Dolby Spotlights Collection of Digital Cinema Solutions at ShoWest 2008

http://www.uemedia.net/CPC/digitalcinemamag/articles/article_16864.shtml

 

By Staff

 

Mar 10, 2008, 14:33

 

Las Vegas -- Dolby Laboratories, Inc. highlighted how its digital cinema solutions address the unique needs of exhibitors and create an efficient digital cinema environment. The comprehensive families of products, designed to work together to streamline business processes, make it easier for exhibitors to transition to digital cinema.

 

“The full value of Dolby Digital Cinema is realized when an entire multiplex converts to digital,” said John Iles, Vice President, Cinema, Dolby Laboratories. “With more than 35 years offering support and services for the cinema industry, we understand the needs of exhibitors and believe in the importance of providing a simplified yet comprehensive solution for digital cinema.”

 

The following Dolby Digital Cinema products on display in booth 1605 at ShoWest 2008 offer the opportunity to leverage computer networks and technology to make theatre operation more efficient:

 

Theatre Management Software

Dolby Theatre Management Software (TMS) orchestrates the operation of an entire digital multiplex. The user-friendly, intuitive interface is the same whether an exhibitor is managing one screen or the largest multiplex. TMS allows users to ingest content and show schedules, build preshow advertising, trailers, and feature presentations (complete with curtain, lights, and audio cues), build show schedules, distribute content to designated screens, and automate playback based on the show schedule with the option to manually start the show.

 

Dolby 3D Digital Cinema

 

Dolby 3D Digital Cinema offers exhibitors a flexible, high-quality 3D solution. The solution supports both 2D and 3D playback without the need for a dedicated 3D auditorium or a special silver screen. Because Dolby 3D does not require a silver screen, there is uniform light distribution, delivering an exceptional viewing experience for both 2D and 3D content. Dolby 3D uses a unique color-filter technology that provides very realistic color reproduction and produces crystal-clear images. Additionally, Dolby 3D’s glasses are reusable, eliminating the need to reorder disposable glasses and minimizing environmental impact.

 

Dolby Digital Cinema

 

(Dolby Show Store, Dolby Show Player, and Dolby Screen Manager)

Dolby Digital Cinema features a complete digital system for storing, managing, and playing digital movies. Built to ensure the highest levels of quality and security in the industry, Dolby Digital Cinema provides exhibitors with superior technology and customer support. The Dolby Digital Cinema server was the first to be awarded FIPS Level 3 certification for reaching the highest levels of security specified by the Digital Cinema Initiatives (DCI).

 

Dolby Show Library

 

Dolby Show Library allows exhibitors to load digital content from a central server via Ethernet, USB 2.0, satellite, DVD, or removable hard drive. The easy-to-use system dispenses the files electronically and unattended to networked Dolby Digital Cinema systems throughout the multiplex. The theatre operator can easily program the entire movie schedule, including onscreen advertising, by using the drag-and-drop Dolby Show Manager software interface.

 

NA10 Network Automation Interface

 

The Dolby NA10 interfaces with existing automation systems to allow the Dolby Digital Cinema system to control lights, curtains, masking, and audio format changes.

 

Dolby Digital Cinema Audio Solutions

 

(CP650DC and DMA8 Plus)

 

The Dolby CP650DC is a dedicated digital cinema processor that connects to all servers’ digital outputs. It has the capability to independently control the volume of various content (preshow advertising, trailers, and feature presentations), and the new configuration allows replay between conventional digital cinema multichannel 5.1 or 6.1 (Dolby Digital Surround EXTM) soundtracks, along with Dolby Digital bitstream decoding. In addition, it provides global audio delay for correct synchronization and the option of

internal active crossovers for either two-way or three-way main outputs for optimum dynamic range.

 

The DMA8 Plus is Dolby's cost-effective and flexible digital media adapter for interfacing digital cinema and alternative content sources to existing cinema sound systems. Based on the Dolby DMA8, the unit accepts four independent digital inputs with up to eight channels of PCM digital audio from sources such as digital cinema servers, preshow advertising servers, DVDs, satellite, and alternative content sources. It also accommodates other audio coding formats from nonfilm sources, including PCM, Dolby Digital, Dolby E, Dolby Pro Logic, and Dolby Pro Logic II. Six analog output channels ensure straightforward interface with a cinema's existing Dolby sound processor.