This is topic Ultra-Stereo SRD Reader? in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.
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Posted by Mathew Molloy (Member # 666) on 01-26-2002, 05:23 AM:
Let me start off by saying I may have misunderstood, but...For our renovation I'm told we will have an Ultra-Stereo brand SRD Penthouse reader and a Dolby CP650. I did check Ultra's website and did not see one so I may have gotten the brand name wrong.
Anyone know of a company other than Dolby that makes SRD Readers? Anyone have any comments on the Non-Dolby version? Bobby tells me they'rrrrre Grrrrreat!
Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 01-26-2002, 06:39 AM:
Yes, Sam Chevez of Bay Area Cinema Products has teamed with Ultra Stereo to put out a competing SRD penthouse reader. It is supposed to surpass Dolby's on trackability. I'd love to play with one.
Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 01-26-2002, 08:42 AM:
It's LED is claimed to last loads longer too. Furthermore, it uses the power in the digital video cable to power the LED so their isn't a power supply in the reader! Rather efficient. It does look a bit like someone was peaking at the Cat. 700/701 when designing it though.Steve
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"Old projectionists never die, they just changeover!"
Posted by Richard Fowler (Member # 893) on 01-26-2002, 09:39 AM:
We have 17 units in the field with excellent results. Due to the efficient design of the custom circuit board in the unit the system does run on the power rails of the CP500/650, hence no power cord.....There is an red/green indicator light to prove if you have sufficient light output for Dolby Digital. The design is second generation which borrows from the classic "davis" tension loop set up which The CAT 700/701 is also based on. They are also thinking of making a combo DTS/Dolby digital unit but based on market conditions, it may never be available.
The unit is also cost competitve vs the Dolby CAT 701 so we can offer the customer two GOOD options ( vs good and so - so ).
USL web-site has a picture of the unit............
Richard Fowler
TVP-Theatre & Video Products Inc. www.tvpmiami.com
Posted by Paul G. Thompson (Member # 655) on 01-26-2002, 10:52 PM:
What do these things cost, anyway?
Posted by Richard Fowler (Member # 893) on 01-27-2002, 06:21 AM:
Paul,
the pricing varies on the quanity that the dealer has committed to sell. The price to the dealer who only buys one or two is equal to the wholesale price of the Dolby unit based on the maximum discount....so it is very cost competitve even in small quanities even to smaller suppliers. We stock both units and because of the attractive pricing one customer has stop buying basement units and another is now converting to all Dolby Digital since the price point is more affordable.
Richard Fowler
TVP-Theatre & Video Products Inc. www.tvpmiami.com
Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 01-27-2002, 02:32 PM:
>>"The unit is also cost competitve vs the Dolby CAT 701 so we can offer the customer two GOOD options
( vs good and so - so )."<<Was that a dig at basement readers?
Steve
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"Old projectionists never die, they just changeover!"
Posted by Richard Fowler (Member # 893) on 01-27-2002, 04:54 PM:
It is nice to offer two competitive products that I can have a good night sleep. Basement readers can be great or should be buried in a deep hole based on multiple variables of manufacturer, design, new or old equipment and availability of skilled tech help...The USL unit was born to address a manufacturer's problem with a two + year journey to become a stand alone product......I rather use my shovel in my backyard...it is more productive. 
Richard Fowler
TVP-Theatre & Video Products Inc. www.tvpmiami.com
Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 01-27-2002, 10:05 PM:
The only time I use penthouses is if the projector in question has that poor of a soundhead design that neither optical nor digital should be played on it. On crappy projectors, I can understand the penthouse desire but for 95% of the projectors I deal with, I'll take a basement reader every time. I never loose sleep over them either and don't seem to have problems with them. So far, Component Engineering, Kelmar and Kinoton all have excellent systems that have performed very well for me. Another advantage of the basement reader, with it comes the reverse scan reader and the #@RQ$^%# red light reader.
Steve
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"Old projectionists never die, they just changeover!"
Posted by Josh Jones (Member # 447) on 01-27-2002, 11:55 PM:
So do these units track better than dolby's version? these are starting to sound quite intriguing.Josh
Posted by Richard Fowler (Member # 893) on 01-28-2002, 12:44 AM:
Steve......I think you fall into the skill technician quote.....most of my sales are international and some of the machines I see in the field....basement installs tend to be problematic in those situations and a tech might be rareity. All the new projectors I stock have Analog / Digital basement readers.....I remove the Digital if they want to go for penthouse set up.
Josh....it would look good on a Brenkert 
Richard Fowler
TVP-Theatre & Video Products Inc. www.tvpmiami.com
Posted by Frank Angel (Member # 248) on 01-28-2002, 05:26 AM:
Ok, so now I need to put a USL penthouse on top of the mag penthouse on top of the DTS reader and mount the 6000ft magazine on top of them all. Will it never end?Seriously, I am assuming the cost a two penthouse readers (change-over operation) would be much more expensive than basement readers, no?
Posted by Richard Fowler (Member # 893) on 01-28-2002, 07:57 AM:
Cost basement vs penthouse....the basement usually wins BUT it depends on the projector / dealer discount and what product you buy.
Richard Fowler
TVP-Theatre & Video Products Inc. www.tvpmiami.com
Posted by Pete Naples (Member # 761) on 01-28-2002, 09:37 AM:
I'm not sure I'm entirely keen on the idea of hanging anymore circuitry onto the CP PSU. The CP500 PSU is hardly what you'd describe as the most robust of designs, surely putting any more load on it asking for trouble.
Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 01-28-2002, 10:18 AM:
Pete, the LED is on the Video power supply, that normally powers the CCD. It is just a parisite on it. Futhermore, BACP uses less current on their LED and claim to have a substantially longer life than previous designs.Back to the basement reader vs penthouse...if the tech can't get the basement reader to be as reliable as the penthouse on such projectors as Simplex, Century or Kinoton, then get a new tech, the one you have shouldn't be allowed to work in the trade.
Steve
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"Old projectionists never die, they just changeover!"
Posted by Pete Naples (Member # 761) on 01-28-2002, 01:44 PM:
Well time will tell I guess. It's just I've changed rather a lot of CP500 and DA20 PSU, it was becoming rather monotonous for a while.Re: Basement readers. We try to avoid them on Century's with Leeson singel phase sync motors, as the inherent vibration that these motors seem to have on 240v, 50Hz makes the basement reader more of a 'basement can't reader'. Good results on machines without those shaky motors though.
I do like the idea of a combined DTS/SR.D reader, although to be fair most of my installs which have both, are basement SR.D. For those which aren't it sounds a neat solution so the ever expanding stack of stuff on top of the mech.
Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 01-28-2002, 10:14 PM:
Pete:Just curious, are you having problems with both Kelmar and Component Engineering basement readers on your Leeson/Century combinations?
Steve
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"Old projectionists never die, they just changeover!"