This is topic CNA-200 & CP650 in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.


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Posted by Paul Tristan Brill (Member # 4303) on 04-14-2009, 12:47 PM:
 
Hi all,
Just wondering if anyone knows how I can set the Strong CNA-200 automation to switch the CP650 to one of the user-defined button formats. This is so we can run the ads/trailers at a lower level than the feature. Currently we have the Format 10 Auto-digital level set for the usual feature level (although of course this can vary), and have to turn down the fader at program start. We then re-pulse Format 10 at the feature change to raise the volume (again we are usually, if not always present, but unforeseen absences can occur when the unexpected happens). Obviously we are present to make these changes manually, but for audit purposes our company prefers that we can prove we are playing ads etc lower than features by showing them the programming. Also, it would avoid the unnecessary loud burst on start when fingers are not quite as nimble as they should be! Any ideas?
 

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Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 04-14-2009, 01:09 PM:
 
The CNA, if your installer connected them, can select many different sound buttons...it is just a matter of finding out which wires were run, or running all of them so that the CNA can select which ever button you want.

The CNA series just uses relay closures to select formats. If you have the single termination board system (projector and auditorium functions are on one board) then there are six potential sound formats to choose from. If you have the dual termination board system (one for auditorium and one for projector) then there are 8 possible sound formats to choose from.
 

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Posted by Paul Tristan Brill (Member # 4303) on 04-14-2009, 01:28 PM:
 
Ok, problem sorted, feel like a noob (which I pretty much am! lol), but the obvious never occurs to you til you've asked someone else, lol.
Just tried the manual control menu and Aux1 & Aux2 do the job I wanted - thanks very much for your time
 

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Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 04-14-2009, 01:39 PM:
 
Nope, you are in the right direction...it is all up to how the installer connected it. If they brought all of those terminals to the CP650, then you could select all of those buttons.

Steve
 

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Posted by Pete Naples (Member # 761) on 04-14-2009, 02:27 PM:
 
Paul, if you work where I think you work (the booth is split on two levels and has Strong Highlight II consoles, Simplex Millenium projectors with DOlby Cat 701 penthouse SR.D readers stuck on top?).

If so, they were fully wired between the CP650/CNA200. Of course I'm assuming that 'others' haven't altered the installation since.
 

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Posted by Paul Tristan Brill (Member # 4303) on 04-14-2009, 03:09 PM:
 
Spot on Pete - yeah, that's the place. Found the Aux 2 doesn't work, but Aux 1 has done the trick on U1 button. Were you involved in the install or have you had the pleasure of working here before?
 

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Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 04-14-2009, 04:15 PM:
 
I usually just run the trailers in MONO and adjust the mono trim to -3.0db. The lights down cue also pulses digital. My user formats are set for Non-sync 2 and PA on all of my CP650s and we need them to remain that way.

Ahh, if only we had a CA-21 or 6.
 

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Posted by Paul Tristan Brill (Member # 4303) on 04-14-2009, 04:21 PM:
 
Hi Joe
Must admit I'm a bit of a sound geek - like to get the best available format whenever possible (I even run the Non-Sync in Prologic with sub). I can understand wanting to keep your user buttons as they are but would it not be possible to run the trailers in at least SR, since some of them are even mixed in Surround EX so Mono is a major compromise? Or is it intentional, to maximise the impact when the feature starts?

Ok, now something real specific - anyone know if you can initiate an auto-fade with this automation. The manual operation menu "Mute" option does work on the 650, but there doesn't seem to be any instruction in the program setup menu for it... anyone?
 

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Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 04-14-2009, 08:13 PM:
 
Running in SR would be useless since I actually do A-chains at my theater and therefore SR would be of equivalent volume. Surround EX is pointless when running in SR and it does not matter if it was mixed for that or not when running in analog. But yes, the feature is the most important so it gets the best treatment and going from mono to digital does maximize the effect. All in all I'd rather run in digital with a lower volume, but we just don't have the automation to do it.

Running the trailers in mono has drastically reduced volume complaints because it is a fact that trailers are mixed louder and that whole thing a few years ago where they were all banding together to decrease the volume by something like .0001db a year has amounted to nothing.
 

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Posted by Pete Naples (Member # 761) on 04-15-2009, 02:57 AM:
 
Paul, involved? You could say that! SBC Aberdeen, aka The Lighthouse was a job I did some years ago now. Probably 8-10 years in fact.

I spent weeks in that place during an exceptionally cold winter, it was akin to a war of attrition. The site wasn't muddy because the mud had frozen solid. Then there was the dust, which combined with the itense cold triggered one of my lads asthma and put him in hospital.

I was last on site there lat 2008, sorting out one machine which wouldn't run SR.D and had dreadful wow and flutter in analogue.

You can't do an auto fade as such with the kit you have, best compromise would be to send the CP650 to MUTE, having set the fade time to a couple of seconds or so, then X seconds later bring it to whatever format you need. Could easily be done given the flexibility of the CNA200s programming.
 

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Posted by Paul Tristan Brill (Member # 4303) on 04-16-2009, 07:11 AM:
 
Hi again Pete - must've missed you when you were up last year, I do mostly closes - I do remember the issue though, shame it surfaced during an interlock so couldn't save the "Twilight" show in that screen. You must be from Omnex?
I was wanting to do as you suggested - sending the 650 to mute would be ideal as we have it set to a 5 second fade. The only problem is, despite the presence of a working mute feature in the manual control menu there doesn't seem to be an instruction to do that in the program setup instructions menu..

Also, out of interest, another chief told me you could get a more effective fade by setting the non-sync volume to 7 and adjusting the level appropriately at the source. We currently run it at 4, and it does seem to fade quite quickly, though I thought the 650 would handle the fade time from the parameter mentioned above regardless of the starting fader level - would you agree with his advice?
 

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Posted by Tony Bandiera Jr (Member # 2365) on 04-16-2009, 02:01 PM:
 

quote: Paul Tristan Brill

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Also, out of interest, another chief told me you could get a more effective fade by setting the non-sync volume to 7 and adjusting the level appropriately at the source. We currently run it at 4, and it does seem to fade quite quickly, though I thought the 650 would handle the fade time from the parameter mentioned above regardless of the starting fader level - would you agree with his advice?

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