DCPDigital Cinema








We make DCP authoring and copies under DCI and SMPTE standards. 2K and 4K DCPs of conventional image or stereoscopic 3D with 5.1, 7.1 and Dolby Atmos multichannel sound. We create authorship with and without encryption in addition to managing copies with KDM.

Our service maintains a quality/price ratio of the highest in the market. We do not simply do the conversion, but rather we analyze the original material and apply the necessary corrections and conversions to obtain the highest quality and fidelity in the final result.

The compatibility of our work on projection servers is tested with the main brands: Doremi, Dolby, Kodak, Qube, Sony and XDC. We appear in the database of the ISDCF (Inter-Society Digital Cinema Forum) with the ADL International Code.






DCP Services



·DCP 2K/4K AUTHORING

  ·Conversion of the original materials to adapt them to the DCP format
  ·6 levels for 2K and 7 levels for 4K JPEG 2000 compression
  ·RGB, REC.709, REC.2020 or P3 color space translation to XYZ
  ·Multi-Reel compilation and with several CPLs (versions in the same DCP)

·Stereo, 5.1 or 7.1 audio processing
·FrameRate conversion (25fps to 24fps)
·Subtitle processing from .SRT files
·DCI-Interop or SMPTE compilation

      - DCP 2K/4K Authoring ..................... x€/min. (Consult)

      - KDM file per copy ....................... 20€


·ADD SUBTITLES TO A DCP

On any DCP we can add the necessary subtitling versions. The resulting DCP will have the CPL of the original version + the CPLs of the new subtitled versions.
The subtitles will have to be sent in an .SRT file for each language and synchronized with the image that the DCP contains.
We also offer a service to convert the DCP into a reference h264, in case you need this video to be able to do the process of creating the subtitles and their synchronization with the image.

      - Inclusion of subtitles with new CPLs ............................... 90€ for each language   /  +10€ cada idioma adicional

      - Converting DCP to Reference H264 Video ............................... 1€/min.


·COMPILATION CHANGE (Interop to SMPTE or otherwise)

To change the standard, it is necessary to decompose the frames of the source compilation and make a new authoring phase in the standard of the destination DCP.
If the change is from SMPTE with a 25fps framerate, it will be necessary to convert to a 24fps framerate.

      - Remastering with build change ............................... 2€/min.

      - Additional FrameRate change ................................. 50€


·TRAILERS AND ADVERTISING SPOTS (Flat Rate)

We offer a single rate for commercials and trailers with all the authoring processes for their creation.
Given the small size of the DCPs of this duration, you can send us the Master of your project via internet. Once the DCP is done, we will also send it to you through the network, with the resulting savings in the cost of physical shipments. If a physical support is necessary, the best option for this DCP is a PenDrive. This offer is for durations up to 3 min. and the physical support is not included in the price.

      - Trailer / Spot 2K DCP ............................... 90€

      - Trailer / Spot 4K DCP ............................... 100€


·SHORT FILMS (Flat Rate)

We offer a flat rate for short films that includes all the authoring processes and conversions necessary for their creation, as well as up to 5 versions of subtitles in the DCP when it is done on the same compilation. This offer is for durations up to 20 min. and the physical support is not included in the price.

      - Short film 2K DCP ............................... 140€

      - Short film 4K DCP ............................... 160€




·PHYSICAL SUPPORTS

    KIT SSD

     It is the support we normally use for DCPs of more than 20 min. and that our clients demand to a greater extent.
     It is fully compatible with digital cinema servers, with USB3 connection (USB2 compatible), and with EXT3 file system.
     This Kit consists of a chassis, a 2.5 "SATA SSD, a USB connection cable and a custom watertight protection case.

      > SSD DCP drive kit + partitioning, copying and verification processes ........................ 150€

    PEN DRIVE

     For DCPs of less than 20 min. the most versatile mount is a PenDrive.
     We can use a 16GB one for Spots and Trailers or a 32GB one for Short Films.
     We use USB3 memories with EXT3 file system, compatible with digital cinema servers.

