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Author Topic: Setting up a DLP for mobile use Carsten Kurz Film God Posts: 4340 From: Cologne, NRW, Germany Registered: Aug 2009 posted 02-05-2016 07:25 AM                     Wondering what would be a good strategy to setup a series2 DLP for mobile use (that is, different screen sizes, some known, some unknown), including best macro button assignment. Thought about setting up some Macros on the keypad that are actually not complete, but contain only a subset of adjustments. e.G. on a Barco, it is easy to setup a Macro that does nothing else but light output adjustment. The idea is, of course, being able to setup for most locations without Communicator, or, with minimum time required. Or let people setup the machine without the necessary knowledge to operate Communicator. I think this very different from a static cinema installation. Barcos have a limited number of macro hardware keys, test pattern key, as well as manual lens zoom, focus and shift controls (no save option on the key pad). Suggestions? - Carsten  |  IP: Logged Dave Macaulay Film God Posts: 2321 From: Toronto, Canada Registered: Apr 2001 posted 02-05-2016 08:12 AM                     I think you're optimistic expecting untrained operators to set up a projector without trouble. You can make a lot of LSC files on a Barco and use macros to select them, true. There isn't any other way to adjust lamp power without Communicator. No way to save lens settings so format changes will be ugly. Christies have (ok, need) a touchpanel so you have full access to setup functions. Auto lamp alignment is harder to screw up than manual. NEC doesn't have any touchpanel option, you do almost everything through a PC. Some setup can be done through the main panel but that's not fun. And nowadays everyone has a PC - why not have the installation require one? Barco, Christie, NEC, Sony - with a PC you can do proper setup. You shouldn't physically swap lenses on a Barco without doing the software swap: fried lens motors or motor driver chips can result. I'm unsure about Christie/NEC. Sony probably makes all their own lenses so probably not an issue. What size projector? I would not ship a xenon Christie or NEC with lamp installed, but for a Barco up to 4kW I would have little worry about it. Any lamp should be aligned after enduring shipment.  |  IP: Logged Scott Norwood Film God Posts: 8146 From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas) Registered: Jun 99 posted 02-05-2016 11:14 AM                        If this is for a rental type of system, I would be concerned about leaving it unpowered for any length of time....  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 02-05-2016 12:18 PM                     Leaving a series 2 unpowered for extended periods shouldn't be too big of a deal. New projectors sit in warehouses for months on end. I would use a reliable integrated server that plugs into one of the projector slots though. Right now that pretty much only means GDC SX-3000 unless the Barco is mature enough to feel safe with. I would never consider the IMS, it's too clumsy and still very unreliable. It's less stuff to have to have move around and you then eliminate the enigma out of the picture (literally). If funds are available this is what I'd be using a laser based machine for. NEC now has at least three laser based projectors. Expensive yes, but eliminating having to handle a lamp on a rental machine is eliminating a huge liability... Dave McCauley, All NEC Cinema projectors have touch panel and display. You can set up the entire projector from it once you learn how to step through it. Mark  |  IP: Logged Carsten Kurz Film God Posts: 4340 From: Cologne, NRW, Germany Registered: Aug 2009 posted 02-05-2016 02:39 PM                     It's not about sending a projector out and expecting untrained operators to use it, no. I am asking for suggestions how to make the best use of the Macro keypad and setting up files in order to have the fastest turnaround on site when the screen (position) is a moving target. It is relatively easy to teach people to use test pattern, focus, zoom, and shift buttons to the picture adjusted. People who have some knowledge, but are not trained installers. This is a DP2K-6E, it has been chosen so that lamps could stay in the projector during transport. Yes, a lens change definitely needs Communicator. - Carsten  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 02-05-2016 04:35 PM                     You might consider some small micro industrial/mobile p.c. computer attached right to the projector itself. You can run Windows and communicator on site right at the projector this way and it's always there to gove you access. I did this with some LMS systems a few years back where we mounted a tiny remote PC running W-7 right in the rack for monitoring purposes. You are pretty much stuck having to use Communicator because of the likely need to change lenses on the fly. Mark Mark  |  IP: Logged Christopher Mondt Film Handler Posts: 14 From: Hamburg, Germany Registered: Dec 2000 posted 02-06-2016 06:19 PM                        We use Christies. The only handy projectors out there. Have several mobile machines in use. Transport 2210 and 2215 with lamps installed. Of course only in very special shipping cases. On our 4230s we take out the lamps...  |  IP: Logged Carsten Kurz Film God Posts: 4340 From: Cologne, NRW, Germany Registered: Aug 2009 posted 11-07-2016 07:22 AM                     I now settled on a scheme that will serve the purpose of mobile installations quite nicely. I'm wondering wether Barco is the only manufacturer that allows to setup 'partial' macros. e.G. one that would only execute an input selection, but no masking, Or only a lens movement, but no input change. As far as I know, Christie, NEC and Sony do not allow this - that is, with them, every macro has to be a complete set of all parameters/files? Anyway, what I have done now on our DP2K-6E is, I configured the 6 preset format buttons on the device for only the following functions: - Activate DisplayPort input (computer input) - Activate HDMI input (Bluray/DVD) - Activate media player/DCP input - Mask 16:9 (1920/1080) - Mask Flat (1998/1080) - Mask Scope (2048/858) That together with the remaining hardware buttons for lens shift, focus and zoom, allows to use the projector similar to a home cinema or presentation beamer. You can power it up, start up lamp, activate dowser, fire up a test pattern, adjust lens, select input and standard masking all by the use of the hardware buttons. Yes, you need the web-interface/commander to actually play DCP content (for now, as the media player buttons on the 6E do not function yet with current software), but using the web interface is still a different thing than having to teach our staff to use communicator for setup on every location. No problem for them to use a mobile phone or tablet to use web commander and choose a CPL or playlist. For all the different locations I DO know we are going to, I have created macros with their specific screen files, which can be accessed on the higher macro numbers using the web commander if needed. But these are also only partial macros without lens movement, because even on the same location, projector and screen placement will always be slightly different and a fixed lens setting will be useless, as it would need to be overridden by the manual lens controls for final adjustment anyway. No, teaching everyone on the team how to use Communicator for setup is not an option. These people change often and will only be responsible for setup a few times per year at most. They will not be able to develop a routine using Communicator, and will most likely screw things up, destroy important macros or config files, etc. Using the buttons on the projector and see the picture move, zoom and focus is far easier for them to remember. - Carsten  |  IP: Logged Christopher Pettersen Film Handler Posts: 9 From: Moss, Østfold/ Norway Registered: Jun 2014 posted 11-09-2016 11:56 AM                     I used to work for a company where we had Cinema projectors in our cars. (Wolkswagen Transporter) We had the doremi and sound system in a rodeo case and the projector in a other. Christie 2210 or 2230 (the smallest one) DCP2K (The one with touch panel) Yamaha 64N All the operator had to do was to connect A & B from the Dolphin and a ethernet cable. In the evening the wifi system in the car connected to your home network and downloaded the DCPs then you had to roll out a power cable to the car. (cable also possible) For storage in the off season we had them connected to power in storage. All this stuff we build our self. Just a normal transporter with no extra options. Edit: A photo from the setup when NEC was a thing.. Photo  |  IP: Logged

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