8mm Forum: New Projector For £98.46!

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Posted by Maurice Leakey (Member # 916) on May 16, 2015, 04:16 AM:

There it was, on German eBay, a new 16mm optical/magnetic play sound projector for €119.99. I just had to have this Buy It Now. The cost converted to £98.46 and in due course it arrived. Plugged in, no sound. Served me right for buying a cheap non-working projector. But, a close examination revealed it had no internal speaker. After connecting an 8 ohm speaker it worked perfectly.

It's a Fite 16CN made by Film Technika of Budapest, Hungary, a huge beast, 20" x 17" x 9" and weighing 46lbs. There was a "Garantie" dated 20 December 1989 and an Instruction Book (both in German!), the latter also describing its matching loudspeaker.

A check back to the eBay site revealed the speaker for sale at €43.99 (converted to £36.28), which was also purchased. This, on arrival, turned out to be another large and heavy beast, 24" x 19" x 12" and weighing 35lbs.

The speaker was a treasure trove (more about this later), it contained four speakers and I can truly say that the results are the best sound I've ever heard from 16mm.

The projector is a single speed, with no reverse or rewind facilities. The lamps are an ELC (24v 250w)and a G/29 (0.75a 4v). It's manual thread, a three tooth claw, swing open gate and three separate sprockets. The lens supplied was a 35mm Meopta, but the good news is that the smooth barrel will accept the later type of Bell & Howell lenses, focussing is very precise with a micrometer movement.

The Fite looks something like an overgrown Super 8 projector. For packing away the feed arm unscrews and "lives" in the space normally used by the take-up spool. This then clears the way for the side cover to be attached.

Sockets on the rear are for Microphone, Record Player, Tape/Cassette, External 8 ohm speaker. Each input has its own push button on the operating side, also on the front panel are push buttons for On/Off, Magnetic Sound, Optical Sound, and Exciter Lamp. The 20 watt transistorised amplifier has Bass, Treble and Volume Control. The main operating switch is rotary, 1)Off 2)Motor only 3)Lamp preheat (6v) 4)Lamp on full.

Mains input is via a standard IEC "kettle" lead connector and the operating voltage is 220 + 7.5% at 50 Hz. My engineer reports that he measured 23.5v at the lamp. The projector has a removable clip-on side cover and dust is kept away by a brown slip-over cover which looks like leather but I suspect it's really plastic.

The speaker is quite unique. The removable back has four rubber feet, it acts as a rewind bench with the supplied rewind arms, these are secured by clamps, however, these could also be attached to any suitable table or bench. The 25m speaker lead is secured around four posts and has the usual 2-pin DIN plug. The four speakers are located behind a plastic cover, on top is a spindle with a butterfly nut securing two 1600ft spools, and one 800ft. A further 35mm lens is in its own screwed container.

Attached inside of the back is a metal box with its lid secured by a leather strap. This contains:- Mains Lead, Meopta Cement Splicer with instructions, Film Cement, Cloth, ELC Lamp, G/29 Lamp, Oil Can, Scope Bracket, Two Brushes, Screwdriver, Box Spanner, Four Spare Belts. Various Fuses.

The Fite has just come back from my engineer where he has oiled and re-greased as necessary. As it has presumably been sitting in a warehouse somewhere for the last 25 years I thought a "lube job" was a prudent operation.

In view of the projector's weight I suggest plenty of Weetabix and generous helpings of spinach would be beneficiary.

Click below to see pics. You can select the speed of scroll and pause where necessary.

http://gallery.filmvorfuehrer.de/slideshow.php?set_albumName=FITE-16-CN&newlang=en_US

Posted by Steve Carter (Member # 4821) on May 16, 2015, 06:14 AM:

It looks wonderful Maurice, I would like to get a 16mm projector, but would not know where to start, or what to look for or indeed look-out for...if you get my drift...

Posted by Steven J Kirk (Member # 1135) on May 16, 2015, 06:34 AM:

I have seen these advertised on eBay Germany. I think there is more than one seller also. It sounds like exactly what I thought it was and typical of that 'Soviet Era' technology, a simply-made machine with limited features. I haven't purchased one but thought about it. The three sprocket design is what impressed me but I can't help being concerned about the build quality and film-handling ultimately. Is it a clone of a better -known Western brand because many of these types of things were?