      > 16GB PenDrive + partitioning, copying and verification processes ............................ 45€

      > 32GB PenDrive + partitioning, copying and verification processes ............................ 60€



    SUPPORTS PROVIDED BY THE CUSTOMER

     If the customer wants to provide support, there will be no problem on our part.
     The DCI recommendation states that the media must have independent power and connections compatible with USB2 and eSATA.
     A self-powered disk does not fulfill 100% of the guarantees, although it works usually if its power consumption is low, like an SSD.
     We will prepare the disk with the EXT3 file system, compatible with cinema servers.

      > Partitioning, copying and verification processes ............................... 40€






     *VAT not included in the prices.




TECHNICAL INFORMATION


·IMAGE

The image of a DCP is made up of a sequence of images compressed in JPEG2000 in an XYZ color space, with a color depth of 12 bits per channel and with a gamut of 2.6. The maximum BitRate can reach 500 Mbs / sec. and it is encapsulated in an MXF file.

The resolution and aspect ratio can be as follows:
· FULL ................................ 2048x1080(2K) .............. 4096x2160 (4K)
· FLAT - 1.85:1 .................. 1998x1080 (2K) ............. 3996x2160 (4K)
· SCOPE - 2.39:1 ............. 2048x858 (2K) ................ 4096x1716 (4K)

You can submit your work to us in a sequence of images or a video file, with a color depth of up to 16 bits and a gamut of sRGB, REC.709, REC.2020 or DCI-P3. We recommend delivery in TIFF or DPX with the highest possible color depth depending on how you finished your project. You can also provide us with a file with ProRes4444 or DNxHR444 codec. The supported FrameRate are practically all those that are standardized in audiovisual production formats. International cinema distribution is based on 24 fps FrameRate. and it is recommended that your work for theatrical display be at this FrameRate.


·SOUND

A DCP can include up to 16 tracks of linear PCM audio and an additional MXF with Dolby ATMOS encoding. Multichannel 5.1 or 7.1 sound, being PCM, does not need Dolby encoding and therefore saves on the cost of this license. The most common settings are 5.1 and Dolby ATMOS.

To create a DCP we need each channel to be delivered separately in a .WAV file (mono) with a resolution of 24bits and a sampling frequency of 48Khz or 96Khz. In the case of Dolby ATMOS, you will have to send us the MXF generated in the mixing studio.


·COMPILATION

A DCP is a group of files that contain the image, sound and metadata that allow the Digital Cinema server to interpret the technical characteristics of its content. When all the files are compiled to create the DCP we can choose between 2 different standards, DCI (Interop) or SMPTE. Its main differences are in the supported playback frame rate, among other features. The DCI standard only supports 24fps and 48fps. The SMPTE standard from 24fps to 120fps.
The SMPTE build is the most recent and is considered the standard today. The compilation under the DCI recommendation is called Interop and has more restrictions, however it guarantees compatibility with older servers.

If your project is at 24 fps, it is advisable to perform the DCP with the Interop standard to guarantee the reproduction in all the projectors. If your project is with another framerate, the DCP will have to be carried out with the SMPTE standard.


·ENCRIPT AND KDM

Encrypted copies need a KDM key to be able to project them and generating this key has an additional cost per copy. The KDM is generated using the Public Key corresponding to the server of each destination movie theater and can only be played in that room with the established dates. Open copies have the advantage of saving in the generation and management of the KDM, being able to make multiple copies with the only cost of the support.

Non-encrypted prints are ideal for independent film distribution as they save on KDM management. We recommend them for small productions.
And if you need to plan a distribution with encrypted copies, we can generate the KDM keys with the information of the destination rooms according to your needs.


·PHYSICAL SUPPORT TO DISTRIBUTION

The DCP distribution according to the DCI recommendation is on a hard disk with an EXT3 file system, since most of the Digital Cinema servers are built on Linux systems, and not all of them are compatible with the one used by Windows / Mac (exFAT, NTFS, HFS +).
All DCI compliant digital cinema servers will necessarily have USB 2 and eSATA connections, and may additionally have a slot for direct loading from a CruDataport DX115 removable disk. The latter is a system adopted by the international film industry for the distribution of DCPs and is part of the specifications of the DCI standard.

