Tag Archives: d-cinema

Alternative Content

File Festival–Melzo, International

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Melzo International File Festival LogoWhat fun. Third Year. In Melzo, which means, Arcadia, the nicest cinema in the world.

We believe that culture is of fundamental importance.
It is essential to invest in culture rather than to cut funds.

As Albert Camus wrote “Without culture and the related freedom that is derived from it, society, even if it were a perfect one, would be a jungle. This is why every authentic creation is a gift for the future”.

I don’t know that Camus made a comment about 3D.

Read the rest of the literature at:

http://www.imeff.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/dossier_ENG_2012.pdf


Alternative Content

File Festival–Melzo, International

Leave a comment

Melzo International File Festival LogoWhat fun. Third Year. In Melzo, which means, Arcadia, the nicest cinema in the world.

We believe that culture is of fundamental importance.
It is essential to invest in culture rather than to cut funds.

As Albert Camus wrote “Without culture and the related freedom that is derived from it, society, even if it were a perfect one, would be a jungle. This is why every authentic creation is a gift for the future”.

I don’t know that Camus made a comment about 3D.

Read the rest of the literature at:

http://www.imeff.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/dossier_ENG_2012.pdf


Societies

EDCF DCinema Yearly Review for IBC

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The EDCF annual review of progress in D-Cinema will be on the last day of IBC, Tuesday September 13th at 10:00 in Room E102 of the RAI Conference Centre.

There will be 13 speakers covering a wide range of topics including:-

Dave Monk                  – the tipping point for D-Cinema

Peter Wilson                 – recommendations for screening Alternative Content

Siegfried Foessel          – the Prime 3D project

Reiner Doetzkies          – an update from TI

John Hurst                    – DCI testing & 21DC activity

David Hancock            – current status of worldwide deployment

CJ Flynn                       – ISDCF activity

Kommer Kleijn             – screening quality concerns amongst cinematographers

Tim Sinnaeve                – 4k from Barco

Benoit Michel               – XDC & delivery of Alternative Content

Francois Helt                – Screen Measurement

Nigel Dennis                 – latest developments from Qube

Laurence Claydon        – current issues in post-production

Entry to this session is free but you will need to be registered to enter the RAI

Also please note that the EDCF/SMPTE Post-Production Workshop at 16:00 on Sunday 11th is also a free entry session.

European Digital Cinema Forum is a great organization to support.

Societies

[Ongoing Update] IBC 2011 – EDCF LineUp Announced

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The EDCF annual review of progress in D-Cinema will be on the last day of IBC, Tuesday September 13th at 10:00 in Room E102 of the RAI Conference Centre.

There will be 13 speakers covering a wide range of topics including:-

  • Dave Monk                  – the tipping point for D-Cinema
  • Peter Wilson                 – recommendations for screening Alternative Content
  • Siegfried Foessel          – the Prime 3D project
  • Reiner Doetzkies          – an update from TI
  • John Hurst                    – DCI testing & 21DC activity
  • David Hancock            – current status of worldwide deployment
  • CJ Flynn                       – ISDCF activity
  • Kommer Kleijn             – screening quality concerns amongst cinematographers
  • Tim Sinnaeve                – 4k from Barco
  • Benoit Michel               – XDC & delivery of Alternative Content
  • Francois Helt                – Screen Measurement
  • Nigel Dennis                 – latest developments from Qube
  • Laurence Claydon        – current issues in post-production

Entry to this session is free but you will need to be registered to enter the RAI

Also please note that the EDCF/SMPTE Post-Production Workshop at 16:00 on Sunday 11th is also a free entry session.

Win an iPad: Cabletime to hold iPad prize draw Stand:13.373

Here’s some friends or things that I want to see (none of which have offered me an iPad):

The new GefenPRO 3GSDI to 3GSDI Scaler, 3GSDI Fiber Optics Extender and 16x 3GSDI Rack Tray all make their first appearance at IBC. A plug and play methodology with support for high definition resolutions up to 1080p full HD makes each solution ideal for professionals who want support for the most current formats and a true high definition performance.

