Tag Archives: Deaf

Cinema Accessibility to Inclusion – A White Paper

Cultures and technologies advance, not always simultaneously nor without mess excitement interesting times.

This white paper describes the film to digital transition with focus on the evolution of equipment that assists the deaf, blind, hard of hearing and partially sighted cinema patron. It includes the background cultural and legal trends in Australia, England, and the United States. It includes an Equipment Table for Closed Captions and Assisted Listening Equipment.

Please address any questions or comments to the editor of DCinemaTools, C J Flynn, who is responsible for the contents of this document.

Accessibility to Inclusion in Cinema – White Paper

Cinema Accessibility to Inclusion – A White Paper

Cultures and technologies advance, not always simultaneously nor without mess excitement interesting times.

This white paper describes the film to digital transition with focus on the evolution of equipment that assists the deaf, blind, hard of hearing and partially sighted cinema patron. It includes the background cultural and legal trends in Australia, England, and the United States. It includes an Equipment Table for Closed Captions and Assisted Listening Equipment.

Please address any questions or comments to the editor of DCinemaTools, C J Flynn, who is responsible for the contents of this document.

Accessibility to Inclusion in Cinema – White Paper

Post-Installation Cinema Test Tools; USL LSS-100 and DTT Digital eXperience Guardian

The unit plugs into the cinema facility’s IP network so these readings can be taken by anyone with access through the firewall.

The unit is small and unobtrusive, with only the power and ethernet cables going through the wall, connecting the system into the booth and then to the IP network.

This is how the setup page looks, and following that is a shot of the unit itself and a version of the report it creates.

USL LSS-100 Setup Sheet


 

USL LSS-100 Network A/V Monitoring Device


 

USL LSS-100 Report Page


Another network device is the DXG – Digital eXperiance Guardian from Digital Test Tools, LLC. This new company is filled with industry veterans and this is their first product in this collaboration.

The DXG setup is more complex since both its microphone section and its colorimeter remote suspend from the ceiling. In one sense it is easier, since it uses Power Over Ethernet, which puts power, control and data on one ethernet cable.

The design uses 5 microphones to discern levels at many frequencies, as well as phase and the direction of THD problems. Pulsed sounds at various frequencies avoids the buildup problems that pink noise creates. With all this, if a new rattle or hum occurs, a technician can be sent by the NOC to look for something in a particular direction that reacts to a particular frequency, decreasing the time to find whatever got loose or was inserted into or taken from the audio system.

Like the USL system, the DXG’s value comes from giving the user “changes from a baseline” measurements. Both systems would be used after a picture and audio room tuning to establish that baseline. Since the DXG captures much more data (levels and THD at different frequecies from individual speakers, and phase information from pairs of speakers at multiple frequencies, for example) the output is put into an xml file and an SQL database so that reports can be generated. These standard tools allow the client to easily integrate the data and reports into their monitoring systems.

There is also a parameters list which the customer sets up to monitor “warning” and “critical” points that can trigger notification through Web 2.0 interfaces. And, critically, the system uses ‘percentage of variation from the baseline’ since it is easier to keep track of trends this way instead of using baseline numbers that might vary from room to room. Knowing that the data point has gone beyond a 5% threshold, for example, is easier to notice than figuring whether the new x,y matrix numbers are within MacAdam’s Just Noticable Difference oval.

In addition to the “variation from the baseline” concept the DXG colorimeter also includes a pull-down in the auditorium set-up page to mark date and serial number changes of bulbs, both for 2D==>3D changes and for EOL changes. Plus, instead of one 2 degree spot – the SMPTE/ISO spec for calibration – the DXG colorimeter measures a broad section of the screen.

The system includes audio and picture DCPs that run through the projection system. The test system and projection system run asynchronously, meaning that there is no connection or feedback to or from the system under test. A playlist is created with automation instructions to shut down the lights, put the masking in the proper position, put the sound processor at the proper level, make a warning annoucement in the room, then play the DCPs in the proper sequence. Since audio contamination from adjoining rooms would throw off the audio tests, care must be taken when setting up the daily or weekly process.

The DigitalTestTools literature states that there is plenty of space for growth with the DXG, with options for forensic marking tests and IP network tests coming in the near future, as well as an option to test the signals from the various equipment that broadcasts data and sound to personal closed caption and enhanced listening systems for the deaf, blind, hard of hearing and partially sighted patrons.

Following are some screen shots from the Digital eXperiance Guardian. There is a features movie at Digital eXperiance Guardian Movie.

Now that over 80% of North American screens have made the digital conversion with the EU and UK not far behind, it is great to see that the industry has matured to deal with this last lingering problem of screens drifting out of spec. Consumers complain about it, exhibitors have paid enormous sums to get equipment that can be impeccably tuned. Now there are two methods to montor the actual room.

