Doremi Cinema's DCP-2000 Server Receives FIPS Level 3 Certification

"Doremi Cinema announces that its DCP-2000 cinema server has officially received a Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) 140-2 Level 3 validation certificate.

FIPS Level 3 compliance provides the DCP-2000 with the highest level of protection required by the Digital Cinema Initiative (DCI) to secure the motion picture files used in the cinema server.

"Achieving FIPS certification brings the highest level of comprehensive security DCI compliance for our server," said Michael Archer VP of Sales at Doremi. "Our security solution also allows for maintenance to be performed at the theater level without special personnel, since our security design left maintenance items easily accessible."

The Doremi server underwent a comprehensive testing process by the accredited cryptographic module testing laboratory InfoGard. InfoGard submitted its test report to NIST, which issued the FIPS 140-2 Level 3 validation certificate. Doremi's NIST certification number is 850.

Doremi Cinema's DCP-2000 is by far the most installed cinema server in the world with over 4000 screens worldwide. Doremi's continued leadership in installations both underscores the reliability and consistency of the DCP-2000 server to provide both the highest quality JPEG2000 images and the highest levels of security sought by the major studios to protect their content."

Source: DCinemaToday

IMAX Sets Target Launch Date of Digital Projection Technology

"IMAX Corporation announced that it has moved up the launch date of its digital projection system in development to the second quarter of 2008 from its previously announced timeframe of the end of 2008 to mid 2009. The highly anticipated IMAX digital projection system will further enhance The IMAX Experience and help to drive profitability for studios, exhibitors and IMAX theatres by virtually eliminating the need for film prints, increasing program flexibility and ultimately increasing the number of movies shown on IMAX screens.

Under the current roll-out schedule, the company anticipates that three digital IMAX prototypes will be installed during the second quarter of 2008. Shortly thereafter, IMAX expects to install three additional prototypes. Once these prototypes meet performance specifications, IMAX expects to proceed with a full rollout during the second half of the third quarter and in the fourth quarter of 2008.

IMAX's digital projection system integrates a suite of proprietary IMAX intellectual properties with commercially available digital projection technology in a way that creates The IMAX Experience in a digital format. These properties, along with proprietary technology applied to the content, dramatically enhance the image fidelity, light output and contrast in both 2D and 3D to produce a stunningly crisp and bright image on the big IMAX screen and deliver the unparalleled image and sound quality that IMAX consumers have come to recognize and enjoy. In consumer testing conducted by Millward Brown, a respected market research firm, 98 percent of respondents who had seen IMAX before/were able to make the comparison, said that the prototype IMAX digital system fits with their expectations for the brand, and 46 percent said that the overall experience in the digital IMAX theatre was better than previous IMAX experiences.

The new system is configured for an IMAX MPX-style auditorium and is capable of showing Hollywood movies that have been digitally re-mastered using IMAX's proprietary DMR technology in both IMAX and IMAX 3D. The system will also be capable of showing original IMAX documentaries.

IMAX has already announced several multi-theatre agreements which are to include the new digital projection system. The company has also indicated that it intends to offer and sell upgrades to the new digital system to commercial operators who have IMAX MPX systems.

In North America, IMAX signed a joint venture agreement with Regal Cinemas for five systems, with three of the locations identified as direct to digital installs during the fourth quarter of 2008 and second quarter of 2009. Similarly, IMAX signed a joint venture agreement with Muvico Theaters for three systems, with the third targeted to be a digital install in Muvico's highly anticipated Xanadu complex in New Jersey. The Company also entered into a second multi-theatre agreement with Goodrich Quality Theaters, following the highly successful launch of the exhibitor's first two theatres. The new agreement includes a digital installation in a new multiplex planned for the fourth quarter of 2009.

Internationally, IMAX announced its largest ever multiple-theatre deal in Asia with China's Wanda Cinema Line Corporation. The agreement includes seven locations expected to utilize IMAX's digital projection system."

Source: IMAX

GDC Selects Thomson’s Forensic Watermarking for Digital Cinema Server Roll Out

"Thomson today announced that GDC, one of the leading solution providers for digital cinema, has selected NexGuard, Thomson’s comprehensive, state-of-the-art forensic tracking product line, for integration into 1,200 digital cinema servers.

GDC digital cinema servers will now embed NexGuard’s audio and visual forensic watermarking solution. NexGuard combats in-theatre piracy by offering forensic means to identify the date, time and location of illegal camcorder recordings.

NexGuard’s solution not only exceeds the Digital Cinema Initiative’s (DCI) specifications with resistance to illegal camcorder capture and compression, but also provides the ability to embed more than the required amount of critical identification information.

The NexGuard family of content security solutions has been solely designed to serve the media, entertainment and communication industries, and offers the most wide-ranging line of products to track and secure digital audiovisual content through production, post-production, distribution and exhibition."

Source: DCinemaToday

Real D Continues Global 3D Cinema Dominance

"In its largest international distribution partnership to date, Real D, the global leader in digital 3-D, has finalized an agreement with Odeon and UCI, the largest pan-European cinema exhibitor with more than 1600 screens, to install up to 500 Real D 3D cinema systems in theaters across Europe. The rollout begins immediately and continues over the next two years as digital cinema systems are deployed, bringing Real D 3D technology to new markets such as Spain and Italy while substantially increasing Real D’s footprint in the UK, Ireland, Germany, Austria, and Portugal.

Almost a third of Odeon and UCI’s cinema circuit will eventually be Real D enabled, bringing next-generation 3D cinema to millions of film fans. Some of these systems will be available in time for the release of the Warner Brothers and Robert Zemeckis film “Beowulf” in November and for the annual re-release of Tim Burton’s Disney classic “The Nightmare Before Christmas 3D”."

Source: DCinemaToday

DCI Announces Completion of its Compliance Test Plan for Digital Cinema Validation and Compliance Testing

"Digital Cinema Initiatives (DCI) announced today the completion and availability of the DCI Compliance Test Plan (CTP). Six months ago, DCI engaged CineCert to finalize the CTP, which includes validated test procedures for the DCI Specification, version 1.1, including all referenced SMPTE standards. It details test procedures appropriate for each class of digital cinema device, such as projectors, servers, and media blocks.

With the availability of the CTP, DCI continues to promote its Digital Cinema System Specification, which sets forth the technical specifications developed by the six DCI member studios and serves as a guide to manufacturers, system integrators, exhibitors, and other stakeholders for digital cinema standardization, interoperability and quality.

DCI is considering several entities that have expressed interest in becoming licensed facilities to perform the tests detailed by the Compliance Test Plan. A selection process is underway, and testing entities are expected to be named in the near future."

