Updated Nov 18, 2010

ISDCF Chairman’s Status Report - November 2010     Jerry Pierce

This is a once-in-a-while summary of critical issues being discussed at ISDCF. This is not a substitute for meeting minutes and only presents the highlights from my perspective. These are my opinions and not a position of the committee. I hope this helps us focus on the big stuff and not get lost in the details.

1) SMPTE-DCP Plugfest and the transition to SMPTE-DCP

The goal was to upgrade all systems by April 2011 to support SMPTE-DCP content delivery. I don’t think we will meet this goal. I think we **might** have working systems in the Laboratory that can both produce and decode SMPTE-DCP in April, but I don’t see the roll out happening on a timeline to support full deployment by April 2011. (The original timeline called for 50% of the systems in the field to be upgraded to SMPTE-DCP by last month. We are at 0%)

To summarize: The primary advantages of moving to SMPTE-DCP –

1. 1. 1.It is called for in the DCI specification;
      

   2. 2.Move to standardized sound and picture track file (from an unstandardized version);
      

   3. 3.Subtitles are now standardized XML source format;
      

   4. 4.Audio Channel Assignment Labels allowing more efficient audio transmission and better support for HI / VI (hearing impaired and Visually impaired) audio tracks; and most important –
      

   5. 5.Closed caption support specified.
      

   6. 6.
      

2. While there are work-arounds to the problems of Interop-DCP, the move to SMPTE-DCP should encourage standardized delivery of all the necessary pieces for digital cinema.
   

That being said, the hardware vendors and the software providers are not being pressured by exhibition or distribution to move to SMPTE-DCP delivery. There are lots of requests for changes & enhancements in Digital Cinema, but SMPTE-DCP is not high on the list. So while we are making progress, it is slower than could be expected.

We held a plug-fest / demo in March and a follow up plug-fest in July. We had good participation and made good progress. The next step is to add more authoring facilities and more servers. We had a plug-fest scheduled for November, but due to facility availability this has become a “virtual” plug-fest and will be rescheduled (perhaps January?)

We are close to having successful playback of SMPTE-DCPs, but we have not tested enough authoring systems or playback systems to feel comfortable about a wide-scale field upgrade. ISDCF will continue providing structure to exercise SMPTE-DCP systems, but it will be up to exhibition/distributors to encourage the engineering resources to build/test/deploy systems in the field.

2) Closed and Open Captions

For lots of reasons, we need ways to support closed captions (rear window, glasses, cup-holder displays). The Interop-DCP was not really designed to carry closed captions, but has been modified to carry them. We need to move to the more standard SMPTE-DCP to carry closed captions in the right way, until then we need to have accepted practice described and codified for using Interop-DCP to carrying closed caption data. We need to educate all interested parties on how closed captions can and how CC is being delivered TODAY.

3) FIPS.

The DCI specification calls for compliance with selected portions of the FIPS 140-2 standard. The FIPS 140-2 standard is being changed and the way it is described in the DCI specification the specification MUST be changed - it can’t point to a standard that has been removed.

This has been described and discussed for the last 9 months. We still don’t have a solution proposed or discussed.

4) ETMx (TDL, FLM lists, and KDM Delivery)

Each company that distributes KDMs is keeping it’s own list of theaters, servers, and CERTs. Each theater that comes on-line or makes an upgrade/change needs to notify all the potential companies that may make a KDM for them. Right now this is painful and just plain bad business.

We had hoped that CCM (Cinema Communication Message) would be a solution that would provide a good solution for communication of this information. But CCM has not moved forward. A solution to part of this problem - distribution of FLM (facility lists) has been put forth as a ETMx - basically secure websites that can be used to distribute FLM information.

This is progressing well and seems to be well accepted. I encourage continued design and approaches to solving the other identified issues - in particular the email KDM delivery solution.

No longer on my list:

3D on-screen subtitles

A significant challenge to releasing a 3D movie today is the lack of in-server/in-projector generation of subtitles for 3D. This has moved forward in SMPTE and seems to be on a path to completion. (The expected implementation period is years away.)

Jerry Pierce, November 10, 2010

Current Big Topics:

1. •We have a recommendation for Interop-DCP audio assignments for 16-channel systems.  Please note that ISDCF recommendations are not standards. Latest pdf version: http://isdcf.com/papers/ISDCF-Doc4-Interop-audio-channel-recommendations.pdf
   

2. •Fox (Mike Radford) has offered to provide a test DCP package with closed caption information to exercise systems. They will provide both InteropDCP and SMPTE DCP versions. This should help confirm solutions to the Series 2 projector issue as well as the July plug fest. We have started an email discussion list. Please visit http://lists.isdcf.com/listinfo.cgi/flm-x-isdcf.com to join the list. (May 2010 update)
   

3. •Deployment of Series 2 projector based systems is experiencing problems in on-screen subtitles and captions. Solution is to create multiple DCP’s with burned in subtitles. Document will be created to inform theater owners, integrators of the problem and short term solution/long term solution. (Topic introduced May 2010) UPDATE: This document was distributed and is HERE.
   

4. •Federal Court ruling has been made for closed captions for hearing impaired and visually impaired sound track. We are watching and trying to interpret the ramifications of the ruling. (Posted in May 2010 folder)
   

5. •On-screen subtitles and captions for 3D presentations should be generated in the server/projector for efficient distribution of content. The standard is being discussed in SMPTE and will soon go to ballot. This is required before it could be deployed. We hope to see demos of the candidate approach sometime during the June SMPTE working meetings. (May 2010 discussion)
   

6. •The next Plug-Fest for SMPTE DCP will be held July 20 - probably at Technicolor. It will be somewhat ‘closed’ plug-fest for participants - servers, projectors, authoring houses, closed caption solutions - to test and debug working SMPTE DCP solutions in anticipation of roll out in April 2011. (March, April, May 2010 discussions) There will be a planning call Tuesday May 11 to discuss content and approach.
   

1. •Toy Story 3 is being distributed with two audio packages - one with a traditional 5.1 track and a second with the 7.1ds (discrete surround) track. The 7.1ds is a 16 channel version with the new channels on 11/12 with HIVI (if present) on both 7/8 and 15/16. (May 2010)
   

2. •A working group lead by Claudio is preparing a recommended practice for hard drive distribution of BOTH Interop-DCP and SMPTE-DCP packages. There are two approaches in the works - Multiple Top-level Directories and Dual Asset Maps. There seems to be leaning toward Multiple Top-Level Directories, but the group is working on further evaluation. Document is HERE. (May 2010)
   

3. •Methodology for “posting” of FLM information for an exhibitor or an integrator has been proposed by Mike Radford (Fox). Examples are posted at flm.foxpico.com user: isdcf pw: isdcf   Many at the ISDCF April and May 2010 meetings expressed support for this machine readable approach. (May 2010)
   

4. •FIPS-140 issues surrounding changes to the standard remains a concern for all - mainly manufacturers. DCI continues to work the issue, but has not yet discussed their approach to the industry. Many manufacturers offered help to DCI in evaluating their proposed approach. (March, April, May 2010)
   

5. •Measurement of 3D brightness does not have a recommended practice for either qualification of a screen or for a local theater owner to set levels. ISDCF has posted two general approaches for screen brightness measurement, but nothing specific to 3D. We will ask each 3D vendor (i.e. RealD and Dolby) to provide a recommended practice for their systems (March, April, May 2010)