Curt Tilly, digital cinema distribution manager, discusses
the impact of satellite on the movie industry in this
cover story. To realize cost savings of digital cinema,
studios and theaters will have to rely on satellite
deliver. Tilly notes that satellite distribution of
movies is more efficient and cost effective compared
to shipping movies stored on hard disks around the country.
The
allure of digital signage has gotten enough attention
by a growing number of broadcasters in the past year
that it will get its own Super Session at the NAB
Show. Fellow panelist Joe Amor, president of Microspace
(owned by Capitol Broadcasting), believes some of
the most significant trends to occur in recent months
is the entry into digital signage by the traditional
networks.
“The recent TV network acquisitions [such as
CBS Outernet’s purchase of SignStorey last fall
for more than $70 million] send a message that after
years of trying to be taken seriously as a viable advertising
alternative to traditional means, digital signage is
coming of age,” he said. “When the largest
television
broadcasters
[including ABC and NBC] throw their collective hats
into the ring, as now, digital
signage
has
become a legitimate advertising venue.”
Curt Tilly, digital distribution manager for Microspace,
discusses how digital movies are changing the 100-year-old
process and workflow of the current industry.
NAB conference takes look into digital signage
DigitalSignageToday.com
April 2008 Click here to view article
The National Association of Broadcasters is including
an informational session on digital signage for the
first time in its history as part of the NAB conference
and expo, April 11-17, 2008, in Las Vegas. Joe Amor
of Microspace will be joining the session as a panelist
along with representatives from Bunn Co., ClearChannel
Outdoor, Outernet and Helius.
A spot at the bar By
offering
flat-screen
TVs
to
owners
at
no
charge,
advertisers
hope
to
reach
the
lucrative
under-35
crowd
where
they
spend
much
of
their
time
Microspace-delivered
i-am TV
becomes one
of the
hottest keys
to unlocking
the mysterious
21-34 year
old demographic.
By reaching
the TIVO
and iPod
loving generation
outside of
their homes,
Microspace and
Instant Access
Media position
major brands
in front
of their
target audience
at the
point of
sale. The revolutionary
out of
home television
network is
expected in
700 bars
by end
of 2008.
Digital signs are making their way into clubs. Microspace
customer, ClubCom, a provider of digital signs and digital
media networks, has its satellite- powered networks
in more than 1, 500 fitness clubs across four continents.
Microspace,
distributor of digital cinema via satellite, has retained
Michael Murphy as senior consultant, international
markets.
Microspace Retains Movie Executive to Aid
Expansion Into Mexico Satellite
Today
December
5, 2007 Click
here
to
view
article
Murphy’s international expertise will guide Microspace’s
strategy
in establishing a larger international foothold in the
entertainment market through his strategic relationships
and
experience acquired over more than 30 years in the
industry,
Microspace said in a statement.
Digital Signage Association Is Launched Digital Signage Today
Novermber
8,
2007 Click here to view article
A
new association for the $1.1 billion digital signage
industry has officially launched. The Digital Signage
Association has been created to serve those involved
in the rapidly growing digital signage industry. Microspace
serves as a member.
Microspace
Communications Corp. distributed DreamWorks Pictures’ film, "The
Heartbreak Kid” digitally via satellite to theaters
throughout the United States, Microspace announced
Oct. 17. The movie was delivered to nine theaters
starting
Oct. 5.
Microspace has delivered 16 movies
in the last year and a half and continues to work
closely with the movie industry
to ensure the most advanced satellite distribution
capabilities,” Joe Amor, general manager of Microspace,
said
in
a statement.
Microspace Beams Dreamworks’ “The
Heartbreak Kid” to Theaters Nationwide
CNN
Money
Oct.
17, 2007 Click
here to view article
Microspace delivered "The Heartbreak Kid" to
nine
theaters
starting October 5, 2007.
"Now is the time for both studios and exhibitors
to utilize satellite distribution for the highest
quality presentation the first time and every
time," said Joe Amor, general manager of
Microspace. "Microspace has delivered 16
movies
in
the last year and a half and continues to work
closely
with the movie industry to ensure the
most
advanced satellite distribution capabilities. "
Paramount
was the last major Studio to supply one of its
movies in the digital format in North America,
namely Mission Impossible III in 2006. Paramount
signed up to both rival facilitators in the
US market (AccessIT and TDC), and its move to
embrace digital cinema came shortly after its
acquisition of Dreamworks, back in 2005. It
has also been working with digital satellite
provider Microspace in North America for live
transmission of its feature films.
