The Ultimate In Digital Feedback Loops
"Digital" — Since the 70's, converting from analog to digital anything has been sold as akin to magic. Takes care of itself, it does, and predicts what you need before you ask for it. Each generation more capable and yet, less expensive. The salesman's best friend, that's for certain. And, in many regards, it is true. In twenty years we will look back at these times as moments of pure potential.
But there has also been one consistent lesson: Digital circuits and digital equipment and digital systems do not take care of themselves. Each needs a loop put into their circuit which tells it what is going on. Otherwise the circuit, the equipment and the system will freewheel off to pure noise or shut down completely. The Digital eXperience Guardian is the feedback loop for your Digital Cinema System.
Equipment and the circuits are getting more miraculous. Projectors will keep upping the current when it seems that the bulb is not getting the proper output. What does that mean about the light reflecting from the screen though? The projector knows how to balance the internal heat with the actual and relative strength of the power supplies. If you tell it the per Watt cost of your electricity, it could probably tell you how much the projector – and the air conditioning to cool it – are costing. But it is not measuring the light reflecting from the screen.
It can tell all these things to the NOC, including tiny variations in the hard disk speed that might indicate a faulty drive in your future.
But that isn't trained eyes on the screen, or someone listening to the room for new rattles and hums.
We are great believers that the manager should be trained to use a Harkness Screen meter to measure the rooms every once in a while. We like the idea of a tool like the Meyer NTi Sound Analyzer being cheap enough for someone to be trusted with it to check the sound every once in a while.
But what about security tests on the network? Should you train your manager to learn how to find a nearly undetectable wifi device that someone can easily stick onto a network?
Or testing the closed caption systems? Are there personnel to test these before the customer finds out that the expectations are higher than the delivery?
Or verify that the server and projector are correctly showing the picture and sound with forensic marks?
These are all responsibilities of the facility. They may be somewhat mitigated by the fact that you purchased "DCI-certified" equipment, but not entirely. DCI-certified equipment can make horrible pictures and worse sound, can make a mash of the closed captions, can get viruses like any other computer, and can mistakenly not have the forensic watermarks turned on. If you signd a VPF contract agreeing to stay within SMTPE and DCI specifications or not, it is your responsibility. If you didn't sign a VPF, you can do whatever you want perhaps.
We are pleased to offer the Digital eXperience Guardian to handle these and other of your needs.
Built by professionals with dozens of years in the film, audio and broadcast business, both hardware and software. We understand the advantages of a systems-wide feedback loop, and are glad to be of service.