my profile | my password | search | faq & rules | forum home

» Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE   » Operations   » Digital Cinema Forum   » Any experience with Qube Cinema equipment? (Page 2)

This topic comprises 8 pages: 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8

Author Topic: Any experience with Qube Cinema equipment? Julio Roberto Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 938 From: Madrid, Madrid, Spain Registered: Oct 2008 posted 03-18-2009 02:47 AM                    Thanks for reporting, Mark. Another worthit contender for new installations. I'll make sure I check them out. These are a bit cheaper than Dolby/Doremi, while those two are almost tied in price, right? How is the LSM solution with QubeShare? Also, am I correct all current Dcinema players support dual projection 3D playback or are there some exceptions? Wish some manufacturer would offer a cheap (it wouldn't cost them more than $200 really) option to add another dual HD-SDI output to their configuration so as to allow true 4:4:4 12bits output for dual-3D setups. The current limitation of 4:2:2 10 bits doesn't come from the server decoding or encryption capability or any other parameter. It comes exclusively from HD-SDI standard not allowing 48fps at that resolution over one dual-link connection, so it's chopped off into two 4:2:2 10 bits signals and the rest of the info is thrown away. Since single projectors only have 1 set of (working) dual HD-SDI inputs at a time, nothing can be done about it by adding a second dual HD-SDI output. But with two projectors setups, you could feed each one of them two HD-SDI cables like it's done for 2D and thus using the full quality the server and projectors are capable of giving without the restriction of a single cable going to each projector. Hope they had the encryption mess well figured out for these things.  |  IP: Logged James B Gardiner Film Handler Posts: 91 From: North Altona, Victoria, Ausrtalia Registered: Feb 2009 posted 03-18-2009 06:46 AM                     The Qube comes standard with 2x duel outputs. (so 4 bnc's on the back) But yes, for DCI, two projectors is an issue as you need to construct 2x Cinelink connections. This is actually not part of the DCI spec, and as such, is a grey area.. Well last time I looked. I think Qube support it however. Not something I took a lot of notice of at the time.... But looking at the interface, on the setup page, you can specify 2 projectors. Not that I have tried it..  |  IP: Logged Julio Roberto Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 938 From: Madrid, Madrid, Spain Registered: Oct 2008 posted 03-18-2009 07:21 AM                    That sounds very interesting, James. If they allow a dual (dual) Cinelink in the specs, that would be a good and "cheap" way to allow for dual 3D as well as for synching-up two screens for the same show (at the same starting time only, of course). Not that it is very useful for this last application, of course, as any projector is bound to have a server and ingesting a film twice and "typing" two KDM's is no big deal. Hopefully the KDM takes this into account and enables the two cinelinks or somehow two kdm's can be combined and allow for this. I'm sure it has been worked out, as Imax i.e. uses dual projection for everything, 3D or 2D, 2K or 4K or whatever you throw at it. Mark has done a dual projection DCI installation. Is is single dual-SDI or dual dual-SDI? Does the owner have to do anything special about it or just telling the distributor the serial numbers of both projectors is enough with a single KDM for the 3D show? Are two KDM's needed?  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 03-18-2009 09:13 AM                     James... Julio... So far no large format content has been encrypted at the sites we have equipment at. Presently trailers and most cartoons and shorts released theatrically are also not encrypted. If you move the Cinelink cable and HDSDI's over to the another projector and switch the projector IP then it plays back KDM'd content just fine. They also run Hollywood stuff at night at the Zion Canyon site and they try to use both projectors the same amount so as to put an even number of hours on both lamps. So far there has not been a need for 2 KDM's... just one for the server itself(Doremi). Remember... the projector and server are not really talking back and forth regarding decryption... the server merely provides decryption data to the light engine. If you pull the Cinelink it either goes to snow or blanks the imahe... snow being the more common result. If you open up a KDM