my profile | my password | search | faq & rules | forum home

» Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE   » Operations   » Film Handlers' Forum   » Drive-In Projector Height

Author Topic: Drive-In Projector Height Justin West Master Film Handler Posts: 271 From: Peoria, IL, USA Registered: Jul 2001 posted 01-04-2003 07:53 PM                     I would like to know how far off the floor is the optical center line of projection in a typical drive-in projection set-up? Is 42" a standard height? The how far from the wall (to the portholes) should the projector sit? Thanks.  |  IP: Logged Gordon McLeod Film God Posts: 9532 From: Toronto Ontario Canada Registered: Jun 99 posted 01-04-2003 08:17 PM                     Depends on the amount of upward angle and the base Simplex made a low pedastal to allow for an upward angle through the standard port heigth. Century made a casting that raised the heigth o the pivot on the base to allow for upward angles on there base  |  IP: Logged Adam Martin I'm not even gonna point out the irony. Posts: 3686 From: Dallas, TX Registered: Nov 2000 posted 01-04-2003 09:07 PM                     It also depends on where you're installing the projector. In one place, I had to build a platform (think stadium seating) so the projector could effectively shoot over a driveway to the screen from the ground floor.  |  IP: Logged Tim Reed Better Projection Pays Posts: 5246 From: Northampton, PA Registered: Sep 1999 posted 01-05-2003 12:19 AM                       Guys, he's talking about a standard projector pedestal, the optical height remains a constant, 12" or so above the pedestal pivot point. Elevation doesn't matter. Justin asked me this question on the phone tonight, but I couldn't remember. I don't recall if it's 42" or 48"... I think 48" was the height with those Century extensions, but I'm not sure. He needs to know the standard height for sure. If anyone has an old elevation chart, for spotting port hole height, it should be on there, and coincide with the 0 degree position. And, I always put the front of the pedestal foot 36" away from the wall, but that was just me -- primarily to allow the operator to walk around the front of the machine, if the platter happened to be located on the gear side. Thanks, Tim  |  IP: Logged Gordon McLeod Film God Posts: 9532 From: Toronto Ontario Canada Registered: Jun 99 posted 01-05-2003 01:01 AM                     From Centurys drawings it lists for 0 projection angle 48" optical centreline distance from front wall to centre of base 54"  |  IP: Logged Ken Layton Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1452 From: Olympia, Wash. USA Registered: Sep 1999 posted 01-05-2003 01:30 AM                     There is a porthole locator/projection angle tech article on film-center.com under "quick tips".  |  IP: Logged Tim Reed Better Projection Pays Posts: 5246 From: Northampton, PA Registered: Sep 1999 posted 01-05-2003 02:02 AM                       48"! Thanks, Gordon! I knew it was one or the other; couldn't remember, and I don't have access to my tech info anymore. The Century "drive-in" extensions must've put them up to 52", then.  |  IP: Logged Jack Ondracek Film God Posts: 2348 From: Port Orchard, WA, USA Registered: Oct 2002 posted 01-05-2003 02:08 AM                        quote: I always put the front of the pedestal foot 36" away from the wall, but that was just me Wow... I couldn't do that with the ports Tom Moyer installed in his builds. Even the flat image would be hitting the walls! Fortunately, our drive-in has pretty good sized ports... but even at that, I don't think I've ever seen a machine that far back. Maybe that's a good thing. If I started walking around the front of a machine, I'd eventually kill myself on the conduits!  |  IP: Logged Tim Reed Better Projection Pays Posts: 5246 From: Northampton, PA Registered: Sep 1999 posted 01-05-2003 03:58 AM                       Jack, that was borne of new multiplex construction for GCC, where economy of motion was a concern, and the ports could be sized accordingly, if necessary. Worked great in practice. If it were my booth I was designing, I don't know that I would necessarily put them quite that far back, although it did make it nice if you ever had to remove a projector head.  |  IP: Logged Justin West Master Film Handler Posts: 271 From: Peoria, IL, USA Registered: Jul 2001 posted 01-05-2003 10:45 AM                     Thank you all, for your input. Until Tim and I spoke, I was not aware there was a standard height or distance from the ports. All info very interesting.  |  IP: Logged Gordon McLeod Film God Posts: 9532 From: Toronto Ontario Canada Registered: Jun 99 posted 01-05-2003 11:31 AM                     The older SMPTE manual has a good drawing of the Century A and JJ with dimensions and a porthole locator table for angle  |  IP: Logged Barry Floyd Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1079 From: Lebanon, Tennessee, USA Registered: Mar 2000 posted 07-02-2003 01:09 PM                        I, like Justin have to ask this same question. My Simplex XL and SH1012 soundhead are hanging on a standard Simplex pedestal. My contractor is going to start laying the block for our building next week, and he wanted me to verify the height of the porthole. The chart over on film-center is now only offered on CD Rom. (If somebody downloaded it before, please email it to me. The center-line of my screen is at at elevation of 138.50, the finished floor of my booth is at elevation 108.80 (a difference of 29.70 feet). The distance from the face of the screen to the outside edge of the block on the building is 348.53 feet. And like Adam mentioned above, I too have to shoot over a driveway about 12 feet from the outsidewall of the booth.  |  IP: Logged

All times are Central (GMT -6:00)

Printer-friendly view of this topic

Hop To: Select a Forum: Category: Operations -------------------- Digital Cinema Forum Film Handlers' Forum Large Format Forum Ground Level Feature Info, Trailer Attachments & REAL Credit Offsets Category: Community -------------------- Film-Yak Film Handlers' Movie Reviews The Afterlife Bob Maar's Joke-A-Thon Category: Classified -------------------- Equipment and Supplies Wanted/For Sale Help Wanted/Seeking Employment Category: System -------------------- Software Beta Testing Forum

The Film-Tech Forums are designed for various members related to the cinema industry to express their opinions, viewpoints and testimonials on various products, services and events based upon speculation, personal knowledge and factual information through use, therefore all views represented here allow no liability upon the publishers of this web site and the owners of said views assume no liability for any ill will resulting from these postings. The posts made here are for educational as well as entertainment purposes and as such anyone viewing this portion of the website must accept these views as statements of the author of that opinion and agrees to release the authors from any and all liability.