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Author Topic: Problems uploading DCPOMATIC DCP to Christie Server Steven Simpson Film Handler Posts: 4 From: Los Angeles, Ca, USA Registered: Feb 2017 posted 06-19-2017 07:05 PM                     Hi I created a DCP with DCPOMATIC and all seems fine with the numerous theatres showing it other than when it has to go on Christie servers. Now I'm a bit of a novice at this as I'm a film-maker and have been self-distributing my feature Neither Wolf Nor Dog into theatres (maybe 40 so far). It has only been when in Multiplexes with the Christie servers has there been an issue. Typically they are uploading it through the projector to get around this. Does anyone know what the specific issue is? They are EXT2 inode128 formatted CRUDX115 delivered drives. Wondering if it is a naming issue? I hash check the DCP on the drives and all seems fine compared with the master. In the CPL the hashes listed seem to be of a different format to that that my hashchecker on Ubuntu spits out. But as I say, I'm a novice. Is there something that can be done on the server to accept it? There are no keys so that isn't a factor. I must say I've been immensely impressed at how open theatres have been to a self-distributed film. We're just off a 4 week run at the Landmark Lagoon Theatre in Minneapolis for example where we had an amazing 1100+ admissions on the opening weekend. We start opening in some Harkins Multiplexes this weekend .  |  IP: Logged Scott Norwood Film God Posts: 8146 From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas) Registered: Jun 99 posted 06-19-2017 07:47 PM                        Does it fail to ingest into the server, or does it ingest but not play? Or does it ingest and play, but with something wrong (e.g. incorrect colors, sound out of sync, etc.)? These are all very different failure modes.  |  IP: Logged Carsten Kurz Film God Posts: 4340 From: Cologne, NRW, Germany Registered: Aug 2009 posted 06-20-2017 05:24 AM                     quote: Steven Simpson It has only been when in Multiplexes with the Christie servers has there been an issue. Typically they are uploading it through the projector to get around this. What does that mean? I understand there is a problem to ingest your content, but this could always be overcome by a direct ingest on the projectors? For a DCI projection system, a direct ingest 'at the projector' is the standard method of doing things. Only that way, a specific ingest issue related to a specific server/projector will occur. I can only assume that on these locations, they tried an ingest to the TMS/central server before (it is quite common for multiplexes to use a TMS), and when that failed, ingested locally on these machines. Again, I can only assume they are also using Christie IMS servers in these projectors. So, the problem appears to be not with the christie servers, but their TMS/library ingest station. Without knowing more details, no one can help. - Carsten  |  IP: Logged Marcel Birgelen Film God Posts: 3357 From: Maastricht, Limburg, Netherlands Registered: Feb 2012 posted 06-20-2017 05:49 AM                     I've not seen any issues with DCP-o-Matic files and "Christie Servers" (Solaria) until now. Like Scott already mentioned, it would help to know in what stage the problem manifests itself. Also, if there are any errors or log messages, they should be gathered to see what's going wrong. You should ask one of the affected locations this information, usually they at least have one person on their payroll who can help you with it. And like Carsten mentioned, without more details, you're looking for a needle in a haystack, as it could be any one, but not limited to those things: - Problematic partitioning - Hardware incompatibility with the drives you're shipping on - Problematic asset names - Some unforeseen incompatibilities in e.g. the CPL format, which didn't surface until now - etc.  |  IP: Logged Steven Simpson Film Handler Posts: 4 From: Los Angeles, Ca, USA Registered: Feb 2017 posted 06-20-2017 07:02 PM                     I greatly appreciate your responses. Yes it is not being ingested into the servers directly and they have made it work by ingesting it through the projectors. If I am a bit vague it is because I'm just trying to grasp the process from the conversations with projectionists. Could the issue be with a step on my formatting all the CRU DX115's? As I think it through I was initially using openDCP and created an SMPTE DCP but when I had an issue getting it on a server I got anxious and created an Interop one of DCPomatic hoping that would solve it. The drives are formatted EXT2 and inode 128. Though I know something was mentioned in a tutorial about making them executable or something, which I never quite figured out. Certainly, in all the other theatres we've not heard of an issue. Actually, that just made me think of something to try. We've also had some screenings through Tugg, and they've generally been in multiplexes, so I'll ask their tech side whether they've had any issues as it would be coming in on their drives. I could find out that way perhaps if it was some odd step missing in the drives. Part of the problem is that I don't really know what to ask since I'm figuring this out as I go along. The film is continuing to expand into multiplexes so I'd love to have it in a more reliable form. And I greatly appreciate the advice.  |  IP: Logged Carsten Kurz Film God Posts: 4340 From: Cologne, NRW, Germany Registered: Aug 2009 posted 06-21-2017 04:49 AM                     Try to call them and ask which TMS they are using. Other than that - is it a real problem if these need to be ingested locally on those few locations? Now, this may be far fetched, but as you brought up 'Christie' as a problem indicator, it may be that all these sites using Christie projectors may also use Christies own TMS, Christie AVIAS. So it may be that it is AVIAS having problems with your discs. If these locations are known to have issues, and you are able to break them down to the TMS type, it might be useful to create a second drive with a single MBR NTFS partition on it (note that following all proper parameters can be as complicated as creating an ext2 disc). I would think that if a TMS has issues ingesting an ext2 drive, there is some probability it has no issues with an NTFS drive. ext2/ext3 still remains the proper format for DCP distribution, and in general, every TMS system has to be able to ingest ext2/ext3 discs. How do you create the ext2 drive? For a compatible NTFS drive, the base parameters are the same as for ext2/ext3: disc not larger than 2TB, single MBR (NOT GUID/GPT partition). You may do this on a simple 2.5" external USB drive as a test. I don't know how many CRU carriers you have available. In general, a TMS should be more forgiving about slight variations of disc formats, but not necessarily it seems. http://isdcf.com/papers/ISDCF-Doc3-Disk-Drive-Recs-2015-07-21-Clean.pdf - Carsten  |  IP: Logged Dave Macaulay Film God Posts: 2321 From: Toronto, Canada Registered: Apr 2001 posted 06-21-2017 05:01 AM                     Sorry, this still doesn't make sense. You can not ingest "into a projector". The projector shows video signals. The server stores, decrypts, and sends packaged content video to the projector. The distinction is a bit blurry as newer servers are physically mounted in the projector - but there is still a distinction. The Christie Solaria 1 projectors have a server mounted in the projector chassis. For a single screen cinema, the distribution drive is connected to the screen server and the data is ingested there. Then shows can be manually run (press "play") or scheduled to automatically start. Multi screen cinemas usually have a central computer where distribution drives are ingested and the show scheduling is done. This system - the LMS or TMS - sends the DCP files to each screen server that's scheduled to play an ingested movie. Network transfers are faster than direct ingesting and the files can be quickly sent to any or all screens. There are several LMS/TMS systems available, Linux and Windows based. It sounds like your DCP is being rejected by theirs, so they are ingesting directly into the screen's server. If that's right - your show DCP ingests and plays OK on the individual screen servers - look for why the central LMS/TMS is rejecting the package.  |  IP: Logged Monte L Fullmer Film God Posts: 8367 From: Nampa, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 06-23-2017 07:26 PM                     When I create DCP from the program, the output file has tons of files and folders that the server itself doesn't need. The one folder that you need is the one with the title of the content and the attached DCP naming string. You copy that folder to a USB or similar external drive, or if using the CRU drive and call up the drive in the server program to locate the drive to allow the copies to the internal server drives. Made many DCPs with this program and have been well pleased with the results. Good luck - Monte  |  IP: Logged

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