Microspace Communications Corp. said that it has commitments
to install its satellite service for the delivery of
digital-cinema content at 250 locations in North America,
representing an estimated 2,500 screens. The company
also said Friday that it anticipates reaching 500 locations
by the end of 2008.
Microspace To Deliver
North American 'Transformers' Premiere Via Satellite
To L.A. Film Festival
Satellite
Today
June
26, 2007 Click
here
to view article
Microspace
Communications
Corp.
will
deliver
the
North
American
premiere
of
the
DreamWorks
Pictures
and
Paramount
Pictures
movie “Transformers” to
the
L.A.
Film
Festival
on
June
27,
Microspace
announced.
Microspace
Communications
Corporation
(Microspace)
today
announced
that
it
will
deliver
the
North
American
premiere
of
DreamWorks
Pictures
and
Paramount
Pictures'
release
of
Transformers
to
the
L.A.
Film
Festival
on
June
27,
2007.
Muzak partnering with digital signage company
Digital
Signage Today
June
19, 2007 Click
here
to
view
article
Digital
Signage Today has learned that Muzak, a pioneer in the
field of in-store audio and a true household name, is
entering the digital signage business.
The company is set to announce a partnership with Microspace,
a provider of point-to-multipoint satellite services.
According to a source with Muzak, the goal of the partnership
is "to provide retailers with the best of digital
audio and digital signage in one solution. "
Microspace Partners with Vista Satellite
Communications
Satellite
Today
June
6, 2007 Click
here
to
view
article
Microspace
Communications
(Microspace)
has
entered
into
a
strategic
partnership
with
Vista
Satellite
Communications
Inc.
to
offer
alternative
uplinking
services
to
Vista's
customer
base,
Microspace
announced
June
5.
ISCe
Conference
Discusses
Pivotal
Role
of
Satellites
in
Hybrid
Networks SatNews
Daily
June
6,
2007 Click
here to view article
The
ISCe
2007
Conference
here
got
off
to
a
good
start
with
the
Global
VSAT
Forum
(GVF)/
World
Teleport
Association
(WTA)
Workshop
on “Profiting
from
Hybrid
Solutions.” Joe
Amor,
Vice
President
and
General
Manager
-
Microspace
Communications
Corp.,
said
that
Internet
Protocol
(IP)
technology
is
driving
multicasting.
Amor
said
IP
is
enabling
the
natural
benefits
of
satellite
technology
for
point-to-multipoint
applications
with
IP. “IP
and
the
Internet
as
a
return
channel
has
made
it
possible
to
do
applications
that
we
couldn’t
do
before,” he
added.
The
ability to beam ads and promotional content to any number
of sites simultaneously via satellite remains a remarkable
concept, and network reliability and cost concerns that
may have conspired to turn prospective customers away
in the past are being overcome by advancements in technology.
Content management is not simply a matter of timing, as
viewers are demanding more options if digital signage
systems are to attract and hold their attention, says
Greg Weaver, manager of digital signage networks at Raleigh,
N.C.-based Microspace Communications Corp.
Raleigh,
NC-based
Microspace
Communications
is
a leader
in
the
provision
of
enterprise,
video,
data
and
private
networks.
Microspace's
Vice-President
of
Sales
and
Marketing,
Greg
Hurt
spoke to
SatNews
Managing
Editor
Virgil
Labrador
on
its
enterprise
business
and
the
key
applications
driving
the
industry
at
the
recently
held
NAB
2007
in
Las Vegas.
The
shift
to
direct
digital
transmission
of
first-run
movies
from
Hollywood
to
movie
theaters
across
the
country
via
satellite
took
a step
forward
when
Microspace
Communications Corp.,
of
Raleigh,
N.C.,
reached
a deal
to
distribute
movies
to
theaters
owned
by
Carmike
Cinemas
of
Columbus,
Ga.,
the
nation’s
fourth-largest
theater
chain.
Called
super
high
definition
(SHD)
4K,
the
technology
is
capturing
a growing
amount
of
attention
in
digital
cinema
production.
Microspace,
a Raleigh-based
company
owned
by
WRAL
Local
Tech
Wire
parent
Capitol
Broadcasting,
recently
reported
an
industry
first:
satellite
transmission
of
a 4K
production.
LAS VEGAS
-- Microspace
Communications
Corp. has used its Digital Cinema Distribution system
to distribute a 4k digital-cinema
package
of Sony
Pictures' "The Da Vinci Code" via
satellite
from
Microspace's Raleigh, N.C.-headquarters to Sony's laboratory
in San Jose, Calif.
On Tuesday,
March
13th Microspace will be delivering Paramount's Distrubia
via satellite to Las Vegas for
the ShoWest
screening.
