Telstra and media asset management specialists Silver Trak Digital have launched a 5G Cinema Direct content delivery service.
Silver Trak Digital COO Christian Christiansen said the service required no cabling, could be installed quickly, and was backed by Telstra’s entire network infrastructure and support teams.
“Cinema Direct enables content distributors to send and cinemas to receive digital content over Telstra’s 4G and 5G networks via Silver Trak’s media asset management system,” he said.
“We install and maintain all the required technology at no cost to the distributors or cinemas and then the content can be ordered and delivered via the Silver Trak Digital online portal.
“This is an incredibly effective cost-efficient solution that is live and working now in cinemas across Australia.”
By leveraging Telstra’s next-generation 5G cellular technology, Cinema Direct presents an enterprise-grade wireless content delivery solution suitable for any distributor and cinema in Australia.
First-line support is provided by Telstra Broadcast Services Master Control Facilities and second-line support by Telstra Network Operations. Also, any content delivered by Cinema Direct is contained within a secure network, separate from any other traffic, and only available to Silver Trak Digital’s clients.
Christiansen said Cinema Direct had been developed as install and maintenance-free for all users, particularly cinemas and content distributors.
“Over time the Cinema Direct ecosystem will develop such that it will create and enable additional revenue streams for cinemas through the availability of rich media services,” he said.
“This means live sporting events, concerts, and other exclusive content can be delivered at super high quality to any venue connected to Cinema Direct live in real-time, at any time, with the simple click of a button.”
The “live” content capabilities of Cinema Direct will allow new and extended audiences to view a whole range of content on the big screen – content they would previously never have had access to, particularly in a cinema.
Telstra Broadcast Services head Andreas Eriksson said there were multiple advantages to the delivery service.
“Content delivery over Telstra’s 5G network is obviously a huge benefit of delivering Cinema Direct,” he said.
“We are also excited at the prospect of providing the appropriate viewing rights to potentially thousands of Australians who are not able to access sold-out concerts or sporting events.”