Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Digital Cinema

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Posted by Eric Womack (Member # 4458) on 06-22-2008, 06:32 PM:

After many years showing classic movies the theater i am at is starting to think digital. i am looking for ideas, and input from those out there who are currently using digital. Here are the issues. I have a 168' throw and My booth is at a 22 deg angle up from the screen. Our current flat image is 28'3" wide. What is there out there that is worth looking at? Christie? Ballantine? Please let me know where I should start investigating and learning about digital cinema.

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 06-22-2008, 07:57 PM:

1. Right here at Film-Tech in the Straight To Video Forum and over at digitalcinematics.com. I also highly reccomend Show East. Its a smaller show and at least last year all the digital manufacturers had stuff most of it operable on display. This is really the best place to get hands on demos. Show West is much more crowded with long lines and so on so actual hands on is usually more limited unless previous arrangements have been made.

You may want to have your post moved to the straight to video forum. I reccomend that you explore all equipment options available. Above all don't target for the lowest price... yous gets what yous pays for in Digital! The best options out there for your use will very definately "stand out" better to you. You have about the same reliability instances with any of the gear out there however the better designed and built pieces of gear easily stand out of the crowd... at least if you investigate everything thouroughly.

Best of luck!

Mark

Posted by Frank Angel (Member # 248) on 06-22-2008, 08:15 PM:

Initially I started looking into digital for the very same reason -- we run lots of classics. At this stage of the game, digital won't solve the problem that is moving you to look at digital, i.e., the shrinking availability of decent 35mm prints. Contact the studios where you currently book your 35mm classics and ask them if they can supply you with digital VP (virtual prints) for their titles. They not only will tell you they can't, but if you could see them on the other end of the phone, you would see this glazed look come over their faces because they still see digital as only for new releases.

Even Warner Brothers, who it has been rumored wanted to discontinue supplying their classics on film, have not made any steps that their New York office knows of in that direction. None of their classics titles have been remastered on to any DCI compliant digtal format. They will think you are talking about playing DVDs and will promptly refer you to non-theatrical (which, I assume is not what you are talking about, right?).

As for playing DVDs, SDVDs or BluRay DVDs, for that you don't need D-Cinema equipment, unless you plan to run a mix of first run titles and classics, then moving up to D-Cinema technology might make sense (but I would still hold on to my film equipment).

We just got 2 Barco R6s for stacking at our outdoor park venue. Why they went for dual projectors is beyond me, seeing as how Barco makes other models with plenty more brightness. Anyway, we haven't yet hooked them up so I can't tell you what they look like on a 50ft screen, but they will only be used for some esoteric stuff that can only be found on DVD or DigiBeta. The rest will still be film like our next event, POWAQQATSI, with the Phlip Glass conducting his ensemble and the Brooklyn Youth Chorus, playing his score live. Try getting that in 2k digital.

So my suggestion would be to first define what it is you want the technology to do, what's available in terms of the programming you do, and then make your decision. I think Mark once said that even if you plan to play non-theatrical DVDs, HD or not or other video formats, you can now get D-Cinema equipment for only a little more $$ than what high-end E-Cinema will cost you. If you think you are eventually going to go digital, then it would make more sense to skip the E-Cinema level and go directly to D-Cinema. Unfortunately the producers at the park didn't go that route, but it is something to definately consider.

Posted by Tim Reed (Member # 137) on 06-22-2008, 08:49 PM:

With that throw, it's going to be difficult to find lenses long enough. For example, a Barco DP-3000, with an R9855947 lens, will do scope fine but slightly crop flat with those specs.

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 06-22-2008, 10:59 PM:

There are not a gob of DLP lenses available yet but assumming side movable masking Christie has the proper lens for your theater, perhaps its also an advantage of using 1.2" DMDs in your situaton instead of the .98" chips. I ran the calculator and the 5.5 to 8.5:1 lens will work along with the 1.26 magnifier for scope. This yields a 15X28 foot flat image and 15X35 foot scope image at your throw. However, careful investigation on your end will still yield the the results you want and need. Also, keep in mind that sometimes dealers/manufacturers can be coerced into doing equipment demos at your location. Setting up a projector and server is pretty easy... the hardest part being getting the gear to the booth! Be sure NOT to have that box of Crispy Creames around that morning [uhoh]

.

Mark