. DIfferent people have different tolerance levels for disturbances by others in a theater. You say you don't see it much (people talking, cellphones ringing) - you're lucky. Maybe it's the area you live in, maybe it happens and you just don't notice it. Either way, consider yourself lucky.

Perhaps we're more sensitive to it than you are, but don't try to tell the rest of us that it's not happening as much as we're saying it is. It's insulting.

As far as a comedy or Pirates being "awesome" because you're watching it with a crowd - I still have to ask "why?". I'm not refuting that you like it, I'm just trying to understand it. Personally, if a scene makes me laugh, then it makes me laugh. Makes no difference if everyone else around me laughs or not. Actually I take that back - it does make a difference if their continued laughter makes it so I can't hear the next line of dialogue. Then I'm back to wishing I was watching at home. :)

I guess I just don't get the whole "shared experince" thing. For example, concert DVDs have gotten so good that I'd rather watch a concert at home than actually be there. Seven foot screen, Multiple camera angles, 5.1 sound, pause it for food or a bathroom break (where there's no lines BTW), no drunk guy stepping on your feet, etc. Same with sporting events. A great baseball game on HDTV beats being there at the park, IMO.

It has nothing to do with being "online" - it has to do with tolerance levels. DIfferent people have different tolerance levels for disturbances by others in a theater. You say you don't see it much (people talking, cellphones ringing) - you're lucky. Maybe it's the area you live in, maybe it happens and you just don't notice it. Either way, consider yourself lucky.

Perhaps we're more sensitive to it than you are, but don't try to tell the rest of us that it's not happening as much as we're saying it is. It's insulting.

As far as a comedy or Pirates being "awesome" because you're watching it with a crowd - I still have to ask "why?". I'm not refuting that you like it, I'm just trying to understand it. Personally, if a scene makes me laugh, then it makes me laugh. Makes no difference if everyone else around me laughs or not. Actually I take that back - it does make a difference if their continued laughter makes it so I can't hear the next line of dialogue. Then I'm back to wishing I was watching at home. :)

I guess I just don't get the whole "shared experince" thing. For example, concert DVDs have gotten so good that I'd rather watch a concert at home than actually be there. Seven foot screen, Multiple camera angles, 5.1 sound, pause it for food or a bathroom break (where there's no lines BTW), no drunk guy stepping on your feet, etc. Same with sporting events. A great baseball game on HDTV beats being there at the park, IMO.

That being said, I guess you don't need to go to the beach...

...just turn up the heat in the house until it's about 90 degrees, throw in a DVD that has a picture of the beach with sounds of the ocean, birds, etc and sit in a beach chair, right?

That being said, I guess you don't need to go to the beach...

...just turn up the heat in the house until it's about 90 degrees, throw in a DVD that has a picture of the beach with sounds of the ocean, birds, etc and sit in a beach chair, right?

:D

People go to the beach for reasons beyond the audio-visual. Technology can't recreate the experience at home the way it can do with films and music.

Of course, if I could score front row tickets for an Alison Krauss concert, I'd be there in a heartbeat, but if I'm gonna sit so far I can't even see the band, why not enjoy the live concert DVD on the big screen? Same goes for sports. Being at the stadium is great for the atmosphere, but your perspective of the actual game is very limited.

:D

People go to the beach for reasons beyond the audio-visual. Technology can't recreate the experience at home the way it can do with films and music.



You just answered your own question. Some people (obviously not all) feel that the technology can't recreate the experience at home the way it is at the theater, for whatever reason it may be, whether it be the crowd, the popcorn the large room feeling, or perhaps it all about getting out of the house as well...

Whatever the reason may be, it falls under the same logic that you described above.

It's not just about the audio/visual all the time. For example, I probably wouldn't enjoy Seinfied as much if there wasn't a studio audience, even though that has nothing to do with the actual comedy, etc. However, studio audiences have been in TV shows through time for some reason or another, so I can't be alone in feeling that way.

