DataSat (www.datasatdigital.com), formerly DTS Digital Cinema, has a fantastic new Sound processor.  The AP20 has a feature set  not other sound processor on the Market can touch.

With advanced features such as a built in Monitor, Automation IOs, DIRAC (sound field enhancements) and full HDMI video switching capabilities.  The AP20 is the only product available today that even offers these features.    The AP20 is literally in a class of its own.

This is a product you must not overlook if you are considering upgrading or purchasing a new Cinema Sound Processor.

Clarification: DTS sold the Digital Cinema Division to Datasat.  DTS still exists on the consumer side (BluRays), but all Cinema Hardware and Digital Surround Sound Technology is all handled by Datasat a separate company.

Sponsor (www.dcpplayer.net)

Perforated screens or screens with small holes in them so the sound can pass through with less destortion, can be a major problem in the digital age.  The perforated pattern and the pixel grid in the projector can interfere producing a visible moire pattern on screen.

Ron from Severtson Screens tells us how we can deal with these issues.

CinemaCon 2011 is the new home of the largest cinema conference in the world. (This replaces the old Showest conference)

This year has been very eventful for cinema exhibition with a number of major developments.  This includes the predicted death of film in the US region, 4K availability and the push towards innovation in the display of films.  Specifically faster frame rates such as 48 or 60.

This year I was able to collect a rich set of videos covering many aspects of these developments at CinemaCon2011.

Please view this video to get my overview of the show plus see some of the new technologies shown on the exhibition floor.

This year at Showest 2010, Barco released a 2 new range of Projectors.  The first series based on the 0.98 TI chip and the second on the 1.2 TI chip.  The 1.2 will be upgradable to the 4k TI chip early net year with the 0.98 to follow at a later date.

Barco has an impressive assortment of projectors giving them a very good fit to any theatre.

Some highlights of the new projectors include

1. amazing fault tolerant rectifier solution.
2. in depth trouble shooting system built into the projector with diagrams and instructions displayed based on diagnostics coming out of the the projector.

NOTE: This video is LATE as it could not be released until DCN was a qualified Barco Dealer. DCN (www.dcnaustralia.com.au) is sponsored this video.

Emerging Pictures is the largest all-digital Specialty Film and Alternate Content theater network in the United States.

Emerging has a network of arts institutions, media arts centers and independent art house theaters, tied together through digital technology – enabling them to cost effectively exhibit art films, documentaries, foreign language films, independent cinema and cultural programming.

CineTechGeek talks to Barry Rebo about how the use of technology is a major building block for Emerging Pictures.  Emerging Pictures makes the distribution of this content possible through the use of alternative content technology such as eCinema Players and internet delivery.

Sponsor: digitAll (www.digitall.net.au)

digitAll announced a new tool called dcpPlayer at the show for those wishing to preview non-encrypted DCP’s such as Trailers and Advertisements.

dcpPlayer is a PC based DCP preview utility that allows you to view a DCP on a windows based PC.

The advantages of this tool include.

• The ability to view a DCP without the need to wait for your DCP screen to become available to you.
• Lets you free of the before sessions start or after session finish before you can check a DCP.
• Reduces the need to strike a lamp to view a DCP.
• Allow you to more simply view a DCP without having to walk into a cinema.
• content creators making DCPs can test DCPs created with third part DCP creation software before they send the files.
• An amazing tool for sending full bit depth video around the Internet.  Currently there is no real solution for sending more then 8bit depth colour video for preview.

In this video I talk with Phil, the head tech at Fenwick 3 in Esperance, Western Australia. This is a very remote location with special needs and skill sets. Let Phil explain..

This is the second part (Part 2 of 2).  The first half is called What can I plug into a DCI projector.

Following on from what we can plug into a DCI projector, in this following video I show you some technology my company “digitAll” is working on to answer the many issues associated with this issue.  It also answer the future trends of alternate content in the cinema and how to make it seamless to show streaming real time content on one or more screens with little effort and cost.

This video is part 1 of 2.  Find the second half “The future of streaming content in a cinema.” here.

It has been a busy time for me.  I have been working on some new technology so my time to put into cinetechgeek has been limited.

