THX

You have seen the letter THX many times it is likely. You have seen THX sound in theaters, THX logos on trailers for movies, and even THX mp3 player systems. What, though, does it mean exactly and how does and should it affect you? Here are some basics about THX, what it is, and what it does to the world around you in this technological day and age.

What Is THX

When you see THX sounds, a THX logo on something or here of THX theme sounds, you are hearing about a certification. That is right, THX is actually just a certification of theater sound equipment. Basically, though there is some equipment involved, it just makes sure that there is a basic level of quality for any given theater.

What Does It Mean

The Meaning of THX is actually up for debate by many people. Some say it is named after the engineer who first came up with the standard, Tom Holman’s eXperiment. Others, though, believe that it is named after George Lucas, who first founded the company. They believe it is named after his first movie, THX 1138. It is unlikely that anyone will ever know for sure.

How Does It Affect You?

THX affects you a lot if you have hever been to a theater, seen THX a/v receivers, heard that THX intro to previews at the theater, or seen something labeled with THX sound effects. In other words, if you set foot in a theater, it affects you. THX makes sure that when you watch Star Wars in one place it will sound a lot like it does when you watch it at another theater. It is basically there to ensure that quality is consistent.

Similar to how you can expect the same thing from Wal Mart or McDonalds in Kansas as one in New York, THX ensures similar quality standards no matter where you are.

With that said, THX is an influential part of movie watching. Without it, you would never know what you were going to get. Though you may have taken it for granted in the past, at least you can now walk into that next movie, see THX, and know that while nobody knows for sure what it stands for, plenty of people understand what it has done for movies and sound.