THX is a high-fidelity audio/visual reproduction standard for movie theaters, screening rooms, home theaters, computer speakers, gaming consoles, and car audio systems. The current THX was created in 2002, when it spun off from Lucasfilm; THX was developed in 1983 by Tomlinson Holman at George Lucas's company Lucasfilm to ensure that the soundtrack for the third Star Wars film, Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi, would be accurately reproduced in the best venues. THX was named after Holman, with the "X" standing for crossover as well as an homage to Lucas's first film, THX 1138. The distinctive crescendo used in the THX trailers, created by Holman's co-worker James A. Moorer, is known as the "Deep Note".
The THX system is not a recording technology, and it does not specify a sound recording format: all sound formats, whether digital (Dolby Digital, SDDS, etc.) or analog (Dolby Stereo, Ultra-Stereo, etc.), can be "shown in THX." THX is mainly a quality assurance system. THX-certified theaters provide a high-quality, predictable playback environment to ensure that any film soundtrack mixed in THX will sound as near as possible to the intentions of the mixing engineer. THX also provides certified theaters with a special audio crossover circuit whose use is part of the standard. Certification of an auditorium entails specific acoustic and other technical requirements; architectural requirements include acoustically-treated walls, no parallel walls to reduce standing wave, a perforated screen to allow continuity and rating for background noise.
THX is currently owned by Audio Equipment Manufacturer Razer, Inc.
Gallery[]
"Wings" Trailer[]
"Broadway" Trailer[]
_1.jpg "THX - Broadway (LaserDisc) 1.jpg (30 KB)")
_2.jpg "THX - Broadway (LaserDisc) 2.jpg (34 KB)")
_1.jpg "THX - Broadway (VHS) 1.jpg (37 KB)")
_2.jpg "THX - Broadway (Digitally Mastered, VHS) 2.jpg (41 KB)")
_2.jpg "THX - Broadway (Lucasfilm LTD, VHS) 2.jpg (29 KB)")
_1.jpg "THX - Broadway (DVD, Widescreen) 1.jpg (33 KB)")
_2.png "THX - Broadway (DVD, Widescreen, Digitally Mastered) 2.png (128 KB)")
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"Cimarron" Trailer[]
_1.jpg "THX - Cimarron (LaserDisc) 1.jpg (31 KB)")
_2.jpg "THX - Cimarron (LaserDisc) 2.jpg (44 KB)")
"Grand" Trailer[]
"Tex" Trailer[]
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"Tex 2: Moo Can" Trailer[]
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"Broadway 2000" Trailer[]
"Cavalcade" Trailer[]
Originally made for the 2000 Ultimate Edition of Terminator 2 by Van Ling, this trailer was later de-branded to be more general purpose, though still using the same animations.
_1.png "THX - Terminator 2 (SD) 1.png (486 KB)")
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_1.png "THX - Cavalcade (2001) 1.png (272 KB)")
_2.jpg "THX - Cavalcade (2001) 2.jpg (341 KB)")
_3.jpg "THX - Cavalcade (2001) 3.jpg (64 KB)")
_1.png "THX - Cavalcade (HD, Flat) 1.png (1.51 MB)")
_2.jpg "THX - Cavalcade (HD, Flat) 2.jpg (218 KB)")
_1.png "THX - Terminator 2 (HD) 1.png (2.22 MB)")
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"Science" Trailer[]
_1.png "THX - Science (DVD, Full-screen) 1.png (25 KB)")
_2.jpg "THX - Science (DVD, Full-screen) 2.jpg (40 KB)")
"Tex: Action" Trailer[]
_(1.78)_1.png "THX - Tex 3 (2006) (1.78) 1.png (2.32 MB)")
_(1.78)_2.png "THX - Tex 3 (2006) (1.78) 2.png (2.13 MB)")
_(1.85)_1.png "THX - Tex 3 (2006) (1.85) 1.png (2.54 MB)")
_(1.85)_2.png "THX - Tex 3 (2006) (1.85) 2.png (2.43 MB)")
_(Scope)_1.png "THX - Tex 3 (2006) (Scope) 1.png (298 KB)")
_(Scope)_2.png "THX - Tex 3 (2006) (Scope) 2.png (298 KB)")
"Amazing Life" Trailer[]
_1.png "THX - Amazing Life (2007) 1.png (1.84 MB)")
_2.png "THX - Amazing Life (2007) 2.png (334 KB)")
"Genesis" Trailer[]
Trivia[]
- Among several logos, many children were scared by the logo and the noise.
