Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: The Film-Tech Digital Cinema System (DCS)

This is topic The Film-Tech Digital Cinema System (DCS) in forum Digital Cinema Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 02-06-2011, 04:28 PM:

I would like to take this opportunity to open up this thread for comments and questions regarding the new Film-Tech DCS product which can be seen here.

Before posting to this thread, please read this thread in the Film Handler’s Forum.

As this is a brand new product, our authorized dealers do not yet have full documentation, so any immediate inquiries please feel free to email to the address on the last page of the pdf brochure.

Posted by Frank Angel (Member # 248) on 02-06-2011, 05:44 PM:

Congratulations, Brad -- best of luck with what has to be the cutting edge, state-of-the-art digital automation.

Let me add -- your overview of the movement to digital is such a welcome change; there is none of the film-bashing that seems to always be part and parcel of such discussions about digital. It has become so wearysome to have to listen to the positives about digital but in the same breath there is the compulison to piss on film, as if film has been a curse, and not the medium which, for the last millenium, has capture the greatest cinema art ever created. It is so good not to hear that negativity in your post. If only others would follow your example.

Again, best of luck with the new Film-Tech venture.

Posted by Tom Sauter (Member # 616) on 02-06-2011, 06:04 PM:

Well done! I am truly impressed with your vision and your product. Having been in the "Integration" business for some time now, I can tell you that prebuilding and delivering systems that are tested, configured, and ready-to-go will really differentiate you in the market. The tie-ins with HVAC and lighting are a masterful touch - this adds a tremendous amount of value to your product. The NOC is the icing on the cake!

Just wait for the competition to start emulating you! [Big Grin]

Posted by Michael Brown (Member # 890) on 02-06-2011, 07:25 PM:

An interesting product...

So someone at the Film-Tech call center builds the playlists, aquires keys etc. I then assume there is some sort of fee the theatre owner is paying to Film-Tech for the service? If so then was is the difference between not just paying a projectionist on site to do those chores? Also in this set-up who is changing Xenons when required, who is cleaning projector filters\cleaning portholes and other site maintenance?

Posted by Chris Slycord (Member # 4239) on 02-06-2011, 08:17 PM:

quote: Michael Brown
So someone at the Film-Tech call center builds the playlists, aquires keys etc. I then assume there is some sort of fee the theatre owner is paying to Film-Tech for the service? If so then was is the difference between not just paying a projectionist on site to do those chores?

What makes you think that the rate they are charging for such a service comes to be the same as if you hired a full-time projectionist? Further, even if the rate you get charged for that is close to that of a single full-time projectionist... you can save money by the fact that you are no longer have to pay for a person to do that for each facility.

quote: Michael Brown
Also in this set-up who is changing Xenons when required, who is cleaning projector filters\cleaning portholes and other site maintenance?

Most maintenance can be scheduled for and with digital units it's pretty easy for them to remotely monitor hours for the bulbs to make sure to have their local technician head by when they get close to warranty hours.

Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 02-06-2011, 08:42 PM:

The rate for all of the NOC stuff is ridiculously less than even a minimum wage projectionist. Film-Tech has thought of everything and wouldn't let a "D'oh" like that creep by. No hidden fees and no shady operations.

Posted by David Favel (Member # 1125) on 02-06-2011, 08:59 PM:

How "customisable" is the unit?
ie will you ship without amps? As QSC is standard in my cinema.

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 02-06-2011, 11:09 PM:

quote: Michael Brown
So someone at the Film-Tech call center builds the playlists, aquires keys etc. I then assume there is some sort of fee the theatre owner is paying to Film-Tech for the service? If so then was is the difference between not just paying a projectionist on site to do those chores? Also in this set-up who is changing Xenons when required, who is cleaning projector filters\cleaning portholes and other site maintenance?

The NOC is an option, it is not a requirement, but when worked out on paper easily proves to be most cost efficient in all aspects. It is also a mere fraction of the cost than even hiring a 17 year old kid working minimum wage who has no idea what he is doing.

The xenon bulb changes and other site maintenance are left to the theater's technician and/or company to dictate. For example, lets say ABC Technical Group handles all of the routine maintenance and repairs for XYZ Theaters. Whatever the bulb changing and site maintenance policies are between ABC and XYZ is would apply. The Film-Tech NOC would notify when scheduled bulb changes were upcoming and in an instance of an equipment failure where the NOC technicians could not remotely repair, the NOC would notify the technican(s) assigned to that location and inform them of exactly what was happening, which also saves the field technician's time in troubleshooting pre and on-site.

quote: David Favel
How "customisable" is the unit?
ie will you ship without amps? As QSC is standard in my cinema.

Fully. Lets say your cinema is currently running 35mm and already has a suitable processor and sound system in place. Nothing would change. We only need to know when the order is placed what type of processor is in each auditorium and its approximate distance away from the projector pedestal so we can provide audio and automation control cables with the system. This also saves time by leaving the existing sound rack and all wiring where it currently is.

Similarly if your theater has something out of the norm that you want controlled (perhaps you have 3 curtains to operate at the beginning of each show), tell us when ordering and we will ship the system with all of that pre-configured to your specific venue. Most features that theaters would need are already included by default, such as multiple masking stops, a curtain, door magnets, end of show alerts, etc.

Bear in mind the picture you see on the front page of the brochure is a standard system with some extra options installed. For example, a Dolby 3D controller is mounted just beneath the blu-ray player. If this was a 2D install, there would be a blank panel there.

