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Topic: Piclear film cleaner ..

Jim Latendorf
Junior
Posts: 13
From: Sacramento, CA.
Registered: Dec 2005

posted May 21, 2006 07:08 AM

I just got a RCA TP-66 which I am in the process of getting up and running. Mounted on the thing is a Piclear film cleaning system. Looks like a pretty neat setup for "wet gate" projection !! Does anybody have any information on this gizmo ?? Looks like a job for all of you "TV people" out there from the film chain days. Attached is a picture. Also, I am looking for the spacers clips that hold the push buttons switches to the control panel. The function switches are made by Switchcraft.

Thanks and best to all,

Jim L.

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John A. Pommon
Film Handler

Posts: 69
From: San Francisco, California 94131
Registered: Nov 2004

posted May 21, 2006 10:55 PM

Jim, do you know what fluid they coated the film with?
In those days I wonder if it was freon-TF or (trike) trichlorethylene.
PS:
Pretty cool looking unit - loox rack mount~

[ May 22, 2006, 12:31 AM: Message edited by: John A. Pommon ]

--------------------
Antique Video Transfer Service
2" Quadruplex videotape to DV/DVCAM digital transfers
5001 Diamond Hts Blvd.
San Francisco, CA 94131-1621
www.antiquevideo.com
antvid@antiquevideo.com

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Chester Brooks
Film Handler

Posts: 39
From: USA
Registered: Apr 2006

posted May 22, 2006 10:55 AM

Jim

Is the machine a 16mm film cleaner used by TV companies before they dispatched films back after broadcasting.

I would be useful item to have

Have you tried it yet and is it in working order ?

Chester

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Jim Latendorf
Junior
Posts: 13
From: Sacramento, CA.
Registered: Dec 2005

posted May 22, 2006 01:36 PM

The RCA model TP-66 is a 16 mm film projector used for exclusively for television broadcast of 16 mm film. The audio system handles both optical and magnetic soundtracks. The projector is designed not to output a lot of light. Instead, it was designed to project directly into a vidicon television camera. The lamp house uses a 500 watt pre focus lamp as a light source. There is no reflector to focus light from the lamp to the film gate since high lumen output is not needed. The unit employs a five blade shutter to basically convert the 24 frames per second film speed to 29.997 frames per second speed required for NTSC (US standard) television. The whole thing is driven by a large motor that synchs to the AC power line frequency. All mechanical elements are directly driven by the main motor via toothed belts and pulleys. The supply and take-up reels are driven by separate motors each and tension is controlled by swing arm assemblies that control voltage to each reel motor. Audio output is at balanced line levels. The whole thing is self contained and weighs about 475 pounds for stability when bolted to a concrete floor. It was fun to move.

Anyway, getting back to the Piclear unit. It seems it uses a controlled "drip" system that is turned on only when the main projector motor is running. A solenoid valve on the valve assembly is connected to the main motor's power circuit. The application head is mounted in the film path preceding the film gate. There are two removable "pad plates" to which media is attached. When closed, the media pads squeeze the film between them applying the cleaning fluid evenly to both sides of the film. Thus the film is effectively cleaned and lubed on both sides piror to entering the film gate. Thus "wet gate" projecton.

Here is the valve assembly close up.

Here is a close up of the applicator head.

As you can see, the film cleaner ate the paint over the years do to leakage.

I did some googleing and noted that Piclear received an academy award for technical achivement in 1977 "for originating and developing an attachment to motion picture projectors to improve screen image quality".

Jim L.

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Chester Brooks
Film Handler

Posts: 39
From: USA
Registered: Apr 2006

posted May 22, 2006 02:57 PM

Looks awesome piece of equipment. How did you obtain it Jim?

Chester

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John A. Pommon
Film Handler

Posts: 69
From: San Francisco, California 94131
Registered: Nov 2004

posted May 29, 2006 08:51 AM

Great piece of equipment!

Amazingly handy when you think you can screen while cleaning a print sumultaneously . . . . . hands free.
I wonder what they used as cleaning pads.

If someone designs and markets just the cleaning system of this unit as a package to "bolt on" to Eiki's and Elmo's this could become one of the two Holy Grails for film collectors. [Big Grin]

[ May 29, 2006, 11:55 PM: Message edited by: John A. Pommon ]

--------------------
Antique Video Transfer Service
2" Quadruplex videotape to DV/DVCAM digital transfers
5001 Diamond Hts Blvd.
San Francisco, CA 94131-1621
www.antiquevideo.com
antvid@antiquevideo.com

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