National Geographic Chooses Sony 4k SXRD Projector For Digital Makeover Of Grosvenor Auditorium

WASHINGTON, D.C., Feb. 15, 2006 — The National Geographic Society has purchased Sony’s 4K SXRD™ (Silicon X-tal Reflective Display) large-venue projector for use in its popular National Geographic Live! lecture series and other auditorium events in Washington, D.C.

The 10,000-lumen projector, model SRX-R110, is installed in the Society’s 408-seat Grosvenor Auditorium, which hosts more than 100 events a year, from film screenings to image-filled lectures by top photographers, explorers, scientists and adventurers.

The addition of the SXRD system adds a new level of technical sophistication to the auditorium’s display capabilities. The projector’s ability to display varying types of video images to audiences in a large venue, at extremely high resolution and in precise detail, is especially important for educational discussions and critical analysis viewings.

“The National Geographic Society has a rich heritage of offering presentations dating back to our inception in 1888,” said Gregory McGruder, National Geographic’s director of lectures and public programs. “It’s one of our hallmarks. We’re proud to not only continue the effort but also to dramatically enhance the visual aspect of these events for our audiences by using the extremely high-resolution and technologically advanced SXRD projection system.”

Sony’s SXRD 4K projector features 4096 x 2160 pixels to produce four times the resolution of current high-definition displays. Complementing the projector’s pixel resolution is a high contrast ratio for deep blacks, outstanding picture uniformity and superb signal processing.

The SXRD 4K technology is capable of displaying multiple, full high-definition images in single-, dual- or quad-screen mode, making the projectors well suited for use in lecture halls or auditoriums.

“We designed the SXRD projector to display the highest-quality, most visually stunning video images in the highest resolution, in order to recreate the feeling of `being there’ as closely and faithfully as possible,” said John Kaloukian, general manager of display systems for Sony Electronics. “National Geographic’s 117-year-old film, lecture, and performance series offers a perfect application for this technology.”

Grosvenor Auditorium is also using Sony’s SRW-5500 VTR for recording, playback and storage of program material. The high-definition HDCAM SR™ deck uses Sony’s BCT-SR Series HDCAM SR digital videocassettes to help ensure that all recorded material is properly stored for future viewing and use. Designed alongside the HDCAM SR VTRs, these cassettes are a result of Sony’s most advanced metal tape technology, enabling the faithful capture and reproduction of the format’s HD quality.

Another example of Sony high-definition display technology at Grosvenor Auditorium is the installation of several LUMA™ LCD 32-inch (viewable area, measured diagonally) professional monitors, which feature patented Digital Signal Processing technology for higher picture quality when displaying varying types of video material.

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