End of Intermission (Chimes)

[tdeater]

I am in the process of fitting one of these to our lobby PA system for chimes:
Velleman Single Message Record/Playback Module Kit 320-203
I have a single chime recorded into it right now, and it has an option for a continuous repeated playback by holding the button, or you could record however many seconds of chimes into it. My challenge right now is finding nice clean power to run the thing, other than a battery, but I might just go with the battery to get it running and deal with a power supply later. I am hookign it up to an unused line input on the amp. I got a nice chrome fancy looking push button to mount in the lobby to set off the chimes.

 

[Nelson]

The simplest power supply you could use is an extra "wall wart" plug-in transformer of the correct voltage. Just find an extra wall wart, make sure it outputs DC, and hook it up.

Did you have any trouble interfacing the module to the amp considering that the module output is speaker-level 8 ohm and the amp input is line-level?

 

[tdeater]

I haven't actually finished the project yet, but the playback module also has a line out on it. All of the wall wart supplies I have tried so far introduce buzzing power supply noise.

 

[macwhiz]

I haven't actually finished the project yet, but the playback module also has a line out on it. All of the wall wart supplies I have tried so far introduce buzzing power supply noise.

I would try a filtered DC supply, you can get one at radioshack for around $20

 

[GradyH]

There's another thread talking about this

http://www.controlbooth.com/forums/...audience-intermission-recall-bell-effect.html

In this thread, there's a link to a page with sample tones on it. I found exactly what I was looking for, and there are many, many options to choose from. My theatre has 64 seats, and I would have to go in to the lobby to turn the lights on and off- something I hated, not to mention the light switch is located right next to the theatre entrance. Awkward! Then our house manager decided a bell is the way to go, which was another method that turned my stomach. Found ascending and descending tones on the link below, and added them to my Qlab list. While the intermission bgm is playing, I just hit the cue and these nice, pleasant chimes play clearly above the music and voila! The audience usually gets it. Sometimes I have to hit it again a few minutes later. Now my house loads in about 3 minutes from chimes, rather than 6 or 7 awkward, corralling minutes.

900 Series Special Function Modules

Just add the cue to your list (if possible) and you're all set! No extra anything to buy, set up, or run. Hope this helps.

 

[memoguy]

Hi All!

I have been told to find a audience call bell system for my theater. They want a standalone system which can be easily activated from both the control both and the intermission waiting area. Just wondering if anyone could recommend anything? I know that there are several DIY solutions (laptop with SFX and PA system), but we are really looking for a fully integrated standalone system.

Thanks!

 

[memoguy]

Hi All!

I have been told to find a audience call bell system for my theater. They want a standalone system which can be easily activated from both the control both and the intermission waiting area. Just wondering if anyone could recommend anything? I know that there are several DIY solutions (laptop with SFX and PA system), but we are really looking for a fully integrated standalone system.

Thanks!

We do have a paging system in the lobby, so if we could find a box with a button on it which would output a bell sound effect via XLR when pressed, then we could plug that into our system.

 

[BillConnerFASTC]

3 trumpeters and a cell phone.

 

[Chris15]

I'd go for something like this as the playout solution; http://www.altronics.com.au/index.asp?area=item&id=A1740
Then it's down to getting a pleasant chime to play on it...

 

[mikefellh]

Sorry to bring this topic back to life after four years, but I've been struggling with this very subject. No one pays attention when I announce through the mic, "please return to your seats", and in the past we have flashed the lights but as someone said that's "tacky" plus it shortens the life of the lights.

Then I thought of doing some chimes with MP3 as suggested earlier in the thread, but that gets too complicated if someone else had to do it.

Then I thought why not just go with a wireless doorbell system...can get one that we can have multiple receivers (bells) that can be triggered by a single transmitter, one bell near the snack area and one bell in the gallery.

And then I can have two transmitters (one in the booth and one at the podium) that will trigger both bells at once.

How's that for a K.I.S.S. solution at 3am in the morning?

 

[BillConnerFASTC]

I love it.

 

[TimMc]

These old threads bring back fond memories... in this case seeing posts from Brad Weber (museav) who passed away suddenly a couple years ago. Brad, I miss your help and wisdom...

 

[Les]

I know this goes against your K.I.S.S. philosophy, but if you ever want to get a little more fancy, I found a good product that is reliable and easy to use. It's called a Large Home Annunciator, and it has several N/O inputs that can be triggered by switches, buttons, motion detectors, etc. You can also record your own MP3's to play when a certain input is triggered. It connects to a sound system via a single RCA connector. You could technically run it through an Aux on your board or just through a monitoring/paging system if you have one.

I don't use it for theatre - I installed one at the office which also has a 4-bay loading dock. I have buttons at the front desk, each dock, the side door, etc, and corresponding tones for each, which I created with the help of an online piano and Audacity. I've had mine online for about two years with no problems.

Of course, you would have to run bell wire (or any type of wire, really) for your buttons, which is where it gets tricky. Just thought I'd throw this out there either way.

The only 'issue' with the unit is that it plays an internal file on boot-up, which says "Where's the kaboom?!" I haven't found a way to turn that off, but ours is tied in to the 70v PA, so I only hear it maybe once a year if we have a power outage. Otherwise it runs 24/7.

 

[mikefellh]

I know this goes against your K.I.S.S. philosophy, but if you ever want to get a little more fancy, I found a good product that is reliable and easy to use. It's called a Large Home Annunciator, and it has several N/O inputs that can be triggered by switches, buttons, motion detectors, etc. You can also record your own MP3's to play when a certain input is triggered. It connects to a sound system via a single RCA connector. You could technically run it through an Aux on your board or just through a monitoring/paging system if you have one.

...

Of course, you would have to run bell wire (or any type of wire, really) for your buttons, which is where it gets tricky. Just thought I'd throw this out there either way.

And while I was reading through the threads I was thinking of a solution like that (and we already have the wiring in the walls if I make use of the pre-existing Kodak carousel projector remote wall sockets we no longer use), but as I was reading all the posts from several messages the wireless doorbell idea popped into my head...with anything that can tie into a mixer the volume may be adjusted, or the channel muted...with the wireless doorbells I set the volume at the unit for each area, and they will stay at that volume no matter what.

Anyway, I already ordered a wireless doorbell set with three receivers and two transmitters.