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Topic: Complicated Projectors...

Steve Matz
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 672
From: Billings, Montana, USA
Registered: Sep 2003

posted 08-07-2014 02:40 AM

quote: Monte L Fullmer
Is the Babcock still in operation there in Billings? An old TOI location 30 yrs ago .. and Verl Clark was manager.

-Monte

Yes Monte the Babcock is still here;but it's not a continuous Movie House showing Features any longer. Before it was remodeled they used if for everything from Boxing Smokers to Live Stage Plays. It has Projection Equipment again.I knew the main projectionist there for years(Jim Nelson)I think he was there when they first installed E7's in the 40's. The Theater is supposedly the oldest Theater in Montana starting up in 1917. I doubt it will ever be a daily/night showing theater again but they will show some old classics now and then...

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Monte L Fullmer
Film God

Posts: 8367
From: Nampa, Idaho, USA
Registered: Nov 2004

posted 08-07-2014 03:52 AM

(Not to drag this topic out about the Babcock..) looked at the website for the Babcock and the theatre looked like it was ran for years under the FOX Intermountain chain...even with the "Babcock Theatre" signage that ran across the street. For a lot of FOX locations had that for of signage that spanned across the street.

The one pict of the auditorium with all of that French scrollwork above the stage and side walls is similar to one Fox Intermountain location-being my hometown theatre being the "Paramount Theatre" in Idaho Falls, ID. where I resided as Chief Projectionist for a good dozen years.

Please PM me if want to chat more ...

Thx - Monte

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Steve Guttag
We forgot the crackers Gromit!!!

Posts: 12814
From: Annapolis, MD
Registered: Dec 1999

posted 08-07-2014 11:53 AM

quote: Mark Gulbrandsen
Honestly Steve, I have had so few Series 2 NEC issues on the mid and big projectors that how they are assembled really doesn't matter much. What little work I have had to do has been very easy to accomplish. You can change an igniter on an NC-2000 in about 15 min. A xenon supply, about 35 minutes. Extra cash spent on "glory" projectors just because they are a little easier to work on is a waste of money in the long haul.... And at that on a 10 to 12 year life span device! Sheesh...

Cool...we're being honest. So you are saying that based on your needing to service new projectors, one should not judge how hard it will be servicing aged projectors? The difference in the cost of the NEC versus the other DLPs is not in the fancy layout...it is in the 20% more light, better assembly overall, not assembled in China.

Yeah, you can change the igniter on an NEC because it is looking right at you...by luck. However, if you need to change the LPSU, well it is a good thing since you have to remove the igniter first! Oh and there are two different LPSUs in the NC1200 and the igniters must match the LPSU. That little diddy kept a theatre down an extra day...not because we didn't proper identify the LPSU/Igniter...but because the support for the projector sent the wrong thing anyway.

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Mark Gulbrandsen
Resident Trollmaster

Posts: 16657
From: Music City
Registered: Jun 99

posted 08-07-2014 04:26 PM

LOL! I had the same issue where they sent the wrong ignitor, a little different twist though. NEVER trust Strong! I had a bad one in an NC-2000 and they sent one for an NC-1200. Didn't keep us off the screen though as I had already swapped the bad one out of a projector running the 4kw lamp with one running a 2kw lamp. The bad one lit the 2kw no problem. The other kicker is IF they have to get the part from NEC that ads another day to your order wait. This seems to happen more often than not lately. I don't think Strong actually stocks much of anything any longer.

Why would age change the serviceability of a projector, other than possible parts availability? That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever read here. Manufacturers have already clearly stated a minimum of 10 to 12 year equipment support on that. 10 years form now it's going to be exactly the same effort to service a module, LPSU or pump asit is today and I won't be wading through an inch of dust coating boards and insides in order to do it.

As for made in China... So is 70% of your cough-cough(Supermicro) Dolby server. The majority of the chips in all products see some manufacturing steps in some part of Asia. The DLP chips themselves begin life in Tokyo and then go to the USA for further manufacturing steps.

The lastest Barco LPSU's are made in India. India for electronics IMHO is a far worse source than China. What? So do the Indian children and ladies that make shirts by day make Barco LPSU's by night, or do the fishermen come in and do that job?

Light level? What are you going to do with that surplus 20% just burn it off and send it up the stack? All my NEC's meet brightness specs with at least 25% left to go to the top end of the current range. If you can make spec at reasonable lamp levels that extra 20% of light available is usless.

Finally... Reliability. NEC has been uber reliable. Just ask any of my customers. Some of them are on this forum regularly, so feel free to ask them.

Mark

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Steve Matz
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 672
From: Billings, Montana, USA
Registered: Sep 2003

posted 08-07-2014 04:51 PM

SENT YOU A P.M. MONTE [beer]

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Steve Guttag
We forgot the crackers Gromit!!!

Posts: 12814
From: Annapolis, MD
Registered: Dec 1999

posted 08-07-2014 05:07 PM

Mark, you ignorant slut...

