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Author Topic: nelp needed rebuilding a Spectra 90 Ben Wales Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 602 From: Southampton. England Registered: Jul 99 posted 04-19-2003 04:25 PM                     I might (some where) have a sales book on these from the UK sales Agent for these and will post a picture of one for all to see. I expect there is a spares issue on these projectors, I know of some of the portable (Spectra 80) version that it could be converted to stereo and a Quarz lamps as the Switcher supply did have some problems on these and there are some nightmere stories on the projectors at work!.  |  IP: Logged Leo Enticknap Film God Posts: 7474 From: Loma Linda, CA Registered: Jul 2000 posted 04-20-2003 06:01 AM                        The spares issue struck me, as well. Pete - the machines Mat has came out of the Robins in Durham after it closed in January. A friend of mine who is the support officer for independent cinemas at the Newcastle office of the Film Council knew Mat was interested in upgrading to 35mm, was offered these projectors and asked me to have a look and see if they were any good. I'd never seen these machines before: they looked pretty solidly built and appeared to have been quite well maintained. What I found interesting was that the cinema's owners had stripped out virtually everything except the mechanisms: platters, lenses, sound gear (apart from some crappy-looking mono 1970s power amps bolted to the wall of the projection box), the lot. I'm guessing that they removed everything they thought they could use at another site, but left the Spectras because there is no longer anyone importing spares or providing service backup for them. The mechs had labels on them with the name of a company I didn't recognise (CSS sounds about right), and which I'm 99.9% sure doesn't exist any more. That having been said, Mat does have three of the things, so he can use the best one and cannibalise the other two for spares. His projection box is nowhere near big enough for two machines running changeovers (unless he removes his existing 16mm projector), but one and a tower looked very feasible to me. There is already a three-phase supply into the box.  |  IP: Logged Pete Naples Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1565 From: Dunfermline, Scotland Registered: Feb 2001 posted 04-20-2003 08:53 AM                     It's come back to me. C.S.D. Cinema Supply and Design I thin kti stood for. They did the early UCI installs, and were the UK agents for the Spectra/FunDun/whatever. They closed up some time ago, one of theie employees was none other than Michael Denner of Dolby UK, and Glastonbury festival cinema fame. AFAIK The machines are still made, as Kevin pointed out spares are available in Australia, so shouldn't be an unsurmountable problem here.  |  IP: Logged Gordon McLeod Film God Posts: 9532 From: Toronto Ontario Canada Registered: Jun 99 posted 04-20-2003 01:38 PM                     The design of the machine looks a lot like an ernamann 9  |  IP: Logged Richard Fowler Film God Posts: 2392 From: Ft. Lauderdale, FL, USA Registered: Jun 2001 posted 04-20-2003 08:04 PM                     With a little mix of Meopta in the soundhead...... Richard Fowler Kinoton America Inc.  |  IP: Logged Leo Enticknap Film God Posts: 7474 From: Loma Linda, CA Registered: Jul 2000 posted 04-21-2003 05:01 AM                        Mechanically, they looked like they were designed to withstand a direct hit from a Tinannenmen Square tank! I'm very glad it was Mat and not me who ended up heaving them out of that half-demolished cinema in Durham and not me. I don't think I'd have much back left by now otherwise...  |  IP: Logged Ben Wales Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 602 From: Southampton. England Registered: Jul 99 posted 04-21-2003 05:05 PM                     Here is a scanned image taken from the Cinema Supply & Design Sales details on the Spectra 90 Projector.  |  IP: Logged Mat Fleming Film Handler Posts: 14 From: Newcasatle upont Tyne Registered: Apr 2003 posted 04-22-2003 11:33 AM                     I was going to take a new photo or 2 but I don't have to now. Thants the one, except ours have a horrible looking automation consoles on the front of the stand. Probably useful to some but we just want stop-go operation so it just adds an extra level of complication when we're trying to decipher the wiring and electronics. We don't have arms to hold the reels either which would have been handy if we got any screening room business. Where they were they had cakestands but we've no room for one of those. I'm looking for a tower I guess. Thanks again for all your posts. Mat  |  IP: Logged Peter Hall Master Film Handler Posts: 314 From: London, UK Registered: Dec 2000 posted 04-22-2003 12:28 PM                        Matt - Even worse, your electrics are a hybrid design half way between the Donk Fenk and some undocumented CSD thing. And the automation - I MUST say however these machines are NOTHING like the mighty Ernemann 8 9 or 10 ! More like a GK37 Peter  |  IP: Logged Mat Fleming Film Handler Posts: 14 From: Newcasatle upont Tyne Registered: Apr 2003 posted 04-26-2003 06:23 AM                     Thank you all. One last question- How heavy do you think one of these is (with and without rectifier)? How much should I worry about our sturdy, but wooden, floor? It's only a vew feet above solid earth so stilts aren't out of the question.  |  IP: Logged Gordon McLeod Film God Posts: 9532 From: Toronto Ontario Canada Registered: Jun 99 posted 04-26-2003 10:50 AM                     I woudl be tempted to place some cement blocks shoring up the floor joists directly under the machines  |  IP: Logged Daryl C. W. O'Shea Film God Posts: 3977 From: Midland Ontario Canada (where Panavision & IMAX lenses come from) Registered: Jun 2002 posted 04-26-2003 02:54 PM                        What Gord said. If you can jump up and down and make the floor move ever so slightly, I'd be more than tempted to brace the floor with some concrete blocks. Just stack as some blocks at either end of the pedestal and shim the remaining gap (between the blocks and the floor joyces) with some wood shims. Provided the floor was constructed 'somewhat properly' you don't have too much to worry about, but it is possible for the wood floor to start sagging a little. When supported by blocks you won't be wondering why the picture is slowly making its way off of the screen as the floor sags.  |  IP: Logged Kevin Baglow Expert Film Handler Posts: 135 From: Yeppoon Qld, Australia Registered: Dec 2000 posted 04-26-2003 08:16 PM                        I'm useing three the same, they give you an option of lens turrets now. Weight 450gk. Had lunch with the factory owners in Tenjing, before I ordered them, 4 years ago. We've got them puring along nicely now- no job for an ameture though.  |  IP: Logged John Pytlak Film God Posts: 9987 From: Rochester, NY 14650-1922 Registered: Jan 2000 posted 04-28-2003 07:54 AM                        Another reason to have a solid, well supported floor is that any vibration of the projector will show up as unsteadiness of the image on the screen.  |  IP: Logged Leo Enticknap Film God Posts: 7474 From: Loma Linda, CA Registered: Jul 2000 posted 04-28-2003 08:39 AM                        You'd need force 9 on the Richter scale to shake those things! IMHO, if Mat doesn't reinforce the floor one of two things will happen: (i) the projector will sit perfectly still on the wooden floorboards, or (ii) there will be an almighty 'crunch', a cloud of dust and splinters, and then the projector will sit perfectly still on whatever is underneath those floorboards!  |  IP: Logged

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