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Topic: Query on SMART SR-300

Sam Hunter
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 779
From: West Monroe, LA, USA
Registered: Jan 2002

posted 08-23-2002 11:24 PM

Is this thing worth having?
Have a chance to pick one up and was wondering if it was even worth while.
Thanks!

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Samuel Hunter Sr.

Death to DLP (Video)

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John Anastasio
Master Film Handler

Posts: 325
From: Trenton, NJ, USA
Registered: Sep 2000

posted 08-23-2002 11:38 PM

I use one and it works like a charm. It's really quite a nice little unit. You'll need the sound test films for a proper alignment, but it's easy to set up and costs a LOT less than most other decoders. When it's properly installed, it does a very good job.

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Stan Gunn
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 176
From: Clematis, in the hills near Melbourne Australia
Registered: Aug 2000

posted 08-23-2002 11:47 PM

I also use a SR300 in my home cinema, and also service a cinema with one. A simple to use reliable unit with with features before its time, and it sounds good to.

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ALL PARTS FOR VICTOR AND KALART VICTOR 16MM PROJECTORS.SERVICE TO 35 AND 16MM PROJECTION EQUIPMENT.
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Jon Miller
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 973
From: San Diego, CA, USA
Registered: Sep 1999

posted 08-24-2002 12:00 AM

I have one of those, which I bought on the cheap through eBay over a year ago to replace a Dynaco PAS-3X I used as an optical preamplifer (using the "Special" inputs) for my home rig. There's not much for me to say about its performance except that it handles the EQ on optical soundtracks better than the Dynaco did.

My feeling is that for a hobbyist on a tight budget seeking to get a home 35mm projection system going, the SR-300 serves its purpose fairly well, but you can do better if you can afford to. IMHO, the SR-300's usefulness in the commercial theatre has long since passed.

BTW, you can find the manual for the SR-300 in the Manuals section of Film-Tech.

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Steve Kraus
Film God

Posts: 4094
From: Chicago, IL, USA
Registered: May 2000

posted 08-24-2002 12:16 AM

Features ahead of its time? Which feature would that be? The lack of slit loss correction? The lack of true A-Type NR? The lack of EQ?

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Mark Gulbrandsen
Resident Trollmaster

Posts: 16657
From: Music City
Registered: Jun 99

posted 08-24-2002 05:20 AM

Stan, What features of this unit were ahead of the CP-50 at that time? I'm sorry but thats one unit to stay miles away from. First, you have to be sure that it is at least a very late unit SN wise, or has had the factory upgrade done to it. Second, Steve K. is right! No slit loss correction, no EQ, no noise reduction. Keep in mind that this is what Smart was building during the CP-50 era. Even with the upgrade these units are famous for the surround channel "spitting" during loud passages, or loud dialog. I pulled out alot of them over the years and the theatre owners were all glad to see em go.
Now I do have faith in later Smart products starting in the MOD 3 era, as well as faith in Oscars engineering ability, but look for a later model processor starting with the MOD-3 or thereabouts. The Mod-2 is also excellent for the money and ultra reliable. Todays stuff is even better and has decent SR noise reduction emulation. There was a MOD 3 on E-bay yesterday at this link. I paid 300 bucks for a nice clean CP-50 off of E-bay three years ago. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1374891030
Mark

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Steve Guttag
We forgot the crackers Gromit!!!

Posts: 12814
From: Annapolis, MD
Registered: Dec 1999

posted 08-24-2002 06:23 PM

Mark, you gotta be kidding! The ModIII? Now that was a load of crap...There must be something like a 100% failure rate and they are some of the most god awful sounding pieces of crap out there.

As to the Mod II...I trust you mean the Mod2B and Mod2C. For what ever it's worth, those seem to have been reliable. I still don't care for the sound but they don't seem to die.

To the original post...the SR300 is what it is...what are you looking to do with it? We have one or two on the "shelf of shame"

Steve

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"Old projectionists never die, they just changeover!"

