Drive in movie projectors

[MadSkillzMan]

i went to the drive in the other day, and of corse had to stare and notice, how do they get such a decent image, at literally hundreds of feet away with noisy light disturbing the movie?

what kind of bulb do those things run?

Also, theres an abandoned drive iin about 10 minutes from my Gfs house. Been there since 1995. a few friends have visited it..said inside the projection booth, EVERYTHING is still in there...an old fridge, projectors, films..etc..

SO i was figuring id go take a look and salvage some parts.

Any input guys? thanks in advance.

[mdorani]

they use CRT projectors

[Frank Berry]

Those old projectors generally didn't use bulbs. They used carbon rods. They were arc lights. Powered by very high current d.c.
Newer ones used Xenon lamps.

[MadSkillzMan]

are you screwing with me mdorani? Thatd be ungodly neat if its true

arc lamp? wow. and im assuming the Xeon tubes are a bit brighter than what id buy for a strobe light correct?

[Video Freak]

Mad who owns the place? you should contact them first to see about going into the place because for all you know they may be planning to reopen it Sometime in the future( and thus dont want anyone in it taking stuff out etc). There was a Drive in around me that was closed for 10 years and then out of nowhere reopened and hasnt closed since and is Packed 24/7...........Whatever you decide take pictures of the place Its neet to see old theaters etc and what still left behind.

[mdorani]

im not screwing but im not sure if *that one is CRT, but the ones here are...

[relder]

Originally posted by Video Freak
... and is Packed 24/7

Wow, that must be bright!

[MadSkillzMan]

well, i know its condemned, and theres trees growing all through it. only been 10 years, but you cant even find the place. the screens are torn down. the only things that stand is the booth and the consession stand...but i beleive that fell down, and the speaker trees have all been removed.

Theres alot of neat places here in ohio. most are scheduled to be nocked down, but they dont get to it til YEARS later.

However i will ask around to see whats gong on with the place.

[kevinkr]

I would be surprised if any current cinema projectors use crts, most I have seen lately are dlp or lcd and use very large xenon lamps. I don't think any crt would be bright enough.

Older projectors used carbon arc lamps with auto feeders to keep the rods at the optimum distance, used a sort of current sensing solenoid to maintain the arc current reasonably constant. Firing them up is kinda scary.. The rods have to touch usually with a very loud pop and some nasty sizzling noises as the rods separate. I was a projectionist in high school and we had several smaller incandescent bulb type projectors and a couple xenon arc types as well. Hung out at a small theater with the described 35mm projectors. (No longer remember who made them, but not Bell& Howell LOL Maybe CEC.)

Note that cinema grade projectors are hazardous in operation. Fires even with safety film, not acetate are common. They also require a lot of power, like several KW just for the lamp.

Technically speaking removing that equipment from that drive in is theft if you do not have the permission of the owner. Given the possible value of the equipment it might even be considered grand larceny in your jurisdiction. Not very ethical and not recommended!

Kevin

[Video Freak]

Relder........ahhhhh so correct....How bought I say 6/7 instead of 24/7 LOL though if you count the swap meets they have in the daytime sometimes the number raises