HOME CINEMA TOUR: 4K - 35mm - SUPER 8 - THX SOUND

A tour of Movie Collector's previous home theatre including 35mm, Super 8 and 4K projection, motorized and automated curtains, lights and screen masking all combined with THX Ultra Sound. This screening room shakes! The moving masking is DIY and this video tells you how it's done.

[@bitnisse7186]

You sir have a fantastic home cinema. Thanks for sharing it.

[@moviecollector5920]

Thank you for saying so Bitnisse. Maybe one day we'll all be able to get back to gatherings such as the British Film Collectors Conventions and start meeting each other again. One day.

[@moviecollector5920]

@Mr Do AFter 20 years I suppose I thought it had grown a couple of inches. I can remember that the whole box is 70 litres so that '7' probably played tricks on my memory. If I had room for a 7.1 I'd have grabbed a couple of extra rear speakers a few years ago when owners were selling them off but alas, I'm gonna' need a bigger boat! Which amplifier do you have driving your fabulous Kef speakers then?

[@moviecollector5920]

@Mr Do I had to look into an alternative subwoofer a few years ago when the amp in the sub developed a common fault but fortunately a local chap managed to change the capacitor out that was the main cause of the trouble and it's been going a few years longer and still causing me to take cover from the enormous bass that comes out of it at times. The M&K system is probably even better than the Kef but driving them with seven separate amplifiers must sound absolutely amazing. I'm coming over!!!

[@moviecollector5920]

@Mr Do Yes, the Land of Hope & Glory - England. Where are you?

[@moviecollector5920]

@Mr Do I'm currently living in Cornwall but the is an annual film fair in one of the blackpool hotels that I hope to get to again one day. That's a cine film fair but these events are not the scale they once were which is a shame but nothing lasts forever. If I get up there I'm calling in! Same if you ever get down to Cornwall.

[@lemonysnick5171]

This home theater is just incredible. Love the curtains and the masking. Must be a real treat to watch films there. Thanks for sharing!

[@moviecollector5920]

Thank you Mark. I actually did this about 20 years ago Mark so it was initially just a Super 8 home cinema. I had seen quite a few Super 8 home cinemas before I finally got my own so had a pretty good starting point. And I wasn't kidding too much when I quipped that it's all done with string and sticky tape. If it works, it works. John.

[@thelookuplookdown]

Film is an artistic creation, and should be treated as such. You would never enter a darkened room armed with only a flashlight to view Rembrandt's "Night Watch". Therefor a film should be seen, and heard, as closely as possible to what the creators intended it to be experienced. Thanking for sharing your passion with this wonderful Home Theater, and sharing your insights technical, and artistic. So glad to have found this channel. Michael - South Africa.

[@moviecollector5920]

Beautifully put Michael. And Rembrandt's 'Night Watch' is my favourite all time oil painting so you couldn't have chosen a better comparison between film and great works of art. John.

[@TerminatorJuice]

First off, your room has a lot of character and I'm jealous of that masking system for your screen! ; ( Secondly I just wanted to say that this channel is a breath of fresh air in the "Home Theater" community on KZbin, because most guys care way more about upgrading their A/V equipment then they care about watching and talking about movies, which is very sad IMO... So please keep teaching is about film history and giving great reviews for 4k and 2k blurays!

[@moviecollector5920]

That's very nice of you to say Mr. Terminator Juice! If you have a projector and a screen (or a wall!) then the masking is really easy to do and I hope I've shown enough for people to be able to work it out. For us real film collectors the masking was always a vital element of a home cinema so I don't really understand how the video era lost - or never had - this knowledge. It's odd for me to hear video collectors saying that they prefer the 1.85:1 frame ratio because it fills more of the screen when the opposite should be true and it's the 2.40:1 ratio that completely fills the screen. It's just a lack of true cinema understanding that seems to be getting promoted by audio visual dealers who like to charge a lot of money for installing a home cinema setup. To me, the screens always look daft hanging on a wall without moveable masking. John.

