ARENA Cinemas, one of Europe’s most progressive and innovative cinema groups, switches to GDC’s award-winning CA2.0 technology for its automation capabilities
Barcelona, October 6, 2021 — GDC Technology Ltd (‘GDC’), a leading global provider of digital solutions announced today ARENA Cinemas (‘Arena’), a leading European cinema chain in Switzerland, converted 58 screens across all locations to the GDC’s Cinema Automation 2.0 technology (‘CA2.0’) including the flagship 18-screen ‘Sihlcity’ site in Zurich.
CA2.0 continues to be a game-changer around the world – the first-ever integrated solution that leverages machine intelligence to help exhibitors cut operating costs, increase revenues and monitor screening quality. To date, over 1,100 screens worldwide are using CA2.0 to manage their content in real-time. As multiplexes gain ever more screens, manpower requirements expand proportionately. CA2.0 revolutionizes digital cinema management, with three powerful functions for improved efficiency, enhanced reliability and reduced human intervention:
1) SCL Series Centralized Storage Playback Solution – Over 2000 movies can be stored and made available on a single SCL-4000 Mk2 centralized server, which are live-streamed immediately to each screen with no local ingest required.
2) Automatic Content Management and Show Playlist Generation – operator only needs to program shows once via the point of sale, and CA2.0 handles subsequent procedures automatically.
3) Intelligent Cinema Equipment Management and Quality Assurance – System intelligently turns power supply on or off for cinema equipment saving energy and
time-consuming manual effort. CA2.0 manages screening quality by smart testing and analysis of luminance, chromaticity and sound pressure level. Screening check is performed automatically with results available instantaneously.
The installations and further devlopments in the whole complex cinema eccosystem were managed by leading systems integrator IMACULIX, based in Zurich, Switzerland.
“In the beginning, we were very sceptical about the whole topic of streaming. Especially the stability and reliability had to be simulated in our Plex TestLab and tested in stress tests. Afterwards, we were able to convince Arena Cinemas to invest in the CA2.0 GDC system during the difficult times when the cinemas were still closed, and we replaced the entire infrastructure including TMS in the German and French-speaking parts of Switzerland, said Andy Bohli, CEO IMACULIX.
“Since the reopening of the cinemas in spring 2021, the system has been working cleanly and stably. Due to the speed of the playout and streaming technology, this allows us as an innovator in the cinema world completely new possibilities to stage cinemas like our Cinema On Demand product to try to help to make the cinemas more evolved.”
“GDC love working with businesses who fully understand and appreciate the benefits advanced technology can offer. We have been massively impressed with the professionalism of IMACULIX in this project as well as the determination of Arena to truly change their way of operating, said Dr. Man-Nang Chong, founder, chairman and CEO of GDC Technology Limited. “Since 2001, GDC’s smart cinema solutions have continually evolved to save cinema operators’ time, effort and cost. With CA2.0, Arena can continue to stay at the cutting edge of cinema technology.”
Patrick Tavoli, CEO of Arena Cinemas, praised the solution, “At the beginning we were very sceptical whether this would work at all. Since the beginning of Going Live we finally have the possibility to play and within minutes we can adapt to the needs and capacity of our customers in the cinemas. Very simple. Make changes in the box office system and 15 minutes later the film is running in the corresponding auditorium. This is what I want to get flexible and response to our customers needs.”