Suggested IMB for a difficult cinema owner. (Not Dolby/GDC, target NEC Proj)

[Leo Enticknap]

We all have our histories that guide our personal preferences.

And customer service offerings change. When I started as a service tech, Dolby's was way, way, superior to GDC's in every way imaginable. But GDC have upped their game a lot in the six years since. My experience nowadays is that their pricing and after sales service/support is pretty much comparable (especially now that GDC will do one-time recertifications for out of warranty units). When advising customers contemplating a server purchase, my take is that the decision comes now down to functionality and, if they will be operating the SMS directly as distinct from via a TMS, which UI they feel most comfortable with. The SR-1000 and IMS3000 are very closely priced to each other, with very similar bundled warranties, and support requests emails and calls are answered promptly and helpfully by both Dolby and GDC. So for example, if this is for an IAB house, I would recommend the IMS3000, because it has the third NIC that the SR-1000 does not, thereby making the networking side easier and more reliable (IAB audio does not have to go through a switch between the IMS3000 and the processor). But if a customer doesn't need that and has years of experience operating an SX-3000, for example, I would steer them to GDC.

[Steve Guttag]

Thus far, all of the Atmos rooms I've designed, I've used the IMS3000 as the processor (and only those rooms). I, typically, leave that 3rd NIC for a Main Storage NAS for those clients that want large storage at the server (screening rooms, art venues...people that have a large variety of content). The SR-1000 not having a 3rd NIC is odd, considering their prior offerings.

In general, if there is "momentum" with one brand, I like to keep things as uniform as possible though the SR-1000 UI is more akin to the Doremi UI than the prior GDC UI. In fact, I think they did better on it. The dashboard is a bit worthless and I can't figure out why the Automation cues were removed from the Edit screen as a category. But, other than that, it is pretty easy to navigate. However, as you noted, if you have a TMS, the SMS UI is far less important so long as the TMS fully supports the SMS server.

Note, if going with generic IAB...then the SR-1000 can do its own onboard decoding too for DTS-X.

[Francisco Lopes]

Hello, inserting myself into this discussion a little late, but here goes!

Qube would definitely be a perfect choice for this situation, we are very much active in all fronts.

Yes, I know Qube have units, but I thought they stayed in their region and didn't really sell into the world market. The old super-micro-based external SMS / XPD product didn't go well.

We've made significant progress since our legacy XP-D products, and I'm excited to share that we recently completed a multiplex installation in your wonderful country, Australia! It was all done with Qube Xi IMBs.

The Qube servers I was familiar with ran on an industrial version of Windows 7 which was pretty darn stable. So I assume the current manfacture Qubes must run on at least Windows 10, and better yet, hopefully 11 since Microsoft stopped all support of 7. Windows 10 is only going to have support for a few more years at best. So if you want to get a customer really mad at you then sell him a Qube.

Our latest Qube servers now operate on Linux and feature a brand-new, user-friendly interface!

Edit: I just looked at the Qube website and the Qube XPS appears to be just an ECinema Server. So far, I do not see a DCinema server on their site. No wonder they don't sell them here... This also gets funnier and funnier. They call their OS "Reasonably Secure".

I completely agree that our website could use some updates. Stay tuned for more improvements in the coming weeks!

Regarding the screenshot you shared (Qube OS), besides sharing a similar name, it's unrelated to QubeCinema.

In India Dolby and Qube are affiliated... believe it or not...

Absolutely true! We are the exclusive authorized service partner for India.

Well, to add to that Mark, Qube or Realimage was absorbed into Scrabble. And worse yet, there is now only one dominant Exhibition Chain.

Just to clarify, there may be some confusion. The potential collaboration with Scrabble was considered for a separate business unit within Qube (distribution), but unfortunately, it did not materialize.


Do message me if there are any questions related to QubeCinema!

[Tony Bandiera Jr]

Really Tony... The guy may as well close his theater and forget it. If he bought Qube the owner and dealer would become enemy's in 30 days or less. This is why they don't sell Qube here anymore. If he bought one, he might wait for parts for a long time. Sadly, there used to be other options not all that long ago. DTS was one option, and it was a very good server. There was also a German made server as well... So that owner is going to have to accept one of the two just from a practicality stand point if nothing else. If it should fail, you don't want to be off screen for many weeks waiting on parts from India. Qube equals Land Rover in my book. I have experience with both, but more with the latter... Both are junk.

Edit: I just looked at the Qube website and the Qube XPS appears to be just an ECinema Server. So far, I do not see a DCinema server on their site. No wonder they don't sell them here... This also gets funnier and funnier. They call their OS "Reasonably Secure".

Well that aged like warm milk...

[Mark Gulbrandsen]

It would make little sense to install any unit that is not already commonly used in this country. Theaters that go down are looking to get back on screen the same day, or the next day at the latest. It can sometimes take days or up to a week to get parts from over seas, due to Customs. I don't know of a single main stream cinema in this country using Qube, although there may be some elusive installations of them in this country. That sort of thing doesn't normally fly with theater owners. Not that there is anything wrong with them. They may be very reliable. But there are just not enough of them around to know that.

[Mark Gulbrandsen]

Not really Tony... would you use an unproven motorcycle to race on? Of course not.... You want to ride one you know is going to last the duration of your race.