Finally, it should be pointed out and noticed that your author/editor, Charles ‘C J’ Flynn of dcinematools.com is also Charles ‘C J’ Flynn, a founding partner of digitaltesttools.com – he is also a long term admirer of USL and the excellent equipment that they produce. So while this article is somewhat an infomercial, it is written as a scientist and disseminator of valuable information…and presuming that it is just a launching point for further research. C J Flynn has also been a long time advocate of Post-Installation Cinema Compliance, writing and presenting at IBC on the topic as far back as 2006 (after retiring from the labors of setting up cinema servers and training their users since before Star Wars II.


Digital eXperience Guardian – the DXG Multiroom Network Setup


 

Digital eXperience Guardian – The DXG Rear Panel showing Power Over Ethernet Interface


DXG Report – One Speaker – With Errors

Post-Installation Cinema Test Tools; USL LSS-100 and DTT Digital eXperience Guardian

The unit plugs into the cinema facility’s IP network so these readings can be taken by anyone with access through the firewall.

The unit is small and unobtrusive, with only the power and ethernet cables going through the wall, connecting the system into the booth and then to the IP network.

This is how the setup page looks, and following that is a shot of the unit itself and a version of the report it creates.

USL LSS-100 Setup Sheet


 

USL LSS-100 Network A/V Monitoring Device


 

USL LSS-100 Report Page


Another network device is the DXG – Digital eXperiance Guardian from Digital Test Tools, LLC. This new company is filled with industry veterans and this is their first product in this collaboration.

The DXG setup is more complex since both its microphone section and its colorimeter remote suspend from the ceiling. In one sense it is easier, since it uses Power Over Ethernet, which puts power, control and data on one ethernet cable.

The design uses 5 microphones to discern levels at many frequencies, as well as phase and the direction of THD problems. Pulsed sounds at various frequencies avoids the buildup problems that pink noise creates. With all this, if a new rattle or hum occurs, a technician can be sent by the NOC to look for something in a particular direction that reacts to a particular frequency, decreasing the time to find whatever got loose or was inserted into or taken from the audio system.

Like the USL system, the DXG’s value comes from giving the user “changes from a baseline” measurements. Both systems would be used after a picture and audio room tuning to establish that baseline. Since the DXG captures much more data (levels and THD at different frequecies from individual speakers, and phase information from pairs of speakers at multiple frequencies, for example) the output is put into an xml file and an SQL database so that reports can be generated. These standard tools allow the client to easily integrate the data and reports into their monitoring systems.

There is also a parameters list which the customer sets up to monitor “warning” and “critical” points that can trigger notification through Web 2.0 interfaces. And, critically, the system uses ‘percentage of variation from the baseline’ since it is easier to keep track of trends this way instead of using baseline numbers that might vary from room to room. Knowing that the data point has gone beyond a 5% threshold, for example, is easier to notice than figuring whether the new x,y matrix numbers are within MacAdam’s Just Noticable Difference oval.

In addition to the “variation from the baseline” concept the DXG colorimeter also includes a pull-down in the auditorium set-up page to mark date and serial number changes of bulbs, both for 2D==>3D changes and for EOL changes. Plus, instead of one 2 degree spot – the SMPTE/ISO spec for calibration – the DXG colorimeter measures a broad section of the screen.

The system includes audio and picture DCPs that run through the projection system. The test system and projection system run asynchronously, meaning that there is no connection or feedback to or from the system under test. A playlist is created with automation instructions to shut down the lights, put the masking in the proper position, put the sound processor at the proper level, make a warning annoucement in the room, then play the DCPs in the proper sequence. Since audio contamination from adjoining rooms would throw off the audio tests, care must be taken when setting up the daily or weekly process.

The DigitalTestTools literature states that there is plenty of space for growth with the DXG, with options for forensic marking tests and IP network tests coming in the near future, as well as an option to test the signals from the various equipment that broadcasts data and sound to personal closed caption and enhanced listening systems for the deaf, blind, hard of hearing and partially sighted patrons.

Following are some screen shots from the Digital eXperiance Guardian. There is a features movie at Digital eXperiance Guardian Movie.

Now that over 80% of North American screens have made the digital conversion with the EU and UK not far behind, it is great to see that the industry has matured to deal with this last lingering problem of screens drifting out of spec. Consumers complain about it, exhibitors have paid enormous sums to get equipment that can be impeccably tuned. Now there are two methods to montor the actual room.

Finally, it should be pointed out and noticed that your author/editor, Charles ‘C J’ Flynn of dcinematools.com is also Charles ‘C J’ Flynn, a founding partner of digitaltesttools.com – he is also a long term admirer of USL and the excellent equipment that they produce. So while this article is somewhat an infomercial, it is written as a scientist and disseminator of valuable information…and presuming that it is just a launching point for further research. C J Flynn has also been a long time advocate of Post-Installation Cinema Compliance, writing and presenting at IBC on the topic as far back as 2006 (after retiring from the labors of setting up cinema servers and training their users since before Star Wars II.


