Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: changeover booth plan/blueprint

This is topic changeover booth plan/blueprint in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Luciano Brigite (Member # 1104) on 08-27-2007, 09:49 PM:

Hello,
This is surely "out of fashion" nowadays but I was asked about it and couldn't remeber a thing about window and projector spacing for a changeover booth /setup.
I remember seeing a good wall layout for thee projection and view ports along with some electrical boxes in a instalation/instruction manualbut I don't remeber wich one nor from wich manufacturer or if was in a electronic (pdf) or printed manual [Frown]

Already looked in the manuals section but no luck until now..
Could someone point out wich manual I should look or, if available, a drawing/blueprint/plan for this kind of booth?
thanks!

Posted by Hugh McCullough (Member # 1542) on 08-28-2007, 05:42 AM:

Hello Luciano.
Not sure if this will be of help, but try this web page
http://www.cinephoto.co.uk/complete_projectionist_1949_proj_box_plan.htm

Posted by Stephen Furley (Member # 1277) on 08-28-2007, 06:34 AM:

A George Coles design no less!

Something I could never understand; why was it considered necessary to have a separate room for the non-sync in those days? Did they actually have an operator for it, or did somebody have to keep running in from the projection room? After all, the 78 disks in those days only ran for a few minutes each, so you couldn't just put in on and forget it like you can with a CD player.

Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 08-28-2007, 07:01 AM:

What are you talking about "out of fashion?" The bulk of the booths I put in are 2 (or more) projector. In fact, even the mainstream booths are installing double ports to have their new fancy schmancy digital projectors next to the film ones.

The IBC stipulates a 30" minimum clear space between all three sides of a film projector and any other object (the 4th side, the wall is expempted, naturally). Ideally, you want to keep the projectors as close to center line as possible and this sort of sets your spacing. Projection port size and elevation depend on the picture size and downangle with respect to the pivot point of the projector and its relationship the projection aperture. We normally have the observation ports 5' AFF but sightlines can push those around too.

Steve

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 08-28-2007, 08:26 AM:

quote: Steve Guttag
The bulk of the booths I put in are 2 (or more) projector.

Of course what you don't say is that those 2-machine booths only account for .002% of the total projectors in use in the U.S. [Wink]

.

Mark

Posted by Marc Hansen (Member # 705) on 08-28-2007, 10:01 AM:

Does a digital projector have a larger footprint than film and thus require wider port spacing in a film/digital combination booth?

Posted by Luciano Brigite (Member # 1104) on 08-28-2007, 11:08 AM:

Hello,

Thanks for the page link Hugh, it was one of the few blueprints I remeber seeing before but not exactly the one I had in mind. It helped however because it has hte spacing measures I was looking for.

Steve,
out of fashion at least where I am.. haven't seen a new changeover booth being built or set in the past 15 years.. only
single projector booths [Frown]

the only one I saw with a second projection port was for the video stuff :/

Posted by Hugh McCullough (Member # 1542) on 08-28-2007, 12:15 PM:

Stephen.

The UK fire regulations stated that there had to be a separate non-sync room, if possible, as 78 rpm records were made of shellac, and were supplied, and stored, in a paper sleeve.
This combination was deemed to be a fire hazard.
Although a twin turntable was used,
(see http://www.cinephoto.co.uk/complete_projectionist_1949_non_sync.htm)
two projectionists were needed.
Some local adverts were silent, and when running these the second projectionist was required to operate the non-sync. Silence was not an option.
Naturally, during intervals only one operator was required.
Many a boring time, as a junior, have I spent alone in the non-sync room changing 78 rpm records, and the selection had to be suitable music to go with the film.
Vocals were not allowed. It was unshowmanlike to have to fade a record in the middle of a song

Posted by Stephen Furley (Member # 1277) on 08-28-2007, 01:04 PM:

quote: Hugh McCullough
Some local adverts were silent, and when running these the second projectionist was required to operate the non-sync. Silence was not an option.

Ah, that explains why a port was needed in the non-sync room, so the operator could see the screen.

I remember on my first projection room visit, aged six, being surprised by a number of things; firstly, being led out of the building to get to it, I knew nothing of nitrate film or fire regulations at the time, secondly, the mecury arc rectifiers which facinated me, I'd never seen anything like them before, and thirdly the number of rooms involved; I thought there would just be a single room with a couple of projectors in it, though I had no idea what a film projector might look like until I went up there and saw them.

quote: Hugh McCullough
(see http://www.cinephoto.co.uk/complete_projectionist_1949_non_sync.htm)
two projectionists were needed.

Hugh, that second link seems to be broken.

I actually managed to get to Old Coulsdon a few weeks ago, I stayed on the '60' bus for a few extra stops on my way home, but just as I got there it started raining hard, so I just stayed on the bus and went home again.

Posted by Hugh McCullough (Member # 1542) on 08-28-2007, 02:34 PM:

Sorry Stephen I messed that link up.
This is the correct one
http://www.cinephoto.co.uk/complete_projectionist_1949_non_sync.htm

Glad to see that you have at last made it to the top of the hill.
You must stay and look around next time. We are quite friendly up here.

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 08-28-2007, 03:11 PM:

quote: Marc Hansen
Does a digital projector have a larger footprint than film and thus require wider port spacing in a film/digital combination booth?

Yes, the base typically has a larger footprint but not necessarily by much in terms of square footage if you take into consideration that the lamphouse is integral in most digital projectors. In an all digital facility you loose the platters and gain alot of square footage to utilize.

Posted by Stephen Furley (Member # 1277) on 08-28-2007, 04:55 PM:

quote: Mark Gulbrandsen
Yes, the base typically has a larger footprint but not necessarily by much in terms of square footage if you take into consideration that the lamphouse is integral in most digital projectors. In an all digital facility you loose the platters and gain alot of square footage to utilize.

Our NEC takes just about the same floor space as a 35mm machine, but I think most digital projectors are somewhat larger. However, I think there are a coiple of other points which need to be considered:

If installing the digital projector at an existing port then the floor space occupied may not be in the same position as it would be for a film projector installed at the same port. For example, on the NEC the lens is towards the left when facing the screen, and therefore if the lens is in the same position then the projector itself would extend further to the right than a 35mm machine would, but not as far to the left.

The positions required to gain access for maintenance on the digital machine may be different, and may differ from one model to another. Also, the amount of space required for access may be different on different models.

A digital projector will almost certainly take less floor space than a 35mm machine with a tower or a platter, or a pair of 35mm machines, not forgetting rewind bench, make-up table, film storage, etc. However, for many cinemas, including just about all that do not show 100% mainstream content, removing film and going totally digital is simply not an option now, or in the foreseeable future. Installing digital alongside the existing film equipment is obviously going to require more space than before. I know of several cinemas where this has caused problems.

If a video projector was previously installed, then it may be possible to remove this without any loss of facility, since video can probably be shown on the digital machine.

Posted by Kenneth Wuepper (Member # 1174) on 08-28-2007, 08:01 PM:

At the Temple Theatre in SAGINAW, the non-sync was located outside the projection booth in a corner of the balcony. A glassless port hole was cut into the plaster wall. The area had a curtain around it like a heavy shower curtain. The operator, usually a girl, played the discs on two turntables with a cross fader. The volume was controlled from inside the booth on the giant "Western Electric" rack.

KEN