Fast & Furious to be first major theatrical release with D-BOX
By Darren Murph 
posted Mar 9th 2009 8:57PM
posted Mar 9th 2009 8:57PM
posted Mar 9th 2009 8:57PM
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this is hott..they need to find a way to implement this tech into homes, like those basshaker things
Ry...
Take a look at their web site. They have over a 1000 movies compatible and have been around for a while now into homes. They are really creating a new way to gets us into the action. Great news!
They are doing well, but they only sell through retailers and there aren't too many. I want it, but can't buy it and their website states they HIGHLY Recommend professional install which means I may never see it.
they really need to get this tech integrated into every theater chair out there.... im a huge fan of the dbox tech but its way way way too expensive for me.
What is it, the 1950s again ? Good lord. Stop with all the gimmicks and just make a solid film already.
Its Fast & Furious they need all the gimmick they can get.
Have you seen the first Fast and Furious movie? It's actually not bad. I actually really like Vin Diesel. He's not a horrible actor. He's no Nicholson, but he's not horrible. I'm actually looking forward to this movie. It won't be an award winner I know, but it should be fun.
Sounds like one fine feature...errr NOT
We had these in our demo theater at the office. The technology worked really well, one piston in each of the 4 legs of a luxurious reclining theater chair. There is a host PC that gets a SPDIF feed from your DVD player, the software automatically identifies the movie in its database and controls the 4 pistons to move the chair in sync with the action on screen. Each action for each movie had to be coded by hand by DBox, they called them motion artists or something and it really was an art form. They would not move the chair at inappropriate moments and they would rarely move at all for comedy's or dramas where it would seem out of place. But during car chases, fighter jet scenes and others, it was really novel.
That being said, it was a cool thing to show off to your friends and kids absolutely LOVED them but the movie loving adult usually found it distracting and elected to turn it off.
ok am i the only one that doesn't know wtf dbox is?
Does anyone else read "d-box" and think "d-bag"? I wonder if anyone internal ever had that conversation?
On the bright side anyone who has trouble getting it to work will know exactly how to hit it with a harsh put-down.
We have an A/V company in the south-east. Our company has been recognized as a leader in home theater technologies and installation. You can visit our web site at http://www.advancedaudiovideo.com Our clients have included Shaquel O'Neil, Tiger Woods, one of the Prince's of Saudi Arabia, Disney, and many others. We take great pride in giving our client's what they want. However, we do try to explain to our clients what they will be getting for their money and try to accomplish the most that we can that will fit their budget.
In home theaters, the rumbling seats, motion, etc, are a great idea. People enjoy amusement parks, roller coasters, etc, for a short period of time. Then, the novelty tends to wane.
Rumbling seats, etc, are an artificial form of sensory to "get you involved" in the movie. Although they do work, after a while, all you really want to do is just watch a movie instead of wondering if your buttocks are going to tingle from a vibrator. In our opinion, the best way to get the impact of the movie is to have a full cinemascope screen and great audio.
Sound engineer's go to great lengths to give movie goer's a great audio experience. Sad to say, many home theater installers are afraid to sell a client the sound system they need to get the most of their movie experience. The reason for this is that a professional sound system that will allow you to do all the time alignment, frequency EQ’s, etc, may cost more than seats with actuators or vibrators. Also, some do not know that much about sound and try to sell you a sound system based on volume, instead of the right size system for your size room.
Look at it this way: Put those seats in your room and turn the sound down. Do you think you'll really get the same experience without the sound? Now, imagine your room has been acoustically engineered, speakers have been time aligned, your subs and speakers are big enough to handle the cubic volume of the room. What all this means is that your sound system will actually pressurize your room. When there are explosions or crashes, you will actually feel the pressurization from the sound waves. Yes, you will feel the rumble, a thump in the chest, your pants legs will vibrate; in fact you may jump out of your seat. This is a more “natural” feel for the movie.
While the technology for these seats is great and they are enjoyed by many, as seen in previous comments more serious movie goers want the “authentic” feel of movies. The “novelty” wears off and people end up turning off the seats. Sure, it’s fun for a while and something to show all your friends, but a real home theater is not a carnival ride. It’s a place for family and friends to enjoy time, a sporting event, and more.
Spend your money wisely. Visit our web site at http://www.advancedaudiovideo.com and send your questions or comments. Movies are great and having the right equipment in a home theater is what makes it a room that will be used extensively, and not just a novelty room.
Thanks for your input. Unfortunately having the audio setup that you describes out of the reach for the vast majority of people. The fact is most people still watch movies through tiny inbuilt speakers in their TVs and they cannot justify spending more on audio than their actual TV set.
A little feedback on your website though, and I find this a problem for many professional specialist companies - it looks extremely dated. You should hire a professional web designer who can better portray your companies dedication to high end / premium gear with a matching website.
Cheers
Rick, I think you are doing your high end clients a real disservice by not recommending D-Box seating. Also, just because they are famous people doesn't mean they have the best theaters. I have seen systems in the houses of regular people who are film enthusiasts that just put to shame the systems I have seen on MTV Cribs and such. The only impressive theater I saw on there was Russell Simmon's theater and it was already in the house before he purchased it (a Theo Kalomirakis theater in the house of Bill Blass and one of the few TK theaters I actually like).
Referring to this as a rumbling seat shows that you either don't understand the technology or are trying to play it down. This is NOT a tactile transducer or bass shaker. It is real motion - watch a film like The Perfect Storm during the quieter scenes on the boat to get the real feel for how motion is not just vibration.
I purchased a D-Box system in 2002. I now have systems running in multiple rooms in my house and my #1 complaint is that I want more motion, not less.
Before you try and dismiss me, my theater was acoustically engineered and has the latest in digital equalization, etc. Sound doesn't replace motion any more than video resolution will replace the need for color. This doesn't replace the need for a good sound system, but it is another step towards complete immersion in the story as it unfolds on the screen.
I have watched probably a couple hundred movies on my system over the years and the only time I find it distracting is when I am trying to concentrate on it - which is likely what people who are sitting on a system for the first time may do. Don't focus on it - focus on the film and let the seat do its thing. You will find a more involved and emtionally engaging experience than you would ever get without it (barring the dialog driven films like Driving Miss Daisy, etc). My D-Box system is the best part of my home theater.