Dolby Previews Dolby 3D Digital Cinema at ShoWest 2007

http://blog.manice.org/2007/03/dolby-previews-dolby-3d-digital-cinema.html

March 17, 2007

"At ShoWest today, Dolby Laboratories unveiled details of its new Dolby 3D Digital Cinema technology, designed to provide consumers with an impressive 3D experience.

Dolby 3D provides exhibitors and distributors an efficient and cost-effective 3D solution. The ability to utilize a white screen gives exhibitors a cost advantage, as no special equipment associated with a “silver screen” is required. The ease of shifting from 3D to 2D as well as moving the film between different size auditoriums provides compelling flexibility.

Dolby 3D uses a unique color filter technology that provides a very realistic color reproduction. Dolby 3D also provides extremely sharp images thus delivering a great 3D experience to the audience from every seat in the house.

The Dolby 3D solution uses the white screens installed in most theaters today as well as standard digital cinema projectors, eliminating the need for a dedicated 3D auditorium. The solution simply adds a retractable color filter wheel accessory to the digital projector. Furthermore, the filter wheel automatically moves away from the light path when switching from 3D to 2D digital cinema presentations. Leveraging Dolby Digital Cinema technology, exhibitors easily can transfer movies down to a smaller auditorium later in the movie’s run.

Dolby 3D Digital Cinema works with comfortable and lightweight passive viewing glasses that require no batteries or charging. Initially, 3D glasses will be reusable, eliminating the need to reorder glasses and minimizing environmental impact. In the future, Dolby expects to offer the option of disposable glasses that the moviegoer can keep as a souvenir.

Unique to the Dolby 3D solution, the technology also simplifies the process of creating and distributing 3D movies. There is no need for extra color correction or other compensation processes in postproduction, as all processing is performed in the server. This innovative approach not only saves time and money, but it simplifies the overall process as the color correction is the same for both 3D and 2D digital cinema presentations."

GDC Technology launches new generation of Digital Cinema server to meet DCI specifications

http://blog.manice.org/2007/03/gdc-technology-launches-new-generation.html

Source: GDC

March 14, 2007

"GDC Technology, one of the leading solution providers of digital cinema, today unveiled new digital cinema product – SA-2100 DSR Digital Film Server which is 33% smaller in size and designed to meet DCI specifications such as Texas Instruments Cinelink 2, Hollywood’s approved forensic watermarking and FIPS-140 security features. The new SA-2100 server supports DCI defined DCP 2k and 4k digital cinema packages, and JPEG2000 and remains backward compatible with the MXF MPEG2 Interop format. GDC Technology is one of the founding members of MXF MPEG2 Interop group and its MXF MPEG2 format was selected by the studios as the transitional digital cinema format before the availability of DCI defined DCP format.

The new SA-2100 server is designed to work in cinema multiplex with Theater Management System (TMS) and Network Operations Center (NOC) which support operations such as scheduling of playlist, content rights management and collection of playout log information. The SA-2100 server is a cost-effective and flexible solution for digital cinema and alternative content sources to be playout in a seamless pipeline; various formats of content such as live interview, on-screen advertisement and feature films can be programmed to playout without the need to re-initialize the server and/or projector for different image formats. The server accommodates other image codec such as JPEG, MPEG2 and MPEG4 to support full suite of alternative content applications not found in other digital cinema servers. GDC Technology’s servers are well tested with different makes of DLP Cinema projectors since 2001. Since the servers are based on open architecture such as LINUX operating system, they can easily export the user interface and controls to DLP Cinema projectors equipped with high performance touch-panel PC. GDC Technology’s DCI-2000 Digital Cinema Integrated System is an answer to the exhibitors’ need of a fully integrated projector – server system with a single focal point of control."

