I want to apologize to all of you for delaying this upload. I had to take a Spiritual break this weekend to give myself proper mental cleanse, and I didn't want to rush the quality of the video at all, as you guys don't deserve that. Thank you all for continuing to support this channel, you are making magic in more ways that you realize for me. God Bless all of you, and thanks for watching my content.❤💛
I hope you don’t mind me adding a few things here. Before the addition of the Cyberstar, the graybox actually had provisions for a remote manager control panel much like the Cyberstar. I’ve never seen one to know what it looks like, but I’ve seen the wiring diagrams for it. Pre-Cyberstar Cyberamic shows also had provisions for this. Also, from a technical perspective, the Cyberstar upgrade served a much bigger purpose that just adding video. The data format the Cyberstar used was the same as that which PTT had used to control their shows. By switching to this format, corporate could much more easily use the programming equipment they were used to using. Some adaptation took place to accommodate the larger number of movements and a few new features, but otherwise it was the same.
Oh, and if you need any help with technical information for your followup video, feel free to ask. I’ve dealt with the pre- and post-Cyberstar Cyberamic and graybox control systems quite a bit and have a decent grasp of how they work.
No problem! Thanks for sharing, and I appreciate the information! Definitely would love to have some more intel for the follow up video so feel free to reach out to me!
The graybox was a pretty neat computer, since that old tech controlled every aspect of the show. Dimming the lights, turning off the background music when the show started, putting down the screen for Family Vision videos, controlling two reel to reel decks. As @layton889 mentioned, there was a control panel at the beverage bar where you could put the show on hold until you were ready to play the birthday show. It was literally just a switch with BIRTHDAY/SHOW and a pushbutton (obviously you could just push the button to play a regular show immediately too). All this flexibility was lost with Cyberstar because it was just a linear VCR tape. 3 minutes before a show or video started, you had to be ready to do a birthday as that's where it was on the VHS tape. You were not allowed to access the VCR to stop it or pause it. This led to a lot of headache when trying to get all the birthday kids, parents, adults back in a timely fashion because you HAD to do the birthday at that exact time. That control came back with the introduction of Live Shows because you now had to physically change the VHS tape to the Live/Birthday tape. Oh, the Cyberstar manager control panel that replaced the reel to reel panel was actually a white panel (the one in your video was a later version from a phase 3 remodel or so). It had a green button you would press to let it know you wanted to do a birthday at the next opportunity, a red light that would flash faster and faster the closer it got to a birthday, and a volume control. The other neat thing is the Cyberstar works along with the graybox. There is a ribbon cable that goes from the Cyberstar to the gray box because it still has to control the characters/curtains/light dimming (but nothing else anymore). As far as programming, since SPT programmed the stages, I think they could spit out code for reels or Cyberstar because they would have had a mix of stores for a while. Our store had the reel-to-reel version of shows, and then Cyberstar version, and the programming was identical.
This was a fantastic video! I love animatronic history, especially 1980s animatronic history. There's just something so interesting about animatronics. On a CEC related note, I think Chuck E Cheese himself was at his best in the 70s and early 80s, when it was still Pizza Time Theatre. He had tons of funny quips, and his interactions with the guest stars, especially Harmony Howlette and Sally Sashay were hilarious! Unfortunately they made him super bland in the mid-to late 80s, but Tux era did give him some personality back. As much as I love Avenger Chuck, my nostalgic CEC era, I think pre-Showbiz merger Pizza Time Theatre was the best era for both Chuck himself and the restaurant.
I really like the Cyberstar stuff (except for the Showbiz voiced ones) and I think they are underrated. I believe that only the shows that use the Blue Box today can run Cyberstar segments, since Aaron hasn't digitized most of the stuff from that era since it isn't CEI programmed. I could be wrong though, but I haven't seen any shows that use anything but the Blue Box run Cyberstar.,
I think if i recall CEI probably programmed some of the cyberstar show i remember seeing footage of them programming Kids 1 as some of the songs in the cyberstar era were used for the show selector
@@conceptcheeseentertainment I believe CEI reprogramed most of the cyberstar shows at the same time as Showbiz was also programming them, due too CEI selling RAE shows to Pistol Pete's Pizza around that period.
