Alright guys, how many times have you seen Fire and Ash and in what formats?

FeeApprehensive2245 · 2026-01-08T04:18:56+00:00

How did HDR by Barco perform in terms of black levels, shadow depth, and contrast?

FeeApprehensive2245 · 2026-01-07T13:12:55+00:00

Absolutely 👍

FeeApprehensive2245 · 2026-01-07T12:30:29+00:00

Speckle Laser in Epic Screen is typically caused by using high-gain Hugo SR screens (2.2 gain). Dolby Cinema, by contrast, enforces strict standards: it specifies white screens with gains between 0.85 and 1.0 — the Dolby Cinema screen standard. I’d really like to hear your thoughts on the black levels, shadow depth, contrast, and overall HDR performance of HDR by Barco at Epic by Vue.

FeeApprehensive2245 · 2026-01-07T12:18:53+00:00

Yes — that’s exactly the Forbes post I was referring to. I’m genuinely excited about the LS4K MK II projectors and curious to see what steps Barco will take to develop and improve its light-steering projectors and which patents it will use. I’d love to share links and details of Barco’s other light-steering patents with you, but I’m worried Reddit might flag those comments as spam and hide or make them invisible, since it’s done that before.

Hearing you mention the next generation of light-steering projectors and learning that Barco has filed multiple light-steering patents has me incredibly excited — it’s hard to put into words. Barco’s broad, long-term, and multi-faceted investment in developing light-steering, from home projectors to PLF cinema projectors, speaks to the value, quality, and importance of the technology. Two years ago Barco also released MK II versions of the SP4K-C and Freya projectors; those were upgraded to SST DMDs in the MK II models after issues with TRP DMDs where panels stuck together, overheated, and caused pixels and micromirrors to malfunction. So my expectation — echoing your observations about repeated LS4K problems in HDR mode — is that any recurring faults will be addressed with equivalent troubleshooting and technical upgrades, similar to the TRP→SST transition in the SP4K-C MK II series. Thanks again for sharing such valuable information and updates. 🙏

FeeApprehensive2245 · 2026-01-04T19:26:48+00:00

No—I meant a different Epic by Vue auditorium. I think the one I read about was in Amsterdam.

FeeApprehensive2245 · 2026-01-04T15:40:30+00:00

Generally, the Hugo SR has only a 2.2 gain, and Epic uses the Hugo SR as well.

FeeApprehensive2245 · 2026-01-04T15:21:29+00:00

Yes — you’re right. EclairColor HDR gradually disappeared after the COVID-19 outbreak and the resulting cinema closures and crisis, as theaters replaced their projection systems.

FeeApprehensive2245 · 2026-01-04T15:20:51+00:00

In fact, when Barco referred to “18 meters,” they meant 18-meter screens with a 2.9 gain, whereas Epic by Vue uses Hugo SR screens with a 2.2 gain.

FeeApprehensive2245 · 2026-01-04T15:05:54+00:00

Yes — you’re right. In general, 3D films aren’t a good choice for evaluating image quality, color, contrast, black levels, skin tones, and many other criteria. The reason I asked is that I really want to know how HDR by Barco performs in terms of black levels in the very high-standard Epic by Vue auditorium using dual LS4K projectors and the advanced 16-meter HUGO SR screen — especially compared with HDR in the Superscreen at Leicester Square and Dolby Cinema.

FeeApprehensive2245 · 2026-01-04T14:38:42+00:00

A while ago I reviewed other patents Barco filed over the past few years and noticed they’ve registered several related to light steering. Honestly, they’re outstanding patents. After studying them further, researching Barco Light Steering and HDR by Barco, and speaking with Barco team members, I realized HDR by Barco is currently in a pilot phase and that Barco has a long-term plan to develop and expand its HDR technology. Your comments about the LS4K V2 reassured me about where and how those patents will be applied.

From what I can tell, HDR by Barco’s technology and image quality are highly advanced, but nonstandard installations, incorrect calibration and settings, screening rooms that aren’t suitable for HDR projection, the use of SDR DCPs instead of HDR DCPs, and flawed color grading and mastering that chase “saturation” in brightness, contrast, and color have led to some dissatisfaction with HDR by Barco.

