Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Help and suggestions please?

This is topic Help and suggestions please? in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Dwight Lindsey (Member # 1037) on 10-16-2002, 07:06 PM:

Hi Everyone:

I suppose most of you know that we at Schneider make available freely our Theatre Design Pro software. You can find it on our web site at: http://www.schneideroptics.com/software/theatre_design_pro/

We are about to do a round of bug fixes and improvements.

I would sincerely value any comments, bug reports or suggestions that you may have.

Our programmer, who is an outside consultant, has a very narrow window of availability over the next week or two, so it is urgent that we get any such bug reports or suggestions quite quickly.

Please email your bugs or suggestions to me directly at:
dwight@schneideroptics.com.

Thanks,
Dwight

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Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 10-16-2002, 08:03 PM:

Since this is your first post I won't arbitrarily delete this thread like I would if you had been posting for awhile.

Please no "teaser" subject headers.

A possible good title for this would have been "Schneider software help and suggestions needed". That and other important things you need to know are posted in the FAQ. Welcome aboard.

Posted by Frank Angel (Member # 248) on 10-17-2002, 04:31 AM:

Dwight, welcome aboard the best forum for technical film info, populated by a great bunch of folks dedicated to quality presentation and what we call "film done right."

The Schneider Theatre Design Pro has been an invaluable tool for many of us. The fact that it is free is the icing on the cake.

One of the things I would like to see added, would be a way to switch focal length calculatons between millimeters and inches.

Frank

Posted by Dwight Lindsey (Member # 1037) on 10-17-2002, 07:39 PM:

Well . . . I obviously hit the wrong button on my first reply.

Brad, thanks for your tolerance. I certainly did not intend a teaser thread title. Either time. I'll do better.

Frank, thanks for the suggestion. I'm not sure we can implement it, but I'll get it in the list.

I hope to have a new rev with some bugs fixed and a more developed help file, by January.

Thanks everyone
Dwight

Posted by Bob Maar (Member # 763) on 10-17-2002, 07:54 PM:

Dwight,

Welcome aboard. I was wondering when you would be logging in. It is good to have you here. You will be able to give the members some quality advice. I look forward to reading your posts.

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 10-17-2002, 07:56 PM:

Dwight,
A big welcome!! Wondered when you'd happen by. A Palm Pilot version of the software would be extremely indespensable!! Is that possible? Pilots have become a mainstay for most techs that I know.
Mark @ CLACO

Posted by Dwight Lindsey (Member # 1037) on 10-17-2002, 08:01 PM:

Hi Mark:

We're actually considering a Pocket PC version.

Unfortunately PALM development would be harder and more expensive for us. That's not a no . . .

Dwight

Posted by John Pytlak (Member # 331) on 10-17-2002, 08:23 PM:

Welcome Dwight!

Sorry I missed you at ShowEast. Stopped by your exhibit several times, but you were elsewhere each time.

------------------
John P. Pytlak, Senior Technical Specialist
Worldwide Technical Services, Entertainment Imaging
Research Labs, Building 69, Room 7525A
Rochester, New York, 14650-1922 USA
Tel: +1 585 477 5325 Cell: +1 585 781 4036 Fax: +1 585 722 7243
e-mail: john.pytlak@kodak.com
Web site: http://www.kodak.com/go/motion

Posted by Dwight Lindsey (Member # 1037) on 10-17-2002, 09:43 PM:

Hi John:

I'm sorry I missed you as well. It's always a busy week indeed.

I suppose you've noticed the new Kodak digital camera with the Schneider Lens on it that we jointly announced at Photokina?

It's a sweet camera, you guys did good.

Dwight

Posted by Mike Olpin (Member # 1115) on 10-17-2002, 09:52 PM:

Here is a program for Palm based handhelds. It doesnt calculate screen size or focal length or anything, but it does keep track of your start times.
Perhaps we can get this developer to create other palm beased theatre programs.
http://www.palmgear.com/software/showsoftware.cfm?sid=40157520021017194821&prodID=15442

Anyone else know of good programs for theatres?

