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This topic comprises 2 pages: 1 2
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Author
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Topic: Which Servers Support which 3D Systems?
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Julio Roberto
Jedi Master Film Handler
Posts: 938
From: Madrid, Madrid, Spain
Registered: Oct 2008
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posted 04-23-2009 03:49 AM
All can output 3D, meaning they all "work" with all systems. But the Dolby system needs an additional step of color correction, so it will only look (and work) correctly if a server supports the correction (like Dolby's, Doremi's, Xdc's).
For RealD, to help it fight the ghosting (double images), an additional step of constrast reduction is recommended. Until now, the film studios were sending out two copìes of their 3D films, one ghostbusted to help RealD with their limitations, and another non-ghostbusted to allow maximun quality for other systems (i.e. Imax or Dolby).
You could, of course, also use the ghostbusted version with Dolby or whatever, but you were losing quality unnecessarily, as those other systems have better crosstalk performance (less ghosting) to begin with.
Since distributors didn't want to have to carry two different versions of their film (ghost and non-ghostbusted), RealD has been asking politely lately for server manufacturers to implement it real-time in their servers. And a few already do.
quote:
GDC Technology (GDC), a world leading digital cinema solution provider, and RealD, the global leader in 3D cinema technology, are pleased to announce the completion of integration of RealD's 3D EQ (aka 'ghostbuster') technology in GDC's line of SA-2100 digital cinema servers.
RealD's 3D EQ technology augments the separation of the left and right eye images, providing the best 3D visual experience. In the past, this unique process was incorporated into the master print by the studios; GDC's new server incorporates 3D EQ technology into the digital cinema server and therefore abridges the distribution process without sacrificing the optimal 3D visual experience. GDC licensed RealD's 3D EQ in January 2009 and completed the integration of RealD's proprietary 3D EQ technology into GDC's SA-2100 digital cinema server in less than 3 months. GDC's servers were also validated by RealD's laboratory ensuring a single 3D DCP format can be used without making a different DCP for RealD's 3D equipped cinemas for optimal 3D visual experience. GDC has decided that all existing GDC SA-2100 line of servers will get RealD's 3D EQ feature in the next software upgrade, and servers shipped from May 1st 2009 will have this feature built-in. It is expected that GDC's server with 3D EQ will significantly save the movie distributors millions of dollars by adopting DCI requirement of a single 3D DCP format for digital cinema distribution.
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Frank Angel
Film God
Posts: 5305
From: Brooklyn NY USA
Registered: Dec 1999
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posted 04-24-2009 02:21 AM
So at this point, are ALL servers and related equipment finally, 100% "FULLY" DCI compliant? Or are some pieces of equipment still, what, partially DCI compliant? as per Disney's memo awhile back? Who knew when the exhibitors who got on board the studio's digital push and committed to those early digital installs, ripping out their already bought and paid for 35mm film equipment, that some of what they installed was DCI compliant and some was, well, how shall we say, not quite there yet. Studios who were rabid about how exibs should get with the digital program, then turned around and declared that they wouldn't book digital product based of just how compliant or not the equipment was - 70%, 90%...pick a number. That must have been quite a nasty surprise, for those exhibs who thought they had installed equipement that would actually play digital prints, eh? Leave it to Disney to point that out that it wouldn't.
How come there were no lawsuits come out of this misstep?
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Julio Roberto
Jedi Master Film Handler
Posts: 938
From: Madrid, Madrid, Spain
Registered: Oct 2008
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posted 04-24-2009 04:20 AM
I don't know for sure, but it's my understanding and opinion that NO product in the market (no projector or server) is actually fully DCI compliant. Perhaps Sony's projector/server combo is, or the aforementioned GDC server, but even then, I'm not sure at all, and probably they are close but not there either.
It is also my believe that it will take a SIGNIFICANT cost, perhaps even FULL replacement, to bring most if not all these equipments to compliance.
The problem with full compliance is not on capabilities, etc. Those are already there or even exceeded.
The problem is with the security aspect of the design. DCI mandates "absurdely" (and VERY expensive) security (i.e. anti-piracy) standards that your average computer or projector manufacturer can not implement off-the-shelf, and thus, must be undertaken as new development by suppliers.
I think manufacturers are seriously understimating how much it's going to take to have a projector (and even a server to a lesser extend) to pass independent fips 140-3 certification. It's not to replace a (say) $8000 board with another $8000 board. That's wishful thinking on their side and only the first baby step.
