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Author Topic: ECI Box Office Professional Input Needed Kevin Roudebush Film Handler Posts: 29 From: Salem, OR, USA Registered: Sep 2003 posted 01-22-2004 05:59 PM                     I'm opening a simple 3 plex as a theatre pub...and on a budget. Found a old system listed in the subject line. I'd get managers computer, 2 ticket computers with ticket printers and up to 5 registers. I want to be able to sell and track tickets and would appreciate having basic food service reports. Anyone had any experience with this system. Capabilities? Limitations? I know the manufacturer isn't supporting the concession side of the programming but if the original program will do what I want, I don't need much support. Thoughts anyone? Got a suggestion for an alternative?  |  IP: Logged Ky Boyd Hey I'm #23 Posts: 314 From: Santa Rosa, CA, USA Registered: Jun 99 posted 01-22-2004 09:33 PM                       I'm a big fan of Ready Theatre Systems or RTS as its known. We have it in our five plex and love it. I would recommend making the investment of getting the PartnerTech touch screen terminals. If you look both here at Film-Tech and over at Big Screen Biz, you'll find lots of previous discussion about the various ticketing systems out there. FWIW, I'm not familiar with ECI unless it is the one that is also known as Theatertron or Theatron. So, I really can't comment on a used ECI system.  |  IP: Logged Brad Allen Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 688 From: Evansville, IN, USA Registered: May 2000 posted 01-23-2004 01:40 PM                     I second Ky's vote for Ready Theatre System. But, I disagree on the the use of Touchscreens for selling tickets in a 3 plex. Nothing can beat the speed of selling tickets with a keyboard! And it'll save you a $1500.00  |  IP: Logged Jack Ondracek Film God Posts: 2348 From: Port Orchard, WA, USA Registered: Oct 2002 posted 01-23-2004 02:05 PM                        I'm also a big fan of RTS. I personally recommend the touch screens (sorry, Brad... personal choice, I guess). We use ELO touch screens here... don't know about the PartnerTech models that Ky uses, but I'd assume they work just as well. One thing that's really got me sold is the support from the company... something you should consider seriously if you're looking at a used system. RTS upgrades their system often. Almost every week there's an upgrade of some kind... sometimes of use to me, sometimes not. The upgrades are available by download to everyone who licenses the system. They've put a lot of things into the software that I've asked for... and I see this from other users, too. Concession sales, online credit/debit card processing and magnetic or paper-based gift & pass cards all make this a very well-rounded system. Just be careful if you go with an older system (is the company still around?). You might not wind up with exactly what you want). As you integrate the system into your business you're likely to find things you wish the system would do. A company like RTS will add the items that make sense. With an unsupported system, you'll have to work your business around the system... and of course, there's the issue of what to do if you've got your business in the database & the thing crashes!  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 01-25-2004 10:35 AM                     "And it'll save you a $1500.00" _________________________________________________________________ Good lord, who on earth charges 1500.00 for a touch screen monitor? 15" touch screens can be bought for around 500.00 if you watch some of the vendors for deals on them. They don't even list for 1500.00, more like 700.00. Also, does RTS incur a yearly liscensing fee? Mark @ CLACO  |  IP: Logged Ian Price Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1714 From: Denver, CO Registered: Jun 99 posted 01-25-2004 01:41 PM                     $2,500 gets you the computer and touch-screen built in to one box that sits on the counter. It also comes with a card reader and a fingerprint scanner. If you just buy a regular computer for $1K then you would save $1,500 over buying a touch-screen cash register. We like the touch-screen system. RTS charges $600 per station per year.  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 01-25-2004 02:55 PM                     I much prefer touch screen as well. Its really just as fast as a keyboard once you're used to it. $600.00 per station for support sounds like ALOT of money to me on a yearly basis for what is a relatively inexpensive ticketing system. If this covers them appearing on site to actually repair a problem then thats not too bad, but most owners I know of would prefer to do it themselves or have a local computer/networking company do the servicing. This way there is no waiting for someone to arrive. In this regard I much prefer the Sensible Cinema Touch screen system. The first year of 24/7 phone support from them is free and yearly support after that is not based on how many stations you have but just a reasonable flat fee per site. Their system is pretty much identicle to RTS in all aspects. Even better, this also allows one to purchase the S.C. software and then shop around for good deals on touch screen monitors and other support hardware. For the computers I prefer to buy the cube type PC's from a local computer vendor. I've installed quite a few of these systems with little to no problems. But I realize there are also theatre operators that don't want to deal with any aspect of this except for making a phone call. Mark @ CLACO  |  IP: Logged Jack Ondracek Film God Posts: 2348 From: Port Orchard, WA, USA Registered: Oct 2002 posted 01-25-2004 03:27 PM                        ...from Ian: quote: RTS charges $600 per station per year. That must be your database computer? The base charge for POS stations is $250/yr. There are additonal licensing fees for credit card processing and internet ticketing (only the database computer needs these "add-ons"), but you don't have to buy those items to make a good system. A single computer could do tickets, concessions and manage the database for as low as $250, though that's a lot to ask from a single station. Additional stations are $250/ea, and all "talk" to whichever computer you designate as the "database" (which also can be a sales station). We chose not to keep our database downstairs. That turned out to be fortuitous, when our boxoffice system got ripped off. RTS product/price pages  |  IP: Logged Brad Allen Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 688 From: Evansville, IN, USA Registered: May 2000 posted 01-25-2004 03:40 PM                     Mark, the basic RTS yearly fee is $250.00 per station per year. Then optional additional $250.00 ea for Credit card server and Internet ticketing. The credit card and