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Author Topic: I think a Dolby Server for BluRay would be cool Jim Henk Master Film Handler Posts: 364 From: San Diego, CA Registered: Feb 2006 posted 07-24-2013 09:32 PM                     Never happen, but I can dream. You could import the movie(s), import trailers, and whatever else in, convert to - I dunno, mpeg-4? Program the show, and not have to worry about constantly playing with cueing things up. The output would go to a separate HDMI display channel, different than than the control software and annoying streaming status display does, unlike a regular media server like an Apple TV with iTunes, so just the presentation comes out that channel. Heck, it probably wouldn't even need to stream if the data is right there. Programmable scripts that also output RS-232 commands to the projector, receiver selectors, X10 dimming stuff, whathavu. Oh, and did I mention that it wouldn't cost the arm and a leg that a full Dolby server does? Okay, I'm going back to sleep now.  |  IP: Logged Mike Blakesley Film God Posts: 12767 From: Forsyth, Montana Registered: Jun 99 posted 07-24-2013 10:50 PM                        Maybe such a server could encrypt a movie as it's importing it...therefore you would need a KDM to play it the same as a regular movie. I can see the studios approving something like that.  |  IP: Logged Aaron Garman Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1470 From: Toledo, OH USA Registered: Mar 2003 posted 07-24-2013 11:35 PM                     I'd like to have it at home. I hate forced ads and slow Java menus. AJG  |  IP: Logged Manny Knowles "What are these things and WHY are they BLUE???" Posts: 4247 From: Bloomington, IN, USA Registered: Feb 2002 posted 07-24-2013 11:41 PM                     Those ads are the reason we don't still pay $80 for a home-video. Even so, I hate those ads too.  |  IP: Logged Scott Norwood Film God Posts: 8146 From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas) Registered: Jun 99 posted 07-25-2013 11:37 AM                        There is a product called Kaleidescape that sort of does this for DVDs (Google says that they have a Blu-Ray version now). It rips the disks to its internal hard disk and will play them on demand. Not sure on the playlist (trailers, shorts, etc.) or automation functions, however. The primary selling point seems to be convenience and a slick user interface. You don't want to see the price. They actually sell for more than the Dolby cinema servers, believe it or not.  |  IP: Logged Marcel Birgelen Film God Posts: 3357 From: Maastricht, Limburg, Netherlands Registered: Feb 2012 posted 07-25-2013 12:56 PM                     Maybe Jim, you can learn some programming and start a new Open Source project A lot of tools that can do parts this, are already out there, so you don't need to start from scratch. I've done similar, far less sophisticated stuff myself on several occasions, but it was just some quick hacking around to get the job at hand done, it never made it into something like a product. Just pick up a fairly decent PC, put in a second video card (that will be your "video out", without any of the menus and stuff interfering), install Ubuntu or Debian Linux on it, put in a good sound card (that will be your audio out, without system sounds interfering) with either a good 7.1 analog out or functional pass-tru of digital audio formats like Dolby Digital, TrueHD, etc. and script some mplayer stuff together with Shell script, Python or other scripting languages.  |  IP: Logged Carl Hetherington Film Handler Posts: 93 From: York, North Yorkshire, England Registered: Jul 2012 posted 07-25-2013 01:51 PM                        I've thought about this now and again. I think the tricky part from an open-source point of view is working around protection on the discs.  |  IP: Logged Marcel Birgelen Film God Posts: 3357 From: Maastricht, Limburg, Netherlands Registered: Feb 2012 posted 07-25-2013 02:31 PM                     The ripping part doesn't have to happen on the playback computer, it might even be easier if it doesn't. There are quite a few desktop tools, like Handbrake out there that can take care of the ripping. Just put your files on a file server/NAS or share on your playback computer. Disclaimer: I don't know if the ripping of Blu-Ray discs is legal in your jurisdiction, but it is (still) perfectly legal in mine.  |  IP: Logged Scott Jentsch Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1061 From: New Berlin, WI, USA Registered: Apr 2003 posted 07-26-2013 01:46 PM                        There are open-source tools to do everything you describe. I get the impression that anyone comfortable with adding equipment to a decently-equipped PC (or building a PC for the purpose) and installing/configuring the necessary software can put together such a system for under $1,000. I can't speak for the legality of doing so, however.  |  IP: Logged Ken Lackner Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1907 From: Atlanta, GA, USA Registered: Sep 2001 posted 07-26-2013 02:00 PM                     JRiver Media Center has a DVD library feature. I know the software supports BD playback; not sure if BD can be ripped to your hard drive and played back from a library yet, but I'm sure it's coming if it's not already here.  |  IP: Logged Carsten Kurz Film God Posts: 4340 From: Cologne, NRW, Germany Registered: Aug 2009 posted 07-26-2013 03:03 PM                     It exists, and it can even play full DCI compliant J2k DCPs, including automation, etc. BluRays can be ripped from the internal BluRay drive, and then played main-feature only, with playlist, automation, etc. Too bad, it never received DCI compliance (no secure media block hardware), so they stopped selling them last week, giving up to the DCI rollout. They have been sold at decent quantities during the last 6 years or so for preshow and DCI arthouse content (either with KDMs by special permission, or unencrypted). No HD-SDI, only HDMI/DVI output. Price was around 10.000US$, so not much cheaper than a Dolby server. They are now sold second hand at around 2500US$. They may start to sell the software part separately. http://www.cinesuite.de/ In general I think most features are available in certain media players. What's missing is the automation feature. - Carsten  |  IP: Logged Jim Henk Master Film Handler Posts: 364 From: San Diego, CA Registered: Feb 2006 posted 07-27-2013 02:04 PM                     You know, just for laughs, I've been experimenting with some technologies out there just to get media into manageable formats to edit together, and have found that just that alone has a *long* way to go. There's a great program out there call Handbrake that can do some pretty incredible file format conversions, but just try to use anything to merge files together without (for example) losing surround channels, (despite what they claim) and I hope that you packed a big lunch. Cinesuite. That sounds interesting. Went to their web site. Knew I should have taken German in school...  |  IP: Logged Henry O'Connell Film Handler Posts: 11 From: Hamilton, NY Registered: Feb 2004 posted 07-27-2013 09:43 PM                     We use Emerging Cinemas for our indie content. They now use this piece of crap program called Lighthouse (can't do anything with, runs old version of VLC engine). When we started they used DigitAll. web page This software did/does what you are looking for. No idea of cost and such.  |  IP: Logged Jim Henk Master Film Handler Posts: 364 From: San Diego, CA Registered: Feb 2006 posted 07-30-2013 03:43 AM                     Now the Digit-All looks very interesting. It's software at $250US to run on a pretty standard, but beefy PC running Win7. (not 8) SATA drives that have to have at least a reliable throughput of 250Mbits/sec, not difficult nowadays - I figure a 2T 7200rpm drive, a good modern nVidia graphics card that can drive more than one output, (HDMI included, of course) 4G of memory recommended, network drive OK, but it still has to have that same reliable throughput, or forget it. 1G Ethernet bare minimum. Looks like good buffering, good interface, takes a lot of different file types. Their site even has a number of demo videos, an evaluation version to be downloaded, and more. Looks good with just one problem. I sent them an email on Sunday night with some questions for additional details on some stuff, and so far, nuthin. No response at all. Hmmmmm. So customer service sucks a brick. Could be very important. Could even be a deal breaker. Then again, it's a tempting package, and I wouldn't exactly be a major (or even at all) commercial account. Will see what the next few days bring.  |  IP: Logged Henry O'Connell Film Handler Posts: 11 From: Hamilton, NY Registered: Feb 2004 posted 07-30-2013 09:28 AM                     James Gardiner who is associated with DigitAll is/was a member here. Any issues I had were from Emerging and only an occasional loss of time counter (freeze up, not give run time) from the software.  |  IP: Logged

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