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Topic: JVC Digital Film System

Martin McCaffery
Film God

Posts: 2481
From: Montgomery, AL
Registered: Jun 99

posted 06-17-2012 09:00 PM

Comments?

From their Press Release:

quote:
JVC PARTNERS WITH INDEPENDENT THEATRE ALLIANCE TO PROVIDE
‘CINEMA LIBRE’ SYSTEM AS 35MM PROJECTOR REPLACEMENT
WAYNE, NJ (June 12, 2012) – JVC Professional Products Company, a division of JVC Americas Corp., today announced it has partnered with the Independent Theatre Alliance (ITA) to offer the “Cinema Libre” digital cinema projection system for independent movie theater operators facing the end of 35mm film prints. The Cinema Libre system includes a JVC D-ILA projector that supports 4K precision coupled with a DCI-compliant server.
Bill Dever, ITA founder and president, said studio motion pictures are expected to only be available in digital format in the United States by the end of 2013, so independent theater owners have a limited time to convert 35mm operations. “This was an issue that had to be addressed. It will be a financial challenge for a lot of independent theater owners to implement a digital delivery system,” said Dever.The Cinema Libre system has been tested on a variety of screens and delivers thebrightness necessary for movie theater projection. “We evaluated several manufacturers, but we chose JVC because of cost, contrast, and ease of use,” Dever added. “Plus, we felt that JVC really grasped the challenges of independent operators today.”
"As far as clarity, color, resolution, and lack of pixelization, the JVC 4K projector blew away the competition,” said Buck Kolkmeyer, ITA co-founder and owner of Nova Cinemas, which has already purchased six Cinema Libre systems. "This could be a real game-changer for independent theaters that must convert to digital by the end of nextyear."
“Owners are facing a tight deadline for converting their independent film theaters to digital. The Cinema Libre system offers an affordable option that uses our D-ILA technology to deliver stunning images for moviegoers,” said John Havens, marketing manager, JVC Digital Systems Division. “We look forward to working with the ITA and keeping the tradition of neighborhood movie theaters alive.”
An association of independent theater owners and movie industry professionals, the ITA is an advocate for its members on a variety of issues. It represents close to 100 theater owners who have nearly 600 screens in theaters and drive-in locations across the country. The Cinema Libre system is available now and can be purchased through the ITA. For more information, visit www.ita-usa.com.

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Victor Liorentas
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 800
From: london ontario canada
Registered: May 2009

posted 06-17-2012 09:22 PM

While JVC may do a better job than Sony's SXRD,it is still a technology which pales in comparison to DLP in my opinion.
It may do better blacks in a darkened home theater but they likely have issues with heat on big screens.
I think future laser powered DLP units will render D-ILA ,SXRD and LCD pointless.

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Tony Bandiera Jr
Film God

Posts: 3067
From: Moreland Idaho
Registered: Apr 2004

posted 06-18-2012 12:35 AM

What Victor said. And even though JVC is a much better company in terms of support and service than the four-letter S word, I have my doubts that they will be around for the long haul. Independents cannot afford to play the technology catch-up games that plague certain companies.

And Cinema Libre? Really? [Roll Eyes]

Who the hell thought that one up?

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Gordon McLeod
Film God

Posts: 9532
From: Toronto Ontario Canada
Registered: Jun 99

posted 06-19-2012 10:20 PM

There was another company promoting a alternate projection system but i doubt they are dci compliant for security and encryption so i doubt main stream titles would play on them
Kodak at one point had partnered with JVC to attempt a dcinema projector

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Cameron Glendinning
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 845
From: West Ryde, Sydney, NSW Australia
Registered: Dec 2005

posted 06-20-2012 03:14 AM

I remember seeing several Hughs/JVC demo's in cinemas and at the SMPTE shows in the late 1990's. Extremely impressive at the time and the current home projectors are absolutely amazing, much better than my single chip DLP 1080p projector!

