FCS and DCI JPEG2000?

[Robert Kurhajetz]

Due to an upcoming requirement we have in feeding a Sony SXRD Projector with a Sony LMT-100 server we are checking to see what methods we can use to create a DCI JPEG2000 2k package from the Final Cut Studio v2 app? The configuration of Sony projector and server we have requires the DCI JPEG2000 content.

thanks in advance for any insight / inspired wisdom / clever thoughts...

 

[dtatut@chrome-imaging.com]

well, depends a lot on what you intend to do.... have you had a look at http://www.dcimovies.com/ ? The DCI recommendations are there. The document may help you understand the principles and maybe limit the scope of what you want to do. Mastering is one thing, distribution is another....

 

[REDHKSC]

THE DCI standard may not be applied to CHINA and I learned that they have their own CDCI standard to be developed soon.

Stewart
HKG - CHINA

 

[Lucas Wilson]

THE DCI standard may not be applied to CHINA and I learned that they have their own CDCI standard to be developed soon.

Stewart
HKG - CHINA

Stewart,

The State Administration of Radio, Film, and Television (www.crifst.com) has very heavily invested in DCI technology for viewing and distribution. In addition, major facilities in Beijing such as Hualong and Technicolor are also heavily tied to existing DCI distribution.

DCI theatrical implementation in China is already happening and becoming more widespread. I don't see designing and implementing an entirely new digital cinema spec after such a large initial investment by the State authority making any sense.

Cheers,

Lucas
-----
ASSIMILATE, inc.
LA, CA, USA

 

[Scott M]

Using the above linked DCI specs, I would try using Final Cut's Quicktime conversion to export a .jp2 image sequence.

 

[Chris Kenny]

Using the above linked DCI specs, I would try using Final Cut's Quicktime conversion to export a .jp2 image sequence.

Good luck getting those JPEGs in the appropriate XYZ color space.

As far as I'm aware, producing DCI-spec material on a desktop computer using off-the-shelf software isn't really possible at the moment.

 

[M Most]

Using the above linked DCI specs, I would try using Final Cut's Quicktime conversion to export a .jp2 image sequence.

That will not accomplish what's needed. The DCI spec involves a lot more than just Jpeg2000 compression. The images that are used must be color corrrected for proper projection in P3 colorspace, with a 2.6 effective gamma, properly sized according to the spec, packaged along with other files such as a composition play list and a packing list (both very specifically formatted XML files), formatted into reels and properly synched with properly formatted audio files that are also in the package, and you really need to have a digital cinema server and DCI projector available in order to check what you create... In other words, if you don't understand everything I just said, you shouldn't even begin to attempt to create a digital cinema package. Contact companies that do this and ask them what they need.

Just because you can do something doesn't mean you should. Especially when you lack the experience and knowledge to do it properly.

 

[Scott M]

...properly sized according to the spec, packaged along with other files such as a composition play list and a packing list (both very specifically formatted XML files), formatted into reels and properly synched with properly formatted audio files that are also in the package

Just out of curiousity, taking into account the DCI "package" for a finished film to be played back within standards and under a protected encryption. Could you not also elect to use a DCI spec projector to playback a file that was not a complete DCI package but met the resolution/color space standards?

 

[John Tissavary]

Many of the projectors I've come accross (Christie, Barco) also accept other inputs, including DVI and HD-SDI, with HDCAM being a very common playback mechanism at festivals and such.

I suggest a phone call or visit to a post facility that can produce a proper DCP - you never know, they might be able to serve your needs affordably, or at least come away with a little more knowledge of what you are faced with.


cheers,

john t.

 

[Chase Gordon]

I did a lot of investigation into making a DCP of my movie and here's what I came up with:

Getting a DCP made that will play anywhere is still an art, in that all the equipment is new and things don't always work as advertised (I'm sure that's a familiar concept to anyone using the RED camera). Lost of players do not fully comply with the spec. So although you could make your own DCP using a combination of Scratch, After Effects, and the open source ASDCPlib, assuming you want to forgo encryption and key management, you would be taking a big risk. There are plenty of gotchas lurking.

You really need to go to a professional post house if you want to have confidence that it works. I'm attaching [edit: would have attached, but the forum would not let me because of the size] the delivery requirements for Technicolor in Burbank. Dolby Labs in Burbank also makes DCPs and both offer delivery services and key management. Laser Pacific in Hollywood does it to. They have different pricing structures so check them all out. Ballpark for my 20 minute movie was $1,500, though that does not mean your 20 x 6 = 120 minute movie will cost $1,500 x 6 = $9,000. A certain amount of that price is fixed overhead per project. Dolby seemed to be better for short projects, Technicolor for longer ones, but I didn't follow through so I can't say for sure.


Back to the DYI method, you can use After Effects to convert your source, whether it be DPX files or QuickTime out of FCP, to something in the right color space. You can make the TIFF files in DCI - P3 color space for Technicolor or already converted to the required DCDM color space. You can also do JPEG2000 compression, but my understanding (and here I'm not as certain) is that the DCDM requires TIFF files with JPEG200 compressed content (instead of, say, LZW compressed content). There are lots of other requirements for the TIFF files. You need something specialized to create these files.

Then, once you have the DCDM, you are still not finished. There's a whole other packaging step, complex and specialized, to the point where you just need to get the experts on it.

Qube has some lower-cost mastering systems available that might suit your needs. I think their cheapest one is $3,000.


Oh, and one other thing to keep in mind: Digital Cinema is at 24fps. You have to pull up your sound from 23.976 to 24fps either 48kbps or 96kbps, and 24 bit to be safe.


For further information, you can find links to pretty much every resource you need for DCI herehttp://www.itbroadcastanddigitalcinema.com/dcinema_links.html:

http://www.itbroadcastanddigitalcinema.com/dcinema_links.html


Oh, and John is right. The projector probably has a DVI or HD-SDI interface. You'll save gobs of effort using those instead of making a DCP.