GefenPRO 3GSDI to 3GSDI Scaler

This new scaler will automatically adjust incoming video to the maximum resolution supported on the connected display using all SDI formats including SD, HD and 3G SDI. This is important when multiple displays do not support the same native resolution in a system. If two displays are connected with 3GSDI capability, and a third is connected with HDSDI  capability, the GefenPRO 3GSDI to 3GSDI Scaler will allow the HDSDI display to show video in its native resolution, while the other displays show 1080p full HD in the 3GSDI format. This scaler can also be manually scaled to all SDI formats up to 1080p full HD.

GefenPRO 3GSDI Fiber Optic Extender Short Range

This short-range extender offers another option for integrators that need to extend 3G SDI up to 100 meters (330 feet). It uses uses small, dongle-type sender and receiver units to extend a source using 3GSDI to its display over one single-mode fiber optic cable terminated in ST connectors.

GefenPRO 16X 3GSDI Rack Tray

This companion product to the GefenPRO 16×16 3GSDI Matrix works in concert with Gefen’s 3GSDI Fiber Optic Extenders to centralize all audio/video equipment. It is a flexible accessory that can hold up to 16 3GSDI Fiber Optic Extender sender units in a single rack space, giving installers an easy way to access all audio/video equipment in the rack. The modular tray can be scaled to fit any combination of Gefen’s fiber optics extenders, up to a total of 16, using removable mounting brackets. Comprised of die-cast metal, this rack tray offers an open top design for easy access to insert or remove individual sender units. Cable brackets on the rear of the tray streamline cables out the back in an orderly fashion. Dual power supplies  strengthen performance.

 

 

Qube is really pushing their new faster, more of everything, cheaper DCP creation platform for digital cinema. Booth 7.F45

This should be of great interest to everyone. QubeMaster Xpress 2 is a Windows platform tool.

Nick Dagger has a piece up about QubeMaster Xport on a Mac working with Compressor 4

2d-to-s3d-conversion-process011

YUV Soft 3D Video 11.F74

Just because they kind of look interesting and they are stuck in the hinterlands.

 

 

 

See Big Pic at IBC – Booth 7.K01
Big Pic Media is bringing a full lineup of production and postproduction technologies to IBC. This year, the UK-based systems integrator will be presenting Cintel, YoYotta, MARVIN and Pandora.
“The exciting thing for Big Pic at this year’s IBC is the fact that the worlds of production and postproduction are actually merging,” said Adam Welsh, director of Big Pic Media. “It’s interesting to present products that cross those boundaries.”
1. CINTEL
Cintel will be at booth 7.B35 showing the new user interfaces for the ImageMill 2 GRACE, STEADY and ORIGIN. FLOW provides a full timeline user interface enabling GRACE, STEADY and ORIGIN to be adjusted on a scene-by-scene basis. The price for FLOW will be £995.
COLOURFLOW adds zoom pan and rotate effects PLUS additional real time data primary colour correction. The price for COLOURFLOW is £3,995.
Cintel will also announce new upgrades to diTTo evolution at IBC, including a capstan drive and a true 4K camera.
In addition to this, Cintel is using IBC to announce three new Film2Film Image Restoration packages. These all feature diTTo evolution, imageMill2 and the CCG DEFINITY Film Recorder (which will be on the stand at IBC).
2. MARVIN
MARVIN Technologies will introduce its new MARVIN 2.0 on-set camera data management system in Hall 7 booth 7.K01e. Along with support for all common digital cinema cameras, including RED, ARRI Alexa, Silicon Imaging SI 2K, and others, IBC attendees will get a sneak peek at MARVIN’s new stereoscopic 3D support.
MARVIN automates the creation of backups, LTO tape masters, QuickTime proxies for offline editing and DVD dailies as well as shot logging. Now, with MARVIN 2.0, filmmakers have a choice of three models, ensuring data safety and efficient transcoding for any size of project.
The new stereo 3D support in MARVIN 2.0 allows the system to ingest left- and right-eye images simultaneously, archiving to two LTO tapes – one for each eye. MARVIN 2.0 will render stereoscopic content to side-by-side, interleaved or checkerboard QuickTimes for Final Cut Pro or MXF files for fast import into Avid systems.
3. Pandora
Widely recognized for its industry-leading line of colour grading systems, Pandora International will be introducing a new product at IBC 2011 at booth 7.K01b.  PLUTO is a new image processing system that is designed to run various applications for postproduction and production workflows.
PLUTO hardware allows for HDSDi 4:2:2, 4:4:4 dual link and 3G I/O with options for HDMi and display port to follow.
PLUTO currently has three optional applications that can run standalone or simultaneously, Display Colour Management, Cursor and Blanking Generator and 3D Stereoscopic processing.
PLUTO supports the main colour management software solution for the profiling of displays and applying the calibration and creative LUT’s created.
Pandora will also be presenting the highly acclaimed  REVOLUTION real-time file-based colour correction system, the PILOT machine controller and the Spirit Classic update to real-time 2k scanning PSi.
4. YoYotta
YoYotta will be showing the latest version of the YoYo postproduction workflow system at IBC 2011. Already deployed around the world at major postproduction facilities, the new YoDailies application now has multiple seats in use at a major LA-based studio for file-based digital dailies workflows. The YoYo suite of products can this year be seen in two locations.
You can also see YoYotta at the Tangent stand (7.B16) where YoYo will be running as a portable setup known as YoMobile. The latest Apple MacBook Pro, Mac Mini or iMac models include Thunderbolt, which is a fast data connection running over a single cable.
YoYo can use Thunderbolt to connect to RAID and HD monitoring which makes YoDailies even more portable for on set use.
At IBC YoYo will be using the latest Tangent element panels which are very compact and modular. YoYo continues to support the Tangent Wave panel.
At the Sony stand (12.A10) Big Pic will be showing the development of new YoYo workflows for the F65 camera and SRMASTER format.

