This is topic Cinemation Automation Box in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.
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Posted by Brandon Lokesak (Member # 2280) on 05-14-2004, 10:55 AM:
We have 2 Cinemation Automation Boxs in our theatre I have one partially working but would like to integrate our spots into the shutdown sequence so that when the projectors shut off the spots come on. However I have yet to find a manual for this projector anywhere not in our booth nor on the internet its a cinemation mk.10/t any help would be great thanks in advance.
-Brandon
Posted by System Notices (Member # 2357) on 09-25-2006, 10:32 AM:
It has been 863 days since the last post.
Posted by Scott Norwood (Member # 30) on 09-25-2006, 10:32 AM:
Bump.
I seem to have inherited a Cinemation Mark IV, complete with power supply, start timer, status board, etc. This came out of a theatre that was using it until closing in 1998. They were using it in a 2-machine booth with platter, for both 35mm and 70mm shows.
Is this still a viable piece of equipment? If so, does anyone have manuals for it? Is it something that I could install without having a degree in electrical engineering?
Alternatively, if this is junk, does anyone who is using these units want this for parts?
Posted by Tim Reed (Member # 137) on 09-25-2006, 01:39 PM:
Scott, IMHO, you should probably install a crucifix. ![[Wink]](wink.gif)
Mk IV's were tops in their day (their day was 30 years ago), but most of the units by the 90s had severely worn stepping relays, which made the unit very unreliable.
If the main terminal block has screw terminals, it is a later unit, but I'm not sure that stepper is much better by this late date. If all the connections terminate at a soldering block, it's an early unit.
Either way, I sure wouldn't put one into service anywhere - not even my home. ![[Frown]](frown.gif)
Posted by Bill Gabel (Member # 1105) on 09-25-2006, 04:51 PM:
The ones we had in operation in the older GCC houses and Mann's Village Theatre in Los Angeles, all ran well till the early 2000's.
Posted by Tim Reed (Member # 137) on 09-26-2006, 01:22 AM:
FWIW, these were all GCC houses I am talking about. All over TX, OK, MA, CT, LA, KY, IL, OH, IN, MO, and ME... with the occasional Redstone thrown in for good measure. After a while, the steppers were obsolete and replacements could not be found.
Posted by John Walsh (Member # 168) on 09-26-2006, 07:45 AM:
I might be able to get two of them, if anyone needs extra parts. I'd have to agree with Tim on this; they were great in their day, but they are a bit complicated. I don't know where to get an electrical schematic.
Note that the wiring was fairly thin, as it was meant to operate 220VAC equipment. Most of the ones I've seen were the older ones with the telephone-like solder terminals.
Used it with a pair of JJ's. Ran a lot of 70mm in the 1980's, and I can almost still hear that stepper going 'ka-click... ka-click ... ka-click... ka-click...' as we had the diodes in to auto-step it around back to the top.
Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 09-26-2006, 03:57 PM:
Most of the parts are still available for them
often cleaning the contacts is all that is needed
Posted by Tim Reed (Member # 137) on 09-26-2006, 11:16 PM:
Yes, sir, I cleaned a lot of those contacts. It did cure many lost matrix pulses. I can't recall problems getting any of the relays or ancillary parts, but in later years, the company I worked for at the time (Altec) always said they couldn't get the steppers. I think they were standard-issue telephone switch gear, but I never knew for sure.
I do remember the headaches with those units.
Posted by Bernard Tonks (Member # 809) on 09-27-2006, 09:39 AM:
Yes, the steppers were standard-issue telephone switch gear, also known in the UK as Uni-selectors. Some 20 years ago I bought two 7 gang as new from a surplus store for $4. I doubled up on the contacts for pulse and LED indicator lights. I still have the spare one.
Cleaned up they are still very reliable in my opinion. Best to change all the old 50 volt signal diodes to 1N4000 series diodes (I used 007 - 1,000 volt ![[evil]](graemlins/evil.gif)
). The 8 screen Odeon multiplex in Southend has all Cinemation Mark 4s. The chief projectionist there is a Cinemation fanatic. If the want spare diode pins and matrix boards, they are still available in France I believe.
Posted by Louis Bornwasser (Member # 3063) on 09-27-2006, 02:08 PM:
What spares were available are dying due to the impact of "lead-free initiative." Smaller volume parts are now discontinued....such as the Crouzet cam timers I bought for years. Louis