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Author Topic: Moving Image Technologies Michael Schaffer "Where is the Boardwalk Hotel?" Posts: 4143 From: Boston, MA Registered: Apr 2002 posted 10-04-2003 07:49 PM                        It would be attractive! But the frame count method does not seem practical in modern multiplexes. Some automation systems use barcodes. Do these only contain commands or also a theater ID? In that case, mis-cues from other theatres would be a thing of the past. Yes, yes, of course, we always want to inspect the print carefully and remove all cues from other theatres, but we all know that in the reality of daily operations it sometimes happens that we miss one old cue.  |  IP: Logged Manny Knowles "What are these things and WHY are they BLUE???" Posts: 4247 From: Bloomington, IN, USA Registered: Feb 2002 posted 10-04-2003 08:09 PM                     I don't trust operators to go measuring film for cues. Sorry but I think we're in one of those "good help is hard to find" or "you get what you pay for" categories nowadays. IIRC the Strong automations we had at AMC had a "learn" feature which recalled the placement of cues, either physical or operator induced. I used the feature exactly one time. First of all, if the cues are already in place on the film then why bother with making the automation learn them? The logic was that cues sometimes fall off. I've never actually seen this happen. So when/why did I use the "learn" feature that one time? Someone forgot to put a lens change cue on the print so I had to force it manually while the show was running. On the next pass, the automation learned the cues based on input from foil cues and that operator induced lens change. The show ran fine...until the print got moved. Oh yeah -- It helps if you take the automation out of learn mode once it's done learning the cues. Otherwise it won't run the learned routine and it could also learn the wrong things. I'm hooked on the CA-21 so obviously I would want something that offers that kind of interface. I find it to be an elegant, yet tremendously flexible automation. Still, it's waaay too expensive. What's up with that?  |  IP: Logged Joe Redifer You need a beating today Posts: 12859 From: Denver, Colorado Registered: May 99 posted 10-04-2003 08:37 PM                        quote: Manny wrote: IIRC What is that supposed to mean? If I Recall? I am in heavy favor of just typing things out. WTF?  |  IP: Logged John Hawkinson Film God Posts: 2273 From: Cambridge, MA, USA Registered: Feb 2002 posted 10-04-2003 08:54 PM                     If you really want a system that does count-cueing, IMO you should consider a system that interfaces with digital sound (DTS or SRD). Decoding the DTS timecode is pretty straightforward, and I'm given to understand there's a way to get timecode out of a DA20 (because Dolby Screentalk uses it). Such a mechanism would easily let you know what a trailer was and what the feature was, though maybe there would be issues bringing down the lights fast enough at the start of the feature, but that sounds acheivable. The undoable part would be the lights up cue; perhaps if that was learnable. Or, if this really caught on (unlikely), distributors could publish the lights-up cue offsets... --jhawk@mit.edu p.s.: "MiT," huh? Seems like lots of room for confusion with MIT, but I'm sure I'm just biased.  |  IP: Logged Richard Fowler Film God Posts: 2392 From: Ft. Lauderdale, FL, USA Registered: Jun 2001 posted 10-04-2003 09:05 PM                     Eprad, who manufacture the Strong automation, has had cue learn functions for almost 20 years on the their Utilimation series which the CNA units are the upgraded versions.  |  IP: Logged Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 10-04-2003 09:27 PM                     Bad, bad idea there Jhawk. We don't know that dts will be around forever. SDDS is all but dead already, plus not all films use dts. Besides, you haven't taken into account what kind of super expensive failsafe it would take to read the SRD track. An automation system needs to be able to do it's thing on blank filmstocks. Advanced technology is not always better. Just look at DLP vs. film.  |  IP: Logged Adam Martin I'm not even gonna point out the irony. Posts: 3686 From: Dallas, TX Registered: Nov 2000 posted 10-04-2003 10:48 PM                     quote: Or, if this really caught on (unlikely), distributors could publish the lights-up cue offsets. As far as distributors are concerned, they would just as soon have the lights go completely out when the projector starts and they stay completely out until the rating band at the end of the film. Do you actually want the distributor controlling your presentation anyway?  |  IP: Logged Joe Redifer You need a beating today Posts: 12859 From: Denver, Colorado Registered: May 99 posted 10-04-2003 10:53 PM                        Why not just use magic to control the automation? This entry-level automation will soon cost $10,000 if all the ideas here are implemented.  |  IP: Logged Daryl C. W. O'Shea Film God Posts: 3977 From: Midland Ontario Canada (where Panavision & IMAX lenses come from) Registered: Jun 2002 posted 10-04-2003 11:00 PM                        How about they just put a little elf in a box and sell that. The little elves could run the shows for you, automatically.  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 10-04-2003 11:49 PM                     Daryl, That would be just fine with me as long as they are the Keebler Elves and they are allowed to bake cookies in between shows! We can also train the little elves to clean the belt crap off the insides of the projector if heaven forbid its another belt driven wonder they produce...... Mark(The Cookie Monster)@ CLACO  |  IP: Logged Richard Fowler Film God Posts: 2392 From: Ft. Lauderdale, FL, USA Registered: Jun 2001 posted 10-05-2003 12:23 AM                     Mark, the Keebler system would be a theater owner's dream as the elves would make profitable concession products, between shows, to go with the projection / popcorn employee's contribution  |  IP: Logged Daryl C. W. O'Shea Film God Posts: 3977 From: Midland Ontario Canada (where Panavision & IMAX lenses come from) Registered: Jun 2002 posted 10-05-2003 12:32 AM                        Well there you have it. Don't forget my royalty cheques Bevan.  |  IP: Logged William T. Parr Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 823 From: Cedar Park, TX Registered: Nov 2000 posted 10-05-2003 12:54 AM                     Best of Luck with this new endeavor Bevan. Look forward to seeing the projector.  |  IP: Logged Ken Lackner Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1907 From: Atlanta, GA, USA Registered: Sep 2001 posted 10-06-2003 01:35 AM                     Brad, what are "Actua II" type cues? Anywho, the specs on the website say that it can work with any three-head proximity detector. The optical cues would not fit this category, so no worries there. Also, why is it so important to have a start cue? I've never worked with any automation that has this feature and, although I could see where it could be useful, I do not see why it's so necessary. I agree with others' comments that if all these ideas are implemented that this will no longer be an "entry level" automation and will be way too expensive. For the most part, I like the automation as it is. Agreed that there needs to be a "mid" setting for lights (or perhaps a mid1 and mid2) and better selection of the sound formats.  |  IP: Logged Daryl C. W. O'Shea Film God Posts: 3977 From: Midland Ontario Canada (where Panavision & IMAX lenses come from) Registered: Jun 2002 posted 10-06-2003 01:48 AM                        Having the show just start 7 seconds after you hit the start button means that you have to thread up at a point where your projected film has already left the platter (or at least the roll). This introduces the unnecessary opportunity for dust to settle directly on your projected film. Having to thread up at, or near, a specific spot on the leader is also a waste of time. It also encourages running down the leader (to the necessary start position) which is generally not good for the projectors drive train and/or motor. Having no start cue can also make interlocks a pain to start.  |  IP: Logged

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