You just answered your own question. Some people (obviously not all) feel that the technology can't recreate the experience at home the way it is at the theater, for whatever reason it may be, whether it be the crowd, the popcorn the large room feeling, or perhaps it all about getting out of the house as well...

Whatever the reason may be, it falls under the same logic that you described above.
I wouldn't disagree with that at all. What eludes me though is which parts of the theater experience that can't be recreated are so wonderful? The kid kicking the back of your seat, the rustling of someone's candy bag? The cellphone ringing? :)

It's not just about the audio/visual all the time. For example, I probably wouldn't enjoy Seinfied as much if there wasn't a studio audience, even though that has nothing to do with the actual comedy, etc. However, studio audiences have been in TV shows through time for some reason or another, so I can't be alone in feeling that way.
See, now I know it's just me. I love sitcoms that have no laugh track. Arrested Development and The Office are two of my favorites. I just don't need to know someone else finds something funny in order to find it funny myself, or enhance the funniness.

[QUOTE=scooterboy]I wouldn't disagree with that at all. What eludes me though is which parts of the theater experience that can't be recreated are so wonderful? The kid kicking the back of your seat, the rustling of someone's candy bag? The cellphone ringing? :)
QUOTE]

I would guess that each theater experience is different. We don't usually have the kicking part nor the dirty theater part. For the most part, our theater experiences are great because the sheer size of the screen in the Stadium Seating theaters and the volume typically mutes out any pests. We do get the occassional cell phone text message annoyance of the bright screen, but I never hold my tongue.

I guess the noise would be harder to tolerate if I was going to see something like Bridge of Madison County, but seeing as how my wife and I have only gone to the theater in the past year to see movies like Superman, X3, and Pirates, that's not usually an issue.

We're heading to the drive-in on Friday to watch a movie. Throwing some pillows/blankets in the back of the pickup bed, in great 75 degree weather. Not going to be steller sound nor picture, but still something that I can't simulate in the home theater, and lots of fun.

I do think alot of people online make a bigger deal of people talking, cell phones etc. I go to the movies alot, and it doesnt happen much maybe more at a kids movie but its rare and when some kid makes a comment or something thats not a big deal doesnt wreck the movie.

I just find it boring to sit home all the time and watch a movie, plus watching a movie with a audience can be awesome, especailly with comedys or movies like Pirates.


I agree that you are lucky if you are not bothered by such things. I am usually
very patient but I can count on one hand the number of times over the last five
years that I have gone to a movie and not had to deal with such distractions.
The LOTR series was particularly bad as it seemed that many people who had
not read the books required constant narration from their friends to follow the
story. I love watching those movies at home because without the distraction
you can become immersed in the movie. However, this is not the case when
there are people all around talking to their friends.

How sensitive one is to these things is probably also a function of age. I think that
as you get older like me you are less apt to want the crowd and more apt to
want to just enjoy the movie. The one exception to this rule for me are the pure action movies like Pirates. There a good audience can add a lot to the experience. Even so I still very much enjoy watching such movies at home. The experience is just as good, just different.
Regards

[QUOTE=scooterboy]
We're heading to the drive-in on Friday to watch a movie. Throwing some pillows/blankets in the back of the pickup bed, in great 75 degree weather. Not going to be steller sound nor picture, but still something that I can't simulate in the home theater, and lots of fun.

No need to shortchange yourself. Today's projectors do fine for backyard summertime movies. I suppose the pickup truck part may present an issue for some. (BTW, hope you live in a bug free area)

like the really big screens at the movies.

I have given up on going to an actual theater, and hoping to completely enjoy the experience. The past four times I went, it was either technical issues, or people issues (two each time).

A while ago I went to the "premium" cinema in Framingham, MA where you can purchase food at a restaurant (a little overpriced if you ask me, but reasonably good food anyways), or for eating in the theater. The seats were kind of comfortable, but very hard with very little give, kind of like an older Mercedes Benz. The negative at that movie was that the two people in front of me ordered buffalo wings which stunk up the entire theater for most of the movie. They did not use a good buffalo sauce either, it was the stinky cheap buffalo sauce (I am a hot sauce snob). This convinced me that I really do not want to go to commercial theater where I am paying for a movie, since for less than the price of just two admissions, I can purchase the DVD, and enjoy it in the comfort of my own home.