That's because virtually nobody outside the CIA is so paranoid about secrecy as Hollywood ![[Roll Eyes]](rolleyes.gif)
DCI will probably tolerate FIPS 140-2 for a long time, as full compliance with their intended standards is pbbly a year off for most products and at a cost I don't think anybody in the industry wants to hear.
Once again, one way or another, we'll all be paying dearly for Hollywood sleeping tight that their precious films won't be pirated ... until the morning the movie opens in a theater with a kid and a video-camera or the day before it's released on blu-ray. Foreinsics isn't going to do anything at all if the kid is russian or chinese.
[ 04-24-2009, 11:21 AM: Message edited by: Julio Roberto ]
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Julio Roberto
Jedi Master Film Handler
Posts: 938
From: Madrid, Madrid, Spain
Registered: Oct 2008
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posted 04-29-2009 03:07 PM
Wait a second.
What does DCI want?
FIPS 140-2, for which Dolby has level 3 since 2007...
http://www.dolby.com/uploadedFiles/zz-_Shared_Assets/English_PDFs/Professional/140crt842.pdf
or FIPS 140-3, for which I don't think any server or projector complies (and the standard is not even finished)?
http://www.dcimovies.com/FIPS-Informative-Announcement-March-2009.pdf
Anyway. Dolby seems to be the first server with FIPS 140-2 level 3. There are other servers with FIPS 140-2 level 2 and 3 as well, I believe. I don't think any are yet FIPS 140-3, as the standard is still an unfinished draft:
http://csrc.nist.gov/publications/fips/fips140-3/fips1403Draft.pdf
Regardless, Dolby seems to be the first one there or pretty close. But this news is like 2 years old.
quote:
After many months of testing and analysis by independent laboratories, the Dolby Digital Cinema system, currently installed in over 400 screens worldwide, has received FIPS Level 3 security certification from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). FIPS Level 3 certification is a Digital Cinema Initiatives (DCI) requirement for digital cinema servers, ensuring the highest level of antipiracy protection for the digital movie when it is processed inside the unit. In fact, due to the specialist design and manufacturing methods required, FIPS Level 3 is one of the toughest DCI requirements for server manufacturers to meet.
FIPS certification was awarded by NIST after InfoGard, an accredited independent laboratory, completed its analysis of the Dolby Digital Cinema system and found that it met the criteria for FIPS Level 3. InfoGard performed extensive analysis of the design and construction of the unit that included attempts to physically break into the unit and steal the information inside. The FIPS Level 3 certification applies to all Dolby Digital Cinema server hardware currently installed across the globe and provides a software upgrade path to full DCI compliance.
“We’re thrilled to be the first company to announce that our digital cinema server is in line for FIPS Level 3 certification,” said Tim Partridge, Executive Vice President, Products and Technology Dolby Laboratories. “We have worked very hard to achieve this milestone for DCI compatibility.”
FIPS Level 3 is one of the toughest DCI requirements for server manufacturers to meet.
“We’re thrilled to be the first company to announce that our digital cinema server is in line for FIPS Level 3 certification,” said Tim Partridge, Executive Vice President, Products and Technology, Dolby Laboratories. “We have worked very hard to achieve this milestone for DCI compatibility.
Now, after all that, this sentence from the press release makes me a bit worried:
quote:
The FIPS Level 3 certification applies to all Dolby Digital Cinema server hardware currently installed across the globe and provides a software upgrade path to full DCI compliance.
I think it sort of says that it is still not fully DCI-compliant (but they should be able to fix it in software)?
Also, my mistake.
I thought DCI was talking about full FIPS 140-3 compliance, but I now see it seems they are happy with FIPS 140-3 level 3. So that's far cheaper than what I was talking about (which was full 140-3 compliance, including up to level 4 & 5). My mistake for confusing 140 Level 3 thinking it meant full 140-3, instead of 140-3 level 3.
Depending on what they did, no big deal going from 140-2 level 3 to 140-3 level 3, so I guess Dolby will be alright in the future without major modifications. Just a wild guess.
We'll see how this all goes by year's end when the standard clears up and the compliance tests begin.
Also, servers are easier to make compliant than projectors.
Short answer: nothing is really DCI compliant until next year, I don't think. But some may be w/o a lot of cost and some may never quite be, I have the bad feeling. Seems DCI is happy with FIPS-3 Level 3, so not all that expensive. Hollywood would probably pretend they are all ok and don't do anything until the life cycle of current equipment ends say 10 years from now. After all, FIPS-2 level 2 is enough security and I think all/most equipment comply with that right now.
[ 04-29-2009, 05:30 PM: Message edited by: Julio Roberto ]
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