2025 FAFM | February 24 | X

-[ X is for Xetron failsafe ]-

 

A 35mm projector failsafe from a defunct manufacturer better known for their xenon-arc 35mm projection lamphouses and consoles. (I was trying to avoid using brand names this year, but that tricky letter X forced my hand.) Failsafes were an important component of projector automation, shutting down the projector in the event of a film break or when the film ran out at the show's end.

 

This failsafe is a later design with an optical cue detector, used to control house lights, sound, masking, and projector functions. Unlike traditional detectors using strips of foil applied to the film edges to complete low-voltage electric circuits as the strip passes through closely-spaced roller sets, this one uses either reflective foil or, in the case of one theatre chain's system, bar-coded labels tied to specific actions. The foil or labels were applied onto the picture area, a serious downside to this arrangement leading to brief, distracting blemishes projected onto the screen.

Done