non-synch music questions from a rookie

[Robert Kwalick]

Our USL JSD-80 processor is set so that it returns to non-synch after a feature is done, and switches to 8 channel digital once trailers start to play. This is good, and whoever set it up knows way more than me. If I play non-synch music before and after a screening, is there gear which can be automated to switch on and off? I'm just using an ipod or phone and unless I MANUALLY shut it off during the screening obviously it just continues to play throughout, which tells me that this is not the solution of choice. If there are servers for movies, are there music servers that can be integrated into a system with playlists of non-synch music (there SHOULD be if there isn't- so someone get on that if you have an engineering brain!)? Can the IMB ingest playlists of music? In what format? What do you all use for non-synch music? Finally, I think I know the answer to this one, and I suspect I could answer my own question through simple experimentation, but if I set non-synch music volume to say 6.7 on the processor and the 8 channel digital volume to 5, will the processor recall those levels and return to them automatically? THANKS!

[Frank Cox]

I just use a $30 mp3 player that I've zip-tied to the side of the audio rack. It's not the prettiest solution but it works.

I have numerous playlists set up on the mp3 player and just select one of those on Friday to play for the week. Within the playlists everything is set for "random play" so it just plays a random selection from however-many Christmas carols or however-many Mantovani or Rolling Stones or whatever I have on that particular playlist.

I switch it on along with the rest of the sound system, let 'er rip throughout the movie and switch it off at the end of the night along with the rest of the sound system and the auditorium lights.

I've often thought that a rack-mount mp3 player would be the real thing to have for this application but when I looked into that I found that there aren't many of those available and those few that are available generally have very few features and cost far more than they're worth.

So I stick with my $30 mp3 player and the zip tie....

[Leo Enticknap]

Can the IMB ingest playlists of music?

The only way a DCP server could is if you made audio only DCPs of your preshow music from files. It could be done, but this would be a somewhat time consuming solution.

What do you all use for non-synch music?

Some of my sites use streaming devices such as a Sirius XM receiver, or a Rockbot. One advantage of the Rockbot is that the service takes care of all the licensing issues for you. Another is that it has an HDMI output, with slides that display information about the music being played, which you could project during the walkin if you don't have screen tabs and the audience would otherwise walk in to a bare screen.

but if I set non-synch music volume to say 6.7 on the processor and the 8 channel digital volume to 5, will the processor recall those levels and return to them automatically? THANKS!

You could do this one of three ways:

- Fire automation cues from the server to change the fader level immediately after nonsync is selected
- If the audio processor has this feature (the Dolby CP750 through 950 do), specify a fader level that is automatically selected whenever the nonsync input is selected;
- If the source player allows, adjust the gain on the output signal so that the volume level is reasonable when the fader is set to the same level as is used to play DCPs. If you use a PC and some software that would playlist audio files (e.g. VNC), you could do this.

[Carsten Kurz]

What's the problem with the iPod or iPhone continuing to play silently during the feature? This is, basically, a usability question. There's a zillion audio players (devices and software) available with all sorts of features. Do you use an iPhone or iPod personally to play music? Then why not benefit from your capability to operate this type of device? If you use an Android phone - then use a cheap Android phone as music player. Another question around that - how do you populate the playlists, where does the music come from? Managing them on a small device can be cumbersome. Managing and transferring them from a Desktop-PC may be a lot easier. We use iTunes on a stationary PC that is running next to the cinema projector during shows (the same PC has multiple functions). When we do mobile cinema, I just use my iPhone that carries a decent MP3 collection.

[Robert Kwalick]

Thanks folks- I was making this more complicated than it needed to be. I have 2 ipods, with plenty of music on them, and chargers with wall-warts for both. If no-one else is troubled by a second sound source playing through the entirety of a film, then I won't be either. Coming from a live theatre background I learned to always shut down the source of sound after the volume was turned down to avoid any slip-ups of allowing a "live" source to accidently be brought up when it shouldn't be, but this does not seem to be an issue here, so problem solved, thank you. Now on to designing a music server that can be automatically switched on and off!

[Carsten Kurz]

These devices have been built to play on battery for a very long time. So, at least power consumption is very low during MP3 playout on an iPod or iPhone.

What I personally would like to have is a device/software with some extra features. e.g. I would love to have a functionality that allows to play the current song through to the end before the preshow sets in, instead of just fading it out half way through, or, worse, just after it started. The player (or 'some' player on an iPod/iPhone) can certainly be automated by external events. So, at least playout can be stopped. And if playout stops, the device will go into sleep after some time anyway. Not saying that an iPhone or iPod is the best solution for this application. I did some scripting around iTunes running on our presentation PC, and there is probably a lot more things that could be implemented. What I like about the iTunes/iPod/iPhone combo is the comfortable way of adding music and managing playlists on a large monitor. The reason is I want to avoid running the same playlists for too long, because the process of adding songs would be too complicated.

[Jim Cassedy]

For years, I've used audio files I downloaded to an old Android phone as a playback source.

[Scott Norwood]

Some CD players can be configured to start playing at power-on. The Tascam CD-01U definitely can be. I think that some Denons will do this, too. I worked at a place that did this with an auto-reverse cassette player, too. If you can configure the automation system to power on the playback device at the right times, this might be an option.

[Leo Enticknap]

Some will if a disc is in the tray, whether you want them to or not.

Back in the mid-1990s I received a call to cover for an unwell co-worker at about 8am on a Saturday morning. The first show was a kids' matinee at 11, so I had to scramble. When I got to the booth, I immediately focused on inspecting the print and getting it ready, and forgot about the amplifier rack until the last minute, when 600 children were in the house, eagerly awaiting The Lion King. So I flipped the amp rack breaker, not realizing that the CP45's fader was at 7.0, it was configured to wake up to nonsync, and that the Pulp Fiction soundtrack CD was in the player. That had been the midnight show a few hours earlier, and its CD used for the walkin. About 30 seconds after flipping the breaker, I heard, through the booth wall because it was so loud (the booth monitor speaker was actually off), "FREEZE, YOU MOTHERFUCKERS! OR I'LL EXECUTE EVERY LAST MOTHERFUCKING ONE OF YOU!'

There were some irate parents after that.

[Mike Blakesley]

The only way a DCP server could is if you made audio only DCPs of your preshow music from files. It could be done, but this would be a somewhat time consuming solution.

I have Amazon Music Unlimited subscription, so what I do is, either set it to a "station" or artist of choice, or (if I'm really feeling picky) creating a playlist. Then I fire up Audacity and record the audio for 30 minutes. I use DCP-o-Matic to create an audio DCP and I title it with the date, such as 111621. If I do a specific type of music or a particular album, I'll use the album title. Create the DCPs as "ADV" files so they're all in the same place and just pick one to play before the movie. Not only is it preshow music, it gives you a handy little sound/player system check.

I used to use the mp3 player solution Frank mentions, but my player went south on me and I just haven't gotten around to getting a new one. The DCP thing, I just do during the day at work.