[@TerminatorJuice]

@@moviecollector5920 As an owner of a fixed frame 16x9 screen I can tell you that I'm beyond thrilled when a movie is shot in 1.85:1 or has extensive IMAX scenes because unfortunately that is the only way I can experience a bluray movie at full resolution and brightness. Movies in the 2.35/2.40:1 cinemascope presentation look dimmer and less impactful than 1.85:1 because of the black bars are part of the 2K/4K image, and the projector has to "waste" a lot of light to project them as part of the image... And even if you have a full CinemaScope screen, the black bars in the frame means that when you zoom in to fill the screen, you're only getting about 65%-70% of the 4K resolution and image brightness. So the only way to get a full resolution 4K image in CinemaScope with today's projectors, is to use the "vertical stretch" option and then have an anamorphic lens attached to stretch the image to the proper aspect ratio... This isn't a bad setup in theory, but the only real option for an anamorphic lens to purchase costs around $9,000 US, so it's not practical for 95% of home theater enthusiast. : (

[@TerminatorJuice]

@@moviecollector5920 Here is a good video explaining the hurdles with CinemaScope screens when using modern video projectors, if you're interested. kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZpO1eWSprqaJqJY

[@moviecollector5920]

@@TerminatorJuice I think I paid about £100 for my most expensive anamorphic lenses so someone is ripping us off with 1.5x squeeze lenses then. However, any extra lens in front of the main lens cuts down on the brightness and clarity of the image so they're all a compromise. i would hope than a lens costing thousands of dollars would be just about perfect though... it would bloody well have to be! The best solution is to put a top and bottom mask on the screen for 2.40:1 'Scope films. Problem solved and they then look better than the 16x9 films which don't have quite the same impact as the wider frame. Whatever you end up doing Mr. T.J., it's all jolly good fun! John.

[@moviecollector5920]

@@TerminatorJuice I'll try to take a look later. Right now I'm trying to get the next video review done. I come from a film background so 'Scope lenses, wider screens and the correct masking was always a part of the hobby but it seems to have escaped the later video enthusiast market. Maybe my little channel will start to re-introduce the old, simple ways of dealing with all the different projection ratios. Thank you for the link. John.

[@Celestialrob]

Just love your masking system and curtains. Very jealous! Another really informative video. Thank you!

[@johnmccann5104]

I've watched alot of your videos over last few days and have been really impressed with your knowledge and passion. I love films and watching your reviews a has inspired me to revisit some old dvd classics and upgrade a few to 4k. I hope you continue to upload....off to order Jaws on 4k now 😆

[@moviecollector5920]

Thank you so much John. Jaws on 4K is one of the best, no doubt about it. I could watch that disc over and over and over and never get bored of doing so. It's just like watching a 35mm print only better than the general release prints in 1975. John.

[@jeffjensen27]

It’s a okay 👌 setup ☝️but there’s Always Room For Improvement. The entire concept of that particular Theater 🎭 is Being Built By Myself Just Way☝️Way More Advanced Automation . His Rather Loud Motorized Motors and Curtains a quite Primitive. Our Design incorporates a complete Stage 😲🙀😱👍🏼😎 that’s 4’ deep 10’ Wide 8’ High and Automatically Comes To life at Either Voice Command ☝️ Or Your 15 Channel Remote. So you can do karaoke 🎤 night at the push of a button and the stage beings it’s magical transformation from a empty stage to a Karaoke 🎤 Night. Want Webinar Mode the Stage Will Transform to Webinar Mode So The Setting Combinations On ☝️👍🏼😎 Home Theater 🎭 Design is Endless.

[@richsadler2661]

Thanks John. Your home cinema setup has so much character and charm. Looking forward to the next video.

[@moviecollector5920]

Thank you Rich. The next video looks like it's going to be the 4K of The Final Countdown as I still haven't managed to coordinate everyone for Apocalypse Now. John.

[@jrnbakken4348]

Thanx for letting us in. This look like a real film-lovers nest! Please add more specs on your equipment, there are some hi-fi nuts out here..

[@moviecollector5920]

If I could remember all the specifications Jørn!!! The Pioneer VSA E07 is 110w per channel. I got it because the VSA E06 (which is now hooked up to the 5.1 speakers in our living room) did not come with DTS decoding. The E06 is 100w per channel and being the original THX specs. both the E06 and E07 put the maximum power down each channel all the time the amps are on. A bit ridiculous but that's my understanding of THX Ultra.

