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Christie Delivers Imaging Excellance To Educate And Entertain At Discovery World In Milwaukee

CYPRESS, CA – (November 3, 2008) – Christie is providing Discovery World in Milwaukee with innovative digital projection technology for the museum’s high-tech theaters and corporate events space.  It has installed two Christie state-of-the-art CP2000 DLP Cinema® projectors, one each at the Shel and Marianne Lubar Innovation Theater and the Digital Theater in the Aquatarium.  Christie is also the projector of choice for the museum’s meeting and events space, the Pilot House, which serves as a technical benchmark for the state’s corporations, universities and government.

Discovery World at Pier Wisconsin is a $68M building that is widely recognized as a technological and architectural achievement.  A museum, a conference center and a technology showcase, its two digital cinema theaters are among its crowning glories.  The museum selected Christie DLP Cinema® projectors, pairing them with a 12' x 21’ screen in the Innovation Theater, and a 15' x 27’ screen in the Digital Theater in the Aquatarium.  The Digital Theater offers unique, amphitheater-like seating and a screen that, when raised, presents a panoramic view of Lake Michigan. 

“Discovery World at Pier Wisconsin is a state-of-the-art building designed with technology in mind.  It features lots of fiber optics to move video signals in HD, as well as an HD TV production studio,” remarked Discovery World president and CEO, Joel Brennan. “We chose Christie because their digital projectors are the best in the industry.  They met all our key needs in terms of performance, power and reliability, with crisp images and brightness to spare. In addition, Christie technical service was excellent.  The installations went smoothly, with technicians making sure the projectors delivered perfect color.”

Brennan noted that reliable, consistent performance was a critical part of Discovery World’s requirements.  The projectors had to be able to handle movies running six to seven days a week for eight hours a day, plus be able to handle special events in the evening with an additional seven hours of run time. 

“From the first day of installation, the projectors have performed wonderfully, even under heavy and constant use,” said Brennan.  “The most we’ve done is replace bulbs and perform basic, preventative maintenance.  They also allow Discovery World optimal networkability, giving our technicians the ability to monitor projector performance remotely through our network.”

Brennan recalled that Discovery World was an early adopter of digital cinema and one of the first non-cinema institutions to recognize the potential of the technology.  Before making their selection, they visited a few of the theaters that had installed them at that time.  They also traveled to a projector “shoot out” at the InfoComm industry trade show, where they saw Christie in action and immediately recognized its superiority to the competition. 

Christie Flies High at Pilot House
The Pilot House at Discovery World Pier Wisconsin, with a balcony offering a 360-degree view of the lake and the city, was designed to house private parties, corporate meetings, and other functions. The facility utilizes two Christie DW series widescreen HD projectors, for images projected onto two 9’ x 16’ tab-tensioned screens. The images can run in tandem or with separate feeds.

For Discovery World, connecting people with technology in a way that promotes learning is essential. “We selected Christie because, like us, they don’t simply sit on their laurels – they pursue excellence,” said Brennan. 

“Discovery World has been committed to educational, cultural, and environmental development for nearly 25 years,” said Kathryn Cress, vice president, Global and Corporate Marketing for Christie.  “It’s a mark of distinction to be recognized by one of the country’s most progressive museums. Christie shares its vision, remaining at the forefront in the innovative use of technology to lead the industry.”

About Discovery World

Discovery World at Pier Wisconsin is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Discovery World is a complex and innovative concept that connects the natural world with human-designed technology, offering a large variety of educational, cultural and environmental programs for visitors of all ages.  These programs and exhibits are designed to provide life-long learning, inspire exploration and creativity among its visitors. For more information, visit www.discoveryworld.org.

About Christie

Christie, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ushio, Inc., Japan, (JP:6925), is a leader in visual solutions for world-class organizations, offering diverse applications for business, entertainment, and industry. A leading innovator in film projection since 1929 and a pioneer in digital projection systems since 1979, Christie has established a global reputation as a total service provider and the world's single source manufacturer of a variety of display technologies and solutions.  With the acquisition of Vista Controls Systems, Corp., Christie offers the most complete and advanced solutions for cinema, live venues, control rooms, business presentations, training facilities, 3D and Virtual Reality, simulation and education as well as industrial and government environments.