As to the "group/shared" experience mentioned above, I find that it is way overrated to me. I know what I think it funny, and I certainly do not need others to make something funny. In fact the time I laughed the hardest, almost peeing my pants in a theater was seeing the movie Alladin where Robin Williams is doing the different outfits for Alladin. Now the funny thing about that experience, the movie theater had three total people in it. My wife and I, and one other person, so the "shared experience" did not result in my uncontrollable laughter.

Years ago I was in Paris where I saw Nobody's Fool with Paul Newman. It was in English with french subtitles. The interesting thing is that my wife and I were laughing at the jokes before the locals were because the lines came before the subtitles could be read, and some of the jokes were funny because of how it was said, instead of what was said.

As to kids, I have two girls (14 and 9), and both of them know how to behave in a public place. I never have to tell them to be quiet, because we take them many places, and they know how to act when they are in public. One funny story was when ET was re-released in the theater, there was a real obnoxious person chatting on her cell phone while the movie was starting. After the entire theater listened to her conversation (Boy was she oblivious...), I finally said in a rather distinct voice "SHUT UP". About 10 people applauded, and of course she quickly finished. My 6 year old at the time says "Daddy, you said a bad word!" Of course that was greeted by some chuckles, but during the movie, everybody was deathly quiet, so it worked.

I find that the sound in commercial theaters is either too soft, or so loud that they have blown the speakers or amplifiers so there is major distortion. There is no care anymore in terms of making the picture and audio the best it can be.

...And the real funny thing, since I have an LCD projector, the flashing of the picture with each film frame being displayed is starting to bother me also. That is the same reason why I cannot use DLP either. I guess I can see fast motion.

Reedl

like the really big screens at the movies.

And, I like the really big screen at home. Armed with HDDVD I can see where 120 inches is child's play. Mix in 1080p projectors and who knows the limit.

The limit is average room size and ANSI output of a digital projector.......but U already knew that :)

The fact is we(The people) just don't get along with each other as we used to. Times have changed and so have we. I was rased in a movie theater most of my childhood. Movies we a place to go to socailize and play. Same still goes today but, The way kids have NO respect for others and the way PARENTS have over the years let susie and little johnny get away with murder have grown up now and still get away with murder. Im 42 yrs old I have seen the change and I see no end to the mess. Its sad so I love my HT!

My friend always reminds me of the time when I did my best impression of George Costanza from Seinfeld. There were many older teens in various places throughout the theater in little groups with all of them more interested in having conversations in their normal speaking voice than watching the movie. I actually bit my tongue for a good twenty minutes and then I couldn't be my usual polite self anymore. I stood up, turned around, and said out loud in a very deliberate tone, "Everyone.....SHUT.....UP." I then stood there for a few seconds staring at all of them as a whole, before sitting down. I had never done that before and it felt so good, because it actually worked. I think they thought I was going to start cracking skulls to be honest. Needless to say, I'm less and less likely to put up with yapping anymore.

On a side note, after the movie was over, one of the boys that I'm sure was trying to save face with his prospective girlfriend, said to me, "You were pretty cool to tell everyone to shut up, huh?". So, I replied, "You shut up didn't you?" He didn't have anything else to say.

Just got back from viewing WTC "World Trade Center" . What gives? This is the second film in a row where there were NO blacks. Had there been any SDE I could be convinced I was watching a 300:1 CR LCD projector.
Assuming someone else saw this film, was fade to black (very often in this picture BTW) fade to light leak grey for you too?

Just got back from viewing WTC "World Trade Center" . What gives? This is the second film in a row where there were NO blacks. Had there been any SDE I could be convinced I was watching a 300:1 CR LCD projector.
Assuming someone else saw this film, was fade to black (very often in this picture BTW) fade to light leak grey for you too?

