8mm Forum: Optical Prints, often time means......

This is topic Optical Prints, often time means...... in forum 8mm Forum at 8mm Forum.

To visit this topic, use this URL:
https://8mmforum.film-tech.com/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=011164

Posted by Phil Murat (Member # 5148) on December 18, 2016, 04:26 AM:

Goodmorning,

S8 (or 16mm as I assume both were available) "Optical prints" were the usual standard for Airline "Inflight Entertainment" from 70 to 80's era when flying longhaul aircrafts.
S8 (16mm) Optical prints means also dedicated projectors.......
I never found detailed informations, even there, concerning projectors specialy engineered for aircrafts (Did Fairchild Compagny produce some of them?).
I assume due to specific using and environnement (Light weight, Dusts, vibrations, limited room available, fast operating, heavy duty) the design was top grade and from high quality.
Moreover I assume prints were installed in an almost sealed cartridge (to avoid dust ingress and for an easier using)
May be, it is also possible some specialised (Aircraft) museums have some of them or may be any brockers specialised in Aircrafts accessories.

Can anybody provide information relating this specific subject (pictures) ??

Phil

[ December 18, 2016, 08:02 AM: Message edited by: Phil Murat ]

Posted by David Coppola (Member # 4209) on December 18, 2016, 10:17 AM:

I was always curious about that as well.

Posted by Janice Glesser (Member # 2758) on December 18, 2016, 11:04 AM:

Great questions Phil...Add me to the list of the curious [Cool]

Posted by Phil Murat (Member # 5148) on December 18, 2016, 11:35 AM:

Hi Janice,

Nice to ear from you !!
This is a particular subject. Considering numbers of Boeing 747-100 & -200(First generation from 69 to 78 may be) then 767, DC10, Tristars, B707, etc builted , as there was may be something like 4 projectors by aircraft (estimation, depending on Classes Arrangement), I can't believe some of them are not somewhere, I assume there is a "nest" somwhere in USA , do you think so ?

Phil

Posted by Andrew Woodcock (Member # 3260) on December 18, 2016, 12:42 PM:

They used cartridges,that much I know, the projectors were specialized machines, that much I know also...

Try and find an actual photograph or any technical detail here or anywhere else for that matter, over the years,.

Then details become very very sketchy!

I look forward to someone in the know posting more elaborate details for us All!

Posted by Douglas Meltzer (Member # 28) on December 18, 2016, 01:20 PM:

Here are some previous threads that contain information about airline prints & projectors:

Optical 1
Optical 2

Here is a link to the cover of the 1/2006 issue of small-format that has a picture of the IMPAK in-flight projector.

Doug

Posted by Andrew Woodcock (Member # 3260) on December 18, 2016, 01:33 PM:

Thanks Doug, and just where is that Stewardess here now, when we need her expertise? 😂😂😂

Posted by Maurice Leakey (Member # 916) on December 18, 2016, 02:18 PM:

The link that Doug posted shows a stewardess with an IMPAK projector made by Inflight Motion Pictures. It had a cartridge capacity of three hours, two magnetic sound tracks for two different language versions, high-speed rewinding and a 500watt lamp.

The cartridge was a metal container that merely accommodated the feed spool. The take-up spool was permanently installed in the projector. When the machine was loaded, the film leader was connected to a piece of film which was already threaded through the machine to the take-up spool, and always remained inside after rewinding. This was ensured by an index on the film and an infra-red sensor that automatically stopped the motor drive.

I realise that this subject is about optical Super 8 prints, but as most people thought that magnetic sound prints were not used due to many electrical forces which might erase part or all of a soundtrack, this piece of equipment is very interesting.

Posted by Andrew Woodcock (Member # 3260) on December 18, 2016, 02:54 PM:

Thank you Maurice, most interesting and most informative, that last post of yours thanks!

Here is another snippet of archive information I just stumbled upon by chance while looking for information on the IMPAK projector you mentioned here...

http://www.nytimes.com/1982/04/27/movies/in-flight-movies-update-content-and-equipment.html

Posted by Bryan Chernick (Member # 1998) on December 18, 2016, 11:48 PM:

More information on IMPAK projectors.
Super8data

Posted by Phil Murat (Member # 5148) on December 19, 2016, 01:51 AM:

Hi Bryan, Andrew, Maurice, Doug,

Thanks for these very informative stuff (and the picture from Doug). Impak machines were (as I can imagine) seriously engineers, (500W xenon , Angenieux Lens fitted !!).

So , the question is, where are the remaining samples of these incredible projectors (Bell & Howell, Fairchild, General Audio-Visual (GAVI), Inflight Motion Pictures and Trans Com).

I am pretty sure an Aircraft Broker on the "second hand" market has some of them somewhere.

Posted by Andrew Woodcock (Member # 3260) on December 19, 2016, 02:22 AM:

The Xenon GS Optical only machine up for sale here recently, would more than likely be a better option Phil given that Jason described it as hardly used and therefore "as new".

Posted by Phil Murat (Member # 5148) on December 19, 2016, 02:31 AM:

May be GAVI company, Fairchild kept records for these machines......

I am going to ask them.

Phil

Posted by Maurice Leakey (Member # 916) on December 19, 2016, 02:51 AM:

Super 8 optical sound IMPAK Model 45 units were used on a Lufthansa DC-10 on long-haul flights between 1974 and 1984.
One is on public display at the Deutsches Film und Fototechnik Museum in Deidesheim, Germany.

Posted by Phil Murat (Member # 5148) on December 19, 2016, 03:11 AM:

Thanks Maurice, good information !

Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on December 19, 2016, 11:36 AM:

They actually ranged all the way back to 1968, (though 1967 titles were issued to the airlines), and they ran all the way up to 1988, (and in some foreign countries, into the early 90's, as someone once had a japanese subtitled, "Hunt For Red October").

The fascinating thing for me is that, you nevr quite know what will show up on super 8 optical features. I have personally ran into many features that were low budget features that, until only recently, never even issued on VHS or DVD, but were long available as a super 8 optical feature, one such feature, for instance, being the Dirk Benedict, (Starbuck of Battlestar Galactica), and Linda Blair (Exorcist) feature "Ruckus".

UBB.classic^TM 6.3.1.2