The Mexican entertainment chain Alboa, part of the Cinemex Group, has recently acquired 85 Christie 1DLP laser projectors for its 13 entertainment centres dotted around the country. The integrator T&T Cinema oversaw the roll out.
Alboa Entertainment Halls embrace a mix of bowling, pool tables, sports bar, food, mixology, stages for live shows and spaces for events for 50 to 1,000 people. It has 13 centres all over Mexico with a total of 175 bowling alleys, and another seven new centres are scheduled to open in the next few months.
Alboa has always acknowledged the major role that AV plays in its centres as the best option for ensuring unique experiences for its customers. The chain was already using Christie lamp-based projectors but decided to make the move to laser projection technology in order to give its audiences a whole new level of image quality, as well as to reduce costs and increase efficiency.
“Besides the fact that laser projection guarantees improved image quality, with up to 20,000 hours of virtually maintenance-free operation it means a considerable cut in running costs, and no expenditure in replacing lamps and filters,” explained Fernando Poblador, Alboa’s Infrastructure Manager.
Poblador also underscored the greater potential of laser projection when compared with other display technologies like LED. He pointed out that “laser projection gives you the flexibility to ensure high quality images whatever the available space.”
Likewise, Alboa’s head of infrastructures highlighted his confidence in Christie as its supplier of choice: “Here at Alboa we are always looking to forge alliances with the leading companies in their sector, and Christie, the world’s preeminent projection brand, has always offered us the perfect solution for each of our projects.”
Alboa has installed various models from the Christie GS series, ranging from 5,600 to 13,000 lumens and with resolutions from HD to WUXGA, with the Christie DWU630-GS model being the standard in most of its entertainment centres. The GS Series has built-in Christie BoldColor technology for the most life-like images and natural colour reproduction possible with laser illumination
On average, every Alboa centre uses five projectors to screen sports, music and entertainment as well as in the bowling area, projecting onto a single screen with a gain of 1.8.
Fernando Poblador is particularly pleased with Christie’s service response: “For Alboa, the post-sales service is perhaps the most important factor in any business arrangement. We have always been able to rely on the full support and back-up of Christie Mexico, thanks to which we have built up a very good rapport and a long-term relationship.”
For Clayton Brito, Sales Director of Latin America, Enterprise, Christie, this operation is a further link in the long-standing relationship between Christie and the Cinemex Group: “We couldn’t be happier with the trust Alboa and the Cinemex Group have placed and continue to place in us. Alboa’s entertainment centres all over Mexico have a reputation for offering their customers an unbeatable entertainment experience. We are delighted with the fantastic way that they have been putting our projectors to use in order to enrich their centres with powerful visuals.”
