TCC: How to add automation cue

[Miles Oliveri]

Hello everyone. New to the forum and new to projection, sort of. I’ll table that history for another time. So our TCC and LMS was unable to transfer films to the GDCs since Before I got hired. Figured out the media IP was not set in TCC and got that fixed. Now I just learned how to build shows using TCC. It’s so much better than the manual show building I been doing for the last month for each of our 6 screens. I realized after building my first show in TCC that TCC is automatically putting in the “credit” cue (among others) in at the correct time for each feature. This is great, and got me wondering, is there a way I can add a cue to TCC that is on our GDCs? I want to add “magnetic door open” to be placed automatically at the same time as the credit cue. Anyone know how to do this. Thank you in advance, and glad to be here.

example of what I’d like to do which we did manually in GDC. I’ve omitted time codes for simplicity. Automations in bold underline are not being added by TCC and I’d like to program it so it will. Automations in Italics are already being performed correctly.

Black MOS 10sec
[START_SHOW]
[PROJ_START]
[CHANNEL_51]
[DCI_XYZ_SCOPE]
our 30 minute preamble here
Black MOS 5sec
[TRAILERS]
feature trailer pack here
Blacm MOS 5sec
[FEATURE]
[VOLUME_NORMAL]
feature goes here
[CREDITS]
[MAG_DOOR_OPEN]
Black MOS 10sec
[PROJ_END]
[END_SHOW]

[Steve Guttag]

No, the TCC isn't about adding additional cues (its newer brother, ACE does allow user cues). You can, on the GDC server modify the CREDITS cue to include your Mag Door latches. Or, if you are using an automation (e.g. Eprad eCNA or JNIOR), you can modify the CREDITS cue there. It is possible for the CREDITS cue to call multiple macros on a server from the TCC, if your TCC version is late enough, there is a place in the TCC Templates to "Edit Marker" and then add a cue to the existing CREDITS cue. It is still just one cue from the TCC's standpoint, but it can tell the server to drop two cues down, even with an offset. Naturally, you should have all of the authority to do this sort of work and this discussion does not constitute instruction. In my TCC sites, I'd use the automation (we use the Eparad eCNA) to add in Mag Door Latch functions (and have).

[Miles Oliveri]

I can only guess by your statement about not constituting a discussion that TCC implements some sort of NDA or embargo on instructing people? That’s… interesting and I’ll leave it there. I actually did just as you said, and then I realized I should just test the credit automation by itself. It actually already opens the door. So yes on both ways lol. Now, on to figure out how to program in lights dimming a bit before trailers. Thank you.

[Steve Guttag]

To the best of my knowledge, Hollywood Software (Comscore) does offer training on TCC/ACE. There is a sheet that discusses what the cues mean. For instance, the SHOW_START cue is intended to dim the lights before the Trailers...this was conceived before there were ADS. They don't make it easy because the SHOW_START cue is called "Lights (Half)" in the Template section. However, that is the hint that is the intended function of that cue. Lights (Half) Credits is the CREDITS cue. People have been known to use that cue in the Templates at the start of previews to get the lights to half. This may not have the intended effect for you based on your Mag Door Latch needs. Using it at the start of the previews does not mean the TCC won't use it again at the actual credits so it is safe to use in both places.