I think the Liberty Show was one both programmed, since there was a corporate voiced and a CEI voiced, plus there was a portion where Dook sang Beach Bear's part that wasn't the case on the version CEI programmed.
@@LiamsAnimatronicExplorations CEI did program the Liberty Show since Showbiz gave them a chance to redeem themselves soon after, they've thrown a party as Showbiz were aware about them being drunk so one employee erased everything due to him being drunk and the next morning, SPT found out and just straight program it themselves which explain why Dook sung Bear Beach line due to a programming error. It can be seen again on Neighbors 1 and the beginning of Magic Carpet Ride on the Tribute to Mothers showtape
You asked for people to let you know if you’d made any mistakes, and even though this isn’t major, you said the only way to see these animatronics is online, which technically isn’t true because there are still a few places out there that have them. Just not Chuck E. Cheese locations. But still a great video, I enjoyed it.
Thank you, though I think you misunderstood. I was referring to the fact that you can’t see SHOWBIZ stores in person anymore, and I was referring to how it’s a bygone era. You can still see the rock-afire and MMBB in plenty of places, but it’s now impossible to go to a showbiz and you can only see what it’s like online
I’m gonna be honest, I genuinely do like Concept Unification and it’s end result! And it’s nice that even today the Rockafire Explosion can still live on, I just hope one day they can get a proper restaurant chain of their own again. Great vid btw!
Yeah same! I still wonder why they didn’t just retrofit looney bird or munch jr. maybe both) into bullhorns If they were used so much in the early shows
CyberStar takes away the magic of the bands, it seems way to much like it’s not being done live infront of you by the characters. It was way to music video like. The only animatronics by CEI that should use CyberStar is the MoonRockers seeing as they wanted to be on MTV
You’re absolutely right. Part of that is due to the shows being programmed by SPT. I like the overall aesthetic of the brand at this time, but can see a stark contrast in the quality of the shows as compared to something such as the White Album show. It’s important to note the contrasts and similarities that the two program styles have between one another.
I work at Show biz from 1982/1993. And It was a Corporate Store. I gone 3 manger's for 4 months. My last manger he was mean cut everyone Hours down..... to Save Money and Refused to Buy any parts of the shows..
If there are more stages out there being programmed in the 90s, you could have easily just erased the eeprom upgrades in boom, now you can play older show tapes and there would be a tutorial on RUclips for other locations.
Good video! I find it interesting that you considered 1989 to be the start of the Cyberstar era, seeing as the usage of that control system started around 1986-1987. CU did start in 1989 though so maybe that's why.
Good Catch, I refer to the era from the time SPT came to be after the merger up until 1988 as the “transitional era” as this was the time that they were basically keeping CEI out of their zone. No programming, no vocalizing, nothing. Since the Cyberstar system began INITIALLY as a Reel to Reel system when it was first tested around this time, that is why I would say it’s more Showbiz testing the waters rather than locking in to using Cyberstar system-wide. Thanks for watching!
![I.N "HALLUCINATION" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/n5B5q1Hwt_U/mqdefault.jpg)
I want to apologize to all of you for delaying this upload. I had to take a Spiritual break this weekend to give myself proper mental cleanse, and I didn't want to rush the quality of the video at all, as you guys don't deserve that.
Thank you all for continuing to support this channel, you are making magic in more ways that you realize for me. God Bless all of you, and thanks for watching my content.❤💛
I hope you don’t mind me adding a few things here.
Before the addition of the Cyberstar, the graybox actually had provisions for a remote manager control panel much like the Cyberstar. I’ve never seen one to know what it looks like, but I’ve seen the wiring diagrams for it. Pre-Cyberstar Cyberamic shows also had provisions for this.
