Better Theater Experience
New Jersey-based Access Integrated Technologies Inc. installed more than 500 digital systems at 70 theater sites in 21 states. The company's wholly owned subsidiary, Christie/AIX, launched its D-cinema platform in 2005 using IDC satellite router receivers. "Satellite transmission adds a few more layers onto security by including conditional access to specific receivers and the scrambling of data," says Russell Wintner, president of AccessIT's Digital Media Services division. "DCI has mandated that movies will be encrypted with government-strength encryption techniques which cover most of the piracy concerns for content stolen when en route to the theater. Key management has also been designed to make it impossible to play back a movie on any system that does not have a key corresponding to the specific feature, projection server and date and time of valid playback."
Christie/AIX includes a theater management system and a central server which creates a network environment where software simplifies the assigning of movies from one screen to another, says Wintner. "Satellite delivery relies heavily on theaters having a central point of ingest for new content. There are a lot of advantages offered in a central command, but one of them is the ability to communicate back to the earth station, confirming successful deliveries which in turn increases reliability," he says. "... As movies are sent via satellite into a central server in each movie theater, no human intervention is required on the part of the theater to ingest files. This creates an opportunity for the independent theater owner to save money on personnel -- a significant change for a mom-and-pop owned business."
In 2005, Thomson selected Mainstream Data to provide an end-to-end high-speed digital satellite network for the distribution of pre-show content to movie theaters throughout North America. Thomson is partnering with several studios for its Technicolor Skyarc system, which uses Mainstream Data's DVB+ satellite receivers to distribute encrypted high- definition content via satellite or terrestrial links. "The most significant milestone in the development of d-cinema was the day that Technicolor -- the 800-pound gorilla in feature distribution -- decided to move forward with physical (hard drive) and electronic (satellite) distribution of its digital content," says Calder,
The Skyarc network, with its hybrid terrestrial-satellite distribution technologies, assures the safe and complete delivery of 300-gigabyte files to thousands of theaters simultaneously. "All necessary technology elements are currently in place to deliver a stunningly beautiful d-cinema experience to customers today," says Calder. "There will certainly be evolutionary improvements in the technology after the installation of 4K 3D projectors, but they will be relatively minor. I can tell you that having seen the new technology demonstrated first hand, this new generation of display technologies will keep theater patrons enthralled for years."
An additional benefit of satellite distribution is that smaller independent films are no longer burdened with the costs of mastering and developing film to get a limited release. "Keeping the workflow entirely digital will enable a new generation of film-makers to distribute their work on a broader basis. This idea leads into alternative content in theaters," says Tilly. "Satellite also enables the distribution of a number of forms of alternative content, from concerts to sporting events to independent films, which is becoming increasingly important to exhibitors."
Besides providing a rapid method for distribution, worldwide simultaneous releases via satellite also might reduce piracy, says Chong Man Nang, CEO of GDC Technology Pte Ltd. in Singapore. "By the time the second-run 35-millimeter prints reach the small cinemas, pirated copies are already readily available, which in turn reduces attendance and box- office (revenues)," he says. "Global movie exchanges are easier when satellite connects more and more d-cinemas. Live events and advertisements are already distributed via satellite. The addition of d-cinemas to an existing satellite network means more content base for programming."
One area that still needs to improve is equipment cost. While the advancements promise cost savings for large theater chains, smaller, independent theater owners may not be able to make the transition until d-cinema is more affordable, Calder says. "The principal cost barrier to D-cinema has always been the expense of the projectors ($90,000 to $100,000 per projector) and the cost advantage of satellite really doesn't kick in until you are delivering to hundreds of theaters simultaneously." Projector costs will have to decline before smaller exhibitors move to the new technology," he adds.
Weijer believes satellite technology does not generally impact the costs to the theater owners. "Cost impact is based more on the business models and the support and maintenance agreements surrounding the business models. Minimally, the theater owners will realize some cost benefits in a digital model in that the shipping costs associated with physical delivery of film tins goes away," he says.
D-cinema is coming to a screen near you, and it will probably happen sooner than you think. So, head down to your nearest theater, check out the dish on the roof, and remember to get your popcorn.
Peter Brown is Via Satellite's senior Multimedia and Homeland Security editor.
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