frequent questions

I have a project at 25 fps. Can it be screened in a Digital Cinema?
Yes. The DCP will be compiled under the SMPTE standard, since it is the one that FrameRate supports.
How is DCP compiled as Interop (DCI) different from SMPTE?
There are two types of DCP builds: Interop (DCI) and SMPTE. The latest is SMPTE, which allows us more flexibility in terms of various FrameRate and other benefits, and is currently used as the standard.
Interop is the DCP build initially established by the DCI association and only supports base FrameRate 24fps, but we guarantee its reproduction on any server in the world, since the manufacturers of cinema servers and the DCI association establish this compilation as "legacy" and therefore all current and future cinema servers will have to maintain compatibility with this packaging.
Can a DCP be converted from SMPTE to DCI or otherwise?
Yes, we can do that process. You have to take into account the framerate and if any type of conversion is necessary.
I have a master in HD, can I make a DCP to project in a cinema?
Yes. All you have to do is export it in a format that maintains the highest possible quality at 1920x1080 and we will take care of the rest.
I want to send a project to make a DCP. What is the best format?
To create a DCP the best option is from a sequence of TIFF or DPX images. Color depth is also important and if it is at 16 bits better than at 8 bits.
From our own experience, we can say that banding problems and lack of color depth appear in formats smaller than 10 bits.
We can also create DCP from practically any image/video format, but the final quality will depend on what comes from the source.
The audio will be at least 24 bits at 48Khz for each of the channels, as specified by the DCI standard.
Is Dolby sound encoding necessary for a DCP?
Not always. One of the advantages of DCP is that Dolby encoding for 5.1 and 7.1 is not required, since the compilation supports up to 16 linear tracks in PCM format.
It will only be necessary to use a Dolby encoding for the ATMOS multichannel system.
In what medium is the DCP delivered?
The delivery medium will be a hard disk or a pendrive depending on the size of the files on the DCP.
The normal thing is that trailers and works of a duration less than 10 min. They are distributed on a pendrive, given their cheaper cost, and that the rest of the productions are on hard disk.
We can also deliver via the internet if it is accepted by the recipient.
Can the physical supports of the DCP be viewed on any computer?
Not usually. The DCI recommendation states that the hard drives for the distribution will be in the EXT3 file system, since most digital server platforms are on Linux.
There are Servers that also read NTFS and FAT, but most of the DCP copies are on EXT3.
Can I include multilingual audios in a DCP?
Yes. You will have a DCP with several CPLs, one for each audio version.
Can I include multiple versions of subtitles in a DCP?
Yes. You will have a DCP with several CPLs, one for each version of subtitles.
I have to subtitle my DCP. In what format do I deliver the subtitles?
In order to subtitle a DCP, the subtitle format that we preferably need is SubRip Text (.srt).
If you have subtitles in another format, contact us to certify their validity. We can practically convert any subtitle format for later use in a DCP.
I have a DCP without subtitles, can I add subtitles to it?
Yes. We can include the versions of subtitles you want on an already created DCP.
In order to work on encrypted DCPs, we will need you to send us the KDM file for the public key of our authoring software.
Is an open DCP or an encrypted one better?
Most of the clients we work with make independent cinema and open DCPs have the lowest cost of managing and copying for them. Encrypted copies need to generate a KDM code for each copy, depending on the projector for which it is intended and this involves a cost per copy that open DCPs do not have.
Encryption and KDM were demanded by the Hollywood industry to prevent piracy and to have control over movie screenings. In order to have maximum security, data encryption was established under the AES128 algorithm, also used for military purposes. A DCP is a package of files with a large size, that moves in a closed distribution network, that the cinemas delete them from the servers at the end of their projection period to make room for the next titles to be shown, the space color and gamma are specific to this system, multiplexed multi-channel audio is difficult to extract… As you can see, an unencrypted DCP is difficult to hack on its own. In most cases, the material that we can find pirated comes from a recording with a video camera placed in the cinema or a copied DVD / Blu-ray.
Another aspect to consider is the filing of a DCP. With the passage of time an open copy can always be reproduced by any server, however with an encrypted one there is a risk of not having the encryption keys to generate a new KDM for the target projector.
The encryption of the DCP is necessary if the distributor requires it by contract, since in this way they can control the dates and the passes in the different rooms where it is exhibited. In the case of independent production, it is usual not to use KDM to save this cost.