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Author
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Topic: Speco LP-270 running too slow
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Michael Barry
Jedi Master Film Handler
Posts: 584
From: Sydney, NSW, Australia
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 03-11-2001 09:15 AM
Our theatre recently purchased two new Speco platters, and they both seem to be timed slower than the other four that have been there for years (the maximum payout speed, that is). One of them in particular is so slow that it has trouble keeping up at the start of shows. I don't think it's the motor or drive wheel because activating the take-up and raising the elevator will spin the appropriate platter very rapidly. Activating the payout control and moving the payout unit to 100% (with the takeup elevator down) will make the plate spin at around 1 revolution per 2 1/2 to 3 seconds, whereas all the older platters we had will spin at around 1 revolution per second under the same conditions. The second of the new platters is timed about halfway between the two. I think the position of the magnet is correct as they all activate at the same payout arm position - perhaps it is fractionally out of position? I looked in the manual but found no instructions for increasing the maximum payout speed. Is there a separate service manual available, or can someone tell me how this is accomplished? A further note is that the payout arm springs back to zero on the new platters; on the old ones they were hardly spring loaded at all. Is this spring adjustment in the payout unit itself like on a Cinemeccanica or part of the plate assembly like on a Christie? I'd like to match the performance of the new platters to the old as they are perfect the way they are. To my knowledge, the old platters have never thrown a print, which I think is due to the gentle acceleration - they never 'jerk'.
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Michael Barry
Jedi Master Film Handler
Posts: 584
From: Sydney, NSW, Australia
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 03-11-2001 09:34 PM
Brad: The slower of the two new ones has trouble keeping up with the leader and first trailer. It's borderline - sometimes it will start to wrap, so it's a bit too slow. On ad/trailer change days (once a week), we have to drop in trailer packs of a smaller diameter than the take-up ring (often, more goes in than what comes out). The older units keep up with this reduced diameter without issues (the longest titles have played on these without getting thrown), and even the other new platter works well under these conditions (still a bit slow; it underfeeds about 180 degrees then responds fine once the feature starts, which is acceptable). This one, however, will certainly wrap and needs to be spun by hand throughout the duration of the 'dropped-in' trailer pack. I can well imagine that SPECO decided to slow down their platters, however the problem is that both of the new units are very different from one another, so there is an inconsistency here. If they were both timed like the faster of the two, there wouldn't really be an issue, although I'd still be curious. The way it stands, we have a problem with the slower unit being too slow in order to operate efficiently.Gordon: All the plates on this deck respond with almost identical results, except that the second lowest (they are 4-deck units) seems a tad slower still. The older platter units also have consistent results from deck to deck, and also with each other.
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John Wilson
Film God
Posts: 5438
From: Sydney, Australia.
Registered: Dec 1999
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posted 03-11-2001 11:45 PM
Michael, call Barry and ask him to come and have a look at adjusting them for you. Barry's a great tech and won't steer you wrong.He may even be able to give you the instructions to fix it yourself over the phone. ...and being that these are still under warranty, those cheap bastards you work for can't use their old excuse of 'can't afford it' for this one. ------------------
"It's not the years, honey...it's the mileage". Indiana Jones
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