Also on the front of the system which is not viewable in the pictures (the port window side) is the UPS battery backup, power distribution with auto-failover and networking. The wiring interface panel simply attaches with 4 screws to this front side of the projector pedestal, which is why it can be pre-terminated before the equipment ever arrives on site. Similarly the electrical requirements for the system are all standard NEMA receptacles, so the electricians can be out of there before the gear arrives as well.

Posted by David Favel (Member # 1125) on 02-06-2011, 11:17 PM:

WOW

All I can say. Impressive. Oops, only 2 things I can say.

Posted by Greg Anderson (Member # 235) on 02-06-2011, 11:33 PM:

Automation done right.

Posted by Manny Montes (Member # 5639) on 02-07-2011, 10:02 AM:

Honestly, WOW. Simply amazing. If I owned my own theatre i'd be investing in this immediately.

The NOC is a neat little idea too, will definitely save on a lot of man hours.

Posted by Mark Hajducki (Member # 1732) on 02-07-2011, 03:03 PM:

quote: Michael Brown
So someone at the Film-Tech call center builds the playlists

The current situation where the cinemas are sent a (paper or email) copy of what to add to the playlist (adverts, trailers and company policy), and a paper copy of the showtimes seems to be a very inefficient way of doing things.

It would be likely that the NOC would probably spend much the same amount of time to build the playlists for an entire company, than it would for one site.

Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 02-07-2011, 11:24 PM:

As we all know, most theaters power up all of their breakers/equipment all at once when the employees arrive in the morning (or afternoon or whatever). At the end of the night everything is often shut down all at once as well. I'd be interested in hearing how much a theater could save in electrical costs if the DCS was installed theater-wide to optimize such things (obviously the larger the complex, the more it would likely save on energy). I'm also curious about the LEMS (Lobby Energy management System). Does the system turn certain things back on when the cleaners arrive at night or in the morning, whatever the case may be?

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 02-08-2011, 12:29 AM:

quote: Mark Hajducki
It would be likely that the NOC would probably spend much the same amount of time to build the playlists for an entire company, than it would for one site.

Yes and no, we still require a NOC tech to physically verify each playlist, each week, at each location, against the client's programming choices. The client may dictate the trailer programming to the theater manager or may have someone in their corporate office dictate it. (Otherwise we will choose based upon studio recommendations.) Regardless, that level of manual double checking at the NOC will always be there as a failsafe.

quote: Joe Redifer
I'd be interested in hearing how much a theater could save in electrical costs if the DCS was installed theater-wide to optimize such things (obviously the larger the complex, the more it would likely save on energy).

We've been told some pretty staggering numbers during the Texas summer months comparing some almost identical complexes. Trying to pre-calculate those numbers does become amazingly tricky due to different size auditoriums, building/insulation design, type, efficiency, size and how the HVAC was installed, type of lighting in the auditoriums, desired pre-boot time for each item, etc. Regardless, it definitely does pay for itself. For example, auditorium #1's first show may be at 11:00am and auditorium #2's first show may be at 12:30pm. Assuming the HVAC was turned on 60 minutes prior and the auditorium 35 minutes prior to the show start, this means the HVAC would turn on at 10:00am for #1, but wait until 11:30am to turn on for #2. Similarly, the auditorium for #1 would stay powered off until 10:25am and #2 until 11:55am. Auditorium lighting, exhaust, amplifiers, etc...it all adds up. Multiply it out over the complex and the course of a year and it becomes a no brainer.

quote: Joe Redifer
I'm also curious about the LEMS (Lobby Energy management System). Does the system turn certain things back on when the cleaners arrive at night or in the morning, whatever the case may be?

Some theaters have us leave certain sets of lighting on until X number of minutes/hours after the last show of the day ends for the janitors and others have a remote janitor pushbutton that will enable their cleaning lights in the lobby for X number of minutes/hours. Similarly some installations have us activate the auditorium janitor lighting the entire time the auditorium is powered down, while others have a janitor override that will give them X number of minutes/hours to clean that auditorium. Its simply whatever the client wants in their custom programming.

The thing to remember is that everything on these systems works in + or - minutes from the actual show sequences, and each setting is completely customizable to the client's wishes. With a traditional type of EMS system, it functions on a timer. That timer turns everything on at a certain time of the morning and off at a certain time after hours. This wastes electricity because one week your last show of the day might be 10:30pm while another week your last show might be 11:00pm, or even a midnight show. Since the EMS works off of the show schedule, it KNOWS when the auditorium is supposed to be powered on. It KNOWS when the lobby should be on. It KNOWS when X number of minutes has passed from the last start of the day to turn off all of the exterior signage. It KNOWS when that last movie is over when to power down your auditorium, lobby, parking lot lights, etc. That's the beauty of having the projection automation control energy consumption. It can control electrical usage better than any other system possibly could, because it knows what is really happening inside the building.

Posted by Frank Angel (Member # 248) on 02-08-2011, 05:40 AM:

There may be some publicity advantage to a chain that has the DCS which optimumally controls and reduces power usage. I don't know what the requirements are to get those "green" energy certificates -- you know, the Energy Efficient logos they put on everything. Seems to me if the DCS can save 10 - 20% energy, that certainly should warrant one of those green friendly logos for promotion. It might be a little thing, but other theatres wouldn't claim it and every bit of self-promotion is valuable.

Even websites now are slapping on "Green" Certification labels if they use service providers who power their serves with wind power or some such.