I hope you find this video helpful.  The question of what can I plug into a DCI projector is a common one.  There are limitations.  In this video I cover what you can plug into a DCI projector.  But this is only the start.  Knowing what you can plug in, and actually programming a DCI projector to accept the type of signal are two very different and difficult issues.  This video covers the first issue.  I will make a video later to generally, considering the 3 different makes,  cover how to program the projectors.

This is a long video so I have broken it up into two sections. (Keep under 10 min so friendly with YouTube).  The second video is called “The future of streaming content in a Cinema”.  It covers new ways to move content around a cinema and a prototype of that technology.

Please enjoy this video, following is adjoining content mentioned in the video.

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As shown in the video, view the NEC NC-projector list/table of supported signals that can go into a DCI projector. This list is the same for NEC, Christie and Barco. Download the PDF here.

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Christie Comments on HDCP in their projectors

Q: “How/what do you look for in the interface to know if the projector has the HDCP (for DVI port) supported interface card installed?”
Answer: Determining HDCP Support for Christie Series-1 Digital Cinema Projectors

All CP2000-ZX and CP2000-M projectors are and always have been HDCP compliant. Christie was the first DLP cinema OEM to provide for this functionality before TI included it on their interface boards in 2008. When Christie unveiled the HDCP capable ZX far ahead of the competition, it caused other OEMs to pressure TI into releasing an HDCP compliant board for all OEMs. For older projectors (prior to 2008)
HDCP support is determined by the version of Interface Board. Christie Engineers will typically check HDCP compliance based on Interface Board Type using the ‘DLP control program’. Only Interface Boards ‘Type 4’ are HDCP compliant. End-users with legacy projectors (for example, the CP2000-H/i/S/X) may also visually inspect the upper left corner of the interface board (part # for the HDCP model is 002-120383-xx ).

• Series 1 SR – Secure ready (Type 2)
• Series 1 S – Secure (upgraded 1SR) (Type 3)
• Series 1 RH – RoHS Hybrid (Type 3)
• Series 1 R- RoHS Compliant (Type 3)
• Series 1CP – HDCP enabled (Type 4)
• NOTE: (The new Type 6 Encapsulated Security Kit, HDCP, is now available, PN 003-120460-XX, See Image 2)

Image 2: Type 6 – Encapsulated Security Kit, HDCP
Metal enclosure with a special tamper responsive surface.

Image 1: DLP Interrogator Program

To simplify the question of HDCP support, Christie will soon be posting a simple utility ‘DLP Interface Interrogator’ which connects via Ethernet (or via a serial cable to the RS232A) to any CP2000 and provides information. Please see the preview file attached DLP Interface Interrogator vid.wmv. Feel free to post this video clip (we hope to make the tool publicly available on-line in the next 4-6 weeks).

James Gardiner: Information regarding the customized Gefen ‘A/V Cinema Pro’ Video scalers?

Answer:
This is a low cost alternative to the CineIPM2K and does pass HDCP compliant content on to the projector. It allows pass-through of 7.1 analog and AES/EBU digital audio from Digital Cinema servers (in bypass mode) and provides easy ‘video + audio’ integration for consumer type devices like Blu-Ray players & PC’s, with a wide range of sources routed to the Christie projector DVI input (at either 60P, or as a 24P pass-thru). The Gefen units also support some basic audio functions like HDMI dis-embedding and D to A conversion, with most inputs allowing either digital or analog audio to be selected. Floating (transformer-isolated) audio at the DB-25 output is pinned to the ‘Dolby standard’ for 100% compatibility to existing booth equipment, and the units allow up to 80 milliseconds of Lip Sync delay.
The units may be controlled via RS-232, and are supported by Device Libraries in the new Christie ACT Automation (v2.0 software). See attached Gefen cut-sheets for feature details.
This configuration is available exclusively from Christie:

• Part # 111-324201-01 AV Cinema Scaler Pro I (analog 7.1 server audio input)
• Part # 111-325202-01 AV Cinema Scaler Pro II (both analog & digital 7.1 server audio inputs)

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NEC Comments on HDCP in their projectors

To be supplied.

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Barco Comments on HDCP in their projectors

To be supplied.

In this video I discuss the future of the types of digital media files a cinema is likely to get.  From a DCI-DCP feature film file on a Hard drive, to typical digital media files such a used by Youtube or for general sending video around the internet.  I discuss the likely methods cinema may approach in getting these files on screen and the options they have.