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This topic comprises 4 pages: 1 2 3 4
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Author
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Topic: Software maintenance costs, get used to it....
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Julio Roberto
Jedi Master Film Handler
Posts: 938
From: Madrid, Madrid, Spain
Registered: Oct 2008
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posted 07-15-2009 02:00 PM
quote: Scott Norwood
All of this reinforces my belief that, at present, the economics for D-cinema do not work for exhibitors or manufacturers, and probably do not work for film distributors, either, if they subsidize the hardware.
Add the intermediaries (integrators) that hope to pay their execs' (and technicians') salaries for many-many years out of the whole conversion process and you'll be scratching your head as to who is gonna be paying for it all.
I dissagree with the distributors, though. I think the numbers for them do add up even if they subsidize the hardware. For them, it's merely a matter of keeping the same expenditure by paying VPF but inmediately saving the same amount out of their replication bills. On the long run, they are the ONLY ONES with substantial (even if minor) gain.
Theatres gain in flexibility and some labor costs produces extra revenues that are then offset by higher maintenance/updating/depreciation costs.
And hardware manufacturers benefit by selling more hardware and providing the maintenance. But they need to do so at a "lean" level, usually as part of a much larger operation like Sony/NEC that already have some leverage. Not enough $$$ to blow in trips to Vegas and huge marketing campains or ultra-expensive products (TI and Christie, you listening?)
At least TI has already realized they were riding a losing horse with DLP and are starting to shut the whole expenditures off, after years and years of stubbornly throwing lots of money out the window. Their plan of making it back out of theatre owners' is not gonna work out so well, as there is a much cheaper market alternative with even better results.
It's called 35mm film (and 4K Lcos as well, if you must).
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Tony Bandiera Jr
Film God
Posts: 3067
From: Moreland Idaho
Registered: Apr 2004
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posted 07-18-2009 01:31 PM
quote: Steve Guttag
Yeah, just oil, grease, belts, pucks, bearings...etc
I'm willing to bet that the sum total of all that stuff is STILL far less than the costs of software upgrades to the servers in say the average multiplex of 20 screens or so... ![[Roll Eyes]](rolleyes.gif)
quote: Kevin Fairchild
and a competent projectionsist who's yearly wages could be much higher than the cost of software upgrades [Smile]
I'm also willing to bet that the total wages and benefits for a competent projectionist is STILL far less than the costs of software upgrades to the servers in say the average multiplex of 20 screens or so... not to mention you're overlooking the ADDED cost of a COMPETENT TECHNICIAN to upload that software and keep those servers running as reliably as a film projector. Face it, the average projector (except Horizons) can run for YEARS with little or no maintenance.
Some people just won't wake up and see the reality of how screwed up the whole idea of digital exhibition really is. We have a well-established network of machines and media that has served the industry well for over 100 years..and other than INCOMPETENT people running the shows, it can and does work well at a LOT lower cost than digital. Just look at Brad's operations..he gets incredible mileage from film, with perfect presentations all the time. How? HE KNOWS WHAT HE'S DOING, AND CARES ABOUT WHAT HE DOES!!
Theatre owners and management have NEVER woken up to the reality that people DO NOT come to a theater to admire the neon in the lobby, or to buy the wide range of overpriced snack..they come to SEE A MOVIE!! If they had any brains at all, rather than waste the huge amounts of money on fancy lobbies, they would pay for a COMPETENT man (or woman) to run the FILMS.
They would be rewarded with increased attendance and more butts in the seats, buying those overpriced snacks.
D-Cinema WILL NOT MAGICALLY SOLVE THE LONG-STANDING ISSUE OF STUPIDITY IN MANAGEMENT.
Sheesh....
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Tony Bandiera Jr
Film God
Posts: 3067
From: Moreland Idaho
Registered: Apr 2004
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posted 07-20-2009 01:49 PM
quote: Mark Gulbrandsen
....It all has to do with price and Sony offers the highest rez system (not just projector) at the lowest price.
Are you kidding me? Cost doesn't mean ![[bs]](graemlins/bs.gif) if they won't be around to support the product during it's useful lifetime. SDDS didn't cost AMC anything..in the beginning. But when Sony dropped the support it cost plenty to replace/upgrade all those sound systems. You of all people KNOW how bad Sony's track record is.
quote: Mark Gulbrandsen
This means that T.I. has to get their new 4K to compete price for price with Sony's mid to low 80K area per single machine. That also means that 2K stuff has to drop dramatically in price to about half of it's present sales price before anyone would continue to buy it and install it. If T.I. Chgristie, NEC and BARCO can't pull off comparable and lower pricing then Sony wins hands down.
I agree that the others have to get things down to compete..question is, can they afford to? And let's say they do, but end up going under from the losses. They we're right back to the Sony monopoly, and guess what happens next? Either they drop the support as usual, or now they pull the same stunt as a well-known cinema equipment manufacturer and charge outrageous prices because they're now the only game in town.
Sony, despite being such a huge corporation, is being incredibly reckless and stupid, (again), especially in today's economy. A company with ANY brains, no matter how big, is NOT going to KNOWINGLY take on a huge loss leader product line which could potentially destabilize the entire company.
Yes, TI is already in that boat with DLP...more's the pity.
quote: Mark Gulbrandsen
There has never been a better time in the D-Cinema period to sit on the fence post and just watch!!!
Exactly. And those who are into carnage are gonna get a treat. ![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
quote: Steve Guttag
Sony also has the biggest market benefit in that they can tout their DCinema superiority as a reason to buy Sony TVs...TI, Christie, and Barco don't have that.
Steve
Very true. And I would love to give Sony my full support, but history has shown they cannot be trusted in a niche market like D-Cinema.
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