"The Indispensable Role of Palm Pilots in Enhancing IMAX Movie Experiences"
IMAX theaters still rely on a 21-year-old Palm Pilot device, specifically the Palm m130, to control the quick turn reel unit (QTRU) and ensure the smooth operation of film projection. The Palm Pilot emulator, running on a Windows tablet, is used to keep the QTRU moving at a consistent speed and maintain synchronization between the film's video and audio. Despite the availability of more advanced controllers, IMAX continues to use the Palm Pilot because it is simple, stable, and does the job effectively. With only a limited number of theaters capable of showing full 70mm prints, and Christopher Nolan being one of the few filmmakers still using the format, there is little incentive to update the technology.