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Author Topic: Leaving the theater's logo on screen during intermission - any risks? Catalin Balaceanu Film Handler Posts: 36 From: Pascani, Iasi, Romania Registered: Mar 2006 posted 06-24-2011 04:34 AM                        Hey guys, just to add some coolness to our presentation, we're thinking to project our theater's logo during intermissions. The logo is plain white on black background and it's static. Now, is there any risk of damaging the DLP imager (DMD , or whatever they call it) by keeping the same image on screen for a certain period of time? Sort of like plasma TV's do? Thanks  |  IP: Logged Steve Guttag We forgot the crackers Gromit!!! Posts: 12814 From: Annapolis, MD Registered: Dec 1999 posted 06-24-2011 05:46 AM                     No. With DLP, you can leave up a static image all you want. You can project black too, all you want. The mirrors don't care where they point the light.  |  IP: Logged Carsten Kurz Film God Posts: 4340 From: Cologne, NRW, Germany Registered: Aug 2009 posted 06-25-2011 08:09 AM                     No danger for the DLP. Although you should apply sunscreen to your screen. - Carsten  |  IP: Logged Frank Cox Film God Posts: 2234 From: Melville Saskatchewan Canada Registered: Apr 2011 posted 06-25-2011 11:54 AM                        I was told way back when that when focusing your lamp you shouldn't leave the dowser open for very long periods with no film in the projector because it could overheat the lens. It is my understanding that this caution doesn't apply to digital, and you can show a white test pattern (or anything else) for as long as you like.  |  IP: Logged Mike Olpin Chop Chop! Posts: 1852 From: Dallas, TX Registered: Jan 2002 posted 06-25-2011 03:57 PM                     We do this all the time, but we try to use shapes that support the film instead. We've been doing this for about 2 years now, and have not noticed any damage to the DMD at all. Our Barco DP100 has an Image Freeze function burried in it's touchscreen (Home > Advanced > Source > Image Freeze) which you can use to hold the logo on the screen while you set up your scaler for the feature.  |  IP: Logged Mike Blakesley Film God Posts: 12767 From: Forsyth, Montana Registered: Jun 99 posted 06-25-2011 06:35 PM                        I wish someone would come out with a DCP containing an image of a closed curtain for 15 minutes. At the one-minute mark the curtain would open and reveal "Welcome to the movies!" on the screen. That way a person could time the presentation to have the lights go down and the "curtain" open at the correct time. The clip could be called "Poor Man's Curtain." (I'd buy it at least!)  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 06-25-2011 07:41 PM                     Mike... Ask a few of the snipe people like FIlmack. They cold probably do that... You cold have a differnt curtain every night too. Mark  |  IP: Logged Monte L Fullmer Film God Posts: 8367 From: Nampa, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 06-25-2011 09:21 PM                     quote: Frank Cox I was told way back when that when focusing your lamp you shouldn't leave the dowser open ...overheat it and bust the elements inside, or at least cook off the coatings..since that light was direct. Now, the light passes through so may prisms and the heat being soaked up by the fluid cooled DMD's, that the light coming out of the lens is much cooler. Lots of changes, ain't it? -Monte  |  IP: Logged Frank Cox Film God Posts: 2234 From: Melville Saskatchewan Canada Registered: Apr 2011 posted 06-26-2011 02:08 AM                        Digital is definitely a whole different kettle of fish than film. So much of what I know is obsolete; I wonder how long it will be before I forget how to make a decent splice or focus a xenon lamp. I used to tell people that the only thing you need to know to be a projectionist is how to count to four. Now you just need to know how to press play.  |  IP: Logged Frank Angel Film God Posts: 5305 From: Brooklyn NY USA Registered: Dec 1999 posted 06-29-2011 04:16 PM                        Not to worry, Frank, making a slice or focusing a xenon (or keeping a carbon arc in trim) are like riding a bike. In the venue where they have no screen, I use an old laptop loaded with a program called Psychedelic Screen Saver which creates some really beautiful moving designs on the screen. I feed a signal from the non-sync into the laptop, and the program makes the moving patterns change with the music. The screen shots on the site will give you a very limited idea of the thousands of patterens it can create, but seeing them static without motion isn't nearly as impressive as seening them moving in rhythmn on the big screen. It's really quite cool and certainly better than what used to be considered the "mortal sin" of exhibition -- letting an audience come into a theatre to see a "naked" screen staring back at them. In those days when theatres weren't utilitarian assembly line cinemas, even the humble neighborhood movie theatre used a screen curtain. And evidently if Mike's stunning picture is any indication, that art is not completely lost! Really classy, GREAT looking theatre, Mike. Thanks for the pic. It must be awesome working there.  |  IP: Logged Mike Blakesley Film God Posts: 12767 From: Forsyth, Montana Registered: Jun 99 posted 06-29-2011 10:35 PM                        quote: Frank Angel In the venue where they have no screen, I use an old laptop loaded with a program called Psychedelic Screen Saver which creates some really beautiful moving designs on the screen. I think you must have been on psychedelics yourself when you wrote that sentence! Seriously though, I like the idea of creating an image that supports the movie. We have colored spotlights shining up from below the screen creating "streaks" of light on the screen now, but to add images like that would be cool.  |  IP: Logged Kenneth Wuepper Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1026 From: Saginaw, MI, USA Registered: Feb 2002 posted 06-29-2011 10:47 PM                     While you're at it, why not project the image of a beautiful GRAND curtain complete with curtain warmers and footlights? Perhaps you could even change the color of the curtain to match your decor. Or for a wild effect, chose a curtain color to match the mood of the feature you are showing. If your house lights don't destroy the contrast, these curtain images might have people thinking you got real curtains. SURE!  |  IP: Logged Frank Angel Film God Posts: 5305 From: Brooklyn NY USA Registered: Dec 1999 posted 06-30-2011 02:46 AM                        quote: I think you must have been on psychedelics yourself when you wrote that sentence! Yah, Mike, I always worry that the cops can tell.  |  IP: Logged

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