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Frank Angel
Film God

Posts: 5305
From: Brooklyn NY USA
Registered: Dec 1999

posted 06-20-2012 04:48 AM

This system is only good for "alternative" content and the occasional independent studio that releases on formats other than DCPs. The light output of the 4K JVC is designed for high end Home Theatres (if it is the same one I saw). It MIGHT be able to do justice in a smallish or medium size indoor (the JVC gives a beautiful image, but brightness for a commercial theatre with a normal size screen -- not enough light.

The thing is, this guy has been hawking this system to Drive-Ins! DRIVE-INS!! There are DI operators having a hard time finding money for conversion. Even if it could light a 70ft screen, how does it help them if they can't play first run Hollywood fare due to it's NON-DCI COMPLIANT? Not to mention again, its can't possibly be bright enough for those size screens and their chronic ambient light issues.

Even for the odd-ball indoor art house in those very specialize markets that may be able to stay afloat ONLY playing content that's available on bluray or even gawdawful DVD, if that is what they are going to play, then who needs this "integrator" crap or even a server for that matter? How does having a DCI compliant server help you if your projector is not? No studio is going to book a first run into that situation. So the theatre that shells out $$ for Cinema Libre will be in the same dire straits as he would be if he sticks with his a film projector -- same results -- he'll be unable to get product because no studio will deal with a non-compliant operation.

Maybe for the non-theatricals and art houses, this might be a good alternative if such an operation can actually survive playing stuff from the Met and Wagner's Parcifal that ran least weekend, but for a commercial operator, this is bogus.

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Cameron Glendinning
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 845
From: West Ryde, Sydney, NSW Australia
Registered: Dec 2005

posted 06-20-2012 07:30 AM

The servers are DCI compliant I think thats what the artical said, but it also said that JVC were low cost, A 5000 lumen projector which would be fine for a 25ft wide screen costs $150 000 according to the JVC site [Confused]

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Barry Floyd
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1079
From: Lebanon, Tennessee, USA
Registered: Mar 2000

posted 06-20-2012 08:58 AM

Here is a list of the Compliant equipment... no JVC or Cinema Nacho Libre system listed here.

Digital Cinema Initiatives - Compliant Equipment

COMPLIANT EQUIPMENT

Barco NV:
Barco Digital Projector DP2K-12C, 11Cx
Barco Digital Projector DP2K-15C
Barco Digital Projector DP2K-20C, 18Cx
Barco Digital Projector DP2K-19B
Barco Digital Projector DP2K-23B
Barco Digital Projector DP2K-32B
Barco Digital Projector DP4K-32B, 23B, 19B
(with 2K Link Decryptor)
Barco Digital Projector DCP 30 LX II, MX II, SX II
Barco Digital Projector DPC-80, DPC4K-80

Christie Digital:
Christie Digital Projector CP4230
with IMB-S2 4K Integrated Media Block
Christie Digital Projector CP4230, CP4220
(with 2K Link Decryptor)
Christie Digital Projector CP2210
Christie Digital Projector CP2220
Christie Digital Projector CP2230

Dolby Laboratories, Inc.:
Dolby Digital Cinema Server DSS200

Doremi Cinema:
Doremi Cinema Integrated Media Block ShowVault
Doremi Digital Cinema Server DCP-2000, -2000-NTS, -2K4, Montage CDCS 2000

GDC Technology (USA):
GDC Technology (USA), LLC
Digital Cinema Server GDC SA-2100A, SA-2100T, SA-2100AQ, SA-2100, SX-2001A,SX-2001T, SX-2001AQ
GDC Technology (USA), LLC
Digital Cinema Projector with Media Block SX-2000A, SX-2000, SX-2000T

NEC:
NEC Digital Projector NC3240S
NEC Digital Projector NC1200, 1200C+, 2000C, 2000C
NEC Digital Projector NC3200S

SONY:
SONY Digital Projector SRX-R220
SONY Digital Projector SRX-R320
SONY Digital Projector SRX-R320S

Qube Cinemas, Inc:
Qube Digital Cinema Server XP-D

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Frank Angel
Film God

Posts: 5305
From: Brooklyn NY USA
Registered: Dec 1999

posted 06-20-2012 11:10 AM

quote: Cameron Glendinning
The servers are DCI compliant I think thats what the artical said, but

BUT is right Cameron; the "but" is that the projector is NOT. And that was exactly my point -- what good does a DCI compliant server do you if you don't have a DCI compliant projector? As Barry's list shows -- the JVC 4K has gone missing from that list, and as we all know, no DCI impermatur on any piece of equipment in your chain, and Disney et al has PROMISED that you won't have to ever worry about getting movies from them. And the Cinema Libre guys were dancing around that fact in their initial promotions.

