This is topic Christie/AIX conversion? in forum Digital Cinema Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.


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Posted by Mike Sellars (Member # 4042) on 08-30-2007, 05:40 PM:
 
Without revealing any of your actual contract data or anything you cannot reveal, would someone please give me a rundown of the issues involved in converting to the digital Christie/AIX thing? Things like what types of costs must the theatre absorb, how PM's and service calls work cost-wise, timeline for conversion, how the Virtual Print Fee thing works, etc.?

Thanks very much for any info offered.
 

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Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 08-30-2007, 06:14 PM:
 
Aside from lamps the 2nd biggest expense to the customer is the 2500.00 per booth per year service contract. With Carmike this is a 10 year contract. Most of the details were on Carmike's web site with very little of it blackened out to hide the actual costs.

Mark
 

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Posted by Mike Sellars (Member # 4042) on 08-30-2007, 06:55 PM:
 
Thanks Mark.... I looked on their website and could not find that kind of info, unless I didn't look hard enough - any idea where else I might find it?

Mike
 

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Posted by David Zylstra (Member # 4230) on 08-30-2007, 09:03 PM:
 
I have 46 screens all under the AccessIT/ChristieAIX contracts . . . ..

1st. Due to a confidentiality clause I won't confirm or deny the number Mark mentioned

Items to consider: if you keep some dual systems you may need to install another projection port and have some electrical work done to power the digital projectors, you will need to have dedicated power circuits run for the LMS rack, you may need to run a dedicated power circuit for the automation/screen server rack (you might be able to repurpose the platter circuit for this), you will need to provide Christie with a VPN connection to your sites as well as maintain a WAN between locations (if you don't already have Internet make sure you get a good firewall properly configured to make sure you are protected), you need a dedicated phone line for the LMS, if you don't already have email to your locations I'd suggest having an email account that can be checked at the theatres so you can easily receive KDMs via email (this comes in handy when you get servers replaced), you will be responsible for any ancillary hardware items needed to install the projectors - i.e. if your ports are too high you need to pay for platforms or have the port lowered, EXHAUST - you will need to make sure they are pulling at least 600CFM (the 2K and 3K lamps seem to be able to run fine with less, but the 4.5K and 6K really do need 600CFM), our install was signed before I came on board so I don't remember who paid for the network install (I think they did, but our company is a little scatterbrained and no one can tell me for sure), you may need to pay for the first wave of lamps (Note that you DON'T have to buy your lamps directly from Christie - shop around for the best price on their lamp for comparison, if you are paying list price it is too much . . . . I can say that the Christie lamps have been good - we usually easily run to +25% of warranty as long as light levels look good), you need a sound processor that can take in 6 channel analog (I'd suggest the USL JSD-80 if you need new ones - they are very cost effective and you get the ability to plug in and decode 5.1 sound from DVDs and other sources as well as plug the digital sound into the AES inputs instead of analog), if you want to do alternative content you will need something to convert the video signal to be DVI (we use the NEC TheatreSync - it works well and it matches digital audio to any scaling time delay).

Sorry for a disorganized list, I was typing as I was thinking . . . I'm sure I'm forgetting a few minor things . . . .

The VPFs are basically the lease payments for the projectors that are being paid by the studios - so for each title that you run in digital the studios pay AccessIT a fee (I think it's somewhere between $1,000-$1,500 per title).

Our local CSEs have been great - very responsive and conscientious- only issue I have is they do not have a film background so they don't always understand why I want things done a certain way, but they are both great guys.
Our procedure is to call the Christie NOC first and if they can't fix the issue remotely they will dispatch a CSE.
Christie is responsible for the lamp changes on our deal as well as unlimited service calls, I hear some deals have limited "free" service calls.

I would suggest after your install have them give you a report on each screen - i.e. lamp size/model installed, lamp power level, screen luminance (should be 14FL +-2), etc - this is to prove to you they installed systems that meet DCI luminance requirements of 14FL (I have 4 screens that did not meet standards even with 6K lamps - they are installing anamorphic lenses for these)

You are welcome to come up and tour our booths anytime, but I see you are in Alabama so I'm sure Christie/AccessIT can hook you up with a closer location to go through.

Depending on the install crew's experience they could easily get a 10 screen location converted in a week . . . . ours took forever since we were the first and they were learning as they went . . .

If you have any more questions I can send you a PM with my email.
 

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Posted by Daryl C. W. O'Shea (Member # 1303) on 08-31-2007, 01:02 AM:
 
Where is the Christie NOC, Kitchener?
 

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Posted by Tristan Lane (Member # 1169) on 08-31-2007, 03:55 AM:
 

quote: Daryl C. W. O'Shea

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Where is the Christie NOC, Kitchener?

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quote: Lyle Romer

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This can add a lot to your property insurance coverage vs. the film equipment.

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