UK exhibitor Odeon has announced plans to do six-month trials making two of its multiplexes completely digital.

UK-based digital film services company Arts Alliance Media has signed a deal to provide services to Odeon Surrey Quays as the multiplex becomes Europe's first to go completely digital with all of its nine screens. Also, Bell Theatre Services will run another nine-screen trial at Odeon Hatfield.

AAM will act as integrator, installer and service provider for the trial at the Surrey
Quays site and the screens will use Cinemeccanica projectors and Doremi servers. In Hatfield, NEC projectors and Kodak servers will be used. The trial will involve films from distributors including Lionsgate UK, Paramount, Pathe, Sony, Twentieth Century Fox, and Universal.

All screens will be DCI-compliant.

Rupert Gavin, CEO of Odeon and UCI, said: 'We're delighted to be leading the digital revolution - this is an exciting time for both Odeon and for the industry. Despite having digital technology for some time, this will be the first time we've seen whole cinemas going digital on this scale in Europe. This is an invaluable step if we are to make digital a reality for all our cinemas and deliver the economic benefits - something we hope to get right and implement over the next few years.'

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