Las Vegas, Nv—Apr 8, 2009
QSC’s DCP 300 Stops ‘em Dead at ShoWest
Costa Mesa, CA-based manufacturer reports “unprecedented levels” of interest
Cruising the aisles at this year’s ShoWest—filmdom’s annual paean to all things cinematic where theatre owners, manufacturers, studios, and the press all co-mingle to find out what’s new and exciting—one could stroll past booths showcasing everything from the latest incarnations of popcorn to high-end digital technology. In the latter category, one standout was QSC’s DCP 300, a comprehensive digital cinema processor ideally suited for both D-Cinema upgrades and new installations.
Making its industry debut in booth #1509, the device showed-off its power to combine 24-bit, 16-channel D-Cinema processing with DSP crossover functions and remote, Ethernet-based monitoring and control features that can give guidance to entire audio systems. Capable of receiving up to eight AES pairs of input from D-Cinema servers on two DB25 connectors, the DCP 300 facilitates network digital audio transport as well, via CobraNet, to easily accommodate future expansion.
“The reaction the DCP 300 received at this show was nothing short of phenomenal,” says QSC Senior Director of Cinema Solutions Barry Ferrell. “We’ve never drawn this kind of attention from a product launch, ever. You go into these things knowing in your heart that you have a great product, but you can’t help but develop a case of nerves the night before the show opens. The overwhelming positive response we received was definitely a big validation from the outside world that we got it right.”
Ferrell credits the DCP 300’s full feature set as being one of the primary factors drawing wide attention to the product. Among these features, the device’s full compatibility with QSC's DCA amplifiers allows it to be added to applications converting to digital projection without the need for replacing existing amps. Housing advanced DSP crossover settings for the QSC family of DCS loudspeakers supporting up to five active two-way, three-way, or four-way screen channels, the device additionally offers full 1/3 octave graphic EQ on all channels (except subwoofer), a master volume and master mute, and an internal pink noise generator. 10 channels of analog inputs have also been thoughtfully provided for legacy 35 mm film processors. Dual power supplies further complement the package, along with complete parameter backup via SD memory.
“From an end-user’s standpoint, these are all features inherently designed to keep you on-screen or get you back up quickly,” Ferrell adds. “That means the show goes on, night-after-night, uninterrupted.”
User interface on the DCP 300 is simple and intuitive using a color LCD touchscreen found on its front panel. A speaker also located on the front panel lets users keep tabs on either selected mixes of inputs or outputs, or any individual amplifier output channel. Line-level hearing and visually impaired outputs are furnished as standard equipment as well. Network support includes compatibility with QSC's QSControl and QSCreator, plus instrumentation and status indicators.
