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Author Topic: Remote Start/Stop Panels Nathan Powers Film Handler Posts: 12 From: Salem, MA Registered: Mar 2006 posted 12-23-2006 11:30 AM                     How many people still have remote start/stop capability in there auditoriums? How many people actually use them? What is the biggest issue people have with them if you don't use them (besides framing and focusing....if you can't get that right by now, then well ) Thanks  |  IP: Logged Steve Scott Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1300 From: Minneapolis, MN Registered: Sep 2000 posted 12-23-2006 11:46 AM                     Preventing scratches on the first trailer by hand spinning the deck, namely first IMHO.  |  IP: Logged Monte L Fullmer Film God Posts: 8367 From: Nampa, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 12-23-2006 02:10 PM                     I used to work at a Twin Cinema that had Cinemeccanica V-18's (the one pict in the "favorite 35mm projector" thread that I posted) that had remote panels in the houses. Yes, I fully agree on the former comment of checking things as the machine starts, but once in a while, I'd use these remote panels if I was stuck downstairs with customer service and short-handed, or just to have fun with this system.  |  IP: Logged Scott Norwood Film God Posts: 8146 From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas) Registered: Jun 99 posted 12-23-2006 02:47 PM                        If you define "remote start/stop panel" loosely, these are quite common in older theatres. It usually takes the form of a button on the rear wall that rings a doorbell or buzzer in the booth to signal the projectionist. This can be used to control show start, hold, sound level, focus, framing, etc., though there may be a slight latency of a few seconds or minutes depending on the operator's attentiveness.  |  IP: Logged Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 12-23-2006 04:42 PM                     Steve, are you running older SPECOs by any chance?  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 12-23-2006 05:52 PM                     I only have a half dozen customers that insist they are saving money doing this. mark  |  IP: Logged John Walsh Film God Posts: 2490 From: Connecticut, USA, Earth, Milky Way Registered: Oct 1999 posted 12-23-2006 11:25 PM                     When I was working for a theater chain, I didn't allow the operators to use the remotes (or the timers either.) I wanted someone there to check the focus, framing, etc. at start. That said, I wasn't so dogmatic as to not understand that sometimes those remotes (and timers) were damned handy. But, the remotes should be used only in emergencies - not for everyday use.  |  IP: Logged Mike Blakesley Film God Posts: 12767 From: Forsyth, Montana Registered: Jun 99 posted 12-24-2006 12:31 AM                        quote: Scott Norwood If you define "remote start/stop panel" loosely, these are quite common in older theatres. It usually takes the form of a button on the rear wall that rings a doorbell or buzzer in the booth to signal the projectionist. We had that system here when I was a projectionist. I still remember the buzzer codes: 1 buzz: Turn it up 2 buzzes: Turn it down (this is the one I heard most often) 3 buzzes: Check focus 4 buzzes: Some other problem (house lights on, curtain not open all the way, carbon drift, etc.) 1 long buzz: Start the show, dammit!  |  IP: Logged Phil Blake Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 558 From: esperance western australia Registered: Nov 2003 posted 12-24-2006 06:00 AM                        I have the panalert remote which is just a cordless phone hooked into the panalogic via a control box , I use it all the time and would not be without it. When running the triple by myself or with just one staff member is makes life very easy. I can start cinemas while cleaning or ushering , but at the first available chance I alway make sure the film has started and is running as it should. I took it for granted one night and paid the price for it.  |  IP: Logged Tim Reed Better Projection Pays Posts: 5246 From: Northampton, PA Registered: Sep 1999 posted 12-24-2006 11:01 AM                       quote: Nathan Powers What is the biggest issue people have with them I never liked them because of the possibility of someone's hands being in the machine when another person hit "start". Scott, Mike... the old buzzer system was in use back in my old hometown location, too; the Leeds Theatre in Winchester, KY. Same code: 1 buzz: sound too low 2 buzzes: sound too high 3 buzzes: focus pix 4 buzzes: look at screen Obviously, 3 and 4 were essentially the same, but that was the code.  |  IP: Logged Jack Ondracek Film God Posts: 2348 From: Port Orchard, WA, USA Registered: Oct 2002 posted 12-24-2006 11:26 AM                        My TA10's can be operated manually from the projectors. However, they're "computer assisted", so we normally don't touch them. The "remote" starts here are intended primarily for timing purposes only. One of us is almost always upstairs to watch the machine(s) start. I could probably count on one hand the number of times I allowed a machine to restart after intermission, because we were so busy. I couldn't be there.  |  IP: Logged Steve Scott Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1300 From: Minneapolis, MN Registered: Sep 2000 posted 12-24-2006 12:07 PM                     Early model SPECO's currently, and I'm used to overspinning the payout & starting up w/ the takeup elevator roller at the start of the shaft's twist. Even with the later model LP-270's, I've found they usually require a starting turn.  |  IP: Logged Louis Bornwasser Film God Posts: 4441 From: prospect ky usa Registered: Mar 2005 posted 12-24-2006 08:55 PM                        Speco makes a mod to eliminate this problem....adds anolther moving roller on the tak up speed assembly. It is an OSHA requirement that no equipment start without an alarm sounding first. That is why the automation we produce does not start immediately; the beep sounds 8 seconds first. Louis  |  IP: Logged Scott D. Neff Theatre Dork Posts: 919 From: San Francisco, CA Registered: Oct 1999 posted 12-26-2006 01:28 PM                        I had a remote start at a single that I ran. Previous operators installed it. I used it from time to time when we were slow, it was located right behind the snack bar that had a great view of the screen through the crack in the auditorium doors. More often than not though, paranoia would get the best of me and I'd end up going upstairs to make sure the platter was spinning. The first location I worked at, (a twin turned to five) had a panel on the wall behind the video games. Never knew what it was until one night after closing I had a friend flip the switch while I walked around looking to see what the hell it did. Scared the crap out of me when one of the Vic-8's jumped to life. I had always thought a remote start behind the video games was a weird place, but later remembered that when it was a twin, the snack bar had been where the games now were.  |  IP: Logged Matt Whitney Film Handler Posts: 27 From: Naperville, IL, U.S.A. Registered: Dec 2004 posted 12-26-2006 01:32 PM                     Basically the only thing we use our remote panel for is to stop a show that hasn't sold any tickets yet. This happens occasionally on the slower weekday afternoons.  |  IP: Logged

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