RCA 415 16mm projector setup

[zagnut]

I honestly don't know where to post this here at HV20. So here goes...

I have the opportunity to buy an old RCA 415 16mm projector and an accompanying speaker locally. Seller assures me that it all works, but has no film to demonstrate it.

Now, I don't know ANYTHING about 16mm film projectors, or any for that matter. Can any of you older guys, that have been in the movie sector for years, maybe shed some light on this thing? I think it's really cool and I'm tempted to buy it just because it's old and retro (gotta love that sea-foam green color!). Seller only wants $10. Should I grab it? Is it worth having as a collectible even if I never use it? Gimme some advice guys.

[cgbier]

For Ten bucks? Right away!

[Janke]

Yeah, if you have storage space for it...

If the motor runs smoothly, the lamp lights up, and you get some hum from the amplifier*, it may well work well. Dunno if it will scratch film, though...

*You can test the optical sound photocell: There's a little drum around which the film is threaded, put a piece of paper where you see some light, you should hear the speaker go whumph-whumph..

[zagnut]

That's what I was thinking CG.

Janke, I was actually hoping you would chime in on this. Thank you. Think it's worth the $10 as a conversation piece, even if something doesn't work?

**EDIT**
I saw it yesterday. Aesthetically, it appears to be in great shape.

[zagnut]

Ok, I got it!

It's actually an RCA 416R. It's in pretty damn good shape. Didn't play with it much. All seems there, powers on. Tried flipping levers and switches to reverse, rewind, forward, etc. Motor sounds like it's turning on, but springs / belts (has springs for belts) don't turn. Gotta spend some time with it. Maybe order a cheap 16mm reel off e-bay and do more testing.

First pic is the projector all closed up. The cover has a small speaker in it. Second pic is a larger external speaker in it's own case. Speaker drivers are original.

Sorry for crappy pics. Used my cell phone.

So, does anyone have any idea what this thing might be worth if it works properly?

[Almohada]

Wow! REALLY cool! $10? A steal! Probably aint worth much anymore these days... unfortunately.

If it were me, I'd look into fixing it up (slowly/ as the budget permits) and then get tons of 16mm trailers and film from ebay.

[zagnut]

Wow! REALLY cool! $10? A steal! Probably aint worth much anymore these days... unfortunately.

If it were me, I'd look into fixing it up (slowly/ as the budget permits) and then get tons of 16mm trailers and film from ebay.

No, it cost me $15. When I went two days ago, lady said someone offered $15, but she didn't know what her brother wanted. Well, she must've told him, because the price was now $15 and they wouldn't take less. But oh well.

I'm thinking of either fixing it up as you said, or a couple other options. 1. Gut it. Get a small LCD screen (like found in those "TV glasses") and put it behind the lens and put a small HTPC inside the gutted case and use it as a cool, retro type of HTPC / projector combo. 2. Gut it and turn it into a computer case, like I did with the attached pic of my current HTPC. Put really hi-performance PC components in it and sell it to someone in the film / video industry as an editing rig...maybe someone here! lol

I love old stuff like this. The model is actually M1-35018. I had read at www.film-tech.com and someone stated that the tube audio amps in these old 400 series projectors make really good guitar amps with some minor tweaking. So, should I commit the blasphemous task of gutting it, I'm gonna save the amp and external speaker and use them for my guitar. They have that "old vintage gear smell" and now my whole basement smells like that. Oh happy day!

**EDIT**
Forgot to attach pic of the HTPC I built from a modern, antique looking, table top radio. Top flips open because it had a record player. Easy access for maintenence!

[Janke]

HTPC I built from a modern, antique looking, table top radio.

You're crazy, but I like it!

[zagnut]

You're crazy, but I like it!

HAHA! I've been called that from time to time. The story goes like this. 3 years ago in Iowa, I came across an old, antique executive desk at a consignment shop for $50. It was solid oak and mahogany, about 50 years old, in great shape and only $50. A modern looking computer tower looked very out of place. I had always wanted to make a custom case. I came across someone who had done something similar, so I started looking around. Come to find out, there was a company that made an HTPC case like this. The problem was, NewEgg wanted $250 for it. Out of budget. But I knew there were companies that made tabletop radios like this. So I did some measuring, went to a local department store, spent $100 and bought one. I had it gutted within an hour of getting home and spent the next afternoon making the above. My fiance at the time yelled at me for spending $100 and "destroying" a perfectly good radio. She said "Oh. Well that's ok then." when I told her how much Newegg wanted for the similar case.

The original power button is still the power button. Future plans are to buy a small stereo amplifier kit from Parts Express and wiring it in to the motherboard sound headers and wiring the volume knob up so that it's functional.

[Janke]

So, what are you using for a screen? This?

Old-School-TV-television-296019_1544_1500.jpg

[Almohada]

Hey! That makes a nice "hidden" computer too! Like a wall safe but for computers!

[Almohada]

So, what are you using for a screen? This?

[zagnut]

So, what are you using for a screen? This?

Old-School-TV-television-296019_1544_1500.jpg

Hey! That makes a nice "hidden" computer too! Like a wall safe but for computers!

Indeed it does! Unfortunately, the "good" computer looks like a regular computer.