Qube Cinema continues to work with the Italian digital cinema service provider Microcinema to supply its D-cinema servers and Integrated Media Blocks (IMBs) to theatres throughout Italy.
Since 2008, the partners have installed the Qube XP-D and XP-I servers in over 250 theatres.
Due to this ongoing collaboration, cinema owners in Italy have equipment providing them with access to a wide array of digital content, including Microcinema’s vast library of movies, as well as live and recorded events.
Qube Cinema engineers worked closely with Microcinema to deliver a system for theatre owners who need to be able to show both DCI and VC-1 encoded content. They developed Microcinema’s proprietary M-box, an interoperable server that contains either the Qube XP-D or XP-I server to play DCI content and another server that can play VC-1 encoded content. The servers work in parallel with the same projector using Theater Management System (TMS) software and automations.
“We chose Qube Cinema because it was the only company capable of realising our idea of interoperability of DCI and non-DCI content,’ says Silvana Molino, CEO of Microcinema. “Qube delivers whenever we ask for experimentation and improvement. They offer complete and ongoing support to our wide network of theatres.’
Both the XP-D and XP-I servers are fully DCI compliant and integrate seamlessly with all major TMS software. Microcinema has around-the-clock access to Qube technicians to remotely access any server via its web interface, ensuring the systems stay up and running. The XP-I server and Xi IMB allow theaters to exhibit 3D and high frame rate (HFR) movies, such as The Hobbit, as well as offering full 4K resolution.
“Exhibitors are free to choose the server they prefer,’ explained Molino, “but 90% of the time they choose to install Qube Cinema equipment based on our recommendation.’
In addition to installing D-cinema systems, Microcinema, with headquarters in Legnano, a town close to Milan, offers theatre owners content and advertising. Microcinema relies on bidirectional satellite transmission to send and receive data. Pre-cleared content is delivered directly to theaters while Microcinema receives diagnostic data that allow it to manage, control and maintain the system. The company monitors data about the status of hard drives, software, projector lamps and whether the UPS (uninterrupted power supply) is connected and functional. Microcinema also receives the projection log, showing which screens are showing what content and when.
Qube Cinema and Microcinema have upgraded theater systems in Florence, Trento and other cities to the XP-I server and Xi IMBs so they are outfitted for full 4K playback and HFR 3D content. Recent showings of the HFR 3D The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey have met with great audience appreciation.
Microcinema partners with a post-production facility in Rome that provides it with VC-1 encoded content. Recently the post house also upgraded to the Qube XP-I server, networking it into their projector with QubeMaster Pro, Qube Cinema’s powerful encoding and packaging system, to deliver DCI content to Microcinema.
