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This topic comprises 5 pages: 1 2 3 4 5
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Author
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Topic: DTS:X for Cinemas
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Daniel Schulz
Master Film Handler
Posts: 387
From: Los Angeles, CA USA
Registered: Sep 2003
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posted 04-09-2015 04:58 PM
DTS held their press event today to formally announce DTS:X. Much of the focus has been on DTS:X as a consumer format to render MDA based object-based mixes, but they did reveal some details about how MDA playback is going to be implemented in cinemas, including the new (to me anyway) information that the DTS:X brand will be used in cinema as well as home theatre:
DTS Press Release
(snip)
DTS:X + CINEMA
In 1993, DTS revolutionized cinema sound, delivering "Jurassic Park's" award-winning 5.1-channel soundtrack on CD-ROM, which was synchronized to the picture using a time code printed on the film. Twenty-two years later, DTS:X, the industry's newest audio solution, is no longer limited to channels or tied to a speaker layout and is now delivered as part of the Digital Cinema Package.
The foundation of DTS:X is MDA, DTS' license fee-free, open platform for creation of object-based immersive audio. MDA gives movie studios unprecedented control over the specific placement, movement and volume of sound objects. The platform also enables sound engineers to "mix once" for both immersive and conventional cinemas in a combined object- and channel-based audio format, allowing content to be easily distributed beyond the theater for streaming, broadcast, optical media and more.
"MDA is DTS' license fee-free contribution to the professional audio community for mixing and storage of immersive audio content," said Kirchner. "MDA fits perfectly within today's production workflow, and a combination of MDA and DTS:X provides a complete end-to-end workflow, from creation to exhibition."
The DTS:X licensing program in cinema will offer theater owners the opportunity to provide their audience the most compelling, immersive sound experience possible. This can be achieved for almost any room configuration by installing DTS:X-approved equipment and working with the recommended speaker installation guidelines.
To ensure quality and provide flexibility within the DTS:X program, DTS has partnered with industry-leading server, sound rendering and processing companies. GDC Technology, QSC and USL, have developed and made available DTS:X-ready components that process and render MDA files.
GDC Technology - develops, manufactures and sells digital cinema servers and provides a comprehensive suite of digital cinema products, services and solutions for exhibitors and distributors
QSC - designs and manufactures professional audio systems and solutions for professional installed, portable, production and cinema sound customers worldwide
USL - is engaged in the design, manufacture, and sale of motion picture audio equipment and sound processors
GDC Technology is an initial partner integrating DTS:X into theaters.
GDC Technology - boasts the largest installed base of digital cinema servers in the Asia-Pacific region, and the second largest, globally
GDC is the worldwide DTS:X certification agent with an exclusive in Asia
GDC will make MDA firmware updates available to theater owners over to its existing installed server base of more than 40,000 servers starting in May 2015
GDC will provide DTS:X installation and certification for approximately 350 screens throughout Asia beginning in May 2015
"GDC is committed to offering state-of-the-art technology to its customers. We chose DTS:X because we believe it will transform the movie theater experience for audiences around the world," said Dr. Man-Nang Chong, founder and CEO of GDC Technology. "Theater owners will appreciate the easy integration and flexible solutions that DTS:X offers as they upgrade their screens to this superior sound experience. Audiences win too. Because of the flexibility in speaker layout that DTS:X offers, immersive audio is now available to a larger number of theaters of all sizes than ever before."
DTS is presently working with several major studios and mixing stages in Los Angeles, Northern California and Canada that are evaluating DTS:X. DTS:X content announcements will be made by the studios when ready, in alignment with DTS. (snip)
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Bobby Henderson
"Ask me about Trajan."
Posts: 10973
From: Lawton, OK, USA
Registered: Apr 2001
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posted 04-10-2015 10:26 AM
There is no way to do object-based surround sound correctly without it costing quite a lot of money.
Nevertheless, Dolby is going to have to lower the price of the CP-850 down to a more reasonable (and competitive) level. An Atmos installation needs the CP-850, at least one DAC3201 unit that costs a few grand and two DAC3201 units if you're going to have more than 48 amplified channels. And then you have all the speakers, amplifiers and any other IT-related stuff needed if you're going to be sending audio over Ethernet with Dolby Connect. It's easy for a well configured Dolby Atmos sound system to cost North of $100,000.