GDC TECHNOLOGY LAUNCHES NEW GENERATION OF DIGITAL CINEMA SERVER TO MEET DCI SPECIFICATIONS

SHOWEST, Las Vegas-Mar 13, 2007

GDC Technology, one of the leading solution providers of digital cinema, today unveiled new digital cinema product – SA-2100 DSR™ Digital Film Server which is 33% smaller in size and designed to meet DCI specifications such as Texas Instruments Cinelink™ 2, Hollywood’s approved forensic watermarking and FIPS-140 security features. The new SA-2100 server supports DCI defined DCP 2k and 4k digital cinema packages, and JPEG2000 and remains backward compatible with the MXF MPEG2 Interop format. GDC Technology is one of the founding members of MXF MPEG2 Interop group and its MXF MPEG2 format was selected by the studios as the transitional digital cinema format before the availability of DCI defined DCP format. GDC’s DSR™ Digital Film servers were first introduced and commercially deployed in 2001 and 2002 respectively. GDC Technology has successfully delivered and installed close to 700 servers to cinema theatres in Austria, Africa, China, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Korea, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, The Netherlands, UK and US. To date, there are more than 250 digital movies presented in GDC Technology’s servers with close to a million of perfect digital screenings; recent releases of Hollywood blockbusters in JPEG2000 format include Flushed Away, Déjà Vu, Charlotte's Web, Dreamgirls, Blood Diamond, and 300. The new SA-2100 server is designed to work in cinema multiplex with Theater Management System (TMS) and Network Operations Center (NOC) which support operations such as scheduling of playlist, content rights management and collection of playout log information. The SA-2100 server is a cost-effective and flexible solution for digital cinema and alternative content sources to be playout in a seamless pipeline; various formats of content such as live interview, on-screen advertisement and feature films can be programmed to playout without the need to re-initialize the server and/or projector for different image formats. The server accommodates other image codec such as JPEG, MPEG2 and MPEG4 to support full suite of alternative content applications not found in other digital cinema servers. GDC Technology’s servers are well tested with different makes of DLP Cinema® projectors since 2001. Since the servers are based on open architecture such as LINUX operating system, they can easily export the user interface and controls to DLP Cinema® projectors equipped with high performance touch-panel PC. GDC Technology’s DCI-2000 Digital Cinema Integrated System is an answer to the exhibitors’ need of a fully integrated projector – server system with a single focal point of control. The new SA-2100 servers which are projector-agnostic, will be showcased at National Cinema Supply Corp’s booth #1221 and GDC Technology Ltd’s booth #1724 at 2007 ShoWest convention from March 12 to 15, at the Bally’s and Paris convention centers in Las Vegas.

Sony Selects Microspace to Deliver First 4K Digital Feature Via Satellite

http://www.microspace.com/news/pr/2007/pr_sony.shtml

Source - Microspace

Raleigh, NC – March 13, 2007 – Microspace Communications Corporation (Microspace), the leading distributor of digital cinema via satellite, today announced that Sony Electronics Inc. used the company’s Digital Cinema Distribution solution to distribute the first Digital Cinema Initiatives (DCI) compliant 4K digital cinema package via satellite. Microspace successfully delivered Sony Picture’s The Da Vinci Code to Sony’s laboratory in San Jose to test the viability of distributing 4K content via satellite.

“4K delivery and projection permits the content that was originally captured to be displayed on the screen at the highest resolution possible today,” said Peter Ludé, senior vice president, solutions engineering for Sony Electronics. “We tested the satellite distribution of the 4K content for security, reliability, and for compatibility with digital cinema projection systems. We were impressed by Microspace’s ability to streamline the integration and process of delivering such a large file. This demonstration provided a great example of the viability of digital cinema 4K content for theaters.”

“The delivery of the DCI-compliant 4k feature, the industry’s first via satellite, demonstrates the flexibility and scalability of our solution,” said Curt Tilly, manager of digital cinema distribution for Microspace. “As more studios and theaters evaluate the delivery and management of DCP distribution, they will need to rely upon solutions that can easily manage electronic delivery and the intricacies of a secure and reliable distribution.”