 

Qube is really pushing their new faster, more of everything, cheaper DCP creation platform for digital cinema. Booth 7.F45 

This should be of great interest to everyone. QubeMaster Xpress 2 is a Windows platform tool.

 

Blue George the world’s first professional HDSDI Multi-format BD recorder will be available for demonstration at IBC 2011
Picture of Frontniche Bluray recorder
IBCBlue George Features:

  • Near Real-Time Direct Record to BD
  • HDSDI Input & O/P with embedded Audio
  • Multi-Channel versions
  • New 1 TB HDD version
  • Burn further copies with new HDD version
  • 56 hrs of video Storage at 40MB/s
  • Multi standard and therefore will record US and European Broadcast / Film formats
  • 1080i, 720p at 50/60/59.94Hz, 1080 24p or 23.98PsF, 1080p 30Hz, 1080p 25Hz, 1080p 29.97Hz, 576i, 480i
  • Data record rate is up 40Mbit/s
  • VDCP remote control for integration with NLE systems
  • Control via network TCP/IP sockets, RS422, 7″ Touch Screen and Web Server is standard
  • Disc finalisation process duration: less than 5 minutes
For further Information please visit our new look web site www.frontniche.com

Stand 10.F35 The manufacturer of compact, cost-effective equipment for live production and post-production will demonstrate Video Ghost, its award-winning phantom power modules developed as a low-cost, reliable alternative to traditional batteries.  BHV will also exhibit its full range of rack-mount and portable hybrid digital/analogue switchers, rate/standards and up/cross conversion products.
Stand 10.A49 The designer and manufacturer of VTR and video server remote control panels is demonstrating its newly launched andaward-winning AVITA live production control system at IBC 2011. AVITA is a unique hybrid control system designed to easily and quickly capture, edit and play out media from multiple sources. The system uses the very latest touch screen technology and modular hardware panels to allow multiple users access to multiple server ports over a network.
Stand 8.A94 The manufacturer of award-winning 3G/HD/SD conversion gear will conduct technology demonstrations of loudness processing over IP, debut its 9257 1×9 MADI card-based audio distribution amplifier, introduce +LM virtual loudness metering options, and present a new MPEG-4 signal delivery source. The Company also plans to highlight solutions and enhancements to their Fusion3G® and COMPASS® series of multi-functional, multi-featured cards.
Stand # 8.B96 The oldest antenna company in the USA will turn the spotlight on its broadband products, including its JAT-U UHF broadband super turnstile antenna, JUHD UHF broadband panel antenna, Prostar JA/MS-BB broadband UHF slot antenna, and the new RCEC .2 meter (8”) affordable mask filter.  Jampro will also showcase its RCCC constant impedance combiner along with economical and flexible antennas, combiners & filters, towers, and RF components for every application in the broadcast industry including DTV, DVB-T, FM and HD Radio solutions.
Stand 11.G30 A well-established leader in manual and robotic camera support and virtual reality tracking, Shotoku’s manual highlights will include a new 2-stage pneumatic pedestal and perfect counter-balance pan & tilt head. On the robotic side, enhancements that further ease-of-use and please the most budget conscious will be demonstrated.

