Transitioning to a Drive-In Movie Theater

[aashna963]

Hello everyone! I work for a movie theater and the responsibility of saving 15 jobs during the Corona Virus outbreak has fallen upon me. The company I work for used to be an outdoor sit down place to watch a movie, but now we are trying to transition in to a drive in movie theater on top of a parking garage. I am looking desperately for a high powered FM Transmitter that would be able to cover roughly half a football field of cars. I haven't had any luck from local vendors like Microcenter and Best Buy and the one transmitter I found online looks sketchy as all truck. Its called the Retekess TR505 if any of you would to put your two cents in there on it. I would be eternally grateful for any help you all can provide!!!10.0.0.0.1 192.168.1.254 hotmail.com

 

[Mikado463]

while I can't provide you with anything other than encouragement I wish you success. Saw this mornings news where a High School graduation here in Hanover, Pa is being held via a drive-in movie theater.

Interesting times, a lot of news locally about Camden , NJ and the fight for the community to win back its city. Since it was the birthplace for Drive-in movies perhaps we shall see a resurgence ........

 

[TLS Guy]

Hello everyone! I work for a movie theater and the responsibility of saving 15 jobs during the Corona Virus outbreak has fallen upon me. The company I work for used to be an outdoor sit down place to watch a movie, but now we are trying to transition in to a drive in movie theater on top of a parking garage. I am looking desperately for a high powered FM Transmitter that would be able to cover roughly half a football field of cars. I haven't had any luck from local vendors like Microcenter and Best Buy and the one transmitter I found online looks sketchy as all truck. Its called the Retekess TR505 if any of you would to put your two cents in there on it. I would be eternally grateful for any help you all can provide!!!

Where you are looking they are not allowed to sell what you want. A transmitter of that power will require and FCC license and be professionally installed. You will have to apply for a frequency also, so that you do not interfere with existing FM license holders. In a lot of places the FM band is very crowded and getting a frequency allocation is tough.

 

[highfigh]

Hello everyone! I work for a movie theater and the responsibility of saving 15 jobs during the Corona Virus outbreak has fallen upon me. The company I work for used to be an outdoor sit down place to watch a movie, but now we are trying to transition in to a drive in movie theater on top of a parking garage. I am looking desperately for a high powered FM Transmitter that would be able to cover roughly half a football field of cars. I haven't had any luck from local vendors like Microcenter and Best Buy and the one transmitter I found online looks sketchy as all truck. Its called the Retekess TR505 if any of you would to put your two cents in there on it. I would be eternally grateful for any help you all can provide!!!

Hello everyone! I work for a movie theater and the responsibility of saving 15 jobs during the Corona Virus outbreak has fallen upon me. The company I work for used to be an outdoor sit down place to watch a movie, but now we are trying to transition in to a drive in movie theater on top of a parking garage. I am looking desperately for a high powered FM Transmitter that would be able to cover roughly half a football field of cars. I haven't had any luck from local vendors like Microcenter and Best Buy and the one transmitter I found online looks sketchy as all truck. Its called the Retekess TR505 if any of you would to put your two cents in there on it. I would be eternally grateful for any help you all can provide!!!

You're not going to find this at a consumer electronics store because it's not Consumer Electronics and even if it was, nobody at Best Buy would know what to do with it.

I don't know where you're located, but it seems that the Retekess units need to be shipped to the US.

WRT the FCC requirements, this falls under 'community broadcast' or Worship, so it might not be as difficult to carry out as receiving a license and getting a frequency but I would strongly recommend calling the FCC and asking about this application. As far as finding something that will do what you need, look for local contractors who work with community broadcast or 'House Of Worship', which is a whole separate area of custom integration and communication contractors.

 

[TLS Guy]

Also church systems of old are now illegal. They have been moved up into the UHF band, which is why there are so many no longer available. The one you picked out is not legal for sale in the US.

So to do what you want you would have to have a receiver distributed to every car. Unfortunately you have been handed an impossible task.

You could consider streaming as many cars now come with Wi-Fi hot spots. There probably are not enough out there though.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

Low Power Radio - General Information

Low Power Radio - General Information

www.fcc.gov

 

[mtrycrafts]

You may want to Google drive in theaters and call a few, see if they can help you out or how they do the audio.
I bet it is an FM transmitter and the car radio picks it up, nothing to hand out to each car.
You really don't need much power to cover 150 ft long outdoor space. That transmitter you showed is variable to 25 Watts in the US FM band.
You certainly don't want to transmit 2 miles with it.

