This is topic UA theatre projectors in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.
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Posted by Mike Fitzgerald (Member # 1304) on 01-17-2004, 08:48 PM:
Does anyone know if tha old UA theaters had a standard projector setup. I know a lot of chains tends to use the same projector setup in most of the installations. THe local University has bought a closed UA 6 plex and is looking to move a 2 of the projectors around into a 2 projector booth and has asked me to go look at them this week. I was just trying to get a head start on the specs. The only info the college said was that it is a one projector system and wanted to know if it could be converted. I guess when UA closed up shop they left it all in place. It will be interesting to see what they left.
Posted by Dino Panagiotopoulos (Member # 1579) on 01-17-2004, 09:16 PM:
I took a look in the picture warehouse and saw an older UA using Strong Highlight consoles with Simplex XL heads and AW3 platters. The majority of them had the entire Christie package installed (mostly newer builds). I guess someone here that deals with them would be better off answering this.
Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 01-17-2004, 09:35 PM:
Many of the old ones were early christie packages
Posted by Bill Carter (Member # 156) on 01-17-2004, 10:40 PM:
It probably depends on the era of the build. I've seen them with all ORC platters and consoles, and Century pic and sound heads.
Posted by Tim Reed (Member # 137) on 01-17-2004, 10:50 PM:
Didn't they use Bauers way back when?
Posted by Jason Black (Member # 684) on 01-17-2004, 11:09 PM:
Fitz,
I I recall correctly, when I was at the Cinema 6 on Oleander, I hear mention that the UA had Strong or Christie projectors. I'm almost sure that's waht they ran... I never actually went into the booth there..
So UNCW is bought that property, huh? I wondered how long that would take. Hell, if they'd expand the curriculum to include film - film-technology, they'd be set up!!
BTW, The new mall is within 5 weeks of opening for busines! I still can't believe it.... ![[Frown]](frown.gif)
Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 01-17-2004, 11:21 PM:
If it's a "6 plex", then odds are you will have either ORC platters (with the brown tree ![[puke]](graemlins/puke.gif)
) or AW3 platters. Your lamphouse will almost certainly be one of those older style Christie lamphouses (commonly called "the black hole of light") and for the projector it's probably Centurys.
Don't expect anything great performance-wise from them.
Posted by Mike Fitzgerald (Member # 1304) on 01-17-2004, 11:50 PM:
Jason
Yes UNCW now owns the theatre and they also now have a Film Studies major degree. They are looking into all the different options for the site. I think the main reason they got it was for the 9 acres that it sits on across the street from the campus. We will have to wait and see if they use the building or not. Thanks for the input on the projectors
Posted by Ken Layton (Member # 133) on 01-18-2004, 02:12 AM:
From the few UA theaters I have been in the equipment is all over the map. Some complexes had Norelco AA2, Century JJ, Century SA, Simplex XL or combinations of the above all in the same building---a real 'mix n match' of equipment. You may even find some Kintek or Eprad processors.
Posted by Edward Jurich (Member # 1787) on 01-20-2004, 11:15 AM:
The university could open the theater back up and generate revenue. Bargain prices could attract students using a student ID card.
Posted by Mike Fitzgerald (Member # 1304) on 01-20-2004, 03:22 PM:
Looks like it will be a while longer until I can get in there to see the projectors. Two reasons were given, first the university does not have title to the building as of yet, (it is taking them forever), and second before they can use the building it must be brought up to state codes for the unuiversity to use so they considered it condemmed until they can make the needed renovations. They will let me know when I can get in there.
Posted by System Notices (Member # 2357) on 03-10-2005, 05:49 PM:
It has been 415 days since the last post.
Posted by Steve Scott (Member # 630) on 03-10-2005, 05:49 PM:
I hear tell from our tech that the former Burnsville I UA theater had Bauers with ORC platters & consoles. That was a 4 plex inside the Burnsville Center mall, circa 1977. The Burnsville II ran Centuries with ORC consoles and some "backwards platters" whose name I can't remember. That was the theater outside the mall, circa 1983. Burnsville I is now an Old Navy store, and Burnsville II has been redeveloped into an upscale strip mall, of sorts.
FWIW
Posted by Barry Hans (Member # 477) on 03-10-2005, 10:16 PM:
Mr Scott,
I worked the outside UA house in the mid 80's. It had ORC platters and consoles with century heads and kelmar lens turrets. Speakers were Klipsch. It was the indoor with Bauers, Prime Energy platters that rotated backwards. It was always fun to run films over from the oher theatre. We had to flip the print upsidedown to run them after they ran on the Prime Energy platters. When they closed the indoor up a old projectionist took the Prime Energy platters. He told me he was using them to make sculptures!
Bill Carter, Are you still running an ORC at S.A.M?
Posted by Bill Carter (Member # 156) on 03-11-2005, 02:48 AM:
Howdy, Barry,
Nope. They're all older SPECO's at St. Anthony Main. I'm not sure how long ago the ORC's left the place, though there was still an inoperable one shoved in a corner when I got here about 3 years ago.
Posted by Wolff King Morrow (Member # 2226) on 03-11-2005, 03:21 AM:
The UA I worked at before it was closed down was built in 1979 and featured a complete Christie setup.
Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 03-11-2005, 03:49 AM:
I worked at (and if this qualifies for this topic) a UA 4screener as an assistant manager/technician for a few months in the mid 70's, that was originally built by the defunct Carrol Cinemas (if anyone remember this circuit from back east) for the place was originally a twin that had Cine V4's using 1.6k vertical lamps and with the 6k reel auto changeover setup. Then the place was split to a 4plex and the V4's went to each house using AW2's for the platters.
-Monte
Posted by Brandon Willis (Member # 2345) on 03-11-2005, 08:50 AM:
We have 2 UAs in this area, well 3 until about 4 years ago. 2 of them were built as 6 plexes by Litchfield in the late 70s/early 80s, with one being expanded to a 10 plex about 1994. The 10 plex is still open, the other 6 plex is closed. There's also a 9 plex at a mall that is the only original UA build in this area. I have no idea what kind of equipment their booth has, but I know someone that worked there and could find out.