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Topic: Which is the best/worst projector?

Mike Bianchi
Film Handler

Posts: 40
From: Independence, KY, USA
Registered: Dec 1999

posted 12-03-1999 08:23 PM

This picture is not too unsteady -just not quite as steady as I'd like. The gates/traps have obviously gone years with little cleaning, and are pretty worn.

Yeah, the Oblique is a real pain.

We found a few replacements around the country, but the supply is pretty low...

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Wallace Logan
Film Handler

Posts: 26
From: Ottawa Ontario Canada
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 12-03-1999 08:56 PM

I don`t know if it is the best or the worst but for 14 years I ran 2 Bauer U2s 35/70. They were the worst when you had to tighten a
loose screw you had to take most of the film head apart.
The theare was bought and turned into a rep
house and they are still in use.

Wally

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David Johnson
Film Handler

Posts: 54
From: Melbourne Vict Australia
Registered: Oct 1999

posted 12-04-1999 12:33 AM

I have never seen the FP20 you refer too, but possibly the US vesions are different from the German version we use. They are constructed from piece of 4mm sheet metal which is folded into a 3 sided section and the door performs the function of the 4th side, they are quite unstable, this was rectified with the FP30. But even with this simple construction we have around 5 or 6 which give us trouble out or over 100 we have in use, so it is not too bad. If Larry Shaw is reading this he may be able to give us some info about the US models.
David

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Gordon McLeod
Film God

Posts: 9532
From: Toronto Ontario Canada
Registered: Jun 99

posted 12-04-1999 03:35 PM

The Fp20 that came from Holland that we have here are as you describe a piece of sheet metal folded to make the three sides. But it also had a hoizontal plate with holes in it for the wire harness and the take up chain just below the lower sprocket and one just above the upper sprocket
The lamp house table was folded metal with2 fold U shaped peices for alignemtn and it joged backwards
The Ballantyne ones did not have the crossplates and would twisty and the lamphouse table went straight back and had two plates stickeing out towards the operator to support the lamphouse
Also I think they were heavey than 4mm but I will check as I have to do routine service at a 9 plex of them that are both versions nest week

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David Johnson
Film Handler

Posts: 54
From: Melbourne Vict Australia
Registered: Oct 1999

posted 12-06-1999 12:22 AM

Today I had a look at one of our FP20s the frame is only 2.5mm thick and does not have the braces you refer to, I have seen them, they are very old models and usually came with the early version of the turret and had different electrics which were 6 Volt control. Some of the later ones were also 6 Volt. The models that give us trouble are around 10 years old and have the 24 volt controls and the newer turrets.
David

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Gordon McLeod
Film God

Posts: 9532
From: Toronto Ontario Canada
Registered: Jun 99

posted 12-06-1999 12:35 PM

These machines do not have turrets and were made in the 1960's. They are 6 volt control circuits> the metal appears to be about 6.5mm thick and the hoizontal brace panels are the same

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David Johnson
Film Handler

Posts: 54
From: Melbourne Vict Australia
Registered: Oct 1999

posted 12-07-1999 02:56 AM

It looks like your Kinotons are much stronger than ours, as I mentioned before they are only made from 2.5mm sheet metal, this would explain the vibration probems that we have had with some of ours, the FP30 is much more solid and has a frame, a modified motor mount and they have braced the movment back to the frame, the last time I heard the FP20 I braced has not given any more trouble.
David

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Gordon McLeod
Film God

Posts: 9532
From: Toronto Ontario Canada
Registered: Jun 99

posted 12-07-1999 06:39 PM

I always wondered why they never built the head on a piece of tooling plate like Westrex did for the 7000 serries projector and then use 19" racking for the column
I think maybe Sondor did on the dubbing studio projectors and also on some of the reqorked FP20's that MagnaTech sold

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Walter Gonet, Jr.
Film Handler

Posts: 1
From: Holyoke, MA USA
Registered: Dec 1999

posted 12-14-1999 12:03 AM

I worked with many projectors and seem to agree with the majority. I liked the Brenkert BX series, Century C, and the older Simplex projectors. So far the worst I have worked with is the Christie P35GP. Also the latest Christie platters cause a lot of film scratches if the projectionist is not careful to make sure the film does not come off the roller(s) on the cluster assembly -- the keepers are poorly designed. I added a piece of rubber mounted to the keeper frame with two-sided tape which keeps the film on the roller and cannot slip out while threadeing.

