If multiplexes were all like that with proper curtains and masking, I'd go more often to them. Thanks for showing those lovely auditoriums.

Hi Fred, Almost just like a UCI, even down to the Wharfedale monitors. Sound Associates used to fit a really crappy cheap driver from RS in an even tackier box. All you could tell from it was that sound was coming out. A monitor should let you hear any buzzes, hums or distortion. At that time Wharfedale was thinking of making a powered 20-watt monitor loudspeaker. I asked them what minimum order they would accept. They said 50 units, the rest is history. Funny thing was the SA speaker that was real junk cost us 93 pounds, the Wharfedale, including the amplifier was half of that. Funny how Dolby was fanatical about sound levels. Calibrating the halls at 85dB which was fader 7 on the SA panel. I always told Dolby, that was too loud. We would always go into the hall and listen, most of the time that meant a fader setting of 5-6. I got round it by calibrating the halls to 82dB so a fader of 7 was usually just fine. I note this cinema also used fader 5 on Dolby digital. We ended up fitting a slow start inverter to all Vic 5s as they tended to strip the gears within the shutter drive. Over the years I must have repaired hundreds of them. They were fine until Cinemec replace one of the gears for a nylon type. Cheaper than the original metal gear, just a pity it was crap! The issue of the projector starting to quickly was because they used a 3 phase synchronous motor which only likes to run a one speed. most important for interlocking 2 or more projectors. They tried to solve this problem with resistors in series with the motor start. It simply did not work well. Personally, I never really like Cinemec equipment, the platter in particular. The Kinoton FP30 and the electronic feed module was my favorite. I never had a rap with that module. The light from the Kinoton lamp house was 100% even, and lots more light than from the metal mirrors from Cinemec, which often had hot spots.

nice to see a vic 5. its fun trying to identify the equipment I see. Thanks Fred :)

Just a thought James, don't give AI a credit, it's not human & doesn't deserve it 😞 Let's not perpetuate it to a 'norm' - just my thoughts mate :)