My reference is to as the projectors age...the need for service will increase and the increase in service times on the NEC will add up as you try to keep the older projectors going.

Who told you that these projectors are to last 10-12 years? Where do you have that in print? The closest you can claim is that they did/do offer a 10-year warranty if you are willing to pay the equivalent of a light engine and some boards. But I'll grant you that 10-years is a reasonable life span for these...not problem free...but in a serviceable fashion.

As for Dolby...their server remains TAA compliant. Does that mean it is 100% USA...of course not...but better than 50% is made in TAA approved countries. NEC...NOT.

I haven't seen the made in India stickers on the Barco power supplies...I haven't had problems with them either. I did have problems with some early DP2K-20Cs and the DP2000 where a couple did go..but lately...sorry no.

As for "surplus" light level that means a lower wattage lamp and/or running lower power...as in costs less to run and lights bigger screens better.

I don't need to ask your customers Mark...we have NEC, Barco and Christie under our service already...and we know first hand how well each perform (as well as the support and service on them).

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Sam D. Chavez
Film God

Posts: 2153
From: Martinez, CA USA
Registered: Aug 2003

posted 08-07-2014 07:21 PM

quote: Steve Guttag
Mark, you ignorant slut...

Believe it or not there may be members so young they don't know this reference.

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Manny Knowles
"What are these things and WHY are they BLUE???"

Posts: 4247
From: Bloomington, IN, USA
Registered: Feb 2002

posted 08-07-2014 07:33 PM

Steve: You should fix the teaser subject.

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Steve Matz
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 672
From: Billings, Montana, USA
Registered: Sep 2003

posted 08-07-2014 07:41 PM

YES; THEY WERE A LOVELY COUPLE [beer]

JANE YOU IGNORANT SLUT!

Manny are you the Film-Tech Police?...All Right Officer I'll go quietly but the Cuffs are awfully tight! [Wink]

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Manny Knowles
"What are these things and WHY are they BLUE???"

Posts: 4247
From: Bloomington, IN, USA
Registered: Feb 2002

posted 08-07-2014 07:49 PM

Friendly word of advice: Please fix your "teaser" title.

See rule #7 in the Film-Tech Site Rules.

You can also find a link to the FAQ's and Site Rules by clicking the link near the top of every page.

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Mark Gulbrandsen
Resident Trollmaster

Posts: 16657
From: Music City
Registered: Jun 99

posted 08-07-2014 11:11 PM

quote: Steve Guttag
My reference is to as the projectors age..

I am still trying to figure this statement out. Now you sound like Faux News where they spit out 15% of the facts correctly 50% of the time. I've spent the last 45 years of my life fixing electronics of all types. You name it! I have never seen a device that becomes more difficult to repair as it ages. So what is so difficult to replace in one of these projectors? I've had them all apart... There is nothing in an NC-2000, NC-1200, or NC-3200/3240 that is going to take you more than about an hour to replace to get a projector going again. Even the light engine is a 15 minute swap if you order the correct version of the replacement and not just the bare engine. Please clarify this but other than replacing the chassis itself there is nothing time consuming about working on them. A reflector takes 3 minutes and replacing a lamp is faster than a Barco and more accessible than a Christie. I work on the other brands too, you seem to forget that... The real truth is that no one knows how often these will need service, but the fact is that all three brands are going to need it at some point, however you make it sound like it's going to be a constant when that's far from the truth.

Mark

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Brad Miller
Administrator

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

posted 08-07-2014 11:11 PM

Manny, I'm surprised you didn't start your last post with "I don't mean to be an insensitive prick, but..." [Razz]

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Mark Gulbrandsen
Resident Trollmaster

Posts: 16657
From: Music City
Registered: Jun 99

posted 08-07-2014 11:13 PM

LOL! Steve, that's classic...

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Marcel Birgelen
Film God

Posts: 3357
From: Maastricht, Limburg, Netherlands
Registered: Feb 2012

posted 08-08-2014 02:05 AM

I propose the big NEC vs Barco Projector Assembly Bash.

In the left corner will be Steve G., representing Barco, in the right corner will be Mark G., representing NEC.

Round 1: All projectors will be stripped down to their chassis, you will be provided the parts. Whoever assembles the first fully working projector wins the round.

Round 2: The same idea as Round 1, only now all the parts will be scattered around a big field. To complicate matters even more, all Designed by the hands of Jebus, but still made in China stickers will be removed. Stealing a part from the competition, while he's not looking is totally permitted.

Round 3: The same idea as the previous rounds, but now you're only provided a chassis. You have to order all the necessary parts yourself at your suppliers.

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Steve Matz
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 672
From: Billings, Montana, USA
Registered: Sep 2003

posted 08-08-2014 10:07 AM

I Cry Foul here;Steve hit Mark in the Eye
when Mark was Tieing his shoe! [Confused]

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