What does DCI Compliant mean, and which products are DCI Compliant?
Monday, 25 September 2006 15:25
DCI Compliant" is a term used to describe products that conform to the DCI specification. Unfortunately, there is no central authority that determines whether or not a device is DCI compliant. DCI hired Fraunhofer Institute in Germany to create a test plan based on its specification. The test plan is said to have over 1000 tests, and will take a few days to conduct. But the determination of what constitutes a passing mark is to be determined studio-by-studio. Each studio plans to post its own list identifying which products pass. In other words, even with a test plan, results are likely to be less than uniform.

When considering a compliance program, it's noteworthy that the term "DCI Compliant" is not trademarked and there isn't a mechanism for managing the use of the term. Anyone can claim "DCI Compliant," so buyer beware. It will require vigilance on the part of studios to govern which products are acceptable to play their movies. As of the date this FAQ page was last updated, DCI members continue to state that there isn't a server or projector on the market today that meets all of the requirements of the DCI specification.