sometime you'll only see the S/N of the server being used... there will be nothing at all about the projector itself. I didn't think to ask Robbie about the LMS situation but perhaps James knows... I was busy taking a DP-100 that had been siting for well over two years from MPEG to JPEG. One interesting thing I ran into is that different servers require different 3-D PCF files. Dolby and Doremi require an MXFI PCF file while Qube requires an XYZ PCF file. We got the system all upgraded and had the Master Image all working just dandy except the colors looked pastel and muted and reds were orange. Oddly whites and blacks were looking good so it gave the image a real strange appearance. We finally realized the 3-D PCF file I had loaded(for Dolby) was not compatible with the Qube Server and we had to get the correct PCF file right from Qube... Rajesh at Qube came to the rescue through e-mail and minutes later I had the correct PCF's loaded and colors are now dead on. P.S. Another nice feature of the Master Image 3-D unit is that there is really no need to re-shoot the colors for a different MCGD as the filters they use are so neutral that you wouldn't read any differencce in colors... I tried!! With the wheel in place there's just a slight intensity drop in light level vs. with it out.. no color change. Mark  |  IP: Logged Julio Roberto Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 938 From: Madrid, Madrid, Spain Registered: Oct 2008 posted 03-18-2009 10:40 AM                    Interesting that they only authorize a server for playback and distributors need not know about the projector being used. Being as control freaks as they are, I thought they tied the KDM to both, the server and the projector being used. Do any/most servers have dual LAN connections for cinelink handshakes/encryption key change messages/etc? If they have dual-dual HD-SDI as the Qube, then it "must" be able to do this as well or otherwise it would be worthless to have them for DCI applications. Stacked projection applications have uses other than 3D, such as light doubling for drive-ins, etc, like Imax does.  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 03-18-2009 11:08 AM                     No, never had to give the s/n of any projector to distribution .. Just the servers s/n. Mark  |  IP: Logged Richard Fowler Film God Posts: 2392 From: Ft. Lauderdale, FL, USA Registered: Jun 2001 posted 03-18-2009 02:14 PM                     Since Qube was designed by Real Image of Chennai, India they probably factored doing stacked display in the many large cinemas in their market....  |  IP: Logged James B Gardiner Film Handler Posts: 91 From: North Altona, Victoria, Ausrtalia Registered: Feb 2009 posted 03-22-2009 04:59 AM                     OK, DCI security, a quick lesson. The KDM lets a player decrypt the J2C MXF stream. It is then uncompressed on memory. This is the main reason the secure media block needs all this fips compliance etc. Then the secure media block sets up a secure connection to the projector, shares keys over this secure connection, then encrypts the content AGAIN before sending it to the projector. This has to be the case as the Projector does not decode j2c.. SO, technically, having 2 projectors should not be that difficult at all. You just set up 2 separate Cinelink connections. The DCI spec may not mention/support it, and in some ways, there is invested interests in pressing this point and forcing people to use licensed and expensive single projector technologies. Personally I feel this will fall away as 3D is no where near the penetration the Studios wanted/need.. so to hell with those who are trying to maximise profits. The Studios need to make this work, and these leaches depend on the studios, no mater if they get a rich, or simply stay afloat. I feel the pressure for duel projector 3D will be a pressing point at Showest. For some exhibitors it makes a lot of sense. If you are at show west, make sure you make a point of this. More on this. RealD's new extra bright system, for example, like the sony system, splits the output into 2. This brings up alignment issues similar to 2 projectors. Ie a major technical reason they watered down duel projectors. I hear up to 2 pixel error is acceptable with the duel output RealD specs. Show you how technical issues are used like statistics. To mean whatever the vendor wants it to mean. Now, in terms of KDM key chains. (Ie projector and player keys) This is not yet supported, but will be soon from what I hear. Just quickly, in a KDM, according to the spec, you can make them with a keychain (I think it is called), ie