Digital Cinema Guide - How Does Digital Cinema Work?

Digital cinema refers to digital adoption of digital technologies in the movie industry, rather than the older traditional use of reels in the movie industry, including 35mm film. Digital cinema cameras and projectors are capable of recording high quality digital audio with high definition video, which gives digital movie enthusiasts the option of viewing digital cinema films with the original movie theater experience. It also allows for the transfer of content from DVD to the computer using a DVD/VCD recorder, or by downloading the video to a personal digital video recorder (DVR). Digital cinema technology is also the preferred format in television broadcasts of movies and events. Digital cinema can be used in any type of industry, from the music industry to television and film production. The transition from analog to digital has brought with it many advantages, especially for consumers.

The early adopters of digital cinema found that it provided a realistic and vibrant environment to watch their favorite films. A digital cinema does not require the use of lights or sound systems, since the images are projected by light sensors on the digital display monitor. The clarity of the digital images is also highly appreciated by viewers, since digital video and cinema have come a long way from the mediocre viewing of black and white television shows. In fact, the quality of digital television shows is on par with the best available television sets made in the past. The cost of purchasing a digital cinema system depends on its specifications. Basic systems come in affordable prices and can easily fit into the budget of an ordinary consumer.

Digital cinema systems work by collecting digital sound and images, converting them into digital form and then transmitting them over the network. The source of the digital cinema system may be an analog television set, a DVD player or even a computer. Digital cinema systems usually connect to a projector or LCD screen. They can also allow recording of video onto DVD. There is no need for a hard drive because all of the data is stored on the digital cinema's hard drive.

Digital movie projectors have a standard method of recording: the source image is displayed on the LCD screen and the movie theatre software creates a video file named "DVDF". Digital movie projectors are available in two versions: the standard model and the high dynamic range version. High dynamic range digital cinema projectors (HDLP) provide a higher quality image by allowing more objects to be rendered in the scene. Standard model digital cinema projectors have a lower bit rate and therefore require a slower recording process, but they do not allow as much editing or processing power.

Digital projection uses a digital projector in a different way from a conventional projector. A digital cinema projector uses a special chip hooked up to a digital television set that enables the projector to project the digital image directly onto the television screen. These special chips are also called "arcs" because they project the image in a "halo" fashion around the object being projected. Digital projection uses two types of projectors: the matrix system and the lens reflex system.

The standard model digital cinema projector also called "DVP", is basically the same technology used in the conventional projectors. However, the HDLP requires an additional optical path to work. The high-definition versions of digital projectors use two separate channels instead of the single channel used in the standard model. They also require two stereo audio streams to operate.