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

» Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE   » Operations   » Film Handlers' Forum   » What's the most effective way to clean an SDDS reader? (Page 1)

This topic comprises 2 pages: 1  2

Author Topic: What's the most effective way to clean an SDDS reader? Matt Kleiber Film Handler Posts: 5 From: Edina, MN, USA Registered: Aug 2004 posted 09-01-2004 08:11 PM                     My theater uses SDDS on 16 of its 18 screens (the other two switched over to Dolby a few months ago). Like any theater with SDDS we have ongoing problems with the sound dropping in and out of SDDS to analog, especially on older prints. Can anyone provide any suggestions regarding the best way to clean the readers? Or am I better off trying to get them replaced?  |  IP: Logged Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 09-01-2004 08:17 PM                     2000 series units or 3000 series SDDS units. Do you use FilmGuard to keep the tracks from wearing? What make of projectors are you running?  |  IP: Logged Matt Kleiber Film Handler Posts: 5 From: Edina, MN, USA Registered: Aug 2004 posted 09-01-2004 08:24 PM                     Ack, sorry, I suppose I should have mentioned this earlier: DFP-3000 SDDS processor units We don't use Filmguard frequently, mostly on older prints Simplex S2  |  IP: Logged Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 09-01-2004 10:46 PM                     I don't think there is such a thing as an S2 Simplex. Check that model number. You should run brand new prints through the cleaner when you first get them, and not once they start appearing to need it. Once you let the digital track get scuffed, it's all over. Prevention is the solution.  |  IP: Logged Dominic Espinosa Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1172 From: Boulder Creek, CA. Registered: Jan 2004 posted 09-02-2004 01:24 AM                     Cotton swab and isopropyl alchohol? We clean our rollers and optical surfaces once a week with the above method, rest of the time it's either a rag on the rollers or canned air. We don't generally have much problem in our SDDS house due to the way it's positioned. That booth has the lowest dust problem of any of our houses.  |  IP: Logged Matt Kleiber Film Handler Posts: 5 From: Edina, MN, USA Registered: Aug 2004 posted 09-02-2004 02:11 PM                     Brad: It's actually Simplex M2...I think I need to take a nap now. Dominic: Thanks for the tip  |  IP: Logged Steve Scott Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1300 From: Minneapolis, MN Registered: Sep 2000 posted 09-02-2004 07:40 PM                     Be thankful you don't have to clean 2000 series readers. You'd need a coma after that with 16 machines!  |  IP: Logged Matt Kleiber Film Handler Posts: 5 From: Edina, MN, USA Registered: Aug 2004 posted 09-02-2004 10:00 PM                     It's all relative. I've never been in the booth at Lakeville, but if you've ever seen the some of the equipment they use at Centennial Lakes (in Edina), my guess is that you would be thankful for what you have. General Cinema made some very questionable decisions when they had their building binge last decade.  |  IP: Logged Steve Scott Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1300 From: Minneapolis, MN Registered: Sep 2000 posted 09-03-2004 09:50 AM                     Matt, we only had one SDDS 2k unit, and the CCD lenses got clogged with dust and eventually went bad for other technical reasons, too. We got a new DTS 6D unit to replace it. Centennial Lakes was built right after the Burnhaven 8 in Burnsville. Burnhaven had DTS and SRD in 4 houses and analog in the other 4, so says a manager I know who used to work there. Mall of America came after Centennial for GCC, which had mostly SRD and DTS, and half Dolby and half Kintek for analog. So, Centennial Lakes' SDDS systems were either a big test for SDDS in their Twin Cities market, or an addition by AMC after the buyout. At least you got the simplified readers.  |  IP: Logged Matthew Jaro Film Handler Posts: 74 From: Gaithersburg, MD, USA Registered: Jul 2003 posted 09-03-2004 03:52 PM                        The best way to clean an SDDS reader is to throw it out. It's really great to place a soundtrack on the one place that the projectors handle the film (the edges). Also, that's the one place where film gets crimped. Another great idea whose time has gone.  |  IP: Logged Dustin Mitchell Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1865 From: Mondovi, WI, USA Registered: Mar 2000 posted 09-03-2004 04:03 PM                     In defense of SDDS that's all that was left to them.  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 09-03-2004 06:29 PM                     "The best way to clean an SDDS reader is to throw it out. " I disagree because we are selling so many 2000 reader sprockets that I may be able to officially retire before SDDS disappears. Mark  |  IP: Logged Chris Hipp Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1462 From: Mesquite, Tx (east of Dallas) Registered: Jul 2003 posted 09-03-2004 10:00 PM                     I they would let me I would change out the otehr 29 houses with those sprockets, but we will jsut have to wait until they go bad to upgrade.  |  IP: Logged Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 09-03-2004 11:28 PM                     If people threaded them my way those sprockets wouldn't be wearing out and the tracking would be better.  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 09-04-2004 07:26 AM                     With the 2000 it doesn't matter how you thread em.... the sprockets still wear out as they are just bare alumnium(stupid Sony!), nor is there much that you can do to improve what you call tracking which is somewhat of a false saying. Sony could have utilized a bit lighter spring in the tight loop but beyond that there is little one can do to make things any more readable. One of the main problems is the lack of contrast in the scanner to allow better defined data. This is partially caused by the fact that Sony used the wrong color temp LEDs(Stupid Sony!) in the first place for reading the cyan track! I've converted a few 2000 readers lately to use the Dolby RED LED and even with the contrast improvement(seen as more "hair" on the video waveform) afforded by that conversion things are still somewhat marginal but I see less drop outs of the track LED's. Filmguard does help extend the lifespan of a print somewhat but prints will still eventually become unruinnable and its due to the small bit size on the film and that its in the high wear area of the print. Mark @ CLACO  |  IP: Logged

All times are Central (GMT -6:00)

This topic comprises 2 pages: 1  2

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.