Cinema Server doesn't recognize DCP File

[tc8]

Hello!

I recently created a DCP File of my short film and wanted to test it in a local cinema.
I gave them the DCP folder which is inside the project folder dcp-o-matic creates.
The cinema projector resp. the cinema server didn't recognize the DCP file on the hard drive.
Then I tried it again with the complete project folder which DCP-o-matic creates and it worked.

The problem is that the project folder is twice the size of the pure DCP folder because the hard link of the video file seems not to work with the file system of the hard drive.

Anyways, now I'm insecure which folder/file I should send to a film festival.
Did I do something wrong? Is it a known problem?

Thanks in advance!
And thanks to the creator for the software!

[Carsten]

In general, the DCP folder within the project folder must work with all cinema servers. From a distance, it is hard to tell what went wrong.

BTW - you can always delete the video folder once your DCP is finished.

Which OS do you run DCP-o-matic in? On what disc/format did you have your project folder and DCP, and what disc/medium was used to transport it to the cinema server?

If the cinema server did not recognize your DCP, the reason is probably transfer/disc format related.

Is it a short film, or a full length feature? Size?

- Carsten

[gunnar]

There is nothing inside the project folder that cinema server is scanning through except the DCP folder itself.
When you gave the projectionist the material again with the entire project, was it on the very same hard drive?

This has definitely something to do with the hard drive or incomplete data transfer. Cinema server is not using anything of the project folder. Only the DCP folder itself.
So the reason why it worked the second time is because of something else than the entire project folder was on the drive.

[tc8]

Thank you for your answers!

I used macOS to create the DCP and it's a short film.
The DCP folder is 20 GB, the project folder doubled the size (40 GB) when I transferred it to the projectionists computer.

Both times it was the same external Hard Disk Drive he tried it with. With an EXT Format I guess but it was the projectionists drive so I'm not sure.
Very strange... With just the DCP folder on the drive, he tried it several times on every USB input on the projector. But the projector didn't show any DCP.
Afterwards with the complete project folder it worked instantly.
He told me that he does it this way every time when he creates his own DCPs with DCP-o-matic.

Maybe it's something wrong with the projector.
Is it possible that the DCP folder needs to be in another folder and not just on the root directory of the drive?

But thanks again, good to be sure that it supposed to work with just the DCP folder!
I hope that it just works in other cinemas.

[Carsten]

You can use an NTFS formatted drive. I suggest Tuxera NTFS for the Mac. It comes free with some portable Toshiba drives, but even as a standalone buy, it's only 15€ or so.

- Carsten