Deluxe "eCinema" delivery service is coming in December

[Darin Steffl]

The Deluxe device is the same the Gofilex deploys over Europe. Some articles suggest that the underlying distribution system for these systems is the Gofilex software.

When I open the web gui of our server, it shows Gofilex which makes sense since Deluxe bought a majority share of them.

[Carsten Kurz]

The Deluxe device is the same as Gofilex deploys over Europe. Some articles suggest that the underlying distribution system for these systems is the Gofilex software.

[Frank Cox]

cinema_hardware_header.png

I guess the hard drives for the qnap unit are accessible from the front panel. The Cinesend unit has everything tucked away inside and it's just a black box with lights on the front and two network ports on the back.

It's got fans in it like nobody's business, though. When the projector isn't running it's the loudest thing in the projection room and man, does that thing move air!

[Jon Dent]

For everybody else getting one: apparently the instructions on what port goes to what is wrong, internet is supposed to be the RIGHT port when looking at the back.

[Greg McGuire]

[Frank Cox]

Someone post a picture of the Deluxe gadget. I wonder how it's different from the Cinesend unit that I have, which is a single 1U black box.

[Greg McGuire]

My server came yesterday and I just finished installing it. The hardest part far for me was rearranging what was already racked in my pedestal so I could place the machine on a flat surface as I can't install the rails due to not having rear mounts. But as soon as that was done it took less than 5 minutes to open the box, install it, plug it into ethernet, and then power it up.

I imagine the hardest part of this install is really going to be waiting for the techs to get back to me so I can get the test content. As Inigo Montoya would say, "I hate waiting."

[Darin Steffl]

Ours arrived yesterday and I'll be hooking it up today. So they haven't actually started loading them up yet?

Correct. No content is coming via ecinema yet but they said it's only weeks away. We were the first US cinema to install and activate the QNAP server they sent.

[Jon Dent]

Ours arrived yesterday and I'll be hooking it up today. So they haven't actually started loading them up yet?

[Darin Steffl]

Our machine’s supposed to be here tomorrow so our internet upgrade is happening today. I'm debating whether to plug it in myself or wait till our tech shows up.... he's coming for a PM visit shortly, but I'm not sure exactly when.

It's easy for anyone to do it really. They said they're not ready to start sending content yet as they're working out internal processes for the US cinemas with this new service. So it's coming soon but even with our box being the first installed/activated in the US, we're still getting hard drives until deluxe finishes their processes.

[Mike Blakesley]

Our machine’s supposed to be here tomorrow so our internet upgrade is happening today. I'm debating whether to plug it in myself or wait till our tech shows up.... he's coming for a PM visit shortly, but I'm not sure exactly when.

[Leo Enticknap]

Wow thats interesting. Them moving to a QNAP system. They must have made a Plugin for the QNAP NAS operating system.

That is what Dolby offers for the IMS3000 if you need more local storage than the 3 x 2.5" drive onboard RAID can provide (e.g. you're a single screen arthouse/post house/screening room/festival venue). You can see the status of the unit from the regular web UI, but I don't think you can manage content that way (though i haven't tried) - that is all handled from the IMS via the Dolby plugin.

[Darin Steffl]

We racked it and set it up. I had a little trouble with them being confused which ethernet port was for the MEDIA network and which was for INTERNET. They had us swap cables around 2 times until they got it right. The FTP server on the QNAP only runs on the MEDIA port so we followed their revised guidance and it didn't work. We switched cables between the ports and they changed something, then we were able to FTP in from our GDC. The INTERNET port goes to our normal LAN network with DHCP server on the router to get access to their network or CDN. Then the MEDIA port goes straight to our GDC SR-1000 for our single screen. If we add a second screen, we will add a switch from the QNAP and then hardwire both IMB servers to the switch as well.

They sent us test content and we were able to ingest it successfully to our GDC. I asked if we were the first Theatre to complete setup and they said we indeed are the first one to be enabled for eCinema. They said some but possibly not all features will come via this even though all previous conversations implied that ALL features would now come via eCinema. Maybe they don't have every studio in the US onboard yet for broadband delivery. I asked them for clarification on that as I was told all movies would come this way now.

Trailers are not yet available but that is coming.

[Mike Blakesley]

That's an easier setup than I thought it would be. No word from them about our unit, yet.

[Darin Steffl]

Wow thats interesting. Them moving to a QNAP system. They must have made a Plugin for the QNAP NAS operating system. Does it have any local web interface to monitor what on it in terms of administration of DCPs? If you log into the QNAP interface, and you see a Deluxe app running on it or something like that?

When you indicate DCP-disks cost you $40, does that include them paying for shipping the drives to/fom your location or is that still an extra you have to pay? But now with this is $25 (No physical needs) only going forward?

I don't have it powered on yet so I can't comment on any web interface. I'll see what I can find out. If I don't have access to a web interface, I'm hoping Deluxe has a dashboard or something that I can login and see the download progress or any errors. I'll ask them about that.

We pay $40 per HDD now and that includes ground or overnight shipping TO and FROM our location. It is $25 per feature download going forward with HDD as a backup in case the download doesn't complete within a 1-2 day window of them scheduling it.