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How to Play a DCP on a Computer for Testing or Review

Use a DCP-aware player to review a Digital Cinema Package on your computer. Encrypted packages need a KDM for the target installation, and local playback does not certify theatrical readiness.
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To play a Digital Cinema Package (DCP) on a computer, use software designed for DCPs rather than a standard movie player. DCP-o-matic Player and easyDCP Player+ both document DCP playback; if the package is encrypted, you will also need a valid Key Delivery Message (KDM) for the player installation. Computer playback is useful for review, but it does not prove a cinema server or projector will accept the package.

What you need to play a DCP

  • A DCP-aware player: DCP-o-matic Player or easyDCP Player+ document opening DCPs. See the DCP-o-matic manual and easyDCP Player+ documentation.
  • The complete package: Keep the delivered folder and its contents together. A package can contain more than one Composition Playlist (CPL), which identifies a composition to play.
  • A KDM, if the DCP is encrypted: The KDM authorizes playback for a particular installation. A DCP folder alone does not unlock encrypted content.
  • A computer capable of decoding it: Full-resolution playback can be demanding, especially for high-frame-rate or otherwise complex material.

Current operating-system support, versions, licensing, and prices were not established by the documentation cited here. Check the vendors’ current pages before choosing software or following version-specific instructions.

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How to open and play the package

  1. Install a DCP player. Choose DCP-o-matic Player or easyDCP Player+ and confirm current platform support with its vendor or project documentation.
  2. Open the DCP. In DCP-o-matic Player, choose File > Open, select the DCP, then press Play. easyDCP Player+ documents opening a DCP folder or dragging supported files such as a CPL, Assetmap, or Packing List (PKL) XML file into the player.
  3. Select the intended composition if prompted. A package may include multiple CPLs. Choose the one that corresponds to the version you need to review.
  4. Provide the KDM if playback is locked. Ask the person who created or supplied the encrypted DCP for a KDM made for your playback installation. DCP-o-matic says the creator needs a certificate identifying that installation; easyDCP says each Player+ installation has its own server certificate for receiving KDMs.
  5. Start playback and check picture, sound, and performance. Confirm the expected composition plays and that the computer decodes it smoothly enough for your review.

For the specific file-opening and encryption workflows, consult the DCP-o-matic manual or easyDCP Player+ documentation.

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If playback fails

The player says the DCP is encrypted or will not start

Check whether the package is encrypted. If it is, request a KDM that is valid for the target player installation; a KDM intended for another installation may not work. The player installation’s certificate is part of the KDM workflow described by easyDCP and the DCP-o-matic manual.

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The picture stutters or playback is too slow

Decoding a DCP at full resolution can tax a computer. DCP-o-matic offers reduced-resolution playback for slower CPUs, which can make a review more practical but reduces fidelity. Fraunhofer IIS states that easyDCP’s software decoder needs a fast CPU with at least four cores for its target of real-time playback at at least 24 fps. That is a product-specific target, not a universal minimum for every DCP player or package; see easyDCP system requirements.

The package worked before transfer but fails now

Check that the files were transferred intact and that the package structure was preserved. easyDCP warns that changes to ASCII XML files such as PKL, CPL, and KDM can cause ingest or playback errors; even a changed character can cause a signature-test failure. If you suspect corruption, obtain a clean copy rather than editing those files. See easyDCP’s FAQ.

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What computer playback can—and cannot—tell you

Successful playback confirms that the selected composition opens in that player and that your computer can decode it under those conditions. It can help you review content and identify obvious playback or transfer problems. Reduced-resolution playback, when used, is not a full-fidelity check.

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It is not certification of theatrical readiness. DCP-o-matic cautions that its software has not been widely tested for theatrical exhibition and advises against relying on it without extensive testing in the intended environment. The DCI compliance testing plan addresses equipment compliance separately. If a package must play at a particular venue, follow the recipient’s acceptance process or arrange a test on the venue’s server and projection system.

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Choosing between the documented players

Player Documented workflow Important consideration
DCP-o-matic Player Open a DCP through File > Open; supports reduced-resolution playback. The manual also covers adding an OV and/or KDM for a version file or encrypted package. The project cautions that theatrical exhibition use is not widely tested. Use it for computer review, not as a substitute for testing in the intended cinema environment.
easyDCP Player+ Open a DCP folder or drag supported CPL, Assetmap, or PKL XML files into the player; its documentation covers KDM handling. Encrypted playback involves the certificate for the particular Player+ installation. Current price, licensing, and platform availability should be confirmed with the vendor.

The available documentation establishes these opening and encryption distinctions, but not a complete current comparison of price, licensing, or operating-system support. Choose based on the files you need to open, encrypted-playback requirements, and the computer-review workflow—not on an assumption that either player certifies a theatrical package.

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