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Cinemeccanica to restart Vic 8 production if they can get 15 orders
I'm guessing that they still have the machine tooling, dies, etc. But I wonder how they plan to find some of the electronic components, e.g. mag heads and exciter LEDs?
They could also be sitting on an amount of new-old stock parts. Not sure how many brand-new mag heads are just collecting dust, but I'd believe it for exciter LEDs and other small stuff.
remember...unless they will be used with archival mag striped prints, 35 or 70 are now utilizing DTS so the machines would not need a penthouse anyway. in fact they could be set up strictly for 70mm also like the ones used for oppenheimer...no optical soundhead or magnetic penthouse needed.
remember...unless they will be used with archival mag striped prints, 35 or 70 are now utilizing DTS so the machines would not need a penthouse anyway. in fact they could be set up strictly for 70mm also like the ones used for oppenheimer...no optical soundhead or magnetic penthouse needed.
Actually BL&S did set up a number of Vic 8's for Hateful 8.
I'm guessing that they still have the machine tooling, dies, etc. But I wonder how they plan to find some of the electronic components, e.g. mag heads and exciter LEDs?
I believe that JRF Magnetic Sciences is still around. They made filum heads.
Great news that new mag heads are still available - I had no idea.
Agreed that many prospective purchasers will only be interested in DTS audio and won't want mag capability, though I suspect that some arthouses looking to upgrade a 35mm installation to 70 might. But the world's surviving stock of mag prints are almost all, by now, either owned by FIAF archives (very picky about who they will lend prints to), the studios, or private collectors, so the market for this capability will be even smaller than for 70mm projectors in general.
Still, it's great news that a decent model of dual gauge film projector could be going back into production. I'd have preferred it to be the AAII/DP-70, but am still not complaining! If Cinemeccanica could find a way to make it triple gauge, with 16mm capability as well, that would be awesome.
What I understood is that they are marketing these with a timecode "penthouse", and do not mention magnetic pickup.
I like the approach. I knew that CM still had the capabilities to newly build projectors, from newly made parts (that's why a minimum batch is mandatory) and stock parts.
It is the best approach if you're upgrading (or down grading, depending on individual view...) to 70 mm capability, to buy a new projector from those companies that can still make them, and are able to supply spare parts without hassle. Plus, Vic 8 with the revised gate is a fantastic projector for 70 mm.
Take those 1950s/ 60s machines as a display item.
Sadly, it's not the mech itself. You still nede lamp mirrors and 8/10 perf highest quality projection lenses. Here it's getting difficult. Mirror makers went out of business or closed for good around 2014.
Schneider discontinued all cinema lens making years ago. It would also require a larger batch of each focal length to get them into new production, which is likely not to happen.
Probably Exciter LEDs and pickups are still among the parts in stock for the small batch planned.
But I wonder how they plan to find some of the electronic components, e.g. mag heads and exciter LEDs?
No mag head is planned, only 70mm DTS (and probably standard reverse scan for 35mm).
I think that the 70mm kit for existing projector is the best solution, and I've been pushing this with Cinemeccanica, as Victoria 8 (even 8R) are fairly easy to find and very reliable
As nice as it would be to see them ship machines with mag heads, I don't think its super practical just from a cost standpoint. It would likely be an option-order anyways, and the amount of people actually looking to order a new projector with mag heads in it is probably so low, that it can just be a special/by-request thing anyways. Most places looking to run older archival prints already are equipped to show mag, and aren't likely on the market for new 70mm machines anyways.
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