Source: Digital Cinema Initiatives

Access IT Teamed with International Datacasting and Sensio Technologies Introduces Live 2-D and 3-D Event Satellite Streaming Through CineLive

"Access Integrated Technologies ("AccessIT") announced today, CineLive a new proprietary product that will bring both 2-D and 3-D live content to movie theatres equipped with digital cinema. CineLive, the next step in leveraging the digital era to further enhance exhibition offerings, is a new set of hardware, developed exclusively for AccessIT by International Datacasting Corporation and Sensio Technologies which allows live 3-D and 2-D content to be converted from satellite feeds into theatrical entertainment.

“AccessIT continues to develop innovative products and services that will provide more benefits for exhibitors and distributors in the new digital cinema era,” said Chuck Goldwater, President of AccessIT’s Media Services Group. “With CineLive, we are taking another step to enhance the rapidly growing world of digital cinema installations with technology that increases their programming opportunities. This technology team represents the “best of breed” in the industry. IDC has been our satellite distribution technology provider for many years and we believe is the market leader in enterprise class multicasting systems. Sensio has the best available 3D technology that we have been able to find on the market. Combined with our AccessIT technology and digital cinema market penetration we believe our team is second to none.”

“The advent of CineLive enables The Bigger Picture to offer exhibition a much wider range of alternative entertainment,” said Jonathan Dern Co-President of The Bigger Picture, AccessIT’s alternative content distribution division. “The combination of AccessIT’s cutting edge technology and The Bigger Picture’s programming continues to deliver a digital cinema experience unmatched in the industry.”

The CineLive equipment will enhance both existing and future AccessIT satellite installations. CineLive combines IDC’s SuperFlex broadband satellite technology with the SENSIO 3D Cinema Decoder technology to create an advanced integrated solution that will do both reliable movie file distribution as well as 2D and 3D live streaming delivery. The core technology of the two companies combined in the CineLive product represent a potential competitive advantage for AccessIT:

- The Sensio 3D Cinema Decoder technology allows playback of broadcast and prerecorded stereoscopic (3D) content, up to 1080p 60fps, using the standard 2D video distribution infrastructure and being compatible with all types of digital projection systems available on the market.

- IDC’s SuperFlex technology provides the latest in DVB-S2 broadband IP transmission needed to achieve the maximum possible throughput on satellite, essential for timely and secure delivery of JPEG2000 movie files and also for the highest quality HD delivery for live performances. The SuperFlex product includes IDC’s HDTV hardware decoder card which provides the high speed digital HD-SDI output needed by the Sensio 3D Cinema Decoder.

Nicholas Routhier, President and CEO of Sensio commented: “We are very pleased to be providing this technology to AccessIT through our strategic alliance with IDC. By collaborating with these industry leaders, we have created a unique product that further enhances the viewing experience, and achieves our objective of a 3D immersive experience. With CineLive, theaters will have more opportunities to add to their programming by showing alternative 3D content such as concerts or sporting events.”

“This agreement is very timely and we are delighted to be working with the AccessIT and Sensio teams to provide this unique integrated solution to the market,” added Ron Clifton, President and CEO of IDC. “The Sensio technology builds on our new Pro Video HDTV capability to provide considerable extra value to our end-to-end broadband satellite delivery solution. With AccessIT leading our team, CineLive represents an exciting and significant step forward in the evolution of digital cinema."

Source: DCinemaToday

Qube XP-D Digital Cinema Server now Equipped with Stereoscopic Playback Capability

"Qube Cinema announced today that the Qube XP-D Digital Cinema Server is now available with 3D playback capability. This feature has been implemented in compliance with the DCI specification and draft SMPTE standards and works with single stereoscopic 48 fps Track Files.

The Qube XP-D is equipped with two independent dual-link HDSDI (2 x SMPTE 292M) outputs and has the capability to output 12-bit 24 fps 4:4:4 images to two different projectors or 48 fps images to a single projector in 4:2:2 mode.

The Qube system has the capability to work with multiple 3D technologies including active shutter glasses and the Z-Screen for single projectors and fixed polarizing filters on dual projectors.

Qube Cinema's end-to-end solutions for digital cinema provide the ultimate combination of quality, reliability, ease-of-use, security and flexibility. Designed from the ground up to operate in mission-critical applications, the architecture of the Qube product family has been conceived with the future in mind and provides an integrated workflow, from mastering to distribution, playback to reporting and archiving. Being almost entirely software based allows the Qube system to leverage developments in the computer industry and bring to the market format independent, powerful and flexible products."

Source: DCinemaToday

The New 3D Technology

"It’s been only two years since the re-launch of commercial 3D exhibition with Disney’s Chicken Little in November 2005 and there are now almost 1,000 cinemas equipped. This rapid growth exceeds all previous attempts at getting 3D into mainstream exhibition, and this means that this time it’s likely here to stay.

3D has been on the fringes of exhibition since its first introduction in the early 1950s. The launch of 3D in 1953 quickly ran out of steam by 1955, leaving many exhibitors with the feeling that it was an expensive fad that, frankly, didn’t work very well. It made a partial comeback in the mid-1970s, only to fade again from mainstream use. Over the years, 3D found its long-term application in special-venue presentations where the specialty content and a unique audience could justify the costly installation of its specialized equipment.

Today’s situation is quite different. Enabled by the rollout of 2D digital cinema equipment, 3D instantly provides a tangible benefit whose value is instantly seen and appreciated by the audience. Enabling 3D on top of a standard 2D digital-cinema installation has become the “killer application” providing much of the justification for the conversion to digital. Much like surround sound in the 1980s, 3D has now moved from limited specialty applications into mainstream exhibition.

The 2005 release of Disney’s Chicken Little changed everything by proving that the technology behind the new digital 3D works better than before and is viable for full-length titles. A number of marketing studies have cited two to three times the box office for the 3D-equipped screens, proving that today’s audiences don’t object to paying a premium ticket price for the unique experience.

3D Content from Hollywood
Adding credibility to the current 3D movement is the fact that the driving force behind it has largely been the filmmakers themselves. The Hollywood production pipeline is planning a number of major 3D releases in the next few years. DreamWorks Animation has committed for complete adoption of 3D by 2009 and filmmakers like James Cameron and George Lucas have made commitments for future projects. A few of the big titles being planned are Journey 3D and U2 3D, both scheduled for 2008; DreamWorks’ Monsters vs. Aliens, scheduled for March 2009, and James Cameron’s Avatar in May 2009.

Overview of 3D Technologies
In a nutshell, 3D requires two projection systems, one for each eye, with each projecting an image taken from a slightly different perspective. The viewer, when wearing special glasses to direct the proper image to the corresponding eye, subconsciously fuses the images together, creating a mind’s-eye view that reveals the scene’s depth. In effect, 3D is doing for the eyes much like what stereo surround sound does for the ears.