I had exactly the same feeling about the blacks with this movie, it was all grey not black. No contrast on the dark & nighttime scenes. Like you say with the fade to black is was really noticable. And this was a good quality cinema so should not be any problem with their projectors

Home theater, by far.

A few months ago, I went to one of the early morning showings and had the complete 300 seater cinema completely to myself. That was pretty nice
In most other cases though I would find the at home option better, quality wise there ain't much differance to me, more comforable at home but bigger screen at the cinema.

Thoughts first. Here's a story worth telling. A remake of this film by Ridley Scott , Luc Besson, or Jerry Bruckheimer could turn this into a great cinematic action/adventure.

Q: Was it my theater or the print quality that suffered on this one? In other words, anybody that saw this film, how was your viewing experience? Was the image sharp? Mine sucked. Were the colors right? Not at my viewing. Feedback?

We have had a HT for about 3 years now and love. We use it not only for movies but has become our main TV period! We all fight on what to watch during prime time. I'm so glad we turned this room into a theater. One of the best things we have ever done.

Having said all that, I do notice one trend we have fallen into: We only go see the "blockbuster" films at the theater right when they come out. Otherwise we don't go to the movies anymore. Because of the cost (4 of us), the comfort of our own home, we don't go unless it is big budget blockbuster film. Now I think this is a bad habit. Why?

-We are not supporting less known but good movies
-We are likely not ever seeing some of these good but lessor known movies as we forget or never get around to renting them
-We are encouraging (by voting with our $$) only the making of the big budget mega flix.
-We end up watching much of the same thing over and over again in our HT, which while not bad, is not expanding our experiences.

Again, I will never go back, to not having a theater. But it is interesting how we have shifted in what we watch.

I've had my HT for 2 years. I have expanded my viewing experiences considerably, compared to my cinema going days. Well, I still go to the cinema, but seldom and only for the real big budget movies.

I keep myself informed about movies from all around the world, reading dvd reviews, finding reviewers whose point of views I agree with and then spring for their recommendations.

I've seen english, italian, korean, spanish and french movies, that in quality easily outperform the Hollywood formula. I wath considerably less american movies than ever, because the quality is overall lousy, mainstream CGI flicks with bad plots, even though about 20-30 each year is very good.

The quality of series however, has gone up. Deadwood, Carnivale, Life on Mars, Battlestar Galactica and Rome is first rate stuff, that makes up for great entertainment.

But yeah. I'm sad not going more to the cinemas. I personally believe, you have to take chances, instead of focusing on weekend box office all the time. Instead of showing foreign movies, Hollywood buys the rights, remakes the movies and end up with lousy copies. Show the originals, make way for 1 night a week showings of classic movies, like Lawrence of Arabia, Dr. Zhivago, Reds, Ben Hur, The Third Man, Singin in the Rain and so forth.

The audience are not ignorants, we're just treated that way.

I personally believe, you have to take chances, instead of focusing on weekend box office all the time. Show the originals, make way for 1 night a week showings of classic movies, like Lawrence of Arabia, Dr. Zhivago, Reds, Ben Hur, The Third Man, Singin in the Rain and so forth.

This is a great idea.

I think the movie industry is still making money(maybe more) even though I don't go the local theater anymore or any less. I use to just go see BLOCK BUSTERS only, Star wars,Harry Potter ect............ BUT now with my home theater I have purchased 160 movies in the last 18 months and have found a lot of NON BLOCKBUSTER movies that are among my favorites, and I watch them more often than the blockbusters when we have company over........ Movies like Little Black Book(Holly Hunter), Fever Pitch, Failure to launch,Glory Road, Rules of Engagement and lots lots more................ Van Helsing and Wind Talkers are the 2 movies that really show off my DLP projector both movies just jump off the screen with an almost 3D look, and the black and white parts on Van Helsing are a thing of beauty. I am a b&W photographer from the past and this movie and my PJ just hits the contrast/tonal range perfectly.

