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» Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE   » Operations   » Film Handlers' Forum   » Would you trade a new Horizon 5565 for a Used Century Projector/Christy Platter? (Page 4)

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Author Topic: Would you trade a new Horizon 5565 for a Used Century Projector/Christy Platter? Gordon McLeod Film God Posts: 9532 From: Toronto Ontario Canada Registered: Jun 99 posted 03-05-2009 04:11 PM                     Any manufacturer can sell to an end user directly from anywhere in the world They can even have sales agents who reside in the receiving country and people to install or service under contract but they would not hold any liability as I am pretty sure that the sales contract will be between the end user and the factory from what information is on their web site they made a mistake of not buying from a reputable dealer who provides a value added service  |  IP: Logged Bill Enos Film God Posts: 2081 From: Richmond, Virginia, USA Registered: Apr 2000 posted 03-05-2009 06:48 PM                     We bought 6 of those xenon lamps with the brand name of CineLite on them for $1,000. The bulbs we bought looked identical to the one pictured. Two failed at around 200 hrs., the others all failed to strike at about 930 hrs., no explosions, just either went out during a run or failed to strike. Even at the very low price not a good value.  |  IP: Logged Joshua Waaland Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 800 From: Cleveland, Ohio Registered: Dec 1999 posted 03-05-2009 08:00 PM                     Benjamin, The other guys are right, you should out this dealer so nobody else gets screwed by their bad dealings. They are trying to take advantage of your lack of knowledge of the equipment, plain and simple. It's like when a person takes their car to a garage and the mechanic feeds them some line of BS jargon just to make a buck because they don't understand cars. Try to get your money back. Regardless of what the manufacturer's website says, the dealer should have some kind of return policy or responsibility to make you happy. If they don't refund your money or get you into something comparable in price, out them on here and get a lawyer. That crap he is trying to sell you isn't worth $1,500 tops! No where near the $13,000 you paid! In the end he laughs all the way to the bank.  |  IP: Logged Eric Robinson Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 538 From: Santa Rosa, CA Registered: Jan 2005 posted 03-05-2009 08:35 PM                     The AW3 non removable brain plate platters are easily damaged by booth monkeys. The print has to be lifted up over the brain plate to move it. Booth monkeys tend to whack, bang, bend, and break most of the parts off of the brain plates. The most common problem is a bent feed out arm when bent badly enough will not return to the proper position. This causes other problems. I'd say stay away from this platter as well as the ORC lamphouse. The Century projector head is reputable; however, how do you know if the bearings are shot or what other problems it may have.  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 03-05-2009 10:20 PM                     I absolutely agree... this dealer should be exposed!!! Help prevent this from happenning to someone else down the road. Mark  |  IP: Logged Tristan Lane Master Film Handler Posts: 444 From: Nampa, Idaho Registered: Feb 2002 posted 03-06-2009 12:02 AM                     Wow, This thread makes me want to go out and buy Horizon projectors. (sarcasm for those who can't tell) Can they really be THAT bad??? Worse than Monee or Cinecita? I was these projectors at ShoWest a few years back. I spent a couple of minutes looking over the machine and then moved along. You could tell just by looking at the machine quality that there would be problems down the road.....  |  IP: Logged Monte L Fullmer Film God Posts: 8367 From: Nampa, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 03-06-2009 04:08 AM                     quote: Eric Robinson The AW3 non removable brain plate platters are easily damaged by booth monkeys BUT, if you teach a booth monkey how to move prints from an AW3 ... CORRECTLY ... (along with making a board out of 5/16" finished plywood 36 inches square with an 8 inch wide groove cut out to the middle of the board so the board can still slide under the print and the groove is wide enough so the brain can go inbetween the groove. Thus, when you lift the board, it goes over the brain without any bumping into the brain), these old AW3's are just as reliable as the "R" series since there is no basic difference between the two. quote: Eric Robinson I'd say stay away from this platter as well Don't give any rap how bad AW3's are - I'd rather work on a AW3 any day of the week than STRONG platters (and I don't mean to flair up STRONG products in the first place cuz I have to work with them in my 5 days of work and they themselves don't give me any fits at all,) and don't use the excuse that the booth monkeys are destroying these platters since people, like monkeys, have to be trained with time and patience to perform their tricks correctly. Sorry about my rant on this one - I like AW3s real well. - Monte  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 03-06-2009 08:44 AM                     Monte, I don't think any of us here were giving the AW-3 a bad rap. It's just that in the real world... were you teach a booth monger something and they forget it 5 min later... then the fixed payout heads are a bad thing.... I don't service any locations that have a booths manager like you... Robert is very fortunate you're around!! I was using the fixed heads to date how old they possibly are. Mark  |  IP: Logged Benjamin