Microspace has achieved many industry firsts in satellite digital cinema distribution and continues to lead the way. Microspace delivered the first JPEG 2000 feature via satellite for Walt Disney’s The Shaggy Dog and was the first to deliver concurrent JPEG2000 and MPEG content to theaters. In 2004, the company was the first to distribute over satellite 4K DCI Standard Evaluation Material (StEM) for use in a wide variety of digital cinema testing programs.

NEC announces advanced features for The STARUS Digital Cinema Screen Server

http://blog.manice.org/2007/03/nec-announces-advanced-features-for.html

March 13, 2007

NEC Corporation of America has announced enhancements to its STARUS screen server at ShoWest 2007, allowing theatre operators to easily build and manage playlists that support both JPEG2000 and MPEG2 files.

In addition to providing simple scheduling and playlist administration, the new screen server also incorporates an improved user interface to minimize training and accelerate adoption.

"As the digital cinema industry continues to grow, it is essential for exhibitors to be able to use and operate the technology with ease and ensure a pleasurable cinema experience," said Kurt Schwenk, general manager, Digital Cinema Division of NEC Corporation of America. "Our newly available screen server technologies simplify the process of presenting digital movies on multiple screens, while ensuring seamless integration of systems in a multiplex without compromising content security."

NEC's STARUS screen server supports 3D films and enables 2K and 4K playback. It also meets cinema industry standards providing enhanced security features, including CineLink II encryption and both Thomson's NexGuard and Philips' CineFence forensic watermarking technologies.

The new STARUS screen server offers selected multiplex functionality, allowing multiplex control at the screen server level so that the theatre operators can remotely monitor all servers within the multiplex from any one server. It also enables screen servers to continue running scheduled playlists, even in the case of a network outage.

With enhanced software components, the STARUS screen server complements the family of STARUS digital cinema projectors with DLP Cinema technology from Texas Instruments. NEC is the only supplier that delivers a complete digital cinema solution. This new screen server offering enhances the company's integration services for system-wide delivery and management of digital content, and supports its world-class expertise in visual display products and infrastructure.

Many world famous premier theatres have installed NEC's Digital Cinema Solution to deliver state-of-the-art presentations, including the Fox Theatre in Atlanta, Clearview Cinemas' Ziegfeld Theatre in New York City, Mann's Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, Mann's Village Theatre in Westwood, Mann's Criterion Theatre in Santa Monica, Mann's Bruin Theatre in Westwood, and ArcLight Cinema's Cinerama Dome in Hollywood.

STARUS screen servers are available now.

International distributors, exhibitors call for cheaper digital options

Jeremy Kay in Las Vegas 13 Mar 2007 06:47

After an upbeat presentation by Paramount Pictures International Andrew Cripps on the opening day of ShoWest, the tone darkened somewhat as attendees heard a somber warning about the cost of digital conversion.

Speaking on a panel entitled Digital Cinema - The Way Forward, Warner Bros International Cinemas Millard Ochs called for greater competition among the creators of digital equipment to drive down prices.

"I hope that we, as a cooperative group of distributors and exhibitors, can go to the manufacturers to get their prices down," Ochs said. "Being quoted $85,000 for a screen doesn't motivate us to install a digital system. If Texas Instruments technology is the only commercially available system, let's try to get some more manufacturers."

And while Ochs noted the domestic viability of virtual print fees (VPF), an early economic model that offsets the digital conversion cost to exhibitors by making distributors pay manufacturers every time a film is projected onto a deployed digital system, he cast doubt on its relevance overseas. "I don't see how VPF is going to work in the international market because there are so many distributors," he said.

Odeon/UK's executive vice president of digital development Drew Kaza agreed that VPF need not become the sole option if other "equitable" solutions emerged.

Earlier in the day Cripps presented an overview of the international market in which he hailed resurgent box office in many territories and noted a change in perception over the playability of local-language product.

