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

» Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE   » Operations   » Film Handlers' Forum   » Port Glass recommendations in the UK?

Author Topic: Port Glass recommendations in the UK? Amanda Mundin Expert Film Handler Posts: 122 From: Belper, Derbyshire, UK Registered: Sep 2005 posted 05-11-2006 05:07 AM                     Does anyone have recommendations as to where to get good port glass in the UK? I have read that they should be optical quality with anti-reflective coatings, is this correct? Also what thickness of glass would anyone recommend?  |  IP: Logged Pete Naples Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1565 From: Dunfermline, Scotland Registered: Feb 2001 posted 05-11-2006 06:56 AM                     Amanda, You want Pyran glass, this is optically excellent, anti-reflective, reduces sound transmission, satisfies the requirements for fire retardance and comes ready glazed in a frame unit, which can be easily removed to allow for cleaning and for us poor engineers to get mic cables into the theatre. These are fairly standard in new builds and refurbs, remember practically anything you do to the building will have to comply with the latest regs. IIRC it comes in two standard sizes, although others can be made to order, at addistional cost. Out office would be happy to cost it up for you  |  IP: Logged Amanda Mundin Expert Film Handler Posts: 122 From: Belper, Derbyshire, UK Registered: Sep 2005 posted 05-11-2006 07:11 AM                     What are opinions on using 2 panes of glass instead of 1? Does 1 pane reduce projection noise sufficiently? Does 2 panes start to introduce other problems like less light transmission and optical aberrations?  |  IP: Logged Dave Macaulay Film God Posts: 2321 From: Toronto, Canada Registered: Apr 2001 posted 05-11-2006 09:47 AM                     Sound transmission is reduced with 2 panes. If you use optical clear coated glass, image degradation is negligible. The 2 panes should be angled vs the projection angle and each other to avoid any ghost images on screen. One pane may be fine, thicker glass gives better sound isolation but noise will get through. The projection noise is usually not a big problem, but people talking in the booth may be clearly audible in the theatre... you don't want to discuss the patrons very loudly for sure!  |  IP: Logged Brian Guckian Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 594 From: Dublin, Ireland Registered: Apr 2003 posted 05-12-2006 08:37 AM                     Here's a good tip...use rubber gasketing between the glass and the frames as well, and sound absorbing material in the space between panes if you go for two panes... I worked in a theatre years ago where we did everything to the letter; twin panes, correctly angled, optical glass, you name it! BUT...the sound still got through. In the end we saw there was a hard bond between the glass and the wooden porthole frames, so vibrations from the glass were being passed through the frames and out the other side. And the space between the frames was lined with light-absorbing but not sound-absorbing material. Our ports were also unavoidably big, because we had to accommodate three machines in tight space...so another requirement is to make the ports as small as possible. You can buy pre-assembled portholes complete with frames, glass, cable pass-throughs and double-pane options. Talk to your projection equipment supplier...you have some very good ones there in the UK  |  IP: Logged Ken McFall Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 615 From: Haringey, London. Registered: Apr 2001 posted 05-12-2006 05:59 PM                     and DON'T use georgian wired glass as was recomended by an installer who posts on this site!!! SAD but true! One other thing to bear in mind. Where possible keep the port glass as small as practical and SEPERATE from the view port. The glass should be on the inside of the projection room to keep it small. Large single ports on the inside of the auditorium wall make it very difficult to focus as you are looking thru the image on the port glass. Smaller poprts also reduce the amout of stray light passing into the auditorium. Most people consider the cost of port glass to be way over the top but it's importance cannot be over stressed. Ports tend to be very close to the rear seats so stray light and sound can be a real problem. So do the job right..... and do it once.  |  IP: Logged Rob Younger Film Handler Posts: 6 From: Barnsley, South Yorkshire, England Registered: Jun 2003 posted 05-15-2006 02:56 PM                     Hi Amanda, The glass that Pete has mentioned is what we were talking about last week. This would be good - and available from your favourite dealer!!! Rob  |  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.