S & B Cinemas operators of The Ritz Cinema Burnham on Sea and XDC have agreed on the terms for a deployment of digital cinema systems under XDC's virtual print fee funding scheme. Pat Scott managing director of The Ritz Cinema Burnham on Sea says We made the decision to go with XDC because they offered the most cost effective and simple VPF financing solution with excellent technical expertise and support through our existing service provider. With the help of XDC both of our screens will now benefit from the advantages of digital cinema: 3D experience and alternative content programs. We can't wait to be all digital. David Pope XDC's director UK operations says I am thrilled that Pat has chosen to go ahead with XDC. The Ritz Cinema at Burnham on Sea has a real community spirit. It's a small family owned business that prides itself in offering a very high quality service. Pat and his team have already embraced digital technology with the support of Bell Theatre Services for screen one and we are very happy to be working with them to make The Ritz fully digital. Under the terms of the agreement with XDC S & B Cinemas will have Series 2 DCI-compliant digital projection systems installed. A content delivery network will also be implemented by XDC in order to allow distributors to deliver films directly by satellite and/or broadband connection to the cinemas as well as to give the opportunity to The Ritz Cinema Burnham on Sea to perform live 2D and 3D transmissions. All the systems will be connected to the XDC's Network Operations Center which will perform the hotline support and the preventative remote maintenance. Thanks to XDC's CineStore Data web-based application the frontline support (with the possibility to have a full remote monitoring of the digital systems) will be directly managed by XDC's local integrator Bell Theatre Services which will also take care of the installations and maintenance supported by XDC's NOC services. S & B Cinemas are the second UK Exhibitor to contract with XDC. Other UK exhibitors are planning to start their digital roll out with XDC over the next few months. XDC is targeting to rapidly increase its UK operations in order to manage the deployment and the support of about 400 screens.
