Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Theatre light problems

This is topic Theatre light problems in forum Digital Cinema Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Allan Riddelll (Member # 5090) on 05-05-2015, 07:33 AM:

Recently we have experienced what could possibly be a server problem regarding our cinema lighting. During the show our lights are programmed on our GDC server to go down 50 percent during the trailers which is ok but at the start of the feature the lights are staying at half and not going down to zero as they are programmed to do. During intermission the lights go up again to half but do not go down again during the second part. The lights once again go up to half during credits and full automatically at the end. Is it possible the the command (Lights 0) is not being accepted ? Even though we use Digital the lights can still be controlled manually on our old Kinoton 35mm projector.

Posted by Marcel Birgelen (Member # 6801) on 05-05-2015, 08:30 AM:

Maybe you're just missing some macros in your show?

What kind of automation do you use and how is it connected to your server?

Posted by Allan Riddelll (Member # 5090) on 05-05-2015, 09:46 AM:

Not missing any macros as its a standard template. Removed the Lights 0 cues and reinserted them. No difference. Server obviously connected to Barco projector but otherwise its a rather unusual arrangement. There is like a relay box under the server with wires which I believe go to the Kinoton to facilitate the lights and masking functions. Doesn't seem to be any loose connections however.

Posted by Frank Angel (Member # 248) on 05-05-2015, 11:03 AM:

Try using 10 as the level instead of zero and test to see if that macro is actually functioning.

Posted by Marcel Birgelen (Member # 6801) on 05-10-2015, 02:24 AM:

quote: Allan Riddelll
There is like a relay box under the server with wires which I believe go to the Kinoton to facilitate the lights and masking functions. Doesn't seem to be any loose connections however

And this "relay box", is this a "homemade" box or who supplied it? It's important to get an idea of how your setup works.

Posted by Jim Cassedy (Member # 4115) on 05-10-2015, 10:33 AM:

As others have mentioned, it would help if you had a picture or an exact model
number of the automation 'relay box' you have. Some of them have LED's on
the front that blink or turn on so you know that your macro's are actually
getting to it and being recognized. That helps in trouble-shooting.

Has any work been done in the rack or pedistal where the automation
interface is located? I've had occasions at two different locations
where one of the 'lighting cues' stopped working, and it turned out to
be nothing more than that one of the wires between the relay interface
and the actual dimmer control box had been knocked off of one of the screw
terminals on the automation interface after some work had been done in that
same rack to repair or replace another piece of equipment.

Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 05-10-2015, 03:31 PM:

On the GDC you have to assign what a automation macro is doing and what device it is being sent to