Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: DCP-O-Matic sound

This is topic DCP-O-Matic sound in forum Digital Cinema Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

To visit this topic, use this URL:
https://ft-forum.com/ft/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=16;t=003138

Posted by Dave Bird (Member # 490) on 10-12-2017, 07:34 PM:

I think I've managed to convert an MP4 of my daughter's into a DCP using DCP-O-Matic, but, is there supposed to be sound playing in that program? There doesn't seem to be a player to test the file, what is the best/most reasonable way to see if I have anything capable of putting on screen? Of course if we weren't an outdoor, I suppose I could try during the day....

Posted by Carsten Kurz (Member # 5396) on 10-12-2017, 08:20 PM:

Check the current test version. It plays sound, and there is a (basic) standalone player. There are also some other players available, but for a fully featured one, you need to shell out some money (there are a number of free demo players with more or less practical limitations). For basic testing, you can simply load the DCP you created right into DCP-o-matic. Yes, DCP is one of the supported input formats...

- Carsten

Posted by Dave Bird (Member # 490) on 10-13-2017, 08:23 AM:

Thanks Carsten. I seem to have created something there, it's fairly intuitive in that way. After I transcode and save, I'm able to locate 2 large "VLC" files (.mxf). The smaller contains my audio, the larger one I assume is video, though the VLC media player is just a black screen while it plays. Wondering what I've missed.

Posted by Marcel Birgelen (Member # 6801) on 10-13-2017, 09:40 AM:

Don't use VLC to try to play DCPs. Even though VLC might have attached itself to some of the file extensions inside the DCP, it's not a suitable player. (While technically, VLC might support unencrypted DCP playback in later releases, it's riddled with issues, primarily performance wise.)

Use something like NeoDCP to test your DCPs, if you're not able to play them on a proper DCI machine.

Posted by Carsten Kurz (Member # 5396) on 10-13-2017, 02:09 PM:

Dave - what type of machine/OS do you use?

The 'black screen' with video mxf makes me think you are working on a Mac.

As I wrote, try the standalone DCP-o-matic player in the current DOM test package (2.11.26). Or load your DCP into a new DCP-o-matic project.

The VLC team is working on DCP support for a while now, but it is not yet usable, except for some exotic tasks.

- Carsten

Posted by Dave Bird (Member # 490) on 10-13-2017, 02:48 PM:

Windows 10....but it doesn't seem to like the test version, keeps rejecting a bunch of "dll" files. I'm tempted to just load what's there on a thumb drive and see if it plays tonight...

Posted by Leslie Hartmier (Member # 7053) on 10-13-2017, 03:19 PM:

Try Stereoscopic Player from 3dtv.at. Without the license, it will show content for 5 minutes at a time, and you can test the audio/video at least. Be sure to set it to monoscopic when you do, or the colours will look horrible.

I will point out that I use Windows 10, and the viewer worked fine for me, and I had no issues installing it.

Leslie

Posted by Dave Bird (Member # 490) on 10-13-2017, 03:24 PM:

When DCP's are ingested, do they consist of separate audio & video ".mxp" files that play simultaneously?

Posted by Leslie Hartmier (Member # 7053) on 10-13-2017, 04:56 PM:

There are a fair number of files that are involved in DCPs (it's a package of files - Digital Cinema Package = DCP), one .MXF for audio, one .MXF for video, one .XML file that lists all files included in the DCP called the ASSETMAP, one .XML file that defines the playback order during operation called the composition playlist file, one .XML file that is used to verify if the data is corrupted or tampered with called the PKL (Packing Key List), and one .XML file that defines the volume order in the series if the DCP is stored on multiple hard drives/USB drives called the VOLINDEX.

To answer your question, yes, they do consist of separate audio and video files (.MXFs, not .MXPs (although just because I've never seen an .MXP doesn't mean you might not also be right)) that play simultaneously, although there are additional files besides those two (and more than those as well, but those are the most common for the sake of this discussion, although if encrypted, there is also an .XML file called the KDM that allows the content to be run) that makes running them possible on a digital cinema device.

Hope that helps, and yes, to all of you pedantic people, I simplified it, but it's accurate, so slow down.

Leslie

Posted by Carsten Kurz (Member # 5396) on 10-13-2017, 05:01 PM:

DCPs are ingested with all the files that you find in the folder carrying the name of the DCP you created. Typically, for the most basic DCP, these are 6 files, volumeid, packing list, assetmap, CPL, and video/audio MXFs. Software/desktop players are usually able to play the bare MXFs, but DCI servers will need to ingest the whole package in order to play it.

After you created your DCP in DCP-o-matic, choose 'Show DCP' from the menu, and you will see just the DCP folder highlighted - ignore all the rest of the neighboring files/folders, copy just that highlighted folder to your USB stick. Make sure the stick is in NTFS format, since FAT32 will only allow to store very short pieces - not more than a typical trailer, e.g. 2-4 minutes.

If you are on windows, you have some more choices of players. But for a basic check of the DCP you just created, DCP-o-matic itself is enough.

You will probably notice the audio in your DCP as being to loud when you play it at your drive in at standard setting, that's a typical issue for beginners. You can bring it down in DCP-o-matic. I suggest you start reading the manual from DOMs website's help section .

- Carsten