Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: The end of series one projectors?

This is topic The end of series one projectors? in forum Digital Cinema Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Juan Jose Garcia Calvo (Member # 1702) on 02-28-2015, 08:55 AM:

Hello.
Now that 35mm has gone (99%), How long do you think series one DCI projectors will last?

Do you think any of the new features of the new series 2 projectors (HFR e.g.) could make there are no material to play in the future with the old series one projectors/servers?
Maybe somekind of new subtitles system could be the killer?

This question is concerned about all of these little cinema owners that only can afford used series one projectors to survive in the digital world once they can't find 35mm films to show.

In my own oppinion, there are no reasons to "kill" these projectors in a couple of years. Maybe new projectors can play at 4k, maybe with laser light engines with more eficiency, better contrast ratios.., but if distributors wants, they can make DCPs not HFR nor 4k to support these equipments for a very long time.
The only one that could "kill" these equipment are their makers, not supporting spare parts or firmware updates
What do you think?

Posted by Steve Moore (Member # 4753) on 02-28-2015, 09:52 AM:

As you said, technically there is no reason at all, other than wear and tear, that they should not last for years as long as replacement parts remained. But like anything computer based, we will ultimately be driven by some unnecessary software update. I still maintain that the picture is perfectly acceptable, in fact, stunning on my 2008 year CP2000s - and to me exceeds what I have seen on newer installs of some 4K kit on smaller screens!
At the end of the day, this good old series one puts a picture on screen and surely that is all that is asked for!

Posted by Marcel Birgelen (Member # 6801) on 02-28-2015, 11:44 AM:

The biggest threat is probably studios coming up with some new kind of security requirement that's either impossible to implement on Series 1 hardware or manufacturers simply won't come up with new software updates to implement those requirements, because they consider the hardware end-of-life.

Posted by Stephan Shelley (Member # 8587) on 02-28-2015, 02:14 PM:

There is already the mediablock issue. Series 1s can not use IMBs or IMSs. Last I knew Doremi still has servers with the Dolphin card in them new. Can not get new Dolby servers with Cat 862s. I don't think GDC is supporting anything but IMBs or IMSs. If you loose a Cat 862 Dolby will fix it for you but provides no spare during that time unless it is still under warranty. If you have a DSP-100 you are on your own.

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 02-28-2015, 03:09 PM:

Yes there is the Doremi DCP-2K4 is available with HDSDI. There are no plans to discontinue it at this time.

Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 02-28-2015, 04:28 PM:

I believe Qube still supports SDI

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 02-28-2015, 04:54 PM:

Coming soon to a D-Cinema projector near you... Metadata requirements!

There!

Mark

Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 03-01-2015, 11:33 PM:

If you have a series 1 projector with a "GORE" board or "GLUE CABLE"...it meets DCI requirements and will not be obsoleted by Hollywood. You are completely dependent on the hardware manufacturers to support your equipment from a service/support standpoint.

It won't be the movies that will stop you, it will be failing hardware with no replacement parts. The early series 1 projectors used EFIB boards...those will be the first to find a lack of parts. We'll see how long these projectors last. Thus far, we have at least one series 1 projector from 2004 still going we are up to 11-years of service and counting.

I think the series 2 projectors will fare much better due to the numbers of them out there. Practically the entire industry converted around the same time so almost all of the projectors out there are series 2s though there was definitely a big push after Avatar came out in the series 1 era...that was still in the 1-2 projectors per complex days. Starting in 2010, the trend was much more towards conversion of entire complexes rather than just getting 3D capability.

HFR isn't what will kill series 1s...it would appear that HFR is just about stillborn. Nobody really talks about it anymore and it definitely didn't boost sales in the Hobbit. We'll see how Avatar 2 goes in 60fps 3D. I'd rather they experiment with it for 2D, myself. But that is a different subject.

Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 03-02-2015, 09:38 AM:

I would rather they concentrate on making better movies that put butts in the seats

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 03-02-2015, 01:57 PM:

Oh I'm sure every projector "enhancement's" end goal is more butts in the seats.

Posted by Marin Zorica (Member # 1716) on 03-02-2015, 05:06 PM:

I think "problem" period will start after 10 year time of last produced series 1 of each brand. Since mostly 10 year is period where manufacturer needs to supply service parts, and i think after that period they will get rid of spare parts to force buying new projectors. It will not be end wright away, as many will stil work, but i think it will be time to concider new machine if you count money on spare part and new machine with warranty?