On 20.09.22 00:13, Jim Dummett via DCP-o-matic users wrote:

Hi all.

First posting on this list since Carl mentioned possibly shutting it down. Perhaps it's had a chilling effect on public discourse!

To be fair it wasn't exactly speakers' corner before ;)  It should still be fully functioning (though now hidden from view a bit more on the website...)

A question for the font of knowledge...

I believe there's meant to be a limit on the size of a subtitles XML file in a DCP of 256KB. i.e. for most features, the DCP needs to be cut into reels to avoid exceeding this limit if there are soft subs.

However in practice we receive many features with subtitles as single-reel DCPs (though Deluxe etc still seem to use multiple reels).

When making a DCP which is intended to screen widely, is it wise to stick to multiple reels? Or was this limitation purely for the benefit of series 1 projectors which are now mostly extinct?

If anyone has any practical experience of this (especially any projectors where this limit does still apply), that info would be hugely helpful.

I'm afraid I have no practical experience these days, but all I would point out is that these SMPTE Bv2.1 guidelines that were published not-so-long-ago say:

• XML files used for closed captions should be 256kB or less (but this does not apply to subtitles)
  
• Cumulative size for a timed text track (including PNGs/fonts) shall be 115MB or less.
• Fonts shall be 10MB or less.

Make of that what you will!

Best,

Carl