This monolith is the Sony CineAlta 4K SRX-R220. 4096 x 2160 resolution, a 17 meter image and 8,850.000 sweet, sweet pixels. At a hefty five feet tall it probably won't find a place in your living room, but then it isn't meant to. This is aimed squarely at the cinema and edges us one step closer to full digital distribution.
The advantages of digital cinema are many. Great for the viewers who get a crisp, scratch free movie experience, great for Johnny Foreigner who usually has to wait months for the cast-off film reels already used in the US, by which time they are in a terrible state. Great for the theaters because they can swap out the Latest Jennifer Aniston dud with Spiderman at a few moments notice.
And great for the movie companies because they don't have to print and deliver expensive film.
Ironically, the only losers are the manufacturers. HD projection tech is moving so fast that the cinemas are sitting things out. Eventually there will be a reliable, stable standard, but it isn't here yet.
Shipping May 1st at just $127,000 for the basic model.
Press release [Sony - Japanese via Gizmodo]
