my profile | my password | search | faq & rules | forum home

» Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE   » Operations   » Film Handlers' Forum   » Reviews of the IE-35 and is the o-scope any good?

Author Topic: Reviews of the IE-35 and is the o-scope any good? Michael Moore Expert Film Handler Posts: 188 From: Dover, DE / USA Registered: Jun 2006 posted 05-28-2007 08:57 AM                        I searched the threads and could not really find an answer to what I was looking for, even though the IE-35 is very similar to the IE-33 other then the PDA the post on the IE-33 was very helpful in answering some of the questions I have. Has anyone used the IE-35; and if so have you used the O-scope feature? Is it functional for A chain? I am really thinking about getting one, and just want a few views on it's performance. Mike  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 05-28-2007 03:25 PM                     I can tell you from first hand experience that IVIE is a sucky company period! I have delt with them face to face and live just 20 min. from the place. They used to be a great company about 12 years ago. I would not count on anything from them any more. Also seriously consider that the pocket computer its built on is already obsolete. If you need a scope function then get a good used scope... a decent Tektronix can be had for 100.00 or less if you're a careful shopper. If you ever add Digital or work with video you may find the scope to be more than handy. The only analyzer that has a GOOD working scope hat I can vouch for is the D-2 Analyzer. Keep in mind that any analyzer based scope function will be very limited in both bandwidth and trigger ability!! Indeed a good capable true digital scope starts at about 5 grand and they go up form there. Mark  |  IP: Logged Frank Dubrois Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 896 From: Cleveland, OH Registered: Mar 2005 posted 05-28-2007 03:34 PM                    A few good things about the IVIE: It's very portable and pretty handy. I personally think it is probably suitable for A-chains. Is there better out there?? Absolutely, but as far as portability goes, nothing beats it. I attempted to get some info on the new IE-45....this is where my opinion of the company COMPLETELY reversed itself forever. I won't go through the details again, but the short version of the story was that it took me sending 4-5 emails before I got a response, and even then, they were glad that I sold my IE-33 and were quite pleased that I didn't have any plans to ever purchase their equipment again. If you don't own one already, DON'T do it. If you must buy one, check ebay for a good deal and then download the latest software from IVIE.  |  IP: Logged Michael Moore Expert Film Handler Posts: 188 From: Dover, DE / USA Registered: Jun 2006 posted 05-28-2007 06:43 PM                        Then what is a good RTA? are there any out there that are worth getting in the same price range as the IE35? What about Audio Control, goldling? (I can't afford an R2) Also I noticed that there are two RCA line level inputs on the IE35, are these used when doing an A-chain? I supose you have to make your own cables for this purpose to connect to the preamp test ports of the CP 50. You know all I did was call Ivie at their Utah office and they answered right away and gave me prices, for the IE35, as well as cables, I even talked to the tech department and they were very nive and answered my questions. Mike [ 05-28-2007, 08:25 PM: Message edited by: Michael Moore ]  |  IP: Logged Jeremy Weigel Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1062 From: Edmond, OK, USA Registered: Mar 2007 posted 05-29-2007 12:21 AM                     I've had a good results with the Goldline DSP-30 RTA. http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/pshowdetl.cfm?PartNumber=390-805&raid=50&rak=390-805  |  IP: Logged Frank Dubrois Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 896 From: Cleveland, OH Registered: Mar 2005 posted 05-29-2007 02:05 AM                    quote: You know all I did was call Ivie at their Utah office and they answered right away and gave me prices, Well, that's wonderful, then you should have bought. You asked for our views, you got em. I got poor service. The unit itself isn't horrible, but I bank a lot on customer service and with IVIE, I didn't much at all.  |  IP: Logged Scott Norwood Film God Posts: 8146 From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas) Registered: Jun 99 posted 05-29-2007 07:55 AM                        I don't claim to be a sound expert, but I did recently purchase the Audio Control unit and have been reasonably happy with it. It's cheaper than most of the other options, the build quality is decent, and the warranty is good (they will repair any unit that has not been abused). The built-in SPL meter is useless without the optional A/C weighting filter (about $50). I find the Rat Shack analog SPL meter to be easier to work with, but using it requires two people (one in the auditorium to hold the meter and point up or down and one in the booth to adjust levels). You will need to make a long balanced mic cable (for B-chains) and a 1/4" tip/ring to bare wire cable (for A-chains). I'm sure that the Ivie can do more stuff, but I wouldn't know enough to make use of the additional features, and I'd be concerned about obsolescense of anything based on a PDA. The only other RTA in the same general price range that I have seen is the Gold Line, which some people also like. As for oscilloscopes, I'm using a low-end 20MHz Leader model that works fine for A-chains. I'm sure that Mark's Tektronix model is far better, but this was cheap on Ebay. If you can't borrow test loops, get ready to spend about $400 (ouch) for a complete set. (I'll point out here that I don't make sound adjustments in venues with good equipment and service contracts. I got this stuff mainly for home use and also to help out the occasional low-budget independent theatre. If you aren't a service tech and don't own the system, don't make adjustments to any sound equipment without owner/manager approval.)  |  IP: Logged Michael Moore Expert Film Handler Posts: 188 From: Dover, DE / USA Registered: Jun 2006 posted 05-29-2007 10:03 AM                        I am the manager of the booth and the film program at our venue, so I can do this without any problems, the place is ran by three board of directors, and three managers, general operations, technical director, and projection manager. As for a scope I have a Hameg HM205-3 and it was given to me for free. I just wanted to know if the Ivie's scope was any good. thank you all for all your info. It will help me in my decisions. mike  |  IP: Logged Ken Lackner Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1907 From: Atlanta, GA, USA Registered: Sep 2001 posted 05-29-2007 12:51 PM                     I use the IE-35 on an almost daily basis, and I absolutely love it. As you alerady know, it is extremely portable, and the fact that it includes a scope is incredibly handy. Now, it is NOT a replacement for a real scope, as you cannot use it for SRD alignments, and when you are doing a complete analog alignment, it is beneficial to view the RTA and scope simultaneously when adjusting focus and azimuth. However, for just checking your A-chain, such as in a preventive maintenance call, the IE-35 works just fine. I can pretty much keep my scope in my trunk unless I'm doing a digital alignment or replacing an analog reader. The IE-35 is great as an SPL meter, too. Because of the large display in SPL mode, I can place it in a cup holder in the desired measuring row and easily see the display from the booth. The two RCA jacks are the channel one and channel two input. Yes, you would use those for A-chains. I use RCA cables from Radio Shack. One end of each cable plugs into the IE-35. The other end of each cable has an RCA-to-BNC connector, which is connected to a set of Pomona test pins, which are what you plug in to the test points on the processor. As much as I love the IE-35, the point of the PDA becoming obsolete is a valid one. Dell has recently pulled out of the PDA market, which means the Axim X51v is no longer available. Mine is only a little over a year old and in great condition, but if it ever craps out, I would be a little scared. I may have to look on eBay for a used one, unless Dell could repair it. Let's hope that doesn't happen for along time, because I do NOT want to give up using the IE-35! As for contacting Ivie, I've only had to do it a couple times, and I have not had any problems. But that's just me.  |  IP: Logged Michael Moore Expert Film Handler Posts: 188 From: Dover, DE / USA Registered: Jun 2006 posted 05-29-2007 01:58 PM                        I just got off the phone with Ivie, they told me that it is very possible that the IE35 will not be offered anymore in the very very  near future and that they stongly suggest going with the IE45IM (this is the version you can use with your own laptop). I asked them about multiplexing and they said you can do it with the IE45 and IE35, all you need to do is get a multiplexor, however they told me they have an averaging function that you can use to record for as long as you like and the RTA will average as you walk around the theater. then you can recall the average and find the best curve for the room, and use it just as you would any multiplexor. They also told me THX and Dolby are going to start using the IE45 because they were very impressed with it and how it compared with the R2, how true this is I don't know. I talked with the for over an hour. I called the main office in Utah. I think I will go with the IE45IM it is about $500.00 cheaper then the IE35. The IE45 with computer goes for about $2000.00, I think i can use my own laptop, however they did say they have not completed testing it with Vista for those of you who have it, and it will not work well in vista home edition. thank you for the info on the RCA jacks too. Mike Mike  |  IP: Logged Richard Fowler Film God Posts: 2392 From: Ft. Lauderdale, FL, USA Registered: Jun 2001 posted 05-29-2007 06:09 PM                     We have the IE45-IM with a Samsung tablet PC which we are comparing to our other hardware at the end of this week during a film festival set-up. Looks delicate, but the features will overide That "problem"  |  IP: Logged

All times are Central (GMT -6:00)

Printer-friendly view of this topic

Hop To: Select a Forum: Category: Operations -------------------- Digital Cinema Forum Film Handlers' Forum Large Format Forum Ground Level Feature Info, Trailer Attachments & REAL Credit Offsets Category: Community -------------------- Film-Yak Film Handlers' Movie Reviews The Afterlife Bob Maar's Joke-A-Thon Category: Classified -------------------- Equipment and Supplies Wanted/For Sale Help Wanted/Seeking Employment Category: System -------------------- Software Beta Testing Forum

The Film-Tech Forums are designed for various members related to the cinema industry to express their opinions, viewpoints and testimonials on various products, services and events based upon speculation, personal knowledge and factual information through use, therefore all views represented here allow no liability upon the publishers of this web site and the owners of said views assume no liability for any ill will resulting from these postings. The posts made here are for educational as well as entertainment purposes and as such anyone viewing this portion of the website must accept these views as statements of the author of that opinion and agrees to release the authors from any and all liability.