[@stevenandnicola123]

I'm rewatching your videos, great stuff. You've got two qualities to your videos that make em interesting: knowledge and passion. I know you've said Alien is a one of your favourites and you have a soft spot for the 8mm edition but I'd love to hear what you think to it on 4K.

[@moviecollector5920]

A couple of people want me to take a look at the UHD disc of Alien Steven but unless I see it really cheap somewhere there's no point in me purchasing it because I'll never watch it other than to take a quick look at the picture quality. I actually have the 2003 re-release on 35mm - the so-called Director's Cut - and nothing is ever likely to match the thrill f being able to run that in the home. Even if the 4K is exceptional having a film projector purring away in the background has a magic all of its own... even though I don't have large reel capabilities on 35mm and I have to get up and change the reels. Film has been a part of my life virtually all of my life and I've never lost the excitement of having a film on film and being able to run it just as cinemas did until lower quality video projection was adopted. And I have some stories of how the low quality video projection was foisted on us all long before it was ready but I'll leave that for another time. Today I only visit a cinema if I know they have a film print so that's mainly the IMAX cinemas running a 70mm print. I haven't been to the Bradford IMAX in about 20 years but the other two in London are where I've seen films such as Interstellar and Star Wars The Force Awakens on 70mm. Perfect image quality too and such a shame that most people will never get to see them that way.

[@MrChiffre]

Passion is Number One! And John have that in spades!

[@cheekster777]

Thanks for the tour of your previous home cinema John.

[@moviecollector5920]

We had many years of entertainment in there and it was sad to see it as a shell again just as we were moving. A great room though even when it was empty. I painted the screen in back in January 2001 and didn't ever have to touch it again. John.

[@raywatts7689]

Beautiful set up John and a great video. But most of all your passion for film shines through. I left school and spent the next two years training as a projectionist. Those two years are now sixty five years ago but have left me with a passion for cinema and film projection. I have to watch my movies now digitally with a 4K projector but the thrill of watching a big picture in the dark never fades. Best wishes to you.

[@moviecollector5920]

Thank you Ray. Home video projection is quite amazing today and I never would have imagined it would ever be this good. So although I will always love and prefer film it is wonderful to be able to purchase and watch any film I can think of for so little cost and watch it in such fabulous quality projected at home. John.

[@bryanbond1658]

Nice Cinema

[@kevinweithers1223]

I would love to see a video covering your film projector. The story behind how you aquired it and the picture quality difference between that and your blu ray projector. Also, cost difference etc.

[@moviecollector5920]

I plan to incorporate more on film and perhaps how to get into it in future videos. Just bits and pieces perhaps but as most of the dealers have long gone now it's not as easy a hobby to get started in as it once was. Super 8 was the home cinema king for years but video projection reached a point of acceptability and accessibility over 15 years ago and that really spelled the end for film in the home for most. Sad really but progress is unstoppable - thankfully. John.

[@gilbertrios5283]

Love your old school cinema! Anyone can tell without meeting you that the owner is passionate about film! It comes across in your videos! Thanks for bringing us in!

[@moviecollector5920]

Greetings again Gilbert. I grew up with film and it sparked a fascination that has never dwindled. If you haven't seen my Super 8 Film Gauge video please take a look at that and you'll see me on film in about 1967. John.

[@JesusMartinez-mk6fc]

Wonderful home theater room John. Incredible how you've optimized the space in a small 8' x 12' room. I'm most impressed by your 35 mm film projector. You're a real film aficionado to have such a projector in your home; including your large collection of Super 8 mm films to top off the sundae. Even a 4K digital projector for digital media. Really impressive.

[@moviecollector5920]

Basically I'm a nutter Jesus! John.

[@JesusMartinez-mk6fc]

@@moviecollector5920 No you're not. You're like a historian of movie media that can provide a wealth of information on the evolution of recording technologies for movies. Not owning movies in traditional film media myself, I find it quite fascinating to hear the perspective of someone such as yoursef that can compare them to some of these newer digital releases on optical discs. This can greatly help in deciding whether one should purchase certain Blu-ray and/or 4K releases or perhaps hold on as studios have sometimes remastered and re-released some titles that received poor reviews in their initial release. Keep up the good work!

