Company Overview
SpectiCast is a digital distribution company that distributes films and produces, directs, simulcasts and distributes cultural arts & entertainment events and alternative content to both traditional and non-traditional venues across North America.

Our Digital Theater Network (DTN) not only supports live and encore simulcasts, but can efficiently and securely transfer any digital content to theaters and other exhibition venues. Content is delivered to our specialized Network Appliances residing at the venues, for local playback from the embedded hard drive.

In contrast to other digital delivery systems, SpectiCast’s technology and network equipment is virtually cost-free for the exhibitor, thus eliminating barriers to acceptance.

SpectiCast’s DTN delivers the highest quality audiovisual digital experience using advanced Internet-protocol technologies operating over a network that has worldwide reach. Our services leverage patented technologies to deliver extremely high quality audiovisual content using standard, commercial-grade Internet connections. We have extensive experience in the fields of data networking, video transmission technology, video production, film purchasing and exhibition, as well as a deep history directing, producing and transmitting cultural arts.

Since the fall of 2008, SpectiCast's DTN has delivered live simulcasts, as well as encore performances for organizations like The Philadelphia Orchestra Association, The Curtis Institute of Music, The Free Library of Philadelphia, and others. We have already developed, produced, directed and broadcast over 50 live events including “The Philadelphia Orchestra Concert Series” featuring full orchestral performances from this world-renowned orchestra, The “Author Event Series” featuring live lectures followed by a Q&A session from some of the leading voices in the humanities, arts, sciences and literature, “Live From Curtis” showcasing some of the world’s rising stars in the field of classical music, and Book Club with Michael Smerconish featuring one-on-one conversations by one of the most widely recognized radio and television talk show personalities in the country.

Our technology platform allows us to provide a very cost effective turnkey digital service that can deliver live and pre-recorded content such as specialty films, repository collections, and re-issue films, at any time, to multiple locations any place in the world. This platform allows us to efficiently distribute content to multiple locations in high quality at a much lower cost than traditional satellite-based systems or more complex network server based systems, thereby providing better economics and greatly simplified operational and distribution logistics to our content partners and theaters.

In August 2010 SpectiCast partnered with Bryn Mawr Film Institute to expand our distribution for both traditional film and alternative content to the public theater market, including thousands of potential independent movie houses, art house theaters, performing arts and community centers, and other alternative theaters around the country.

The SpectiCast DTN
SpectiCast's DTN consists of several components:

1. Content including the Content Provider Network (CPN) in the case of live transmissions, or Digital Content in the case of pre-recorded film and other content,
2. Digital Network Control Center (DNCC),
3. Transport Network, and
4. Theater Premise Equipment (TPE).

Using proven tools and technologies, the DTN automatically and securely schedules, delivers, plays, monitors and reconciles large volumes of content files.

Digital Content
High-Definition pre-recorded content is encoded through our Ingest System, which accepts multi-format HD digital content (including, but not limited to, ProRes 422(HQ), HDCAM, HDCAM-SR, HDCAM-D5, and XDCAM), into an H.264 or Mpeg2 file format that can be distributed securely over our network and played back by our Network Appliance. We can also convert Blu-Ray DVD into a network-compatible file format. Resulting output playback formats include 1080i (1920x1080) and 720p (1280x720).

In addition, we can encode high-quality anamorphic widescreen standard definition 16:9 DigiBeta non-transcoded PAL or NTSC format content, and can improve the quality of standard definition content by up-converting it to 720p, 1080i, or 1080p resolution prior to encoding.

Content Provider Network
The CPN, which is used for the transmission of a live event from a performance venue, generally consists of redundant H.264 encoders and related audio-visual transmission and recording equipment. This equipment is installed at the content provider location, in lieu of any satellite equipment, and is remotely accessed and managed through our DNCC. The CPN is portable and requires little installation expertise on the part of the content provider.