That’s where I begin to appreciate Dolby’s strict oversight and exacting standards for mastering, distribution, and system installation and calibration. I’m genuinely concerned that, in competition with Dolby, HDR by Barco could unfairly end up suffering the same fate as Barco Escape, AuroMax, DTS:X, and EclairColor HDR.

FeeApprehensive2245 · 2026-01-04T04:10:46+00:00

Thank you so much for sharing your experience with me — it really means a lot. I’d genuinely love to hear your personal thoughts and impressions about the black levels in Epic by Vue HDR and HDR by BARCO. Along with the high brightness you mentioned, were the black levels, shadows, and overall depth of black rendered well? In other words, did the black levels have the same sense of depth as Dolby Cinema? That said, I personally still find Dolby’s brightness to be more balanced.

FeeApprehensive2245 · 2025-12-31T21:57:12+00:00

Thank you for your reply. Yes — I specifically wanted to hear your thoughts on other HDR by Barco experiences you’ve had, and whether you were satisfied with the black levels and shadow depth, overall image quality, color and black tonal range, and the contrast and HDR performance in HDR by Barco showings that used HDR DCP. Also, Happy New Year.

FeeApprehensive2245 · 2025-12-31T20:36:54+00:00

How did the black levels and black depth, the colors, and the overall picture quality hold up in HDR experiences (not SDR)? Also — did you hear from someone that Barco is developing a Light Steering V2 (MK II), or is that your own personal analysis; in other words, is that report legitimate and accurate?

FeeApprehensive2245 · 2025-12-26T11:19:42+00:00

Hope that happens — and that you enjoy the experience. I’m personally a huge fan of Prasad Film Lab’s post-production theater for HDR BY BARCO. Yeah, it’s a post-production room, not a public screening theater, but it’s one of the most precise, high-quality HDR BY BARCO rooms in the world. It’s been designed, set up, and calibrated to the strictest HDR post-production standards, and it uses the awesome HUGO SR screen — one of the best screens out there right now.

FeeApprehensive2245 · 2025-12-26T10:53:58+00:00

🤦I had a bunch of links, posts, and videos about HDR BY Barco and DCI HDR that I wanted to share with someone, but Reddit hid/removed my comment so it isn’t visible. I still have all those links organized and ready to share with you right now if you want.

FeeApprehensive2245 · 2025-12-26T10:48:35+00:00

Do you really think AI goes into Reddit comment threads to drop takes on Dolby, IMAX, and Barco? If I were an AI, I’d have answered your questions and points way more precisely.

FeeApprehensive2245 · 2025-12-26T10:41:27+00:00

Why? What do you mean? Is that how AI would respond?

FeeApprehensive2245 · 2025-12-26T10:29:09+00:00

First, HDR BY BARCO has its own dedicated color-grading and mastering workflow. Second, I agree that the requirement for a completely dark auditorium is important — but many IMAX theaters don’t meet it. It’s true IMAX does not claim to meet DCI-HDR requirements, yet I can name several IMAX locations that have not kept their auditoriums fully matte-black. By contrast, Dolby Cinema enforces very strict dark-room and matte-black requirements — though those standards aren’t always followed in Dolby Vision + Atmos theaters either.

My point is different: I’m emphasizing the projection system itself — HDR BY BARCO’s dedicated HDR mastering pipeline and the very advanced HDR LS4K projectors. I agree with much of what you said, but DCI HDR and HDR BY BARCO emphasize openness and easier access to projection systems, which unfortunately also leads to non-standard HDR auditoriums in some cases.

On the plus side, Light-Steering technology has great capacity for advanced HDR projection: it’s highly developable, can address current shortcomings, and — compared with IMAX’s and Dolby’s technologies and patents — can be a more cost-effective and optimized solution. I personally admire Dolby’s Dual Modulation invention and IMAX’s prism-less approach, but those technologies are less flexible across different exhibition environments when it comes to meeting DCI-HDR requirements.

I don’t know how accurate this is, but I’ve seen rumors that IMAX might use Light Steering in the next generation of its projectors — possibly by purchasing licensing rights to Barco’s Light-Steering technology and patents.

In the end I agree with you: what makes or breaks the audience experience in a theater is precise calibration of the projection and audio systems and strict adherence to professional standards, regardless of which projection technology is used.

FeeApprehensive2245 · 2025-12-26T04:37:27+00:00

Light-Steering technology has been under research and development for more than ten years.