I don't know the current list price of the CP-850, other than it is under $30,000 now. The first Dolby Digital DA-10 packages cost around $20,000 in 1992, but Dolby cut the list price in half by 1995 with the DA-20 and ran pricing specials matching the $5900 list price of the DTS-6. Dolby Atmos is nearly 3 years old, so it's probably time for some serious price cuts on gear. The arrival of DTS:X will probably force that to happen.
What is the list price of the Barco/Datasat AP24 used for Auro 11.1 installations? I saw one article claim it costs $25,000. With Auro, I suppose the big cost savings for theaters is not having to individually amplify so many surround speakers.
The situation with DTS:X seems far more murky. Its MDA format can do everything Atmos does, but the press releases are light on specifics about recommended speaker locations, amplification requirements and even how the DTS:X track is rendered in different sound processors from different companies.
My fear with DTS:X is some theaters (or maybe a lot of them) will have little more than a 5.1 or 7.1 based sound system and merely add just another couple of amplifiers to get a tiny bit of height information into the sound field. There won't be any way to distinguish these next-gen sound done cheap theaters from the theaters that spend a lot more money doing DTS:X the right way, where it sounds as good as a well configured Atmos installation.
Even Dolby has relaxed its standards a little. Not every Atmos installation has sub-bass cabinets in the surrounds. An Atmos theater can have as little as 9.1 amplified channels or as much as 64.
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Jonathan Goeldner
Phenomenal Film Handler
Posts: 1360
From: Washington, District of Columbia
Registered: Jun 2008
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posted 04-10-2015 10:35 AM
Carmike Cinemas, a leader in digital cinema and 3D cinema deployments and one of the largest motion picture exhibitors in the US, will upgrade selected theaters to DTS:X beginning in Spring 2015.
Carmike 15 (Columbus, Ga.)
Carmike Movies ATL 278 (Atlanta, Ga.)
Chapel Hills 13 (Colorado Springs, Colo.)
Rosemont 18 (Rosemont, Ill.)
Thoroughbred 20 (Franklin, Tenn.)
Thousand Oaks 14 (Thousand Oaks, Calif.)
Valley Bend 18 (Huntsville, Ala.)
“We believe in the open platform philosophy of DTS:X and are excited to be among the first theater partners to be onboard,” said Fred Van Noy, senior vice president and chief operating officer, Carmike Cinemas. “The flexibility of DTS:X allows us to deliver an immersive experience to a broader audience. We love the fact that DTS:X adapts not only to numerous room designs; it also enables us to continue working with our existing equipment provider, QSC."
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Steve Guttag
We forgot the crackers Gromit!!!
Posts: 12814
From: Annapolis, MD
Registered: Dec 1999
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posted 04-12-2015 03:38 PM
Yes and no. What are the percentage of Surround 7.1 theatres are there out there? I ask because that is practically a ZERO cost item. For new builds, it is the cost of 2 amplifier channels (and there are many 4-channel amplifier offerings out there) and often breaks the surround array up into more power efficient loads anyway. For existing systems, it is normally, again, the cost of an amplifier and some minor rewiring. I'm curious as to how well it was adopted.
I know in our installations...if the surrounds were already effectively wired for it, then we wired it as Surround 7.1. That said, it is a hassle for a theatre if all screens are not capable as one has to keep track of multiple prints (like 2D/3D) to ensure the extra format doesn't wind up in the wrong theatre. What would have been a nifty feature (and you can do it with the JSD60, for instance) is to let the processor sum Ls/BLs and likewise for the right side for 5.1 systems...then it would take the burden of keeping them straight off of the scheduler.
I would think a chief cost to the whole "immersive" audio thing is the actual cost of the speakers, amps, wiring and INSTALLATION. For new builds, it can be designed in but for retrofits...pathways for anchoring speakers at the proper locations could be more difficult/expensive. If if the CP850 was $0 so you only had to pay for the speakers/amps/wiring and installation (as well as the DSP to get all of those channels to where they need to get to)...you still have a VERY expensive sound format. How many EXTRA tickets does one have to sell to get a ROI? In what markets is will the ROI make sense? I claim VERY few. Having immersive audio formats show up in the PLF theatres makes some amount of sense because you are charging a premium under the guise that the experience will be superior. Not just the sound be the entire show. In this respect, I think Dolby has the right idea in that one should make the entire movie experience superior and not just focus on one aspect (picture or sound). People are not going to appreciate the nuance of technicalities (never have). In big markets you will get more sophisticated people seeking out high-end systems but you can't build an industry around such a small percentage.
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