Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Would you trade a new Horizon 5565 for a Used Century Projector/Christy Platter?

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Topic: Would you trade a new Horizon 5565 for a Used Century Projector/Christy Platter?

System Notices
Forum Watchdog / Soup Nazi

Posts: 215

Registered: Apr 2004

posted 03-25-2010 09:48 PM

It has been 383 days since the last post.

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Benjamin Speed
Film Handler

Posts: 6
From: Franklin, Maine, U.S.A.
Registered: Feb 2009

posted 03-25-2010 09:48 PM

One year later and we have settled out of court and agreed to have the projector fixed to our satisfaction. The second tech that came was much better with the machine and got it to work after much tweaking and parts replacements. We have Emerging Pictures for digital films off of a server (which we are not renewing due to the cost), and are using the Horizon sparingly for school vacation films only, at the moment. We signed off on the machine, but I still would not recommend it to anyone. To find the timing sweet spot on this machine is the trick to keep it running, as long as everything else doesn't break.

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Tony Bandiera Jr
Film God

Posts: 3067
From: Moreland Idaho
Registered: Apr 2004

posted 03-25-2010 10:10 PM

I am sorry to hear that and promise you will have another horror story with that crap to share again soon. [Frown]

Your board of directors deserves a big thumbs down for accepting the settlement and signing off on the machine.

Now can you at least do us the favor of finally outing that dealer before anyone else gets the same [sex]

you guys got?

Situations like this emphasize how much closer to the end the whole exhibition industry is....

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Louis Bornwasser
Film God

Posts: 4441
From: prospect ky usa
Registered: Mar 2005

posted 03-25-2010 10:28 PM

It is never too late to do the right thing. . . .get rid of the Horizons. Agree: should have taken even a partial settlement and bought something robust/decent. . . and repairable. Think you have had trouble up to now? Wait 6 years and try to get these repaired! Louis

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Mark Gulbrandsen
Resident Trollmaster

Posts: 16657
From: Music City
Registered: Jun 99

posted 03-25-2010 10:50 PM

He won't have to worry because in 6 years there will be little film left in distribution. HE will be more worried on how to aquire D-Cinema!

Mark

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Tony Bandiera Jr
Film God

Posts: 3067
From: Moreland Idaho
Registered: Apr 2004

posted 03-26-2010 11:11 PM

Mark, don't tell me you've gone back to the Dark Side... [evil]

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Louis Bornwasser
Film God

Posts: 4441
From: prospect ky usa
Registered: Mar 2005

posted 03-27-2010 06:26 AM

So this is "Darth" Gulbrandsen? Louis

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Mark Gulbrandsen
Resident Trollmaster

Posts: 16657
From: Music City
Registered: Jun 99

posted 03-27-2010 08:08 AM

I'm caught in the middle of this film---Digital time warp guys! I have to do both... But realistically... filum is a headdin out in the not too distant future. I may well be retired by then [Cool]

Mark

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Benjamin Speed
Film Handler

Posts: 6
From: Franklin, Maine, U.S.A.
Registered: Feb 2009

posted 03-24-2011 01:01 PM

So by the time we got the Horizon fixed, we now have purchased a new digital projector system and are strictly digital now. If anyone wants to try this projector out, we will sell it for a song as long as you can pay for arranging it's packaging and shipping. UHAUL and it is yours. In the right hands, you could make this machine work for you, but as alluded to in previous posts, it is not the best-made machine and will take the right technician to get the most out of it. If you are interested, let me know.

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Richard Hamilton
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1341
From: Evansville, Indiana
Registered: Jan 2000

posted 03-28-2011 11:36 AM

I'll have to back up Horizon somewhat on this. The theater owner importing them was selling them as a cheaper alternative than the main brands. He knew of my dealings in China. It was a way to put film in new multiplexes being built that knew they would convert to digital when the industry agreed on a standard for digital.

I had a few issues during the install of the first multi-plex using them in the states. The factory from Harbin sent in engineers to help. It was hard dealing with an engineer who spoke very limited English. The projector worked fine, except for the 24fps exactly when you pushed the start button. There were some issues with the electronics and the platters. The platter issue I believe was resolved, it was an issue with the control plates.

Yes, these systems require "slightly" more babysitting, but when I left the install, I had a rock steady bright picture in every house.

Shortly after the install, I had a trip already arranged for southern China. The owner/importer in Texas and I talked and he paid for me and my girlfriend to go to Harbin (which I don't recommend unless you are wearing multiple layers of long underwear. I only had jeans and a leather coat). I was in the same boat, I had to try explain to my Chinese girlfriend how to explain technical work so she could translate to the senior engineers about the issues.

Rick

By the way, what is a Christy platter?

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Tony Bandiera Jr
Film God

Posts: 3067
From: Moreland Idaho
Registered: Apr 2004

posted 04-04-2011 08:54 PM

quote:
If anyone wants to try this projector out, we will sell it for a song as long as you can pay for arranging it's packaging and shipping. UHAUL and it is yours. In the right hands, you could make this machine work for you, but as alluded to in previous posts, it is not the best-made machine and will take the right technician to get the most out of it. If you are interested, let me know.

Are you f-ing nuts or something? Or on heavy drugs when you made that post? [Eek!]

Your best bet is to call a scrap metal dealer to haul that [bs]

away and you might get a few bucks for the scrap value.

I think that ranks as the most incredibly stupid thing I have seen posted on here in a long time!! [Razz]

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John Wilson
Film God

Posts: 5438
From: Sydney, Australia.
Registered: Dec 1999

posted 04-04-2011 10:09 PM

^ Agreed (and that's saying something).

quote: Benjamin Speed 02-22-2009
After retiring two projectors (Century Projectors with newer Super Simplex lamp houses) from 1939, we decided to pursue a projector from Horizon, a Chinese company that uses Xenon bulbs. We knew we weren't getting a Cadillac, but we were hoping that at least it would run for 10-15 years until we cold invest in a larger digital/server system. Boy have we been disappointed. Since August, 2008, from replacing a sound head, aperture plate, reader cards, to parts failing and just recently breaking in half, the machine has been in repair for more days than it has been in service. Needless to say we have asked for the machine to be removed.

quote: Benjamin Speed 03-24-2011
If anyone wants to try this projector out, we will sell it for a song as long as you can pay for arranging it's packaging and shipping. UHAUL and it is yours. In the right hands, you could make this machine work for you, but as alluded to in previous posts, it is not the best-made machine and will take the right technician to get the most out of it. If you are interested, let me know.

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Eric Robinson
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 538
From: Santa Rosa, CA
Registered: Jan 2005

posted 04-05-2011 10:26 AM

I've had my fill of polishing turds. [bs]

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Richard Hamilton
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1341
From: Evansville, Indiana
Registered: Jan 2000

posted 04-05-2011 04:04 PM

quote: Tony Bandiera Jr
Your best bet is to call a scrap metal dealer

Tony, sadly I agree with you. I'm sure there is a surplus of other projectors piling up out in the theaters. If I lived near Maine, I would pick it up as a reminder of the work I did for them.

The factory really wanted to make the machine work right. What they didn't understand was the concept of 1 person operating 16 machines at once. When I was installing MegaSystems 8/70 machines in China, they had 5 people assigned to each projector. A tech who drew schematics of everything I installed, and took notes of everything, and 4 girls who ran the film. Every show they had 2 girls to thread, 1 by the sound rack and 1 to push the start button and check the projector.

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