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Author Topic: Victoria 5 Curved Gate Jamie Sanson Film Handler Posts: 33 From: Port Macquarie,NSW, Australia Registered: Feb 2002 posted 01-29-2004 05:24 AM                     Hi Gordon I have just installed a new vic 5 with the curved gate and like you were very impressed with it's performance of the picture and the film. It is good to see that projection equipment manufactures are still working on there machines to make them better for all of us. Just a pic of the new vic 5 in action.  |  IP: Logged Thomas Jonsson Expert Film Handler Posts: 216 From: Bromolla, Sweden Registered: Sep 2003 posted 01-29-2004 02:54 PM                       We invested in the new curved gate for Vic 5 a couple of months ago. The picture quality is indeed better. However, I noticed dirt getting stuck real hard on the tension bands at the point where the film enters the gate. I wondered what caused this, and when taking a very close look I found out that the tension bands was lifting from the upper part of the gate, with all preassure focused on the point where the film enters. So, tightening the bands until the film stops shaking isn´t enough. You have to look through a magnifying glass to see when the bands are tight to the gate all the way up. At least to me it seems to be something wrong with the construction. Anyone else who have noticed this? Thomas  |  IP: Logged Gordon McLeod Film God Posts: 9532 From: Toronto Ontario Canada Registered: Jun 99 posted 01-29-2004 02:56 PM                     Have noticed hard wax build up if the gate runs hot and needs to be kept cleaned off or use filmguard and have no dirt in the first place  |  IP: Logged Dave Callaghan Film Handler Posts: 60 From: Toronto, Ontario, Canada Registered: Jan 2003 posted 01-31-2004 02:53 AM                     John, when I clicked on the link for Cinemeccanica Article, the Kodak website stated that that page does not exist. The page was indicated to be: http://www.kodak.com/US/en/motion/newsletters/reel/june99/nicelli.shtml  |  IP: Logged John Pytlak Film God Posts: 9987 From: Rochester, NY 14650-1922 Registered: Jan 2000 posted 02-02-2004 08:26 AM                        A .pdf copy of the article is here on Film-Tech: http://www.film-tech.com/manuals/H5051.pdf (see page 9)  |  IP: Logged Thomas Jonsson Expert Film Handler Posts: 216 From: Bromolla, Sweden Registered: Sep 2003 posted 05-16-2004 03:46 PM                       The new curved gate for the Vic 5 was a dissapointment. I´ve used it for about 8 months. The locking mechanism doesn´t work as it should. It´s either too tight or too loose, no way to make it lock in the exact position. The metal tension bands has been changed twice during these 8 months. The rounded knobs that presses on the bands above the gate, makes them twist slightly inwards causing bad focus on the sides of the image. Also, cleaning the bands properly are almost impossible without taking the whole gate off the projector. I have now put the straight gates back (the long versions). There´s no noticeable differens as for focus and steadiness. Last week I heard in Denmark several theaters have put their straight gates back, since they´ve had nothing but trouble with the curved one. Too bad, since this was a good intention. Perhaps it should have stayed just a little longer on the drawing board? Thomas  |  IP: Logged Gordon McLeod Film God Posts: 9532 From: Toronto Ontario Canada Registered: Jun 99 posted 05-16-2004 07:31 PM                     All the curved ones put in over here are still in place and in the theatres I deal with there is no complaints other than the tendancy to get a lot of buildup. Some have been 2 years on the first set of bands and one pair is in a film lab and they are still happy with it  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 05-16-2004 09:58 PM                     I still can't understand WHY anyone would ever put in a VIC 5 to begin with..... Indeed they designed the curved runner wrong.... Shoulda been curved on its length, not its lateral dimension. Mark  |  IP: Logged Demetris Thoupis Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1240 From: Aradippou, Larnaca, Cyprus Registered: Apr 2001 posted 05-17-2004 01:30 AM                     Lot of controversing comments here I see. Here in Cyprus we have had excellent results with a few upgrades to some cinemas to install the curved gate. No more Shakemeccanica!! picture is frightening rock steady. It does built up though as Gordon has mentioned a lot. After each show, especially if the print is new, the projectionist has to clean the gate before rethreading very very well. D.  |  IP: Logged Jamie Sanson Film Handler Posts: 33 From: Port Macquarie,NSW, Australia Registered: Feb 2002 posted 05-17-2004 02:13 AM                     All gates should be clean after every show it's just the meccanica's required a little more than some. But still a very good projector never the less.  |  IP: Logged Stephen Jones Master Film Handler Posts: 314 From: Geelong Victoria Australia Registered: Jun 99 posted 05-18-2004 09:09 PM                     Not a fan of the Vic 5. Kinoton leaves them behind as I have used both types of projectors and if was building a cinema Kinoton would be my choice.Anyone know what the new Vic 8s are like are they better than the Vic 5s? Steve  |  IP: Logged Thomas Jonsson Expert Film Handler Posts: 216 From: Bromolla, Sweden Registered: Sep 2003 posted 08-01-2004 04:09 PM                       If it can be of any use to anyone, this is what I´ve done to "improve" the curved gate: First I took off the pushers above the gate (I can´t understand what they´re doing there in the first place), turned the tension adjustment knob in half-way-position, laced a loop of film in the machine, and then tightened the bands with the adjustment screew above the gate until the film stopped shaking. For my two machines they ended up with different angles. That´s what I call precision made parts! To prevent the annoying hard wax build up on the hot tension bands, I added self adhesive velvet bands on them. Isolates the film from the hot metal bands - no more wax build up. And makes the film run a little smoother. It´s better, but I still think it´s a no-good construction. Cinemeccanica should be able to do better than this. I too am curious to know if the Vic 8 still gives a better image over the Vic 5 with the curved gate? Thomas  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 08-01-2004 05:03 PM                     I would hardly consider the VIC 8's trap to be curved. Bent would be more like it. Its straight at an angle for the upper third and then bends and is straight to the bottom 2/3's. We have two VIC 8's still running that I service and the picture is generally excellent. They have 3kw lamps behind them. Interestingly both VIC 8's are fed film from 23 year old Norelco platters that have yet to be worked on. Mark @ CLACO  |  IP: Logged

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