Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Sony Closed Caption System

This is topic Sony Closed Caption System in forum Digital Cinema Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Lewis Thorne (Member # 9462) on 05-05-2016, 11:48 PM:

Hi All,

Have many got experience in these systems, and is their anything better than the Sony System, its seems to be the best overall.

Posted by Harold Hallikainen (Member # 5405) on 05-07-2016, 12:33 AM:

There are three major suppliers of closed captioning systems. They are Sony, Doremi (Dolby), and USL. Sony and Doremi use radio linked systems (though not compatible with each other). USL uses infrared. USL also makes a seat mount receiver (CCR-200) that is compatible with the Sony RF transmitter. I like the USL system best, but I designed it.

Harold

Posted by Peter Castle (Member # 1997) on 05-07-2016, 08:58 AM:

Good luck Lewis, if you want to try the Sony system. I tried for over two years to get a straight answer out of Sony about their system. Was shuffled from US to GB and even to NZ trying to find out how to buy their system. Finally was shunted to a retailer in England who quoted double the price I'd seen elsewhere.

I just gave up. They didn't seem to be interested.

Posted by Carsten Kurz (Member # 5396) on 05-07-2016, 11:26 AM:

I heard that demand for them is so low that they pulled distribution in some countries, which may explain what you experienced.
The HI/VI train is still going very slow. E.g. unlike in the US, there is no legislation in effect in germany (probably same for most of europe) to force cinemas to supply HI/VI systems to patrons. So if at all, they are bought/supplied on a voluntary basis here.

Technically, they are very advanced, I like them.

- Carsten

Posted by Harold Hallikainen (Member # 5405) on 05-07-2016, 11:59 AM:

I thought assistive listeneng systems (HI) was required pretty much everywhere. I think it's been required in the US since the early 1990s or before. Closed captioning and VI (visually impaired audio, now called Audio Description by the US DOJ) are not yet required anywhere that I know of, but I'm most familiar with regulation in the US. The US DOJ is scheduled to release rules this month. The proposed rulemaking, comments filed in it, and the DOJ schedule are available at http://mai.hallikainen.org/org/DojNprm/ .

I had heard that inductive loops are fairly popular in Europe for assistive listening systems. A paper I wrote several years ago discussing all this is available at http://ftp.uslinc.com/ftp/MultiProduct/Accessibility/AccessibilityBestPractices/AccessibilityBestPractices130425a.pdf .

Harold

Posted by Carsten Kurz (Member # 5396) on 05-07-2016, 01:43 PM:

Some cinemas do have inductive loops installed, but to my knowledge, they have only been installed on older screens, and there was never legislation to enforce this.
Most operators I know look at them with a bit of amusement, because they have no idea wether they are actually being used or not or wether they actually still work.

There is some progress over here in so far that movies which receive public funding need to supply HI/VI tracks. Also, cinemas installing equipment can recoup part of the cost by public funding from the same entities movies receive their funds from. So they are trying to construct a closed-loop around voluntary installations and HI/VI content.

But no cinema is forced to install HI/VI systems by legislative means. That's strange because in other parts of our society assistive systems and barrier-free living is strongely endorsed now.

- Carsten

Posted by Manny Montes (Member # 5639) on 05-07-2016, 02:23 PM:

In terms of guest experience I think the sony CC glasses are the best in the industry right now, the USL devices are a very close second. I haven't had any issues with crosstalk or interference from RF signals in different auditoriums as the sony device is capable of 12 channels (maybe 14, I honestly forgot). In addition I have never had a good experience with infrared transmitters as guests always seem to want to cover up the receiver or sit too far, etc... but YMMV

As for operators, it depends on costs. I've had a lot of guests accidentally drop the sony glasses and shatter the lens, physical damage isn't covered under warranty so you are out a pretty penny for those devices. In that way USL works great because the CCR-200 works with sony transmitters so you can have both.

In terms of reliability, I'd say the sony and USL are pretty on par with each other, both are very reliable and I have not had issues with either one that couldn't be solved with a quick reboot of either receiver or transmitter. Of course, if you ever needed help with the USL you could always ask here since Harold is a regular contributor here.

Posted by Bob Ezra (Member # 841) on 05-07-2016, 02:40 PM:

Had them wound up returning them. The - caption on the glasses - part worked great. Really nice and comfortable.

We had static/signal drop problems with the headsets. Best guess was too many wifi signals in the bldg.

Expensive.

Posted by Carsten Kurz (Member # 5396) on 05-07-2016, 04:30 PM:

Harold - which wavelength do the USL systems use? Just thought about possible active 3D shutter systems interference. Any issues known?

- Carsten

Posted by Harold Hallikainen (Member # 5405) on 05-07-2016, 04:40 PM:

The IRC-28(C) uses 870nm LEDs. These are modulated with 1.8MHz FSK for the caption data stream, 2.3MHz linear FM for HI, and 2.8MHz linear FM for VI. There is known to be no problem with the XpanD 3D system if the emitters for both 3D and HI/VI/CC are placed in about the same location. Placing them near each other results in the desired to undesired signal ratio to be relatively constant throughout the auditorium. If they are put in substantially different locations, the D/U ratio varies and can cause interference in some locations.

Harold