Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Anyone at all familiar with MEO 5X projectors?

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Posted by David Rigby (Member # 1301) on 11-23-2002, 06:46 AM:

There are a couple for sale cheap and since they're current models I'm wondering about them - but since I can find no mention of them on film-tech, I'm wondering even more!! Are these Czech Kinoton clones (they look similar)?

David

Posted by Richard Fowler (Member # 893) on 11-23-2002, 08:32 AM:

The unit is still being made and I saw them in service while in Prague last year. I used to service older models many years ago since some where sold to universities and government agencies. The factory website is....
www.meopta.cz

Posted by Gerard S. Cohen (Member # 994) on 11-23-2002, 03:07 PM:

I used to operate Meopta projectors in the '70s and 80's at the Quad Theatre in Greenwich Village, showing fine foreign and art films.
The managers insisted on high quality presentation. The meoptas were rare in the US. One of the regular projectionists told me the only other known installation was in Ossening, home of Sing Sing Prison.
The Meoptas had a feature I have never seen on other projectors:
an optical window that showed a magnified image of the sound track, and a knurled adjustment to enable the operator to make micrometer adjustments to the reading of the soundtracks. I suppose this was an accommodation to prints from various countries where standardisation
was not achieved. The projectors worked well and gave good images onscreen. They appeared to be well made, steady and durable.

Posted by Michael Schaffer (Member # 1204) on 11-23-2002, 03:18 PM:

You still find a lot of them in Germany as they were a standard projector in the eastern block. So many east German theaters still have them. They are quite sturdy and since they are still manufactured, I guess you will be able to get parts. If the price is right and the individual pieces of equipment are in good shape, you could buy them.
I haven`t seen the feature Gerard described. It sounds very interesting and is probably found on older machines.
They don`t strike me as being similar to Kinoton projectors at all.
If I remember correctly, the MEO5XB only runs at 25 frames/second as this was the standard speed for film and television in the eastern block countries.
The picture on the website shows the MEO rewinding the film, another nice feature - which doesn`t work with platters of course!
They don`t strike me as at all similar to Kinoton.

Posted by Richard Fowler (Member # 893) on 11-23-2002, 04:30 PM:

The audio site window allows the track to be centered and works well in the SVA mode. The Dong Feng projector of China uses the same set up under license. The most recent models are now set up for Dolby analog and digital basement readers. They use a drag sprocket or roller to create back tension on the sound drum ( like the Ernemann )
which requires adjustment every few hundred hours. The previous models prior to the "5" series used aluminum castings which where well machined but soft in hardness, so you had to be careful not to cross thread screws in assembly.

Posted by Michael Schaffer (Member # 1204) on 11-23-2002, 06:31 PM:

I have never heard of the Dong Feng projector! Do you have any info material about it and the audio tracking window systems? Pictures would be nice.

Posted by Richard Fowler (Member # 893) on 11-23-2002, 07:15 PM:

Dong Feng is one of the brands manufactured by the four projector manufacturers in China. It has been sold under the Spectra name in some English speaking countries. On the solar cell box on both machines is a circular window with a reference grid and just below it is micrometer controls to center the sound tracks; works surprisingly well.

Posted by Michael Schaffer (Member # 1204) on 11-23-2002, 10:07 PM:

Is there a magnifying glass incorporated in the device?

Posted by David Rigby (Member # 1301) on 11-24-2002, 05:23 AM:

The reference to Kinoton was simply because the machine looked similar to a Kinoton 'studio' machine I briefly saw a picture of some time ago...not being an expert in these matters I could be completely mistaken [Smile]

Physical appearance doesn't imply mechanical similarity of course, but I just wondered if it might be a clone.

David

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 11-24-2002, 10:48 AM:

Of course Philips pioneered the magnified soundtrack window on their soundheads that were used on the FP5, 6, and 7. As well as on the DP-70/AA-2 projectors. One could view the soundtrack magnified about 5X or 6X on the actual scanning slit itself!
I seem to remember that MEOPTA once had a display at Showest a number of years back.
Mark @ CLACO

Posted by Scott Norwood (Member # 30) on 11-24-2002, 11:21 AM:

Looking at their web page, I can see why one might think that the Meo 5 resembles a Kinoton. Both have an exposed film path (not shielded with a door, like on American-made machines) and both are designed such that the projector head, soundhead, and reel arms are all part of the same unit (I'm leaving the newer Kinotons out of the discussion here).

