MediaMerge Unveils New Media Server Technology at 2008 Giant Screen Cinema Association International Conference

September 17, 2008

Source: MediaMerge

The ShowSource 3D is the first-ever giant screen cinema digital sound and video playback source with built-in theater automation

Delegates at the 2008 Giant Screen Cinema Association International Conference got a first look at MediaMerge's ShowSource 3D, during the trade show at the Liberty Science Center in Jersey City, NJ.

The ShowSource3D is a turn-key media server targeted squarely at the giant-screen cinema market. The unit serves as a multi-channel digital sound source, offers high-definition 3D video playback and boasts a built-in, comprehensive theater automation system controlled via a wireless touch-screen interface. The ShowSource 3D is the first system of its kind to offer this range of features in a single package.

"When theaters began approaching us about developing new products for the giant screen industry, we realized there was a real need for the type of creativity and experience we could bring to the table," states MediaMerge president, Ken McKibben. "We've had a lot of success providing systems integration services in other markets for almost a decade, and as the world's largest third-party SPP service provider for IMAX Theaters, we've got a really unique perspective on how to solve their problems."

Development of the product began earlier this year with the goal of delivering the product for the 2008 GSCA Conference. MediaMerge system designer, Tim Ogletree, was charged with the task of designing a system that would meet a wide range of needs that are specific to giant screen presentation using non-proprietary hardware as a cost-saving measure.

"With modern day, off-the-shelf hardware, the focus of creating a product like this centers around a software platform that utilizes high-quality codecs and an open ended architecture to provide a solution that is of immediate benefit but will also usher the theater into the emerging world of digital cinema," notes Ogletree. " The ShowSource™3D includes capabilities for networked show control, 3D, 4k digital cinema playback, and a content security & licensing solution. Couple that technology with an interface designed to make everyday use a snap, and the value of this approach is clearly evident."

The heart of the system is a high-powered media server utilizing off-the-shelf components. PCI cards provide the necessary ins and outs for functions such as video output, multi-channel audio, SMPTE time code, and tach-to-SMPTE conversion. Audio is delivered to an external DSP (digital signal processor) over a digital network using standard CobraNet technology. System automation and show control are handled by MediaMerge's proprietary software.

"We've never really bought into the idea that the use of proprietary hardware, in and of itself, adds any value to the equation," remarks McKibben. "There are tons of manufacturers out there spending millions of dollars on R&D who are completely focused on a very narrow range of functionality. It's not necessary for us to re-invent the wheel. Our focus is on how we can take those products, with good design and some custom programming, and deliver a truly exceptional experience. Without all of the unnecessary in-house R&D costs, you get a better product for a whole lot less money."

In June, MediaMerge replaced the sound system in the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry's Omnimax Theater as the first phase of a large-scale renovation. The system included six discrete speaker channels, each boasting eleven loudspeaker drivers feeding into a co-entrant horn. The subwoofer system included four high-output low-frequency enclosures that deliver smooth response well below 20Hz. With more than seventy total loudspeaker drivers, the system delivers unprecedented power and precision. The second phase of the renovation is slated to begin later this month and will include LED cove lighting, digital projection and the first roll-out of the ShowSource™3D.

"This is one of the most exciting things to happen to the Omnimax Theater in 22 years," states Kathryn Chapman, the museum's Manager of Guest Services. "We are thrilled to be the first IMAX theater to feature this new technology, and can't wait to share it with our audiences. We were initially interested in the product because of its range of flexibility, but our expectations were completely surpassed when we saw the interface. Not only will the ShowSource3D be able to seamlessly handle inputs from a variety of media, but building and executing first-class theater experiences will be easy and fun for the first time in our theater's history."

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