Sacramento, Calif. USA – 12 April 2016 – Barco, the global leader in digital cinema, is the laser projection partner of choice for Santikos Entertainment, which is ramping up deployment of Barco laser projectors in all nine locations in South Texas. Phase 1 of the conversion begins next month, with the exhibitor converting 75 screens to Barco’s brand new laser phosphor projectors.

Santikos was one of the first exhibitors to embrace Barco’s Flagship Laser projector at its premium Palladium IMAX Cinema in San Antonio, Texas. The exhibitor recently completed the deployment of Barco Flagship Laser projectors for all 16 screens at the new Santikos Casa Blanca Theatre, making it the first all laser projector-powered multiplex. With this latest move, Santikos is well on its way to becoming the industry’s first 100 percent Barco laser projection circuit.

“We are excited that Barco has grown its laser projection product line, which now allows us to reap the rewards of stunning image quality and low TCO across our entire circuit,” comments Art Seago, President of Santikos Entertainment. “An early adopter of laser technology for cinema, we have long realized the benefits of Barco laser projectors. They offer an ideal combination of image quality and economic value, enabling us to simplify operations and eliminate maintenance costs associated with lamp-based projectors.”

Laser phosphor technology: economical, ultra-bright and modular
The Barco DP2K-20CLP and DP2K-15CLP laser phosphor projectors, with shipment commencing in Q2 2016, are the first of a broader series of laser phosphor projectors to be launched over the coming year.

Barco laser phosphor DP2K-20CLP and DP2K-15CLP projectors deliver three times the brightness of the nearest competitor, yet can be operated at a much lower cost than lamp-based projectors. Also, with the unique laser phosphor retrofit module, exhibitors who already own a Barco cinema projector can easily and cost-effectively implement laser technology into their projectors.

 
Barco industry leadership fuels the laser projection trend
Many years of technology leadership have culminated in the development of the Barco Flagship Laser projector, which leads the industry as the new standard for delivering a differentiated, cost-effective experience. Its Flagship Laser projectors have been installed by more than 40 exhibitors in over 20 countries, offering a heightened movie experience for patrons while reducing complexity for exhibitors. Now, with the roll out of a complete line of laser phosphor projectors, Barco can ensure the perfect laser projector for every screen.

“We highly value our relationship with Santikos Entertainment and are pleased to provide them with the industry’s first 18,000-lumen laser phosphor projector for cinema, offering the full benefits of laser-illuminated projection for any screen size, theater size, or budget,” comments Stijn Henderickx, Vice President Cinema for Barco. “Our success in cinema laser projection is based on the very strong business proposition Barco offers with its laser projector portfolio to the exhibition community – the ability to deliver a differentiated, premium cinema experience while improving operational efficiency in their theaters.”


About Santikos Entertainment
Santikos Entertainment is the only theater group to operate as a social enterprise for the sole benefit of the communities in which it operates. Since 1911, Santikos has created unique experiences with large format screens, cutting-edge audio and visual technology, and ground-breaking amenities for the cinema industry, like bowling and full service in-theater dining. Now organized under the John L. Santikos Charitable Foundation, the company operates 10 theater and entertainment venues in San Antonio and Houston. The newest location, the Casa Blanca, opening in 2016 in the Alamo Ranch community in the northwest sector of San Antonio, will feature 16 screens, in-theater dining, full bar service and 16 lanes of bowling.


About Barco
Barco, a global technology company, designs and develops networked visualization products for the Entertainment, Enterprise and Healthcare markets. Barco has its own facilities for Sales & Marketing, Customer Support, R&D and Manufacturing in Europe, North America and APAC. Barco (NYSE Euronext Brussels: BAR) is active in more than 90 countries with 3,300 employees worldwide. Barco posted sales of 1.029 billion euro in 2015.

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