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Author Topic: The negatives to booth less digital theater Mike Frese Master Film Handler Posts: 465 From: Holts Summit, MO Registered: Jun 2007 posted 12-15-2011 10:47 AM                        Went to the new B&B theater in Ozark Mo a couple of nights ago. This is like a couple of the other new ones they have recently built is booth less. I understand the possible savings with new construction, but what are the disadvantages of this design. The racks of the booth equipment are now in a room off of the main hallway. (amps too).  |  IP: Logged Chris Slycord Film God Posts: 2986 From: 퍼항시, 경상푹도, South Korea Registered: Mar 2007 posted 12-15-2011 10:53 AM                     It's been mentioned before, but with boothless you have one quite small room for each projector, which means that any AC problems will be exacerbated big-time. Those rooms will get roasting really quickly.  |  IP: Logged Rick Raskin Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1100 From: Manassas Virginia Registered: Jan 2003 posted 12-15-2011 10:54 AM                     Why is the location of the racks a disadvantage? I have been on cruise ships where the video projector is suspended in the auditorium and the electronics located elsewhere. The picture and sound were fine. Sunset Theater - Norwegian Jade - November 2011  |  IP: Logged Scott Norwood Film God Posts: 8146 From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas) Registered: Jun 99 posted 12-15-2011 11:33 AM                        I have never seen one of these theatres, but I can imagine that any sort of event that requires that additional projection and/or sound equipment be brought in would be made much more difficult with this sort of arrangement. As one who has done work for a number of film festivals, most or all of which now involve various video formats, I can say that this can be a problem even in a conventional booth and would be made worse in a booth-less arrangement. Similarly, it would be very difficult or impossible to install 35mm equipment in this sort of venue. It is possible that neither of these would be an issue for a mainstream multiplex that does not do much in the way of rentals or special events, but it does reduce the possibilities for alternative uses for the space. [ 12-15-2011, 02:07 PM: Message edited by: Scott Norwood ]  |  IP: Logged Mike Frese Master Film Handler Posts: 465 From: Holts Summit, MO Registered: Jun 2007 posted 12-15-2011 11:41 AM                        quote: Chris Slycord It's been mentioned before, but with boothless you have one quite small room for each projector, which means that any AC problems will be exacerbated big-time. Those rooms will get roasting really quickly. Since these have been around for a couple of years, might this problem have been fixed? I believe at this location I was at, each small proection room is open above across the entire theater. So there is quite a bit of space for hot air to rise?  |  IP: Logged Bobby Henderson "Ask me about Trajan." Posts: 10973 From: Lawton, OK, USA Registered: Apr 2001 posted 12-15-2011 12:06 PM                     I can put up with a video projector hanging from the ceiling in a sports bar. But I won't stomach one hanging from the ceiling in a commercial movie theater, especially one with stadium seating. The projector would be far too much of a visual distraction.  |  IP: Logged Monte L Fullmer Film God Posts: 8367 From: Nampa, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 12-15-2011 12:28 PM                     quote: Bobby Henderson The projector would be far too much of a visual distraction. They hang the units up on the back wall above the back row of seats suspended on cables allowing the unit to be raised and lowered for maintenance. Heard that at Showeast, that there were some displays of construction pics of auditoriums without any booth construction. One of the ideas behind this is so the building can be used for something else if the cinema concept in the building dies off and no wasted space is the results. Put the amp racks behind the screen. Then the speaker runs be a lot shorter for better sound and the signal wires in one conduit above the tiles from processor to rack. Goodbye booth.  |  IP: Logged Carsten Kurz Film God Posts: 4340 From: Cologne, NRW, Germany Registered: Aug 2009 posted 12-15-2011 12:43 PM                     Well we sure know the Grand Poo-Bah's opinion on this: http://www.film-tech.com/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=16;t=000667 - Carsten  |  IP: Logged Paul Mayer Oh get out of it Melvin, before it pulls you under! Posts: 3836 From: Albuquerque, NM Registered: Feb 2000 posted 12-15-2011 01:12 PM                        Last summer I drove out to Rio Vista (Albuquerque area) to do a Technicolor ScreenVision service call at a then brand-new multiplex build. The 'plex was either a 14- or 16-screen build with all of the equipment racks located in a glass room along the main corridor across from the snack bar. In each stadium auditorium the Barco projectors were housed within black box enclosures that were mounted to the ceiling above the last couple rows of seats. These enclosures did have air conditioning and return air vents. From a service tech's view, this set-up is a royal pain in the ass. To gain access to the projectors there, one must use a ladder about 12' tall. The operator side of the black box does slide towards the screen (or better yet, remove and lower it to the floor) to provide access on that side of the machine, but it's tight in there. I imagine lamp and air filter changes will be fun, let alone any future lens work to be done. That and having to climb up/down and walk back/forth 300' to the rack to roll test content and verify it's showing properly. And having to keep the house closed during troubleshooting, unless the theater is OK with having audience in there while the tech is running back and forth and up and down the ladder in the seating area. To me at least, servicing such a place is needlessly tedious.  |  IP: Logged Carsten Kurz Film God Posts: 4340 From: Cologne, NRW, Germany Registered: Aug 2009 posted 12-15-2011 02:20 PM                     The only real way to this properly is to always have a spare projector sitting around, swapping out the malfunctioning machine and service it elsewhere ;-) Maybe one should refuse service to these installations. Although there will always be some pure guy who is not in the position to refuse. - Carsten  |  IP: Logged Ian Parfrey Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1049 From: Imbil Australia 26 deg 27' 42.66" S 152 deg 42' 23.40" E Registered: Feb 2009 posted 12-15-2011 04:04 PM                     Is it hardly surprising that the servicing aspect of these units are far from the thoughts of building designers? Digital is perfect y'know. My guess is that this style of design will fade rather quickly when the servicing cost escalations appear on the invoices the theatre suits receive.  |  IP: Logged Carsten Kurz Film God Posts: 4340 From: Cologne, NRW, Germany Registered: Aug 2009 posted 12-15-2011 04:12 PM                     Well basically I get the idea of boothless for streamlined new plexes, with LMS/TMS, IMBs, etc. But why fly them? They need to be adjusted properly, so bringing them down will always need a new format adjustment. What about simply having a steel platform on which the technician is at least allowed to walk around the unit and have a safe rest from time to time. Could hardly be more expensive than the hanging. Well sure enough they will learn their lesson. But technicians need to protest against that kind of work. Is anyone at all allowed to carry out this kind of work under these conditions? - Carsten  |  IP: Logged Monte L Fullmer Film God Posts: 8367 From: Nampa, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 12-15-2011 04:12 PM                     At least with those BARCO installs, the bulb changes wouldn't be that all bad due to the usage of the lamp modules...and that location would prob have a couple of spare modules on the shelf with new bulbs in them ready to go when the time comes. Thus, when it's time for a change, pop off the side cover with the two captive screws, undo the three captive screws on the module itself and out comes the module. Put in the replacement module tighten down the three captive screws, close it up and you're done with that section..and down the ladder you go. I can see 15min at the most doing this swapout. Now, you can head to a more comfortable place where the projector control touch panels are at and to the bulb alignments for either standard or CLO mode.. and even check display focus, run test patterns, et.al., during this time. They could have an access panel on the back wall in the auditorium below the digital unit where the control panel is located at to do these tests by the technician, or qualified employee that is in charge of this procedure. BARCO filters: stainless steel, extra fine mesh screens that you can take out, take them to the kitchen and wash them, let dry and pop them back in. The two covers are a sinch to remove and the filter units are right there.. Only thing that is a pain is when you have to do an igniter changeout (BARCO calls the igniter a "Start Pulse Generator"). The cover plate for the unit is a trick in itself to take off to remove the "SPG", and you have to remove the module first since the "SPG" also contains the two DC probes for the bulb power connections on the module. They were smart using the BARCOS in this location setup..definitely had a technicial department in the say with this new design-not a straight boardroom decision.  |  IP: Logged Mike Blakesley Film God Posts: 12767 From: Forsyth, Montana Registered: Jun 99 posted 12-15-2011 05:52 PM                        I can't imagine a theatre without a booth. Where would I keep the tools, Christmas decorations, old cash registers, etc? Seriously --- there's just something about the beam of light coming from that little window high in the back of the auditorium that adds to the magic and mystery of the movies. If the machine is hanging in the auditorium it gives the whole enterprise an A/V room/sports bar feel, like Bobby said. Doesn't matter if it's over the seats or behind the seats.  |  IP: Logged Monte L Fullmer Film God Posts: 8367 From: Nampa, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 12-15-2011 06:04 PM                     Much as I can gather and from a friend of mine who went to Showeast and met a theatre construction representative, is that with the concept of a no-booth building concept, it reduces interior construction costs and along with allowing the building to be converted to anything else if the cinema business needs to end, or have failed. ..what I heard though, thus someone can clarify this portion of the topic.  |  IP: Logged

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