Infrared LED Units

[MaxS]

I was in New York several weeks ago and had the opportunity to see three Broadway shows in my time there. I'm a bit late in posting, but something kept catching my eye in each theatre. These boxes were positioned in various places around the house, seemingly aimed at the audience. I've even seen similar units in my local Marcus Cinema. What's their function/what purpose do they serve? Looks like 5-pin DMX in one of the shots, but I really have no idea:


[What the heck, another good QotD. Students-only.]

[DuckJordan]

I was in New York several weeks ago and had the opportunity to see three Broadway shows in my time there. I'm a bit late in posting, but something kept catching my eye in each theatre. These boxes were positioned in various places around the house, seemingly aimed at the audience. I've even seen similar units in my local Marcus Cinema. What's their function/what purpose do they serve? Looks like 5-pin DMX in one of the shots, but I really have no idea:


[What the heck, another good QotD. Students-only.]

Well if they are infrared they could be used to scramble the video on cameras.

[cpf]

Assisted listening I'd think.

[MarshallPope]

Assuming they are infrared, could they be for some sort of video monitoring of the audience?

Edit/// Never mind, that wouldn't explain the data line.

[richbate]

Hey,

I used to work in a cinema that had these installed.
they are for hard of hearing headsets. StarSound 600 infrared sound system - Phonic Ear

or, some 3D systems like the 3D Cinema - XPAND use an infrared emitter to control the glasses, these are normally in the booth and bounce the signal off the screen.

[sarahsliefie]

Mind Control!
Actually, we use night vision monoculars to see what is going on on the stage in the dark, but often those are not enough. I was thinking about installing IR panels to light up the stage so the crew could see and the audience would be left in the dark. Not sure why they would be pointed at the audience.

[ack]

They are most likely assistive listening devices like this from Audex. Audex - The Leader in Infrared Assistive Listening Systems for Theaters


I am not certain when and how ADA requires venues to install accommodations like this but they are in all new construction. Of course some place put them in just to serve their audience.

There are also RF systems on the market.

Paul

[metti]

Those are definitely 100% transmitters for assisted listening systems (ALS). I have worked with an IR system from Sennheiser but I know that there are several other companies that make them as well.

[Sony]

Like everyone else said, they are part of the assisted listening system for the theatre, all theatres are required to have them in order to comply with ADA Regulations. Some systems work on Infrared which is what you see here, and some systems like the system at NNHS run using low power FM Transmitters and there is also a type of system called an "Inductive Loop" where a long wire is strung in a loop around the entire theatre and is used as an audio transmitter which most hearing aids can pick up.

The 5-Pin XLR is not Data but rather Stereo Audio with two pins for Left Audio, two pins for Right Audio and one pin for Shield. It's exactly the same connector you would find on a stereo microphone.