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Author Topic: A universal kill switch Peter Mork Expert Film Handler Posts: 181 From: Newton, MA, USA Registered: Jun 2002 posted 10-23-2005 01:51 PM                     Today, some kid pulled a fire alarm in the lobby and shut the whole place down for twenty minutes. This happens a lot around here - either that or someone burns the popcorn and triggers the alarm. I'd say five or six times a year we get blasted by those sirens and blinking lights. I work in a six screen house with three separate booths on three floors. When an alarm goes off, I have to run to each projector and shut it off manually. Of course, I'd rather not have to do this, especially if someday there really is a fire. Can anyone recommend a system to kill all projectors simultaneously from any booth - ideally one that won't require running new wires: perhaps radio-controlled? It would make my life easier! Thanks  |  IP: Logged Brad Allen Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 688 From: Evansville, IN, USA Registered: May 2000 posted 10-23-2005 02:31 PM                     It would be fairly simple and inexpensive with 3 12v relays and 3 momentary contact push buttons to wire up a remote shut down.  |  IP: Logged Pete Naples Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1565 From: Dunfermline, Scotland Registered: Feb 2001 posted 10-23-2005 03:53 PM                     Did one not so long ago. Very similar set up. One high current relay breaks the projector motor, rectifier control circuit, and 'RUN' circuit of the Westrex tower. Another smaller relay raises the house lights, and mutes the sound. All done from one big red push button in the operators 'office'.  |  IP: Logged John Walsh Film God Posts: 2490 From: Connecticut, USA, Earth, Milky Way Registered: Oct 1999 posted 10-23-2005 05:13 PM                     Some automations have that feature already built-in. What kind of automation? Not the radio controlled part, but at least with wires. Look at those "X-10" wireless remote controls (www.x10.com) They are cheap and work fairly well, although I wouldn't trust my life with one. Most places I know of require the projectors all shut down by law; Mass has very tough fire safety-related laws, so I am a little surprised you don't have this set-up.  |  IP: Logged Steve Guttag We forgot the crackers Gromit!!! Posts: 12814 From: Annapolis, MD Registered: Dec 1999 posted 10-23-2005 05:27 PM                     Depending on your automation system...some offer an emergency stop or "Fire Stop" on the status panels (Strong's CNA series for instance...find any of those panels and have the fire alarm system provide a dry contact that closes when the alarm goes off...it will shut down the plex). For automations that are not too sophisticated, we have the fire alarm company provide a "Dry contact via relay" and just wire across the "failsafe" so that the automation presumes that it is a film break. However...a "Fire Stop" is normally a bit more elaborate than a standard film break...that is, the video/slide projector should not come on and the sound system should go to MUTE so as never to compete with the life saftey system.  |  IP: Logged Steve Scott Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1300 From: Minneapolis, MN Registered: Sep 2000 posted 10-24-2005 12:50 AM                     Indeed, Steve and John are right... Fire alarm test day is always a great day in any new construction...  |  IP: Logged Peter Mork Expert Film Handler Posts: 181 From: Newton, MA, USA Registered: Jun 2002 posted 10-24-2005 12:56 AM                     quote: John Walsh Most places I know of require the projectors all shut down by law; Mass has very tough fire safety-related laws, so I am a little surprised you don't have this set-up. Funny, the fire guys never mention this when they show up.  |  IP: Logged Scott Norwood Film God Posts: 8146 From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas) Registered: Jun 99 posted 10-24-2005 08:22 AM                        We have something like this in Waltham. It shuts down the automations (TA-10) when the fire alarm goes off. I don't know if it mutes the sound or switches back to non-sync. We don't have slide projectors there, so that's not an issue. I've never personally been there when the fire alarm has been activated, but apparently the system works. There's no "kill switch" as such, however, unless you consider a fire alarm pull box to be a kill switch.  |  IP: Logged

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