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Setting Up a Motorized Synchronizer


Aaron Martin @ OH

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No, the rewinds are unpowered. That isn't the purpose of a pic-sync. The bins hold enough film to run a sequence of several minutes' length. You then wind up the film by hand and move on to the next, but a pic-sync is really for refining cuts rather than viewing a long sequence.

Edited by Mark Dunn
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No, the rewinds are unpowered. That isn't the purpose of a pic-sync. The bins hold enough film to run a sequence of several minutes' length. You then wind up the film by hand and move on to the next, but a pic-sync is really for refining cuts rather than viewing a long sequence.

So, with the addition of a viewer, this would be used something like an armless upright Moviola?

 

I do remember a powered tabletop setup that used a viewer, synchronizer, and rewinds that was controlled by a foot pedal. Did this use an outboard motor of some kind?

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I'm editing a silent film...

 

What is the running time? What edit equipment do you already have? A separate viewer, motorized syncronizer and motorized rewinds may be possible but is a really crap idea.

 

Picsyncs can be cheap, just saw a couple on eBay in the UK, looked motorized. There are motorized rewinds, but one is headed towards what I think is a crap idea again.

 

A reasonable run time can just fall into the take up bin.

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The English chaps here mean one of these

http://www.kitmondo.com/used-acmade-international-editing-equipment-editing-machine---pic-sync--for-sale/ref586868

with a picture head on the front gang. Apparently not many of these got to the US.

£6000 new. I got mine for £1 and a bus fare.

$200 is a snip for a Steenbeck unless you have to replace the timing belts which on a 1901 will probaby be another $3-400. Dwight Cody at cutfilm.com carries them.

Edited by Mark Dunn
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That ACMADE picsync is the type I've used, with the picture track and screen at the front. Picsyncs are the best for working with a lot of fidely cuts, short pieces of film.

 

Re the $200 Steenbeck, if one was initially just using the picture track, then initial repairs, if actually needed, would be less.

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True, the prism drive only needs the one belt. Dwight charged me $60US plus carriage last time. But the supply is limited. They have to be made in small batches to order as they're no longer an industry standard part. Ten years ago they were only UK£15.

It's the one thing that makes repairing an older Steenbeck uneconomical if it has managed not to catch fire.

Edited by Mark Dunn
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Aaron..... I've got a 3 gang sync block with a 24 frame motor drive on it. No picture head ...you use something like a moviescop viewer and a squack box amp. I have the moviescop.....but no squack box amp.....and not sure about a mag head for running a mag track...would have o look around for the mag head. Also have a 8 plate flatbed....2 picture 2 sound.....or 1 picture 3 sound rolls. Contact me if your interested and any of the stuff. RBPerrine@att.net

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