Digital Network Control Center
SpectiCast’s DNCC is housed in a fully redundant and carrier neutral datacenter in Center City Philadelphia with 24x7x365 on-site support. All components of the DNCC can be remotely accessed and managed over our secure Virtual Private Network (VPN).

The key components of our DNCC are the Element Management System (EMS), Network Management System (NMS), and Network Operations Center (NOC).

The Element Management System's (EMS) key functionality is divided into five key areas -

1. Fault Detection and Isolation,
2. Configuration,
3. Accounting,
4. Performance, and
5. Encryption and Security

The EMS interfaces with the Network Management System (NMS) and with the Network Appliances installed at the theater near the projection equipment. The EMS manages the functions and capabilities within each Network Appliance over the theater's standard broadband public Internet connection. When a Network Appliance experiences any network related issue, the EMS automatically sets off alarms in our Network Operations Center (NOC). The NOC proactively monitors and manages all network hardware devices, digital downloads, and data streams. The NMS manages the function of the DNCC and CPN, and the video transport between content providers and theaters for both live and time-delayed broadcasts.

Transport Network. The Transport Network, developed and tested over several years, utilizes proprietary technologies that condition the public Internet to deliver broadcast quality content at minimal buffer sizes. The result is a highly reliable and efficient network that delivers low-cost, real-time, broadcast quality digital audiovisual channels on par with HD digital satellite and HD cable television formats.

This same Transport Network manages the digital download process for film and other recorded content to the hard drives integrated inside the Network Appliances.

Our service does not rely on a dedicated broadband connection, static IP address, or private line service, but rather utilizes a venue’s existing commercial grade broadband Internet connection.

Theater Premise Equipment (TPE). SpectiCast’s TPE consists of a company provided true "plug and play" Network Appliance that supports standard-definition and both 720p and 1080i high-definition video, and up to 5.1 Dolby Digital surround sound. This user-friendly device is connected to a theater’s audio video equipment (using standard RCA Component, or HDMI inputs) and to their broadband Internet connection.

Our Network Appliance comes with an integrated 250GB fully-managed networked hard drive that enables SpectiCast to download, update, and remove files through our EMS, thereby providing significant capacity and flexibility for pre-recorded content. Our platform provides for automatic verification and reconciliation of file downloads as well as removal controls to ensure the integrity of each piece of content. In addition, our system provides the theater with the capability to call up, select and playback content at the time of its choosing, or to select and schedule a series of individual files (e.g., trailers, advertising, promotions, film) into a playlist for seamless playback.

Technology Requirements for Presentation Venues
General Requirements. While we encourage the use of the highest quality digital projections system that a theater can afford, our technology is designed to work with any digital projection system. To receive our service, a theater must have a standard commercial grade broadband Internet service (i.e., FiOS, commercial cable modem, DSL, etc). Our digital service will support both 720p and 1080i output resolution and, if required, we can support 480i service.

To receive content, a theater simply connects the SpectiCast Network Appliance to their existing high-speed Internet connection and then to their digital audio/video projection system. Our technology supports industry standard component and HDMI audio video connections.

Live Broadcasts. For live events or for real-time "simulcasts" of previously recorded content, the following Internet downlink speeds are required.

• 1080i HD service: 10Mbps downlink;
• 720p HD service: 7Mbps downlink;
• 480i SD service: 3Mbps downlink.

This virtually ensures that most venues will qualify for our live broadcast service.

Our technology allows us to simultaneously "transcode" 1080i HD content to 720p and, if necessary, 480i resolution for simultaneous broadcasting during a live event, making all formats available for any repeat broadcast from our NOC.

Local Playback. The SpectiCast DTN provides full flexibility for locally controlled playback of content stored on the TPE hard drive by the theatre management staff. If desired, we can also fully control all playback functions from our NOC in a "cinecast" where a pre-recorded film or event could occur simultaneously over selected theaters within our network.

We can provide exhibitors with either 1080i or 720p film files depending on their individual requirements.

We support local playback through our file transfer process over an Internet broadband connection as low as 2Mbps.

Our Products and Services