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DIGITAL CINEMA; PREMIUM CONTENT PROTECTION
The business of distributing and viewing feature-length films is experiencing a significant transformation. The introduction of digital technology has opened the door to new distribution models and revenue streams based on a wide range of applications. No longer burdened with costly, physical distribution of celluloid-based films, film studios and theatre chains see the benefit of secure satellite multicast delivery of premium video content.
The audience also enjoys a better viewing experience through digital quality video and sound. With installations on the rise in many theatres in the United States and Europe, the digital cinema revolution is changing the way that theatres and content owners do business.
Digital technology now affects every aspect of the international filmmaking industry. While initial digital penetration was in the special effects and production process, digital distribution and playback of films now promises to revolutionise the filmmaking industry. The digital cinema model is based on multicast delivery of a film from a source location to multiple theatres. The receiving theatre then either stores the film for future viewing or plays it live in digital format.
The benefits of digital cinema distribution are clear. Lower costs are enjoyed through elimination of expensive reproduction and distribution of each film to every theatre location. Generating celluloid copies of a feature-length film costs roughly $1,700 per print, plus $350 for transport. Each new film is then physically sent to roughly 3,000 theatres at a cost of over $4.5 million. By implementing a digital cinema distribution system, content providers and theatre owners will experience far lower distribution costs for virtually any form of content.
Digital cinema increases the quality of the viewing experience, thus raising the value proposition to the theatre viewing audience. Digital cinema offers a consistently superior viewing experience as film flicker, scratches and worn prints become a thing of the past.
Installation of digital cinema equipment also greatly increases the amount of content able to be viewed in a theatre environment. Such events as concerts, corporate addresses, training videos and sporting events can all be distributed to a theatre full of paying patrons. Thus by installing a digital cinema platform, theatres can become full service facilities for playback of any form of content.
Challenge
One of the largest hurdles for wide-scale deployment of digital cinema appears to be content security. Distributing films over satellite raises issues of security and piracy of films. This issue must be solved in order for the entire international film industry to warm to digital distribution of their content. Satellites carry a perception of lacking security, so implementing a highly secure platform for digital distribution is vital.
Irdeto Access' Solution
Irdeto CypherCast is a solid fit for the digital cinema distribution chain based on the core platform support for satellite IP multicast streams. The premium nature of digital cinema content calls for the highest level of security available. Irdeto CypherCast enables this high level of security through a multiple-key, hierarchy-based system that is proven to withstand repeated pirate attacks.
The Irdeto CypherCast platform easily integrates with any IP or DVB/MPEG-based satellite equipment because it is independent of network equipment, thus ensuring ease of integration and operability. Low added cost per new receiving theatre location is provided through low cost receivers and smart card readers. Scalability of any digital cinema network is also supported by Irdeto CypherCast; the platform scales to support more than 100,000 sites per Encryptor.
Irdeto Access consistently monitors the latest piracy techniques and incorporates any countermeasures into the CypherCast platform. Irdeto Access also works closely with the Motion Picture Association and the European Association for Protecting against Piracy in order to report on piracy activities and required countermeasures.
Bottom Line
Irdeto CypherCast is undoubtedly the most secure solution for distribution of digital film content. CypherCast offers secure content protection, reliable authentication of users, and flexible conditional access technology in order to protect distribution of digital content from source to end user. With over 30 years of experience in the field of conditional access and security, Irdeto Access offers the tools to successfully and securely enable digital cinema.
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