Releases[]
| Release date | Title | Distributor | Format | Trailer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 7, 1993 | The Abyss | Fox Video | Laserdisc | |
| September 21, 1994 | Aladdin Walt Disney Classics |
Walt Disney Home Video | Laserdisc (CAV) | |
| September 20, 1995 | The Lion King Walt Disney Masterpiece Collection |
Walt Disney Home Video | Laserdisc | |
| May 21, 1996 | GoldenEye | MGM/UA Home Video | VHS | |
| November 12, 1996 | Mission: Impossible | Paramount Home Video | Laserdisc | |
| February 4, 1997 | Bambi Walt Disney Classics |
Walt Disney Home Video | VHS | |
| February 5, 1997 | Laserdisc | |||
| May 20, 1997 | Daylight | MCA/Universal Home Video | Laserdisc | |
| July 1, 1997 | Daylight Signature Collection |
Laserdisc | ||
| August 19, 1997 | Dante's Peak | VHS | ||
| Laserdisc | ||||
| September 10, 1997 | Daylight | Laserdisc | ||
| September 16, 1997 | Sleeping Beauty Walt Disney Masterpiece Collection |
Walt Disney Home Video | VHS | |
| February 17, 1998 | The Game | PolyGram Video | VHS | |
| DVD | ||||
| March 25, 1998 | Dante's Peak Signature Collection |
Universal Studios Home Video | Laserdisc | |
| April 28, 1998 | Anastasia Widescreen Series |
20th Century Fox Home Entertainment | VHS | |
| May 5, 1998 | MouseHunt | DreamWorks Home Entertainment | VHS | |
| June 30, 1998 | Amistad | DreamWorks Home Entertainment | VHS | |
| April 20, 1999 | A Bug's Life | Walt Disney Home Video | VHS | |
| August 17, 1999 | Amistad | Image Entertainment DreamWorks Home Entertainment |
Laserdisc | |
| August 1, 2000 | A Bug's Life Walt Disney Gold Classic Collection |
Walt Disney Home Video | VHS | |
| January 30, 2001 | Dinosaur | Walt Disney Home Video | VHS | |
| DVD | ||||
| May 1, 2001 | The Emperor's New Groove | Walt Disney Home Video | VHS | |
| DVD | ||||
| September 25, 2001 | The French Connection | 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment | DVD | |
| December 18, 2001 | The War of the Roses | 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment | DVD | |
| October 8, 2002 | Beauty and the Beast Platinum Edition |
Walt Disney Home Entertainment | VHS | |
| DVD | ||||
| November 26, 2002 | Ice Age | 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment | DVD | |
| May 20, 2003 | A Bug's Life Collector's Edition |
Walt Disney Home Entertainment | DVD | |
| September 9, 2003 | Sleeping Beauty Collector's Edition |
Walt Disney Home Entertainment | VHS | |
| DVD | ||||
| October 7, 2003 | The Lion King Platinum Edition |
Walt Disney Home Entertainment | VHS | |
| DVD | ||||
| December 2, 2003 | Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl | Walt Disney Home Entertainment | DVD | |
| December 16, 2003 | Freaky Friday | Walt Disney Home Entertainment | VHS | |
| DVD | ||||
| January 27, 2004 | Hoffa | 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment | DVD | |
| March 30, 2004 | Brother Bear | Walt Disney Home Entertainment | VHS | |
| DVD | ||||
| May 18, 2004 | Miracle | Walt Disney Home Entertainment | DVD | |
| October 5, 2004 | Aladdin Platinum Edition |
Walt Disney Home Entertainment | VHS | |
| DVD | ||||
| March 1, 2005 | Bambi Platinum Edition |
Walt Disney Home Entertainment | VHS | N/A |
| DVD | ||||
| November 7, 2006 | Cars | Walt Disney Home Entertainment | DVD | |
| November 23, 2006 | Brave Story | Warner Home Video | HD-DVD | |
| November 23, 2006 | Brave Story | Warner Home Video | Blu-ray |