I doubt that the similarities go beyond these design elements, however.

Posted by Robert Throop (Member # 61) on 11-24-2002, 11:41 AM:

I was once told that the Meo5x was a copy of a Bauer U4.

Posted by Serge Bosschaerts (Member # 298) on 11-24-2002, 12:54 PM:

Not only Philips, also Bauer on the B12 in 1951 had this standard on their optical soundreader.

Posted by Patrick de Groot (Member # 858) on 11-24-2002, 05:23 PM:

The soundtrack system is called macroprojection. The Philips FP5 used it also. You magnify the soundtrack and that way you can also increase the splitwidth. So the macrosystem uses lenses to magnify the soundtrack itself. (the microsystem uses lenses to produce a small narrow light bundle which goes through the soundtrack)

You can view the position of the soundtrack through a window and you can correct it. You can also sharpen the soundtrack image.

Why isn't this system used anymore? It is easy and more practical then aligning a solarcell. Or is the macrosystem not precise enough?

Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 11-24-2002, 06:39 PM:

It tends to also magnify any errors due to weave

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 11-24-2002, 07:14 PM:

Gord,
Thats why we modify the Phillips lateral guide rollers in the DP-70 that we install (alot of them too!) to a split version. This way there is no side weave and it also preserves the non contact to the picture area as well. Wear of either the film, or latreral guide roller is irrelevant this way [Cool]

.
Mark @ CLACO

Posted by Per Hauberg (Member # 529) on 11-29-2002, 07:42 PM:

Mark wrote: one COULD wiew the soundtrack

DP 70 will never be replaced - nobody does it better - and therefore we (all but Mark, maybe) still CAN wiew the track ! [Wink]

p.

By the way: I once saw a pair of Meopta projectors in Warnemuende, East Germany - obvious copy of Bauer U3 - just a bit smaller...
Don't remember the type.

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 11-30-2002, 11:20 AM:

Per,
On most of the machines we put in place we still have the standard reverse scan phillips soundhead but we have been installing JAX Lights and the Todd-AO slits which and making the lateral guide into a two part roller of which half is spring loaded to eliminate lateral weave of the film.

Unfortunately the Todd-AO slits are no longer available so we will have to do a complete reverse scan retrofit wihich does eliminate the viewing window.

Also, with doing the complete reverse scan mod and the split lateral guide roller I can now do the long awaited SRD scanner as well. There was always way too much weave in the DP-70 soundhead to scan Dolby Digital tracks.
Mark @ CLACO

Posted by Michael Schaffer (Member # 1204) on 11-30-2002, 03:52 PM:

Where`s the viewing window? Can we also have a picture of that please?

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 11-30-2002, 06:00 PM:

And here it is.....the viewing porthole, window, access, or what have you.....Located right by the wavey lines on the loarge black piece. The big black whoosy on the right is the JAX Light.

Mark @ CLACO

Posted by Michael Schaffer (Member # 1204) on 11-30-2002, 06:17 PM:

What do you see when it is in action? Do you see a mirrored image of the analogue track racing by with a reference marking?

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 11-30-2002, 07:23 PM:

You see an enlarged image of the sound track(racing by) projected onto the back of the scanning slit. The Stereo cell is just on the other side of the slit. Sorry, don't have a photo of that.
Mark @ CLACO

Posted by Per Hauberg (Member # 529) on 12-02-2002, 05:25 AM:

DP 70 lateral weawe is not only too much for SRD. We had to do the split stunt allready when stereo optical was mounted.
Small invention - Great difference !
Nice pic's, Mark ! (as allways)

Per

Posted by John Pytlak (Member # 331) on 12-02-2002, 02:39 PM:

Optimum lateral steadiness is usually attained by using a fixed roller flange (guide) on the reference edge of the print, which is the analog soundtrack side on 35mm. The other side of the film should be gently pushed against the fixed roller flange/guide by a spring-loaded flange or guide.