PVR Cinemas Selects GDC Technology to Develop Smart Monitoring Network

When completed, this will be the largest circuit-wide rollout of the company’s comprehensive theatre management system (TMS) and technology intelligent network operations center (NOC) software.
 
GDC solutions were selected due to their high reliability, capability to improve productivity and operational efficiencies and flexibility to work with all digital cinema equipment.  More importantly, the decision was based upon the requirement to provide the best possible customer service. With 13 offices and 29 local service centers worldwide, including an office and local service center in Mumbai, GDC Technology was selected as the best-positioned company to meet the current and future needs of PVR Cinemas.  
 
Key features and benefits of GDC TMS-2000
 
The TMS-2000 is the ultimate next-generation theatre management solution providing PVR Cinemas with centralized control over all properties in India. 

• Complete compatibility: The TMS-2000 is a flexible software solution that works with all major brands of digital cinema equipment. It is not bundled with any particular hardware and runs on majority of Microsoft Windows platforms.
• Creation of schedules with ease: The newly designed show scheduler allows PVR Cinemas to track and visualize all their scheduled playlists for the day, import schedules from more than 25 pre-qualified point of sale systems, and add and delete schedules with ease. The built-in alert automatically notifies if there is an invalid key delivery message (KDM) or missing composition playlist (CPL) file.
• Monitor and control screens from single access point: PVR Cinemas can monitor every aspect of every cinema screens at a glance. The status of both projector and audio device are displayed with real-time information while the Project and Sound Processor Controller give them full control.
• Automatic ingestion of a digital cinema package (DCP) from locally attached storage devices or FTP site:

DCP’s are automatically detected and ingested from locally attached storage devices like USB thumb drives or from a FTP source.

• Intermission programming in show playlists (SPL): The TMS-2000 allows PVR to program SPL’s with an intermission.

Key features and benefits of GDC NOC

• Centralized monitoring and control of all compatible digital cinema equipment: The GDC central management system (CMS) allows PVR Cinemas to monitor and control their digital cinema equipment from a central location with ease by connecting to the GDC TMS systems within the PVR Cinema circuit.
• Centralized content and show management: Content and KDM’s can be ingested and transferred from the CMS to PVR’s cinema sites. SPL’s can be created either manually or automatically without user intervention, through integration with PVR’s programming system.
• Digital cinema equipment health monitoring: Device health can be monitored in an effective manner from the simple network management protocol (SNMP) module at the NOC. Color-coded warnings allow PVR’s staff to take preemptive action and avoid potential equipment breakdowns.
• Automatic fault ticket generation based on SNMP events: Fault tickets are automatically created based on SNMP events and can be sent to the appropriate persons within PVR’s technical team for necessary action. A pre-defined escalation matrix programmed into the customer relationship module (CRM) ensures that a ticket is escalated to a higher authority if left unaddressed.
• Playback, lamp and downtime reports: Play logs can be generated at the NOC for proof of performance for advertisement/DAVP billing and virtual print fee reports. Lamp reports and system downtime reports helps PVR Cinemas keep track of lamp usage and system downtime.  

“At PVR, we are committed to provide the highest quality customer service in the country while constantly engaging with our customers and redefining the cinema viewing experience in India,” said Mr. Kamal Gianchandani, Chief of Strategy, PVR Ltd. “It’s vitally important that the cinema viewing experience is not interrupted by equipment failures.  After careful evaluation, we agreed GDC offered the perfect infrastructure to ensure PVR’s high standards are delivered every day.  It’s satisfying to know that the GDC NOC will monitor our cinemas to ensure optimal performance of our growing complex network environment.”
 
“GDC looks forward to working with PVR to support the high-quality presentations and customer service their moviegoers have come to expect,” said Man-Nang Chong, founder, chairman and CEO of GDC Technology Limited.  “With GDC solutions, PVR will be able to centrally manage every theatre, every screen, quickly analyze and resolve issues, perform troubleshooting remotely, communicate with their existing equipment and confidently make decisions in near real-time.”
 
Find out more
To learn more about the features and benefits of GDC products, visit our website or the GDC booth (#2219A) at CinemaCon 2016 in the Augustus Ballroom from April 12 to 14.