DIGITAL PROJECTION LAUNCHES THREE MODELS OF DIGIMAX™ CINEMA PROJECTORS

Company Also Announces Sale To Production Experts, American Hi Definition

MANCHESTER, April 05, 2001 - IMAX Corporation's subsidiary, Digital Projection International (DPI), recently launched three models of its proprietary DIGIMAX™ cinema projection systems at ShoWest 2001. The projectors, based on DLP Cinema™ technology by Texas Instruments, are the leading display platform for theaters, postproduction facilities and screening rooms equipped to provide digital cinema programming. DPI is the only digital projection company to provide customers with a variety of models suited for the varied needs of the industry.

The company also announced the sale of DIGIMAX projectors to American Hi Definition (AHD), a high-end production equipment and projection services company in Calabasas, Calif. According to Erez Ram, president, AHD's DIGIMAX cinema displays will join his company's rental fleet for immediate integration into prestigious venues deeply involved with digital cinema screenings, testing and standards development. This includes cinema research laboratories, postproduction facilities, Hollywood studios and special cinematic events, like film festivals and private screenings.

The three DIGIMAX models now available include one featuring a standard lamp cabinet, similar to those used with traditional film projectors. This model is of comparable design to the projection systems installed in the Texas Instruments/Technicolor/Disney pilot digital cinema network.

Also available only from DPI is a "transportable" model based on a self-contained hydraulic lift system and compact lamp housing. These features allow users to easily move, set-up and install the high-performance projector in a variety of venues. This model was developed to adapt to diverse projection environments and to provide increased mobility when used as the only digital projector in a within a multiplex.

The third DPI exclusive is an "ultra portable" version, that was designed to rest on a "table-top" platform, will be available for smaller screens and space-restrictive display environments such as postproduction facilities and screening rooms. It employs the most compact lamp housing available today.

Each projector can be configured with variable lamp illumination to deliver SMPTE standard 12 Ft.L on screens up to 50-ft. wide. A variety of "quick-change" anamorphic and zoom lens options are available to deliver imagery at any film aspect ratio.

At the heart of each DIGIMAX projector is a three-chip DLP Cinema™ design that generates 1000:1 contrast for powerful black levels and color uniformity unmatched in the digital cinema world.

Both units feature flawless integration with every major digital hi-definition format. All digital servers and playback devices are compatible via serial digital inputs and the projectors support SMPTE 292M bit-serial interface standards. Input source compatibility, for alternative programming, is available to beautifully display HDTV and satellite broadcasts for extended programming in theaters.

"Movie theaters already using DIGIMAX projectors, such as Japan's T-Joy, are finding that auditoriums equipped with digital cinema projectors attract and retain larger audiences," said Peter Nicholas, Digital Projection's digital cinema market manager. "The DIGIMAX system has high operational reliability and many theaters are considering bold new ways to put the projectors to work during times when screens are otherwise 'dark.' We certainly endorse this movement which will increase the amount of digital content available to audiences."

Digital Projection made digital cinema history in December 2000 when its DIGIMAX projectors were delivered to the T-Joy theaters in Japan, marking the first-ever commercial sale of a projector based on DLP Cinema™ technology.

"Recent industry events, like ShoWest, and the Santa Barbara and Los Angeles Film Festivals, have provided a public platform to work with even more partners in creating end-to-end solutions. Since the DIGIMAX projector is only one, albeit the most visible, component of the final delivery system, our company is working with major studios, suppliers, manufacturers and exhibitors to find economical solutions to support viable digital cinema business plans," added Nicholas.