Cinema access systems

Captioned movie technology

Audio described movie technology


DTS access system

The accessible locations in Australia use the DTS cinema access system.  This is also used in NZ, the USA and UK, and parts of Europe.  The system consists of a hard drive processor and the captions are supplied on an access disk which is uploaded onto the hard drive.  The system then reads the time code on the movie and displays the captions matching the time code.  The captions are projected onto the screen using a high-powered data projector.  A standard movie print is used.  The new DTS XD10 cinema media player (which is being rolled out by DTS) now includes the access features as standard

Link:  http://www.dts.com/digitalcinema/dtsaccess/dtscss.php


Dolby Screen Talk

Dolby Screen Talk is a similar system to DTS.  It most widely used in the UK.  Most movies that are made accessible in the UK, are produced under both formats.  This system also supports audio description.

Link:  http://www.dolby.com/professional/motion_picture/screentalk_01.html

Rear Window 

Rear Window is a closed captioning system developed by WGBH’s National Center for Accessible Media.  This works by transmitting the captions onto an LED screen located at the rear of the cinema. The captions are displayed in reverse (mirror) and they are decoded by placing a perspex screen in the drink cup holder in the seat.  This reflects the captions and the patron positions the screen so that they can see the captions and movie at the same time.  Rear Window is popular in the USA and Canada.  The DTS access system will also work with Rear Window.  There is also an audio description system with this.

Link:  www.mopix.org

Insight Cinema

Insight Cinema uses open-captioned prints where the captions are burnt into the picture like a foreign language subtitle.  The special prints are then projected using a standard projector and all of the audience sees the captions.  Insight was a pioneer in captioned cinema, but as a not-for-profit organisation does not have the resources to continue their service.  Its website remains a source of information for USA captioned cinema information.

Link:  www.insightcinema.org

Technology developments

There have been experimental systems developed to try and provide alternatives to the current cinema access systems.  Some of these use optical glasses where the captions are displayed on the lens, others are variants of the projection systems used by DTS and Dolby.  None are yet in commercial production.

 

Audio described movie technology

Audio described films are mainly supported by the DTS access system or Dolby access system, and these are used predominantly in cinemas across the United Kingdom and North America. At present, the 12 cinemas in Australia that use the DTS system for both captioning and audio description are all independent cinemas.  Another 11 cinemas run by Hoyts, Village and Greater Union  use the DTS system but only utitlise the captioning option.

There are major negotiations now happening to expand the number of captioned cinemas amongst the major chains, and to look at including AD. When captioned movies are played in Australia, over two-thirds of those captioned movies also carry an audio description track.

In order to play audio described movies, cinemas need to make minor changes to upgrade their DTS access system so that it will play the audio described soundtrack.

Dolby Screen Talk

Dolby Screen Talk is a similar system to DTS.  It most widely used in the UK.  Most movies that are made accessible in the UK, are produced under both the DTS and Dolby formats.  This system supports audio description. 

Link:  http://www.dolby.com/professional/motion_picture/screentalk_01.html