View From Projection Platform at NSA/RBT, EMDE, ALBION

[P3D Jon Golden <3dman@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Having been an active projectionist for three recent NSA's I though I
would add my two cents regarding discussion about projection and
mounting, and this issue of realist format ooptions for NSA shows
...however...this is NOT an endorsement for RBT mounts and I have been
reluctant to post this for that reason. I hope you will all feel this is
an objective look at projection and mounting problems we face as a hobby
group globally.

First of all.  I have been told by many that it must be great for RBT
Albion closed their doors.  My answer to this is yes and no.  

YES as I am sure more people who want to mount to a slide that is
designed for projection will consider RBT as an option. Albions were
designed for that....precise window....rigid construction
...etc...especially in glass.  The costs of an aluminum in glass are
comparitive to RBTs. 

NO in the sense that our 3-D hobby and profession globally is hurt by
both Albion and EMDE not offering their products....and that is not good
for anyone collectively including RBT.

RBT's are not for everybody....some people dislike things about RBTS, 
, we read postings about ups and downs of any realist mount
available.....and for good and bad reasons.

Now I would like to respond to the follwing postings



>The RBT projector is notoriously unforgiving for any but RBT mounts.

Actually...not "notoriously unforgiving" as the RBT 101 projector was
not designed SPECIFICALLY to accomodate RBT mounts....and that is the
way RBT has kept it.  Glassed aluminum mounts are a little thicker in
some cases...so they get caught in the RBT slide handling system...and
cardboard...because of its lightness and tendency to warp wont work with
the drop mechanisim wothout an occasional hang up...so thats the way it
is.
So it is not a shortcoming of the 101 design.....it is simply that it
was not designed for anything but the RBT mount. 


>>Perhaps it should then be corrected (as the Brackett was "corrected" to project cardboard-mounted slides).  Sounds more reasonable than forcing us to remount all our glass-mounted slides to RBT mounts. 

Not a matter of correction...and the Brackett was never "corrected", it
was designed as follows. 
The Brackett slide carriage, a neat design...has a variable spring
tension mechanism that clamps down on the slide mount. That tension
facilitates the positionng of the mount relative to the focus plane.
In the case of a Brackett set for RBT's or glassed aluminum...that
tension can be set higher to insure gaurunteed positioning....but at the
cost of putting too much tension on a cardboard mount...thus bending may
occur.  Conversely if set for cardboard....at a lighter
tension......glassed alumiumn and RBT's may not sit as precisley....so
the bottom line is....there may be an OPTIMUM tension that the Brackett
has that facilitates all formats....I have not explored this with mine,
as mine is optimized for aluminum-glass, and RBTs.

Another question:
>>What are the "other venues" that are more demanding than an NSA projection? If the owner of these slides is satisfied with their present state of mounting I don't think he should be forced to remount them to a system that he is does not presently use.  Somehow, mounting has not been a problem for me in previous NSA projections.  Subject matter and interest has been a problem (see discussions following NSA Rochester '96).

Gee... I agree...but on the other hand...if one were to be at an NSA on
the projection platform...and had to deal with all the different slide,
dissolver, and sound problems that we get thrown at us.....the might
have a healthier respect for what goes on.  Running stereo theatre at
NSA is a job I have helped Bob Mannle/ Dick Twichell and Ron Labbe
with....and I can tell you it is a VERY TOUGH job.

In my opinion....no RBT mount will solve a badly mounted slide any
better than a cardboard slide....if the mounting is well
done....cardboard can project nicely....DEPENDING ON WHICH CARDBOARD
MOUNTS YOU USE.  Some are thinner than others, some have a more precise
die cut...and it is a fact that warpage can occur....holding tolerances
precise to the projection plane is not cardboards forte.
  
DOK TEE WROTE:

>>What we need is a thinner and cheaper plastic mount, a good aluminum 
mount and a better cardboard slip-in mount...

Why not....and as I have said to several people in the past three
years.....sure we need a less expensive plastic mount......I am ready to
talk to anyone and sell or market one....that is after they realize the
startup costs involved.  Otherwise....we would have many alternatives
...I guess?  Why can someone bulid a viewer...people ask?...the answer
is...no problem....but will the 3D market pay three hundres dollars for
a good viewer?....I doubt it
At the rate things are going...the Realist, Revere and Wollensak viewers
are creeping  to the high 100's through the low three hundreds...in
price...so it wont be long before we see something out there.

I am working with RBT this year to get the mount costs down...and
provide more approachable prices to the 3D public.  They are aware of
it, and we should see some better pricing mid-year....due to better
exchange rates.  When RBT was commercially introduced to the US market
back in mid 1995....the US was experienceing an all time post WWII low
in the dollars power against the German Mark and the Japanese Yen....and
that has changed for the better these days....Look at the slump in US
auto sales right now.....the Japanes and European cars are becoming more
affordable to the US buyer....no rocket science here!


FINAL COMMENTS ON THE FOLLOWING BY DOK TEE AND PAUL TALBOT

>>--George Themelis, attendee, NSA-Rochester, '96
Re: Ken Luker is understandably reluctant to remount 150 slides for
purpose of showing at NSA.  I recall many complaints from Rochester
attendees about overly long slide shows.  150 *sounds* like a lot of
slides for one show, but I have no first hand experience with the issue.
I realize the length of time each slide is projected is also a factor.

Could someone post (repost?) suggested time/quantity guidelines for the
benefit of readers considering doing a show (and the benefit of the
audience as well)?  Paul Talbot

Whoa....I would say 150 is wayyyy too many.  One of the things that we
are trying to change with stereo theatre...without discouraging
people...is "quality over quantity".....in two ways.

1) Programs of twenty five minutes (that is really pushing the envelope
of the long side) or less.

2) instead of jamming as many shows in to the three or four days of
stereo theatre.....trying to re-run shows.  I was so frustrated at the
fact that Simon Bells 10 projector show was not shown many times in
Atlanta in 95......and I lobbied for it to be shown in Rochester.  His
show is ....around 13 minutes long tops...and it is some of the most
well executed multiscreened-galley 3-D I have seen.  So why should this
be shown only once.  As it was during the 3D trade show...which PULLS
PEOPLE AWAY from Stereo Theatre, including dealers who want to see
wshows as well but cant.

 I can say from doing enough Brackett shows...that a manually changed
realist format show with 150 slides...unless it really clips along at 6
seconds or less per slide, which is way too fast to view good 3D (dont
forget you have to have time, about two to four seconds in between
images to change slides and dissolve in between) will be a minimum of
thirty minutes...and dont forget that you are introduced at the begining
which can take five to ten minutes.  So this in my opinion is too long.

My final advice is: LESS IS MORE a) Be fair.....give people enough 3D
images, that they will walk away and say "that was great....I hope to
see more of his/her stuff"...I'll come back and see a re-run. 
Especially if a show is subject oriented.....dont drag a show along...it
loses all its power with every single image from the 75 card set, of the
five versions of the railroad bridge that spanned Niagra......tooo much!


b) DONT BE DISCOURAGED from doing a show, get those submission in to Ron
Labbe ASAP....dont be shy....we want your programs....a really great
five minute program will be remembered by everyone...thats all you need
to do...dont worry about complete histories of some subject...TOO MUCH. 
LESS IS MORE.

I hope this is of service to all reading it...with just enough 3D
regar-d-d-d-s to all of you ...and not too many!!!!
Jon Golden RBT USA



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