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Sam Hunter
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 779
From: West Monroe, LA, USA
Registered: Jan 2002

posted 08-24-2002 07:44 PM

I was thinking about using this thing on my setup I am building, but I guess due to budget concerns I should forget it.
I will just run Mono sound for now and spend my resources getting the projection equipment right first.
Thanks for all the input guys!

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Samuel Hunter Sr.

Death to DLP (Video)

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Steve Guttag
We forgot the crackers Gromit!!!

Posts: 12814
From: Annapolis, MD
Registered: Dec 1999

posted 08-24-2002 07:55 PM

If I were on that tight a budget contraint...I'd be looking out for some older Dolby...CP-50s and even CP-200s are showing up as being dinosaurs. Heck, you might even be able to locate a deal with a CP-100.

Steve

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"Old projectionists never die, they just changeover!"

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Richard Fowler
Film God

Posts: 2392
From: Ft. Lauderdale, FL, USA
Registered: Jun 2001

posted 08-24-2002 08:07 PM

The MODIII was originally designed for a manufacture client who did not honor the contract so it went on the open market....based on when the products mentioned where introduced, they did not sound too bad vs mono ( Eprad Starscope anyone??? )......I did a press screening of Das Boot during a cinema trade show and the studio rep came in the booth and commented on the great sound.....SMART SR135 decoder and UREI 1/3 octave equalizers.
Richard Fowler
TVP-Theatre & Video Products Inc. www.tvpmiami.com

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Tim Reed
Better Projection Pays

Posts: 5246
From: Northampton, PA
Registered: Sep 1999

posted 08-24-2002 08:16 PM

Approach with crucifix in hand.

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Mark Gulbrandsen
Resident Trollmaster

Posts: 16657
From: Music City
Registered: Jun 99

posted 08-24-2002 09:24 PM

And sprinkle some Holy water on it too before adjusting to scare out the goblins! The front channels were sort of acceptable but the null had to be set for each film the theatre played to minimize the spitting and crosstalk. There was no steering in the decoding logic. Smart did make a seperate EQ unit for them too.
Mark

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Richard Fowler
Film God

Posts: 2392
From: Ft. Lauderdale, FL, USA
Registered: Jun 2001

posted 08-24-2002 09:56 PM

Ahh......it was fun adjusting with the "factory" supplied earphone....as long as you did not tinnitus of the ear

....Does anyone remember the sound field tech that Eprad would send out....the one with the two hearing aids

Richard Fowler
TVP-Theatre & Video Products Inc. www.tvpmiami.com

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Stan Gunn
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 176
From: Clematis, in the hills near Melbourne Australia
Registered: Aug 2000

posted 08-25-2002 12:42 AM

Mark
As a lower cost unit compared to the cp50, as an off the shelf unit had the remote features that neither the CP50 or EPRAD had.
The units I have had to service have been very stable, and reliable I have never had any problems with spitting in the surrounds. Whereas the CP50s always had film noise in the surrounds, which to me was very annoying.
My home unit gives me no problems and has noise reduction, can`t say that film noise has ever been a worry, and most of my stereo and mono films have been around a long time.
I find slit loss adjustment not worth the worry, as the slits in my WE208 heads are set to .6 mil (not red led yet but am working on it)
What was the factory up grade and the serial No range?
I am very happy with my humble SR300, Better than the EPRAD I had, altho EPRADS were good processors also in their day.

Stan

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Steve Guttag
We forgot the crackers Gromit!!!

Posts: 12814
From: Annapolis, MD
Registered: Dec 1999

posted 08-25-2002 07:23 AM

No Richard, I'll disagree with you on that one...given a choice between mono and a Mod3....I'll take mono everytime.

I too lived through the EPRAD Starscope, and starlet eras...they certainly were not perfect but I'd take them over a Mod3 too. (I REALLY don't like the Mod3 with either the Gold or Grey face).

The SR135 was indeed better than it oughta be though.

Steve

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"Old projectionists never die, they just changeover!"

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