Posted by Maurice Leakey (Member # 916) on May 16, 2015, 10:14 AM:

I don't think it is a clone.

For interest, I quote below from Jurgen Lossau's excellent book "Movie Projectors".

The Budapest company, Filmtechnikai Vallalat (FITE), dominated Hungary's projector manufacture during the 1980s. They already had a few years experience of making 35mm projectors as well as servicing the country's cinema equipment.

At the end of the 1970s, the company developed a robust 16mm projector for both optical and magnetic sound, contrary to modern principles the new model did not have auto-threading, not deemed necessary for professional projectors like the new FITE 16.

In order to satisfy the need for smaller, portable machines, a new design (the FITE 16C) was introduced in the mid 80s with a halogen compact lamp and an amplifier with ICs giving 50 watts.

Just shortly after, an improved model, a new design, the FITE 16CN was announced. The German Democratic Republic army was interested in having this model become part of their basic equipment for field screenings. The new projector was fitted with high-quality parts, e.g., TESLA/CSR circuits, and Meopta lenses which previously had only been exported.

Next came the FITE 16SX, and then the FITE 16SXM. A total of nine versions were planned but not realised due to political change that occurred in the Nation in 1989.

After business with the Eastern bloc countries had evaporated, the FITE company was unable to continue and closed down with enormous debts.

Posted by Dominique De Bast (Member # 3798) on May 16, 2015, 11:07 AM:

Great find, Maurice !

Posted by Terry Sills (Member # 3309) on May 16, 2015, 01:40 PM:

It looks very robustly constructed and it would be good to hear about its performance in due course. Spares could be a problem but it should last a good few years before that becomes necessary. Shame about the lack of facilities ie. Speed variation/rewind but not a huge problem. Perhaps it makes up for that in durability. Nice that it comes with all accessories including scope bracket but a pity that one has to purchase the speaker separately to get them. Great price though for a new machine. Maurice strikes again!

Posted by Andrew Woodcock (Member # 3260) on May 16, 2015, 05:31 PM:

Think you may have to extend your home soon Maurice for what is fast becoming a cine projector museum! Ha ha.

Well done Maurice, yet another wonderful find for you. [Smile]

See if you can come up with a HTI for me Maurice, you surely stand the greatest chance of any us with your global search methods Haha. [Wink]

Posted by Maurice Leakey (Member # 916) on May 17, 2015, 04:37 AM:

The FITE 16SX, introduced in the mid 80s, sounds an interesting projector. It's described as having a 500W xenon lamp, the lamp's rectifier being integrated into the projector's base.

In order to show feature films uninterrupted, it accommodated spools of up to 5000ft. It had two motors, one of which was used for rewinding.

I regret that I cannot find any photographs of this model, and neither does it come up on any auction sites.

Posted by Mark Todd (Member # 96) on May 17, 2015, 05:01 AM:

Hi Maurice most of the Meoptas run a bit robustly, if you will, whats this one like.

Best, thanks, Mark.

Posted by Maurice Leakey (Member # 916) on May 17, 2015, 05:17 AM:

Mark
It's not a Meopta. They came from Czechoslovakia.
However, the FITE did have Meopta lenses, but I now have fitted a Bell & Howell 2" f1.2 lens in mine.

Posted by Dave Groves (Member # 4685) on May 17, 2015, 10:20 AM:

What a fascinating machine. You discover something new every day. I suspect you need to be under 60 to own one thinking about the weight.

Posted by Maurice Leakey (Member # 916) on May 17, 2015, 10:36 AM:

I wish I was under sixty !!
I lift the FITE onto a kitchen type chair, pause for breath, and then a second lift up onto my 4ft high projector stand.
It's not quite so heavy as my Debrie !!

Posted by Andrew Woodcock (Member # 3260) on May 17, 2015, 12:29 PM:

Get yourself a young pup Maurice to assist you with your devout pleasures in life.

No doubt you've earned it in your lifetime and you must have a grandchild or a decent neighbour with youngsters perhaps who can do all the things that we all struggle with as age gets the better of us all in our later years?

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