my profile | my password | search | faq & rules | forum home

» Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE   » Operations   » Film Handlers' Forum   » Stupid "features" of cinema equipment (Page 1)

This topic comprises 7 pages: 1  2  3  4  5  6  7

Author Topic: Stupid "features" of cinema equipment Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 09-04-2004 07:14 PM                     Let's start a list of stupid "features" found on various pieces of booth equipment. By "feature", I mean a design flaw, or an intentionally stupid design, whichever you prefer to call it. Let's make this clear. You must mention a specific manufacturer and model of equipment. You may not make blanket statements such as "brain wraps from platters", since that is an operator error on "platters" as a whole. Now if you wanted to say "X brand of platters like to sling prints like frisbees", that is fine. One "feature" per post. Be sure and explain WHY. Posts without an explanation will be deleted. ---------------------------------------------------------------- CIR splicer with the stupid "spring loaded feature" of the cutter blade. Why would anyone want this? Granted the cutter blade isn't as sharp as a kitchen knife, but do you routinely keep your knives stored sharp end up? Plus if the splicer gets dropped, the cutter blade is shot. Stupid, stupid, stupid.  |  IP: Logged Manny Knowles "What are these things and WHY are they BLUE???" Posts: 4247 From: Bloomington, IN, USA Registered: Feb 2002 posted 09-04-2004 07:51 PM                     ORC makeup table has two spindles -- one side for buildup and the other for teardown. There is no backtension on the "buildup" side and no way to change directions on-the-fly.  |  IP: Logged Antonio Marcheselli Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1260 From: Florence, Italy Registered: Mar 2000 posted 09-04-2004 08:37 PM                        Cinemeccanica's Vector 1000 automation system: when you open the windows to select the appropriate program for the screen, the cursor starts always from the first program and not from the last one. If you have to create multiple shows for the day you have always to scroll the list to find the correct program. And the entire software is sooooooooooo slow!!! Bye A  |  IP: Logged Jon Miller Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 973 From: San Diego, CA, USA Registered: Sep 1999 posted 09-04-2004 08:43 PM                     How 'bout the older Xetron consoles with the lamp cooling blowers wired to the LAMP switch and automation control circuit; the power supply contactor turned on and off by an airflow vane switch? That design never gave the lamp the proper fan-forced cooldown. Worse, I shudder to think about the ensuing catastrophe should the vane switch stick in the "on" postion after automation shuts the "lamp" off and nobody is nearby to kill the power to the console?  |  IP: Logged Darryl Spicer Film God Posts: 3250 From: Lexington, KY, USA Registered: Dec 2000 posted 09-05-2004 12:05 AM                    CFS consoles, take your pick, that have the lamphouse blower fan mounted in upside down so as to make it impossible to add any oil into the lubrication holes. I have lost count on how many of these I have replaced over the years.  |  IP: Logged Pete Naples Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1565 From: Dunfermline, Scotland Registered: Feb 2001 posted 09-05-2004 03:50 AM                     Strong X90 has the blower motor mounted that way too. As part of install I strip the blower and turn the motor round.  |  IP: Logged Michael Schaffer "Where is the Boardwalk Hotel?" Posts: 4143 From: Boston, MA Registered: Apr 2002 posted 09-05-2004 04:24 AM                        CFS consoles have been mentioned by Darryl, but they really are a bad idea in many more respects. I also hate the power supply compartment design. There is very little room to work in there, and the ventilation concept is lacking too - but more than half of the console is actually empty in the back. I have more points, but Brad said only one per post...  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 09-05-2004 07:57 AM                     Boy don't get me started on how bad CFS consoles are.... lets just all agree that CFS itself was a bad idea. I've got to wonder if LIT isn't just following on the heels of CFS.... anyone know? Mark @ CLACO  |  IP: Logged Tim Reed Better Projection Pays Posts: 5246 From: Northampton, PA Registered: Sep 1999 posted 09-05-2004 11:00 AM                       The Auto/Manual switch on the back of Strong lamphouses. The only possible benefit of this would be if the automation latched and held the lamphouse on, and you couldn't make it release... but how many times has that ever happened?! Otherwise, why not just parallel automation connections to the stinkin' ON/OFF switch and be done with it?  |  IP: Logged Scott Norwood Film God Posts: 8146 From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas) Registered: Jun 99 posted 09-05-2004 01:07 PM                        The single switch on the Kinoton FP-30 to operate both the motor and the lamp is pretty dumb, as it makes it impossible to motor the film through the machine without also shortening the useful life of the lamp. This especially bad for changeover installations, where the lamp will be struck for 20 minutes at a time and then killed. (Insert Steve Guttag's comment here about how the machine doesn't need to be installed this way. Fine, but the product shouldn't do this sort of thing in the "standard" installation.)  |  IP: Logged Michael Schaffer "Where is the Boardwalk Hotel?" Posts: 4143 From: Boston, MA Registered: Apr 2002 posted 09-05-2004 03:16 PM                        >>> There is an on/off switch on the lamphouse. If you don't want the lamp to come on with the motor, simply flip that to off. On any machine, you have 2 separate switches for motor and lamp/lamphouse, the only difference is that the default setup on the Kinoton is different, but it does the same. The switch is on the back of the lamphouse next to the amp meter.  |  IP: Logged Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 09-05-2004 03:59 PM                     On the Kinoton "standard" setup, there should be a MOTOR button and a RUN button as "factory standard". In this instance, the MOTOR button would not fire the lamp for cueing purposes. Strong/Potts platters have that stupid "feature" of not having enough elevator travel distance on takeup. I see more rollers bent out of position in Strong platter booths than with any other make of platter.  |  IP: Logged Steve Guttag We forgot the crackers Gromit!!! Posts: 12814 From: Annapolis, MD Registered: Dec 1999 posted 09-05-2004 06:15 PM                     I feel the need to point out misinformation here... On Kionton...the motor/lamp thing is strictly an installation issue...the lamphouse stands on its own and has its own terminal block inside...if you don't want to wire it the factory suggested way, you don't have to. The Factory gives you the cable, use it or don't...I guess it is easier to use it for some...I don't The main switch next to the ammeter is NOT the same thing Michael as a traditional on/off switch on the lamphouse. Turning that switch off also kills the blower(s)...note the Kinton America mod eliminates that oversite so I would call that switch the "feature" being consistant with this thread. As to Aaron's commment on Strong lamphouses...many a time in a multiplex I've been requested to start a show with the lamp off to run the film and to only strike the lamp if someone shows in the first 20-minutes...the On/Off Auto/Manual switch combination allows the operator to set the lamphouse exactly how they need it to be regardless of automated or manual show. For Kinoton lamphouses, we often install an three position toggle swtich to replicate the great feature of Strong's lamphouse of On/Off/Auto. Just because it doesn't apply to your installations, doesn't mean it doesn't apply to others. As to Brad's comments on the motor/run buttons. All but the high-end projectors have the POS button to motor down the film (at a slower speed) without striking the lamp or triggering Dolby Digital to perform a sound changeover. With the E-S versions of the machines, the POS button gives way to the REV button. I 100% agree with Brad that this should be available on ALL versions of the projectors. At ShowEast, we will have a device that will restore this valuable function to E-S versions of the Kinoton projector as well (just finished the PCB layout last night). If you wanna really pick on Kinoton for something...how about...why does the audio LEDs come on with the changeover douser? This is a carry over from the exciter lamp days (remember them?). If you go with the factory way...you will guarantee a "THUMP" as the LED comes on with the sound and also guarantee that there will be a Dolby Digital drop out on each changeover since the buffer for the incoming soundtrack will not be ready. Now that is a dumb "feature" I would like to see fixed (let this be my single contribution to this thread...the other comments were refuting other peoples complaints). Steve  |  IP: Logged Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 09-05-2004 06:33 PM                     Steve, the fact that it was quote: Steve Guttag the factory suggested way means it is a "feature". Almost anything can be wired around to eliminate the manufacturer's "feature", such as the sound leds turning on with the changeover...but even that is still a manufacturer "feature", until corrected by a tech. BTW on the POS speed, that still is terrible for when you need to motor down 30-40 feet of leader!  |  IP: Logged Steve Guttag We forgot the crackers Gromit!!! Posts: 12814 From: Annapolis, MD Registered: Dec 1999 posted 09-05-2004 07:26 PM                     Brad, The difference between the LEDs and how the lamphouse is wired is that the lamphouse is a self inflicted injury...the installer has to make those connections. The LEDs come prewired and one must make a modiification to undo the factory silliness (which can be difficult on multiformat machines like the FP38E and the FP75E Steve  |  IP: Logged

All times are Central (GMT -6:00)

This topic comprises 7 pages: 1  2  3  4  5  6  7

Printer-friendly view of this topic

Hop To: Select a Forum: Category: Operations -------------------- Digital Cinema Forum Film Handlers' Forum Large Format Forum Ground Level Feature Info, Trailer Attachments & REAL Credit Offsets Category: Community -------------------- Film-Yak Film Handlers' Movie Reviews The Afterlife Bob Maar's Joke-A-Thon Category: Classified -------------------- Equipment and Supplies Wanted/For Sale Help Wanted/Seeking Employment Category: System -------------------- Software Beta Testing Forum

The Film-Tech Forums are designed for various members related to the cinema industry to express their opinions, viewpoints and testimonials on various products, services and events based upon speculation, personal knowledge and factual information through use, therefore all views represented here allow no liability upon the publishers of this web site and the owners of said views assume no liability for any ill will resulting from these postings. The posts made here are for educational as well as entertainment purposes and as such anyone viewing this portion of the website must accept these views as statements of the author of that opinion and agrees to release the authors from any and all liability.