|
|
Author
|
Topic: Christie Projectionist Needs to Learn Barco!
|
Jack Bean
Film Handler
Posts: 1
From: San Diego, CA
Registered: Oct 2016
|
posted 10-16-2016 03:10 PM
Hello all,
First-time poster here. I'm the sole projectionist at a luxury movie theater in San Diego, CA. Not sure how common this is in the theater industry, but most of our day-to-day projection systems are so automated, there's no need for more than one projectionist. I have an assistant who doubles as a supervisor who helps me with the semi-monthly breaking down and deep-cleaning of the equipment and the occasional issues that come up while I'm not around. But it's mostly a one-man show. I can get the bulk of my weekly duties done in a couple hours, so most of my job is maintenance and upkeep.
Anyway, we are currently an eight-plex, closed for renovations. We're adding four screens within the next month or so, and at least three of these new screens will have Barco projectors, seemingly to cut costs. The problem lies in the fact my assistant and myself have only been trained in the use and repair of Christie projectors. I think maybe three people in the company even know how to use Barcos, and they're transplants from the corporate office in Mexico, which means their grasp on the English language is tenuous, at best. Normally, this in and of itself wouldn't bother me, but I feel it's an issue when you're trying to train someone in the use and maintenance of sensitive electronic equipment and software. But, I digress.
Training has yet to begin, so I wanted to take this opportunity to sort of get a public consensus from Barco users on this board (or, better yet, projectionists who have used both Barcos AND Christies) of what I can expect from this fiasco. How difficult is it to learn Barco? How different are they from Christie? Will Screenwriter (our theater management software) be able to control both types of projectors?
Tl;dr I know Christie, need to learn Barco. How screwed am I? How much of a pain in the ass is this going to be? What are their differences and similarities? Any and all info or anecdotes would be much appreciated.
Thank you!
| IP: Logged
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Monte L Fullmer
Film God
![](http://www.film-tech.com/ubbmembers/2797c.jpg)
Posts: 8367
From: Nampa, Idaho, USA
Registered: Nov 2004
|
posted 10-19-2016 03:17 PM
I started with NECs with another company, then when I went to a 14 plex that had film and one NEC to begin the digital.
Year later, in came Barco DP2K-20C units. Had to learn how to change a bulb in a module (which was rather interesting being the hardest).
Barco and the NEC were attached to Doremi 2-4K units
Finally, in came the Sony 320 units..and they have their own servers.
With this setup, in came the SONY TMS which could talk to the Doremi.
The techs that showed my the Barco and the Sony, went through the training in lightening speed form then left.
We were left on our own. I had to do the location training on the Sony TMS. I did the training on the machine maintenance and troubleshooting...from my own experiences.
With a setup of having three units, on really got seasoned in on digital.
Now, I have 15 Barcos, one with the ICMB Alchemy installed to work with the Barco Escape Presentation format.
It's fun being left on your own and you have to figure a lot of stuff out on your own. Thank goodness I can use a pair of pliers and a screwdriver with no problems.
-Monte
| IP: Logged
|
|
|
|
|
|
All times are Central (GMT -6:00)
|
|
Powered by Infopop Corporation
UBB.classicTM
6.3.1.2
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.
|