Gefen 7.B30
Frontniche 10.F32

Exhibitor News

[Update] Scathing 2D/3D Light Boston.com Article…True?

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There are many problems with 3D presentations, especially those with the supposedly high-gain, polarizing-friendly ‘silver screens.

(See: 
23 degrees…half the light. 3D What? 
Scotopic Issues with 3D,  
Silver ScreensRealD and Polaroid — Possible Promise PR). 

But at first glance through the breathy-for-scandle article, it seems like there is un-required hyperbole that makes one want to wait for Sony’s and RealD’s response.

This also amplifies the need for professional projectionists constantly in the projection booth, and a method for maintaining consistent quality control. If it takes a grass roots effort because of articles like this, perhaps it is OK.

But the real solution is probably to have the same “Constant Vigilance” policy for post-installation quality control as there is for security – an effort that has to come from studios, distributors, and exhibition management. In a sense, those exhibitors who signed VPF deals with studios have signed that they will make their exhibitions according to the SMPTE specification. Perhaps if the grass root effort wore t-shirts that said “48 Candelas or not at all”. 

Here are a couple of shots of the lens and the projector, one with the RealD polarizers over the lenses. One suspects that this is sometimes the problem that is being talked about. 

Sony Projector with Dual lens removed

RealD Polarizers over Sony dual lens system

There are other shorter articles with a little more data at the links below. Sometimes the comments are the most interesting part, though a lot of them are just steam…though steam that the industry should be aware of.

Are 3D-capable theaters delivering dim 2D movies? – Digital Trends

Report: 3-D Lenses and Lazy Theaters Dim 2-D Projection by Up to 85 Percent | Movieline

Cinema chains dimming movies “up to 85%” on digital projectors – Boing Boing

Movie theaters could screw up your 2D movies by leaving the digital projector set up for 3D — Engadget

Finally, the graphic from the article: Just looking at the curve of the bulb life and the description of the Polarizing is enough to make me wonder about the truthiness of the entire article.

Sony 3D and RealD Light Problem according to Boston globe article

Asserted to be a Sony Press Release – 1 June 2011

The projectionist that Boston.com spoke with clearly has little to no understanding of how the systems work and is likely a manager that also works in the booth to start shows, the projectionists of yore are long gone in most cases. While the 3D lenses in the Sony are polarized, the images do not alternate, they are projected at the same time and split through a prism system in the lens, but really that’s besides the point. All of the 3D systems we have installed have been selected based on a number of variables such as screen size and auditorium length. Based on that information we can determine if the Sony projector will be able to light the screen to SMPTE spec. The SMPTE specifications on light are very clear and the DCI specification for digital equipment follows in line with that. Basically 2D digital projection should have 14 footlamberts (a measurement of reflected light) at the center of the screen, in comparison 35mm spec is 16fl of light through an open gate (meaning no film and no shutter movement) if a projector is installed to meet that spec the light output of the digital will be seen to exceed that of film. in any house where we cannot make the required light we use a bigger system, most recently these have been made by Barco.

In addition to the light levels the digital projectors are color corrected to within ±.005 of the DCI color spec. This means that when we correct with the polarizers in place on the Sony system for 2D movies that the color will be virtually identical to that seen on a DLP projector without a polarizer in the light path.

They also fail to mention some of the advantages of the way the Sony system works, such as reduced eye fatigue. DLP systems alternate images as implied in the article, they do so by electronically shifting the polarizer state for the left and right eye 3 times per frame per second. This ultimately results in the same situation you find with shutter glasses in that there is flicker that causes headaches and sometimes motion sickness, the difference is that the glasses do not actively perform this task, but close on eye while watching a 3D film ad you may see it (you may not, the system is projecting 144fps or 72 per eye, though make no mistake the content is still 24fps). The Sony system does not have this issue as it splits the 2K image across the top and bottom of the chip and then overlays them on the screen, the dual polarizers on the Sony are completely passive with not electronics involved.

