THX facts for kids
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| Subsidiary | |
| Industry | Motion picture industry |
| Founded | May 20, 1983 |
| Founders | George Lucas Tomlinson Holman |
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U.S.
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THX is a special set of rules for making sure movies, games, and music sound and look amazing. It's like a quality stamp that tells you the sound and picture will be just as the creators intended. You can find THX in movie theaters, home entertainment systems, computer speakers, and even car audio.
When you go to a THX-certified movie, you'll often hear a famous sound called the Deep Note. It's a unique sound that starts low and rumbly, then rises up. This sound lets you know you're about to experience great audio.
THX was created in 1983 by Tomlinson Holman at George Lucas's company, Lucasfilm. George Lucas wanted to make sure the sound for his movie Star Wars: Return of the Jedi sounded perfect in theaters. The name THX comes from Holman's initials, with the "X" standing for "crossover" or "experiment." It's also a nod to Lucas's first movie, THX 1138.
THX is not a way of recording sound. Instead, it's a system that checks and approves how sound is played back. This means any type of movie sound, whether digital or analog, can be played in a THX system. THX-certified theaters have special equipment and room designs to make sure every film sounds its best.
In 2002, THX became its own company, separate from Lucasfilm. It was bought by Creative Technology Limited, a company that makes sound cards for computers. Later, in 2016, THX was bought by Razer Inc., a company known for gaming hardware.
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How THX Began
Tomlinson Holman, a talented sound engineer, started working for Lucasfilm in 1980. He and George Lucas worked together to improve the sound system for a new studio theater. They created a special way to arrange speakers and connect equipment to fit the room's unique sound. This system made the sound incredibly clear and powerful.
The movie Return of the Jedi was the first Lucasfilm movie to have its sound mixed in this new room. Other filmmakers and studio bosses were amazed by how good it sounded. Jim Kessler, who hired Holman, thought of calling the system "Tomlinson Holman's Crossover," or "XVR." He later changed it to "TH," which reminded him of George Lucas's first film, THX 1138. They eventually decided the "X" could also mean "experiment."
The first four movie theaters in the United States installed THX sound systems. To introduce this new system, James A. Moorer created the famous Deep Note sound. THX officially launched on May 20, 1983. The first THX trailer and Deep Note played in theaters five days later, just before Return of the Jedi was released. It was seen as the biggest improvement in movie sound systems since 1948.
THX for Your Home
In 1990, Lucasfilm introduced the Home THX Audio System for people to use in their own homes. A special demo LaserDisc called Wow! was released that year. It showed clips from movies like Star Wars and Indiana Jones. In 1993, The Abyss became the first movie on LaserDisc to use THX.
Later, in 1995, the Star Wars trilogy was the first VHS release to be THX certified. Then, in 1997, Twister was the first movie on the new DVD format to be digitally mastered with THX.
THX in Cars and Games
In 2002, Lincoln became the first car company to offer THX-certified sound systems in their cars. This meant the audio systems in Lincoln vehicles met THX's high standards for sound quality. The 2003 Lincoln LS was the first car to feature this.
THX also started certifying video game audio in 2003. Electronic Arts was the first company to get this certification. This helped make game sound much better. Games like Need for Speed: Underground and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King had THX logos on their boxes. In 2020, THX introduced THX Certified Game Mode for TVs. This mode makes game pictures look better with improved colors and less lag. TCL Technology released the first TV with this feature.
THX for New Technologies
In 2006, THX began certifying high-definition Blu-ray discs, starting with Terminator 2: Judgment Day.
In 2010, THX introduced a certification for 3D products called THX 3D Display. The LG Infinia PX950 Plasma HDTV was the first 3D TV to get this certification. It passed over 400 tests for color, viewing angles, and picture quality in 3D.
In 2013, THX released its first mobile app called THX Tune-Up. It helps people set up their home entertainment systems for the best sound and picture.
THX expanded to China in 2014, working with China Film Group Corporation to improve the cinema experience there. The first THX Certified China Giant Screen (CGS) theaters opened in Shanghai. Also in 2014, THX partnered with Warren Theatres to open a large theater complex in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. Each of its 18 auditoriums was THX certified, and two special "Grand Infinity Auditoriums" featured THX Certification, huge curved screens, and advanced sound.
In 2017, the Razer Blade Pro became the first THX-certified laptop. In 2018, THX introduced Spatial Audio, which creates an immersive 360-degree sound experience through headphones and speakers. This technology was used in gaming headsets for a simulated surround sound.
In 2018, over 200 Cinemark XD movie theaters in the United States and Latin America began to feature THX sound systems. These theaters have huge screens, great digital projection, and immersive sound. The first THX Ultimate Cinema opened in Los Angeles in 2019.
In 2020, Walmart stores started selling Gateway laptops and tablets tuned by THX. These devices offer brighter colors and THX Spatial Audio for a great sound experience.
In 2021, THX released its first product for consumers, the Onyx. It's a small device that improves the sound quality for headphones connected to mobile phones.
Where THX is Used
The very first THX theater is the Eileen L. Norris Cinema Theatre at the University of Southern California. It's part of the university's film school.
THX Certifications
THX has different certifications for many products, including home audio, home theater systems, video displays, and car audio. This means that THX checks and approves many things like home receivers, speakers, soundbars, and even HDMI cables.
THX Certified Ultra
THX Certified Ultra products are designed for larger home theaters. These are rooms about 3,000 cubic feet in size, where you sit 12 feet or more away from the screen.
THX Certified Select
THX Certified Select products are for medium-sized rooms, up to 2,000 cubic feet. In these rooms, you would typically sit 10 to 12 feet from the screen.
THX Certified Compact
THX Certified Compact products are for smaller rooms, also up to 2,000 cubic feet. Here, you would sit about 8 feet from the screen.
THX Certified Dominus
THX Certified Dominus products are for very large home theater spaces, around 6,500 cubic feet. For these, you would sit about 20 feet from the screen.
I/S Plus Systems
THX's I/S Plus systems are bundles that include an AV receiver and speakers. They are certified for small home theaters or dorm rooms where you sit 6 to 8 feet from the screen. These systems are made by companies like Onkyo and Enclave Audio.
Multimedia Products
THX Certified Multimedia Products are made specifically for PC gaming and other multimedia uses on your desktop computer.
THX Certified Optimode and Optimizer
THX Certified DVD and video displays (like plasma, LCD, or LED TVs and projectors) include THX Optimode and Optimizer. These features help you see movies and shows exactly as they were meant to be seen. Some tests for this used special "blue filter glasses."
The first DVD to include the THX Optimode was Fight Club, released in 2000.
THX Mascot
THX has a cool robot mascot named Tex. He was created by John Lasseter, who used to lead Pixar Animation Studios.
Tex first appeared in a trailer called Tex 1, which played in theaters before Independence Day in 1996. In this trailer, Tex fixes the THX logo. A second trailer, Tex 2: Moo Can, came out in 1997 with Alien Resurrection. In this one, Tex uses a moo can to make the Deep Note sound.
In 2006, a third trailer, Tex 3: Action, premiered with the movie Cars. In this trailer, Tex escapes from a car. These Tex trailers were often seen on early Pixar DVDs.
A fourth trailer featuring Tex, called Tex vs. the Robot, was released on THX's YouTube channel in 2020. In this one, Tex and another robot named Bob try to put an orb into a spaceship. This trailer was made to show off THX's Spatial Audio technology.
See also
- Home cinema
- AV receiver
- Surround sound
