[IndieFilm3D]

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In the modern age of multiplexes and technically unskilled staff manning projection booths, plus the exorbitant cost of digital projection equipment, the awareness of and need for 3D surround sound may be considered far from a priority. Never mind budgets being made available: virtual print fees traditionally have not catered for sound equipment, so the providers of 3D immersive sound may have an uphill battle on their hands to make direct sales to exhibition.

This however does not undermine the importance of 3D sound in cinemas, not the efforts being made by these providers to bring 3D sound to audiences. Vicente Lopez, executive chairman of imm Sound, whose company, based in Barcelona, has recently launched the imm Sound 3D processor, admitted there is a ‘chicken and egg’ problem with 3D sound, but he is encouraged by the flurry of activity in this area that sound won’t be sidelined for much longer.  “Sound has to adapt to infrastructure,” he says, adding, “You can’t just keep setting up additional speakers.” …

There is no DCI compliance with regard to 3D sound, unlike digital projection, so the market is currently cluttered with a variety of solutions, generally falling into two categories: mixed at source, or up-mix to a multi-channel environment via a processor in the booth.  …

Read the full story here: http://indiefilm3d.com/node/616