Speed Film Handler Posts: 6 From: Franklin, Maine, U.S.A. Registered: Feb 2009 posted 03-06-2009 09:46 AM                        I appreciate everyone's support and suggestions. I am going to hold off on giving any names until the matter is settled. I'm hoping in two weeks the whole matter will be resolved, and I can pass on the name of the dealer. In the meantime, don't buy Horizon. Also in the meantime, our board of directors is taking all suggestions for replacements if we are to get a full refund. Does anyone have suggestions of what to get for a small booth? Or does anyone have experience with digital technology (broadband servers) that they could recommend? If we do stick with film, I like the comment about not having platters. Before the Horizon projector we had two upright Century projectors with Strong lamphouses (only if we had those rebuilt ). I'm even open to one good upright projector with an intermission. How do you guys feel about intermissions?  |  IP: Logged Monte L Fullmer Film God Posts: 8367 From: Nampa, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 03-06-2009 01:23 PM                     quote: Mark Gulbrandsen were you teach a booth monger something and they forget it 5 min later... then the fixed payout heads are a bad thing.... Thx Mark for the reply. True, it was like that when I came on board, but eventually, we weeded out the dead wood and got things under control. Thus, my ignorance really shows on that one where it seems that no control is around and situations seems to run away rampant. No wonder why digitial conversion are on the upswing in some markets .... thx-Monte  |  IP: Logged Martin McCaffery Film God Posts: 2481 From: Montgomery, AL Registered: Jun 99 posted 03-06-2009 03:28 PM                        As another non-profit art house my advice is to start with the 35mm, two machines, good lenses and good sound (good mono is better than bad stereo and you can upgrade later). As others have said you can get good rebuilt Century's (or Simplexes) from various people on this forum, or from others who are not. As for digital, for your purposes you're not going to go (and I doubt you can afford) full blown 2k. You can still have some (let's call it) video content (DVD's, blueray, HD cam etc) if you get a good video projector. Ironically, the video projector with lens may cost more than the rebuilt 35mms You may want to explore Emerging Pictures video program. It doesn't work for us, but may be nicely suited for you. One projector with intermission? NO. But the advantage of having two machines is you can run with and intermission in an emergency if one of the machines goes down. We've had to do it and the audience is very forgiving, as long as you tell them about it before they pay for a ticket. If you have a sign up in the BO, you will have to point to the sign and ask "Have you read this" but no one is going to walk away. And the older audiences enjoy a potty break;> Now if the popcorn machine goes down, you're in trouble;>  |  IP: Logged Eric Robinson Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 538 From: Santa Rosa, CA Registered: Jan 2005 posted 03-06-2009 09:20 PM                     quote: Monte L Fullmer BUT, if you teach a booth monkey how to move prints from an AW3 Right, you are Monte! These platters are built like a brick house. The platters are not at fault when they get abused. Unfortunately sometimes there are those booths which are not run professionally and the (untrained) booth monkeys have their way with the equipment. This doesn't happen in all cases so I guess I would rephrase my comment by saying that the non removable brain plates can be damaged if the staff is not trained or equiped properly. Funny thing about Strong and Christie platters, I like both of them equally. Although it is quite apparent which one is better engineered, it is also more complicated. The less complicated of the two is so simple, you have to admire it.  |  IP: Logged Mark Lensenmayer Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1605 From: Upper Arlington, OH Registered: Sep 1999 posted 03-06-2009 09:30 PM                     Please do not consider intermissions. Our Downtown Summer Film series (that has been going on for about 30 years or so now) always has an intermission. I think it has something to do with letting the older folks in the crowd get a restroom break. Anyway, the breaks are usually at the end of a reel and are not always where it would make sense dramatically. The classic here was breaking right in the middle of the crop dusting scene in NORTH BY NORTHWEST. So, PLEASE, invest in a system that will allow you to run the entire film without a break.  |  IP: Logged Demetris Thoupis Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1240 From: Aradippou, Larnaca, Cyprus Registered: Apr 2001 posted 03-07-2009 01:57 AM                     Don't most companies give a 1 year guarantee on the equipment? If they break after 1 year I doubt there is much you can do about it to get your money back. BUT as others have correctly stated in this forum, you should claim for GOOD equipment if not new. Demetris  |  IP: Logged Louis Bornwasser Film God Posts: 4441 From: prospect ky usa Registered: Mar 2005 posted 03-07-2009 05:29 AM                        Honorable people sell honorable equipment. Simple problems are dealt with simply. Never sell any equipment that you don't want to see again; it NEVER goes away. As a dealer, I probably have at least 50,000 pounds of equipment that I would never sell in my warehouse. It is retained to provide parts for the less fortunate or, occasionally, I will sell some, but only to those who already have that make and model and who, presumably, know what to expect. Louis  |  IP: Logged

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