internet ticketing price is per location, per year, not per station. The price of $1500 I quoted, was based on savings of Kevin not buying "two" LCD touch screens. And on speed of keyboard ticket selling vs touchscreen....you can sell tickets to 3 times as many people with a keyboard than with a touchscreen in the same amount of time. This is based on the theatre having 6 or less screens. Over 6, then the touch wins. Of course @ a concession station, touch wins hands down. I tried Sensible Cinema couple of years ago, but decided not to buy it based on Rusty not answering emails with questions I had about it. And at that time, it had a horribly convoluted end of day close out procedure. I may have to check SC out again, as RTS tech support has been slipping the past yr. I think growing pains is taking it's toll. Mark, where do you find LCD touch screens for $500.00. I paid that for a CRT one. Inquiring minds wanna know. Ian, what brand computer are you refering to when you say "$2,500 gets you the computer and touch-screen built in to one box that sits on the counter. It also comes with a card reader and a fingerprint scanner." Had not ran across one with a finger printer reader built in. Jack, that is exactly why a daily data base backup gets emailed to my home office computer. Have you had any issues with the data base not residing on the ticket computer? I talked to Rob about putting the data base on back office computer, and he really was against it. But can't remember his reasoning.  |  IP: Logged Rob Chabot Film Handler Posts: 5 From: Hartford, MI USA Registered: Mar 2000 posted 01-25-2004 06:12 PM                        Touch Screens or Keyboards All our new installs are using the touch screen interface. Some are using the mouse to sell initially. Training users on the touch screen is much easier and faster in most situations. Keyboard selling may be applicable in special situations. For instance if you have a limited number of ticket classes (adult, child, pass) and a small number of screens, it is possible to sell tickets faster with the keyboard assuming your ticket seller knows which title is in each screen without constantly scanning the keyboard. When selling concession there is no comparison, touch screens should be used. Brad, The finger print reader is an optional add on. The unit that Ian is referring to is the PT4000 which is still available but has been replaced by a better offering. As for the main database location. I strongly suggest that the main database is located on the main ticket selling computer. Back office machine are usually used for many purposes. Running office applications, internet downloads, music sharing. We prefer to keep the database of the office machine due to windows reboots, reconfigured networking, viruses, etc. Also if your network hub in unplugged, I prefer to have the main ticket machine functioning with the database. Jack, Each machine on you network creates a backup of the database server every night. If your database server was stolen, we can restore your backup to another machine on the network in a few minutes. I’m not suggesting that you move your database server to the main ticket computer; everyone has a unique situation and must make their own determination. Computer speed to a certain point is not a factor in picking the database server. Our file access functions are written in optimized assembler. That being said, I would not use a Pentium 90 for more than 4 stations, or a133 for more than 8. Licensing Costs Ticketing, Concession, or Dual $250 per selling station / yearly. Internet Ticketing $250 per location / yearly + ticket fees Integrated Credit Cards $250 per location / yearly Back office software is free. All users receive 24 hour emergency support. I have three full time NETWORK CAPABLE technicians in addition to myself to make sure you theatre is operating. We have approximately 400 locations in all 50 states, Canada, Australia, and US territories. Hardware can be purchased locally or obtained though us. Mark, Are you still reselling Sensible Cinema? Robert Chabot General Partner Ready Theatre Systems http://rts-solutions.com  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 01-25-2004 08:09 PM                     Actually I don't remember ever reselling it although GTS may have done that. Normally the customer deals with them directly for the software end of it. Its been a very good alternative to utilize. Considering its just one person, Rusty does a darn good job with support and assistance. You say have three techs for 400 screens in 50 states? Sounds like you're a bit understaffed to me. Which parts of what tech do you send both north and south at the same time? Parts of the other goes east and west then the last one sits and answers the phone....? Ok. Mark  |  IP: Logged Rob Chabot Film Handler Posts: 5 From: Hartford, MI USA Registered: Mar 2000 posted 01-25-2004 08:45 PM                        Mark, You are listed as a dealer on Sensibles web page. So now I'm curious, are you a reseller/dealer now? 400 theatres not screens.  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 01-25-2004 08:52 PM                     If we had a customer that wanted to buy it through us I would be happy to oblige and take care of them. I can't remember re-selling to anyone recently though. We have had several inquires lately for complete systems though. So far as I know CLACO has always been a dealer for Sensible Cinema as there are quite a few DOS systems still out and about that were sold long before I was there. Also, Sensible is not the only system I would consider using on a job, there are other software ticketing systems that do other things Sensible does not...such as reserved seating. Mark  |  IP: Logged Daryl C. W. O'Shea Film God Posts: 3977 From: Midland Ontario Canada (where Panavision & IMAX lenses come from) Registered: Jun 2002 posted 01-26-2004 12:58 AM                        quote: Back office software is free. All users receive 24 hour emergency support. I have three full time NETWORK CAPABLE technicians in addition to myself to make sure you theatre is operating. Just curious, were you inferring that the people in that thread weren't "network capable"? I think you found the thread with the most "certified network capable" people in it.  |  IP: Logged Rob Chabot Film Handler Posts: 5 From: Hartford, MI USA Registered: Mar 2000 posted 01-26-2004 01:57 PM                        quote: Just curious, were you inferring that the people in that thread weren't "network capable"? Not at all. All good ideas. I'm was surprised that a network issue like this was not solved with a call to tech support after the network dropped, instead of a message board as the software provider should be able to solve it almost immediately.  |  IP: Logged

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