Visualization pioneer Barco and digital cinema partner Nevafilm are proud to announce that they have successfully installed Auro-3D, a truly immersive audio technology to reproduce sound in 3D, at Jam Hall cinema in St Petersburg, Russia. In combination with 3D images, Auro-3D encapsulates movie fans even more within the action. With this installation, Jam Hall is one of the first cinemas worldwide and the first in Europe to be able to offer this new experience to its movie fans.

The introduction of digital projection in cinema theaters has resulted in a 3D movie success outburst. To create the ultimate life-like motion picture experience, 3D audio is the next logical step. Auro-3D, powered by Barco and Auro Technologies, is an audio technology that allows for true three dimensional sound production, distribution and reproduction that turns conventional cinema audio into a fully immersive experience.

“One of the main benefits of Auro-3D for us is that it can be used in combination with our existing infrastructure,” comments Vadim Kondratenko, owner of Jam Hall cinemas. “We do not need to re-design our auditoriums but can upgrade to Auro-3D sound simply by adding height speakers. Auro-3D sound processing is also compatible with our existing setups.”

“Auro-3D gives cinemas the chance to offer their audience something completely new,” says Brian Claypool, Senior Director, Strategic Business Development at Barco. Cinema sound has not significantly changed over the past twenty years since the introduction of 5.1. Following the path of the digital cinema revolution in projection, 3D sound will add to an even more immersive cinema experience. The effect of Auro-3D is more powerful and much more natural than traditional “surround sound” and gives a whole new dimension to the cinema experience.”

Auro-3D can easily be installed and is fully compatible with today’s main standards: Stereo and 5.1 Surround. The full Auro-3D speaker layout is defined for up to 13.1, with 11.1 being the ideal solution for environments such as a commercial movie theater. Next to this, the Auro-3D codec enables single inventory distribution, which means that it allows for the content to be transported using the market’s current standards while maintaining future compatibility. The elegance of Auro 3D technology allows for a simple installation to any existing sound system and effortless operation thanks to its compatibility with existing D-Cinema standards used in the marketplace.

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