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Author Topic: Strange Sound Problem. Carlos Villalpando Film Handler Posts: 21 From: Villa de Álvarez, Colima, México Registered: Jan 2013 posted 10-21-2013 08:49 PM                     Hi! Last sunday I attended a 2D screening of Gravity at a local 12-plex. It was on one of their bigger screens (50ft screen) and 5.1 sound. We arrived, took our seats and waited, as usual. But when the show started there was something unusual. A Sears commercial started playing and there was a strange problem with the sound. It was surrounds only... this commercial has a song in it (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Njw21HkDYN0 , in case you wanted to see it ) and you could only hear some music (in a very weak level) coming from the surrounds (and no lyrics). I went to the auditorium entrance and told the employee about it, he called on the radio and told me they were "checking it". When I came back to the auditorium I could see two employees at the booth looking at the projector. A loud popping sound came from the center speaker and then sound was back at the front. Just with one little detail... Center and surrounds only.. No side channels. Once again I came to the auditorium entrance and told the employee about it, and when I came back in the auditorium I could see the two employees again through the booth window. No popping sound this time.. just suddenly side channels started sounding again. Luckily, this was fixed just before the last trailer played. After those problems were fixed, the sound was very good with nice dynamic range.. the crescendo at the beggining gave me chills. There had been a long time since I heard a movie sound this good. May be worth noting this is an all digital multiplex. Any ideas what the problem was and what caused it? And what did they do to solve it? I believe it was a Christie projector.. I don't know about the processor. Thanks in advance.  |  IP: Logged Carsten Kurz Film God Posts: 4340 From: Cologne, NRW, Germany Registered: Aug 2009 posted 10-21-2013 09:09 PM                     They probably forgot to switch on the amps... - Carsten  |  IP: Logged Carlos Villalpando Film Handler Posts: 21 From: Villa de Álvarez, Colima, México Registered: Jan 2013 posted 10-22-2013 05:45 PM                     It was the first show of the day, so I guess it could be that. Thanks  |  IP: Logged Joe Redifer You need a beating today Posts: 12859 From: Denver, Colorado Registered: May 99 posted 10-22-2013 07:04 PM                        Sounds like they were switching off the amps at night via the switches on the amps themselves. What's the point of that? When you arrive, you turn ALL the breakers on at the circuit box and go about your day. Or you have Film-Tech's automation power them up for you automatically.  |  IP: Logged Mike Blakesley Film God Posts: 12767 From: Forsyth, Montana Registered: Jun 99 posted 10-22-2013 10:34 PM                        I think the power switches must be the cheapest thing in any piece of equipment, when they SHOULD be the most heavy duty. I've had power switches fail in everything from our digital projector to lighting controllers when I was a DJ.  |  IP: Logged Marcel Birgelen Film God Posts: 3357 From: Maastricht, Limburg, Netherlands Registered: Feb 2012 posted 10-23-2013 04:02 AM                     quote: Joe Redifer What's the point of that? When you arrive, you turn ALL the breakers on at the circuit box and go about your day. Maybe the breakers aren't capable of handling the peak load that happens, when you turn on everything at once? Granted, automation would be the an obvious solution for that, or a simple APC managed PDU that can be configured to switch on every outlet with a programmed delay. But this could also be the result of some sloppy maintenance.  |  IP: Logged Stephen Furley Film God Posts: 3059 From: Coulsdon, Croydon, England Registered: May 2002 posted 10-23-2013 06:40 AM                     quote: Mike Blakesley I think the power switches must be the cheapest thing in any piece of equipment, when they SHOULD be the most heavy duty. I've had power switches fail in everything from our digital projector to lighting controllers when I was a DJ. While I can't say that I've never had a power switch fail it's been very rare, just a couple in the last few decades. I doubt that my switches are any better than yours, or that yours are switched more often. Is this on 120 V? I wonder if switching the higher current takes a heavier toll on the switches?  |  IP: Logged

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