"It used to be that local films only worked in their markets, but the ability of these films to travel has become clear," Cripps said. "Perfume grossed $116m worldwide and took $49m in Germany, Volver took $82m around the world and grossed $12 in its native Spain, and The Queen grossed $106m worldwide and took $16m in the UK."

Cripps also urged international exhibitors to toughen up their stance on piracy and adopt stricter measures to prevent the illegal use of camcorders and theft of films during the various stages of production and delivery.

Meanwhile in other breaking news at ShoWest:

*Twentieth Century Fox has signed a worldwide print services agreement with Deluxe Laboratories, covering the duplication of both celluloid and digital prints as well as digital cinema delivery and logistics services.

*DTS Digital Cinema will preview an Avica FilmStore D-Cinema player at this year's convention. The updated product supports DCI specification JPEG2000 decoding and decryption.

*Thomson announced it has, through its Technicolor Digital Cinema business, chosen to deploy Christie's CP2000-X digital cinema projector in approximately 250 North American screens under its beta test of end-to-end digital cinema services and equipment.

*Christie will introduce the Christie CP2000-ZX DLP Cinema projector, which the manufacturer claims is approximately half the size of nearest competitors and has a brightness level of 17,000 lumens.

*Kodak will unveil the Kodak Theatre Management System (TMS), which the company says is the industry's first 'universal' system capable of managing all content from all suppliers. Kodak will begin deploying TMS at multiple sites throughout North America.

http://www.screendaily.com/ScreenDailyArticle.aspx?intStoryID=31410&strSearc h=vpf&strCallingPage=ScreenDailySearchSite.aspx

Microspace Becomes First to Deliver a Motion Picture via Satellite to ShoWest

http://www.microspace.com/news/pr/2007/pr_disturbia.shtml

Source: Microspace

Leading Digital Cinema Distributor Beams DreamWorks Pictures’ Disturbia to Las Vegas

Raleigh, NC – March 12, 2007 – Microspace Communications Corporation (Microspace), the leading distributor of digital cinema via satellite, today announced that it will deliver the Paramount Pictures’ release of DreamWorks Pictures’ Disturbia to ShoWest, the most prestigious and longest-running convention and tradeshow exclusively for the cinema exhibition and distribution community. The exclusive pre-release screening of Disturbia will represent the first time a motion picture has been delivered via satellite to ShoWest.

“Paramount fully embraces the distribution of digital cinema content via satellite to deliver the highest quality presentation to exhibitors,” said Mark Christiansen, executive vice president of operations at Paramount. “Over the past years, Microspace has distributed motion pictures from our studios to exhibitors in a secure and reliable manner.”

“We’re thrilled by the opportunity to partner with Paramount to deliver the first motion picture via satellite at ShoWest,” said Curt Tilly, manager of digital cinema distribution for Microspace. “Paramount has recognized the value in and supports the distribution of digital cinema via satellite, and we continue to work closely together to deliver the latest motion pictures to exhibitors in North America.”

Microspace collaborates with studios, content preparation companies and exhibitors to utilize satellite distribution and its benefits. The proven workflow and electronic delivery of Microspace’s satellite distribution provides the industry with a turn-key solution for content delivery and minimizes the potential issues and costs associated with physical delivery. Through the use of two discrete satellite systems, movies and keys are delivered on-time, every-time at Microspace connected theatres.

Microspace will deliver Disturbia via an Intelsat satellite to ShoWest, where it will be received by equipment from Dolby Laboratories. The core of the Dolby® Digital Cinema system consists of the Dolby Show Store and Dolby Show Player, which together provide everything needed to load, store, decode and deliver pristine digital movies to digital cinema projectors. The accompanying Dolby Show Manager software application provides complete operational control and enables users to perform advanced scheduling either locally or remotely.

