5K Ultra HD 21:9 - CinemaScope Made Easy

CinemaScope has long been the immersive format of choice for movies. Unfortunately, displaying that in a home cinema has been a choice of which compromise is the least bad.

Now, a comprehensive range of devices is available that support native 5K Ultra HD resolution 5120 x 2160, meaning no more compromises!

Let's first understand the challenges found in typical 4K solutions:

The native aspect of 4K is 3840 /2160 = 1.7778:1, which means we must manipulate the content to make it fit a CinemaScope Display.

We have prepared some short videos illustrating what happens with these manipulation methods where the green box represents the original 4K container.

Fixed Horizontal Expansion Anamorphic Lens

+ Full resolution for CinemaScope (3840 x 2160)
+ No change in brightness between aspects
- Only possible on projection systems
- Reduced resolution for 1.78 (2884 x 2160)
- Significant additional cost

Optical Zoom

+ Maintains 1:1 pixel mapping
- Only possible on projection systems
- Delay while the lens moves and adjusts
- Brightness changes between aspects
- Reduced resolution for CinemaScope (3840 x 1620) 

Electronic Zoom

+ Fast transitions
+ No change in brightness between aspects
- Reduced resolution for 1.78 (2884 x 1620)

Native 5K Ultra HD resolution CinemaScope Displays avoid most of these issues, and SRND now has projection, LED and flat panel solutions in this unique format!

Native 5K Ultra HD 

+ Enhanced resolution for CinemaScope (5120 x 2160)
+ Maintains 1:1 pixel mapping for 1.78 (3840 x 2160)
+ No change in brightness between aspects
+ Available on projection, LED and flat panel displays
+ Fast Transitions

If you want to learn more about aspect ratios and go into detail on the approaches described above, then check out this detailed webinar recording: