D-Link to provide network backbone in digital cinema rollout across Europe

http://www.digitalcinemainfo.com/artsalliancemedia_09_11_08.php

 

September 11, 2008

 

Source: Arts Alliance Media

 

D-Link has today announced that Arts Alliance Media (AAM), one of Europe's leading providers of digital film distribution services, has selected D-Link to supply the network infrastructure for each of the digital cinemas being rolled-out by AAM. The agreement will enable existing cinemas across Europe to make the transition to fully digital cinemas, thus providing an optimised viewing experience for film-goers.

 

Working closely with its' distribution partner Azlan, a value-added distribution service of Tech Data Europe, D-Link will supply and support AAM on a pan-European basis as the network is deployed across 12 countries and an estimated 7,000 cinema screens over the next 3 years.

 

AAM is the first company in Europe to have secured long term digital cinema deployment agreements with Twentieth Century Fox, Universal Pictures International, Paramount Pictures International, Walt Disney Studios International and Sony Pictures Releasing International. These agreements will see the conversion of up to 7,000 cinema screens over the next few years. In the UK, AAM has already completed the Digital Screen Network' project for the UK's Film Council, which has seen the introduction of 240 digital screens across the country.

 

The main factors that AAM considered when selecting a vendor to work with were D-Link's business strength reliability, its Think Global, Act Local' approach to customer support and the fact that it is recognised as a trusted global brand. Richard Phillips, VP of Technical Operations, Arts Alliance Media explains, "The D-Link switches provide a very high level of specification and reliability at a very competitive price. On-site trials involving a number of key networking vendor products highlighted the robustness and manageability of the D-Link products. In addition, our digital cinema deployments are long term contracts, and D-Link had the confidence in their products to provide us with warranties that exceeded our minimum average 10-year requirement - that in itself was very important to us. They have demonstrated a willingness to work with us as a partner, not just as a supplier."

 

The network solution provided by D-Link includes its DGS-3627 24-port Layer3 Gigabit switches with 10Gbit/s interfaces, the DGS-3427 24-port Layer2 Gigabit switches and the DGS-3200-10 Layer2 Security Gigabit switches. The DGS-3427 and DGS-3627 form part of D-Link's xStack family of Gigabit switches that combine enterprise levels of performance and robust security with versatile management functions and scalable flexibility.

 

The DGS-3427 is used as a management switch, providing the main communications link between all screens and centralised equipment. This is supported at each screen by the DGS-3200-10.The Layer3 DGS-3627 switch is used for content management; rapidly distributing content to each screen via digital projection from the central library server, which is connected over a 10Gbit/s interface.

 

Kevin Wen, President D-Link Europe, said, "D-Link's selection by AAM for this application is indicative of the reliability, performance and world-class support that D-Link provides, and what a customer would expect from a market leader in networking. We are very much looking forward to seeing the digital cinema project revolutionise the way in which cinemas across Europe operate, and to working closely with AAM over the next years to ensure the project is a continued success."

 

Azlan, Tech Data's enterprise networking distribution division, has been selected to support and supply the D-Link equipment to AAM. Commenting on behalf of Azlan, Pal Croft, European Business Development Manager said, "The partnership between Arts Alliance Media and D-Link is a significant step forward in the move towards DCI-compliant roll-out across Europe and we are delighted to be working with D-Link Europe and Arts Alliance Media to support this evolution. With our established pan-European and advanced logistics capabilities, we are able to provide tailored logistical services to help D-Link meet the needs of specialist providers of audiovisual solutions and the technology industry as a whole."