Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Anyone Using WD HD Media Players to run Preshow ads through Barco / NEC DCPs?

This is topic Anyone Using WD HD Media Players to run Preshow ads through Barco / NEC DCPs? in forum Digital Cinema Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Kelly Murphy (Member # 5937) on 12-08-2010, 02:09 PM:

I hope this is the correct forum (I've spent the day searching without success). I have multiple setups in multiple theaters to run pre-show ads through separate ad projectors, including using Western Digital HD Media Players hooked directly to these projectors. As my theater partners move to complete DCP theaters, I want to use these same WD HD media players to deliver ad content directly to Barco and NEC DCPs. The media players have a DVI out, the DCPs have an HDMI in, and ads will play, but there are multiple issues (describing now would make a longer thread). This way I can run the same ad program in the same format (with obvious scaling up tweaks for size and resolution) as my non-DCP theaters. I've tested and am trying to avoid the Doremi / QubeMaster Xpress / Easy DCP etc route, as they are expensive and very labor intensive to create ad programs with. Anyone running a setup like this: WD HD media players hooked to Barco / NEC DCPs (one player per DCP projector)? Thanks in advance

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 12-08-2010, 02:41 PM:

I've owned both the WD and presently own the Seagate Home Theater which uses their hard drives. The Seagate has ten times better HDMI video and will play more file types then the WD...

Posted by Carsten Kurz (Member # 5396) on 12-08-2010, 06:39 PM:

We tested various media-players and decided to not use them - mainly because they have only one main screen OSD, which is visible to the audience while setting up playback etc. You can get arround that with preview monitors and HDMI switchers, but that's just too much human intervention.
They also lack automation and playlist support.

The WD came closest with Video-Playlist + Autoplay support.

We use a dual-screen computer now, which does not have these limitations. You have to keep a tight eye on it to keep it going, but so far our staff did not mess around with it too much. It needs more experience to set it up than a media player.

- Carsten

Posted by Kris Verhanneman (Member # 5562) on 12-09-2010, 02:03 AM:

For the Barco projectors:
If you hard disk can provide a 1080p or 720p signal it will work.
The projector can use both signals without scaler.

Just be aware that some older Barco's have isues with HDCP protection on the DVI inputs.

Now for the part 'Why do you ...'.
There is a post on this forum how to creat your own free DCP clips. Works fine and will give you the best vidual result since you can include the ads in your show(no OSD menu). It could even turn up cheaper for the projection (no extra hardware). They just need to learn how the software works.