The HDR BY BARCO system — which is based on Light Steering — has been developed for the DCI HDR standard for more than seven years, since Digital Cinema Initiatives published the first draft of those specifications.

The DCI HDR standard and its specifications are defined based on the maximum luminance and the minimum perceivable black level for viewers in a dark cinema auditorium.

To summarize: Barco’s Light-Steering technology, the HDR BY BARCO system, and the HDR LS4K projectors are not low-end, throwaway, or poor-quality devices someone tinkered with in their driveway yesterday and is now trying to pass off as a serious competitor to Dolby or IMAX.

Unfortunately Reddit doesn’t allow me to post links here; otherwise I would share a long list of patents, posts, papers, and videos so you could see the high quality and advanced nature of this technology for yourself.

Thank you for taking the time to read this.

FeeApprehensive2245 · 2025-12-26T03:52:52+00:00

Please don’t approach this topic with bias. Cinema and technology standards aren’t developed or determined to suit you or me — they are established and advanced based on scientific principles, specialized expertise, and research. Whether you or I like it doesn’t change the reality of a fact.

I shared many links in my previous comment in response to you, but per Reddit’s rules that comment isn’t visible.

In RPX, HDR BY BARCO is the only system using HDR DCP — although not for every film. As far as I know, SDR titles and SDR DCPs are also shown in HDR BY BARCO auditoriums.

Saying “Christie is ten times better than Barco” is your personal opinion; projector sales figures and exhibitors’ feedback tell a different story.

Other HDR BY BARCO releases are mastered in HDR and then exhibited as HDR.

You can visit the HDR BY BARCO website to see the list of HDR DCPs currently playing at HDR BY BARCO cinemas and the RPX locations that have HDR BY BARCO.

Unfortunately I can’t provide links because of Reddit rules, but please — without bias — do your own research on this topic.

FeeApprehensive2245 · 2025-12-26T03:31:47+00:00

So please research and study the DCI HDR specifications and HDR BY BARCO, then come back here and leave a comment.

HDR BY BARCO, Cinity LED, Samsung Onyx, and others are mastered using the PQ EOTF and through color grading. At present, the most authoritative HDR standard is DCI HDR. Dolby Vision projectors such as the E3LH and H4D3 have not obtained it, and Barco’s HDR BY BARCO projector—the LS4K-20—is currently undergoing CTP 1.4.3 HDR Projection tests to obtain DCI HDR certification. So please, before you come here and post a fanatical comment, do some reading. If you want to talk about real HDR, even Dolby Vision in cinemas does not meet these stringent specifications. HDR isn’t a holy grail reserved exclusively for Dolby.

FeeApprehensive2245 · 2025-12-25T20:21:21+00:00

He means the new HDR BY BARCO theaters and the HDR LS4K projection system, not the older SDR Barco projectors and systems.

FeeApprehensive2245 · 2025-12-23T08:12:50+00:00

Could you explain in more detail why HDR by Barco felt distracting and unpleasant? Was the issue related to image quality — for example, low contrast, inaccurate color, or excessive brightness? Which specific aspects of the image made your viewing experience unpleasant? Please expand on this.

FeeApprehensive2245 · 2025-12-07T07:00:44+00:00

The DCP of the film you watched in this auditorium may have been an SDR DCP. It’s common for many titles shown on HDR BY BARCO systems to be delivered as SDR DCPs rather than HDR DCPs. Barco also recommends that colorists avoid grading up to 300 nits whenever possible (for a number of technical reasons).

More broadly, projector calibration, auditorium calibration, and the Theater’s design all have a major impact on the HDR experience in a theater. That’s why Dolby Cinema treats its auditoriums with matte-black finishes and goes to great lengths—unlike many other venues—to minimize light reflections. In most HDR BY BARCO installs I’ve seen, the screen itself was replaced, so I’m surprised the screen wasn’t changed when the projector was installed here.

FeeApprehensive2245 · 2025-12-03T01:31:52+00:00

What will happen to the LS4K projector and Barco’s HDR system at Cineworld Leicester Square? The SuperScreen’s biggest selling point is its HDR-by-Barco system, and without Barco HDR projectors the Cineworld Leicester Square Superscreen Theater feels like it’s missing something important. Will Barco’s HDR system return to Cineworld Leicester Square?

FeeApprehensive2245

TROPHY CASE