MFX
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Rumbling, bumbling D-BOX motion chairs coming to cinemas?
Chalk this one up as a rumor for now, but CTV has it that those pricey D-BOX chairs you've been ignoring (due to cost, obviously) could wind up underneath your tush, regardless. According to the report, unspecified theater chain owners are contemplating the addition of the motion-simulation chairs as yet another way to bring in legions of customers willing to fork out cash to see new films on the big screen. It's also bruited that the firm will be introducing a new version of its chair at ShowEast 2008 which will be aimed squarely at "commercial theaters." $10 says the butt-kicking experience won't be gratis, even if it does make it into a cinema or two.
D-BOX Motion Code system gets explained
Considering the prohibitively high costs associated with D-BOX's admittedly intriguing Motion Code system, it's no real shock that we haven't heard much about the product since 2006. Fast forward a year and change, and The Man Room's Dan Bradley was able to sit down with the firm's Marketing Director and find out a good bit more about the technology. Essentially, the firm encodes films (over 750 are currently in its database) frame by frame with Motion Effects (MFX) that enable at-home movie viewers to actually feel as if they're a part of the action. Interestingly, the shakes aren't created from sound, but rather by a sophisticated actuator system which comes built-in to its own line of seats or can be retrofitted into furniture you already own. Currently, D-BOX has partnerships with Disney, Fox and Sony, and it's hoping to ink deals with a few other studios in the not-too-distant future. In the end, the tech is still too pricey / niche for most, but if you're curious, the full interview awaits you in the read link.
