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Topic: The Regal Cranleigh (UK) closes.

Bernard Tonks
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 619
From: Cranleigh, Surrey, England
Registered: Apr 2001

posted 03-26-2002 07:17 PM

Thank you Ben, I look forward to seeing you again soon in London or Southampton (my weekly haunt).
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Gordon,

It is my own version of Cinemation (at the time I named it Autocinemation). On and off it took me 3 months to build, and was fully approved by Bernard Bentley who kindly supplied the matrix board. It is now at Bletchley Park, and there is dialogue going on that it might be installed in the Enigma Cinema, The Projected Picture Trust’s new cinema. Hopefully the curtains from the Regal will also be ready for the opening in April.

Two members from The Projected Picture Trust dismantled all of the equipment on Thursday afternoon until late evening!

Look out for a picture of the empty projection room tomorrow!

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Gordon McLeod
Film God

Posts: 9532
From: Toronto Ontario Canada
Registered: Jun 99

posted 03-26-2002 07:23 PM

How did it differ from the standard Cinemations?

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Bernard Tonks
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 619
From: Cranleigh, Surrey, England
Registered: Apr 2001

posted 03-26-2002 08:06 PM

Sorry Gordon, but I just have no idea how it compares with the real Cinemation units. I did manage to use up all of the 30 function lines across, and when we were on 6,000 reels many years ago it did do the one or two changeovers. Cam timers for intervals were not included.

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Gordon McLeod
Film God

Posts: 9532
From: Toronto Ontario Canada
Registered: Jun 99

posted 03-26-2002 08:20 PM

Looks like a interesting unit

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Bernard Tonks
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 619
From: Cranleigh, Surrey, England
Registered: Apr 2001

posted 03-27-2002 06:53 AM

The 30 functions across the matrix board are as follows.

01 – 08. - Projectors 1 & 2 Xenon, Motor, Stop, Changeover.

09 – 10. - Main houselights.

11 - 12. - 2nd houselights for stage surround grilles & concealed lighting.

13 – 14. - Stage curtains.

15. - Non-sync start.

16. - 2nd houselights half check mode.

17 18 19.- Masking 1.66 – 1.85 – 2.39.

20 - 21.- Footlights.

22 – 23. - Premier effects lantern. (Brenograph at Bletchley Park).

24 - 25.- Standard slide lantern.

26 27 28.- Sound, non-sync, film, mute.

29. - Bell warning.

30. - Auto-reset.

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Gordon McLeod
Film God

Posts: 9532
From: Toronto Ontario Canada
Registered: Jun 99

posted 03-27-2002 07:54 AM

Looks like that is a well planned out unit
what type of dimmers did it control?

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Pete Naples
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1565
From: Dunfermline, Scotland
Registered: Feb 2001

posted 03-27-2002 10:07 AM

As part of this years grand touring holiday of the south of England (my grandmother lived in Corsham, haven't been down since she died, and the other 'alf has never been down there in 'er puff), myself, 'er indoors, two border collies and our Range Rover intend to have a keek at Bletchley Park, well I do at any rate, and as I'm the only driver the rest of them will just have to go where they are taken! Also on my list to see (since I haven't seen in years) is Bovington Camp tank museum, Yeovil Fleet Air Arm musem and a quick stop at Jodrell Bank on the road home. Wouldn't mind a gander at the Broadway, Nottingham and the Plaza, Stockport, as we're passing, so to speak. Looks like I've just filled my weeks holiday! I suppose I'd better ask 'er indoors where she wants to go! Might see you at Bletchley then Bernard?!

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Leo Enticknap
Film God

Posts: 7474
From: Loma Linda, CA
Registered: Jul 2000

posted 03-27-2002 04:35 PM

If you can make the Broadway between 3-8 April the 5th British Silent Film Festival is on. A week of archive film screenings (all at correct speed and ratio) with live piano, plus lectures and papers. Sadly, I can only make it to the Monday but it promises to be a great event.

