The Astor is home to the highest quality digital projector in the world, the Barco 4K 32B, and able to project a multitude of digital formats now used in digital capable theatres. Below is an explanation of what to expect when you see a movie listed on our site as 2K DCP, 4K DCP (also known as 2k D-Cinema and 4K D-Cinema) and Digital Presentation. No matter the digital format, they all run through our Barco 4K 32B projector, which thanks to the enormous output of light, offers a brighter more vivid image that you may be accustomed to at a multiplex.

2K DCP FORMAT

2K DCP is the theatrical standard used in modern digital cinema. By definition it is regarded as the digital equivalent of the 35mm print format. The resolution of a 2K DCP is 2048 x 1556 pixels and fills our giant screen beautifully. When running through our Barco 4K 32B projector a 2K DCP will appear more vivid due to incredible illumination offered by this projector.

4K DCP FORMAT

4K is often nicknamed the ’70mm of Digital Formats’. A 4K DCP is 4 times the resolution of the industry standard 2K. Its resolution is a mighty 4096 x 2160 pixels and provides phenomenal clarity and colour saturation when projected on our huge screen. It is especially impressive when used for restorations such as Lawrence Of Arabia or recent releases like Samsara that were shot in Super 65mm and scanned at 8K resolution for a 4K output. ‘

DIGITAL PRESENTATION

‘Digital Presentation’ marked titles on our calendar represent formats offered in place of formerly accessible 35mm Prints or when a DCP is not created. Quite often when a movie has its rights renewed there is no 35mm print available anymore (sadly, many prints were destroyed when theatrical rights expired) or a new DCP created. An ‘HD E-Cinema’ source is sent out for exhibition in this instance. The native resolution is near to that of a true 2K DCP but has a higher compression than that of a 2K DCP, however often an HD E-Cinema format when mastered from a good original source and outputted via the Barco can wield incredibly high quality results when projected.