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Topic: cp500 - format change at c/o

Scott Norwood
Film God

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

posted 09-16-2002 12:26 PM

Is there a way to make a CP500 switch formats at the same time as a changeover? In other words, suppose I want to run a mono short on projector #1 and then changeover to a Dolby SR feature on projector #2. Is there a way to get the CP500 to change formats by assigning particular formats to particular projectors (something which I have never tried)? Of course, this would probably require more tinkering with the CP500 during the first reel of the feature in order to ensure that it would stay in SR when changing back to projector #1. I know that this is why they make the remote-control box, but this venue don't have these (of course), and only runs film occasionally, so it isn't time-effective to homebuild something.

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Daryl C. W. O'Shea
Film God

Posts: 3977
From: Midland Ontario Canada (where Panavision & IMAX lenses come from)
Registered: Jun 2002

posted 09-16-2002 04:39 PM

If you are using pusled contacts on the CP-500 for the changeover you could probably join the proj.2 c/o pulse to the SK# automation pin so that when the changeover is pulsed it would also pulse the processor into whatever format you wish.

Since the processor would stay in whatever format it's in when you c/o back to proj.1 you wouldn't need to connect the proj.1 c/o pulse to the automation connector. This would also allow you to start the show on proj.1 (with a c/o to proj.1) without the processor kicking into SR on you.

Failing that you could run a pair of wires from the automation connector (across pin 12 and whatever SK# pin) to projector #2 and mount a small momentary push button right beside the changeover button. You could then push both buttons at the same time when you do your changeover. Not as elegent but just as effective.

Of course, if you're really ambitious, you could replace the c/o button with a button that has an extra pole and only have one button again.

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Steve Guttag
We forgot the crackers Gromit!!!

Posts: 12814
From: Annapolis, MD
Registered: Dec 1999

posted 09-16-2002 08:37 PM

You can actually assign formats to projectors. I believe you need firmware 1.31 or later but in the menu you will find where you can make the assignment. There is also nothing to stop you from making your own remote using the "Automation" connector and a box full of push buttons.

Steve

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"Old projectionists never die, they just changeover!"

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Scott Norwood
Film God

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

posted 09-17-2002 08:56 AM

I guess this is what I don't understand, then: if I assign format 05 (Dolby SR) to projector #2, does this mean that a) a changeover to projector #2 will cause the cp500 to switch to format 05 or b) that selecting format 05 will cause the processor to select projector #2?

If the answer is (a) above, then this is exactly what I want. Of course, it means that the format assignment will have to be changed during the first reel of the feature, but that's not a big deal.

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Steve Guttag
We forgot the crackers Gromit!!!

Posts: 12814
From: Annapolis, MD
Registered: Dec 1999

posted 09-17-2002 02:22 PM

The projector assignment is just like the fader assignment. Pressing THAT softkey will cause the projector to change. You could have a #1 05 and a #2 05, the same way you could assign a preview level of 5.0 to one button and a feature level of 7.0 to another.

Steve

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"Old projectionists never die, they just changeover!"

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Peter Hall
Master Film Handler

Posts: 314
From: London, UK
Registered: Dec 2000

posted 09-18-2002 11:11 AM

Easy to do -- we've done it where a house runs two machines, one for the adverts and trailers and one for the feature. Use a pulsed set of contacts to tell the CPxx to go to P2 (or P1) and shag around with a diode to simultaneously pulse the automation inputs to whatever format you want. One word of warning - check the automation at the end of the show - sometimes a control pulse that closes P1's douser will try and open P2. OK, the motor's not running so the shutter does not open but it's possible for the automation to miss the mute or non sync cue at the end of the film.

Two projectors - how quaint !

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