Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Anyone install D-BOX motion seats?

This is topic Anyone install D-BOX motion seats? in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Paul Mayer (Member # 355) on 07-13-2009, 01:30 AM:

Just curious. The Galaxy Cannery theatres here have installed these motion seats in several of their auditoriums. They charge an extra $7.00 for them. From what I saw on a local TV news story, it looked like seven or eight seats total in two rows about half way up the stadium section. I assume these seats were installed for Harry Potter opening this week.

Posted by Joe Tommassello (Member # 4632) on 07-13-2009, 10:06 AM:

They sell these for home use as well. I was thinking it might be cool to get it if enough blu-rays continue to come out the the required encoding.

Posted by Timothy Eiler (Member # 383) on 07-26-2009, 12:38 PM:

The Theatres at MOA (Mall of America) installed, a few rows for the opening of Terminator.

Posted by Paul Linfesty (Member # 214) on 07-26-2009, 04:55 PM:

Do these seats run all the time or just when someone is occupying them? (in the theatre environment?)

Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 07-27-2009, 01:36 AM:

An extra $7? Geesh, that gimmick isn't even as good as the 3D gimmick yet they charge MORE than 3D? How would they possibly entice anyone to pay that?

A chair that moves. Wow.

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 07-27-2009, 04:38 AM:

Are they the same like the XpanD seats, or same company?

Gee, what circuits do for x-tra revenue...

Posted by John Wilson (Member # 269) on 07-27-2009, 06:06 AM:

Wouldn't it be a bit distracting having the seat in front of you moving about?

Posted by Paul Mayer (Member # 355) on 07-27-2009, 12:58 PM:

That's what I would think. The video I saw shows the entire six-seat section (four in the lower row, two in the row above) moving as one unit. Would annoy the shit out of me if I were sitting anywhere near it.

Fortunately these seats were installed next to an aisle, not on the center-line. I tend to see films during mid-week matinees when there are fewer people and more seating choices, so sitting far away from moving seats shouldn't be a problem.

I imagine the operator can disable them if there are no customers for them. Otherwise anyone could sit in them once the show starts and not have to pay the extra fee.

I've not been to Galaxy Theaters at The Cannery yet (opposite end of the world from where I live at the moment). Still, would like to check them out sometime.

Posted by Sam King (Member # 4029) on 07-28-2009, 01:53 AM:

Do they work off of the DTS timecode or just by reading the analog channel?

Posted by Scott Ribbens (Member # 180) on 07-28-2009, 02:09 AM:

The D-Box seats have a sensor in them and will not move unless someone is sitting in them.

The Controller is tied into the POS and automatically activates seats as they are sold. The operator can activate / deactivate seats as well.

The D-Box code is only available (As far as I am aware) with D- Cinema.

Posted by Michael Barry (Member # 237) on 07-28-2009, 07:36 PM:

I tried out the D-BOX seats at the Mann Chinese in Hollywood (the multi just next to/behind the main Chinese).

In the foyer they had a demo stand with 2 D-BOX seats running the Harry Potter tralier in D-BOX.

The seat vibrates and moves in all directions on some kind of gimbal.

I'll say that while some people might enjoy it, it's just not for me. Do I sound like a killjoy if I say that better scripts will make the movie more involving, not 3D and D-BOX?

Certainly, that's my true opinion. D-BOX will not turn a mediocre movie into BACK TO THE FUTURE or THE KARATE KID.

If the intended goal is to get people out of the house and into the theatre, the best way to do that (again, in my opinion) is to make the theatre environment clean and inviting and make the picture and sound quality as good as it can possibly be. By that I mean correct lighting levels, focussed xenon, quality lenses, clean screens, and correctly EQ'd sound systems. Do this and combine it with a movie with a quality script and I think people will line up around the corner. Even these days.

Posted by Bill Enos (Member # 440) on 07-28-2009, 07:54 PM:

Combine moving seats and 3D and you'd better have a good stock of vomit bags. "Puke O Rama"

Posted by Paul Mayer (Member # 355) on 07-28-2009, 08:42 PM:

Don't forget the Sensurround and Smell-o-Vision cues.

Oh, and the Tingler-style electro-shock add-ons...

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 07-30-2009, 12:14 AM:

quote: Paul Mayer
Oh, and the Tingler-style electro-shock add-ons...

They should just install a taser on each seat!!

Posted by Eric Robinson (Member # 2966) on 07-30-2009, 01:29 PM:

quote:
They should just install a taser on each seat!!

Good stuff!! [Razz]

Posted by William T. Parr (Member # 677) on 07-30-2009, 05:12 PM:

quote:
They should just install a taser on each seat!!

Why do I have this image in my head of a theatre full of people screaming " Don't Taze Me Bro" [Big Grin]

Posted by Kevin Fairchild (Member # 4985) on 08-05-2009, 10:26 AM:

I wonder if Dbox will add seat movement to 3D films and market it as 4D.

Posted by Robert E. Allen (Member # 1351) on 08-05-2009, 04:51 PM:

Watch out guys! 3D is back from the 50s, motion seats are back from the 50s, "Smell-a-vision" is next.

Posted by Kenneth Wuepper (Member # 1174) on 08-05-2009, 06:22 PM:

Everything Old is NEW again!

Ba-Da-Bum!

Posted by Edwin Schwing (Member # 1270) on 09-06-2009, 04:51 AM:

Paul,

Get your butt up here!! (Galaxy Cannery) Experience it yourself before you pass judgment. 22 seats, 2 rows (waiting on a third row)

Only a few days left for Final Destination in 3D D-Box.

You can be my guest.

