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Author Topic: Anyone ever seen a XeTron Loop-Matic? Randy Stankey Film God Posts: 6539 From: Erie, Pennsylvania Registered: Jun 99 posted 08-13-2011 09:59 PM                     Just thinking... Owing to the amount of trouble it takes to build film onto a Loopmatic, it seems like its use would be limited to special venue presentation where the same program would be shown over and over. That might be the key but it would be helpful to know how much film this machine can hold. Let's say you put two prints of the same movie together in one loop. This would give you two benefits. First, it would simplify buildup. Build both prints onto large reels. One forward/head-out and the other backward/tail-out. Take the opposing ends, splice them together and start winding onto the Loopmatic. Since there are two identical programs, there would be no measuring. Second, to prevent damage to the film, simply splice ten feet of black film between the ends of the program segments. The changeover would happen shortly after you start every other show. When it did, it would happen on expendable, black film. If that film gets beat up during operation, I don't think it would be a problem to replace it every few weeks. Even if it didn't get replaced, any scratches that occurred would be at the beginning of every other show. Most people wouldn't notice. Mose people who did notice wouldn't care. With proper cue-based automation and timers or remote switches, this system could likely run for months with little maintenance outside of occasional checkups and P.M.s. Now again, the key is to know how much film this machine can hold. Your average special venue show is less than an hour. More like a half hour. That much film would easily fit on a reel that holds two hours.  |  IP: Logged Jim Cassedy Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1661 From: San Francisco, CA Registered: Dec 2006 posted 08-14-2011 12:36 AM                     Here's an ACTUAL PHOTO I found on Cinematour LINK To Page If you poke around the web a bit, you can find more pix. I did!  |  IP: Logged Monte L Fullmer Film God Posts: 8367 From: Nampa, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 08-14-2011 12:46 AM                     ..can you see "booth clowns' running this thing, let alone putting a show together using this contraption?  |  IP: Logged Louis Bornwasser Film God Posts: 4441 From: prospect ky usa Registered: Mar 2005 posted 08-14-2011 08:33 AM                        Believe it or not, it is quite gentle, slow moving when adjusted correctly. Very popular in the past in Eastern Europe. Louis  |  IP: Logged Richard Fowler Film God Posts: 2392 From: Ft. Lauderdale, FL, USA Registered: Jun 2001 posted 08-14-2011 12:43 PM                     I saw this unit operating during a three day seminar at the old Xetron plant in New Jersey. I was amazingly gentle in the loop reversal and transfer...if there was any film damage it would be at the same point of the roll....constant tension better than an average changeover set-up.  |  IP: Logged Sam D. Chavez Film God Posts: 2153 From: Martinez, CA USA Registered: Aug 2003 posted 08-14-2011 12:44 PM                       There was one of these on trial at the Geneva Drive In in San Francisco for a month or so. The make up was just too slow and if memory serves, you needed to know the absolute middle of the show within 50 feet, so this alone made it impractical as the whole point of the device was to eliminate a skilled operator and the wages he or she would be paid.  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 08-14-2011 03:20 PM                     I am pretty sure the Loopmatic shown in the picture was posted for sale either here or on Ebay recently for some outlandish price ~3grand.  |  IP: Logged System Notices Forum Watchdog / Soup Nazi Posts: 215 Registered: Apr 2004 posted 03-26-2013 03:42 PM                 It has been 590 days since the last post.  |  IP: Logged Sean McKinnon Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1712 From: Peabody Massachusetts Registered: Sep 2000 posted 03-26-2013 03:42 PM                        Whatever happened to the video footage of this?  |  IP: Logged System Notices Forum Watchdog / Soup Nazi Posts: 215 Registered: Apr 2004 posted 11-09-2019 08:43 AM                 It has been 2418 days since the last post.  |  IP: Logged Steve Kraus Film God Posts: 4094 From: Chicago, IL, USA Registered: May 2000 posted 11-09-2019 08:43 AM                    Bump. It would still be incredible to see one run and change ends.  |  IP: Logged

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