International projectionist (Jan 1963-June 1965)

Dealers for the Strong Electric Corp., in attendance of the TOA TESMA-TEDA-NCA convention and trade show, heard a detailed description of the features and operational advantages of the new Strong Futura projection lamp at the City Squire Motor Inn, by Arthur J. Hatch, president of Strong. Harold Plumadore, product engineer of the Strong motion picture division, discussed the development of the new lamp and answered technical questions. The new Bi-Powr silicon type rectifier, cold type reflectors, the new Strong X-16 Xenon lamp for 35mm and 16mm projectors, and a new slide projector with Xenon light source were described by Clifford Callender, sales manager of the theatre equipment division. Also leading discussion was Bill White, field sales representative for Strong Electric. Dealers attending the meeting were: left to right, standing Al Boudouris, Theatre Equipment Co., Toledo; Harold Plumadore, Strong Electric Corp., Toledo; Frank Strange, Charlotte Theatre Supply Co., Ci?rJ~**e. N. C; Ernest Comi, Capitol Theatre Supply Co., Boston, Mass.; J. W. McBurnie, Charleston Theatre Supply Co., Charleston, W. Va.; H. J. Ringold, Ringold Theatre Equipment Co., Grand Rapids, Mich.; H. J. Dus man, J. F. Dusman Co., Baltimore, Md.; Carl White, Quality Theatre Supply Co., Omaha, Neb.; Al Mortsen, Southwestern Theatre Equipment Co., Houston, Texas; Bob Tankersley, Western Service & Supply, Inc., Denver, Colo.; }. Ed Miller, John P. Filbert Co., Los Angeles, Calif.; E. J. Peterson, Abbot Theatre Equipment Co., Chicago, 111.; Bill White, Strong Electric Corp.; Jake Elder, Modern Sales & Service Inc., Dallas, Texas; Roy Smith, Roy Smith Co., Jacksonville, Fla.; Seated Arthur J. Hatch, Strong Electric Corp.; Cliff Callender, Strong Electric Carp.; John J. Kenny, Theatre Equipment Co., Detroit; Lloyd C. Pearson, General Sound and Theatre Equipment Ltd., Toronto; A. D. Turnbull, General Sound and Theatre Equipment Ltd., Montreal; Wm. Geissler, Wil-Kin Inc., Atlanta; Phil Wicker, Standard Theatre Supply Co., Greensboro, N. C; Armand Besse, Besse Theatre Supply Reg'e, Montreal; L. M. Wutke, Pembrex Theatre Supply Corp., Los Angeles, Cal.; G. Nadeau, Besse Theatre Supply Reg'e, Montreal; George Hornstein, Joe Hornstein Inc., New 'rork City; Hal Hornstein, Joe Hornstein Inc., Miami, Fla.; Charles B. Kinney, Modern Sales and Servi.e Inc., Dallas. Split Audio System Designed For New Skouras Drive-In NEW YORK— The Skouras Route 17 Drive-In Theatre is equipped with a sound system designed by Joseph J. Kelly, technical supervisor for the Skouras/United Artists Theatre chains, employs a split audio distribution system to channel the sound to the numerous ramps comprising the 1200 car drive-in theatre. Unlike most conventional drive-in sound systems, the new system utilizes a total of ten 75 watt power amplifiers, each one of eight amplifiers distributing sound to an individual segment of the field, the ninth amplifier feeding the concession, playground and patio theatre areas and the tenth amplifier acting as a standby unit that can be switched in place of any of the others 12 through a specially constructed switching panel mounted in ore of the racks. The front end of the system consists of a conventional Century transistorized 2-projector optical magnetic system; the output from the projector reproducers feed a low powered transistor amplifier the gain of which is adjusted to produce an output level of .7 volt RMS at 1030 cycles. This comprises a low impedence signal bus which in turn drives the ten amplifiers, the inputs of which are all in parallel. Altec A-256C power amplifiers are used, each having an individual level control. Each of the eight field amplifiers are connected to an average of 75 Simplex junction boxes equipped with 1125 ohm line transformers. The impedence match is such that all amplifiers operate at identical gain settings and control of sound to the ramps is simply a matter of turning on or off the individual amplifiers which are labeled to coincide with the part of the field they serve. In this manner the power of the system is adjusted to suit the attendance, and no change in volume or distortion content is present when the field is lightly filled or jammed to capacity. Another feature of this system is protection for short circuits in the field wiring since a short in a junction box post can only affect at worst Vsjth of the field, which if not corrected entails shifting cars in this immediate area to any place in the other 85% of the field. A special junction box on the rear wall of the booth enables quick isolation of short circuits down to an individual ramp as the field wiring is such that all ramp feeders enter this box con Internatioxal Projectionist December. 1963