Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: What projector is that?

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Posted by Christian Volpi (Member # 2370) on 11-29-2004, 08:42 PM:

I was talking to my tech today and he was telling me about a museum in the area that switched from an Imax projector to a different projector that can run Imax film. I always thought that Imax film could only be run on an Imax licensed projector but maybe I'm wrong. Any help?

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 11-29-2004, 09:08 PM:

Yes there is. They are made by Cinema Development Co. They were originally sold by Iwerks Entertainment. They are generally very good systems... Clones of the original Imax projector and platter system. There are 2D, 3D and dome 15/70 systems in operation in the U.S. and Greece. There are photos of the Thanksgiving Point installation which I assisted on at this link.
http://www.film-tech.com/pics/1570/1570.html

Mark

Posted by Christian Volpi (Member # 2370) on 11-29-2004, 10:39 PM:

Thanks, Mark!

Posted by Adam Martin (Member # 641) on 12-01-2004, 10:08 PM:

The only non-Imax LF theater in your area that has changed systems is the Hastings Museum in Hastings, Nebraska. It switched from a 15/70 Imax projector to an 8/70 Megasystems projector in February 2002. This does not run the same format of film.

There is a dome theater in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, but it has an 8/70 Iwerks system and has never been changed out.

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 12-02-2004, 04:46 AM:

Adam,

FYI all the 15/70 Iwerks systems are now maintained and supported by CDC service contracts and personel. Also, the Omnimax System in Lubbock Texas was replaced by a CDC 15/70 system last year when Imax's contract expired. Another CDC Dome system was also installed in Greece shortly after the Lehi installation was completed. I think in all there are now 9 of the CDC systems in operation with 2D, 3D amd dome systems.

Mark

Posted by Adam Martin (Member # 641) on 12-02-2004, 06:54 PM:

That's all fine and dandy, but Lubbock, Lehi, and Greece are nowhere near Sioux City, Iowa.

Lubbock is the only theater to be converted from an Imax system to another 15/70 system. All the other conversions away from Imax went to 8/70 systems (and some have even been converted back to Imax 15/70 later).

In the US, there are currently 131 15/70 theaters operating or being built. 125 are Imax, three are CDC and three are Iwerks (maintained by CDC since Iwerks kind of gave up).

The three CDC machines are the 2D machine in St. Louis, the dome in Lubbock and the 3D setup in Lehi. There is one in Greece and two in Japan (all domes).

And to push you past the edge of "too much information", there are also 41 8/70 theaters operating in the US with machines by Iwerks, Ballantyne, Megasystems, Kinoton and Vistascope/VistaDome.

To answer Christian's actual questions:

Imax developed a film format that is 70mm-wide and 15 perforations long. This is commonly referred to as the "Imax" format, but is used by other companies as well.

Films that are distributed by Imax and films where Imax supplied specific technologies (such as DMR conversion of Hollywood films) can only play in Imax-branded theaters. Imax-branded theaters can play product from other distributors as well, but theaters with equipment manufactured by other companies are limited to the other distributors.

Imax has the largest selection of large format titles available, which is the reason why the company has been so successful in saturating the market with their products.

Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 12-02-2004, 09:16 PM:

"The three CDC machines are the 2D machine in St. Louis"

actually that is an Ultra70 machine

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 12-02-2004, 09:37 PM:

quote: Gordon McLeod
actually that is an Ultra70 machine

Actually that is the first machine that Neil and his partners built. So technically it is now also a CDC machine since they are all one and the same.

quote: Adam Martin
And to push you past the edge of "too much information", there are also 41 8/70 theaters operating in the US with machines by Iwerks, Ballantyne, Megasystems, Kinoton and Vistascope/VistaDome.

How many of each pleeeeeze......

Mark

Posted by Adam Martin (Member # 641) on 12-03-2004, 06:09 AM:

In the US:

Iwerks 17
Ballantyne 3
Megasystems 16
Kinoton 4
Vistawhatever 1

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 12-03-2004, 07:58 AM:

Of those 17 Iwerks systems how many are Ballantyne based and how many are linear loop based?

Thanks!

Mark

Posted by Christian Volpi (Member # 2370) on 12-03-2004, 12:57 PM:

quote:
To answer Christian's actual questions:

Adam,

You the man.

Posted by Adam Martin (Member # 641) on 12-04-2004, 12:59 AM:

I don't know any specifics about the Iwerks installs other than the couple of booths I've been in.

Posted by Richard Hamilton (Member # 321) on 12-07-2004, 06:29 AM:

Adam,
I read your post and was just doing a count in my head, 16 Megasystems? I can't recall that many. Maybe there are some that I haven't visited yet!

P.S. Add 5 systems to China 2 3-D systems and a 2-D motion ride!

Rick

Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 12-07-2004, 02:38 PM:

Mark the Ultra70 is I believed now owned by Dick Niccums company
who made the lamphouses for CDC and others

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 12-08-2004, 07:46 AM:

Gord,
All the lamphouses were built by Dick Niccum but the projector by Neil and his original band of cronies which are long out of the buisness. I can remember Lonnie Jennings telling me the story about when they called him at Dolby wanting a sound system to go along with it..... interesting story by the way..... Some day at the Large Format Fest ask Neil the story about the St. Louis machine if you run into him. All the "Off Brand" 15/70's are intertwined with the same people..... One of Neils techs also worked on the dreaded chain drive 15/70 projector..... Nick Diccum now handles that thrasher.

Mark

Posted by Dave Cutler (Member # 515) on 08-12-2005, 07:44 PM:

quote: Adam Martin
In the US, there are currently 131 15/70 theaters operating or being built. 125 are Imax, three are CDC and three are Iwerks (maintained by CDC since Iwerks kind of gave up).

Adam,
What are the three Iwerks locations? I used to work at the Kansas City location, so I was curious.

Posted by Joseph L. Kleiman (Member # 3097) on 08-14-2005, 10:54 AM:

Dave,

The other two remaining Iwerks 1570 projection systems made by CDC are both domes - Omniplex in Oklahoma City and Orlando Science Center. There's also a CDC 1570 system in Iwerks' screening room in Burbank.

Joe

Posted by Robert Burtcher (Member # 3227) on 08-31-2005, 11:24 PM:

Hmm... I thought the Omnidome (the Omniplex dome in OKC) was an Omnimax system... or at least, I thought it used to be. Any truth to that?

Posted by Joseph L. Kleiman (Member # 3097) on 08-31-2005, 11:41 PM:

Nope. Omnidome has always been an Iwerks branded CDC 1570 system. Opened Jan. 16, 2000. Science Spectrum in Lubbock was originally an IMAX system. It switched to a CDC system Dec 25, 2003.