BoxOffice® Pro - May 2013

tech tools
refurbishment projects. The Digital Screen Modeller does precisely that but
also has the ability to take away a large degree of uncertainty over theater
design and equipment choices, helping reduce the risk of costly mistakes
on projects whilst ensuring that screen performance adheres to industry
standard (DCI for 2D) brightness levels.”
An app such as this is only of use if the information provided accurately
simulates real-world scenarios. To ensure this, Harkness has carried
out an extensive testing program involving its test facility at its screen
production factory in France and a number of theaters of all shapes and
sizes on both sides of the Atlantic. In fact, with accurate design data
inputted into the Digital Screen Modeller, the app typically returns projected
light readings that match real-world readings to within 1fL.
“We’ve long argued that correctly specifying a screen and optimizing
its design can have a significant positive impact on viewing experience
as well as potentially reducing operating costs. In the Digital Screen
Modeller, we believe the industry now has a way of demonstrating those
theories using the latest data from projector, lamp, screen, and 3D system
manufacturers,” says Mitchell.
The Digital Screen Modeller also has some other great functionality,
notably that registered users can store their theater designs and a free
e-consultancy facility that allows proposed design choices to be sent
to Harkness for further
guidance or assistance with
optimization.
“It’s an indication as to
where we feel we need to be
as a modern manufacturer
in the cinema industry. We
don’t just want to be known
for being the best manufacturer
of screens in the world;
we want to go further and be
the first people architects, engineers,
and exhibitors turn
to for support and advice
on optimizing their theater
designs,” says Mitchell.
So what of the final part
of the cinema screen lifecycle,
maintenance and monitoring?
The free iPhone/iPad
and web-based Digital
Screen Archiver is a secure
cloud-based data capture
and reporting tool that has
iPhone Report submission
functionality in Digital
Screen Archiver
been designed to help projectionists, managers, engineers, and exhibitors
to maintain their digital cinema auditoriums. A smart infrastructure and
easy-to-use interface means that the Digital Screen Archiver can allow
key digital cinema data such as auditorium geometry, power settings,
lamp life, and on-screen brightness to be captured rapidly in a standardized
format during maintenance visits with results updated in real time.
Aligned to this, a range of management tools allows exhibitors to control
user access and utilize extensive back-end reporting tools to monitor the
performance of their entire screen portfolio through one source, schedule
planned and reactive maintenance visits, and automatically benchmark
screen performance against key industry standards. On top of this, Harkness’
automated and manual data monitoring service allows exhibitors to
monitor screen performance as well as ensure data quality.
“After months and months in production and field testing, we’re
delighted to finally let these apps out of the door and hopefully onto
the devices of people within the cinema industry. This is, however, just
the beginning. We’re already a significant way down the line in putting
some further app ideas into production, which will doubtless be of huge
benefit to the industry,” says Mitchell.
50 BoxOffice ® Pro The Business of Movies may 2013