“This is an exciting time for digital cinema, and Dolby is honored to be working with Microspace on this ShoWest first,” said Tim Partridge, senior vice president and general manager, Dolby Laboratories. “Dolby realizes satellite distribution is important to the world of digital cinema and the Dolby Digital Cinema system is a key ingredient in providing secure and immaculate playback.”

Kodak to Unveil First "Universal" and Fully Integrated Digital System at ShoWest

http://www.broadcastbuyer.tv/publish/D-Cinema_92/NEC_Announces_Advanced_Features_For_The_STARUS_Digital_Cinema_Screen_Server_10903.shtml

March 9, 2007

"Kodak will unveil and demonstrate its comprehensive digital cinema solution, the Kodak Theatre Management System (TMS), to exhibition and distribution managers at the 2007 ShoWest Convention and Trade Show in Las Vegas next week.

Kodak also announced that in April it will begin installing prototypes of the Kodak Theatre Management System at multiple sites throughout the United States. The Kodak TMS will be the exhibition industry’s first ever ‘universal’ digital system designed to manage all content from all suppliers and bring new workflow efficiencies to the cinema.

The Kodak Theatre Management System includes a server driven by unique and proprietary Kodak-written software connected to the cinema’s ticketing system. Directed by the theatre’s ticketing system, the fully integrated TMS will automatically load all content from multiple suppliers via hard drive or satellite and distribute it to targeted screens over the in-cinema network. Decryption keys are also loaded, migrated and managed over the network. The Kodak TMS is at the heart of the fully-integrated Kodak solution, which includes all networked content players and feature projectors, as well as Kodak service and support.

Kodak intends to support the solution with an innovative Business Plan. “Our plan is aimed at exhibitors intending to convert at least half the screens in their complex,” Mayson says, “because we believe a commitment of that scope is necessary for them to experience the benefits of a network solution – and to have the same ‘print movement’ flexibility they now enjoy with analog.”

The term of payback for TMS is expected to be seven years, after which the exhibitor will own the system.

Mayson emphasizes that there are no hidden obligations in the Kodak Plan. “There are no requirements that customers buy lamps from Kodak, no hidden usage charges for exhibitors, and there is no limitation on their sources of content. Those choices are up to the exhibitor; we respect the ways they need to run their business.”

Ballantyne's Strong Digital Systems and Strong Technical Services to Provide and Install 75 Digital Cinema Projector Systems Featuring REAL D 3-D Cinema Format for Regal Entertainment Group

http://www.dcinematoday.com/dc/PR.aspx?newsID=720

Source: Ballantyne

OMAHA, Neb.—Mar 8, 2007

Ballantyne of Omaha, Inc. (Amex: BTN), a motion picture projection, digital cinema and specialty lighting equipment and services provider, announced today that Strong Digital Systems (SDS) and Strong Technical Services (STS) will provide and install 75 NEC STARUS™ NC2500S Digital Cinema projectors with REAL D 3-D technology to Regal Entertainment Group (NYSE: RGC). All 75 installations are expected to be completed in time for the March 30th release of Walt Disney Pictures' animated feature film Meet the Robinsons in Disney Digital 3-D. Financial terms of the agreements were not disclosed.

REAL D and Ballantyne have formed and financed a separate entity, Digital Link II, LLC to fund the digital projector purchase and installation. In turn, Digital Link plans to seek per-film virtual print fees from feature film studios in order to reduce the owner's and licensee's ultimate capital investment.

John P. Wilmers, President and Chief Executive Officer of Ballantyne, commented, "We are pleased to team with REAL D to deliver a state of the art 3-D and 2-D digital projection solution to our longstanding customer, Regal Entertainment Group. The REAL D solution, combined with the state-of-the-art NEC STARUS projection system, delivers an impressive and memorable theater experience that will help to further differentiate Regal Entertainment Group in the cinema market. The agreement represents a win-win for all parties as it furthers the footprints of Ballantyne/NEC and REAL D, leverages our STS expertise in installation and delivers Regal a 3-D digital solution on a turnkey basis."