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Author Topic: Are we the last of a dying breed? Ben Wales Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 602 From: Southampton. England Registered: Jul 99 posted 02-17-2008 05:43 AM                     The main problem with Cinema Exhibutors as seen over the years, they also see ways to cut operatonal costs like staffing and maintance, except for some exceptional Cinemas and Art Rep Sites. I really doubt you would be paid as well like a A/V Engineer could earn, but could consider get some back ground training in 2K Cinema when it arrives and then look for a better career, just look what compienes like Electrosonic etc pay for A/V Engineers.  |  IP: Logged Stu Jamieson Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 524 From: Buccan, Qld, Australia Registered: Jan 2008 posted 02-17-2008 06:00 AM                     We have a brand new 9 cinema multiplex, 2 are 1.3K and 1 is 2K. I can't see the rapid deployment of digital in Aussieland simply from the fact that not all distributors offer it. To date we've only had 2K digital (let's forget about the substandard 1.3K) from Disney, Sony, Roadshow and (I think) Fox. Would love to have seen Transformers in digital but Paramount do it. ALL distributors jumping on board is a precondition to widespread acceptance. And then, of course, there's the cost of the equipment. Given that we're a brand new multiplex, if digital had been viable we would have done it. I'm in 2 minds about digital; as a movie watcher I say "bring it on!" I don't care what you guys say about 35mm, digital is sweet as! As a projectionist I'm dreading it - my job is about to become relatively boring.  |  IP: Logged Peter David Bruce Expert Film Handler Posts: 187 From: East Anglia -England Registered: Aug 2007 posted 02-17-2008 06:18 AM                    you think we will get bored and intentionally hit it with a hammer so that we have something to do? 'oops, darn it... would you just look at that... ill HAVE to fix it now'  |  IP: Logged Stu Jamieson Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 524 From: Buccan, Qld, Australia Registered: Jan 2008 posted 02-17-2008 06:20 AM                     I see you're an "ideas" man.  |  IP: Logged Louis Bornwasser Film God Posts: 4441 From: prospect ky usa Registered: Mar 2005 posted 02-17-2008 10:34 AM                        I was initially attracted to this line of work (as an engineer) because there were many very smart, very old (80!) people still working back in 1971. Alas, most are all gone; not replaced with anyone except young kids, even then only temporarily. For whatever reasons,the tradition has been broken. Read the posts above...work here until you can move on as an engineer. We once were the destination! Louis  |  IP: Logged Kyle Anderson Film Handler Posts: 86 From: Tyler, TX, USA Registered: Dec 2005 posted 02-17-2008 02:06 PM                     quote: Mark Gulbrandsen Also Digital projectors that a re equiped with light loc are able to maintain proper light levels throughout their normal lamplife... so being left unattended is completely feesable Actually that feature should be disabled; it has caused one of our 6k bulbs to explode in the projector because it was running it at ~7kW to keep up with "light demand" (which was too high anyway). The easiest solution is to manually set the current level every week up to the rated wattage cap on the bulb, then replace when it gets too low (that's your call there).  |  IP: Logged John Hawkinson Film God Posts: 2273 From: Cambridge, MA, USA Registered: Feb 2002 posted 02-17-2008 07:28 PM                     Surely such a feature should have thresholds that can be set appropriately? --jhawk  |  IP: Logged Steve Guttag We forgot the crackers Gromit!!! Posts: 12814 From: Annapolis, MD Registered: Dec 1999 posted 02-18-2008 06:32 AM                     Yes it is supposed to have been told what size lamp is in it and thus set the range. The reason to disable the feature is that it has been shown to erratically adjust the lamp during a show. Steve  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 02-18-2008 10:00 AM                     Kyle, What lamp was it that blew... how many hours did it accumulate and has your cooling system been verified to be at least adaquate? The biggest problem with it is in the BARCO where there are so few bulbs in the list to specify what you have in the projector in order to have the correct operating current range, and this was with the latest software rev. having been installed in the machine! This is one place Christie definately has them beat. The 4.2K that I used in the last install in a DP-100 was not even on the list even though it was an approved lamp so I left the CLO feature turned off. CLO or "Constant Light Output" is also still an expensive option on the Barco, about 2 grand... but is included as standard with all the Christie models. There are several different lamp involved functions in all Christies included as standard.... Lamp-Loc is not a(CLO Type) auto-level feature on the Christies... it is a feature that automatically adjusts the position of the lamp correctly after you replace it, again something the BARCO does not have! There is a sensor(white box)in the light path right after the integrator rod and before the 90 degree heat filter