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Topic: Slide Projectors

Dustin Mitchell
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1865
From: Mondovi, WI, USA
Registered: Mar 2000

posted 09-26-2000 08:53 AM

Of course they're not a problem, we've got the same deal with C&A. Its just that they cost 13 dollars a piece, and I gotta assume the more money C&A makes, the more money we make. Besides, continously changing those things gets to be a pain in the ass.

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Dave Cutler
Master Film Handler

Posts: 277
From: Centennial, CO
Registered: Jun 2000

posted 09-26-2000 09:12 AM

The problem with using a Xenon slide projector would be the lamp. They are very expensive and shouldn't be turned off during the show. They would require an exhaust (could be patched into your projector exhaust) and would create a considerable amount of heat in the booth. Also since the lamp does produce so much light (more specifically heat) you have to use glass slides which are also expensive.

All in all Xenon slide projectors aren't cost effective. If you can just dim the lights at the very front of the auditorium next to the screen you will get a good image. Also don't try and fill the screen, it will help the movie appear more impressive when it comes up that way. I have had good success doing this. Most theatres probably can't do that, but if you can, give it a try.

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John Pytlak
Film God

Posts: 9987
From: Rochester, NY 14650-1922
Registered: Jan 2000

posted 09-26-2000 01:58 PM

Kodak's website has lots of information on Kodak slide projectors and digital projectors:
http://www.kodak.com/US/en/digital/av/

I've heard that the slide projectors are very dependable, and many have a 4-year warranty. Could it be that the ones that fail early have been modified (e.g., heat filters removed to get more light) or have the cooling impaired?

------------------
John P. Pytlak, Senior Technical Specialist
Worldwide Technical Services, Entertainment Imaging
Eastman Kodak Company
Research Labs, Building 69, Room 7419
Rochester, New York, 14650-1922 USA
Tel: 716-477-5325 Fax: 716-722-7243
E-Mail: john.pytlak@kodak.com

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Brad Miller
Administrator

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

posted 09-26-2000 03:14 PM

Dave,

We had 500 watt xenon Telex slide projectors at the double-purpose theater/classroom college theater and they required no exhaust, no special slides (the art professors would sometimes stay on a slide for 10 minutes and there was no damage) and barely produced any heat. I wish I knew the model number, but that was way too many years ago. Anyway, the light output on the 40 foot screen was incredible. Those are just the type of machines theaters need.

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Steven Gorsky
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 146
From: Frederick, MD, USA
Registered: Sep 2000

posted 09-26-2000 07:51 PM

One reason for short slide projector bulb life is the fact (at least in my theatre's set-up) that the slide projector is just cut off, not allowing the fan to run to properly cool the bulb down.

Steven Gorsky

------------------
Projectionist

Disclaimer:
Anything expressed in this post is my personal view/opinion, and not necessarily the view of the company for which I work.
Any technical questions are for my personal knowledge only.

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Dustin Mitchell
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1865
From: Mondovi, WI, USA
Registered: Mar 2000

posted 09-26-2000 08:53 PM

Our Telex's cut off just like the Kodaks and they're bulbs last upwards of 60 days usually compared to 6-20 for the Kodaks.

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Randy Stankey
Film God

Posts: 6539
From: Erie, Pennsylvania
Registered: Jun 99

posted 09-26-2000 09:29 PM

I remember that somebody did some research on the cooling vs. lamp life thing.

It came out that forced cooling actually shortened lamp life. If the lamp is force cooled there are many more exansion / contraction cycles on the filiament and envelope causing more stress and evental failure. It was said that, if you can, you should let the lamp cool naturally.

If I can find the research again I'll share it.

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Michael Barry
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 584
From: Sydney, NSW, Australia
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 09-28-2000 10:37 AM

Where I'm currently working, we have a Xenon slide projector which uses medium format glass slides. Because the slides flip over as they change, there is a 'dissolve' effect.

