Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Sound systems - Leave'em on or turn'em off?

my profile | my password | search | faq & rules | forum home

»	Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE » Operations » Film Handlers' Forum » Sound systems - Leave'em on or turn'em off? (Page 2)

This topic comprises 2 pages: 1 2

Author

Topic: Sound systems - Leave'em on or turn'em off?

William Hooper
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1879
From: Mobile, AL USA
Registered: Jun 99

posted 01-14-2000 03:31 AM

quote:
show me a broadcast facility that leaves everything on (when they sign-off)

In the U.S., radio stations not in continuous operation are mostly AM daytimers & a few FM public radio outlets.

It really doesn't matter if CD players get turned off nightly. But nobody kills the power to the console, STL's, processing, satellite receivers, etc. Those little LED's glow all their little lives.

As for shutting down a transmitter: by law, if you've got no audio, you must kill your signal, & on an AM transmitter that means killing the plates. And if you've done that, you might as well turn off the filaments! AM is more like plumbing than electronics, & the cost of powering an AM transmitter is probably about the same as electrifying the plumbing network in your house.

TV facilities that sign off nightly will usually kill the transmitter & maybe some tape units at night, but all the other stuff stays up. It would take a long time to walk around & turn off every piece of equipment!

| IP: Logged

Jeff Stricker
Master Film Handler

Posts: 481
From: Calumet, Mi USA
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 01-14-2000 04:36 PM

One of the AM broadcast stations I worked at left the filaments of the transmitter tubes (I'm dating myself) on all night after sign off. The satation was off air from 10:30 PM to 6 AM. We found we got longer tube life by leaving the filaments on.

With modern solid state electronics this isn't an issue. Power consumption during non-use times may be the biggest issue. I'd also be concerned about a failure that could cause smoke (and worse!) when unattended. Unless the stuff is used more than 20 hours a day, I'd turn it off when not needed.

| IP: Logged

Martin Frandsen
Master Film Handler

Posts: 270
From: Denmark, Europe
Registered: Jun 99

posted 01-19-2000 07:55 AM

As a film collector with a home set-up i don't need to have my amps on all the time.But i do leave my dolby on all the time,and will do the same with the dolby digital/dts stuff when i get that rigged up to.

I have a Furman power conditioner sitting at the top of my rack (with light module) it is designed to smooth out any high peaks in the voltage system,so i'm told.

| IP: Logged

Jeff Stricker
Master Film Handler

Posts: 481
From: Calumet, Mi USA
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 01-19-2000 04:57 PM

Martin, I don't understand why you would want to leave any of your audio gear on all the time. This is especially true for a home set up like yours (or mine) where you would have so few operating hours. To me it just puts many unecessary hours on the electrolytic capacitors promoting earlier failure due to dry out of the electrolyte. Also if there are any marginal resistors operating near their power rating - their life will be shortened.

Another reason I don't like leaving this stuff on unattended is that it is more vulnerable to surge damage due to nearby lightning events, dumb stuff the power company does, etc. Don't trust all those surge protectors, etc. Jeff

| IP: Logged

Martin Frandsen
Master Film Handler

Posts: 270
From: Denmark, Europe
Registered: Jun 99

posted 01-19-2000 06:22 PM

It sounds better when it stays on all the time. Thats just my opinion

About the surge protectors, it's better to have one than not. My tech says the filters inside keep the voltage stabel (220volt/in europe) and filters unwanted peaks out.

| IP: Logged

All times are Central (GMT -6:00)

This topic comprises 2 pages: 1 2

Printer-friendly view of this topic

The Film-Tech Forums are designed for various members related to the cinema industry to express their opinions, viewpoints and testimonials on various products, services and events based upon speculation, personal knowledge and factual information through use, therefore all views represented here allow no liability upon the publishers of this web site and the owners of said views assume no liability for any ill will resulting from these postings. The posts made here are for educational as well as entertainment purposes and as such anyone viewing this portion of the website must accept these views as statements of the author of that opinion and agrees to release the authors from any and all liability.