Saying this thing would be a good "stop gap" for DIs, which is how they were selling it, is a joke.

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Cameron Glendinning
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 845
From: West Ryde, Sydney, NSW Australia
Registered: Dec 2005

posted 06-21-2012 12:07 AM

5000 lumens would not be impressive on a drive in screen!

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Tony Bandiera Jr
Film God

Posts: 3067
From: Moreland Idaho
Registered: Apr 2004

posted 06-21-2012 07:09 PM

5000 lumens wouldn't be too impressive on many screens, even at home. [Big Grin]

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Carsten Kurz
Film God

Posts: 4340
From: Cologne, NRW, Germany
Registered: Aug 2009

posted 06-22-2012 06:20 AM

Sony just launched their new DCI system SRX-R515 with 4k, 15.000lumens and >1:5000 contrast ratio, with integrated RAID6 storage, 3D option, UPS, at around 45.000 Euro.

Wondering what the JVC Digital Film System will cost, any numbers known? As Non-DCI compliant, it doesn't make sense to throw more than maybe 10.000US$ on it. Strange you find no technical specs at all. I guess the projector is based on something like this:

http://pro.jvc.com/prof/attributes/features.jsp?model_id=MDL101929

Wow, $150,000 MSRP. How can that make sense in the quoted context?

5000lumes is certainly enough for small arthouse screens and could be attractive as a low cost solution. But what does it need to make them DCI compliant?

The new TI S2k chipset DCI projectors like NEC NC900C would be the better choice for any cinema with a need for low cost small screen DCI equipment.

- Carsten

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Mark Hajducki
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 500
From: Edinburgh, UK
Registered: May 2003

posted 06-22-2012 08:22 AM

DVI is the only input option for the JVC projectors according to their website. In order to work with a DCI compatible server the projector would need to be modified. Would there be any point upgrading the projector to work with DCI servers, without making it fully DCI compatible.

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Carsten Kurz
Film God

Posts: 4340
From: Cologne, NRW, Germany
Registered: Aug 2009

posted 06-22-2012 10:29 AM

I inquired at ITA-USA via email, and frankly, it sounds as if they do not know what they are talking about.

The cinema libre projector is quoted at around 8000US$. The attached picture shows one of JVCs home cinema projectors. While these are probably the best home cinema projectors, their brightness max out well below 2000 lumens.
Yet Cinema Libre quoted screen size is 35ft... Well.
Also, these are not 4k projectors, but FullHD 'e-shift' projectors, that is just a technology to minimize pixel-raster/interpolate to a 4k raster.

They say the projector yet has to be certified DCI compliant. Well...

They also say they are using a DCI compliant server. As no DCI compliant server has HDMI oder DVI outputs, I assume they are using something like a Qube XP-E or the like. However, XP-E can not even play J2k content, although would be able to play unencrypted MPEG-Interop. Maybe a Doremi postpro-player.
So, in the long run, this system would be able to play DCI spec'd DCPs, as long as they are unencrypted, or use their own certificate system. But they will never receive or play encrypted DCI mainstream content.

We have similar gear in some arthouse theatres in europe - and some smaller distributors actually distribute 'mainstream' content for them in either MPEG2/J2k unencryped or proprietary encrypted formats. But they are on the decline and more and more either phased out or being used as ad-players.

- Carsten

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System Notices
Forum Watchdog / Soup Nazi

Posts: 215

Registered: Apr 2004

posted 09-21-2013 06:59 AM

It has been 455 days since the last post.

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