BARCO launches revolutionary home theater concept: Cine VERSUM.
BARCO is set to change the face of home entertainment as we know it with the launch of its digital video distribution concept Cine VERSUM. Based on an intelligent video signal switcher and processor and a state-of-the-art display system, this future-proof system is ready to meet the demands of the most discerning home theater enthusiast.
Belgium, March 2002.Recognized as a world-leading designer and manufacturer of CRT projectors since its inception over twenty years ago, BarcoProjection once again drives the technological evolution of the home theater market with the introduction of its new Cine VERSUM concept.
Developed after close cooperation with BARCO Digital Cinema, the Cine VERSUM is a split-unit video distribution system that brings both breathtaking digital video quality as well as unparalleled flexibility and user comfort to the home theater of the future. The system comprises the Cine VERSUM Master (control unit), the Cine VERSUM 80 (DLP™ projector), the Cine VERSUM 50 (Plasma screen) and the Cine VERSUM XL/SL (proprietary digital link). The different units of the system are linked via one digital cable and can be placed separately anywhere throughout the house, making it the ideal system for unobtrusive, stylish integration.
CONTROL UNIT – Cine VERSUM Master
At the heart of BARCO’s Cine VERSUM concept lies a modular processing unit, the Cine VERSUM Master, which acts as the control unit of the system. This fully digital 19” compatible video signal switcher and processor offers both state-of-the-art design and functionality. The Cine VERSUM Master can be equipped with up to 8 digital and analog input modules, enabling it to process all types of video, component video, RGB, SDI, HD-SDI and DVI.
From the input module onwards, the entire system is digital, which results in optimal image reproduction at all times. The Cine VERSUM Master is able to process all sources up to 1600 x 1200 pixels and can be combined with technologies ranging from DLP™, PDP, LCD, LCOS and more, making it compatible with today and tomorrow’s displays.
DISPLAY DEVICES – Cine VERSUM 80 & 50
Today, BARCO’s Cine VERSUM concept is available with the Cine VERSUM 80 and 50 display devices, both with a native 16:9 screen format with High Definition resolution.
The Cine VERSUM 80, BARCO’s new single chip DLP™ projector, offers the home theater connoisseur the superior picture quality they have come to expect of BARCO’s products, coupled with a stylish, slim design which allows for easy, unobtrusive integration in any home.
Developed in close cooperation with BARCO Digital Cinema and based on the ground-breaking DLP™ technology of Texas Instruments, this unit delivers ultra high quality color images with contrast ratios of over 1100:1 and light output levels of 900 ANSI Lumen.
The superior mechanical and structural design of the Cine VERSUM 80 ensures that noise generation is virtually non-existent, making it the ideal display device for even the most critical home theater usage.
The Cine VERSUM 50 is a high-resolution 50” plasma display module. This 16:9 display provides superior brightness and incredible contrast levels, giving a clear, flicker-free picture in even the most light-intensive environments. With a stylish, slim design, the Cine VERSUM 50 can be either wall mounted or placed on foot, making it ideal for integration in any environment.
DIGITAL LINK – Cine VERSUM SL/XL
The digital output of the Cine VERSUM Master, which connects the individual modules with one-another, is a proprietary digital link named Cine VERSUM SL or XL. Based on Gigabit Ethernet technology, it allows the transportation of uncompressed video pictures in HD resolution over a distance of up to 50 meters. The digital link allows several display devices to be interconnected with each other and the Cine VERSUM Master. Presently two cable types are available: the Cine VERSUM SL cable for distances up to 15 meters and the Cine VERSUM XL rigid cable for distances up to 50 meters.
One of the major advantages of the use of this proprietary digital cable lies in the fact that users no longer need to undertake a major reconstruction exercise in order to install a state-of-the-art home theater system. One slim, unobtrusive cable now distributes a wide range of high-quality, uncompressed HD images together with all other communication throughout the distribution network.
The future of home theater…
Building on the renowned quality of BARCO’S digital cinema products, the Cine VERSUM represents the missing link between professional digital cinema applications and the home theater installations currently available.
“Never before have discerning home theater customers been able to enjoy the quality of digital cinema in their own homes…until now,” says BARCO Home Theater Division Manager, Tom Vanthuyne. “A total solution in which we combined BARCO’s technical and mechanical excellence with a design geared at easy integration, the Cine VERSUM turns the perceived negatives of home theater applications into positives: compact, stylish display devices, low noise output levels and no environment disturbances through complex installation requirements.”
“We are proud to be able to launch a future-proof concept which will finally fill a very real need in the home theater market,” concludes Vanthuyne.
About Barco
BARCO, with headquarters in Kortrijk, Belgium, has three key activities which are all active in Image Processing. BarcoProjection is in various markets of large screen visualization. BarcoView develops and manufactures display systems for life critical applications, while BarcoVision is in systems for visual inspection and quality control. In 2000, the entire BARCO group delivered a turnover of euro 751 million. BARCO has a network of subsidiaries, distributors and agents in 97 countries throughout the world. BARCO has been quoted on the Brussels Bourse since 1986, and is now quoted on Brussels/Euronext. BARCO is a BEL 20 and a Next 150 company and is member of the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes.
You can find more information about BARCO on the web: http://www.barco.com
