Encrypted DCP packages pose the biggest challenge to preservation efforts since users will not be able to access its content without the appropriate Key Delivery Message (KDM). As such, the DCP package is only useful if it is unencrypted, or is accompanied with the KDM keys used to encrypt the package.

Therefore archives should request for unencrypted DCP packages since encryption will render its content inaccessible.

DCPs present several handling challenges to users with basic computing resources as the specification requires significant computing resources and specialised software for playback. The encoding and decoding of a JPEG2000 video stream is CPU-intensive, which may affect playback in basic computing environments. Furthermore, DCPs require dedicated media players such as DCP-o-matic for playback and will not work with popular media players such as VLC media player.

Lastly, DCP drives are typically formatted in EXT2 or EXT 3, a Linux-based file system, which may pose accessibility issues to users using a Mac or Windows system. Mac and Windows operating systems will not recognize Linux formatted drives therefore users will need to purchase and download additional software to mount the drives on their systems.

While a Digital Cinema Package uses the JPEG2000 standard, its specification specifies a bit rate cap of 250 Mbits/sec, which makes it inherently lossy in nature. Therefore a DCP package may not be the ideal deliverable for long-term preservation if the work it represents is born lossless.

Institutions should request for higher quality materials such as the work's digital source master (DSM) or Digital Cinema Distribution Master (DCDM), if available.

Interop and SMPTE DCPs have a substantial differences and are not interchangeable; the Interop standard is an earlier and simplified standard draft before SMPTE. Consequently, it is not compliant with SMPTE DCPs and does not support the same features. As such, institutions and its staff have to note the types of DCPs in their collection to ensure it is compatible with its projectors.

It is recommended to go with the SMPTE standard as it has many useful features and is widely compatible with mosy, if not all, digital projectors today.

The DCP specification limits DCPs to a limited number of framerates such as 24, 25, 30, 48, 50, and 60 fps, therefore it is not compatible with early and silent cinema that were typically shot between 16 - 18 fps. Hence DCPs may not be an appropriate preservation element for early and silent works. Institutions should ask for other preservation elements if they are available.

A complete DCP package is made up of a strict set of files, and omission of a single file will break its integrity rendering it unplayable. Therefore a DCP package may face dissociation issues if one or more elements go missing. As such, institutions will need to implement workflows to ensure packages are handled appropriately to protect the integrity of the package for future access.