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Author Topic: is any one using RTS for there POS Robert D Hall Film Handler Posts: 65 From: Abingdon V.A USA Registered: Mar 2010 posted 10-25-2012 05:41 PM                        I have been shopping around for new POS software and RTS seems to be a really good system. but compared to others there price looks to good to be true. Is any one on here using them? If so hows it been working for you?  |  IP: Logged Steve Guttag We forgot the crackers Gromit!!! Posts: 12814 From: Annapolis, MD Registered: Dec 1999 posted 10-25-2012 05:47 PM                     Having had to integrate various POS systems this past summer (or two) people with RTS seem to be very pleased with it.  |  IP: Logged Mike Blakesley Film God Posts: 12767 From: Forsyth, Montana Registered: Jun 99 posted 10-25-2012 06:34 PM                        How do you mean "too good to be true?" Did you miss the part where you have to pay the $425+ per station EVERY YEAR? I think it's a bit of a ripoff considering they really have done no major changes or improvements to it since we started using it about 8 or 10 years ago. About the only thing that's changed is the price keeps going up. I have a love/hate relationship with it, but it's a stable system and works well.  |  IP: Logged Frank Cox Film God Posts: 2234 From: Melville Saskatchewan Canada Registered: Apr 2011 posted 10-25-2012 06:54 PM                        Maybe I should write one of those things one of these days. It's something that I have no use for myself, though, and nobody has ever approached me to create anything quite like it. It would be a good excuse to play with GTK+ touchscreen programming, I suppose.  |  IP: Logged Robert D Hall Film Handler Posts: 65 From: Abingdon V.A USA Registered: Mar 2010 posted 10-25-2012 07:35 PM                        Mike you must only have one terminal. They start out at 425 for one terminal but the price gos down the more terminals you have. We have 12 so the price per is 168. And compared to all the others i have got quotes from. They are any where from five to ten time less. I just got a quote today for 48 grand for setup and 8 grand a year for license. Maybe i am just looking at really high priced software. Do you know of any other pos software thats comparable in price to RTS. I would love to check them out?  |  IP: Logged Frank Cox Film God Posts: 2234 From: Melville Saskatchewan Canada Registered: Apr 2011 posted 10-25-2012 08:06 PM                        Possibly mine, if this stuff commands prices like that and if you're not in a really big rush to get it up and running. Feel free to email me your requirements and I'll look into it and do some thinking. Are we talking about a complete accounting package (which would probably not be something that I want to get into because I really don't know a lot about accounting and, frankly, it bores me) or just a POS and ticket management program? Concession inventory too? Anything else? This reminds me of a situation that happened a decade or so back when a guy that I know who has a publishing business was telling me that he needed a piece of software to create plates for his press. The software was going to cost him between $50,000 and $115,000. Holy mackinaw! I talked him into waiting a bit while I did some thinking, and started researching printing and plate layout, then wrote him a program that meets his needs for a small fraction of the price that the "big guys" wanted for it. It took me about six months but he got a better deal, and now I know a lot more about printing than I did before too, which isn't a bad thing either.  |  IP: Logged Mike Blakesley Film God Posts: 12767 From: Forsyth, Montana Registered: Jun 99 posted 10-26-2012 01:16 AM                        quote: Robert D Hall Mike you must only have one terminal. They start out at 425 for one terminal but the price gos down the more terminals you have. We have two - which is pretty much the minimum unless you have a BO/concession counter all in one. You're right that it gets cheaper the more you have, but those first few are spendy: 1 Station: $425 2 Stations: $850 3 Stations: $1100 4 Stations: $1300 5+ Stations: $100 per additional station As usual, the "little guy" makes the least money but gets the highest price. Even if you have 12 stations you're still paying over two grand a year for software that has really had no major improvements at all, outside of some under-the-hood tinkering (I assume) to make it work with newer Windows and comply with credit card regulations. I've thought about going to Sensible Cinema because you own that system, but I have to admit I like the RTS help line being there if necessary (which of course is part of what you're paying for). So...like I said, it's a love-hate relationship. I like the software but I wish they'd make some improvements in it. They have a forum but it hasn't had any real activity in years.  |  IP: Logged Robert D Hall Film Handler Posts: 65 From: Abingdon V.A USA Registered: Mar 2010 posted 10-27-2012 09:37 AM                        Mike do you know how much Sensible Cinema charges for there software and to get you up and running?  |  IP: Logged Randy Stankey Film God Posts: 6539 From: Erie, Pennsylvania Registered: Jun 99 posted 10-27-2012 10:35 AM                     The TREC Center uses Sensible Cinema. I was told it is a per-terminal fee of somewhere around $200 but without recurring charges.  |  IP: Logged Jake Spell Master Film Handler Posts: 294 From: Johns Island SC Registered: May 2009 posted 10-30-2012 09:56 PM                     Having used RTS for cinema and a live venue I can say that its a solid easy to use system that can do anything you would ever want in a cinema. There are some drawbacks though... 1. It IS expensive. There should be a higher setup fee and a much lower yearly fee. 2. If the server goes down or looses connection to the network NOTHING will work until l its fixed. 3. Tech support is great UNLESS you need them after about 1am EST. Iv called and waited about 10 minutes and no tech ever came on the line. (I eventually figured it out) Other than that its a great system. Set it up and get used to it and its a breeze! Plus the techs are very helpful in any problems you may have.  |  IP: Logged James Pope Film Handler Posts: 31 From: world wide web, USA Registered: Mar 2002 posted 11-02-2012 09:19 PM                        I have personal experience with RTS and Sensible Cinema. Also 7 other more expensive options. PM me and we can talk about them in as much detail as you would like.  |  IP: Logged Michael Putlack Expert Film Handler Posts: 187 From: Fort Collins, Colorado Registered: Sep 2011 posted 12-07-2012 01:00 PM                        I feel like film-tech should get into the POS business. They know the ins and outs of what operators need, and I have a feeling they could make it more affordable. *hint* *hint*  |  IP: Logged Andrew Thomas Master Film Handler Posts: 273 From: Pearland, TX, USA Registered: Jun 2012 posted 12-07-2012 01:36 PM                     My business partners are both software developers. We are going to build our own POS system over time. Once it is in stable release, I'd be happy to let you guys check it out and see how you like it.  |  IP: Logged Mike Hillyer Film Handler Posts: 13 From: Calgary, Alberta, Canada Registered: Jan 2013 posted 01-21-2013 04:40 PM                        What are the common options out there? Why do people move away from an existing solution? What need is typically not being met?  |  IP: Logged Mike Blakesley Film God Posts: 12767 From: Forsyth, Montana Registered: Jun 99 posted 01-21-2013 05:53 PM                        I can't speak for others but I think "cost" is the big reason people move. When we got RTS it was $250 per station per year. It has gone up dramatically in the last few years with no real major upgrades or even "appearance" tweaks. It's fairly cheap on a per-station basis if you have a lot of stations, but if you (like most small theaters, I'm guessing) only have a couple of stations it's pretty expensive and has to be re-bought every years. It's kind of an ugly program; it has the look of being written and designed by computer nerds. It could REALLY stand a makeover in the interface (including fixing a couple of typos here and there). But, it's functional, works well and fills the needs we have, plus the employees are used to it, so here we are. If something else came along that could be purchased one time, and worked as well (and got good reviews from users) I'd definitely explore it. quote: Robert D Hall Mike do you know how much Sensible Cinema charges for there software and to get you up and running? We got a quote from Sensible a couple of years ago and I don't remember the specifics, but I seem to remember that including all the setup fees and etc. it was about two grand for us. I could be wrong -- I'll dig around a little and see if I can find the quote we got.  |  IP: Logged

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