Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Cinema Film Systems Manual!!!

This is topic Cinema Film Systems Manual!!! in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Michael Schaffer (Member # 1204) on 07-09-2003, 11:00 PM:

Yes, console and automation. Please, please, who has it?

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 07-09-2003, 11:35 PM:

Ummmm, you might what to check the Film-Tech website under their "manuals" section. They have what you want.

CFS console/automation manual

Posted by Mike Pennell (Member # 1692) on 07-10-2003, 03:24 AM:

I think thats where i got mine [Smile]

, but i might also have some lying around. If i do ill send you some copies. [beer]

Posted by Phil Hill (Member # 371) on 07-10-2003, 03:39 AM:

Just to lean on Mike's post... Does anyone have a manual for the CFS "DREAMCATCHER" Projector?

NO COMMENTS PLEASE!!!!! I'm looking for a manual, NOT a lecture!

>>> PHIL

Posted by Michael Schaffer (Member # 1204) on 07-10-2003, 04:53 AM:

Marvellous, Brad, how did you find that so quickly! [Wink]

Unless you added that immediately after my post [Big Grin]

, what we have here is a classic example of how perception is controlled by expectation: several people had told me it was impossible to find the manual, even film-tech didn`t have it...I quickly checked myself and found that it wasn`t where it should be: after the Christie manuals.
Unless of course it was filed under CFS...

Anyway, thanks once again for cultivating this great source of information.

Still, is there any info material covering the automation in greater depth?

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 07-10-2003, 02:03 PM:

To my knowledge that is the only manual ever made for that system. If someone has something else, please send it in.

CFS
Christie
Cinema Film Systems

It all depends on how it was added to the page. Whenever you are looking for a manual from a company like Christie or Strong it's easy. When you are looking for a manual from Cinema Film Systems you have to remember it can be listed by their more common abbreviation CFS.

Posted by Travis Hubrig (Member # 1745) on 07-11-2003, 08:53 PM:

I think I may have some more info for you...
The other theater in town has CFS.
As I recall they have two different CFS automations...
Not sure what they have for manuals, but I will borrow them and compare.

Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 07-11-2003, 09:11 PM:

Some of the CFS's units used a rip off of the Raven Pac automation that should be in the manuals section

Posted by Tim Reed (Member # 137) on 07-12-2003, 10:59 AM:

Yes, and an ORC rectifier below - did they ever strike out! If you're going to rip-off something, at least make it something good!

Posted by Darryl Spicer (Member # 711) on 07-12-2003, 03:46 PM:

had to replace 3 forward diodes in one of them the other day. Suprisingly it's been over a year since I have had to replace one at our theater.

Posted by Michael Schaffer (Member # 1204) on 07-12-2003, 05:41 PM:

I just replaced one of the positive diodes where the lead had burned cleanly off...
I will post a picture of the automation later.

Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 07-12-2003, 06:23 PM:

Never had many problems with the Raven dimmers and automations
They are primative by modern standards but usually bullet proof
the failure is usually the SCR or the UJT on the timer board

Posted by Darryl Spicer (Member # 711) on 07-13-2003, 12:36 AM:

quote:
I just replaced one of the positive diodes where the lead had burned cleanly off...

yes, I have seen that happen before. Have you ran across any that have these color shields wrapped around the leads. There the ones that can slip off and on the diodes. If so you might want to remove them because all they do is build up heat around those leads that can cause those leads to burn cleanly off.

Posted by Tim Reed (Member # 137) on 07-13-2003, 08:00 PM:

Isn't that more of a poor solder or crimp connection than it is the vinyl?

quote:
the failure is usually the SCR or the UJT on the timer board

Well, it's not a very good copy, either, with lots and lots of chintzy relays.

Posted by Darryl Spicer (Member # 711) on 07-14-2003, 01:59 AM:

Not when it actually burns the lead wire in half. it would be if it burned in half at the crimp or solder area. Since we stopped putting those color shields over the lead wires we no longer had them burning in half.

Posted by Michael Schaffer (Member # 1204) on 07-14-2003, 05:11 AM:

This was were the lead was welded on.
I think the diodes look much nicer with the color jackets.

Posted by Tim Reed (Member # 137) on 07-14-2003, 03:48 PM:

quote:
Not when it actually burns the lead wire in half.

I've never seen that - they were always overheated at a connection, like Michael's was. I'm not trying to say it didn't happen, but I don't see how vinyl insulation the thickness of heat-shrink tubing can cause a #4 AWG conductor to heat to the point of failure.

If that were the case, insulated conductors everywhere would be failing like there was no tomorrow.

Posted by Darryl Spicer (Member # 711) on 07-14-2003, 06:27 PM:

these slipped on and off of the leads not the ones that are shrunk around the wiring. The one that burnt in half I only saw happen once. The others I saw happen around the welds. By removing the covers it eliminated the heat buildup around the diode conection therefore we no longer had the welds burning in half.

Posted by Tim Reed (Member # 137) on 07-14-2003, 06:36 PM:

Yes, I know the ones. Burns at the welds (or any cable connection) are due to poor mechanical/electrical contact, not convection. With the high current that flows through those diodes/cables, just half an ohm resistance can create a tremendous IR drop - which if left unchecked, will quickly deteriorate. That's what causes those kinds of failures. I seriously doubt it was the vinyl coverings, you probably just had a bad run of diodes.

(Not taking you to task about anything, but think about it... how can a piece of plastic retain enough heat to melt metal?) The plastic would melt before anything happened, and then, if that were the problem, it would no longer be a problem.)

Posted by Darryl Spicer (Member # 711) on 07-14-2003, 06:42 PM:

all I can say is after I removed all of them I never had one burn in half again. Maybe it was all the checking I did that fixed the problem. Anyway, we no longer use the covers on any of the units.

Posted by Tim Reed (Member # 137) on 07-14-2003, 06:46 PM:

I understand, Darryl. Like I said, I'm not faulting you, I just don't see how that could've caused the trouble. (And the one that burned in two could've been rusted, or otherwise corroded, to begin with. I have seen those in less-than-clean condition.)
[Smile]

Posted by Michael Schaffer (Member # 1204) on 07-15-2003, 04:04 AM:

I think Daryl has a point. I have seen some diodes which did not have the shrunk-to-fit vinyl insulation, but an insulating hose slipped over them with a lot of air between the leads and the hose. That could contribute to the effect, likely in connection with an already bad connection (pun intended).

Posted by Tim Reed (Member # 137) on 07-15-2003, 01:40 PM:

Yes, I know the ones you're talking about. It's "spaghetti", and not much thicker than heat-shrink tubing.

Posted by Ken Layton (Member # 133) on 07-16-2003, 09:18 AM:

So, does anyone actually have a manual for the Cinema Film Systems rack mount automation with the black faceplate? I've got a 3 screen that has these units and no manuals/schematics.

Posted by Darryl Spicer (Member # 711) on 07-16-2003, 10:01 AM:

we have some schematics for the cfs consoles and boards.