A Microspace spokesman said, “We
are working with Dolby to accomplish this and plan on
delivering the movie directly into their library server
- a first.” Microspace will also be showcasing
its satellite
capabilities
in its booth.
Satellite services company Microspace Communications Corp., a subsidiary
of Capitol Broadcasting Co., will deliver Paramount Pictures' release
of DreamWorks Pictures' "Disturbia" via satellite for a screening
Tuesday at ShoWest.
2006
2006 Could Be Milestone Year for Digital
Distribution of Films
By
Missy Frederick
Space
News
March 20, 2006
WASHINGTON — Satellite industry officials are
hopeful
2006 will be the year when there finally is some significant
movement toward the delivery of digital
movies
via satellite, though it may take until at least 2007
before a significant number of movie theaters embrace
the
technology.
“The industry right now is kind of at a crossroads,” said
Curt Tilly, manager for digital cinema distribution
for Raleigh, N.C.-based Microspace Communications Corp.,
a satellite broadband company that has been delivering
movies via satellite since 2004, mostly to demonstrate
the business model.
“Some have said that the digital deployment has
already begun. Some say it is still in kind of a science-project
mode, and some say nothing has been done that can be
considered a rollout yet,” Tilly said.
Microspace Fetches "The Shaggy Dog" Via
Satellite
for
Cinemark Digital
Cinematography
March
13, 2006
Microspace announced that it has delivered
the first JPEG 2000 feature via satellite for Walt
Disney's "The
Shaggy Dog," opening in theaters nationwide. The
delivery
is a key milestone in reaching Digital Cinema Initiatives
(DCI) compliance. Microspace delivered the
feature
via its VELOCITY satellite service in conjunction with
Kodak Digital Cinema to the Cinemark Tinseltown
Theater
in Rochester, New York.
Digital in front-row seat theater owners' confab Reuters
March
12, 2006 Click
here
to
view
article
As
the
movie
theater
industry's
annual
convention
kicks
off
Monday
in
Las
Vegas,
the
conversion
to
digital
cinema
is
again
on
the
agenda.
This
past
weekend,
Disney
delivered
JPEG
2000
masters
of "The
Shaggy
Dog" to
98
screens
via
Microspace
Communications
Corp.'s
Velocity
satellite
service,
in
conjunction
with
Kodak
Digital
Cinema,
to
the
Cinemark
Tinseltown
Theater
in
Rochester,
N.Y.
Earlier
this
month,
Disney
delivered "Eight
Below" in
JPEG
2000
to
109
screens,
more
than
double
the
amount
of
screens
that
received "The
Incredibles" in
2004,
according
to
Howard
Lukk,
Disney's
d-cinema
head.
Satellite Broadband Firms Charges by the Megabyte Space
News
February
27,
2005
Microspace
Communications
Corp.
of
Raleigh,
N.C.,
has
offered
usage-based
satellite
broadband
access
as
an
option
since
around
1998.
It
is
popular
with
operators
of
small
networks
and
for
applications
such
as
broadcasting
advertising
to
retailers,
Joe
Amor
said. "We
have
been
happy
with
it
because
it
allows
start-up
ventures
to
gain
the
benefit
of
satellite
broadcasting
without
huge
capital
expenditures," he
said.
MICROSPACE COUNTING ON ORGANIC GROWTH SatelliteFinance
February
16,
2006
“I don’t expect it to be a hockey stick
year, but we think it’s going to be solid growth,” Greg
Hurt
of
Microspace
told
SatelliteFinance recently. The company believes that
increased
interest in digital signage
and
continued
development
of the digital cinema market will sit alongside the
growth in the traditional
business
to
produce
a
good year for the company.
P-O-P is on the Air POP
Times
January
2006
In
store
networks
have
buzz.
Intrigued
by
media
stories
and
well-publicized
pilot
programs,
marketers
and
retailers
are
taking
a closer
look
at
these
systems
that
broadcast
content
and
advertisements
to
customers
in
the
aisles. "Every
client
wants
something
different," says
Greg
Hurt,
vice
president
of
sales
and
marketing
for
Microspace
Communications,
Raleigh
N.C.,
a provider
of
digital
signage
networks.
2005
Executive Spotlight: Interview with Microspace
Vice
President, Greg Hurt
SatMagazine
December 2005
SatMagazine
Managing
Editor
Virgil
Labrador
recently
spoke
with Raleigh, North Carolina-based Microspace Communications Corporation’s
Vice-President for Sales and Marketing, Greg Hurt. Microspace has been
a
leader in business television networks and is now venturing into many new applications
such as digital
signage
and satellite delivery of digital cinema.
Anyone remember film reels?
Triangle Business Journal
