Our big, main auditorium has a really good programmable masking system made by "Automatic
Devices" in Allentown PA, USA- - who have been around since the late 1900's. (You can find
advertisements for them in ancient theater and projectionist magazines.) But I've always been
frustrated by only having FLAT and SCOPE settings available in our other auditoriums. But
now that we have all new screens and projectors I decided to crawl behind and under one of
the screens to see if there was some way I could at least somehow come up with more pre-set
stops since we run a lot of repertory 1:37 titles on DCP, and, as we all know, filmmakers these
days are coming up with all sorts of seemingly randomly generated aspect ratios.
Well, much to my surprise, we don't actually have 'masking motors' behind those screens.
The masking mechanisms in those auditoriums are are driven by . . . . . . wait for it. . . . . .
> GARAGE DOOR OPENERS! Now, I've been behind a couple of those screens before,
but the mechanisms I saw were missing their covers, or were covered by a plain metal
enclosure, and it's also pretty darn dark back there. t wasn't until today, when I crawled
behind one of the screens where I'd never been before, that I realized what it was.
GarageMasking_1.jpg
The fact that these are mounted vertically, also tricked me into not realizing what
they actually were. So basically, the 'open' and 'closed' limit switches are my
FLAT and SCOPE settings. Although these are hard-wired, it also explains why
I've found random garage door remotes in some old parts boxes here.
GarageMasking_2.jpg
Hey- - The next time I need to work behind the screen, instead of working in the
dark, or wearing my head-lamp, I can screw a light bulb into this thing and it will
go on when I open the masking to SCOPE!
Devices" in Allentown PA, USA- - who have been around since the late 1900's. (You can find
advertisements for them in ancient theater and projectionist magazines.) But I've always been
frustrated by only having FLAT and SCOPE settings available in our other auditoriums. But
now that we have all new screens and projectors I decided to crawl behind and under one of
the screens to see if there was some way I could at least somehow come up with more pre-set
stops since we run a lot of repertory 1:37 titles on DCP, and, as we all know, filmmakers these
days are coming up with all sorts of seemingly randomly generated aspect ratios.
Well, much to my surprise, we don't actually have 'masking motors' behind those screens.
The masking mechanisms in those auditoriums are are driven by . . . . . . wait for it. . . . . .
> GARAGE DOOR OPENERS! Now, I've been behind a couple of those screens before,
but the mechanisms I saw were missing their covers, or were covered by a plain metal
enclosure, and it's also pretty darn dark back there. t wasn't until today, when I crawled
behind one of the screens where I'd never been before, that I realized what it was.
GarageMasking_1.jpg
The fact that these are mounted vertically, also tricked me into not realizing what
they actually were. So basically, the 'open' and 'closed' limit switches are my
FLAT and SCOPE settings. Although these are hard-wired, it also explains why
I've found random garage door remotes in some old parts boxes here.
GarageMasking_2.jpg
Hey- - The next time I need to work behind the screen, instead of working in the
dark, or wearing my head-lamp, I can screw a light bulb into this thing and it will
go on when I open the masking to SCOPE!

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