I have two thoughts on this:

1) They don't give digital beards to guys in England. (Some kind of cultural difference?)

Having said that, they do it before the lamp is struck for the first time in the day, so there is no chance of the lamp being warm.

It’s highly unlikely that a cold lamp should burst just because the door has been opened. They don’t “poke about” as you suggest, merely examine with their torches.

Still, I think we should all stick to the “If you don’t have protection, don’t enter” school of thought. Not just in the projection room.

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Below is the picture I made in response to Kodak's crazy ads a while back:

(ii) I wasn't suggesting that the Screencheck engineer would 'poke about'. The point I was trying to make is something like this. Some arts centre or community theatre shows films once or twice a month. The A/V technician runs them, whose only projectionist training is having been taught to lace up and do changeovers. One day the Kodak literature arrives in the post with that picture in it. This gives him or her the idea 'Hmm, the bulb has been a bit flickery for a while, let's open up the lamphouse and see if I can find anything obviously wrong'. While looking, the bulb explodes in his or her face. I've worked in one or two of these places where they really didn't have a clue as to how dangerous xenon lamps can be, and it is for that reason I thought that publishing this photo was a bad idea, even if it does show an empty lamphouse.

As for beards, you wouldn't need to digitally add or remove them after a few lamp blowups. Nature would have done something just as impressive!

"Using proper safety equipment and procedures (turn off power supplies, use Xenon lamp safety equipment), have operator open up the lamphouse. Examine condition of lamp, reflector, wiring, etc."

I believe the engineer pictured is Richard Boaste, one of the ScreenCheck Auditors for the UK. I can only assume the distraction of having a photographer tagging along on the inspection of the Salisbury Odeon led to a momentary lapse in proper safety procedures. I will reinforce the need for proper safety equipment.

Overall, the BKSTS author Jim Slater was impressed with the comprehensive Kodak ScreenCheck certification.

I'm sure that many projectionists and engineers have on one or two occasions opened up a lamphouse without wearing the full 'Iron Giant' costume, but at least they're only exposing themselves to the risk of explosion. To have a senior engineer photographed doing so in corporate marketing literature is surely to imply that there is no health and safety problem. If Danny Hart's experience - that Screencheck engineers regularly inspect lamphouses without wearing protective gear - is representative of the wider picture, then this surely does not offer a good example for the projectionists in the cinemas being inspected.

------------------
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

My freind, Im not having a go but, I've been in this game since 1978, and have removed
bulbs that were damned HOT (with gear on) in the middle of a show, and never had one explode.

You mentioned it was beyond its useful life.
Perhaps that explains things.

Tell your M1 you need a need bulb before
you have to wait 24 hours cooling to remove it.
You should have at least 2 spares on hand.
Change as required, then inform H/O you need a new bulb.

Perhaps you were just unlucky, but the best part is that you were wearing protective
gear that saved you you from harm.

I'm done with dragging out bulbs as long as can, giving the patrons a crap flicking (cylcing) picture, I just order new bulbs.

Regards Bill.

Supply and demand might bring the price down?
Who knows.

However you can take MORE time, it just depends on how you explain the situation to your patrons.. are they willing to wait longer
or will they rather come back the next day.

THIS IS DANGEROUS

Those of you who just finshed making your last choc-top should not attempt this.