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Secure the Digital Future of your Cinema - Connect to the ICAA NOC
Digital conversion and DCI compliance are amongst the most significant investment decisions cinema owners will make in the exhibition business.
Connecting to the ICAA NOC is the most cost effective way to protect your investment in digital technology, maintain DCI compliance for your projection infrastructure and maximise valuable up time ‘on screen’.
From October 2015 the NOC’s Automatic KDM Delivery service “KDM Assistant” is available at no extra cost to all NOC connected cinemas. Please download the signup form to register for this service here. This form needs to be completed and returned to Stephen Davis at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. For more information refer to the FAQs section below.
To connect to the ICAA NOC call Stephen Davis on 1300 247 529 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.*
The Independent Cinemas Association of Australia has established the ICAA Services Network Operations Centre (ICAA NOC) on a not for profit basis to support exhibitors converting to, operating and maintaining DCI compliant digital projection systems.
DCI compliance is a mandatory US Studio* requirement for your cinema to continue to receive US Studio features. Connection to the ICAA NOC will alert you if your systems are not DCI compliant and included in the NOC fees is the assurance you will receive the software upgrades required to maintain compliance.
The ICAA NOC provides you and your cinema with a dedicated technical support team 24/7 with ‘live’ connection to your digital projection systems.
Advantages of NOC connection
The ICAA NOC is connected directly to your system (unlike some other systems) this enables the NOC team to offer full remote support live to your site and help with issues as you see them.
Being directly connected to your site 24/7 gives real time and continual monitoring via professional IT industry standard monitoring systems and also enables automatic KDM ingestion through the KDM Assistant service. The ICAA NOC does not rely on email or SMS to report back alerts for technicians to visit your site.
An operator at the NOC will know – often before you do - and act on the problem straight away. The ICAA NOC team identifies and resolves system issues remotely and works with your on-site staff where ever appropriate to minimise the need for costly on-site servicing.
If the problem requires on-site service, the NOC team will let you know, and with your approval will contact your preferred ICAA accredited service provider, issue a ‘service ticket’ and work with the service provider to get you back on screen.
The ICAA NOC has the facility for Manufacturers (Christie, NEC, GDC, Barco, Doremi, Qube etc.) to connect securely with your equipment directly and be able to offer support when needed.
In addition to twice yearly software upgrades included in the NOC fees, emergency release software patches can be deployed very quickly saving a site visit to fix a newly discovered problem (this is quite common with digital systems).
The ICAA NOC connects you to a world of experience providing early detection of global issues affecting equipment rather than struggling with the problem on your own only to find out it is a problem affecting everyone.
The NOC will also give you early notification of equipment problems before they break down completely. For example Hard Drives starting to fail, or temperature issues. Early notification of problems means they can be acted on and fixed before they fail completely causing damage to other valuable equipment and cancellation of film sessions.
The ICAA NOC gives you, the cinema owner, power to track all issues, past and present, plus the status of ‘service tickets’ raised for your cinema site via our web portal. This gives you the ability to check the status of all your equipment and generate your own reports.
The ICAA NOC team are a direct support for you and your on site staff, ensuring you deliver maximum operational efficiency, reduce the need for costly on-site servicing and keep your digital cinema projection systems DCI compliant.
*The ICAA NOC is supported by Christie Managed Services
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS RE THE NOC
Are all ‘NOCs’ the same?
No, some are “lite” NOCs which do not offer the same services such as ‘live real time’ remote monitoring of your equipment, remote software upgrades and 24/7 help desk service. Connecting to a ‘lite’ NOC will incur increased costs in other areas eg on-site services and software upgrades, the extent of which can sometimes be hidden in other service fees and costs.
Do you have to have a Xenon LMS and Cinedigm TCC to connect to the NOC?
Not unless you are participating in the ICAA/Cinedigm VPF Scheme. You do need the LMS and TCC (or the lower cost ‘micro system’) to generate reports to calculate and receive VPF payments via Cinedigm. However if you are ineligible for or for any reason don’t join the VPF Scheme you only need a site proxy server, projector booth switches and network cables connected to the dedicated MPLS connection to connect to the NOC.
Is DCI Compliance only required if you take VPFs ?
No - DCI compliance is essential to maintain studio supply irrespective of VPFs and to get digital prints that will work – this requires software and hardware upgrades to certain standards and these costs of compliance will be significantly reduced by connecting to the ICAA NOC.
Do you need to be an ICAA Member to connect to the ICAA NOC or join the ICAA/Cinedigm VPF Scheme?
No, but the cost of NOC connection and services for non-Members will be higher to recognise that ICAA Members have contributed levies and worked together to fund the process of getting a VPF Scheme and establish the ICAA NOC.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS FOR THE KDM ASSISTANT
How will KDM Assistant change my day to day running?
You should no longer have to detach and ingest KDMs manually anymore plus you will get clear notifications of KDM’s that have been ingested and their valid dates. However you do still need to check ahead your upcoming schedules either on your LMS/TMS or your players as you do now for any future problems or missing or expiring KDM’s.
What happens if my player is turned off when KDM’s arrive?
Once the player is turned back on when KDM Assistant does its next cycle approximately every 15min your KDM’s will be delivered and ingested, you will then also get the notification email.
What if I receive a KDM from a distributer that has not used This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. in the mailing list?
You can simply just forward that email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and the KDM’s will be delivered, you will then also get the notification email. You should then also ask the distributer to update your details for next time.
What happens if I have to change or swap my player.
Notify the NOC ASAP. Then as soon as you know the new serial number of the replacement player (even if not installed yet) request new KDM’s from your distributers. Once the new player gets installed and comes online Notify the NOC ASAP, when KDM Assistant does its next cycle approximately every 15min the new KDM’s will be delivered. you will then also get the notification email.
What if I want to extend the season beyond my current valid KDM’s?
Same as before, negotiate / request with your distributer as usual and when they issue new KDM’s they will be delivered via KDM Assistant, you will then also get the notification email.
Who do I call for support for KDM Assistant?
Call the NOC or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Is there a backup system for KDM Delivery?
The KDM Assistant keeps a copy of all valid KDM’s, should these get deleted from your player KDM Assistant will re-ingest them.
What if I lose connection to the NOC?
If the connectivity outage is only short lived then KDM Assistant would of course deliver any new KDM’s received once your site comes back online.
Should your site lose connectivity to the NOC due to Hardware or telco line failure for a longer period of time then you would need to ingest your new KDM’s during this time manually either through your LMS or directly to the player. When updating your DCR Forms keep your current email addresses and add This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. as an additional address, that way you will still have the KDM’s to hand should you need them.
*ICAA Member Rates and Non Member Rates are available for connection to the ICAA NOC and comprise a one off sign on fee and quarterly service fees on a per screen basis. Connection requires a secure ICAA MPLS connection to a dedicated analogue phone line.
*US Studios include 20th Century Fox, Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures Releasing, Universal Pictures, Walt Disney, and Warner Bros.