During the session the xenon runs on a standby current of about 40 amps and runs on about 60-70 amps from memory...I think it's a 1600W bulb...

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Dustin Mitchell
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1865
From: Mondovi, WI, USA
Registered: Mar 2000

posted 09-28-2000 06:27 PM

FYI, we have Ektagraph III a's.

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Bruce McGee
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1776
From: Asheville, NC USA... Nowhere in Particular.
Registered: Aug 1999

posted 09-28-2000 07:16 PM

I have a load of III-A's too. Also a bunch of 4600's that are good.

We have several Navitar high brightness modules that have given excellent service for at least 10 years. We have 5 AMT series Ektagraphics that are workhorses and have never given any trouble of any kind. The AMT's timers are decent. Sometimes the slides will change every 15 seconds, then every 12 for awhile. No problem for me, though.

As for cooling the lamps, when the show is over, we simply turn it off.
We buy Apollo EXR lamps and get good service with them. The GE's and Wiko's and Ushios last no longer and cost quite a bit more.

I constantly hope that I won't have to do any real work on one of our Ektagraphics. Just replacing the fan in one was a real joy

There is a xenon Ektagraphic at the Falls Theater in Brevard, NC.

The slides are bright.

The slide image is noticably smaller than the movie image for the reason mentioned earlier. The automation lowers the power on the lamp while the Cinemeccanica V8 is running.

We had a few Telex. I hated them. They all went away.

No, I didn't help them die. They did it themselves!

{The previous commentary is not a suck-up to Kodak. }

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Dustin Mitchell
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1865
From: Mondovi, WI, USA
Registered: Mar 2000

posted 09-28-2000 10:32 PM

Wow Bruce, I'm not saying your lying, but we have had completely opposite experiences with slide projectors

As far as modifications done to the Kodak's I have, no idea. I don't do the work on them, C&A gives me an address, I send the broken ones there.

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Bruce McGee
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1776
From: Asheville, NC USA... Nowhere in Particular.
Registered: Aug 1999

posted 09-29-2000 06:46 AM

Dustin, the owner of my company will back me up. He loves the Ektagraphics.

We do have one that is dead, though.
We used it for parts when we needed the fan... It was the only one that didn't have auto slide focus. We never used it. Customers hated having to focus their own slides (wah!) So, it becames "parts."

My boss buy new parts? Ha ha ha ha!!! Biggest tightwad on the planet. Thats why we are using ten year old machines!

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Dustin Mitchell
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1865
From: Mondovi, WI, USA
Registered: Mar 2000

posted 09-29-2000 08:08 AM

"...10 year old machines..."
You see, all of mine are under 10 years old, some are only 3 years old. Maybe there's something in the manufacturing that has changed? Or maybe I got a batch of lemons?

Another question for you, how many screens do you have and do you run afternoon matinees?

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John Pytlak
Film God

Posts: 9987
From: Rochester, NY 14650-1922
Registered: Jan 2000

posted 09-29-2000 08:25 AM

As noted, modifying the projectors (as many evidently do) may make them less dependable. Removing heat filtration, or using non-standard lamps, may increase the heat enough to shorten component life.

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Tom Sauter
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 163
From: Buffalo, NY, USA
Registered: Sep 2000

posted 09-29-2000 09:31 AM

Biggest problem I have had with any Kodak slide projectors have been unmodified ones that forget how to auto-focus and run the focus motor until the lens falls out! I've been using Kodak slide projectors for 7 years in various configurations with (otherwise) good results. I have several bergen 1600W xenons and Buhl 1200W halogens shooting through Ektagraphic I 's that are no worse for the wear. Navitar bright light modules look really nice, but lamp life is in the 20 hour range.

I always liked the Eiki (or Elmo?) presentation projectors with the auto-bulb change. When one bulb burns out it automagically switches to the backup and a little red flag pops out of the top to let you know its time for a new one.

Using carousels with the clear plastic covers instead of a center ring keep the moving parts of the projector really clean internally.

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