Edwin Schwing

Posted by System Notices (Member # 2357) on 08-03-2011, 02:14 AM:

It has been 695 days since the last post.

Posted by Robert John Jeromson (Member # 2559) on 08-03-2011, 02:14 AM:

Reviving an old topic - does anybody have an example of what the file name for a feature encoded for d-box motion control looks like? Am I correct in assuming that there is a difference in the file name and that a seperate KDM is required?

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 08-03-2011, 02:28 AM:

Yes, it's a separate filename. At least on theones I've seen, it's a version file where you need to ingest the full movie file first, then the Dbox file. I don't know if a separate KDM is required but I'd guess that it's a yes on that.

You can easily tell the Dbox filename -- just look for the notation DBOX in the name just after the title.

We tried out the Dbox sampler at CinemaCon. They were showing the Pirates 4 trailer with it. I did find the "moving heads" of the people in front of me kind of distracting. Maybe I'm just not enough of a kid, but I wouldn't want to watch a movie while being tossed about.

quote: Robert E. Allen
"Smell-a-vision" is next.

Robert, you were right! Spy Kids 4. Although they are calling it "4-D AromaVision.) [puke]

Posted by Harold Hallikainen (Member # 5405) on 08-03-2011, 07:45 AM:

It's my understanding that the Dbox data leaves the DCS on AES channel 13. It's encoded as a binary file that the server treats as an audio track and outputs as AES, but it is not audio. There is currently discussion of servers setting bits in the AES streams to insure the stream does not end up on auditorium speakers.

I have not tried Dbox, but I did do something similar in a theater years ago in Las Vegas. It was an "abandoned mine ride" movie. It was pretty effective. You were riding along in a mine railroad car. You felt and heard the wheels go over the rail expansion gaps. Then, ahead, you saw that a cave in had wiped out the rails and left a large cavern. As the car went off the edge, motion stopped. It gave a pretty effective feeling of going off the edge.

I don't see it being super effective in the movies I typically watch (most recently Midnight in Paris and Buck - maybe it could be used in Buck?).

Harold

Posted by David Zylstra (Member # 4230) on 08-03-2011, 04:09 PM:

We have DBOX seats at 5 locations and since the recent change to their track being on channels 13/14 (previously on 7/8) we have mostly single inventory DCPs - i.e. all copies of Harry Potter and Super 8 have the DBOX track available to play.

DBOX splits off AES pair 7 (audio channels 13/14), converts to S/PDIF and inputs into their MFX transmitter.

There is definitely a dedicated crowd willing to pay the premium fee, we even have 1 3D DBOX auditorium and customers have been willing to pay over $20 each to see DBOX with a 3D title.

Posted by Frank Angel (Member # 248) on 08-05-2011, 07:31 AM:

How noisey are these things? I would guess you can't move a row of half a dozen seats to and fro with a compliment of some oversized patrons in them with a few small stepping motors! You are going to need some pretty heavy duty moving equipment. We have some patrons who you would need a forklift to shove them around. This kind of thing would be pretty noisey.....and distracting, no?

Posted by Randy Stankey (Member # 64) on 08-05-2011, 08:07 AM:

Double action air cylinders?

But that would mean that the air exhaust would have to be ported outside the theater.

Are these seats designed for "drop-in" installation or "hardwire"?

Posted by David Zylstra (Member # 4230) on 08-05-2011, 08:54 AM:

Each seat needs power and a cat5 loop from the booth controller so they are essentially hardwired after installing the conduit to protect the cat5. The base is bolted to the floor with pretty heavy duty studs that are epoxied in.

So far the seats are pretty quiet as they work - I've watched a full row moving and not heard any noise. We have had one complaint about vibrations to the row behind the seats (for the movie 2012), but most complaints are not enough titles.

Posted by Aaron Sisemore (Member # 145) on 08-11-2011, 10:52 PM:

We have D-Box seats in a few locations, and the general audience reaction is good, they do sell out the first week, but after the first week, the D-Box sales seem to drop off sharply (especially on a title that bombs, like Jonah Hex did)... As for the experience, it isn't that bad, the seats are quiet, but they can cause the floor to vibrate, making the fixed seats in the immediate vicinity of the D-Box seats vibrate a little bit. My other issue is that having your feet on the floor with moving seats takes some of the fun out of the experience.

Posted by Dominic Espinosa (Member # 2122) on 08-15-2011, 03:51 PM:

Second what Aaron says.

For us the experience has been luke-warm. For certain movies we certainly see sell-outs the opening weekend (Harry Potter, Inception, come to mind) but in other titles, like Tron, DBOX were the only seats really selling well during the prime-time set in week 3.

Of course, being in Silicon Valley some folks are more excited about the tech so they do it.
We've had complaints during Inception from other folks in the room because the seats moving scared the patrons behind them. Heh.

Yes, these are only availble for Digital. They use audio channels 13 & 14. DBOX provides a DB25 adaptor to pull out those 2 channels to route to the MFX transmitter.

There MAY be a VF (Version File) which is clearly identifiable as the DBOX track. Other times it's embeded in the OV (Original Version) CPL (Composition Playlist) and completely unidentifiable by normal means.

A special KDM is required. The KDM will be easily identifiable as being for a DBOX feature.

There are 2 or 3 actuators in the base, depending on which model seat you have (earlier have 2) which move the seat and also provide the vibration.
From an engineering standpoint they are brilliantly engineered since they can give you so many sensations with such a minimal amount of components.
The actuators are electric motors with a piston which bolt to the seat bottom.

I will say as organizations go, the team at DBOX is extremely responsive, savvy, and helpful.
Can't say that about certain other organizations...

Most commonly folks ask us if they could implement a massage feature into them.