[Mark Gulbrandsen]

Leo, Actually Qube has a representative quite close to you. However, if they were truely interested in the US market, then I'd have thought they'd have contacted MIT by now.

[Tony Bandiera Jr]

It would make little sense to install any unit that is not already commonly used in this country. Theaters that go down are looking to get back on screen the same day, or the next day at the latest. It can sometimes take days or up to a week to get parts from over seas, due to Customs. I don't know of a single main stream cinema in this country using Qube, although there may be some elusive installations of them in this country. That sort of thing doesn't normally fly with theater owners. Not that there is anything wrong with them. They may be very reliable. But there are just not enough of them around to know that.

And true to form, you seem to not bother actually READING the posts before you shoot from the hip.

Fransisco just said:

......and I'm excited to share that we recently completed a multiplex installation in your wonderful country, Australia! It was all done with Qube Xi IMBs.......

So obviously Qube has at least some foothold in Australia. And this provides James with a possible solution for that client.


As for MIT, they carry and service enough product lines to stay busy. I am pretty sure Bevan is smart enough to reach out to Qube if it would be worthwhile. But since Qube is not in demand here in the US, he's doing things right.

[Leo Enticknap]

Agreed with Mark. A new entrant to the US market (which Qube would effectively be) would need either to invest a huge amount up front in starting up a full scale sales and support infrastructure, or form a relationship with one or more of the cinema equipment dealerships and service vendors to sell, install, and support their equipment. That is why dealerships exist: so that manufacturers can concentrate on developing products, while leaving us to sell them, install them, integrate them with equipment from the other manufacturers we represent, and support them in the field (with the necessary backup, e.g. manufacturer-provided training classes for the dealers' techs who will actually do the work).

[Mark Gulbrandsen]

The last time Qube was selling servers here was early on during Series 1 equipment. Like I said, I have no objection to them if they had some sort of foothold in this country established. The only way that's going to happen is if they create an interest among all the equipment dealers and distributers. Otherwise all that is going to happen is that they will sell just a few to interested parties and that's it. They actually had a better foothold back during Series 1 than they do here today.

[Tony Bandiera Jr]

The last time Qube was selling servers here was early on during Series 1 equipment. Like I said, I have no objection to them if they had some sort of foothold in this country established. The only way that's going to happen is if they create an interest among all the equipment dealers and distributers. Otherwise all that is going to happen is that they will sell just a few to interested parties and that's it. They actually had a better foothold back during Series 1 than they do here today.

Once again, you didn't read anything. We are NOT talking about the US market!! This is about Australia, James' client, and the fact that Francisco has already done a multiplex in Australia! Sheesh.

[Mark Gulbrandsen]

Once again, you didn't read anything. We are NOT talking about the US market!! This is about Australia, James' client, and the fact that Fransisco has already done a multiplex in Australia! Sheesh.

Leo, James and myself seem to be on the same level. What I said would pertain to any country with lots of digital projection. They got it, but that apparently flew right past you... oh well...

[John Eickhof]

Mark, I agree that you and others are on the same page...but the paragraph you are missing is that is what the end user wants...thus with Francisco's post, it appears to me that the Qube unit would be fine especially since they now have products running on Linux (which I prefer over any Windows OS) and they are obviously establishing a network of support in Australia

[Leo Enticknap]

Sorry; I also lost sight of the fact that the original query was from a potential customer in Australia, not the USA.

However, the same principles apply. A movie theater (a) utterly depends on technology working reliably to do business, and (b) does most of its business when the rest of the world is not, i.e. during evenings and weekends. For these reasons, reliability, both of the equipment itself, and support for it, is crucial. I'm guessing that the original enquirer has had negative experiences on either or both of those scores with the brands he now wishes to avoid buying, hence the interest in alternatives.

I suspect that the barriers to being able to provide the required level of reliability and support was at least part of the reason why the Q-Sys IMS (the one based on the USL hardware) was stillborn: it would have cost QSC too much, relative to potential revenue, to have 24/7 technical support available for it, to be able to ship replacements for units with lost certificates within a few hours, etc. etc. While I'd welcome alternatives to the GDC/Dolby/Barco ICMP oligopoly coming onto the market, if I were a theater owner, I'd want convincing that the support infrastructure, both at dealer and manufacturer level, for them is solid before taking a risk on a relatively new entrant to the market.

[Mark Gulbrandsen]

Mark, I agree that you and others are on the same page...but the paragraph you are missing is that is what the end user wants...thus with Francisco's post, it appears to me that the Qube unit would be fine especially since they now have products running on Linux (which I prefer over any Windows OS) and they are obviously establishing a network of support in Australia

No, I read that for sure. Personally, I could care less what the owner wants, unless it's a proven, quality, mainstream product that has the usual support. Then he has my full attention. Otherwise... call another dealer... As a service person and dealer before my retirement, I would refuse to sell a product that has no real 24/7 support, no training, and no USA based parts stock. And what relationship do they have with distribution? They can call someone else IMHO. I'd never want to get involved with a product that might slow me down getting to other sites that need maintenance, or may have an actual break down or emergency. I know two other Cinema Techs down under, and I am pretty sure they would feel the same way. They also have to fly long distances just to so some service calls.