Maybe the numbers of seats purchased are down at the local theater, but the movie studios should be making enough off the DVD sales to offset this. all I know is every time I am in Target, Walmart ect........ I always leave with a couple of DVD's and usually half are movies many years past their release.

Just a thought :)

All valid points but nealy 70% of commercial theater tickets are sold to teenage girls so keep your fingers crossed that quality films don't become a thing of the past.

Art

Checklst said...

"Maybe the numbers of seats purchased are down at the local theater, but the movie studios should be making enough off the DVD sales to offset this. all I know is every time I am in Target, Walmart ect........ I always leave with a couple of DVD's and usually half are movies many years past their release.

Just a thought :)[/QUOTE]

Last week I picked up three oldies, but goodies in "WallyWorld"
Marathon Man (W/S)
The Conversation (W/S)
Cape Fear (B/W-1961)

$4.88 ea. My DVD inventory just keeps growin'...I may need another storage cabinet, soon. Anyhow, I go to the local Cinema about 3 times a year, depends on what's playing.

Yes, I prefer my home theater. Especially now that HDDVD is here. BUT, there's something about seeing a current release and a night out.

Last night was just the case. Saw "Deja Vu" and 'escaped' to the movies. If you enjoyed "Enemy of the State" this should be right up your alley with a few additional techno twists to boot. I guess you can tell I liked the movie.

Respectfully disagree. The quality of the moviegoing experience has plummetted to the point where I can no longer "escape" in the movie theatre...I'm just too distracted by bad manners.

Granted, when I was a teen and traveled to the movie theatre in a pack, I'm sure we made our share of noise...hell it was an event, it was something to do, people to see...but we didn't have cellphones back then, and didn't have gameboys, and whispering is a far cry from the cellphone and full-on conversations happening today. Manners...they kick it down a notch.

If we wanted to get loud, we'd hit the drive-in. Ok, I guess now that those are all DOA, the chatty, electronics-obsessed youth have noplace left to go..the malls only rotate stock SO many times a month. :D

I personally only go to a movie theatre when I set my expectation level low...usually to go out with friends, NOT to actually immerse myself in the film.

To say nothing of the poppy sound, the scratched and dirty prints, the out of focus or dirty projector lenses or the fluctuating bulb brightness that my local megaloplex offers me......or $5.00 sodas....or $8.00 popcorns....:P

I think one thing that sucks is the in-consistency of the film and/or theatre and equipment. Too often am I faced with a screen with a dark mark on it that drives me crazy, or out of focus projector, lousy looking screen and/or poor audio. I especially hate it when the theatre volume is too loud. I don't mind if something has dynamic range, but too often a theatre has the volume cranked and the compression and distortion is irritating. I don't find the quality of the picture in theatre's are all that great. It often looks out of focus and contrast isn't always as good as it could be. Theatre experiences for me are always at risk of being marred with the dreaded washroom break. I always make sure never to drink alcohol or anything with caffeine before the show. I also usually try to clean my glasses before the movie starts and the food and drink costs are crazy so I usually smuggle in stuff.

I like the new theatres which are so steep that it is practically impossible for someone's head to block the screen. I haven't had too much trouble with noisey patrons lately. The other day when watching "The Good Sheppard" I was distracted by a flashing light next to me. I couldn't see what it was, whether it was a cell phone or a medical device, but it was really bothersome in my peripheral vision. I almost asked the person to block it for me but luckily they moved around and it disappeared for most of the movie.

I am always disappointed with how soft and dull movies look in the theatre, compared to my home theatre projector, however, it doesn't ruin the experience. I still prefer watching at home though. It all depends. I guess I have commented on this subject before, but I always have different experiences. As always, going to the movies is fun because of the going out social aspect, but there is a balance. If the movie looks/sounds poor or your experience is bad, who cares about the social experience. I guess if theatres were better, that would improve the experience a quite a bit.