Digital eXperience Guardian – the DXG Multiroom Network Setup


 

Digital eXperience Guardian – The DXG Rear Panel showing Power Over Ethernet Interface


DXG Report – One Speaker – With Errors

Get Your HI Tracks On

After a decade of hopes and promises, several large theater chains, entire countries like Australia and major studios have broken the technology and chicken-and-egg barriers to implementing complete access for this part of society who have asserted their right to be included. That the digital caption and listening technology caught up in a flurry in the last year is no coincidence to these moves, but it has taken a lot of work and rigorous testing “plug fests” for years to get to this point.

Regal Cinemas has thrown the latest and greatest gauntlet – all screenings, in all their auditoriums, will be “Accessible” by the end of the year.

There are more than a few challenges ahead for them. They have chosen the Sony glasses and sound systems [See:Previous Story], which are just becoming available. They have the largest number of screens to accommodate, nearly 7,000, which means a lot of people to train and a lot of expectant customers.

But the hardest moment is when the customer puts on the glasses to see the closed captions or the headsets to hear the sound…and nothing happens. Everyone can identify with that sinking feeling. Why? Will they fix themselves? I was promised~!

Oops!!! It was only the trailers that didn’t have the tracks for the hearing impaired (HI). Whoa…I sure wish that wouldn’t happen.


The ISDCF, a association of technical staff from many exhibitor and distributor and manufacturing groups have put out a request from via their chair:

Open letter to Content Providers,

ISDCF has discussed problems in delivery of the HI track (hearing impaired) for digital releases, in particular trailers. In the “old” days the HI track was generated by the “B” chain through the cinema processor – and this worked pretty well. 

Today the delivered DCP movies sometimes contain a studio-mixed HI track and this dedicated channel is used to feed the HI system in the theater. When a product does not have a HI track, in particular trailers, the theater HI system is silent. This is unacceptable. 

The best solution is for every delivered DCP movie or trailer to include an HI track. This could be an HI track created in a studio mixing room or one using a formula like the one used by “B” chain cinema processor systems. 

I would like to ask the help of ISDCF members to get the message out and help encourage release of HI tracks for all digital releases.

Best,

Jerry Pierce
Chairman ISDCF

Get Your HI Tracks On

After a decade of hopes and promises, several large theater chains, entire countries like Australia and major studios have broken the technology and chicken-and-egg barriers to implementing complete access for this part of society who have asserted their right to be included. That the digital caption and listening technology caught up in a flurry in the last year is no coincidence to these moves, but it has taken a lot of work and rigorous testing “plug fests” for years to get to this point.

Regal Cinemas has thrown the latest and greatest gauntlet – all screenings, in all their auditoriums, will be “Accessible” by the end of the year.

There are more than a few challenges ahead for them. They have chosen the Sony glasses and sound systems [See:Previous Story], which are just becoming available. They have the largest number of screens to accommodate, nearly 7,000, which means a lot of people to train and a lot of expectant customers.

But the hardest moment is when the customer puts on the glasses to see the closed captions or the headsets to hear the sound…and nothing happens. Everyone can identify with that sinking feeling. Why? Will they fix themselves? I was promised~!

Oops!!! It was only the trailers that didn’t have the tracks for the hearing impaired (HI). Whoa…I sure wish that wouldn’t happen.


The ISDCF, a association of technical staff from many exhibitor and distributor and manufacturing groups have put out a request from via their chair:

Open letter to Content Providers,

ISDCF has discussed problems in delivery of the HI track (hearing impaired) for digital releases, in particular trailers. In the “old” days the HI track was generated by the “B” chain through the cinema processor – and this worked pretty well. 

Today the delivered DCP movies sometimes contain a studio-mixed HI track and this dedicated channel is used to feed the HI system in the theater. When a product does not have a HI track, in particular trailers, the theater HI system is silent. This is unacceptable. 

The best solution is for every delivered DCP movie or trailer to include an HI track. This could be an HI track created in a studio mixing room or one using a formula like the one used by “B” chain cinema processor systems. 

I would like to ask the help of ISDCF members to get the message out and help encourage release of HI tracks for all digital releases.

Best,

Jerry Pierce
Chairman ISDCF

Deaf Sue Cinemark Chain

 

The suit is brought by The Association of Late-Deafened Adults (“ALDA”) on behalf of its members with hearing loss, and two individual plaintiffs.  The plaintiffs are represented by Disability Rights Advocates (“DRA”), a non-profit disability rights firm headquartered in Berkeley, California that specializes in high-impact cases on behalf of people with disabilities and John Waldo, a lawyer whose practice focuses on the unique legal needs of the Hard-of-Hearing and Deaf. He works on access and advocacy issues through the Washington Communication Access Project (Wash-CAP), www.hearinglosslaw.com

So begins the press release from Disability Rights Advocates which is available for download here with the complaint that was filed this week in a California Superior Court in Alameda County, California.