that detects the light level comming down the integrator rod as the lamp stepper motors move the bulb through its X-Y-Z range. The feature works great and when its done a quick check with the PSA to see if you need to tweek it manually a tad bit is in order... I didn't have to on either of the ZX's that I installed. Its an identical feature on the CP-2000. The Christie's Constant Light Output function called Light-Loc only allows the lamp current to exceed it's maximum current by 10% which isn't much. You read the screen brightness level at both low and high current settings of the lamp and this is stored in memory and the constant level in FL is displayed on the CDP throughout the life of the lamp as well as there being constant brightness on the screen... it can remain fairly constant when set up properly and I've not noticed any flicker or such in the image watching stuff projectoed with the ZX. Also no need to worry about majorly exceeding the max. current of the lamp and risk an explosion! Older CP-2000's that have thyrister power supplies do have a flicker and or articact problem however that is noticable under certain types of image circumstances!! Later CP-2000's have a similar but larger switcher like the one in the ZX. The other nice feature of the ZX is it's simmer mode for the lamp where when closing the dowser it places the lamp at a lower operating current to increase it's operating life. Steve... I think you'll find that the ZX's Light-Loc works just fine. As you know if a Christie/Ushio lamp explodes its probably been run to at least 10X it rated operating hours... if it explodes under the warranty duration you'll be getting a new lamp AND reflector from them for free. Ditto from OSRAM since Ushio makes MANY of OSRAM's short gap lamps. Mark  |  IP: Logged Ken Lackner Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1907 From: Atlanta, GA, USA Registered: Sep 2001 posted 02-18-2008 12:32 PM                     quote: The biggest problem with it is in the BARCO where there are so few bulbs in the list to specify what you have in the projector in order to have the correct operating current range, and this was with the latest software rev. having been installed in the machine! Is there no way to add a lamp to the list like you can with an NEC?  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 02-18-2008 10:53 PM                     Not that I am aware of. You have to punch up a lamp thats close to your operating current range. I think its the manufacturers way of keeping non-approved lamps out of their projectors. Funny though since Ushio is making Christie AND Osram short gap lamps.... I just love those fellows that say they get more life out of the Osrams . The ZX and CP-2000 also have their "contained" lamp list but its a bit more up to date than whats in the BARCO. Mark  |  IP: Logged Tristan Lane Master Film Handler Posts: 444 From: Nampa, Idaho Registered: Feb 2002 posted 02-19-2008 02:14 AM                     quote: Kyle Anderson Actually that feature should be disabled; it has caused one of our 6k bulbs to explode in the projector because it was running it at ~7kW to keep up with "light demand" LightLOC is designed to only allow a +10% increase over maximum wattage. The maximum is set by choosing the correct lamp in the TPC. If for some reason the TPC cranked output to maximum, it probably wasn't because of the LightLOC, but more of a fluke or software glitch. I've heard of a few times that this has happened, but it didn't matter what size lamp was specified, nor did it matter if LightLOC was enabled or disabled. It's a great feature, and works well in most cases. Like Mark said, it focuses the bulb rather than just jacking up the current to optimize the light. EDIT: I might also add that I've found it beneficial to "Do Auto" midway through bulb life. On average, I have seen an increase of over 2fl coming out of the integrator (according to the cheezy FL meter on the TPC). I wish they would instead just specify it as a generic "Light Level" meter. Even after calibration and entering measurements of on-screen light levels, it's way off after a few weeks and doesn't provide an accurate representation of screen luminance.  |  IP: Logged Fred Tucker Film Handler Posts: 90 From: Sugar Land, TX Registered: Sep 2007 posted 10-05-2008 05:45 PM                     I am all for digital conversion, I dont think the job of a cinema technician will be extinct but it will change just like it has before. Carmike for instance thinks it is cheaper to wait for a lamp to explode then to replace it at the end of its life, with that method of thinging you arent going to get a better picture. Just like there can be film done wrong digital can be done wrong too. Its not idiot proof and there will always be maintenance to be done.  |  IP: Logged Andrew Bangs Expert Film Handler Posts: 148 From: Kerrville, Texas, United States Registered: Sep 2008 posted 10-06-2008 12:40 AM                        The only thing to change with digital cinemas for us technicians is the amount of us that will be needed the training required to do the job and the amount we will get paid. If you want to keep doing this job in the digital era start learning what you can now so you can be that Tech. Just my $.02  |  IP: Logged

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