Alias DCP.
DCP is an equivalent to analog 35 mm film strip in modern digital world. I will not discuss what is better or worse because both of them has still today own supporters, but much more often in real life you will get touch with digital version. Almost all Cinemas in the World has upgraded to the digital playing of the movies. In the next article i will describe some specification of those packages.
They are only two group of Cinema Packages. By the DCI specification and every others.
DCI specification represent 2K or 4K image resolution in 24 fps or 48 fps (frame per second) in JPG2000 sequence / Interop. Also there can be packed both eyes (called stereoscopic). Only acceptable is XYZ color space. In second group of the DCP’s you can put into the package almost everything from 720p to 4K, from 23,97fps to 120fps. It depends on the cinema servers and of course on the projector. When you want to ensure that your DCP will work, use always, and only, DCI specification. It guarantees you, that video will playable in every cinema over the world. All package is composed from MXF files, separatelly audio / video, from XML files what tells the player how long is the movie, where is video or audio and how type is it. DCP has much more settings but i will descibe only the main of them:
Resolution:
2K – 2048 × 858 – DCI scope version (also as 2.39:1)
2K – 1998 × 1080 – DCI flat version (also 16:9 or 1,85:1)
4K – 4096 × 1716 – DCI scope version
4K – 3996 × 2160 – DCI flat version
Data rate:
Usually is 3D movies in 125MBs per each eye and 2D movies in 250MBs. But you may encounter in addvertisement packages with much more less datarate.
Colorspace:
There are RGB color space and XYZ. RGB file is as RAW projected to the screen. But in XYZ files is in projector special filter convert image back to do RGB color space. You can see really violet colorchange:
RGB version
XYZ version
The XYZ color space you can also find as „DCDM XYZ Gamma 2.6“. This conversion you can do in special software what makes the DCP’s, or for example in After Effects etc.
DCNC (Digital Cinema Naming Convention):
Is really common name the movies or addvertisement with this convention. The projectionist will know everything what is importnant about devilered package. It seems really strange but in explanation is easy to understand it:
NAME_ADV1-2D_F_EN-SK_US-12A_51-SK_2K_DI_20141208_FDC_VF1
NAME: detailed names of package
ADV1: category (advertisement, feature, trailer, etc.) with version number
2D: 2d or 3d version
F: Flat/Scope/Full (F/S/C)
EN: Language of audio
SK: Language of subtitle
US: Territory
12A: Rating
51: Audio type (5.1; 6.1; 7.1; 2.0)
SK: Narrative description
2K: Resolution (2K / 4K / 4K48)
DI: Studio
20141208: date
FDC: Facility
VF1: Package type (original, version1, etc.)
These are few mainly settings parameter when are needed if you are making DCP packages. There are also others like KDM key which allow playing only people / server where is USB flashdisk (with KDM key) inserted into the server. KDM key can limit playing to numbers of shows or just by date. This are usually use on the movies where the distributor have full control when is possible the movie playing. You can also does package in MPG (not only JPG 2000).
There are few applications to create DCP and I can recommend three: CineAsset, CuteDCP or one free project OpenDCP.
My question:
I don’t get why is necessary convert RGB image to XYZ and than back again to humanely RGB?
my significant other is the pottecoirn/technical manager of an 8 screen multiplex. I’ve been taking to her about how they show third party movies/clips/presentations. the dcp route is if your show needs integrating with their TMS (theatre management system) etc.it would appear this happens extremely rarely, the common way is to pipe a 1080 movie into the projector directly using a media player with and hdmi output. this can go straight into some projectors allthough some need and hdmi-dvi conversion. they’ve used domestic blu ray players (a lot can play many formats via USB memory stick ie. divx, mb4) as well as disks. another great option would be a ps3 as they are cheap, automatically update codecs etc, can play pretty much anything you throw at them and have both analogue and digital outputs. (and blu-ray)if the projector can’t handle any of these directly, you can pump the signal through their upscalers which will basically only serve as a signal/input conversion.I’m by no means an expert, but this is the way I’ll go when I come to show my short. the shows if seen like this look as good as anything else I’ve seen screened. it also keeps it easy for the projectionist as well as avoiding the minefield that dcp seems to be.hope that’s an insite into a different approachn.
Yeah. Of course that is way also when you want play one short etc.
But multiplexes has more difficult playlists and there is no way to use external players like BD, USB etc…from Simple reason. In the playlists are DCP trailers, intros, adds and the position is very important for client of adds. When you combine more Than one source you got big pauses between videos and marketing has no feedback about playing. So you right, but not in the big cinemas where the biggest money come from adds / no movies…☺