Throughout exhibition’s short history, there have been many different 3D techniques used in cinema. With 35mm film, 3D typically required two projectors, which were not only costly but nearly impossible to keep in close enough synchronization to maintain the effect without also delivering a splitting headache.

Initially, glasses with simple red and cyan filters—commonly know as the “anaglyphic” method—were used to separate the images. The low-cost red/cyan glasses worked—but also created unnatural shifts in the overall color balance that most filmmakers and viewers found unacceptable. Glasses with horizontal/vertical polarized lenses were used with somewhat greater success. Later, active glasses, which act as high-speed shutters synchronized with the frame being projected, were commonly used in special-venue applications, but these are typically quite expensive and require batteries and frequent recharging.

With the first installations of digital systems in 2000, innovative filmmakers recognized that the new generation of digital projectors solved the stability problems that have plagued previous 35mm 3D approaches. These filmmakers, in fact the very same filmmakers that are making 3D content today, began asking the digital-cinema equipment vendors to quickly enable the equipment to allow 3D projection. A new company jumped in with a solution.

Real D’s Approach
Real D, a name unknown to most exhibitors prior to 2005, has quickly become the dominant player in 3D digital cinema. Working being the scenes with filmmakers and equipment manufacturers, Real D saw a unique opportunity to develop and integrate the necessary 3D options so that DCI-specified 2K digital cinema equipment can be used in 3D applications. The engineers at Real D realized that they could avoid the classic problems with 35mm 3D—the high cost of two projectors and problems synchronizing the two—by running a single digital projector at a much higher frame rate than a conventional 35mm projector. To separate the images, instead of bulky and expensive “active” glasses, they could place the shuttering system—what Real D calls the “Z-filter”—in the booth between the projector and the porthole. To improve the viewer’s experience over older polarized systems, Real D added a new “twist” to the glasses—circular polarization—which makes the image quality relatively insensitive to the rotational angle of the glasses. Overall, the 3D viewing experience was tremendously improved over anything that could be done with 35mm film.

The initial launch of Real D with Chicken Little included installation of over 100 Real D systems in the marketplace, with further commitments quickly following with Columbia Pictures’ Monster House in July 2006 and Buena Vista’s Meet the Robinsons released this past spring. For the November release of Robert Zemeckis’ Beowulf, Real D expects to have 1,016 installations in the market, with 122 of these being in overseas territories. Real D installations span over 20 counties and includes over 60 exhibitor organizations. Primary exhibitor partners include Carmike Cinema with 428 systems, AMC with 117 systems and National Amusements with 41 systems.

Rave Motion Pictures of Dallas also committed strongly to Real D with at least one auditorium in each of its 27 locations. Rave has been so excited by the results, it has installed seven Real D screens in its new Town Square location in Las Vegas. Jeremy Devine, Rave’s VP of marketing, says, “Our experience has been that 3D screens typically average three times the box office of conventional 2D screens. We are very excited to be opening Beowulf at our new Las Vegas location on November 16th with over 1,500 seats offering 3D.”

The Real D approach puts the cost of the 3D equipment in the projection booth and allows the use of low-cost “giveaway” glasses in the auditorium. The downside is that to maintain accurate polarization as light bounces off the screen, a “silvered” screen is needed, which typically requires the exhibitor to change the screen.

Dolby’s Approach
Dolby Laboratories, who partnered with Real D and Disney on the initial 2005 Chicken Little release, announced in the summer of 2006 that they were developing their own 3D system. The Dolby approach, originally developed for industrial application by the German company Infitec, uses a different approach. Instead of the circular polarization used by Real D to separate the left and right eye images, Dolby 3D Digital Cinema illuminates each image with light created from three slightly different primary colors. The Dolby 3D system also uses a single digital projector, but instead of changing each image’s polarization, the light from the projector’s Xenon bulb is pre-filtered by a small spinning filter mounted inside the projector. The audience also wears 3D glasses, but instead of polarized lenses, Dolby’s glasses act as filters that allow light to pass that is made up of the primary colors intended for that eye while blocking the primary colors intended for the opposite eye.

Since the Dolby 3D system doesn’t use polarized light, there is no requirement for a silvered screen, allowing the existing white screen to be used. Although Dolby’s 3D system uses lightweight passive glasses that require no batteries or recharging, the manufacturing process is more complex than Real D’s polarized glasses and therefore they are more expensive. Dolby’s 3D glasses are currently priced at $59 a pair and the exhibitor needs to provide equipment for washing them between shows. In the future, Dolby hopes to offer disposable glasses that the moviegoer can keep as a souvenir.

Dolby’s 3D rollout is just beginning and has already gather an impressive list of customers including Malco Theatres, Carousel Cinemas, Cinema City, Cinetopia, Cobb Theatres, Marcus Theatres, Maya Cinemas, Megaplex Theatres, Sundance Cinemas and the Kinepolis Group. "Kinepolis continues to be impressed with the quality of Dolby's digital-cinema technology," said Nicolas Hamon, projection and sound manager, Kinepolis Group. "Beyond quality, the flexibility of Dolby 3D has many advantages, as the solution supports both 3D and 2D presentations for playback on standard white screens already in our auditoriums. In addition, the reusable glasses model eliminates the need to reorder glasses, minimizing environmental impact."

The Pros and Cons
Real D believes that their low-cost glasses are a key advantage over Dolby’s approach, which requires collecting, washing, and maintaining an inventory. Typically, the glasses used by Real D have been provided at no charge by the distributor, who uses them as promotional items. Real D also sees some inherent advantages in the silvered screen and argues that with the recommended gain of 2.4, a silver screen will reduce energy and bulb costs when showing conventional content. Savings from such will offset initial installation costs.

Dolby believes that maintaining the glasses is easily manageable and cites the advantage of using the existing white screen, which does not potentially compromise the 2D picture quality. Dolby claims also to have an advantage in the booth, as the color filter wheel is installed inside the projector, which may in the future be offered by the projector manufacturers as a factory option. For the time being, Dolby is supplying a field retrofit kit—priced at $26,000—that can be installed inside any DCI-capable 2K DLP Cinema projector in a few hours.

3D Standards
One of the great advantages of both the Real D and Dolby 3D processes is that they are both compatible from a production standpoint. While both the Real D and Dolby 3D processes require that a small amount of correction be done to the 2D distribution package, fortunately both can be implemented during playback. Real D plans to implement their 2D-to-3D file correction using an external adapter. Since Dolby is a server manufacturer, they easily accommodate their conversion inside their Dolby Cinema Player. For Dolby’s current deployment, Dolby is insisting that their Dolby Cinema Player be used, although at some point they may be able to accommodate playback from other servers.

