project:syntropy, creator of technology and display solutions for dome cinemas and immersive attractions, is celebrating the success of the Qin Palace flying theatre at Hengdian World Studios in Hengdian, China; its first flyDome flying theatre attraction with full dome projection.
This installation is a turnkey solution with a 25-metre full dome screen, a 16-channel WUXGA 3D stereo projection system with media servers, a domeprojection.com Projection Tools autocalibration system, a 20+ multi-channel surround sound system and show control.
The company used its expertise in flight training and simulation to create this unique new flying theatre experience
High degree of immersion
Speaking about what makes the flyDome AV system stand out from the competition, Juliane Neumann, projection expert engineer at project:syntropy, says:
“In a flyDome AV, for me, the most interesting thing is the high degree of immersion. Due to the big field of view, paired with a high resolution and precise geometry correction and blending between the projection channels, the viewer has the feeling of really being inside the scenery and not only a passive bystander.”
Neumann also says that the use of a dome screen, compared to a classic curved screen, enhances the experience:
“The dome screen makes a big difference. With a curved screen, the viewer can perceive the edges of the screen even if their focus is on the centre of it. For me, it somehow lessens the immersive experience. With a dome, the viewer is placed more or less in the centre with projection all around them.
“With projection above and below them, the screen not only can be lower in height but also the viewing distance towards the screen is nearly the same from every seat which makes the viewing experience feel more natural.”
Drawing on expertise
The company has over a decade of experience in flight simulation, meaning that it has expertise in providing the high-quality visuals that are required for training exercises. For this industry, reliability is also key, as it is not acceptable to shut down the training programmes for a day in order to fix issues.
“In the entertainment industry it is similar,” adds Neumann. “A major attraction cannot easily be closed for a day due to maintenance. For us it does not matter for which application we build a system for, may it be a simulator or a flyDome, reliability and high quality visual has always been and will always be our goal.”
Despite being based in Germany, project:syntropy is able to provide maintenance support for the installation at Hengdian World Studios, utilising trained local partners as well as providing initial training to the maintenance crew and offering remote support.
“For Hengdian the sheer size of the screen was a challenge, there we have a dome with a 25m diameter and 16 projectors,” says Neumann. “Projectors had to be mounted around the screen in combination with a state of the art audio system, media servers and a ride system that accommodates nearly 100 people at a time.
“After weeks of hard work, seeing it all come together and being able to test it, as one of the first people who were able to experience it, was worth it.”
Last month, project:syntropy also announced the launch of its latest product, an outdoor dome attraction called the STAR DOME.
