ALPHA Release, dcp-cine-player, Linux full cinema grade player, Cinema, PostHouse etc

[James Gardiner]

Alpha testers wanted: DCP Cine Player

Hi everyone,

I’ve been working on a new DCP playback tool called DCP Cine Player, and I’m looking for people who would be interested in trying the alpha release and providing some honest feedback:

https://admin.d-cine.net/s1/dcp-cine-player/

The player has been designed to be efficient and should run on nearly any reasonably modern computer. However, reliable full-resolution DCP playback will still require sufficiently powerful hardware, particularly for more demanding content.

This is an early alpha release, and I’ve included just about every feature I could think of. I’m not yet convinced that all of them need to remain, so feedback on the feature set would be especially useful.

I’d be interested to hear about:

Playback performance and reliability
Compatibility with different DCPs and computer configurations
Features that are useful, confusing or unnecessary
Bugs, usability issues and anything that feels incomplete
Features you think are missing

As this is alpha software, please don’t rely on it for critical or public playback without carrying out your own checks.

Please let me know if you give it a try. Any feedback—positive or negative—would be greatly appreciated.

[Marcel Birgelen]

Interesting product. Do you also support Debian or just Ubuntu for now? Will give it a try this weekend on a machine with an BMD SDI decklink card in it.

[James Gardiner]

The BMD SDI implementation is not yet complete. I’ve only recently acquired a 4K Pro PCIe card, so I still need to verify that it installs correctly, is recognised properly, and works as expected. The driver installation and configuration process also needs to be fully documented.

Debian is fairly close to Ubuntu, but I wanted to focus on a widely used distribution with a common GUI environment. This should make it easier to get the application working reliably without having to support a wide range of possible desktop configurations.

I also use Ubuntu extensively myself and, in my experience, have found it reliable and robust, particularly on the GUI side. I understand that Debian follows a slower release cadence and is generally regarded as the more conservative and stable option.

I’m also looking forward to Linux kernel 7.1 and later releases, which are expected to bring significant performance improvements in a number of areas. The Linux kernel has improved enormously in recent years—more than I would have imagined—particularly in memory management, security, and the handling of systems with large numbers of CPU cores of varying capabilities.

I’m unlikely to take another deep dive into the code for a few weeks, as I have other commitments. However, if you do install it, keep an eye on Config → Upgrade, as new versions will appear there as I publish them.

I recommend sticking to versions marked as Release rather than Beta.

I will also admit, the encryption decode has been tested in early development, but I have not tested it in the full implementation. If it worked I would be surprised. I expext it will need refining. How I store DCPs and KDMs and all marrage it up was a bit thrown together quicly and not completely thougth through. So it may need some re-engineering.

The kernel level HDCP implementation, I am leaving until the tools is generally more refined. And you would need specific graphics cards etc. I don;t expect people to be going out to buy the required kit. Though it shouldn't be difficult. A not to recent AMD card is the initial taget, (As theys whats in my computer)

[Frank Cox]

What capabilities does this bring to the table that the DCPoMatic player doesn't have?

[James Gardiner]

DCP-o-matic is primarily a player and is not designed as a complete system for cinema exhibition.

This platform is intended to provide the functionality expected from a DCI-grade cinema server, including a web-based interface, automation queues, triggers, scheduling, and an API that enables control through a Theatre Management System (TMS). It also uses Kakadu decoding to deliver faster, more reliable, and more consistent DCP playback.

In effect, it turns a standard computer into a dedicated cinema-player appliance. DCP-o-matic does not currently provide this level of functionality. I have been discussing this direction with Carl for some time, but as he was too busy to pursue it, I decided to develop it myself.

The platform also supports MP4, MKV, and MOV files, as well as live-event streams for applications such as esports and alternative event content. All content can be scheduled and programmed through the same interface. Please ensure that these functions are included in your testing.

The tool has been designed to provide the seamless and automated experience users expect from Dolby, Barco, and GDC cinema servers, while remaining entirely software-based and suitable for alternative markets.

Potential applications include secure, encrypted-at-rest media environments, post-production facilities, museums, proprietary media displays, and eCinema deployments in lower-income regions.

It could also be used as a dedicated trailer player for Tier 1 exhibitors wishing to take advantage of their existing DCP trailers for foyer and lobby displays.

I can see many other niche applications for this platform, particularly at this price point.

[Frank Cox]

Very cool, particularly considering the price tags that GDC et al put on their cinema servers.

Since you're trying to position this as a sort-of appliance, you might want to support the longest-term Linux distributions that you can manage. Perhaps you could also look into creating an appimage of this thing so it could be a "run on anything" program.