Digital projectors aren’t good either
But the picture problems predated COVID-19. Many can be traced to 2009, when theaters swapped their film projectors for digital ones, made primarily by Sony, to show the original Avatar. Studios were excited about the switch because it meant they could save money by distributing movies over the internet instead of mailing around heavy film prints. Theater owners were excited because digital projectors could be programmed to run on their own without human projectionists to start them up and switch reels.
There’s not regular maintenance on these things? Like a weekly rotation in a given area?
The same people taking popcorn could also be maintaining the projectors.
Now that multiplexes use automated projection, problems fall to house managers, who, in this age of austerity, may be the same overworked employees ripping tickets and selling popcorn. If an error is serious or demands more than a wiped lens or system reboot, it might have to wait a couple weeks for a visit from a technician — or even longer if nobody complains.
We’re supposed to leave our house and leave behind our HBOMax subscriptions to go to the movies, yet the quality at the movies are bad, too?
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