1. RGBH Hybrid Laser Comes to Mid-Size Screens
Christie has launched the new CP4415m-RGBH cinema projector, unveiled alongside the 20,000-lumen CP4420m-RGBH at CineAsia 2025 (December 8–11, IconSiam Hall, Bangkok). It marks a further expansion of Christie's Phazer™ illumination technology across the RGBH line — bringing RGB pure laser capability, previously reserved for premium large-format screens, into small and mid-size auditoriums and post-production facilities.
Its positioning is clear: screens up to 52 feet (16 m) wide, aimed at small-to-medium auditoriums, screening rooms and post-production houses. Compared with traditional xenon lamp or pure-phosphor laser solutions, the CP4415m-RGBH addresses brightness, color, cost and footprint in a single projector.
2. Phazer Hybrid Laser: Two Illumination Options in One Projector
What sets the CP4415m-RGBH apart is that it offers both RGB pure laser and phosphor illumination — the "RGBH" in its name. Exhibitors can choose the illumination approach best suited to a given screen type, gain characteristic and content requirement, all within the same chassis.
Combined with Enhanced Wavelength Diversity (EWD), the projector uses multi-wavelength primary color lasers to improve image performance on high-gain screens, reducing speckle and uniformity issues.
In terms of brightness, the CP4415m-RGBH delivers up to 15,000 lumens (with an existing high-brightness cinema lens), and maintains stable brightness across more than 50,000 hours of operation — so image quality does not visibly degrade over the projector's service life.
3. 0.98" 4K SST DMD + CineLife+: The Electronics Behind the Image
The imaging core is a 0.98-inch 4K SST 3-chip DMD (DLP Cinema®) at 4096 × 2160. Compared with larger DMD solutions, the 0.98-inch device preserves optical performance while enabling a more compact and more cost-effective projector — a key reason the CP4415m-RGBH can be smaller and more affordable.
Processing is handled by the Christie CineLife+™ platform, with a streamlined, UX-designed interface that simplifies playback and management of movies and alternative content. An auto-configure feature and a motorized lens mount speed up setup, while the newly integrated Electronic Color Convergence (ECC) ensures precise color alignment.
CineLife+ is compatible with the Christie IMB-S4 integrated media block as well as select legacy and third-party IMBs. Its input range supports all existing content formats and future-proofs the investment: playback capability reaches 4K @ 120Hz — 10x the 250Mbps DCI standard — leaving headroom for high frame rates and future formats.
4. Day-One Performance: ECC + LiteLOC + EWD + Mystique Cinema
The biggest fear for any exhibitor is a screen that looks great on day one and dims or shifts color two years later. The CP4415m-RGBH addresses this with a complete automatic calibration ecosystem:
· ECC Electronic Color Convergence — automatically maintains color alignment across the three DMDs;
· Christie LiteLOC™ white-point tracking — factory-calibrated, it automatically maintains color balance and brightness throughout the projector's operational life, for years of stable, virtually maintenance-free operation;
· EWD Enhanced Wavelength Diversity — multi-wavelength primary color lasers improve performance on high-gain screens;
· Mystique™ Cinema — an integration kit with auto-calibrating image alignment software and camera that aligns pixels precisely on a single projector, or seamlessly blends the images from two, producing a complete on-screen image in seconds.
5. Efficiency and Cost of Operation: 14.2 Lumens per Watt
Energy is a large part of a projector's long-term cost. The CP4415m-RGBH operates at 14.2 lumens per watt. According to Christie, it is 30% more efficient than the leading competing model in its class and averages 20% lower cost of operation — and roughly three times as efficient as a comparable lamp-based projector.
Power consumption is approximately 1,060W nominal at 25°C, with heat dissipation of 3,620 BTU/hr. Cooling is liquid pressurized / TEC, self-contained, with optional heat extraction ducting. The laser light source lasts over 50,000 hours, and combined with best-in-class efficiency, significantly lowers total cost of ownership.
Noise is held to less than 43 dBA (the press release cites under 47 dBA), and the compact chassis makes the projector ideal for small spaces and boothless installations.
6. Lenses and Backward Compatibility
The lens mount is a fully motorized Intelligent Lens System (ILS™) supporting auto-configure. Lenses come in HB (high brightness) and UHC (ultra-high contrast) families:
· HB series: 1.05:1 fixed, 1.20–1.75:1, 1.39–1.90:1, 1.50–2.20:1, 1.75–2.40:1, 1.90–3.00:1, 2.40–3.90:1;
· UHC series: 1.20–1.75:1, 1.39–1.90:1, 1.50–2.20:1, 1.75–2.40:1.
