New HT in Sun City, Ca (4 Viewers)

[DFurr]

This might be crazy, but I always imagined that if I got to design a home theater room, I'd built it so that in general it was a scope screen with flat movies displayed within the 2.35 height area, but that I'd also get removable or covetable screen extensions for the top and bottom of the scope frame specifically for those IMAX titles. There aren't a lot of them, but when a couple make your "all time favorites" list, it's hard to ignore the idea...at least, for me it is.

Josh I just realized I missed this post from yesterday. The problem for me is the IMAX footage isn't but a small part of the footage on Blu Ray and it would drive me crazy watching the full size IMAX scenes suddenly shrink back to normal aspect ratios and then jump back to a large screen. My entire front end is black....both sides, top and bottom. At least now when the IMAX jumps in, the overage is on the black masking and even better when it's a 3D movie. The dark glasses along with the black front end makes the IMAX not too terribly noticeable. As I indicated in another post, most of what I screen are the older titles....pre IMAX so it's just something I'll have to live with.

 

[DFurr]

A real "shocking" movie experience tonight in the HT.

First time screening Insidious 3.

I had at least 4 full body shivers, ha ha. The track on this movie is extremely effective.

 

[DFurr]

Preliminary design of an automatic douser for my Epson 5010. This consist of a small metal plate that travels a distance of 3 inches up and down in front of the Epson lens at a rate of 2 inches per second. The movement is controlled by an actuator mounted above the ceiling and prompted by my automation system. Since I use a monitor in the projection booth to cue the Epson, I don't need to see the screen and this douser eliminates all the garbage on the screen that I don't want my guests to see. It just makes for a cleaner, more seamless presentation. Although there is a button on the Epson remote control that will black the screen out, it's a manual event and I don't like taking control devices in the seating area when we watch movies. That's the beauty of an automation system. Push one button on a key FOB and let the system do all the work.

 

[Peter Apruzzese]

Slick!

 

[DFurr]

The small 12 volt DC actuator motor that raises and lowers the blade will be installed tomorrow. It should move the blade in slightly over one second from open to close.

The control cable between the automation and the motor is already installed and ready to go.

When this addition is finished my work will be done. While the 35mm projection system is fully automated already, this will make the digital projector much more compatible with the existing automation system.

 

[DFurr]

First test on the Epson projector auto douser.

Sorry about the noise as the attic hatch cover was not in place.


View attachment IMG_2918.MOV

 

[Peter Apruzzese]

First test on the Epson projector auto douser.

Sorry about the noise as the attic hatch cover was not in place.

IMG_2918.MOV

Love it! I was expecting to hear a "ting!" like a changeover shutter.


Am I correct guessing that the automation is two-way allowing you to:


1) run a pre-show on film switching to digital for feature

2) run a pre-show on digital switching to film for feature

 

[DFurr]

Love it! I was expecting to hear a "ting!" like a changeover shutter.


Am I correct guessing that the automation is two-way allowing you to:


1) run a pre-show on film switching to digital for feature

2) run a pre-show on digital switching to film for feature

Yep Pete that's pretty much what I had in mind. Currently the douser is wired to the curtain control so as soon as the curtain begins to travel the douser opens and when the curtain closes, the douser closes as well. I might do some mods on the wiring to include a manual "fob" control but haven't work out the details yet.

 

[DFurr]

A question for the HT Blu Ray/OPPO experts.

Since I'm much more experienced with film rather than Blu Ray equipment, what device can I purchase that will extend my OPPO 103 remote control range so I can control the OPPO from the auditorium without the remote looking at the Blu Ray player? The player is behind a thick wall in the projection booth.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

Do you have wifi and an apple device? There's a free Oppo app for Apple devices that controls the player over a wifi network.

 

[DFurr]

Do you have wifi and an apple device? There's a free Oppo app for Apple devices that controls the player over a wifi network.

Wow Josh!!! Thanks. I loaded it on my Iphone and it works like a charm. Shows you how much I know about the "normal" HT equipment!!

I owe you one. Come over for a movie and I'll give you a FREE bag of popcorn....lol

 

[Josh Steinberg]

Next time I'm in California I gladly will!

 

[DFurr]

Well I finally got tired of lifting 6,000 foot film reels over my head so I moved the reel arms from it's hanging from the ceiling position down to the rear of the projector pedestal so I can mount the reels from a waist high position. I would almost guarantee the film reels were gaining weight or maybe I'm getting older..

 

[DFurr]

Watching Final Destination 5 in 3D (again). First time using my new large reel feed system. So far, so good. View attachment IMG_2973.MOV.mov

 

[DFurr]

I'm curious.

How many members have HT's that are dedicated ONLY to showing movies? No games, sports viewing or listening to music....strictly built for the presentation of cinema product.

If a survey has already been run on this topic, someone please direct me to the link.

 

[John Sparks]

I run only movies as you already know!!! Just finished Roy Rogers in "Springtime in the Sierras" in True Color on SD.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

I don't have a "home theater" exactly but my living room has both a TV and a projector. With very rare exceptions, the projector is for movies and the TV is for, well, TV.

Most DVDs look fine on the projector but there have been a couple movies I ended up watching on the TV because they just didn't look very good on the PJ.

And there are a couple TV shows I've watched on the projector, like Twin Peaks, that were phenomenal to see on the big screen.

I didn't expect to enforce such a big separation of church and state, if you will, when I got the equipment. But shortly after getting the PJ, I finished a movie and then went to watch a TV show I had DVR'd and didn't feel like getting up to put away the screen, so I started it on the projector, and it really felt "too big", like it wasn't meant to be seen on that scale.

 

[DFurr]

so I started it on the projector, and it really felt "too big", like it wasn't meant to be seen on that scale.

I totally agree Josh. I don't think The Andy Griffith Show would look exactly right on big screen!!

Great point.

 

[John Sparks]

Hey, I just purchased a few months back the BD of the first season of "STAR TREK-THE NEXT GENERATION" and I've been watching that in the HT. I watch 2 episodes at a time and it's like watching a full movie, but that's the only TV show that I've watched in there.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

Hey, I just purchased a few months back the BD of the first season of "STAR TREK-THE NEXT GENERATION" and I've been watching that in the HT. I watch 2 episodes at a time and it's like watching a full movie, but that's the only TV show that I've watched in there.

That's one of my very few exceptions to the rule for me, both the TOS and TNG Blu-rays - they're both so spectacular looking that they're a joy to watch on the larger screen.