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Bernard Tonks
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 619
From: Cranleigh, Surrey, England
Registered: Apr 2001

posted 03-27-2002 06:22 PM

A mixture of automatic dimmers whatever I could get hold of mostly 2nd hand at the time.

Main houselights a, Rank Strand 5Kw.
2nd houselights a, Electrosonic 2Kw.
Footlights a, Mercury 1Kw.
Premier effects lantern, a Mercury 5Kw (new).
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Pete, well that would be great if I did see you in Bletchley Park. I shall be wearing a black armband with Regal on it. If your ears were burning last Sunday, it could have been because your name echoed out in the completely empty projection room. Ray Dunns from the Cameo in Edinburgh popped in to see me, and what a shock he had. You may need to give Ray some counselling! – please let me know how he is.

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Gordon McLeod
Film God

Posts: 9532
From: Toronto Ontario Canada
Registered: Jun 99

posted 03-27-2002 08:49 PM

If you have the schematics for the Stand Up down preset dimmer and the electrosonic one I would appreciate a copy of them
Lots of them made it across the pond but the documentation didn't

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John Walsh
Film God

Posts: 2490
From: Connecticut, USA, Earth, Milky Way
Registered: Oct 1999

posted 03-27-2002 09:54 PM

I really liked those Cinemations units; Bernard, yours seems like a Cinemation on steroids ...!

The one I used only had 15 functions. Like any good projectionist, I wanted more, so I modified some functions to "toggle" (example- the footlights: step to that function, light go down; step to same function later, lights go up.)

But 30 functions! I'm green with envy! Although, I didn't have 30 things I could contol... unless I really did hook up a coffee maker!

I always though the Cinemations had a "telephone-equipment" look to them. Did Bernard Bentley ever work with telephone switching equipment?

I hope they install your Autocinemation at Enigma Cinema. They should put in a big port window so people can watch it work.

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Bernard Tonks
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 619
From: Cranleigh, Surrey, England
Registered: Apr 2001

posted 03-28-2002 06:35 PM

Gordon,

Sorry unable to help you, there was nothing with the 2nd hand dimmers, and the new one only had wiring instructions.

John,

As far as I know telephone type uni-selectors were always used. I will ask BB when I make contact again. Info-lite have 50 x 50 matrix boards. www.info-lite.com

Give me electrical-mechanical anyday, but I must go and have a look at the new computer based Cinemation 2005.

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Gordon McLeod
Film God

Posts: 9532
From: Toronto Ontario Canada
Registered: Jun 99

posted 03-29-2002 12:01 PM

Are those pins compatable with the Cinemation ones?
Those green pins are getting hard to get overhere
PS enjoy your first easter off

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Pete Naples
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1565
From: Dunfermline, Scotland
Registered: Feb 2001

posted 03-29-2002 01:37 PM

My my, he gets around that Mr Dunns! Ray joined the team there soem time after my departure, but I met him when I went there on service one day. Instantly likeable chap, who's fallen heir the odious task of maintaining the Cameo building, some of which (mainly the drains!)goes back to 1860'ish and is in constant need of fettling.

Leo, I'm not due south of the border until week 2 of June. I'd love to go see the Broadway as my colleagues spent many hours installing it. Unfortunately (??) I'll be in Madrid in early April installing a 3D system. Gordon, thank you again for your advice on that subject.

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Bernard Tonks
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 619
From: Cranleigh, Surrey, England
Registered: Apr 2001

posted 03-29-2002 02:45 PM

Gordon, From the rough measurements I made Cinemation diode pins are not compactable with Info-Lite. I will put a posting out soon on Film Handler’s Forum as I do know of a source in France that stock Cinemation matrix boards. You will be able to buy diode pins by the bucket full in several body colours beside green. I of course buy the diodes local from RS, the 1N4000 series. Pity that RS stopped stocking the diode pins several years ago, and they were as much as £1.25 each then.

Thanks, I will enjoy my first Easter off for years.

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