Posted by John Pytlak (Member # 331) on 10-17-2002, 09:53 PM:

Yep! (Kodak has made some pretty good lenses too!)
http://www.kodak.com/country/US/en/corp/pressReleases/pr20020924-17.shtml
http://www.kodak.com/cluster/global/en/digital/easyShare/ls443/ls443.jhtml
http://www.kodak.com/country/US/en/corp/whatsNew.shtml

If you were at Photokina, did you see the new Kodak 11-megapixel CCD camera sensor?:
Kodak 11-megapixel CCD

Posted by Mike Olpin (Member # 1115) on 10-17-2002, 10:01 PM:

----------
Sorry, Double-Post.
Iv'e gotten into the bad habbit of using my "Back" button after I post.
---------

Posted by Michael West (Member # 428) on 10-17-2002, 10:47 PM:

is there a version of this available for macintosh?

Posted by Dwight Lindsey (Member # 1037) on 10-17-2002, 10:53 PM:

Michael:

If you're asking if Theatre Design Pro runs on a MAC, sorry . . . it is only available for Windows. It does run quite nicely with the Windows emulators on MAC however, we have quite a few users doing that.

Dwight

Posted by Dwight Lindsey (Member # 1037) on 10-17-2002, 10:57 PM:

Hi John:

I'm sorry to say that I didn't see the 11 Megapixel device. I did hear a lot about it :> )

Of course Kodak makes some good lenses. Kodak's optical capability is well known in the optics business and VERY much respected.

But I am now a USER of the new Kodak camera with the Schneider Lens (I love saying that) and it *is* spectacular.

Dwight

Posted by Kenneth Wuepper (Member # 1174) on 10-17-2002, 10:58 PM:

Hello, Dwight,

Welcome to this wonderful communication tool, the FORUM. There is more experience and knowledge here than anyone could ever afford to purchase.

With regard to the lens calculation program, I have used it with excellent results. The accuracy of the dimensions entered reflect directly in the resulting answers. I think the computer folks call this GIGO!!

The one problem I have encountered with all but the very first downloaded program is: The elevation of the PROJECTOR does not move in my computer. I have reloaded the program and it still doesn't work. This makes the keystone calculations inoperative.

My version does not have the latest variable prime lenses indicated.

Thanks for providing your wonderful tool at no cost to us.

Sincerely, KEN

Posted by Dwight Lindsey (Member # 1037) on 10-17-2002, 11:01 PM:

Hi Ken:

I can't imagine why the projector elevation doesn't work. I've never seen that one before.

You really need to get the latest version.

It's on the web site.

If you'd do that and let me know if it works now I'd appreciate it.

Dwight

Posted by Kenneth Wuepper (Member # 1174) on 10-18-2002, 09:32 AM:

Hello, Dwight,

Thanks for the new version, the projector now moves and keystone corrections are working.

Thanks, KEN

Posted by Dwight Lindsey (Member # 1037) on 10-18-2002, 10:06 AM:

Ken:

You're welcome of course. As I told you offline (and I'll repeat for those listening) There actually *is* a setting that will keep the projector locked so that the projection axis is perpendicular to the center of the screen. This setting really just dumbs down the program so that it doesn't do keystone calculations.

Someone wanted that a while back and we added it . . .

Dwight

Posted by Kenneth Wuepper (Member # 1174) on 10-19-2002, 05:37 AM:

Hello again, Dwight,

The other function of your program which limits my use is the tilt of the screen. Since many of my customers are "historic" buildings, the booths are located some distance above the screen. In all of these situations it is necessary to tilt the top of the screen away from the audience, backwards, in order to reduce keystoning.

The program provides for tilting the screen but only with the top toward the audience (projector below the screen center).

