Ignacy Giżyński
Samsung is not giving up on its plans to revolutionise cinema halls. During this year's CinemaCon in Las Vegas, the company unveiled the latest version of the Samsung Onyx LED screen, a technology that has the potential to consign classic projectors to the dustbin of history.
Instead of a lamp and lens – a modular LED screen with a diagonal of up to 20 metres. No canvas, no faded colours and no issues with brightness. Onyx is simply an enormous LED television that can be mounted on an entire wall of the room. Sounds futuristic? Of course. But this technology has existed for several years – Samsung began the first tests of Onyx back in 2017, only now it is showcasing its latest generation – much brighter, more flexible and ready for HDR and 120 frames per second.
300 nits brightness and true black
The new Onyx screen can achieve up to 300 nits of peak brightness, which is almost three times more than, for example, Dolby Cinema (108 nits). In comparison, traditional cinema projectors often do not even reach half of that value. This translates to better visibility of details, brighter scenes, and stronger HDR effects – something that simply cannot be achieved on a traditional cinema screen. The Onyx technology is based on true LED modules, not LCD technology – which means that each point shines independently, providing full control over contrast, and true black here looks like black from a good OLED, rather than a greyish shadow on a projection canvas.
Modularity and Flexibility
The new version of Onyx will be available in four standard sizes: 5, 10, 14, and 20 metres wide – but due to its modular construction, it can be easily customised to suit specific room dimensions. There are various aspect ratios to choose from (2.39:1 and 1.85:1), different pixel densities (from 1.25 mm to 5 mm), and the option for installation even in smaller, boutique cinemas.
Cinema without a projector – does it make sense?
Although the technology looks impressive, it is worth adding that so far very few films utilise higher frame rates that Samsung is promoting (up to 120 fps). Even large productions like Avatar: The Way of Water were screened at a maximum of 48 fps. Meanwhile, most films are still created in the classic 24 fps – so the potential of the new Onyx will not always be fully utilised. Nevertheless, interest is growing. Pixar plans to screen its upcoming film Elio on Onyx screens in HDR version, praising the technology for its depth of colour and detail that could not previously be achieved in cinemas.
And for a snack… paper screens?
At CinemaCon, Samsung also showcased something less spectacular but quite practical – colourful E-Paper screens that are intended to replace traditional paper posters, signs, and banners in cinemas. They are thin, lightweight, energy-efficient, and – interestingly – can be updated remotely. We have written about them before, and now they have indeed appeared at Samsung's booth in the form of signs with the cinema schedule and… advertisements for popcorn. It may be a small thing, but it shows that the manufacturer is thinking not only about the cinema hall but also about the entire experience surrounding the screening.
The first hall with the new Onyx screen will appear this autumn in Arizona – at the Cannon Beach complex (LVL 11 Entertainment). For now, nothing is known about plans to implement this technology in Europe, but if the new generation takes off, it could be the beginning of larger changes across the entire cinema industry.