Both the Dolby and Real D 3D systems offer comparable 3D image quality, with each company claiming a slight advance over the other in several fairly minor technical areas. Both companies also claim to be competitive in overall costs. Real D offers three different business models: a flat-rate license, a revenue-sharing plan and a per-seat plan, while Dolby offers a flat-rate, one-time purchase of the projector retrofit kit and supplies the glasses. In addition to Dolby and Real D, a number of other companies are looking at the mainstream cinema market with 3D implementations that either use active glasses or two projectors, and these might prove to be viable in some situations. The fact that several companies are now competing in the 3D market—with a standardized distribution format—will certainly benefit exhibitors by providing more choices and deployment options.

With strong support from Hollywood’s filmmakers, broad manufacturer support, and a competitive market of technologies and systems, 3D has now achieved all the elements needed for commercial success and will be part of the cinemagoing experience in the future."

By Bill Mead, Film Journal International

ShowEast Puts Spotlight on 3-D, D-Cinema

"The film industry is donning 3-D glasses this week as exhibitors and distributors gather at the Orlando Marriott World Center for ShowEast 2007.

The digital cinema transition and 3-D movements are hot topics this week, as the two are intertwined: digital-cinema projection is required in order to offer 3-D digital motion pictures, giving digital cinema some added momentum as both proceed forward.

"The first thing that has come along and actually created an incremental value for exhibition is 3-D," DreamWorks Animation CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg told The Hollywood Reporter. Katzenberg will speak about 3-D at the convention, which runs today through Thursday. "(Exhibitors) are beginning to see a real growth opportunity in their business. I think that's part of what has given some real momentum to digital cinema."

Indeed, 3-D has energized the exhibition industry. For instance, last year's release of "Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas 3-D" played in 168 theaters and grossed $8.7 million.

Meanwhile, additional factors are contributing to digital-cinema deployment.

"As more and more 3-D content comes into the market, it will spur the digital-cinema deployment," said Chuck Viane, Disney's president of domestic distribution. "I believe the key factor to the digital deployment will probably be the announcement of Digital Cinema Integration Partners and whatever program they will have for digital installations in circuits like Regal and Cinemark and AMC."

DCIP is a joint venture owned by AMC Entertainment, Cinemark USA and Regal Entertainment Group that represents more than 14,000 screens in the U.S. and Canada. It is working on deals with the aim of beginning to transition its screens in early 2008. "Exhibitors are more likely to do a digital install right now for movies like 'Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas' or 'Beowulf' or any of the other announced product because they can have these blend into the deals that will be brought into the marketplace by DCIP," Viane explained.

With "Nightmare" and "Beowulf" slated for release this fall, it is expected that there will be roughly 1,000 3-D-ready digital theaters and a total of 4,000 digital cinema screens, representing 10% of the domestic market by year's end. "By the end of next year, I would think you will be at 25%," Viane said. "I think DCIP will really determine how quickly the tipping point comes. But the end of next year we could be at 60%. That would not shock me at all."

Katzenberg's benchmark is the March 27, 2009, the release date for "Monsters vs. Aliens," DreamWorks Animation's first 3-D feature. "We need 6,000 (3-D-equipped) screens by March 27, 2009," he said. "That's the thing that I am most anxious about. It's a tremendous opportunity for exhibitors. Exhibition will be able to get a meaningful premium for their 3-D experience. When we release one of our PG titles, we are in the 7,500-8,000 screen range. I'd like to see three-quarters of those be equipped with 3-D by 2009."

For studios investing in 3-D content, costs can vary. Katzenberg related that for DreamWorks Animation -- which has committed to release all of its animated product in 3-D beginning in 2009 -- there is a $15 million incremental production cost per movie.

Said John Fithian, president of the National Association of Theatre Owners, "I believe we win by having both digital cinema and 3-D. Digital cinema has to make sense in its own right, and it does, particularly with the studio-supported virtual print fee model. ... Hopefully, we can get a better show that is more consistent. Digital cinema also offers greater versatility of programming. 3-D is a very important value add, but it also has another cost. The studios are not paying for the 3-D installations. We are in most cases."

"The primary reason why digital cinema is picking up, at least in the States, is threefold: We have business models that work, technology standards that are fairly developed and equipment that produces a quality image. Those were the three main hurdles as to why this didn't happen earlier," Fithian said."

By Carolyn Giardina, The Hollywood Reporter

Dolby Stakes its Claim in 3D Movie Tech

"When Paramount Pictures' 3D movie Beowulf debuts on November 16, the battle between an Anglo-Saxon hero and various monsters won't be the only one moviegoers will witness.

The Robert Zemeckis film also will be first major time that Real D, one of the companies that made the current renaissance of 3D movies possible, directly faces a newer challenger, Dolby 3D from Dolby Laboratories.

Beowulf will show using Real D's technology on 1,000 screens nationwide, Chief Executive Michael Lewis said. Dolby isn't saying yet how many will use Dolby 3D, but it's racing to install its technology as widely as possible, limited chiefly by the rate that partners manufacture its 3D glasses.

"Real D is leading the pack, since they have the widest distribution, but everyone is watching with anticipation," said Aaron Parry, chief executive of production company Main Street Pictures, which Paramount hired to evaluate the current state of stereoscopic filmmaking.

Ultimately, the race to spread 3D movie technology could hasten the day that many in the industry see as inevitable, when 3D movies escape their history as off-the-wall spectacle and become the norm. In this view, the shift to 3D is just another overhaul of the entertainment business, just like the arrival of sound and color in the last century.

"I think in 10 years you can say entertainment will feel like you're there. It will completely blur the line between the experience you took physically and the experience you took visually," said Vince Pace, whose company, Pace co-developed with James Cameron the Fusion 3D camera being used in that director's 2009 movie, Avatar.

It's no secret why the industry would be eager for a cinematic revolution. Big flat-panel displays and surround sound made home theater compelling at the same time the studios were financially stagnant. 3D versions of movies such as Chicken Little have generated more revenue than their 2D equivalents financially, and the industry expects more of the same.

"We believe that 3D has the potential to meaningfully boost growth, by allowing theaters to offer a new visual experience that we believe will drive incremental attendance and price hikes," JPMorgan analyst Barton Crockett said in a September report.

He estimated 3D movies will draw 10 percent more viewers than 2D equivalents, and each person willing to pay about $3.50 more per ticket in 2009. That means $300 million to $400 million in additional earnings for theater companies--about a fifth of the total box-office take by 2011. The number of 3D-equipped screens should jump to 7,000 by 2010, he predicted.

Most expect home theater to lag 3D in movie theaters. Even when it catches up, "The biggest problem is that 3D on a small screen is not satisfying in same way as in big screen. It is what you call an immersive experience," said Dave Schnuelle, Dolby's senior director for image technology.

