Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Trailer in .mp4 format!

This is topic Trailer in .mp4 format! in forum Digital Cinema Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Mike Wright (Member # 5040) on 09-19-2012, 12:25 PM:

Sorry to ask stupid qiestions - digital noobie alert!!

We have been sent a trailer for an independent film, but it is in .mp4 format.

Is it possible to "ingest" this onto our server (Doremi 2000/Christie 2220) setup and show it in a playlist?

Thanks for the info.

Regards
Mike

Posted by Marco Giustini (Member # 4544) on 09-19-2012, 01:13 PM:

Hi there,

No unfortunately. Digital Cinema servers only accept Digital Cinema Packages.

They may be capable of MPEG2 playback but still only when wrapped in a DCP.
Sorry!

Posted by Chris Slycord (Member # 4239) on 09-19-2012, 01:21 PM:

http://dcinemaforum.com/forum/index.php?topic=6.0

There is a step-by-step way for converting an mp4 to a DCP. But YMMV, based on the other posts there. [Smile]

Posted by Mike Wright (Member # 5040) on 09-19-2012, 05:54 PM:

Thanks for the information.

I am reluctant to go down the route of making my own DCP partly due to lack of experience in that area but also because, technically, we do not own the equipment. We got it through the "Digital Funding Partnership" here in the UK. Rather it is owned by another company who get payment for it through VPF's.

I understand that they are very touchy about what we can play on the server/projector!

Thanks anyway

Regards
Mike

Posted by Dave Macaulay (Member # 813) on 09-19-2012, 08:31 PM:

There should be no problem with playing a trailer even if you packaged the MP4 you were supplied with into a DCP.
The VPF deals mean someone else owns the projector, and they are indeed "touchy" about what is played on it. You can expect to be billed by the hour to use the projector for stuff like X-Box games for parties or doing powerpoint stuff for business meetings. I haven't heard of any problems with any content that's part of a normal feature film presentation. Many chains also use the projector for pre-show content as well, under terms negotiated with the equipment owners.

Posted by Randy Stankey (Member # 64) on 09-19-2012, 09:07 PM:

Our Christie digital projector is also connected to a Gefen scaler. The scaler has a Blu-Ray input and two computer inputs. One computer is in the booth and the other is connected through a port in the auditorium. That way we can run pre-show programs from the booth computer and, if there is a lecture in the auditorium, we can show PowerPoint presentations, etc.

If I wanted to show a trailer in MP4, I would do it on the booth computer via the Gefen scaler.

That does mean that I would have to manually switch from the scaler to the digital server at the end of the nonstandard trailer. If it was a one-off show, I wouldn't have a problem doing this. If it was a regular, daily program I wouldn't want to do this.

If I was going to show a trailer this way, I'd place it at the beginning of the program. That way, if there is a momentary gap in the program it will be less noticeable.

However, I agree with the others. You would be better off if you could make it into a DCP package and run it as a regular element of your program.

Since there is a fair amount of work involved in making an MP4 into a DCP, I wouldn't do this for a one-off. I would just use the Aux. Input and be done with it.

P.S. - We own our projector so there isn't anybody to complain if we play other things on it.