What is a DCP file format? How to make DCP files?

[Team]

A DCP file is a Digital Cinema Package. It contains video, audio files and data streams for projections.
 
From Wikipedia: "The term was popularized by Digital Cinema Initiatives, LLC in its original recommendation    for packaging DC contents. However, the industry tends to apply the term to the structure more formally known as the Composition. ("You PLAY a Composition, You do NOT play a Digital Cinema Package".  A DCP is a “packing crate” for Compositions,  a hierarchical file structure that represents a title version. The DCP may carry a partial Composition (e.g. not a complete set of files), a single complete Composition, or multiple and complete Compositions."
The DCP file  will contain  a video (or picture track) and an audio track  along with couple of xml files, which are in essence asset map files consisting of usually a 'Composition Playlist File', a 'Package List File' or a    'PKL Package Key List' and a 'Volume Index File'.
The picture track is typically a JPEG2000 also known as J2K file.
The Sound file is a mxf  file which is 96KH, 24bits and can carry around 16 channels of sound.
Nowadays it is possible to make your own DCP files.
 
 
 
 

[Team]

To make a FREE DCP file, one can use DCP-O-Matic.

DCP-O-Matic is a free to use, Open Source software that lets you create your own DCP files.

The important thing to understand is the drives carrying the DCP files HAVE TO BE FORMATTED AS EXT2 (preferably for  the widest support) or EXT3 for Linux. The DCI Projector Servers will only recognise these formats.

The reason is, DCI, or Digital Cinema Initiatives, tried to ensure everything around the Digital Cinema system worked on open source software.

Your Mac or Windows computer may not be able to read or write to them without additional software.

For Mac, you an download DCP-Transfer from Cinematiq. DCP-Transfer installed on your Mac will easily let you format, read to and write files on a hard drive ready for DCP Projection. A Windows version of DCP-Transfer is supposed to be soon released.

"Easily Format Hard Drives For DCP Delivery

And stop paying fees to make DCP Copies.

Format hard drives for EXT2, the universally accepted digital cinema industry format. Easily copy and distribute DCPs for playback at any theater."

 

 

[Team]

For Adobe Users, Adobe's Media Encoder has a built in plugin called Wraptor which can make DCP files for you.

[Team]

You can also use OpenDCP  to create DCP files. Its a free to use Open Source Software.

OpenDCP features:

JPEG2000 encoding TIFF/DPX/BMP RGB/YUV/YCbCr images

Supports all major frame rates (24,25,30,48,50,60)

Cinema 2K/4K Profiles

MPEG2 MXF

XYZ color space conversion

MXF file creation

SMPTE and MXF Interop

Full 3D support

DCP XML file creation

SMPTE subtitles

Linux/OSX/Windows

Multithreaded for encoding performance

XML Digital signatures

GUI and CLI Interfaces

Language support

Recommended Requirements

64-bit Processor

4gb RAM

 

[Team]

The Digital Cinema Initiatives page is here. Keep checking for frequent updates.

A PDF of the standard is here.