Major UK cinema chain trials D-Cinema model

Odeon and UCI cinemas, the leading cinema chain in the UK owned by Terra Firma Capital Partners, has embarked on a beta test of D-Cinema equipment for the complete conversion of two multiplex cinemas, for a total of 18 screens. The deployments will constitute the first all digital multiplex in the UK, and each site will be managed separately as part of the test phase. Bell Theatre Services will install and maintain equipment from NEC and Kodak at Odeon multiplex in Hatfield, while Arts Alliance Media will handle installation and ongoing service provision for the Odeon site in Surrey Quays, using projectors and servers from Cinemeccanicca and Doremi respectively. Several distributors have given their backing to supply content for the test deployment, including LionsGate UK, Pathe Distribution, Universal, Twentieth Century Fox and Sony. Other distributors and content providers will also reportedly be participating in the test phase, which will last for a period of six months. The first digital film will be shown in February at Odeon Surrey Quays, where Arts Alliance have also agreed to encode and deliver digital advertising from Carlton Screen Advertising. Odeon currently has around 30 screens participating in the UK Film Council DSN project, so it already has some experience with the technology, although UCI was first involved with alternative content screenings in very early days of D-cinema (pre DCI).