Of particular note for exhibitors is backward compatibility: the CP4415m-RGBH is fully compatible with existing 0.98-inch m2K cinema lenses and accessories. Cinemas upgrading from lamp-based projectors therefore do not need to buy an entirely new optical set, substantially reducing upgrade cost.
7. Connectivity and Protection
Connectivity is built for modern cinema and post-production workflows: HDMI 2.0 × 2, 12G SDI × 4, DisplayPort 1.2 × 2, 1G Ethernet × 1, plus CineLife+ RemoteUI, which allows secure web-based control from any popular browser — eliminating the need for a touch panel controller. Future compatibility with Christie VDR® is also provided for.
For protection, a fully sealed optical path guards against dust ingress, and filters can be cleaned or replaced without tools, requiring servicing only once per year in optimal environments to minimize downtime. Power uses dual inputs: Input A at 200–240VAC (50–60Hz, 15A max) and Input B as a UPS input at 100–240VAC (50–60Hz, 10A max).
8. Key Specifications
| Digital Micromirror Device | 4K 0.98" SST 3-chip DMD (DLP Cinema®) |
| Resolution | 4096 × 2160 (4K) |
| Brightness | Up to 15,000 lumens (with existing high-brightness cinema lens) |
| Brightness Stability | Over 50,000 hours |
| Contrast Ratio | Up to 6,000:1 full field on/off (UHC lens) 2,500:1 nominal full field on/off (HB lens) |
| Light Source | Phazer™ hybrid laser (RGB pure laser + phosphor) |
| Color Gamut | DCI-P3 (more color options to come) |
| Processing Electronics | Christie CineLife+ Series (Series-2 IMB compatible) HDMI 2.0 ×2 · 1G Ethernet ×1 · 12G SDI ×4 · DisplayPort 1.2 ×2 Remote UI · Electronic Color Convergence (ECC) · future Christie VDR® compatibility |
| Lens Mount | Fully motorized Intelligent Lens System (ILS™) |
| Lens Options | HB: 1.05 fixed / 1.20–1.75 / 1.39–1.90 / 1.50–2.20 / 1.75–2.40 / 1.90–3.00 / 2.40–3.90 UHC: 1.20–1.75 / 1.39–1.90 / 1.50–2.20 / 1.75–2.40 |
| Screen Size | Up to 52 ft (16 m) wide |
| High Bit-Rate Playback | Up to 4K @ 120Hz (10x the 250Mbps DCI standard) 4K 96fps HFR 3D with Christie IMB-S4 |
| Efficiency / Power | 14.2 lumens per watt · ~1,060W nominal at 25°C · 3,620 BTU/hr |
| Cooling / Power Input | Liquid pressurized / TEC, self-contained; optional heat extraction Input A: 200–240VAC 50–60Hz (15A max) Input B (UPS): 100–240VAC 50–60Hz (10A max) |
| Laser Class | Class 1 – Risk Group 3 |
| Dimensions / Weight | 850 × 680 × 304 mm (without lens) · 132 lbs max (60 kg) as installed |
| Noise | Less than 43 dBA |
9. Market Significance and Availability
Christie offers one of the widest cinema projector ranges on the market. With the CP4415m-RGBH and CP4420m-RGBH, the company is bringing RGBH hybrid laser technology into a small-to-mid screen segment previously served mainly by lamp-based and single-color laser projectors.
For exhibitors planning a lamp-to-laser transition, the value proposition comes down to three points: controlled cost (compatible with existing lenses and accessories, high efficiency, low maintenance); assured image quality (DCI-P3 with ECC, LiteLOC and EWD across the board); and future readiness (4K 120Hz playback, IMB ecosystem, VDR compatibility). As Allan Fernandes, senior product manager of cinema at Christie, put it, the new models are "budget-friendly, feature-rich, and energy-efficient, at three times the efficiency of a comparable lamp-based projector."
Both the CP4415m-RGBH and CP4420m-RGBH are available for order now. Both were showcased at the Christie Theatre (MR1) at CineAsia 2025, where the CP4420m-RGBH lit up the screen in a live demonstration.