THX Teams With Runco International to Develop First THX Certified Home Theater Projectors

THX Teams With Runco International to Develop First THX Certified Home Theater Projectors

Runco and Vidikron DLP Projectors Meet THX Visual Performance Requirements

DENVER, CEDIA 2006, Sept. 14 /PRNewswire/ -- THX Ltd. and Runco International have teamed to develop the world's first THX Certified HD projectors for home theaters. The Runco VX-2cx family of projectors and the Vidikron Vision models 90t and 100t, all 3-chip Digital Light Processing (DLP(TM)) projectors, are the first HD video display products to achieve THX certification. In addition, both companies are working together to develop a series of THX Certified 1080p DLP projectors, which will enable consumers to enjoy a level of image quality previously reserved for mastering and cinema environments.

Leveraging its expertise in the cinema and post-production markets, THX ensures that certified displays and projectors can perform to the rigorous standards outlined in the THX Certified Display program. The THX program promises that HD and standard definition content will be presented with the correct color, luminance levels and video processing capabilities, regardless of the display category or technology (DLP, LCD, plasma, front/rear projection).

Using the THX Certified Display specifications as the design and testing standard enables Runco and Vidikron to push the boundaries of projector performance and present true HD home theater experiences with the sharpest and most detailed images possible.

"Today, consumers are forced to sort through myriad technologies and product options when buying an HD display. THX has teamed with Runco to tackle this growing complexity and ensure best-in-class quality and performance in the next wave of digital home projectors and video displays," said Richard Dean, vice president of technology development at THX Ltd. "Runco's expertise in the professional installation market combined with their reputation for engineering excellence was instrumental in our decision to bring them aboard as our first partner."

Sam Runco, Founder and CEO of Runco International, made this observation: "Runco International has enjoyed a close working relationship with THX for many years and nothing could be more exciting for us than to be partnering with them as the first THX licensee for video display products. They, like Runco, were influential in the establishment of the high-end home theater category. We have a healthy respect for their high standards and have always been proud of the work we have done together. This further validates the quality and performance of our products and ensures consumers that the Runco and Vidikron brands perform to the highest levels in the industry."

THX created proprietary performance testing parameters for projection and display products based on cinema and video industry best practices. This includes tests for signal processing and front-of-screen analysis. During the certification process, Runco and Vidikron projectors are thoroughly analyzed by THX to ensure that they can present content at the best possible resolution with the correct levels. THX also identifies and minimizes sources of motion artifacts, image ghosting, dropped frames and picture noise, and makes recommendations for improving product performance.

In addition, Runco and Vidikron customers will be provided recommendations for optimum THX system set-up to ensure each product is performing to its full potential.

THX Certified Display testing includes the following:

* Front of Screen (FOS) Testing
- Luminance
- Contrast
- Color Gamut
- Gamma
- Uniformity
- Max Resolution
* Video Signal Processing Testing
- Scaling
- Deinterlacing
- Motion/Video Conversion

ABOUT THX LTD.

Born out of George Lucas' vision to improve the movie-going experience, THX is a driving force in cinema, post-production, car audio and home entertainment. THX is dedicated to developing new ways to make the creation, delivery and presentation of entertainment content more efficient, more powerful and more enjoyable. Today, the world's premier commercial cinemas, post-production studios, car audio systems and home entertainment products incorporate THX technologies and have achieved the coveted THX Certified status. For more information, visit www.thx.com .

RUNCO

Founded in 1987 and currently headquartered in Union City, California, Runco International, Inc is a market leader in state-of-the-art projection systems, flat-panel plasma monitors, video processors and other components for the consumer market. Runco's innovations have won numerous awards and citations from the world press. Runco was the first company to introduce and market a line doubler with a multi-frequency projector in 1990 and also introduced the first multiple-aspect-ratio controller, the ARC-IV, to the Home Theater market. Recently, both of these features have become essential for the new digital high definition capable televisions.

VIDIKRON

The highly respected Vidikron brand was established in 1980 in Milan, Italy, and was acquired by Runco International in 2002. Vidikron offers a comprehensive selection of high performance, cutting edge video products, distributed through a select network of authorized Vidikron dealers and custom installation professionals.

NOTE: THX and the THX Logo are trademarks of THX Ltd., which may be registered in some jurisdictions. All rights reserved.

Source: THX Ltd.

CONTACT: Graham McKenna of THX Ltd., +1-415-492-3946, or
gmckenna@thx.com; or Mark Stein of Runco International, +1-510-324-7777, or
marky@runco.com; or Katie Short of Caster Communications, +1-401-792-7080, or
kshort@castercomm.com, for RUNCO; or Sunok Pak of Hill & Knowlton,
+1-415-281-7129, or sunok.pak@hillandknowlton.com, for THX

Web site: http://www.thx.com/

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