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Author Topic: Can anyone top us?
Michael Schaffer
"Where is the
Boardwalk Hotel?"

Posts: 4143
From: Boston, MA
Registered: Apr 2002


 - posted 04-21-2002 06:56 PM      Profile for Michael Schaffer   Author's Homepage   Email Michael Schaffer   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Hello there,
I am technical manager of a new 7-screen multiplex which is going to open in early May in Berlin. We might be one of the most modern cinemas in the world, at least I have never heard of one which is better equipped. My above question is not a taunt, I am merely wondering if anyone else has such an array of toys under their roof:

SDDS with 8 channels in ALL screens/Dolby Digital/dts
HPS-4000 speaker systems fired by Electro Voice amps
Kinoton FP30E projectors with EMK1 plus network-controlled automation
and multimedia-equipment such as an Apple Macintosh G4 dual-processor video-editing station/8-track digital recorder/video and audio bus connecting the cinemas and plasma displays around the house

Again, my qustion is not meant to be aggressive. Itīs simply that in our team, we are all enthusiasts, and I am curious if there are other cinemas with this kind of equipment...
By the way, this is my first post on this forum, so hello everybody!
Mike


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David Favel
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 764
From: Ashburton, New Zealand
Registered: Feb 2002


 - posted 04-21-2002 07:20 PM      Profile for David Favel   Email David Favel   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
My Vic 10 may come close, but it sounds cool.

Are there any pics available yet?

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David Stambaugh
Film God

Posts: 4021
From: Eugene, Oregon
Registered: Jan 2002


 - posted 04-21-2002 07:22 PM      Profile for David Stambaugh   Author's Homepage   Email David Stambaugh   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
I will add you to my list of must-visit theaters. You will no doubt be envied by many. But someone is bound to ask this question, so I will be the smart-ass: Do you have curtains? (Just razzing you, although it would be very cool if the answer is Yes).

Share some pictures with us, both downstairs and the booth!


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Michael Schaffer
"Where is the
Boardwalk Hotel?"

Posts: 4143
From: Boston, MA
Registered: Apr 2002


 - posted 04-21-2002 07:42 PM      Profile for Michael Schaffer   Author's Homepage   Email Michael Schaffer   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Yes, we have curtains, sorry about that... Also, the screens are curved. There are no pictures yet, but I will send some soon. At this time, we are still installing and aligning, which is really fun with this kind of equipment. You wonīt believe how effective the HPS speakers are, how little power you need to drive them.
By the way, the name of the theater is Alhambra and there is also a website: www.alhambrakino.de. I am not sure in what state it is right now because we are so busy at the construction site that we donīt have time for that...
MS

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Brad Miller
Administrator

Posts: 17775
From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall)
Registered: May 99


 - posted 04-21-2002 08:10 PM      Profile for Brad Miller   Author's Homepage   Email Brad Miller       Edit/Delete Post 
Forget about the curtains, the big question is do you run changeovers or off of a platter?

BTW, I think you will find that there are too many variables in opinion regarding equipment for anyone to be able to say this theater is the best, or that theater is the best. Some people hate SDDS, some people love it. Some people may not like HPS-4000 systems, others love them. Maybe I don't like the kind of screens you put in, perhaps your seats are not "large" enough for Ian, maybe Joe doesn't like the choice of projector, and perhaps Steve will personally pay you a visit to explain why any theater that runs off of a platter is automatically disqualified. It's all opinion on equipment, design and setup.

Now the ultimate part relies on you. How's the presentation? You can have the best damn setup in the world, but your presentation may be poo if the guys in the booth aren't perfectionists. Until the theater can run a print for at least 3 months without a speck of dirt from the first frame to the last, no theater is worth bragging about. Give it your best shot and be sure to send in those pictures.


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Michael Barry
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 584
From: Sydney, NSW, Australia
Registered: Nov 1999


 - posted 04-21-2002 08:16 PM      Profile for Michael Barry   Email Michael Barry   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Are you planning on using Filmguard?

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Michael Schaffer
"Where is the
Boardwalk Hotel?"

Posts: 4143
From: Boston, MA
Registered: Apr 2002


 - posted 04-21-2002 08:59 PM      Profile for Michael Schaffer   Author's Homepage   Email Michael Schaffer   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Yes, there are many different opinions, but unfortunately, quite often they have no rational basis whatsoever. A lot of the variables in sound and image quality can actually be measured and verified.
Many cinemas have digital processors but crappy amps and/or speakers which are not really capable of delivering the sound undistorted. By the way, this is one of the main reasons why many people think movies are too loud when played at the calibrated setting, because the sound is distorted and compressed.
In many cases, the alignment of the components is done very badly. Often you find a problem with one component which is caused by bad alignment or simply another component that it is working together or which is degrading itīs quality. Itīs somewhat nonsensical to say I like this or that screen, since itīs the combination of projector type, framerate, lamp performance, lenses and so on that make the image quality. If you look at the individual components on the market analytically, there are huge differences in quality which are often not transparent if you look at them in the context of a mediocre installation.
How can one not like SDDS? The sound quality is superb, the processor is a fine piece of professional equipment, and yes, it runs very stably if the tracks are printed to specification. But I see I have not opened a new thread but a whole can of them. Actually my question was aimed primarily at the 8-channel issue. Which multiplex theater has 8 channels on all screens? In my opinion, it doesnīt really matter if not all prints are 8-channel, if you donīt equip for the option, how can it ever happen? If some people wouldnīt support technological advances, we would still be watching movies in Academy Mono.
Maybe we should start a few subjects not just about advantages/problems with individual pieces of equipment, but about how they work together...
Before this post gets too long: I would really like to know why a platter-run presentation is automatically disqualified. I used to be one the main projectionists of the Berlin International Film Festival, so I guess I kow a little bit about changeovers. That also sets the standard of presentation I am aiming to achieve with my team.
And finally: I donīt know how big your friend is, but I am sure he would find the seats large enough, I am pretty big myself.
MS


