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Topic: Edwards Spectrum 21

Ron Pierce
Member

Posts: 59
From: Tustin, CA
Registered: Feb 2003

posted November 18, 2010 03:01 AM

I notice that the Edwards Spectrum 21, Irvine, California is opening 'Harry Potter' on 15 screens plus one Imax after midnight. I assume this is all digital. Can someone explain to those of us who are technically handicapped how this is done. Is it like a computer network, where they have one server for all of the screens? I don't know. Is the Imax separate?

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Danny Baldwin
Member

Posts: 130
From: Los Angeles, CA
Registered: Aug 2009

posted November 18, 2010 09:50 AM

The IMAX still runs 70mm films, so yes, it is separate.

As far as I know, there is no "network" configuration for digital projectors right now, but I could be wrong. Traditionally, they upload the film from a hard drive to each projector console and start them all individually.

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Scott D. Neff
Tour Guide

Posts: 661
From: San Francisco, CA
Registered: Feb 2003

posted November 18, 2010 09:50 AM

Not necessarily all digital. I've known theatres to get numerous prints of the same film so they can run it on multiple screens. Likely at this theatre they're probably interlocking those screens that aren't digital so that they run one print over the course of 3-4 screens usually causing a 2-3 minute time delay between each auditorium depending on the distance from one projector to the next. I have to imagine that this theatre was built to interlock numerous screens since it was one of the first megaplexes they probably weren't sure how many different films they could play.

If they are doing it digitally -- I have no clue -- sadly I have no experience with the ins and outs of digital presentation.

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Danny Baldwin
Member

Posts: 130
From: Los Angeles, CA
Registered: Aug 2009

posted November 18, 2010 09:50 AM

Spectrum is all digital, Scott. But, yes, there are interlock configurations that allow film prints to be run through, in my experience, as many as 5 projectors at once.

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Jeff Arellano
Senior Member

Posts: 685
From: Monterey Park, CA
Registered: Jun 2003

posted November 18, 2010 10:19 AM

At amc We were able to interlock up to 13 screens with one print. We never did more than 5 though.

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Chris Utley
Senior Member

Posts: 631
From: Torrance, CA
Registered: May 2003

posted November 18, 2010 10:37 AM

I've said it before...I'll say it again. Spectrum has only 5 auditoriums out of the 21 that are actually worth seeing a daggone movie in. Still one of the most overrated theatres I've ever been in...although it's shiny new sibling at LA Live is coming close to claiming THAT title!

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Danny Baldwin
Member

Posts: 130
From: Los Angeles, CA
Registered: Aug 2009

posted November 18, 2010 10:43 AM

Not to change topic, but SPEAKING of LA Live... Finally walked the half-mile from my apartment to see something in the Premiere Cinema. Chris, when you said it was only partially top-masked, I was still expecting a pretty tall scope image. Then the movie came on and SHEESH--that house has NOTHING on the Dome, Village, etc! I can't even imagine sitting on the balcony--you'd be looking down at like an 80 degree angle for a scope show!

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Chris Utley
Senior Member

Posts: 631
From: Torrance, CA
Registered: May 2003

posted November 18, 2010 10:56 AM

I don't remember if I posted here or at Cinema Treasures, but I did clarify the masking specs.

I went during the "This Is It" soft opening and, it being 1:85, assumed the screen was slightly top masked. Then I went a few weeks later to see "2012" - a 2:40 movie - and saw the gory masking details for myself. To exhibit widescreen in there, at least 1/3 of the screen is top masked. BARF! [barf]

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Jeff Arellano
Senior Member

Posts: 685
From: Monterey Park, CA
Registered: Jun 2003

posted November 18, 2010 11:21 AM

The only good thing about the Spectum is the IMAX screen. Otherwise I hate that place.

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