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Author Topic: Seeking UA Automation Schematics Steve Scott Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1300 From: Minneapolis, MN Registered: Sep 2000 posted 07-08-2006 06:03 PM                     Does anyone have any diagrams or documents of any kind describing the wiring, operation, and or troubleshooting for the UA custom automation units, like the white-faced "Automation Control System" boxes seen in The United Artists pics page? We have two from UA's days here, some eight years ago, which are having scattered problems. These are the automation units with three rows of eight relays inside & that huge cam timer.  |  IP: Logged Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 07-08-2006 07:05 PM                     There were TWO models. Was it the "A" series model below? Or was it the "B" series model below? If it is the "A" model, the barcode scanner interface manuals and schematics are on this site available for download. I have never seen any documentation on the actual main automation box though. If the "B" model, yes I can tell you how to hook it up and such. (Granted this will be from memory, but I can get you in the ballpark enough to do the job.) Somewhere around here I have the full manual and schematic, which to my knowledge was never widely published. I haven't seen that in years though. Regardless, it's easy enough to wire up and you can follow the traces to troubleshoot. I just installed that one pictured above just a few months ago that was removed from service from an ex-UA theater that upgraded automations. FYI, the "A" series only handled 4 cues. There was no start cue. The 23 cue kicked into feature mode, the 24 cue was for the end credits and the 22 cue was the shutdown cue. The 35 cue was an extra that was never implemented. The "B" series used many cues. This is from memory, but I'm 99% sure it is correct: 01-start cue, lights half, mono, flat 02-start cue, lights half, mono, scope 03-start cue, lights half, stereo A, flat 04-start cue, lights half, stereo A, scope 05-start cue, lights half, SR, flat 06-start cue, lights half, SR, scope 11-feature cue, lights down, mono, flat 12-feature cue, lights down, mono, scope 13-feature cue, lights down, stereo A, flat 14-feature cue, lights down, stereo B, scope 15-feature cue, lights down, SR, flat 16-feature cue, lights down, SR, scope 18-lights to half 19-shutdown 23-lights down 28-lights up 32-mono 33-stereo A 34-SR There were others, that's all I can remember off of the top of my head. If you throw a number out at me, I can probably remember what it does.  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 07-08-2006 07:48 PM                     I love those A Series automations... custom for UA by Kelmar and they have real switches on them .. The housing is so large that you can leave your toolbox inside at night and not have to carry it back to the van. Its also really good automation... as reliable as any other Kelmar unit is and pretty easy to fix once you understand whats going on in there. I think this is as large as Louis's automation is. There are alot of these in Wyoming. Mark  |  IP: Logged Steve Scott Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1300 From: Minneapolis, MN Registered: Sep 2000 posted 07-08-2006 09:02 PM                     We have the 'A' Series. Xetron edge cue detector because the rest of our houses have Co-Operators. One unit will run as expected when the start button is pushed (Lamp on, c/o close, motor on, house lights down, c/o eight seconds later). This is the only cue that will automatically work, though. The lights up cue doesn't activate the cam, and the intermission/showend cue will not activate the cam either. When the film tails out & the failsafe drops, only the lamp shuts off & the motor stops. The soundhead LED doesn't shut off (such requires the whole automation to be switched on & off), the c/o doesn't close & the house lights don't get cued up. The later two functions do work by manually switching them at the automation panel, though. Pressing the stop button only shuts the lamp off, nothing else. The Xetron failsafe tests out working, though. Our tech thought we might trace the problem with a schematic of the whole unit, and thus I asked.  |  IP: Logged Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 07-09-2006 04:32 AM                     It sounds to me like your automation isn't receiving the cues...and that the unit has other internal problems as well. What circuit is the soundhead LED wired into? Is it going into the exciter circuit? If you will email me, I think I have spare parts and such to get you running, or at least test things out for troubleshooting purposes.  |  IP: Logged Steve Scott Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1300 From: Minneapolis, MN Registered: Sep 2000 posted 07-09-2006 05:00 PM                     I'll check that out on Monday morning & get back to you Brad. Thanks  |  IP: Logged Cody Martin Expert Film Handler Posts: 214 From: Edinburgh, IN, USA Registered: Jun 2004 posted 10-31-2006 05:16 PM                        Just wondering if anyone has found any docs for these A units yet. I just got the lot off ebay to use and keep around for parts for another person. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks, Cody  |  IP: Logged Steve Scott Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1300 From: Minneapolis, MN Registered: Sep 2000 posted 11-01-2006 02:08 PM                     I never got my hands on any. Though the cam finally started working again, at the drop of the fail-safe. Until we can get the whole unit replaced, it does, at least, get the lights up at the end of the show.  |  IP: Logged Mike B. Smith Film Handler Posts: 82 From: Universal City Registered: Nov 2004 posted 11-03-2006 04:03 PM                     Cleaning out my storage about a year ago I tossed a few of these automations away, no one wanted them but for space reasons they had to go. Worked for U.A. many years and although most of the hardware I collected over the years is gone I still have some documentation. The automations were designed by George Evans who also did Kelmar's. I have the Automation Board Schematic dated 8-21-86 and a Chassis, Control Panel Schematic dated 12-4-87. They are about 24" x 48" so I'm not able to scan them, however if you think they may be of help to you I could make a trip to Kinkos and make copies.  |  IP: Logged Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 11-03-2006 04:32 PM                     If you can send photocopies this direction I will add them to the manuals download page. As more and more older UAs close down, there will be an increasing demand for documentation on these machines.  |  IP: Logged Mike B. Smith Film Handler Posts: 82 From: Universal City Registered: Nov 2004 posted 11-04-2006 11:16 AM                     Great idea Brad, I'll send you all the documents I have on this automation so you can add it to the Manual section on Film-Tech.  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 11-08-2006 09:10 AM                     Am trying to figure out what the big deal is... Juat call Tom at Kelmar... they built them for UA. Mark  |  IP: Logged

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