Barco A comparison of turnkey and standalone digital cinema projection setups Author Tom Bert Product Marketing Manager Barco Page 1 of 7
INTRODUCTION Since the introduction of digital projection in the cinema industry, the mix of equipment in the projection booth has evolved a lot. The sound setup was the first to digitize, long before we started talking about digital cinema. Then followed the playout server and the projector, and the theater management system soon after that. That first wave of expansion is now being followed by a wave of integration. The most visible example of such integration is the Integrated Media Block (IMB), which integrates the playout server with the projector. We expect this integration with other systems to only grow in the future. With the digital conversion reaching its completion, we see many integrated turnkey packages being offered on the market. A compact affordable projector as part of a turnkey system is especially attractive to smaller independent theaters. This whitepaper looks at the current (Q4 2012) status of integration opportunities: what building blocks exist; how compatible are they; what the benefits are; and so on. The goal is to help exhibitors make the best choice: what setup is best for me; what are the consequences of choosing one or the other TURNKEY SYSTEM vs. STANDALONE In the following paragraphs, we use some technical terminology to explain the details of the various setups. This comparison between turnkey and standalone systems is like choosing between an all-in holiday and an à la carte trip in which you choose your own hotel room, pay for each meal separately, etc. Neither option is necessarily better: each individual will have his or her own preference. Furthermore, there is no guarantee that one will provide a better time than the other you understand what we re getting at. The scope of integration at this moment contains 3 building blocks: Screen management system (SMS): this is the perscreen processing hub that makes sure that the right content is played at the right time. It also usually contains the user interface for the per-screen interaction with the content: play, stop, pause, The SMS can be complemented with the per-theater management system (TMS), but this is not a must. Media server: this is the actual playout device that transforms the stored content (DCP) into a stream of frames transmitted into the projector. It can be physically part of the SMS, or it can be integrated into the projector (IMB). We ll go more deeply into the differences between the two setups later. Digital cinema projector: the DC projector translates the bits and bytes from the media server into light onto the screen. In its most basic configuration, it has no Page 2 of 7
source of content inside. The integration that is currently happening is projector-centric and focuses on adding functionality to the projector, so that ultimately all you need is a power connection and you re ready to go. In a most recent integration step, SMS and IMB have been merged into a so-called Integrated Media Server (IMS): both content storage and playback are now on the same component, built into the projector. The two alternative configurations available use all these building blocks, but in a different setup: Integrated turnkey system: the theater owner buys all components from a single supplier. The configuration and installation are already partially done by the manufacturer in the factory. This can range from a simple build-in and some basic pre-configuration to a 100% preparation that is truly plug-and-play. The information exchange between the different components is totally transparent: all in-depth parameters are accessible to other system components. Not only service, but escalation as well, are managed by a single support team. Standalone setup: the theater owner buys the components from multiple vendors. The equipment is shipped from different sources, and configurations are made at installation in the field. The interfaces are standardized, the units are compatible, and the parameter exchange is limited to standard operational and service-related data. For security and commercial reasons, manufacturers don t give third parties 100% access to their equipment. The theater owner can mix and match different brands to meet his specific requirements for each component: e.g. projector with lowest TCO; SMS with most advanced user interface; IMB with most advanced connector type; etc. Field service is typically done by a single partner; escalation branches off to the different suppliers. As in our holiday-comparison above, there is no single best solution. Depending on your personal preference and the dynamics of the market you re active in, both setups have their advantages. From a theater owner s viewpoint, these are some of the potential benefits of having an integrated turnkey system: Reduced installation time: since the manufacturer can do some of the configuration, on-site activities are reduced. Reduced service time: faster troubleshooting and root-cause analysis (no finger-pointing among suppliers). Page 3 of 7
Investment cost benefit: suppliers are likely to offer a package price that is lower than the sum of the component prices. Increased usability: one user interface to interact with all components of the system makes it faster to switch between tasks. This also reduces training time. Guaranteed software and hardware compatibility: the system is 100% compatible from the start, and components are upgraded in sync. Potential benefits of having a standalone setup: Best of both worlds: possible to choose highest priority parameters (TCO, ease-of-use, ) separately for each component. Tune investment cost to screen mix: possible to adapt the product mix to your screen mix (e.g. IMB only on 4K screens, ). Flexible rollout and upgrade of installed base: possible to add certain features or components in a later stage (e.g., if you change location); possible to switch only certain components and keep others; It is important to note that these are potential benefits : much depends on how the manufacturers implement the product (turnkey or standalone) and on how the theater owner deploys and uses it. For example, regarding potentially reduced service time: this benefit is realized only when the system is designed to be reliable, easy-to-service, stable, etc. A well-designed, highly reliable projector used in a standalone setup will still be easier and quicker to service than a turnkey system that is unreliable and difficult to service. It is also important to understand that a turnkey system does not exclude the possibility of adding external components (automation, NOC, TMS, ) that are not integrated. A welldeveloped setup is complete but still based on an open platform which guarantees full compatibility. It is also important to know that the above list of key parameters is not exhaustive. There are many more parameters to consider when investing in digital cinema equipment (see our other white paper [1]). Consider the cost aspect, for example: it is important to calculate the total cost of ownership (TCO) for the full lifetime of the complete installation. It might be tempting to buy a turnkey system that costs 1000 less than a comparable standalone setup; but you ll be less enthusiastic when you discover that the turnkey system will cost you 5000 more for bulbs every year. Next to the differentiating features, there are some common features that are important for any system, turnkey or standalone. Here are some of the features that are most relevant to evolving to greater integration (for a more complete list, see our other white paper [1]): Page 4 of 7
