Will the emergence of Home Theatre Systems render cinema halls obsolete?

nah, we still love the 'going out' thing. dates, get outa the house, a/c in the summer, ect.

only if you can fit a 50 foot wide screen in your living room !!!!!

The same thing was said when VCRs became popular. People like getting out and enjoying a NEW movie on the BIG screen. Not too many houses can fit the same size screen inside. It's the experience.

Even with HD-DVD or Blu-ray, film in the theater cannot be touched quality wise, even the DLP theaters can't be touched by consumer products. Then there is the fact of the screen, granted with projectors dropping in price and being affordable, they just can't get that large. There is also the fact that a movie comes out 3+ months in the theater before you can get it on DVD to even watch it at home. Lastly, and I think most importantly. You just can't match the atmosphere at home. Even though you have to deal with morons that can't shut up, cell phones and babies crying. There is just something that gets added to the movie when you have a crowd and everyone is reacting to the movie.

I don't think that Home Theaters alone will render Move Cinemas obsolete, however, I do think that the obscene prices they are charging for movies these days just might be their undoing.

No, because they will be moving to 4K digital cinema soon. Something even HD DVD cannot touch.

If you look at the history of home cinemas vs public cinemas, hollywood always changes the rules as people adopt what is current. When we had the ability to show standard size pictures, they went to a wide screen (16:9 or 1.85:1). As we started using that format fully, they started using cinemascape (2.35:1). As we can show those at home then they are starting to gear up for a higher definition and contrast than we can create. You also forget that a large percentage of people can't or won't afford what it would take to replace that big screen experience.

Eventually when Movies premiers are available for download in your own home then Yes Movie Cinemas will become obsolete as we know them. They will have to Cater to smaller groups, more comfortable seating and offer good food. It will be more of a restaurant with Movies then a Cinema.