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Topic: How do you do a B-Chain alignment with sealed port windows

Frank Angel
Film God

Posts: 5305
From: Brooklyn NY USA
Registered: Dec 1999

posted 06-19-2006 03:28 AM

If you charge for your service separately, i.e., if when you do an A and/or B chain alignment or any other tech work and you have to use your own personal equipement and not equipment that the theatre supplies, then any equipment, manuals etc., that you purchase which are used only for that specific work (an RTA would be job-specific whereas a computer would not), then you can deduct this cost on your income tax. Getting some of this money back can sometimes allow you to perhaps go with the highter quality equipment.

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Mark Gulbrandsen
Resident Trollmaster

Posts: 16657
From: Music City
Registered: Jun 99

posted 06-19-2006 07:07 AM

quote: Richard Hamilton
Do you use your IVIE or R2?

Rick,
I actually use both. When I do a plex I have my scope and Ivie set up on a roll around Tektronix scope cart and I can get through alot of A chains in short order. I also do any digital readers along the way as well. I use the R-2 just for B chains or if there are just one or two screens I might use it for everything. I never cared for the ballisitcs of the R-2 for doing A chain work, its way too fast. The slowest speed on the Ivie allows for much finer azimuth adjustments. Of course my PC-40 is now a dinosaur as are all the Abacus equipment out there but they are all still dangerously accurate. My PC-40 was built by the Old Ivie Company... before they were sold. The new Ivie is just not the same and the new equipment is not nearly as well made. The Linear-X is also a good piece of gear and one that I would consider way before any piece of present day Ivie gear.

Mark

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Steve Guttag
We forgot the crackers Gromit!!!

Posts: 12814
From: Annapolis, MD
Registered: Dec 1999

posted 06-19-2006 01:22 PM

I'll put my Abacus scope attachment up against anything for A-chains...in fact if there was a good multiplexer that had mic offset files out there...I'd use it for B-chains over the R2.

But like Mark, I use one device for A-chains and one for B-chains. The D-2 may change that though since it has a Scope suitable for analog A-chains...my Tek will still be doing the Dolby Digital alignment (though Tim has said he is working on getting the scope good enough to do those as well).

All in all, my Abacus is still my favorite analyzer...the R2 is just a better tool for B-chains due to its calibrated mics and time averaging. I do note that when I go back to a theatre either tuned by myself or even by others with an R2, that generally, everything remains within +/- 3dB...you only get that when calibrated equipment is used. The USL system is okay but nothing is calibrated and the same is true for most of the other multiplexed systems...as such, you have a time-average of a non-calibrated system.

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Frank Dubrois
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 896
From: Cleveland, OH
Registered: Mar 2005

posted 06-19-2006 02:02 PM

How much would a used R2 cost? I don't know the full model number, or I'd do a search on ebay for it.

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Steve Guttag
We forgot the crackers Gromit!!!

Posts: 12814
From: Annapolis, MD
Registered: Dec 1999

posted 06-19-2006 03:11 PM

Full model number: R2

This was a real low-production item so you may not find them used very easily. Your best bet is to find someone that went from an R2 to a D2 and would want to off-load their old R2.

Steve

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Frank Dubrois
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 896
From: Cleveland, OH
Registered: Mar 2005

posted 06-19-2006 03:31 PM

Everytime I do a search for R2, or D2 for that matter, i seem to get a lot of R2-D2 merchandise. I'll keep looking for it. I saw the D2 setup, looks very nice. I'm sure its beyond my price range though.

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Jarrad Salmon
Film Handler

Posts: 25
From: Baulkham Hills, NSW, Australia
Registered: May 2006

posted 06-19-2006 07:57 PM

quote:
Aside from needing very good equipment to be able to do a good job tunning a room is also a bit of an art in itself that is also finalized and tweeked by ear. Esperience is definately required!

I agree 100%, I guess my original post failed to read exactly how I feel.

quote: Jack Ondracek
As Mark says, their mic preamps are pretty darn good. In an environment where you aren't hammering the pots, so are some of their mixers. I'm using them to mix the outputs of my digitals back down to 2 channels for FM. The noise floor on the mixers is way below that of a CP65.

On the other hand, some of their other equipment isn't exactly competitive... but generally worth the money.

