At the end of 2005 there were 600 of them; the number has risen to almost 6,000 in the space of two years: these are the figures on the worldwide spread of projectors fitted with DLP Cinema or, to a much lesser extent, 4K technology.
An overview of the offer of digital cinema at 31 December 2007 – based on the half-yearly figures published by MEDIA Salles in the European Cinema Yearbook – opened the series of technical sessions at the DigiTraining Plus 2008 course that began yesterday in London.
From the more detailed account presented by Elisabetta Brunella, Secretary General of MEDIA Salles, the different rates at which digital technology is adopted by cinemas in North America (4,576 screens representing 79% of the world’s total digital screens) and Europe (829 installations) could clearly be seen.
Even further behind comes Asia (374 units), which, after playing a pioneering role, is now at a standstill.
The diverse factors that help to explain why, on the one hand, digital screens have doubled their numbers in 24 months and, on the other, the difference between the various markets, were analyzed in the talk by Dave Monk, Secretary General of EDCF: the impulse provided by the publications of the DCI specs, with a view to standardizing equipment and operational models, the identification of VPF as the business model widely adopted in North America, the relatively low number of players on the North American market which favours the adoption of this model.
The opening day concluded with the 45 participants from 14 different countries taking turns to speak about their expectations and their plans.
<Digitalization is the future for movie theatres>, stated Zoltán Turcsány, an exhibitor from Kiskunfélegyháza in Hungary. <It is vital for us to prepare for this transition.>
The fact that public institutions in various countries are sensitive to the technological challenges and needs of the sector was demonstrated by the remarks of Marc López Ribes (Spain) and of Veronika Bakonyi, who announced the imminent implementation of public support measures in Hungary on behalf of the digitalization of theatres, both commercial and arthouse.

(click here to see the course programme)