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Topic: what manner of creature is this?

Gracia L. Babbidge
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 709
From: Bowdoin, Maine
Registered: Aug 2000

posted 10-17-2000 11:36 PM

In a recent issue of Box Office magazine, one of my coworkers spotted an ad that made us both say 'huh?'

Digital Platters. (made by Speco)

I figured that this would be the best place to try to find out more information...
Has anyone here actually seen one of these in use? What makes them 'digital'? Are they a better platter system for being 'digital'?

~The Purple-Tressed Booth B*tch

------------------
In some cultures, what I do is considered normal.

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Brad Miller
Administrator

Posts: 17775
From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall)
Registered: May 99

posted 10-18-2000 01:54 AM

Ah, that lovely word "digital". It just makes everything better, doesn't it? I can't wait for "digital toilet paper". Instead of coming on a roll that must be physically and mechanically unraveled, it will come fan folded, ala "digital". Yup, bs enough and ANYTHING can have the word "digital" on it!

Oh yeah, I don't personally know much about the new SPECOs, but I'll bet someone here does!

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Dave Bird
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 777
From: Perth, Ontario, Canada
Registered: Jun 2000

posted 10-18-2000 07:31 AM

That and "titanium", everything is "titanium" now. If you have something in a "digital titanium", well sir, you're on top of the heap!

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John Walsh
Film God

Posts: 2490
From: Connecticut, USA, Earth, Milky Way
Registered: Oct 1999

posted 10-18-2000 12:54 PM

Probably uses a microprocessor to control it's functions, speed, etc.

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Dave Cutler
Master Film Handler

Posts: 277
From: Centennial, CO
Registered: Jun 2000

posted 10-18-2000 01:09 PM

John is most likely correct. The newer Strong platters are digitally controlled. The payout speed, and the rewind speed are controlled with microprocessors. I would imaging that the SPECO's you saw advertised have a similar system.

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Scott Norwood
Film God

Posts: 8146
From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas)
Registered: Jun 99

posted 10-18-2000 02:00 PM

As I read the original post, I had visions of a giant platter being used to deliver 2" quad videotape to an ancient 1960s VTR, which was being used to drive a DLP machine. I think that this is what would pass for the mad scientist's version of "digital cinema" and it would indeed look very impressive.

I need to get more sleep.

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John Walsh
Film God

Posts: 2490
From: Connecticut, USA, Earth, Milky Way
Registered: Oct 1999

posted 10-18-2000 06:55 PM

I had a lot of fun with an audio salesman over the term; "digital speakers" once. The guy thought they "were" digital. I didn't even try to explain dynamic range to him.

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Frank Prete
Film Handler

Posts: 55
From: Victoria, Australia
Registered: Sep 2000

posted 10-19-2000 03:35 AM

Try asking salepeople about the Flux Capacitance of a speaker!

(sorry to steal your gag David)

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Steve Guttag
We forgot the crackers Gromit!!!

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

posted 10-19-2000 06:46 AM

I'm sure the "digital" platter is the LP-280...aka the electronic platter.

It's method of speed control (for both payout and takeup) is a 7-bit gray-code sensor. As such, there never needs to be any speed adjustment. a "7" (or 111 binary) is full on and 0 (000 binary) is off. The other 5 positions are somewhere in between and plenty to have a reasonably smooth operation. The older LP-270 only had 3 positions on the payout and continiously variable on the take up.

I guess they term it digital since they are using 3-bit binary code to set the speeds.

Steve

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Stefan Scholz
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 223
From: Schoenberg, Germany
Registered: Sep 1999

posted 10-19-2000 09:19 AM

Remembering the Ferrari Digital Grill. It was a portable electric BBQ device - truly digital. The switch had 2 positions 1 (On) 0 (OFF)- which made it digital. Nice Italien idea.

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Colin Wiseley
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 123
From: Blacksburg, VA
Registered: Dec 1999

posted 10-19-2000 10:46 AM

We've have an LP-280 in operation for almost a year now and haven't had a single problem with it or a center bind. The best thing I like about the digital features are that you can use it to check email.

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Colin Wiseley
Lyric Theatre
Blacksburg, VA
www.thelyric.com

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Per Hauberg
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 883
From: Malling, Denmark
Registered: Jul 2000

posted 10-19-2000 04:34 PM

Doesn't Digital Titanium projection gear come with a THX certificate...?
I mean, just to get ALL kinds of hot air into the same package

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