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Scott Norwood
Film God

Posts: 8146
From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas)
Registered: Jun 99


 - posted 04-21-2002 09:08 PM      Profile for Scott Norwood   Author's Homepage   Email Scott Norwood   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Why wouldn't someone like SDDS? Simple: because DTS and SR-D both cost less and offer better reliability. SR-D is also quite ubiquitous--if a given print has one or more digital tracks, one of them is almost certain to be SR-D. Personally, I can't tell the difference in sound quality between SDDS and SR-D. I do believe that DTS as a slight advantage in this area, but even that is not a big deal.

With respect to the reliability issues, I am speaking of the older first-generation SDDS units, which are what seem to be most common in the US. Apparently this has been improved in the 3000-series units, but I wouldn't know. I do know that I have watched many lab-new prints where the SDDS track has dropouts on the first show. This may well be a lab issue, but SR-D and DTS don't have that problem.

I don't mean to totally trash SDDS here. I am a big fan of 5 screen channels and panned dialogue and it's great that SDDS chose to support that format. If only more films were mixed for 8-channel playback, this advantage might actually mean something to the average moviegoer and theatre owner.

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Michael Schaffer
"Where is the
Boardwalk Hotel?"

Posts: 4143
From: Boston, MA
Registered: Apr 2002


 - posted 04-21-2002 09:12 PM      Profile for Michael Schaffer   Author's Homepage   Email Michael Schaffer   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Concerning FilmGuard: I have never seen it in action here but I might be interested to test it.
MS

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Michael Schaffer
"Where is the
Boardwalk Hotel?"

Posts: 4143
From: Boston, MA
Registered: Apr 2002


 - posted 04-21-2002 09:24 PM      Profile for Michael Schaffer   Author's Homepage   Email Michael Schaffer   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
SDDS dropping out during the first show IS a lab issue. I can tell you how you can find out whether the track is printed correctly so that you can complain with the distributor if you receive dropping-out prints. But itīs 4 am in Germany now, and I have to go bed. This would also be better suited for a new subject, I think.
By the way: I also love panned dialogue or "directional stereo" as it used to be called here. It sounded great on 70mm 6-track. Good point!

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John Anastasio
Master Film Handler

Posts: 325
From: Trenton, NJ, USA
Registered: Sep 2000


 - posted 04-21-2002 09:29 PM      Profile for John Anastasio   Author's Homepage   Email John Anastasio   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
From the pictures on the website, it looks like quite a place! How are the auditoria arranged? From the looks of all those escalators, you have some at different levels. Being situated on a corner in a large city like Berlin, I'm sure that's the only way you can squeeze that many theaters in one block. I've been to Berlin many times and it's one of my favorite cities. Viel Glueck mit ihre Eroeffnung!

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Joe Redifer
You need a beating today

Posts: 12859
From: Denver, Colorado
Registered: May 99


 - posted 04-21-2002 11:23 PM      Profile for Joe Redifer   Author's Homepage   Email Joe Redifer   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
"Can anyone top us?"

Yup. I know someone who has a screening room that is equipped with 8-channel SDDS, DTS (35mm and 70mm), Dolby Digital EX, CDS, Dolby CP200 with "the works", 70mm capability as well as 35mm mag, Christie/Pennywise CA-21 automations, platter AND changeover, video projection with DVD 5.1 sound from DTS and Dolby Digial AC-3, screen brightness exceeding 16fl, and near-perfect registration ALL ON EVERY SINGLE SCREEN IN THE COMPLEX! True!


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Bobby Henderson
"Ask me about Trajan."

Posts: 10973
From: Lawton, OK, USA
Registered: Apr 2001


 - posted 04-22-2002 12:05 AM      Profile for Bobby Henderson   Email Bobby Henderson   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Joe, you're gonna make Brad blush.

Brad, is your monster screening room operational yet? I know you had been building this top-flight setup for awhile. The Northpark Mall #1 theater was one of my main reasons for driving down to Dallas, but that screening room would certainly give me a great excuse to drive my new pickup down there.

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Mike Olpin
Chop Chop!

Posts: 1852
From: Dallas, TX
Registered: Jan 2002


 - posted 04-22-2002 12:08 AM      Profile for Mike Olpin   Email Mike Olpin   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Quote:
"multimedia-equipment such as an Apple Macintosh G4 dual-processor video-editing station/8-track digital recorder/video and audio bus connecting the cinemas and plasma displays around the house"
/Quote

<Drools>

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Brad Miller
Administrator

Posts: 17775
From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall)
Registered: May 99


 - posted 04-22-2002 05:28 AM      Profile for Brad Miller   Author's Homepage   Email Brad Miller       Edit/Delete Post 
It's getting very, very close to being done. It's been operational from a platter standpoint for some time now. I now have the second projector assembled with the penthouses stacked to the ceiling to match the first projector and I just wired in the mag sound today, but I've had too much tech business these last several months to really get in there and devote some time to finishing everything. My biggest holdup is waiting for Pennywise to finish with my CA21s and the custom EPROMs. I'm not quite sure what that holdup is.

By the way, where are these pictures on the website linked above? I don't remember anything from my German classes.


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