Antipiracy is a side benefit. Dreamworks Animation CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg has observed, "Ninety percent of all piracy comes from a camcorder aimed at the screen. You can't camcorder 3D movies."

However, building a 3D future is difficult.

Inside the technology
Real D and Dolby rely on the same basic idea to give an audience the illusion of depth: show images that differ slightly in vantage point to each of a viewer's eyes. The viewer's brain will reconstruct the third dimension, just as it does in the real world.

Both companies require glasses to ensure each eye gets only the correct view; Real D uses circular polarization while Dolby uses a color-filtering technology licensed from Infitec. The light is separated into the left-eye and right-eye views at the projector, switching back and forth 144 times per second.

With the new method, "there's no eye fatigue like in the 1950s and 1970s," said Tim Partridge, Dolby's head of products and technology.

In Dolby 3D, a spinning CD-size wheel between the lamp and the digital projector alternately lets through one set of light frequencies or another--two slightly different versions of the red, green and blue primary colors for each eye. The wheel spins six times for each movie frame, with the digital projector synchronized to show the appropriate eye's image.

In contrast, Real D uses an electronic filter called a Z-screen that circularly polarizes the light two different ways after it leaves the projector, also switching back and forth six times per frame to avoid flicker. Circular polarization--a complicated transformation of light's electromagnetic properties--requires the use of a special silver screen that retains the polarization as the light reflects back toward the audience.

Another company in Korea, Masterimage, also is trying to get into the market with an approach that uses a spinning wheel in front of the projector to apply the circular polarization.

Each technology has its advantages and drawbacks. Dolby 3D's glasses are difficult to manufacture and therefore expensive--$50 right now, though the company expects prices will drop. They must therefore be returned after use and washed in an automated washer. Real D's 5-cent, disposable glasses can be branded with promotional graphics from the movie.

Dolby 3D has an advantage with movie screens. Real D requires theaters to install the special silver screens, which JPMorgan estimates cost $5,500 apiece. Silver screens offer higher reflectivity and work with 2D movies as well, but there's concern that despite advances they suffer from a bright central "hot spot." Dolby 3D uses conventional white screens, which means theaters can move 3D movies to smaller screens as a movie runs its course at a theater.

Real D seems to have the edge for maximum screen size, though--an important consideration given that both cut down the amount of light to less than a sixth of what a conventional 2D movie projects. Dolby is cagey about how large a screen Dolby 3D can use, though executives say it's been used to show movies on 38-foot screens. Real D, though was at 47 feet during debut and this year should reach beyond 60 feet early next year, said Real D president and co-founder Joshua Greer.

Another factor is how well separated the left-eye and right-eye views are, so that light from one doesn't leak into the other. Real D has "ghostbusting" technology to electronically counteract this problem, and it's working to move it from a digital processing step to a real-time add-on. Dolby, though, boasts that its technology requires no ghostbusting at all.

Neither rival is standing still. "Both are to some degree in their infancy," Parry said. "They'll change radically in the next couple years."

3D movie-making: a new nut to crack
Making 3D movies in the first place is another challenge, with production costs somewhere between 10 percent to 20 percent higher, according to various industry estimates. There, too, technology is changing fast, though.

3D filming has been hampered by technical challenges. For live-action movies, two cameras must be closely coordinated, with risks increasing as cameras move or lenses zoom. Computer-generated animations are easier because they're typically already designed in 3D and therefore require only more computer hours to render the second viewpoint.

Pace is one company trying to address the live-action difficulties, and its 3D cameras have won over Doug Schwartz, creator of the Baywatch TV series and now the chairman of Stereo Vision Entertainment, which aims to bring smaller-budget 3D movies to the screen.

"The (3D) camera used to be size of a VW bug. But you can do anything now--handheld, Steadicam, underwater, dollies, zoom, cranes," he said. Also important: technology from Quantel lets directors review the shot immediately, in 3D, on the set.

Tools are still missing from 3D production, though, said Pierre Raymond, president and founder of Hybride Technologies, a visual effects company that's working Journey 3-D, a new take on the Jules Verne's Journey to the Center of the Earth. For example, a standard "rig erase" operation, using computers to digitally erase gear such as wires to suspend actors in the air, is much more complicated than in 2D.

"If do in it 3D, you will erase something on the right eye, and you will not see it. You erase it on the left eye, and you will not see it. When you put stereo glasses on, bang, you see the patch," he said.

Three-dimensional movies are still a novelty, and movies are trying to milk it for all it's worth. "Every time you bring a new technology to market, you will pass the gimmicky stage," Raymond said.

Take Schwartz's work, which is Stereo Vision's first project. Planned for Halloween 2008, Aubrey Blaze Piranhas 3-D features video-game creators who are trapped in Brazilian caves and must reckon with mutant flying carnivorous fish.

"Water is one of best environments for 3D, because things float--they're in the middle of the screen and coming right out at you," Schwartz said. Stereo Vision also is working to exploit the 3D possibilities of restaurant waitresses in South Beach, Miami with a comedy called Hooters 3DD.

But there are limits, even with movies that embrace 3D's shock value. "You don't want to be jarring to the audience," Schwartz said. For example, MTV-style fast cuts from one scene to another are a no-no because audience members must refocus.

Most, including Real D's Lewis, expect a more easygoing era to arrive, with 3D used to involve people more deeply in the narrative. "Ideally we want to make you feel like you're part of the movie and less like there are things flying out at you."

By Stephen Shankland, News.com

Cineworld Group Signs Deal with Real D to Revolutionise the Cinema Experience by Bringing 3D to its Customers

"Cineworld Group plc, which has the largest portfolio of digital screens of any cinema operator in the UK, has signed a deal with Real D to bring 3D to its customers. Real D is the world leader in 3D technology.

The deal will see Cineworld introduce 3D projection into its digital cinema portfolio to create the largest 3D estate in the UK. Real D 3D systems will initially be installed into 30 of Cineworld's 72 digital auditoria and the roll-out will coincide with the release of Beowulf on 16 November 2007. The deal will see Cineworld continue to add Real D systems to bring the most advanced 3D experience to its moviegoers as Cineworld finalises its deals with studios on
the business terms of digital deployment.

Steve Wiener, CEO of Cineworld Group plc, said, "This is a significant deal for Cineworld and one which will revolutionise the cinema experience for our moviegoers across the country. We could see as many as 100 Real D screens once our digital platform is in place." Wiener added, "The impact of 3D on the film industry can be compared to the move from black and white to colour. After reviewing all of the latest technologies in the market we are delighted to be partnering with Real D in spearheading the UK's move to 3D. "

DreamWorks Animation SKG announced its intention to produce all of its films in 3D starting in 2009. Visionary filmmakers including Robert Zemeckis, James Cameron, and Peter Jackson have embraced 3D as a natural enhancement to their cinematic storytelling. In addition, George Lucas, the creator of Star Wars, announced his intention to remaster the original Star Wars movies in digital 3D, although no date has been set at this stage."