 

[TLS Guy]

You may want to Google drive in theaters and call a few, see if they can help you out or how they do the audio.
I bet it is an FM transmitter and the car radio picks it up, nothing to hand out to each car.
You really don't need much power to cover 150 ft long outdoor space. That transmitter you showed is variable to 25 Watts in the US FM band.
You certainly don't want to transmit 2 miles with it.

If they are using the FM band now, that is illegal. So they must have changed from what they used to do. They made all the radio mics change as well.

 

[slipperybidness]

Hello everyone! I work for a movie theater and the responsibility of saving 15 jobs during the Corona Virus outbreak has fallen upon me. The company I work for used to be an outdoor sit down place to watch a movie, but now we are trying to transition in to a drive in movie theater on top of a parking garage. I am looking desperately for a high powered FM Transmitter that would be able to cover roughly half a football field of cars. I haven't had any luck from local vendors like Microcenter and Best Buy and the one transmitter I found online looks sketchy as all truck. Its called the Retekess TR505 if any of you would to put your two cents in there on it. I would be eternally grateful for any help you all can provide!!!10.0.0.0.1 192.168.1.254 hotmail.com

These other guys certainly know more about this than me!

But.....I did want to throw this out there. I really don't know much about it, but I have seen these in use for the "Silent Disco" at the back of the annual Great American Beer Festival.

Not a recommendation, just something to check into, or perhaps one of the senior members here can inform us
@TLS Guy
@highfigh
@BoredSysAdmin

silent disco - Parts Express Ships Fast and Ships Free.

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[highfigh]

If they are using the FM band now, that is illegal. So they must have changed from what they used to do. They made all the radio mics change as well.

But a lot of the older mics are still allowed to operate, depending on their frequency- this, coming from Shure and a couple of my distributors.

 

[TLS Guy]

But a lot of the older mics are still allowed to operate, depending on their frequency- this, coming from Shure and a couple of my distributors.

Yes, I know. They were grandfathered in after a lot of screaming. However if there is one complaint of interference then you have to upgrade. However the system under discussion is new, and so new rules apply.

As far as that headphone solution, I doubt it would scale and very much doubt it would penetrate into cars.

I think unfortunately the OP is you know whatted! Like everyone else right now, but such is life and unfortunately death.

 

[highfigh]

Yes, I know. They were grandfathered in after a lot of screaming. However if there is one complaint of interference then you have to upgrade. However the system under discussion is new, and so new rules apply.

As far as that headphone solution, I doubt it would scale and very much doubt it would penetrate into cars.

I think unfortunately the OP is you know whatted! Like everyone else right now, but such is life and unfortunately death.

The option for equipment meant for the hearing impaired is possible, too- always short range but the fidelity isn't particularly good, either.

If they can get approval for this (and other churches are doing it in the US, including the one my cousin attends), one way to avoid RF extending too far is placing the broadcast antenna in the center and setting it for the minimum power needed to reach the perimeter.

‘Come As You Are in the Family Car.’ Drive-In Church Services Are Taking Off During the Coronavirus Pandemic

In the midst of a pandemic, churchgoers are driving to church--and staying in their cars

time.com

 

[TLS Guy]

The option for equipment meant for the hearing impaired is possible, too- always short range but the fidelity isn't particularly good, either.

If they can get approval for this (and other churches are doing it in the US, including the one my cousin attends), one way to avoid RF extending too far is placing the broadcast antenna in the center and setting it for the minimum power needed to reach the perimeter.

‘Come As You Are in the Family Car.’ Drive-In Church Services Are Taking Off During the Coronavirus Pandemic

In the midst of a pandemic, churchgoers are driving to church--and staying in their cars

time.com

You know I never though of inductive loop technology. That might work, but I think the metal body of the car might be a problem. The next problem wold be the car would have to have an aux input. I think most do. Of course every vehicle would have to be given a receiving device.

I see the churches are having a local FM radio station broadcast the audio. So that raises another issue in the digital age synchronizing a picture with the sound whatever technology you picked. I just can't see this plan flying. Anyhow I think the OP ran for cover, but it would be nice to hear from him.

 

[highfigh]

Here's an article that addresses this kind of application, although it was originally used for fitness facilities- it wouldn't require an FM transmitter, just access point(s) to provide WiFi coverage. The article may not be accessible, but if you sign in, you should be able to read it. It's written for the CI channel and the equipment isn't really for consumers, so I wouldn't expect to find the equipment as easily as most electronics, but look for it online, anyway.

Using Lessons from Old Health Clubs to Feel Less Alone During the Coronavirus Outbreak

Older technologies like FM modulation could inspire a way for people to attend communal events like church while in the safety of their car.

www.cepro.com