So we ordered a new pot, the cost AU$460!
(Complete new brain was quoted at AU$1000)

Gezz, My guess was 50 bucks max, but $460 for a lousy potentiometer! 
Ok, even allowing for the rip off price of projection equipment.
When the cinema rang me to say the part had been ordered and
to guess the price, I started at the $50 above and gave up at $200
When he said keep guessing, I said just tell me.

So basically, my question, have you ever had to replace one of these?
If so how much did you, pay?

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I still find the price excessive for something 1cm across and 2cm high.
I guess it's simple supply and demand.

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Sean,
Agreed, I dont like the idea of electronics built into the payout brain.
When you say the pot could become 'dirty', I think the correct term is 'noisy',
However, I get what you mean, but as I said above this is no ordinary pot.
That said, a CNR35 platter is a cross between a Speco an Christie platter,
I don't know which came first, but a very good guess would be the Cinemecannica.

Here's a thought, which should not be required, but an idea for all payouts,
is to have an arc of wire across the top of the payout control arm, so that if someone does
try to use one of their TWO hands to lift it out by the the arm it WONT break off.
Just a thought - at $450 a hit, it cant be a bad idea.

Those with Speco broken control arms wont care at $20 on arm!
How many of those 'cracked' plastic things have you got in the emergency / junk cabinet?

Those with Christies wont care either, what the hell are they made of ? - They don't break.

Here's another thought

Cinemacannica = Nitrate
Speco = Triacitate
Christie = Polyester

I don't know what that means! - Hmm Maybe I do. I'll get back to it.

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Gordon: I knew Burr-Brown in relation to their D/A converters used in high-end CD players such as Krell and other quality brands such as Rotel. However, I didn't know they made parts for projection equipment! I guess when it comes down to it, there are only a handful of manufacturers when you look at things on a component level - CD-ROM drives and laserdisc players come to mind (laserdisc player transports were only made by Sony and Pioneer irrespective of what badge was on the front!).

Someone once told me that there are only a few glass houses in the world that actually grind glass for lenses - would anyone like to expand on this in particular?

Anyway, back to the topic:

Bill: I think that your film stock material/platter brand analogy is an apt one! Whilst I believe that any projection equipment must be handled with absolute delicacy (as with any precision-type equipment) it is especially true that the newer model Cinemeccanica platters must be very carefully handled. However, no projection equipment responds well to heavy-handedness, and if the equipment is treated by the projectionist with the same level of care as the film itself, there shouldn't be any trouble with any particular brand.

I like Cinemeccanica equipment a lot, although the parts prices can be steep as you noted. Their platters are very well designed, and it is exceedingly easy to time one as a result. Not only is the pot in the brain, but the feed-out arm back-tensioning spring is as well, so you can set up the arm to 'float' freely or spring back at the rate you like with minimal fuss. So although expensive to service, I know of many which have been in service for a long, long time without failure OR the need for constant adjustment, which in the end is the bottom line. The take-up drive wheels could be better, perhaps...

Is there a Burr-Brown in Australia?

Regarding the last line of your post, your correct the the wheels between the motor and plate could be better, you have to have everything set up perfect, otherwise they slip and get flat spots, and sound terrible.
The slipping mainly happens at startup, when a bad join goes through, when there is a sticky/static loaded print running, this sends the payout are to full-steam-ahead and thus sometimes the slipping. In in extreme cases we simply put a 2" or 4" bobbin core over the roller to the left of the arm to stop it from being able to go full speed (no we don't have your Spedco problem of them being too slow at startup - the opposite in fact) - and the noise they make when they slip is agony to listen to, for everyone, because we know if we flat spot the wheel to the point that the plate sounds like a steam engine when running (clunty-clunt-clunty...) we know its time for a new wheel, at $112 a
pop. The direct drive of the Spedco is a much better idea, like the Christies & Eprad.

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"I hope that this turns your earlier frown upside down."

----->

Any time another manufacturer comes "on board" , it's reason to smile. Welcome to Film-Tech! We look forward to your participation, and maybe even an occasional visit by Victor Nicelli. Cinemeccanica personnel have always been gracious and helpful at trade shows.

------------------
John P. Pytlak, Senior Technical Specialist
Worldwide Technical Services, Entertainment Imaging
Eastman Kodak Company
Research Labs, Building 69, Room 7419
Rochester, New York, 14650-1922 USA
Tel: 716-477-5325 Cell: 716-781-4036 Fax: 716-722-7243
E-Mail: john.pytlak@kodak.com
Web site: http://www.kodak.com/go/motion

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AU$460 = $233.77US (the price of the Hall-effect "pot")

AU$1000 = $508.20US (price of complete Cinemecannica CNR 35-5 platter "brain")

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Im with you all the way.

We have to move the brains/payouts each and every time we have to thread-up/lace the next movie. With the CNR35-5 (a five tier platter)
there is not much room between plates, and in a rush (as there always is) you can bump the brain, and snapping that $450 pot off the arm has me scared.
Its all good to say be careful when moving the brains but...

Like I said before if you break a speco arm your only up for $25, as they have the FET electronics built into the platter, not the the brain.

It very heartbreaking to have 3 of these
broken pots that cant be fixed.