Source: Digital Cinema Buyers Guide

DTS Digital Cinema Launches KeyPort D-Cinema Security Key Management System

"DTS Digital Cinema is announcing its breakthrough digital cinema security key management server, KeyPort, to be shown at ShowEast 2007.

The DTS KeyPort security key management server solves the security key distribution and management problem for distributors and exhibitors by providing a straightforward system for delivering the correct security keys to the theatre. KeyPort is a KDM (Key Delivery Message) management server utilizing open protocols to enable the communication of security keys from any KDM distributor. In addition, DTS KeyPort provides the tools necessary at the exhibition site to simplify and automate the management of KDMs by those entities so equipped and authorized. The device also offers secure VPN (Virtual Private Network) routing and firewall to protect exhibition networks from unauthorized access.

"Delivering the correct security keys to the theatre is the most fundamental problem that distributors and exhibitors face today in digital cinema," says Bill Elswick, Chief Technologist, DTS Digital Cinema. "The KeyPort is offered as a standalone system which can be used with any server and projection system and makes the process of delivering the correct KDM to the theatre open and transparent. Our system is standards-based and eliminates the need for gatekeepers in security key management."

KeyPort is one of several innovative solutions in the complete digital cinema product lineup offered by DTS Digital Cinema which includes the FilmStore digital cinema player, FilmStore Central ingest and central storage system, and the FilmStore Director content management software."

Source: BroadcastBuyer

Dolby Digital Cinema Receives Industry’s First FIPS Level 3 Certification for Digital Cinema

"Dolby Laboratories today announced that the Dolby Digital Cinema server has officially earned its Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) 140-2 Level 3 validation certificate. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), a nonregulatory federal agency within the US Department of Commerce, awarded the certificate.

The Dolby Digital Cinema server is the first digital cinema server to achieve the highest level of content protection security specified by the Digital Cinema Initiative (DCI). All Dolby Digital Cinema servers, currently in over 400 cinemas worldwide, meet the FIPS Level 3 requirements, which is a major step toward achieving DCI compliance.

FIPS 140-2 are security standards adopted by DCI and cover detailed requirements for physical security, software, interfaces, key management, and cryptographic algorithms. To earn the certification, the Dolby Digital Cinema server underwent a rigorous testing process by InfoGard Laboratories, an accredited cryptographic module testing laboratory, which performed extensive analysis of the design and construction of the unit. InfoGard submitted its test report to NIST, which issued the FIPS 140-2 Level 3 validation certificate.

The official Dolby Digital Cinema FIPS 140-2 NIST certificate is number 842."

Source: DCinemaToday

Kodak to Showcase its ‘Evolving’ Theatre Management System at ShowEast

"Kodak will demonstrate its comprehensive and commercialized Theatre Management System (TMS), to exhibition and distribution managers at the 2007 ShowEast convention and trade show in Orlando next week. These demonstrations come just seven months after the company showed prototypes at ShoWest and subsequently installed first systems in busy working cinemas.

The TMS is at the heart of the fully-integrated Kodak solution, which includes a central server, central storage capability, content players and feature projectors – all driven by Kodak software and connected through Kodak’s secure networking infrastructure to each other and to the cinema’s ticketing system. It’s designed to manage all content from all suppliers and bring new workflow efficiencies to the cinema.

Once content and keys are loaded, the TMS takes its direction from the ticketing system. Pre-show advertising and keys move automatically to the correct screen and play as scheduled. Software in development will automatically migrate feature content as well.

While the system is designed to run without operator involvement, Kodak showed how easy it is for the operator to interrupt the programmed content, to make changes. “The user interface screen has intuitive controls,” Mayson said. “For all the automation the Kodak TMS provides, exhibitors still want to be in control of their business.”

The upgraded version of the TMS delivers on a promise made when the company first showed the product in rough form last year. At that point, Kodak indicated that the TMS would be in constant evolution, adding features and upgrading functionality, based on listening to customers and responding.

“In the past few months, we’ve made a number of advancements, to increase the robustness of the centralized loading and migrating functions, to handle key delivery messages (KDMs) electronically, to connect to additional ticketing systems, and to support the single track 3D file format the industry is adopting,” Mayson said.

The Kodak solution comes with full Kodak service and support, as well the availability of a business plan that offers peace of mind."

Source: DCinemaToday

Barco & Cinemeccanica Further Strengthening their Cooperation with a Value Added Partnership

"Barco and Cinemeccanica, are strengthening their existing collaboration with a Value Added Partnership.

With this agreement Cinemeccanica will have access to the new range of 0.98", 2K digital DLP Cinema projectors from Barco which will allow them to promote and develop the world of digital cinema together.

After two and half successful years of joint digital cinema market development, Barco and Cinemeccanica will further strengthen their partnership by establishing Cinemeccanica as a value added partner. Under the terms of the agreement, Cinemeccanica will have the prime responsibility to promote, sell and support the new range of Barco’s 2K digital cinema projectors for much of the southern part of Europe including France, Spain, Portugal and of course Italy.

With its headquarters in Milan, Italy, and a well established, extensive sales and service network, Cinemeccanica is one of the world’s leading suppliers of cinema equipment. Along with the current product line up, Cinemeccanica will now also sell and support the new DP-2000 and DP-1500 digital cinema projectors both of which incorporate Texas Instrument’s 0.98 inch DLP Cinema chip. This remarkable new 0.98 inch DMD (Digital Micro-mirror Device) offers the same pixel resolution (2048x1080) as its larger 1.2 inch counterpart, but its smaller size offers significant advantages. For the projector and the digital cinema facility itself, this new technology translates directly into a smaller, more compact package, lower power consumption, lower operating costs and longer lamp run-times — without sacrificing Barco’s renowned image quality, modularity or system flexibility.

The DP-2000 is Barco’s new platform for large and mid-market venues, and is designed for screens up to 20m (65') wide. The DP-1500 is Barco’s new mid and small-venue projector, designed for screens up to 15m (49') wide. In particular, the DP-1500 is ideal for applications that could not previously accommodate (or afford) a full 2K system.

As part of the agreement, Barco and Cinemeccanica may also - in the future - investigate other areas of cooperation such as co-development of value added functionality."

Source: BroadcastBuyer

SmartJog Unveils the 1st Database of Digital Cinema Server Certificates for the French Exhibition Market

"During the 62nd Convention of the FNCF (National Federation of French Theater Owners), taking place from October 2nd to the 4th in Deauville, France, SmartJog, the global leader in secure digital delivery of media, plans to announce the first operational certificate database and device registry for digital cinema servers installed in France. Intended for distributors and laboratories, the database objective is to facilitate the generation of valid Key Delivery Messages (used for decrypting) to the theaters.

