8mm Forum: Specto Analysing Projector

This is topic Specto Analysing Projector in forum 16mm Forum at 8mm Forum.

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Posted by Maurice Leakey (Member # 916) on January 14, 2014, 03:23 AM:

With a recent batch of 16mm sound films that I purchased came an interesting item. A Specto Analysing projector. It's silent, has a 12v 100w (A1/215) lamp, speeds of 16 and 2 fps, and single frame. It can apparently run in reverse (in addition to rewinding.) 800' spool capacity. There's also a counter, but I'm not sure exactly what it measures.

As expected, no instructions with it. But I do have a question. It has a three-pin socket near its control switch. Does anybody know what this is for?

Posted by Paul Mason (Member # 4015) on January 14, 2014, 06:34 AM:

At a guess it's a late model Specto used for Time-and-Motion studies. The counter would be for Time Measurement Units (TMU) instead of seconds. The socket would most likely be for a plug-in remote control box to allow operation by a lecturer talking to a group of employees.

Posted by Maurice Leakey (Member # 916) on January 14, 2014, 07:40 AM:

This is what it looks like.
http://vimeo.com/7480359

Posted by Paul Mason (Member # 4015) on January 14, 2014, 07:58 AM:

More Spectos here Specto Projectors - Curzon Collection. The earliest models from 1935 were green, changed to black wrinkle in the late 30s, grey wrinkle in 1951 and grey hammertone glossy from 1956. Information from Amateur Cine World Feb 1958.

[ January 15, 2014, 04:18 AM: Message edited by: Paul Mason ]

Posted by Maurice Leakey (Member # 916) on January 15, 2014, 02:32 AM:

I have learnt from Gerald McKee's "The Home Cinema" that after the start of war Specto were fortunate to land a contract for the manufacture 0f 16mm analysing projectors for use by the Royal Air Force in assessing gun camera films.

Some projectors were no more than single frame by frame machines, others had a two frame per second slow motion viewing facility.

Posted by Paul Mason (Member # 4015) on January 15, 2014, 04:29 AM:

Interesting that Gerald McKee also says that some late 16mm machines used 750W lamps. I imagine that a 12V 100W lamp is easier to cool when used frame by frame.

Posted by Maurice Leakey (Member # 916) on January 15, 2014, 05:57 AM:

My 1954 edition of Wallace Heaton's "Cine Apparatus" quotes the Analysing model as having a 50 volt 250 watt lamp (£69.15.0 with 800' arms.) Perhaps it was too hot for still use which probably make my machine much later with its 100 watt quartz halogen lamp.

It does, of course, have a drop down light heat filter, for still and 2 fps running.

Posted by Paul Mason (Member # 4015) on January 17, 2014, 05:22 AM:

quote:
The counter would be for Time Measurement Units (TMU) instead of seconds

My copy of the Wallace Heaton Blue Book 1966/67 says the Motion Analysis Mk II Projector has a frame counter which would be more generally useful than TMUs. The last references to Specto projectors I can find is in the "Movie Maker Projector Guide" in October 1969 where the Specto Analyser Mark II was available in 8mm and 16mm, the 16mm sound Specto Model 700 - apparently the same as the earlier AEI 700 and the Specto Analyser Mark III which was the same as the Mark II but with 4 speeds in forwards and reverse.

Posted by Maurice Leakey (Member # 916) on January 17, 2014, 05:35 AM:

Paul
Many thanks for reminding me about the Blue Book of 1966-67. Lo, and behold, there it is on page 121. Exactly the same as mine. The Mark II @ £125.
Also, the question of the socket is cleared up, as you say, it's for a remote control. The list gives lead lengths of 10ft, 30ft and 40ft.
As I am sure you know, Specto made the post-war 16mm sound projectors for BTH, which later became the AEI.

Posted by Paul Mason (Member # 4015) on January 21, 2014, 09:39 AM:

Maurice,
Do you know when Specto began making the BTH/AEI sound projectors? I know BTH made 35mm cinema machines and 16mm machines in the 30's. In 1947 the BTH 301 appeared, followed by the 400 series. Around 1960 BTH became AEI and they advertised the 700 series which has a recognisable BTH heritage. Presumably Specto manufactured the 700 to AEI's design. The 700 has an impressive spec but obviously sold badly since they hardly ever appear second-hand while the 301 and say the 451 appear on Ebay quite regularly.

Posted by Maurice Leakey (Member # 916) on January 21, 2014, 10:59 AM:

Pre-war, BTH made the 16mm model SRB, often found quite cheap after the war.
Also, after the war Specto started making the BTH 301 which appeared sometime in 1947. The design altered little through the years although the later AEI model/s had a transistorised amplifier.

Posted by Paul Mason (Member # 4015) on January 28, 2014, 10:52 AM:

Lots on Specto at the Cinerdistan web site. Near the bottom of the page they are pictures of the Specto Analyser in Mk II and Mk III versions. Specto at Cinerdistan

Posted by Maurice Leakey (Member # 916) on January 29, 2014, 04:25 AM:

Yes, Paul, Martyn Stevens' site is full of very interesting details to projector owners of all gauges and is well worth a visit.
http://www.cinerdistan.co.uk/

Posted by Paul Mason (Member # 4015) on January 31, 2014, 03:13 AM:

I've just been reading the 1987 instruction book for a Hadland Hyspeed S2 rotating prism high speed 16mm camera. It's a British equivalent to the Redlake Hycam camera and capable of 10,000 pps for various industrial and military research work. Among the accessories is a picture of an analysing projector. No details but not Specto of course. It seems that you could still buy these projectors as recently as the late 1980s and that the uses of analysing projectors included showing ultra slow motion films. Here is one on Ebay that looks similar to the Hadland picture.
LW Analysing Projector

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