Yeah there isn't much headroom in the preamps. I like their "valve" gear that has a window showing a LED making the tiny valve glow! [Big Grin]

I too still have some Behringer gear I'm slowly replacing, as it simply doesn't sound as good as other brands within financial reach. Sure, Behringer are cheaper, but not always the best choice when we are talking a few hundred dollar differance over a few years of work. It is worth it in the long term to get something that works better. I'm not saying buy the top of the line gear and forget anything else... The point I'm trying to make is the middle market is generally more competetive in the audio world. You can get better value for money buying there as time stretches on.

quote: Frank Dubrois
If you guys were doing this with your own cash, just trying to help out the theatre you work at, how much would you be willing to spend? If I had the cash, I'd buy the best, but they dont pay too well, and I'm only there for the love of the theatre, not to score brownie points. I know I owe it to the patrons to get the best, but I cant afford it, yet, whatever I get, is all they will have.

If it were me, I'd try to borrow some gear from a working tech. Just do a good tune for them without buying the gear. In return for the tech you borrowed the gear from, offer some free labour that you can treat as work experience. You should do alot for a favour like that!

Or better...

If you can't find the needed equipment to borrow, try to hire it. Either way your teaching yourself to operate at a higher standard. As you develope your skills, you'd be starting at a higher level.

That is how I started my PA Hire buisness. I hired other peoples gear. I didn't make as much money at the start, but I developed a regular list of clients. Made it easier to get a loan and buy my own gear. Only took a year to be competely out of debt.

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Michael Schaffer
"Where is the
Boardwalk Hotel?"

Posts: 4143
From: Boston, MA
Registered: Apr 2002

posted 06-19-2006 08:15 PM

Why all that fuss? I usually simply take the port hole out if possible. The trick is not dropping it. Most open somehow anyway.

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Mark Gulbrandsen
Resident Trollmaster

Posts: 16657
From: Music City
Registered: Jun 99

posted 06-21-2006 05:56 PM

Frank,

I will probably be ordering a new D-2 next month and my R-2 might be up for grabs once I settle in with the new D-2. Drop me an e-mail... although I should really have it bronzed and hang it on the office wall. I have a collection of R-2 files that would go to the moon and back!

What do you all think the used value of a clean R-2 is, I will throw in my old 100 mhz Toshiba laptop along with it. I will include a clean 20 gig drive with DOS 6.22 and the last R-2 version on it?

quote: Michael Schaffer
Why all that fuss?

Because some idiots put in 3 to 4 foot square port glass!

Mark

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Frank Dubrois
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 896
From: Cleveland, OH
Registered: Mar 2005

posted 06-21-2006 08:19 PM

I'd be interested in the R2 unit..depending on price. if you ever consider getting rid of your IVIE, let me know. Those are slick as snot.

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Louis Bornwasser
Film God

Posts: 4441
From: prospect ky usa
Registered: Mar 2005

posted 06-22-2006 09:14 AM

Michael: some of these windows are heavy. Some are sealed in with Silicon. A few are polarized....but that is for another thread. Louis

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Frank Dubrois
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 896
From: Cleveland, OH
Registered: Mar 2005

posted 06-22-2006 01:33 PM

Yeah, these are sealed with silicone.

Mark...selling that IVIE-33?? I hear the IE-35 is so much cooler, I think you might want to upgrade [Big Grin]

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Mark Gulbrandsen
Resident Trollmaster

Posts: 16657
From: Music City
Registered: Jun 99

posted 06-22-2006 07:08 PM

quote: Frank Dubrois
Mark...selling that IVIE-33?? I hear the IE-35 is so much cooler, I think you might want to upgrade

No, I have a PC-40 which by todays standards is certainly a dinosaur but super accurate and has been extremely reliable, its keys are also the right size for my finger tips and the batteries last a very long time on a charge. The new IVIE is way too small for my fingers and I would'nt purchase anything based on a palm computer. I got tentative buyer for the R-2 by 8PM last night. Sorry.

Mark

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Frank Dubrois
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 896
From: Cleveland, OH
Registered: Mar 2005

posted 06-22-2006 09:44 PM

Wasn't I the tentative buyer last night at 8:17pm? My post... my post. What are you selling it for?

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Michael Schaffer
"Where is the
Boardwalk Hotel?"

Posts: 4143
From: Boston, MA
Registered: Apr 2002

posted 06-23-2006 12:04 AM

quote: Mark Gulbrandsen
The new IVIE is way too small for my fingers and I would'nt purchase anything based on a palm computer.

That's why this, like any other palm computer, comes with a stylus. Yes! It is even included in the basic price! Although it also works fine to just tap on it with your finger. Yes, you need a minimum of fine coordination for that. Most of the time, I use the small alignment screwdriver instead of the stylus - when you have one of those protective translucent fouils on top of the screen, it doesn't matter - since I have that out anyway.
The great thing about the smallness is that I have it in my backback all the time. It comes in very handy in many audio situations, and be it just a really quick A-chain check between shows, or quickly looking for the signal when people complain about low levels or problems with the HI, or, or, or...

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