SmartJog’s secure website, which is widely used by technical and entertainment industries, will store the information and be the main point of access to the database. The SmartJog service complies with strict security standards while enabling optimum accessibility to the service.

French installers, who manage the equipment in projection rooms, will be able to directly update the database, as well as theater owners. With majority of the installers already agreeing to take part in the initiative, the database information will always come from valid sources.

SmartJog and these installers are thus planning to make the information in the database available to all accredited professional users, according to the following principles:

- The certificate database is intended to be universal, and is designed to gather all certificates for digital equipment in French cinemas. Access to, and referencing in, this database does not require a connection to the SmartJog electronic delivery network.

- Unrestricted free-of-charge access for all distributors, operators, laboratories, KDM generation centres, service providers who work in the duplication and transport of digital copies, equipment manufacturers, federations and institutions.

- On-line updates (with secure access and electronic signature) to be carried out by installers authorized by the theater owners concerned, or directly by the theater owners.

Due to the importance of neutrality, the CNC (National Center for Cinematography) has been asked to participate in establishing the rules for using this database. SmartJog wishes to develop this service with the gradual introduction of new features, to be validated by both the CNC and professional bodies in order to meet the profession's needs as fully as possible."

Source: DCinemaToday

DTS Digital Cinema Announces Implementation of Philips Cinefence Forensic Watermarking on Filmstore Digital Cinema Player

"DTS Digital Cinema today announced that it has implemented the Philips CineFence forensic watermarking technology on its FilmStore Digital Cinema Player as part of its commitment to continue providing solutions that support DCI specifications for digital cinema.

DTS-DC has implemented CineFence technology in line with its singular focus on supporting all elements of the motion picture industry’s transition to digital cinema. The FilmStore Digital Cinema Player, into which the technology has been integrated, is part of the FilmStore Content Management System, an innovative and comprehensive suite of products and software that have been engineered to support the build-out and operation of an industry-wide digital cinema infrastructure.

Philips CineFence forensic watermarking is a technology designed especially for the digital cinema environment to support increased measures to protect content that is delivered in a digital format."

Source: DCinemaToday

Digital Cinema: Manufacturers on the Cutting Edge

"The year 2007 has been a good one for many digital-cinema vendors, with a number of significant milestones reached. For the first time, all movies grossing over $100 million were released in the DCI-specified digital format. According to Texas Instruments (TI), the leading projection technology provider, many of these titles were released simultaneously to more than 1,000 theatres and projected using their DLP Cinema technology. Such titles as Spider-Man 3, Meet the Robinsons in 3D, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End, Shrek the Third, Ocean’s Thirteen, Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, Transformers and Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix are now thrilling audiences with full digital-cinema projection. By the summer of 2007, more than 4,300 theatres worldwide were equipped with projectors incorporating DLP Cinema technology.

At ShoWest 2007, TI announced a significant cost-saving development, a smaller, easier-to-implement version of its original 2K display device. Known as the .98 chip, the new device offers the same high-quality image as the previous 2K DLP Cinema chip, but is housed in a smaller, more efficient package, thereby reducing the overall cost of the projectors. Texas Instruments licenses its DLP Cinema technology to Christie, Barco and NEC, and each has expanded their product lineup to accommodate a wider range of screen size, thereby better matching the projector to that particular cinema’s needs. The new .98 chip enables TI projector partners to become more competitive by providing a variety of projector options at lower cost.

Barco Digital Cinema has already adopted the TI .98 smaller chip in its new DP-1500 and DP-2000 models. The DP-2000 is for large and mid-size venues, and is designed for screens up to 20m (65’) wide with a lumen output of 18,000. The DP-1500 is designed for screens up to 15m (49’) wide with a lumen output of 14,000. In particular, the DP-1500 is ideal for smaller projection booths that could not previously accommodate a full 2K system.

Barco's new DP-3000 is the brightest “large-venue” digital-cinema projector in the industry, with an extremely high screen illumination of 30,000 lumens. The DP-3000, with a 2000:1 contrast ratio, new lenses, a new optical design and high-efficiency 6.5kW lamps, is designed for screens up to 30 meters (98’) wide. The DP3000 debuted at ShoWest and had its cinema introduction with the world premiere of Transformers in L.A. this summer.

Christie Digital has also introduced a lower-cost version of its legendary CP2000 2K projector, which is now installed in over 3,000 cinemas. Christie’s new CP2000-ZX is intended for small to mid-sized screens, but is approximately 50% the size of the standard CP-2000. The CP200-ZX can accept a standard Christie bulb, which can be easily replaced at a cost similar to conventional 35mm bulbs. Brightness levels can be customized from 9,000 to 17,000 lumens, for screens up to 14 meters (45’).

NEC also completed its DLP Cinema projector family lineup with the introduction of its mid-sized NC1600C projector. The NC1600C ensures that midsize theatres with screens from 26 to 49 feet wide have a cost-effective, high-quality projector with the latest technologies designed specifically for their requirements. NEC is also particularly proud to point out that Regal Cinemas installed over 100 of its large NC2500 projector for the 3D presentations of Meet the Robinsons in March 2007. The systems were installed and setup verified by Strong Digital, NEC’s master reseller and system-integration partner. NEC has also supplied Technicolor Digital Cinema (TDC) with over 120 NC2500 projectors for the ongoing deployment with National Amusements, Wehrenberg Theatres and Zyacorp.

In the spring of 2007, the excitement surrounding 3D digital projection continued to grow with in anticipation of Disney’s Meet the Robinsons. This single title provided the impetus for exhibitors to increase the number of 3D cinemas to over 725 cinemas in time for the March 30 release. According to Real D, the leading provider of 3D equipment, 3D movies are a worthwhile investment for theatres because tickets are typically selling at three times the level as the same movie projected in regular 2D format. The next big 3D event will be the release of Beowulf in November; Real D already has commitments that will bring the total to over 1,000 3D screens.

All new 3D projection systems start with a standard 2D DCI-specific digital-cinema system. The current resurgence of 3D titles is made possible by the sharp and stable image delivered by today’s digital projectors. The stability of digital eliminates the classic problems associated with older 35mm 3D equipment. One single 2K DLP Cinema-grade projector can be easily converted to 3D with the addition of outboard equipment.

Sony continued its push for 4K with its SXRD technology with the release of Spider-Man 3 in 4K resolution at selected cinemas. Spider-Man 3 is the latest of a series of titles have been mastered and projected in full 4K resolution including Ocean’s Thirteen, The DaVinci Code and Poseidon.

