Digital Cinema Distribution System (DCI compliant)
System outline
NEC develops and produces the cutting-edge Digital Cinema Distribution Server as the core of our digital cinema distribution system.
This server distributes extremely high-volume digital cinema content, up to hundreds of gigabytes, in a secure manner. Additionally, it also distributes HD/3D content, which is the most popular global trend in the cinema industry. HD content enables theater owners to provide new content services such as sports events, music concerts, and business presentations in order to increase revenue.
NEC's Digital Cinema Distribution System makes it easy for theater owners to achieve digital cinema/HD/3D playout, not by physical delivery such as HDD/DVD, but by network distribution. NEC Distribution System delivers digital cinema/HD/3D content to theaters via simple three-step registration, selection, and distribution. As a result, distributors and theater projection operators are released from time-consuming manual operations such as film printing, transportation, and film exchange operation on 35mm cinematographic projector.
NEC Digital Cinema Distribution System provides easy and simple operation, yet is not limited to this role. It also covers a variety of functions to support your commercial services. Re-transmission request/delivery functions and unique FEC (Forward Error Correction) algorithm technology to recover packet loss assure highly reliable distribution. A flexible application interface entitled CLI (Command Line Interface) coordinates with your related existing subsystem in order to reduce manual operation. All these operations are accessible via Web interfaces by simply typing IP addresses.
Based on our long history of commercial experiences and know-how in content distribution, NEC developed the Digital Cinema Distribution System to realize highly reliable, user-friendly, safe and secure distribution. Moreover, NEC has already developed an all-in-one package to cover digital cinema operation from distribution system to playout, which is highly acclaimed by Hollywood. NEC supports digital cinema business in the distributor/theater circuit with superior technologies, hardware/software suites, and comprehensive support for installation.
Features
Reliable and secure distribution
Both multicast*1 and unicast*2 distribution are available. Multicast distribution lowers network load, enabling efficient distribution of content. With this method, distribution results are collected from each receiver. Once packet losses are detected, lost packets are resent according to the receiver's retransmission request.
NEC adopts the unique Forward Error Correction (FEC*3) algorithm for effective network usage in high-volume content transmission. NEC FEC technology achieves effective packet recovery by calculation with other packets which were already sent even though there were packet losses.
Distribution results are quickly checked at a glance. Even when an error has occurred, the reason is easily specified.
NEC supports reliable and secure digital cinema distribution based on a proven track record of high-volume content distribution.
*1 Multicast distributes the same data to selected multiple recipients.
*2 Unicast distributes data to one specified recipient.
*3 FEC technology restores packets lost during network transmission.
Flexible distribution matching show schedule
Content is flexibly distributed following a planned show schedule or immediately distributed in cases of emergency.
Easy confirmation of distribution instructions/result via Web browser
Distribution instructions and status are easily checked at a glance on the users' Web browsers. Users then track distribution progress or monitor the condition of the receiver. Additionally, once failure happens, it is easy to create a retransmission receiver list, so missing data will be resent to the theater.
Application Program Interface (API)
One of the advantages of this system is the flexible interface with subsystems, which provides smooth coordination with other existing subsystems of third parties. Furthermore, customization of function upgrades and screen design are easily programmed by API.
Distribution Optimization in network trouble
NEC's Digital Cinema Distribution System intelligently excludes malfunctioning receivers from the distribution list when it detects malfunctioning status receivers. If malfunctioning receivers are not eliminated from the distribution list, retransmission requests and retransmissions repeat indefinitely, leading to countless network bursts. Now, the NEC distribution system excludes malfunctioning receivers from the list of recipients. After the error factor is identified and corrected, distribution starts again as normal operation.
Reliable distribution via NEC's unique FEC argorithm
In the past, lost packets were usually resent to the receiver. However, in order to reduce network workload, NEC's Digital Cinema Distribution System has already incorporated FEC* technology, which recovers lost packets using other packets that are not lost. As a result, the amount of resent data is minimized, achieving reliable and efficient content distribution.
* FEC (Forward Error Correction) function constantly detects and corrects data loss.