DCI compliance: this might seem to be a no-brainer that your equipment should be DCI compliant to provide the image quality and content handling that digital cinema requires. However, as new products and combinations are being developed, the list of DCI compliant equipment is constantly changing. Be sure to verify that the system you are considering is compliant [2]. Completeness: do you have everything you need to run your cinema? Are the different building blocks compatible and able to do the job? Some suppliers offer what looks like a turnkey package, but in practice one or more components are missing. In that case, you re on your own to find, install and service those components. For example, peripheral components such as storage might seem less important, but they can literally be show-stoppers when not matched to the rest of your setup. Support for different formats: digital cinema content does not exist in a single shape and form. With regard to resolution, there are 2K and 4K (more info here [3]); in addition, extensions to the historic 24fps frame rate standard are being developed and deployed. Take these alternatives into account when selecting your equipment. You might not need all of them (e.g. 4K on a small screen). Or worse, you might buy a system or component that doesn t support the feature you need (e.g. high frame rate 3D is only possible with IMB). Service and after-sales support: the differences in (escalated) service between a turnkey system (single point-of-contact) and a standalone setup (branched escalation) are described above. Make sure that your supplier is also a good partner in these service-related aspects. Does the supplier have the local representation, partners and expertise to support you (now and in the future)? Conclusion: turnkey system or standalone setup it all boils down to how the manufacturer(s) implement the different core components. Of course, much also depends on the theater owner s profile and the market/region where he is active. We ll discuss this in the following section. MATCH BETWEEN USER PROFILE AND TECHNOLOGY In the previous section, we gave some guidance on which features and benefits to consider. In this section, we ll give some general guidance on the match with different exhibitor profiles. However, this is general guidance: your priorities might differ from those of the average theater owner. A typical user profile that matches with a turnkey system has the following properties: Page 5 of 7
Looking for ease-of-mind when installing and running the projection setup: either because of a lack of bandwidth or in-depth technical expertise, some exhibitors want to play it safe and choose a plug-andplay setup. Need to quickly convert from analog to digital (and therefore looking for fastest installation time): installation and deployment can be done more quickly when using integrated setups. Smaller company size, more dependent on external maintenance services: a single-source service and escalation for the complete projection booth can simplify service and maintenance management. As mentioned above, this also depends on the match between the supplier and your profile or market. If the supplier of your turnkey system is not active in your market and/or does not speak your language, then your efforts to select the setup that best matches your profile are wasted. Note that a standalone setup can also bring these advantages. When the various components are purchased from a one-stopshop supplier, they don t have to be physically and technically integrated per se to still provide (some of) these advantages. A typical user profile that matches with a standalone setup has the following properties: Developed background in digital cinema to select the preferred mix: when you have studied the different brands and have had hands-on experience with the different designs, you know how to combine components. Larger chain with different screens and cinemas: makes it possible to make maximum use of local and regional spread, diversification across technologies, etc. Experienced in-house staff: well-trained staff with technical backgrounds who are able to install, operate and service the different components and their configuration. Once again, the profile of the service partner is very important. An experienced local partner can be so adept at integration that all the complexities of a standalone setup disappear. When selecting your system, also determine: what steps the partner will handle; what steps you will handle; what his response time is, and so on WHAT THE FUTURE BRINGS One of the promises of cinema digitization is more efficient and fluid theater operation and management. The integration we Page 6 of 7
describe in this white paper helps realize this promise, but it is limited to the projection booth. We expect this integration to expand throughout the entire theater. Here are two examples that can apply to every theater: Integration between projection booth and POS: one minute before the movie ends, the projection booth setup sends an automatic trigger to the staff scheduling system for someone to open the exit doors. Integration between projection booth and lobby: all the advertisement content that is received for preshow is automatically shown on lobby screens as well expanding audience coverage and advertising revenue. These basic examples are ready to be deployed today, and Barco has the abilities to do so. More creative examples are limited only by your imagination. REFERENCES [1] What to look for when buying a digital cinema projector? 10 golden rules to remember. Downloadable at www.barco.com [2] http://www.dcimovies.com/ [3] 4K resolution: more than meets the eye. Downloadable at www.barco.com Page 7 of 7