Also, from a technical perspective, the Cyberstar upgrade served a much bigger purpose that just adding video. The data format the Cyberstar used was the same as that which PTT had used to control their shows. By switching to this format, corporate could much more easily use the programming equipment they were used to using. Some adaptation took place to accommodate the larger number of movements and a few new features, but otherwise it was the same.
Oh, and if you need any help with technical information for your followup video, feel free to ask. I’ve dealt with the pre- and post-Cyberstar Cyberamic and graybox control systems quite a bit and have a decent grasp of how they work.
No problem! Thanks for sharing, and I appreciate the information! Definitely would love to have some more intel for the follow up video so feel free to reach out to me!
The graybox was a pretty neat computer, since that old tech controlled every aspect of the show. Dimming the lights, turning off the background music when the show started, putting down the screen for Family Vision videos, controlling two reel to reel decks. As @layton889 mentioned, there was a control panel at the beverage bar where you could put the show on hold until you were ready to play the birthday show. It was literally just a switch with BIRTHDAY/SHOW and a pushbutton (obviously you could just push the button to play a regular show immediately too). All this flexibility was lost with Cyberstar because it was just a linear VCR tape. 3 minutes before a show or video started, you had to be ready to do a birthday as that's where it was on the VHS tape. You were not allowed to access the VCR to stop it or pause it. This led to a lot of headache when trying to get all the birthday kids, parents, adults back in a timely fashion because you HAD to do the birthday at that exact time. That control came back with the introduction of Live Shows because you now had to physically change the VHS tape to the Live/Birthday tape. Oh, the Cyberstar manager control panel that replaced the reel to reel panel was actually a white panel (the one in your video was a later version from a phase 3 remodel or so). It had a green button you would press to let it know you wanted to do a birthday at the next opportunity, a red light that would flash faster and faster the closer it got to a birthday, and a volume control.
The other neat thing is the Cyberstar works along with the graybox. There is a ribbon cable that goes from the Cyberstar to the gray box because it still has to control the characters/curtains/light dimming (but nothing else anymore). As far as programming, since SPT programmed the stages, I think they could spit out code for reels or Cyberstar because they would have had a mix of stores for a while. Our store had the reel-to-reel version of shows, and then Cyberstar version, and the programming was identical.
0:36 Rolfe DeWolfe: Hey! (Roars) I am NOT a geek!
Lol
Earl:yes you are
This was a fantastic video! I love animatronic history, especially 1980s animatronic history. There's just something so interesting about animatronics. On a CEC related note, I think Chuck E Cheese himself was at his best in the 70s and early 80s, when it was still Pizza Time Theatre. He had tons of funny quips, and his interactions with the guest stars, especially Harmony Howlette and Sally Sashay were hilarious! Unfortunately they made him super bland in the mid-to late 80s, but Tux era did give him some personality back. As much as I love Avenger Chuck, my nostalgic CEC era, I think pre-Showbiz merger Pizza Time Theatre was the best era for both Chuck himself and the restaurant.
Yeah, PTT was the best era.
Billy Bob Brockali: 3:50 Oh no. I remember that.
This was a great video. Good job.
Wow, of all people to see here commenting I wasn’t expecting to see you! Thank you so much, glad you liked it!
I really like the Cyberstar stuff (except for the Showbiz voiced ones) and I think they are underrated. I believe that only the shows that use the Blue Box today can run Cyberstar segments, since Aaron hasn't digitized most of the stuff from that era since it isn't CEI programmed. I could be wrong though, but I haven't seen any shows that use anything but the Blue Box run Cyberstar.,
I think if i recall CEI probably programmed some of the cyberstar show i remember seeing footage of them programming Kids 1 as some of the songs in the cyberstar era were used for the show selector
@@conceptcheeseentertainment I believe CEI reprogramed most of the cyberstar shows at the same time as Showbiz was also programming them, due too CEI selling RAE shows to Pistol Pete's Pizza around that period.
