Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Blog Post on NOC's

This is topic Blog Post on NOC's in forum Digital Cinema Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Martin McCaffery (Member # 37) on 02-16-2012, 09:55 AM:

Final part of David Bordwell's series on the conversion to digital (with a hat tip to Film-Tech at the end

http://www.davidbordwell.net/blog/2012/02/16/pandoras-digital-box-notes-on-nocs/

Posted by Jonathan Althaus (Member # 5042) on 02-16-2012, 10:25 AM:

quote:
The projector manufacturer Christie’s initiated one of the first NOCs in 2003, and it now monitors over 3700 digital screens across the US and Canada. From its California facility it “manages the configuration of systems, provides help-desk services to customer staff, and access to local technicians with local parts to provide on-site repair and support.”

quote:
Don’t confuse NOCs with call centers or help lines. NOCs are handling and storing vast streams of data from computers, cameras, and other inputs. The goal is keeping track of things pertinent to the business or agency.

Maybe I'm missing something, but isn't this a contradiction? The Christie center is more of a help desk. The only true NOC seems to be the FT one in Plano

Posted by Dave Macaulay (Member # 813) on 02-16-2012, 02:37 PM:

cameras?
All NOCs working under VPF contracts are doing more than "help desk". They have a network connection to the theatre projection network. The servers, projectors, and TMS/LMS have SNMP traps that send the NOC a message if there's a problem. The NOC generally does most software upgrades and can pull diagnostic packages etc. to check on the systems. They also know when you're showing a movie: a test show at 2am may bring a call from the distributor asking why their movie was shown and expecting their cut of any revenue. The NOC basically works for the VPF financing agency, not for the theatre. Their job is to keep the screen operational and making VPF money for that agency.

Posted by Paul Gordon (Member # 3320) on 02-16-2012, 02:41 PM:

Yep big brother is watching... no staff screenings now!

Posted by Carsten Kurz (Member # 5396) on 02-16-2012, 03:20 PM:

I'm wondering how these projector manufacturers NOCs relate to non-equipment manufacturers NOCs like those of FT, XDC, etc? Shouldn't a NOC control projector and servers (and sound gear). Who would contract with the projector manufacturer directly instead of an independant NOC offering full service?

- Carsten

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 02-16-2012, 08:01 PM:

quote: Paul Gordon
Yep big brother is watching... no staff screenings now

Says who?

Still have to run the features down prior before opening to check display content.

Why they give you the key in advance to open up the file so a preview can still be shown.

Be totally insane if they would give you a key one hour prior to first screening.

Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 02-16-2012, 08:10 PM:

It is in DCI spec to allow for pre-screenings to avoid issues.

As to the logs...I'm sure it depends on the TMS as to how thorough they are. That said, the ones I'm familiar with, yes they will know when any SPL is run, test or otherwise.

The theory on what DC-NOCs do and what they seemingly actually do vary GREATLY. I'm sure the collect their reports for the studios...but as far as heading off problems...Film-Tech's might do that but I haven't really seen it from the others. In fact, we are starting up our own supplemental service to provide the help-desk and pro-active support I thought NOCs were supposed to do. We are not getting calls 1st, even when they have a certified NOC.

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 02-16-2012, 09:18 PM:

Yes the Film-Tech NOC does have an early alert system. We literally have speakers throughout the building that sound off an audible alert anytime something happens in one of our theaters that could cause a show failure. The system is extremely reliable and very few things get by it. We have this in place because we are actually fully handling the day to day operation of the booths, not just collecting logs and monitoring equipment for the studio's benefit and VPF agreement, which is all the other NOCs do. Our main monitoring screen then directs us to the actual location, screen and issue at hand. Even things like a lamp not striking are resolved by the NOC 99% of the time before the show is to start as we pre-strike the bulbs a few minutes early. As such, even if there IS a problem, nobody even knows. (Obviously we report any recurring issue to the theater's technician though.)

Screenings as Steve pointed out are perfectly acceptable. A 2am test show before a movie opens does not raise any eyebrows. That being said the vast majority of our theaters do not pre-screen anything and we have never had a failure.