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At SilverCity St. Vital 10 (the smaller SilverCity in town), There's been something really weird that's been happening since I saw Trapped there, way before I saw Signs in the same auditorium, and Maid In Manhattan...

In my opinion, with the GARRICK gone, this is the nicest showplace in Winnipeg. The problem with the house lights occurs in Cinema 10.

So, as usual, the house lights and sconces dim. The picture hits the screen once they're done dimming. The trailers go by, and then the FAMOUS PLAYERS "Feature Presentation" plays through, right after the attached trailer. At this time, the HOUSE LIGHTS (Haven't noticed the sconces) flash at a full level really quickly. I notice a lot of people looking up and going "What the *&!% was that?". Then, after the feature, the lights do the same thing, and then rise full.

Do you guys know what the problem would be? Please Be Aware: Famous Players uses CineQ automations and Dimmers. They also use Strong for the rest of the booth, and QSC for amps, etc.

Thanks!

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"Would you like fries with that?"

The cineq uses a data bus to talk between devices in the theatre (RS232 i believe) The dimmer also is totaly digital based and generates its ramp based on the automations data send.
Often what can happen is data for say sound format change my disrupt the dimmer and cause them to flicker

Another one I have seen is for the masking to open adn close repeatedly in a very jerky fasion as the masking position is also on the same comu nication protocall
Personally It is a far too complicated of system and too prone to quirky failures and interuptions

CineQ in theory is a good system, but it being the only automation I've used, I cannot comment on other systems.

It has malfunctioned too many times.

Burned out touch-screens, certain cinemas would lose showtimes and formats. This one time the entire network crashed and we had to run everything manually, but it wasn't that big of a deal.

FP doesn't all used Strong equipment. The complex I worked at had Vic 8's on all 12 screens. All the platters were Strong DMC's.

[This message has been edited by Ron_L (edited February 01, 2003).]

[This message has been edited by Ron_L (edited February 01, 2003).]