Film Night Setup

Film Night Operations

This page covers the setup for our monthly film nights. The system uses a hybrid of 7.1 analog audio and HDMI-over-Ethernet video.

1. Signal Flow (Simplified)

Understanding the path helps when troubleshooting “No Signal” or “No Audio” issues.

graph TD
    subgraph "Control Room"
    BR[Sony Bluray Player] -->|HDMI| VM[Video Mixer]
    BR -->|8x RCA to XLR| SND[Sound Desk - Channels 17-24]
    VM -->|Cat6 Extender| TX[HDMI Transmitter]
    end

    subgraph "Auditorium"
    TX -.->|Cat6 Cable| RX[HDMI Receiver]
    RX -->|HDMI| PRJ[Projector]
    end

2. Audio Configuration

We take the 7.1 Analog Out from the back of the Bluray player directly into the stage box/desk to maintain full surround separation without needing an expensive HDMI de-embedder.

Bluray Out	Desk Channel	Speaker Location
Front L/R	17-18	Behind Screen
Center	19	Behind Screen (Center)
Sub (LFE)	20	Stage Floor
Surround L/R	21-22	Auditorium Sides
Rear L/R	23-24	Auditorium Rear

Info

Sound Desk Recall: Load the scene FILM_NIGHT_71 on the Yamaha console. This presets all gains and routing for the surround speakers.

3. Video & Projection

The video signal travels over the building’s structural cabling via a HDBaseT Extender.

DO NOT plug the HDMI Extender (Cat6) into the standard Network Switch. It is a point-to-point connection and can damage network hardware.

Common Troubleshooting

Purple Tint on Screen: Usually a loose HDMI cable at the Video Mixer.
Flashing Image: The HDMI Extender is overheating; check the ventilation in the rack.

4. Operator Checklist

Follow these steps in order to ensure a smooth start at 7:30 PM.

Power on Rack 2: Main isolation switch (Green).
Lower the Screen: Use the wall switch behind Stage Left.
Projector On: Use the remote (Labelled ‘PRJ’). Wait 2 mins for full brightness.
Test Disc: Insert a disc and verify “Center Channel” dialogue is audible.
House Lights: Fade to “Half” at 7:25 PM, and “Black” at 7:30 PM.

5. Schematics