Could the program be made to allow the screen to tilt in both directions?

Thanks, KEN

Posted by Dwight Lindsey (Member # 1037) on 10-19-2002, 10:38 AM:

Hi Ken:

In fact, at the moment the program only allows you to tilt the screen backward.

When it's at 0 (usually the default) it does say "0 degrees tilted forward" which is sort of a bug. It should just say 0 degrees tilt.

I don't know who would want to tilt it forward, but we could do that.

Dwight

Posted by John T. Hendrickson, Jr (Member # 849) on 10-19-2002, 05:04 PM:

Hello Dwight, and welcome-

We used your Theatre Design Pro when we expanded our number of screens three years ago, and found it to be right on the money. We are very pleased with the Schneider lenses, too. Good to see another company rep posting here on Film-Tech.

Posted by Dwight Lindsey (Member # 1037) on 10-19-2002, 05:44 PM:

Hi John:

I'm glad you found it to be accurate. That was of course one of our motivations for writing the program. The more accurate the calculations are the less we have to exchange lenses due to incorrect sizes.

We really *did* work hard on that, getting the calculations right. I don't even want to recall how painful and time consuming getting the keystone distortion and curved screen distortion calculations running correctly.

Glad you like it.
Dwight

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 10-20-2002, 10:23 AM:

John, I'm sorry there IS actually an 11 megapixel device......

That means that next week I won't be able to find any Ektachrome for my 4X5 camera....
Mark

Posted by John Pytlak (Member # 331) on 10-21-2002, 11:03 AM:

More new EKTACHROME films are on the way!:
New EKTACHROME films at Photokina
Kodak EKTACHROME films

Posted by Tim Reed (Member # 137) on 10-21-2002, 11:29 AM:

quote:
I don't know who would want to tilt it forward, but we could do that.

Dwight, there are still many drive-ins out there, and new ones being built regularly. Please do! Thanks.

------------------
Better Projection Pays!

Posted by Kenneth Wuepper (Member # 1174) on 10-22-2002, 08:01 AM:

Hello again Dwight,

The other use I have for the 'forward tilt' is when we use a digital image from within the seating for business meetings. The program you have is very useful in determining the location of the 'projector' in advance of the arrival of the meeting.

Thanks, KEN

Posted by Dwight Lindsey (Member # 1037) on 10-22-2002, 11:02 AM:

Thanks gentlemen, I'll add it to the list of enhancements.

Every one of these enhancements costs me more than you can imagine, so someone owes me a beer for this one . . .

:> )

Dwight

Posted by Frank Angel (Member # 248) on 10-22-2002, 01:01 PM:

I thought using a forward tilt was an accepted way to put more light at audience eye level, assuming you didn't create a major keystoning problem in the particular setup. An accurately positioned forward tilt coupled with a high gain screen could increase the light redirected to the audience significantly. Of course the downside would be an increas in keystoning, but for some installations that start off with little keystoning, it might not be significant enough to give up the gain in light.

Video projection setups which are always starving for light (except of course DLP which is just starving for resolution and contrast), often use forward tilt and high gain screens to eek out every bit of light they can. The Advent VideoBeam used a precise forward tilt and dual-plane curve to redirect precious light back to the audience to great light gain advantage.

Posted by Dwight Lindsey (Member # 1037) on 10-22-2002, 06:29 PM:

Frank:

You're right of course, tilting the screen can deliver light to the audience. You sort of get that with Stadium Seating when you tilt backward, redirecting the light to viewers who are up a bit higher . . .

Unless the programmer tells me it's impossible, and I don't expect him to, we'll add the ability to tilt both directions into v3.1.

Dwight

Posted by Dwight Lindsey (Member # 1037) on 11-01-2002, 06:05 PM:

To All:

The 3.1 Beta is now available.

If you send an e-mail request to me at:

dwight@schneideroptics.com

I'll e-mail you the Beta.

Dwight