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George Lucas requests a state-of-the-art post-production facility be built at his Skywalker Ranch. After extensive research, Tomlinson Holman and engineers from Lucasfilm develop the ideal environment for mixing rooms, from which the THX standards are developed. The first THX Certified Mixing Room opens at Lucasfilm.
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THX Ltd. as a division of Lucasfilm, and the THX Cinema Certification Program is introduced in time for the release of Star Wars VI: Return of the Jedi. AVCO Cinema in Los Angeles is the first theater to achieve THX Certification.
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Lucasfilm engineers work with leading A/V manufacturers to incorporate THX performance standards into consumer electronics equipment. The first THX Certified Home Theater Component is the Technics SH-THX10.
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The THX Certified Laser Disc Program is created; quality control services are offered to studios for films during video laser disc production. James Cameron’s The Abyss is the first THX Certified Laser Disc.
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The first complete THX certified home theater system using 5.1 digital surround sound is demonstrated at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES).
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The THX Certified Laser Disc Program expands to include VHS and DVD. The first THX Certified VHS Video Cassette is the Star Wars Special Edition Trilogy.
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More than 1,600 THX Certified Cinemas and Mixing Rooms have been created around the world; some 250 THX Certified Home Theater Components appear on the market.
Gary Rydstrom, the Academy Award®-winning sound designer and Lucasfilm's Director of Creative Services, and Tony Grimani, a THX engineer, develop a simple and cost-effective way of using existing Dolby® Laboratories Digital Surround technology to add a new surround signal for the rear wall of the cinema auditorium. Surround EX is born.
Twister is released as the first THX Certified DVD.
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THX announces certification standards for DVD players.
20th Century Fox Video Transfer Facility becomes the first THX Certified pm3 Studio.
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Dolby® Digital Surround EX™ is introduced to movie audiences worldwide with Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace.
Together with Lucasfilm, THX masters and supervises the first digitally projected image onto the silver screen with the release of Star Wars Episode 1.
The first THX Certified Surround EX Receiver is the Denon AVR 4800.
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More than 2,700 cinemas are THX Certified worldwide.
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THX introduces the THX Certified Multimedia Program—performance standards for computer components and applications. The world's first fully THX Certified Multimedia System debuts: the Dell 8100 Multimedia PC.
THX expands the THX Certified Multimedia Program by introducing specifications for multimedia speakers; the Altec Lansing ADA 885 becomes the first THX Certified Multimedia Speaker System.
THX introduces Ultra2™ specification for home theater controllers and receivers; Pioneer VSX 49TX becomes the first THX Certified Ultra2 Component.
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THX Ltd. spins off as an independent company from Lucasfilm. Lucasfilm remains an investor in the newly formed privately held company, along with other corporate and private investors.
The world's first THX Certified Car Audio System debuts in the 2003 Lincoln LS.
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THX Ltd. certifies the American Film Institute (AFI) Silver Theater.
THX Ltd. teams with Electronic Arts (EA) to launch THX Certified Games Program, creating the first THX Certified Games. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King becomes the first THX Certified Game.
THX Ltd. celebrates its 20th anniversary, and releases a new cinema trailer named "Bounty" to commemorate the anniversary.
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THX introduces Games Mode for THX Certified Ultra2 Components; new post-processing technology dramatically improves how game sound is distributed throughout the surround field.
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