I think the Liberty Show was one both programmed, since there was a corporate voiced and a CEI voiced, plus there was a portion where Dook sang Beach Bear's part that wasn't the case on the version CEI programmed.
@@LiamsAnimatronicExplorations CEI did program the Liberty Show since Showbiz gave them a chance to redeem themselves soon after, they've thrown a party as Showbiz were aware about them being drunk so one employee erased everything due to him being drunk and the next morning, SPT found out and just straight program it themselves which explain why Dook sung Bear Beach line due to a programming error. It can be seen again on Neighbors 1 and the beginning of Magic Carpet Ride on the Tribute to Mothers showtape
Great video! Always found the Cyberstar tapes intriguing...
Same here!
Such a great informative video! The research and effort you've putted into this video really shows great video as always
Thanks so much, appreciate it!
I love The Rock-afire Explosion its my favourite band!!!
You asked for people to let you know if you’d made any mistakes, and even though this isn’t major, you said the only way to see these animatronics is online, which technically isn’t true because there are still a few places out there that have them. Just not Chuck E. Cheese locations. But still a great video, I enjoyed it.
Thank you, though I think you misunderstood. I was referring to the fact that you can’t see SHOWBIZ stores in person anymore, and I was referring to how it’s a bygone era. You can still see the rock-afire and MMBB in plenty of places, but it’s now impossible to go to a showbiz and you can only see what it’s like online
@@BeachKai Oh I see. Sorry for the misunderstanding.
Is the first clip Bach to rock cause I recognise dooks drumming pattern from that tape
I’m surprised how no one has made a showbiz documentary like The Founder
I’m gonna be honest, I genuinely do like Concept Unification and it’s end result! And it’s nice that even today the Rockafire Explosion can still live on, I just hope one day they can get a proper restaurant chain of their own again. Great vid btw!
Yeah same! I still wonder why they didn’t just retrofit looney bird or munch jr. maybe both) into bullhorns If they were used so much in the early shows
love this vid!
Glad you loved it! :)
CyberStar takes away the magic of the bands, it seems way to much like it’s not being done live infront of you by the characters. It was way to music video like. The only animatronics by CEI that should use CyberStar is the MoonRockers seeing as they wanted to be on MTV
You’re absolutely right. Part of that is due to the shows being programmed by SPT. I like the overall aesthetic of the brand at this time, but can see a stark contrast in the quality of the shows as compared to something such as the White Album show. It’s important to note the contrasts and similarities that the two program styles have between one another.
i've always wondered what the details were in that deal they offered CEC for the full rights to the show
Interesting video
I work at Show biz from 1982/1993. And It was a Corporate Store. I gone 3 manger's for 4 months. My last manger he was mean cut everyone Hours down..... to Save Money and Refused to Buy any parts of the shows..
cyberstar is no longer used for showtapes since the addition of the navori system in 2020
I said that in the video and mentioned that there are now only relics of the Cyberstar system still in stores.
If there are more stages out there being programmed in the 90s, you could have easily just erased the eeprom upgrades in boom, now you can play older show tapes and there would be a tutorial on RUclips for other locations.
You are underrated asf
Thank you! ;)
@@BeachKai Np dude. Keep up the great content!
Good video! I find it interesting that you considered 1989 to be the start of the Cyberstar era, seeing as the usage of that control system started around 1986-1987. CU did start in 1989 though so maybe that's why.
Good Catch, I refer to the era from the time SPT came to be after the merger up until 1988 as the “transitional era” as this was the time that they were basically keeping CEI out of their zone. No programming, no vocalizing, nothing.
Since the Cyberstar system began INITIALLY as a Reel to Reel system when it was first tested around this time, that is why I would say it’s more Showbiz testing the waters rather than locking in to using Cyberstar system-wide. Thanks for watching!
Well technically there is still a showbiz out there tho legally it isnt showbiz
Its called billy bobs wonderland
always wondered what "cv" meant . thanks!
Cool great
Billy
bob
.
Dam
What if Billy bob’s Wonderland was turned into a Chuck E. Cheese