In March 2007, Sony announced that Muvico Theaters will be equipping the new Chicago Entertainment complex with its newly announced SRX-R220 series projectors as the first step in equipping the entire chain with Sony equipment. The new Muvico 18-screen facility, scheduled to open in August 2007 in the suburb of Rosemont, Illinois, will have all of its theatres equipped with SXRD projectors using a combination of the SRX-R210 unit, a 10,000-lumen model, and the SRX-R220 model, an 18,000-lumen unit, as well as its LMT-100 media block system.

Sony has also been deploying trials installations of the SXRD 4K projectors with Cathay Cinemas in Singapore, with Odeon/UCI Cinemas at Guildford U.K., and also with the Norway Digital Interoperability in Cinemas (NORDIC) project.

Dolby Laboratories, the well-known cinema technology leader, has developed a multi-faceted approach to digital cinema. Not only is it an equipment supplier with its Dolby Digital Cinema system, Dolby is developing what promises to be a more economical approach to 3D. Dolby Labs has been quietly beta-testing its Dolby Digital 3D system with Malco Theatres in Madison, Mississippi. The new Dolby Digital 3D system is also being tested in various European locations in association with the Kinepolis Group in Belgium. Dolby hopes to have its 3D system ready for initial deployments with the fall release of Beowulf.

Currently, there are more than 400 Dolby Digital Cinema systems installed worldwide in 22 countries. Theatre chains such as National Amusements, Malco Theatres, Megaplex Theatres and Premiere Theaters have installed the Dolby Digital Cinema server in many of their primary locations. In addition, TDC has ordered 190 Dolby Digital Cinema servers for the North American digital-cinema beta test and for Belgium-based Kinepolis Group.

To facilitate creating movies in the DCI-specified digital format, Dolby has developed its DCC-2000 Secure Content Creator, a scalable mastering solution for JPEG 2000 digital cinema compression, encoding, packaging and encryption. Recently, the China Research Institute of Film Science & Technology (CRIFST) selected the DCC-2000 for its facilities, and additional installations are scheduled for the U.S., U.K., Japan, the Netherlands and Belgium.

Kodak has been busy deploying its JMN3000 Digital Cinema Content Player along with its new Kodak Theatre Management System with a number of key customers in Europe. Empire Cinemas, one of the U.K.’s largest privately owned cinema chains, has installed the Kodak JMN3000 along with the new Kodak Theatre Management System (TMS) for its six-screen multiplex in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, U.K. In addition, Kodak announced key installations with Supercinema Clarici in Foligno, Italy, and also with Village Cinemas in Greece.

Doremi continues to lead in JPG2000 DCI server installations, with well over 3,000 cinemas equipped with its DCP-2000 server. In the U.S., their installations have been propelled by their strong relationship with AccessIT. Recently, TDC also purchased 150 Doremi DCP-2000 servers to be used in various installations.

In Europe, Arts Alliance Media, the digital-cinema provider for the U.K. Film Council project, recently adopted the Doremi DCP-2000 for its 240 installations. Other recent European installations include the Odeon Surrey Quays complex and many of the systems deployed by XDC. In addition, Doremi has installed its DMS-2000 mastering system in post-production facilities in Norway and Russia, bringing their worldwide total of content-mastering facilities to over 25 locations.

XDC of Belgium has announced the development of its CineStore Solo G3 digital-cinema server. This hybrid JPEG2000/MPEG2 system supports the current DCI specifications and will be the central core of future XDC deployments in Europe. The XDC CineStore Solo G3 is the first commercial product to use the new intoPIX Field Programmable Gate Array, which integrates JPEG2000, MPEG decoding, DCI-specified security and a host of other features into one flexible and easy-to-upgrade module. XDC’s CineStore G3 playback server is part of a full family of XDC products that provide end-to-end content preparation, asset management, technical monitoring and theatre operations.

DTS Digital Cinema announced in mid-2006 that they were entering the digital exhibition market by acquiring exclusive rights to the technologies and products from industry pioneer Avica Inc. Previously, DTS had also made a move into digital exhibition by announcing the purchase of a software company. The acquisition led to the launch of the DTS Digital Booking System that was quickly adopted by customers such as Cinépolis and Goodrich Quality Theaters.

Building on Avica’s previous work in MPEG servers, DTS upgraded the original FilmStore line to full DCP JPEG2000 capability and expanded the product line to include the FilmStore Content Management System designed to provide end–to-end solution for management of digital content within a multiplex. The system consists of three interrelated components: FilmStore Director content-management software, FilmStore Central ingest and storage system, and the FilmStore Digital Cinema Player, together providing a powerful digital-cinema management system.

Another digital-cinema pioneer, QuVIS is still very much in the market and has been quietly testing a new server product with several exhibitors in the U.S. According to announcements made at ShoWest 2007, both QuVIS and Barco are working closely with Digeserv, a new company offering a unique financial plan to assist exhibitors with the digital conversion.

In Asia, server pioneer GDC of Singapore continues to lead with systems being installed in China and Korea. In March 2007, GDC announced the SA-2100 DSR Digital Film Server, which is 33% smaller in size and designed to meet DCI specifications such as Texas Instruments Cinelink 2, forensic watermarking, and FIPS-140 security features. GDC also announced the DCI-2000 Digital Cinema Integrated Projection System that conveniently combines the server and projector in one easy-to-deploy and operate package.

In March 2007, both GDC and Barco announced a major commitment from China Film Group for the supply of 700 Barco 2K DP-1500 and DP-2000 projectors along with GDC servers for cinemas in China.

Qube Cinema has been active in expanding its European presence by supporting the recent Lisbon Village Film Festival with a number of digital screenings. Sathyam Cinemas has chosen to integrate the DCI-capable Qube XP-D digital-cinema server for all screens at its flagship multiplex at Chennai, India.

The first digital cinemas being deployed in Kuwait are also using the Qube XP-D server. The Kuwait National Cinema Company (KNCC), one of the largest theatrical exhibition companies in the Middle East, and Qube Cinema, Inc. have partnered to bring the first digital cinema to the Middle East and Gulf Region. A pilot DCI quality digital cinema is under installation in KNCC’s theatre (Cinescape) in Kuwait City, using a Qube XP-D and a 2K Barco-based digital projector.

Overall, digital cinema vendors should be pleased with the progress they have made in the past few years. The projector manufacturers have transitioned from basic designs to now having complete families of DCI-specified 2K projectors that address a wide range of screen sizes and operator needs at more reasonable price points. The server manufacturers also have done an extraordinary job keeping up with evolving requirements, moving their original products from incompatible MPEG formats to those now universally supporting the DCI-specified interoperable JPEG2000 format. While the equipment prices may still be higher than desired, we should keep in mind the significant R&D commitments made by these companies to bring us the products that now deliver the image quality and overall reliability required to move the cinema exhibition industry into the future."

By Bill Mead, FilmJournal International