This player with this projector. etc. This was part of the spec, but due to real life issues, etc, the spec is being revised to support a facility key. Having all the possible key chain combinations in a KDM was not well thought out... The Facility key will fix this. So expect it sooner or later. But is real terms, as a exhibitor, if keeping your public key info up to date with the key management people, you will not even notice any of this happening. Projectors do have public keys that you should be supplying to your key management service. If they have not asked for them. Bad DCI citizen... I leave for Showest in 2 days. (So do not expect to see me on here much for a while) See you there. James  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 03-22-2009 09:06 AM                     What? You don't have a laptop to keep in touch???? Come on now! Then we must also assume that you are rowing a boat to Las Vegas from Austrailia... Anyway... you can use mine while you're there to check in if necessary... Gord has done this before... FYI: All of the studios DO BACK dual prujector 3-D. The only studio with 23 pages of stipulations is Disney. You'd be very amazed at the number of dual projector 3-D systems that exist here in the states. The other studios fully support it no questions asked. I have another dual 3-D system going in very soon... to replace dual 15/70 Iwerks projectors. Mark  |  IP: Logged Brian D. Whitish Expert Film Handler Posts: 103 From: Seattle, WA, USA Registered: Apr 2001 posted 03-22-2009 01:24 PM                     Mark, Pete and I were sorry we didnt get to see more of you while you were here in Seattle. I have two of your intermittant sprokets in my Norelcos at the Guild 45th. Maybe next time.  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 03-22-2009 05:39 PM                     Hi Brian, Yes... time was short to say the least. Pete gave me your number and also wanted to show me the ins and outs of the Sonys down the street... Definately next time for sure. Hopefully there will soon be more Master Image Systems in your area. For 3-D it's pretty hard to beat. Mark  |  IP: Logged Geena Phillips Expert Film Handler Posts: 198 From: Norcross, GA / USA Registered: Apr 2006 posted 03-27-2009 01:19 PM                        Mark, thanks for the update on your experiences. The electricians came in yesterday to install the power connections for the digital projectors; hopefully, it won't be long now...  |  IP: Logged Geena Phillips Expert Film Handler Posts: 198 From: Norcross, GA / USA Registered: Apr 2006 posted 07-20-2009 11:36 PM                        Well, our XP-D server boxes are here. Now that they've laid out actual cash, it shouldn't be long, now...  |  IP: Logged Laurie Higgins Film Handler Posts: 45 From: Norcross, GA, USA Registered: Jun 2008 posted 07-28-2009 02:06 PM                        Geena, they guys are delivering the projectors as I type.  |  IP: Logged Geena Phillips Expert Film Handler Posts: 198 From: Norcross, GA / USA Registered: Apr 2006 posted 07-28-2009 07:02 PM                        Too bad they're DP-1200 (Barco's bottom of the line). And I'm deathly afraid they're gonna not install the ACS-2048 (alternative content switcher) unit with them.  |  IP: Logged

All times are Central (GMT -6:00)

This topic comprises 8 pages: 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8

Printer-friendly view of this topic

Hop To: Select a Forum: Category: Operations -------------------- Digital Cinema Forum Film Handlers' Forum Large Format Forum Ground Level Feature Info, Trailer Attachments & REAL Credit Offsets Category: Community -------------------- Film-Yak Film Handlers' Movie Reviews The Afterlife Bob Maar's Joke-A-Thon Category: Classified -------------------- Equipment and Supplies Wanted/For Sale Help Wanted/Seeking Employment Category: System -------------------- Software Beta Testing Forum

The Film-Tech Forums are designed for various members related to the cinema industry to express their opinions, viewpoints and testimonials on various products, services and events based upon speculation, personal knowledge and factual information through use, therefore all views represented here allow no liability upon the publishers of this web site and the owners of said views assume no liability for any ill will resulting from these postings. The posts made here are for educational as well as entertainment purposes and as such anyone viewing this portion of the website must accept these views as statements of the author of that opinion and agrees to release the authors from any and all liability.