B&H 1568 projectors questions

[Chip Gelmini]

I am writing this post via cell phone dictation some grammar might not be right and I'm not in the mood to do a lot of correcting

I am about to acquire a pair of 1568 projectors with a high intensity lamp with good worm gears. The seller is providing a one year warranty so I think I'm all set

Can anyone add some input on how do they work and what your recommendations would be

I am looking forward to receiving them hopefully my worm gear problems will be over and I can concentrate on perhaps collecting more 16 mm films even though in the past I have tried to get rid of what I have but that's always been just because of the frustration of trying to get started

Thank you for your time

[Maurice Leakey]

Chip
Have you seen the price of an EZG Gemini-300 lamp for the Bell & Howell 1568?
Gemini 300 EZG LIGHT BULB High Intensity LAMP Arc Projection NEW MINT 300W 35V 608347936732 | eBay

[Brian Fretwell]

Is this the model with the separate power supply base that weighs more than the projector? I used one at an amateur theatre like that but don't remember the model number. I had to get it out and put it away every night and wouldn't want to that again now.

[Chip Gelmini]

I was told the lamps are about $135 USD and I am familiar with the older model with the rectifier underneath however this model looks like 2500 series more modern and smaller and size. So I believe the rectifier is built in on the inside

[Chip Gelmini]

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthoped...vie-1732454414

[Brian Fretwell]

Yes I think the one I used was numbered in the 600 series. Strangely today I got the CHC list for May which included
MARC LAMPS 300W FOR 16MM £105
Also the link Maurice gave also showed an alternative seller with one one for under $130 https://www.ebay.com/itm/28474349980...75.c101224.m-1

[Maurice Leakey]

I read that the EZG lamp has a life of 75 hours. It is a lot of money for such a short life.
Click, and scroll down to a posting by Ken Layton.
Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Converting Marc 300 projectors.

[Mitchell Dvoskin]

These projectors use the EZG bulb which is a Mercury Vapor arc bulb. It was part of the 1500 series. The rectifier is built into the projector. The ones with an external rectifier that sat under the projector was from the 500 series.

From my experience having owned one years ago:

The Good -

• Bulb stays lit with internal shutter blocking the light when in stop mode.
• There is a special “change over” cable and a button on each projector to do changeovers.
• Both speaker and pre-amp sound outputs.

The Bad -

1. The EZG Mercury Vapor Bulb. When newly installed the produce a stunning picture rivaling xenon. However these bulbs have an official life of 50 hours and start dimming noticeably at about 25 hours. For the cost of the bulb you are not getting much life out of it.
2. Worm gear issues aside, the motor control boards had a very failure rate. Both my projector and a friends 1568 had these boards fail, different issues but same board. In my case new replacement boards were still available at a very high price. Fortunately I had the service manual with schematics so another friend of mine was able to identify the faulty transistor and replace it for around $2. I eventually traded the 1568 away when I acquired an Elmo CX-550 xenon. Once you go xenon you never go back 🙂.

[Maurice Leakey]

I have a Bell & Howell 644 which has been converted to use the Xenpow HID 150 lamp which gives a fantastic performance. It also has a life of 750 hours which makes it very economical
Perhaps the later model 1568 could also be converted.
Lamps Xenpow HID-150 Lamp - 148-LAMP88 | Simply Sound & Lighting (simplysoundandlighting.co.uk)

[Chip Gelmini]

Well here is an update I never thought I'd have to say this but imagine purchasing a pair of projectors and never being able to run a feature through them even after they were totally rebuilt this has happened to me with the 1568 machines

first of all I want to be clear that the vendor has been outstanding and helping me try and solve these issues he did everything he could to help me through it and not once did he not try to make me happy

I had a lot of problems with the lamp starting to light at first they struck no problem. This is when I was aligning them to the screen and running a test reel for frame and focus adjustments

but just when I was about to run my first feature one lamp lit just fine and then the other one lit but then burned out right away

Upon troubleshooting the good lamp from the other machine was put in the machine where it just burned out and wouldn't you know it it blew the second lamp in less than two minutes we had to burned out bulbs at $135 each

that single projector went back to the vendor for repair and seemed OK when it returned

on the second attempt to run a feature the first projector now did the same thing

here I am 10 days into owning these machines and I have yet to been able to run a feature

with cooperation from the vendor the machines have been returned and I have received a refund

I will just continue to use what I have so I can start enjoying films again

yes this was indeed frustrating but I also have to remember that the vendor had his own frustrating version of the sale and that he works so good to make me happy that yes I will do business with him in the future

thank you everybody for informing me about the lamps because yes you were right it was a nightmare.....

[Maurice Leakey]

How very disappointing.
At least, the vendor was helpful in the matter.