I was using one in 1957. It was called Projectomatic and was installed at the Cosmo,Glasgow {first cinema in Scotland to have it installed) The Cosmo is still operating by the way and hopefully someone is using the Projectomatic control unit as a boat anchor

Basically it consisted of a series of relays across all presentation functions i.e. lights,curtains,masking, non-sync,etc. and a rotating drum in the control unit would have pins placed in slots in the drum. Each slot represented one of the various functions e.g. a pin in slot 8 would trip relay to bring up footlights, slot 9 curtains and so on. The drum rotation was initiated by pulses from pick-off roller in projector just before hold back sprocket(foil tape stuck on film edge triggered the pulses) or on start of show by a clockwork timer(really primitive) We used to bypass the timer and start show manually which sort of defeats the whole purpose of the exercise

Changeovers were initiated by pulses received from the pick-off roller, again triggerd by foil tape placed on film edge. Xenon lamps were rare beasts then and the arc lamp was struck when a metal pellet placed between positive and negative carbons fused on incoming projector motor startup.

This meant that the arc had 7 secs to stabilize before changeover.
Even using Peerless Magnarcs this was a big ask and the light on screen was usually wobbly for a few seconds after changeover.

The funny thing about this installation is that it was never intended to replace staff- as far as I can make out it was a whim of the cinema owner. It didn't do what we projectionists couldn't do better and more smoothly.

Anyway the Chief at the time who had always presided over a booth providing first class presentation was so pissed off by this intrusion that he resigned and left the industry entirely:

This was 1957. Any earlier automation?

I've never used one to strike a carbon arc, as the strontium ( I think! ) pellets that you were supposed to put between the carbons would vaporise and somewhat shorten the life of the mirror.

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But by then the march to xenon had begun.

Picture of Projectomatic at the Granada Rugby 1960. (kindly supplied by Harry Rigby)

Thank you, you've just answered a question I am continually being asked, is BB still around and how is he?!!

Curiously, when I first started working at the theater it only had the ability to turn everything on at the start of the show and then turn everything off at the end. There was no way to get it to turn the house lights up at the credits and then turn everything off at the end. As a result, I had to get out my trusty Dremel tool and cut new notches into the discs to get it to turn on the house lights but still keep everything else going until it's triggered again at the end of the film. Now it works like a charm.

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

I will be in touch with Bernard Bentley next week; I will give him a copy of your posting! I know he will be pleased with your messages. I should have mentioned that his lovely wife Annette also visited, she is 81 and was a projectionist in the early years. There must be something in those diodes; they both look so well and active.

Jim,

There was also Projectomatic model ‘0’ that just did changeovers!

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Never had any problems with pellets striking arc-we were running 60 amps.
Incidentally Westrex were the agents for Projectomatic at that time.

The Cosmo is/was in Rose St off Sauchiehall St. and was still there about 5 years ago.

It is/was a magnificent repertory cinema and the owner's criterion was "the best films from any source" and I screened many classic films there.

Bernard,

Are those FP7's in your picture of Granada,Rugby

Picture of an early Cinemation console in Odeon 1 Leeds, Bradford (now closed) – dating from the 1970s, long disued. (picture kindly supplied by Harry Rigby).

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Bernard, I'd be astounded if BB remembers me, I met him in the dark days of Caledonian Associated Cinems, when I was nowt but a lad! Danny Cattigan is still around though, he was CAC's engineer, so BB will have a better chance of remembering him. It's great to know that he's well and enjoying retirement.

Bernard Bentley came along with Roger Purle and connected up to the Vic 8's and also converted our Peerless Arcs to Xenon.

Sadly we lost the 4 Track mag system with the FP 7's and had the Cinemeccanica T12 system installed but no Penthouses on the projectors.

Somewhere I have some pics of the projectors old and new. Must try to find them and post them.