This is topic Athena projector HELP!!!! in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.
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Posted by Derek Maxwell (Member # 234) on 03-30-2000, 08:45 PM:
I just got an ATHENA telecine projector in and other than the sound lamp and the reel motors, nothing runs. I noticed a 3 prong plug coming out the bottom of the machine. What does it plug to? Is it for an external power? Is it something I can jumper to get the machine to run? What can I do to get the machine running? HELP!!!!
Posted by Ken Layton (Member # 133) on 03-30-2000, 10:31 PM:
Derek:Can you post a picture of this particular machine?
Posted by Derek Maxwell (Member # 234) on 03-30-2000, 11:08 PM:
quote:
Originally posted by Ken Layton:
Derek:Can you post a picture of this particular machine?
http://imagehost.auctionwatch.com/preview/ma/maxwell/.mids/Athena.jpg
Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 03-31-2000, 04:37 AM:
This looks like a 16mm machine. Regardless, I've never heard of the name nor seen one.
Posted by John Pytlak (Member # 331) on 03-31-2000, 05:30 AM:
Derek:
You could try posting the query on newsgroups read by television engineers who may have used the 16mm Athena telecine projector in the days of TV newsfilm and 16mm film syndication. Try the rec.arts.movies.tech, sci.engr.television.broadcast, and sci.engr.television.advanced groups. AFAIK, the Athena was sold by Bell and Howell. Let us know what you find, and good luck.------------------
John P. Pytlak, Senior Technical Specialist
Worldwide Technical Services, Entertainment Imaging
Eastman Kodak Company
Research Labs, Building 69, Room 7419
Rochester, New York, 14650-1922 USA
Tel: 716-477-5325 Fax: 716-722-7243
E-Mail: john.pytlak@kodak.com
Posted by Bruce McGee (Member # 131) on 03-31-2000, 06:14 AM:
I used one of these in TV years ago. They were sold by LW International. They used a Kodak Pageant as the basic transport, but unlike the Kodak, ours was not reliable, and was very rough on film. I kept it clean. It started too fast and would snap the film very often. Scratches were very common.Good luck!
Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 03-31-2000, 08:38 AM:
WOW! I used to service a fleet of these at Channel 38 in Chicago back in the early 80's when I worked there along with a fleet of 4 tube TK-27 telecine cameras. If this is the same model we had it is a nightmare to work on. The ones I worked on were highly modified Kodak Pagents. The idea was to be able to go frame by frame in foreword or reverse mode instantly. Well as you can imagine this was about equivelent to the origonal idea of the Flying Wing....it existed technolocically before its time. The weak part was the two graphite filled clutches that were run by a digital controller. This was totally unreliable, and subject to massive corrosion in areas of high humidity. They had to be rebuilt avery 9 months or so. This involved replacing teflon seals, the graphite powder, and sometimes the electromagnet assembley. For some reason the digital controller(7400 series chips) was also prone to breakdown at will, on whatever machine felt like going down in the middle of a big transfer job.
They also made a version of the Kodak Analyst projector that would step frame by frame as the standard analyst would not.
We used to get the parts from LW International in California but as far as I know they are no longer in buisness. If you need a good telecine look for either a Kodak or RCA on e-bay. I've seen them on there quite a few times. Junk the Athena, the TV station eventually did and replaced them with freebie RCA TP-66's from NBC.
Mark
Posted by Derek Maxwell (Member # 234) on 03-31-2000, 10:01 PM:
I still need help with this machine. I need to get info on how to get it running and what is missing. I was told there was something plugged to it on the pedestal but what? What was it? PLEASE HELP!!!!!! A manual would work too.
Posted by Ken Layton (Member # 133) on 03-31-2000, 10:31 PM:
Try KMR Electronics in Santa Ana, Calif. or International Cinema in Miami, Florida.
Posted by Derek Maxwell (Member # 234) on 04-02-2000, 09:49 PM:
"ATHENA UPDATE"...Well, i got most of the machine working. The question I have now is where do I look for this one problem I am having? All is running in forward except the drive motor that runs the sprokets and the lamp doesn't come on even though the LAMP light shows. Can anybody help me pin-point the problem?
Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 04-03-2000, 12:24 PM:
Derek, The clutch that starts/stops the sprocket assembleys is not engaging at all. As I remember the main horizontal shaft is driven at the shutter end and there is a clutch between the shutter and the horiz sprocket drive shaft. This is what allows the instant start/stop and frame by frame of the machine. I think its also phased to the shutter so that when in frame by frame mode the shutter, obviously going at 30 flickers a second can rotate constantly while the sprocket drive is pulsed(through that darn messy graphite clutch.
I agree, try ICECO in Florida and see if they have a manual for it. Otherwise I'd be happy to take a crack at it if you'd like to ship it out to me. I'm pretty sure I could fix it.
Mark
Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 04-03-2000, 12:27 PM:
Hey, that plug hanging out the bottom may have something to do with it also. I remember that we didn't have full remotes for our machines. All we had was a start stop button. We left the machne in run/standby and stopped and started from master control. Perhaps that is the function of the plug..........
Mark