Best DCP solution in 2018

[Mendes Nabil]

Hello all!

There are a lot of threads about "DCP's" already but the technology evolving insanely fast, i would like to know what is the best software to make a DCP at home in 2018?

EasyDCP ? OpenDCP ? FinalDCP ? Or something else maybe?

For a tiny "4mn / 13go" film,

Thank you!

 

[M Most]

DaVinci Resolve and Adobe Media Encoder both do this just fine, as long as you don't need encryption (and from your description, you don't).

 

[J. Van Auken]

I've sent out dozens of shorts and features to both festivals and for commercial theater runs, and I've never had a problem with a theater rejecting my DCP's from DCP-O-Matic. Lots of options, but the program doesn't hand hold. Definitely read the manual and forums!

 

[Blair S. Paulsen]

Hey Mike. Do you think we'll ever see DCPs used for distribution over IP? 250mb/s is hardly "lightweight" but with Gigabit connections coming to more urban areas every day... It already has an established DRM scheme that could potentially support "bomb" keys that expire at a set time to reduce piracy. I know JP2K is client side heavy, but these days I would assume you could build a dedicated co-processor box up to the task for less than a grand.

From the 1950's until recently, technical barriers like available bandwidth followed by tacit collusion limited delivered image/sound quality. But in 2018, merger mania, cord cutting and deep pocketed "new media" players slugging it out with the incumbents is a high stakes joust. An exclusive premium service based on a "commercial theater quality" pitch could be leveraged as a halo marketing differentiator. New displays could tout 99% of P3 as the latest "must have" to drive the replacement cycle (ala HDR).

I want to believe that the existential threat to established players presented by Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, YouTube and soon, Apple will incite a "quality war". Such a push would dovetail nicely with broadband providers upselling 100-1,000mb/s connections in the face of 5G wireless threatening their hegemony.

Cheers - #19

 

[M Most]

Hey Mike. Do you think we'll ever see DCPs used for distribution over IP? 250mb/s is hardly "lightweight" but with Gigabit connections coming to more urban areas every day... It already has an established DRM scheme that could potentially support "bomb" keys that expire at a set time to reduce piracy. I know JP2K is client side heavy, but these days I would assume you could build a dedicated co-processor box up to the task for less than a grand.

Simple answer: No. The DCP was purpose designed, its structure is intended to provide flexibility and security in one package for many distribution avenues. Streaming has completely different needs, as it is generally localized prior to transmission (if we can call it transmission) and optimized for specific connection paths. If you're talking about a "DCP-like" distribution format for streaming providers, that is already in place and used by the largest single streaming provider (IMF, which is a standard Netflix deliverable). And, yes, it is very much like the DCP as its original design was modeled after the DCP, but it is a delivery master package, not a live streaming source directly.

I want to believe that the existential threat to established players presented by Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, YouTube and soon, Apple will incite a "quality war". Such a push would dovetail nicely with broadband providers upselling 100-1,000mb/s connections in the face of 5G wireless threatening their hegemony.

I think you're giving far too much credit to the civilian viewing public, which as far as I've seen, has proven time and time again that quality doesn't really matter. You're also assuming that the vast majority of the streaming viewers are watching large screen monitors in a proper environment, which according to just about every study I've seen is not the case.

You're also overlookiing a reality (as of today) that could be a significant factor in all of this - the loss of net neutrality in the US. This has the potential of limiting all but the largest providers in terms of the bandwidth they can consume. So unless you're Comcast or AT&T, it's questionable that the bandwidth you're talking about will be available in the near future. The Netflixes, Disneys, and Apples of the world might be forced to become their own ISPs in order to maintain guaranteed bandwidth for their offerings, not a cheap or easy proposition. Either that or they'll need to subsidize the existing ISPs to get the bandwidth they need or want, passing that along to subscribers. Not a pretty picture.

 

[Blair S. Paulsen]

Just a dream...

Just a dream...

Thanx for the reality check. I was hoping that the situation might improve before my eyesight goes...

I agree that quality has not been an issue with the masses, that's why I was hoping it might hitch a ride on a marketing push.

Thanks for the note on the greater adoption of IMF masters as preferred deliverables.

At the end of the day, I can't let go of the desire to see image quality at home that's much closer to what I see in the color bay. Yes, I'm probably not going to win the lottery either ;-)

Cheers - #19

 

[Mendes Nabil]

Thanks for your answers all!

I just created a DCP with DCP-o-matic, i heard that a color conversion has to be done, does DCP-o-matic convert the color space automatically or do i have to follow a manual procedure?
How can i do that please?

I'm in a urge guys.. Thanks!

 

[J. Van Auken]

You do have to tell DoM what color space you're coming from, essentially. One the first page, there should be a color space conversion dropdown. You very likely colored and output in rec709, so just select that so DoM knows how to convert correctly, as DCP's use a standard XYZ color space.

 

[Antony Newman]

Broadcasters - like the BBC that use Hybrid_Log_Gamma might be holding back high quality distribution; HLG is a compromise that allows content not made for HDR to sort of play on HDR sets, and visa-vera. The average consumer will not realise what they are missing, will not buy a new (HDR) TV .. and so the BBC will probably keep pushing out HLG for the next decade.

Netflix on the other hand have built their backbone master files on UHD Dolby Vision. Netflix are working with content creators to catalyse them in production of the highest quality cut first (UHD HDR), and then tweak the DV metadata to create the non-HDR content. (Netflix are also eagerly awaiting the next version of DV meta data to ease this process).

With Netflix telling everyone that they need a 25Mb/sec connection - it might well be lighting a candle under the ISPs.
The Net Neutrality throttling war will not permanently impede high quality deliveries - it is more of a bubble that will allow unscrupulous ISPs to hold back smaller operators from being able to offer 25Mb/s without offering a cut of profits to the larger firms.

US download speed Jumped from 15Mbs -> 20Mbs last year. At the current (geometric) rate of increase - the average download speed in the US will be in the order of 25 - 30Mb/s within the next 12 months.

With Apple automatically replacing purchased HD with the UHD version where content is available - the future is looking bright (and hopefully Dolby Vision).

AJ