IMAX Enhanced: Watch the Impossible Made Possible!

The first thing you probably ask when hearing about a new blockbuster is: “Is it on IMAX?” Depending on the answer, you will book a ticket to an IMAX theater or settle for a traditional screening. If you have a lot on your mind, you might even compromise and watch it at home.

After all, recreating the IMAX experience in a classic movie theater or in a living room is impossible.

Or is it?

Truth is, the demo we saw at the Xperi booth during CES made me rethink that notion. Movie titles previously seen in IMAX theaters were rendered identically in an average-sized room with no special setup besides the tech itself (see what I’m talking about in the video above!).

That’s impressive considering the ingredients that make IMAX, well… IMAX. The content is shot on IMAX cameras and then projected on large format screens with a high contrast ratio, accompanied by a unique audio system. Recreating this context at home should have been impossible, if not for the certification and re-mastering program called IMAX Enhanced.

Thanks to DTS technology, the heart-pounding audio I’ve come to associate with IMAX screenings can be experienced at home. With the involvement of studios like Sony Pictures and Paramount Pictures, IMAX movies can be digitally re-mastered and adapted to consumer hardware.

To paint a clearer picture for you, just imagine your local IMAX theater. Now, zoom out and visualize a home setting with IMAX Enhanced at the forefront, on the TV.

It seems to be that simple, although you should know that to get the best experience you need IMAX Enhanced gear. You can postpone getting IMAX Enhanced-certified TV and audio sets, but if you’re a perfectionist, the compromise might not be worth in the end.