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Stephen Jones
Master Film Handler

Posts: 314
From: Geelong Victoria Australia
Registered: Jun 99

posted 12-15-1999 07:22 PM

In regards to the Kinoton projectors,they one of the best projectors I have used.Easy to thread and to maintain. They give a rock steady picture and great focus,give me A kinoton projector and platter any day. 2nd best projector is the Bauer U3 a very good solid projector but with my experience with them is the relay system they use can be unreliable if not maintained correctly and the auto turret can give problems but other than that they are ok. I have used these projectors for a lot of years and am pleased with them both, good performers leave the cinemecanica vic 5 for dead (worst projector ive used)

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Per Hauberg
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 883
From: Malling, Denmark
Registered: Jul 2000

posted 07-11-2000 07:55 PM

H O W D Y !

I'm new at the Forum (but old in the booth) and would like to shout it to anyone, who cares:
The Philips DP70 (AA2) is without doubt the king - sloppy dowsers or not, and in spite of what dealers of new projectors try to tell You, those nice people at Kinoton in Münich still can provide You with almost any bit part You need --but how often did You need anything...?
Bought my pair of DP's late 1974 - at that time they've been running for 12 years and in store for 2. Now they've been running 26 years for me 4-5 shows a day and still, every day in that booth is a pleasure !
Only complaint - there is no more real stuff around to run. Ran "Baraka" and "Out of Africa" last summer, -and that's all the prints left i little Denmark. -Well, -there is a 70mm "Hook", so thorn and worn, You'd better forget it... - but it sure did sound good, some years ago !

Before i got my own place, i have been running lot's of other projectors, the better ones being:
35/70:
Bauer U2 - far from being a DP, but a fair try. Just so darn clumsy: no room for fat fingers as on DP70, and the whole projector had to be taken apart, no matter how small a repair, you had to do. -Running godd, though.
Bauer U3 - not in any way that baddie, some people claims, allthough not Your best friend, when running worn 70mm prints...
(8 stops in one "South Pacific" show, -Yak!)
35 only:
Bauer B5, B11 and B14 (never tried the B12
:-( ) - fine germans. -Once bought a pair of B11's, but never had them in use yet. -Has anyone ever made "red light" for these ?
Westrex "Westar" 2000 ft, 4-track mag, 2500 watt Zeiss lamps and rock-steady on 45 feet scope - really liked those !

Bad guy's:
Victoria 4, 5, 8 and 9 (- got a V9 on 39 seats, 10 feet scope - that's acceptable, but screen any bigger that that - no way !)
Once tried a pair of V10's for some few weeks - nice steady 70mm picture - but we did not become friends at all.

Have just heard about possible 70DTS reissue of 2001. -My platter runs only 35, and DTS in house is also for 35 only. -Has anyone good or bad experience running DTS70 without backup - or DTS70 change-over ??
Either i will have to replace ST200 platter with ST270 or to buy 2 (or maybe 4) timecode readers - maybe even an extra DTS unit. Big expense for one film only...? (Only other try would be "Titanic" - and that one out for the third time, i don't belive pays the bills...) Please advise...!

BTW: (ok, -start laughing) Those DP70's are serving 104 seats, 15 feet screen - booth allowing nothing (in 1974) but Cinemec CX900 lamps - and no more's needed. CP 65 with MPU-1, DTS-6 and SR*D/Ex. 4.500 inhabitants,
33.-34.000 adm.'s a year, and i'm having the day off every midsummer's eve, christmas eve and new years eve and feel good about it, due to those two heavy old-timers.
Yep ! - Se You around...

Per

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Brad Miller
Administrator

Posts: 17775
From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall)
Registered: May 99

posted 07-11-2000 09:23 PM

Not to worry about DTS70 dropping out. Short of a power supply or drive failure, it won't happen.

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Martin Frandsen
Master Film Handler

Posts: 270
From: Denmark, Europe
Registered: Jun 99

posted 07-12-2000 07:10 AM

Hi Per, nice to see you on the forum, i no you have been a lurker for sometime

nice to see you finally found time to sign-up and join!

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It's the new small talk. You do it so awfully well! - My Fair Lady

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Scott Morrison
Film Handler

Posts: 9
From: Los Angeles, CA, USA
Registered: Sep 1999

posted 07-14-2000 03:10 PM

Just an FYI, Mark
There is only one auditorium at the Mann Chinese. The other two (the twins as they were called) were torn down to make way for the 'Hollywood&Highland' entertainment complex (future home of the Academy awards)
Mann was planning to build a 10 or so screen multiplex connected to the original Chinese, but Mann is on shaky financial ground so I have no idea the status of those.
BTW I agree, Norelco AA-II all the way!

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Mark Gulbrandsen
Resident Trollmaster

Posts: 16657
From: Music City
Registered: Jun 99

posted 07-14-2000 03:53 PM

I was not aware that the twins were gone. It has been a number of yers since I've been past the Chineese. When did were these demolished? I doubt that they would have used all AA-2's in the new plex. As I recall wasn't it Mann's predecessor that built the twins.
Mark

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