To give a brief background of my knowledge base, I have been a technician for going on a decade, I have been installing digitals since the first “wide” roullout of 100 screens that Disney purchased for Chicken Little 3D. I have industry certifications through Sony, Barco and Dolby on D-Cinema equipment as well as my department’s highest level of internal certification and I am Net+ and A+ certified.

As far as why the film and digitally projected showing had such a difference, I think it’s likely one of two things, the 35mm could have been way above spec, which can happen easily due to the way the lamps are adjusted in many cases or the lamp in the digital was not adjusted properly. The biggest issue I run into is a lack of training within the theaters. I do my best to train when the systems are installed or when I am onsite for service calls, but these days so many people get rotated through the booth that should a lamp go out Friday night they just slap one in without making any of the necessary adjustments.

I’d like to know what was wrong with the management of that theater though, how do you host a premiere without making sure everything is perfect first? I myself haven’t done any due to my location within the country, but I have talked to a number of my coworkers about them and they are on site days before they happen making sure every detail is perfect. In fact many directors want to specify special color corrections for their premieres in digital or ask that sound be tweaked out of spec and so on.

I think the biggest problem digital cinema faces is that the operations departments of most chains think we can take a hands off approach to this equipment, and that is not currently the case. Proper lamp maintenance is crucial in any theater, but even more so in digital. 5-10 years from now when the laser light sources are in the field no-one will ever have need to go in the booth outside of cleaning the port glass and the maintenance calls myself and my cohorts perform.

 

Tangential Art and Science

Photopic Sky Survey

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Photopic Sky Survey Milky Way ShotWe deal in light, they deal in light. We’ve waited 15 years for d-cinema to mature. They’ve waited billions of years for dust to become sand and sand to become computers and computers to become cameras. 

The site says: “The Photopic Sky Survey is a 5,000 megapixel photograph of the entire night sky stitched together from 37,440 exposures. Large in size and scope, it portrays a world far beyond the one beneath our feet and reveals our familiar Milky Way with unfamiliar clarity.” Take a break. Check it out: Photopic Sky Survey

Consultants

Question 0: What is the exact definition of DCinema

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[The question is being answered by David Reisner of D-Cinema Consulting. David is a board member of several organizations such as the ASC and ISDCF, co-author of several books on many fields of the cinema process and specializes in design and implementation of digital cinema infrastructure projects.]

For nearly 100 years, motion pictures have been delivered to theaters on 35mm film and have been shown with film projectors.

Digital Cinema, officially called D-Cinema in the technical community, delivers movies to theaters as digital files – most often on harddisk, sometimes via satellite, probably in future also by network/internet.  The movies are then shown using digital cinema servers (special purpose computer systems) and theater-grade digital projectors.  D-Cinema also includes/requires a number of digital and physical security mechanisms, to keep content (movies) safe.  The key documents are the DCI “Specification” (actually a requirements document) and a number of SMPTE standards.

D-Cinema requires support for 2048 x 1080 or 4096 x 2160 images and 14 foot-lambert brightness (similar to film standard brightness, although theaters sometimes use lower light levels for cost).  Movies are distributed in 12-bit X’Y’Z’ color – much more color detail than HDTV’s Rec. 709.  X’Y’Z’ can represent all the colors that a human can see, but the real limitation is the projector (and, to be fair, the camera and post-production process).  All D-Cinema projectors show at least a minimum color gamut which is a significantly wider range of color than Rec. 709 – similar to the range supported by film.

For some markets or purposes (e.g. pre-show, advertising, maybe small markets), some people use things informally called electronic cinema, e-cinema.  There is no formal standard for e-cinema although there is some informal agreement in certain areas.  E-cinema will have lower resolution, narrower color, less brightness, and little or no security.

Major studio content will only be distributed to D-Cinema systems that meet the SMPTE and DCI specifications and requirements, and have passed the DCI Compliance Test.

David Reisner
D-Cinema Consulting
image quality, color, workflow, hybrid imaging
[email protected]
www.d-cinema.us