[@moviecollector5920]

@@JesusMartinez-mk6fc We gave the 4K of Ad Astra a spin on Saturday night so I'm going to try to get a review of that up shortly. An interesting film if a little dull in places. Similar to 2001 in some respects then! John.

[@inkermanplatoon2210]

Wow… impressive! 🍿🎥🤩

[@moviecollector5920]

Never underestimate the possibilities of string and sticky tape! John.

[@haikoalberti8131]

Wow, 35mm Film? I would say, THIS IS a real homeCINEMA. And the masking is pretty neat. Great job!

[@moviecollector5920]

So when are you coming over then Haiko?!? Thank you for your kind comments. John.

[@haikoalberti8131]

@@moviecollector5920 Ha ha. Its kind of hard to get from Hamburg Germany to england :-D. What kind of a laserdisc player do U use?

[@moviecollector5920]

@@haikoalberti8131 I've never been to Hamburg. LaserDisc player is a Pioneer CLD1750 which was chosen all those years ago because it was capable of playing analogue tracks on PAL discs which the later models could not. John.

[@MattVs_Movies]

What a great set up 👍 😎. Watching a film on screen through a projector is such a great experience. I'm lucky enough to have a pull down screen 85inch and projector that can show 4k HDR and 3D. Thanks for sharing your cinema room! 👍

[@moviecollector5920]

Thank you Matt. I just posted a video all about Super 8 so if you fancy getting into real (reel) film then that could be a good place to start. 35mm is a little too adventurous as a first film gauge to get into. John.

[@bilkoprince4222]

Brilliant as always. Thank you for the tour.

[@moviecollector5920]

Thank you as always Bilko.

[@xbladerunner]

Thank you for taking the time to share your personal home cinema. Nice work.

[@moviecollector5920]

Thank you for taking the time to comment xbladerunner. We've been screening films in this room for over 20 years now. It didn't take long to work out how to do all the curtains and masking but that all followed after the first year or so. Plus quite a bit of string and sticky tape! John.

[@HD-Daddy]

I can sense lots of love joy and happiness in this room. Eventhough its not the latest system out there but Very special room indeed. Love it 👍

[@moviecollector5920]

We have a new home cinema now HD as we've moved. All the same automation and equipment is in there though and whatever anyone tells you, you just can't beat THX Ultra sound. Unless you have about £10,000 to spend on a modern sound system perhaps. I have done a couple of videos on the new home cinema. It's still a bit of a compromise as we're trying to get a few changes to the house drawn up, then planning permission and then builders. Assuming all goes to plan the film projectors will be back in place and I can get back to normal. John.

[@nick1635]

What a nice room, and an awesome sound system! I have the same Panasonic ub820 uhd player

[@moviecollector5920]

I got the UB820 because it had an optical audio out. HDMI only is not much use with an older amplifier. I would like to try another manufacturer's player though because on a minority of discs through my video projector I get banding in grey sky scenes on occasion. I don't know if another player would solve that though... actually, I doubt it. I have learned to live with it as the majority of discs display perfectly.

[@davidsal28]

What projector do you have? I didn't get it from the video.

[@monijam1]

Great video, thanks for sharing. It's a real pleasure to see how much u love movies and the cinema experience....keep on watching!

[@moviecollector5920]

Thank you James. John.

[@danbayley7769]

Very nice, makes me very envious. Maybe one day...

[@moviecollector5920]

We have a new home cinema now Dan as we've moved. Right now I haven't got room for the film projectors but we're hoping to get builders in soon and that should sort that one out.

[@JamesEscobar]

Wow! Wow! and Wow! Beautiful setup! Your film collection blows my mind! Keep em coming please!

[@moviecollector5920]

Thank you! Will do - or at least that's the plan. John.

[@andrewstagg7603]

What a great room and you got all of that equipment in such a small space. I always thought you needed a lotto win or a second mortgage to do that but i'm ok with a 5.1 surround sound system and a soundbase system plus have you sound proofed your room because i have upset my neighbour a couple of times in the past. What a great system you have and Thank you for showing us.

[@moviecollector5920]

Fortunately we don't have any neighbours Andrew but even if we did we wouldn't hear them banging on the door so they could sod off even if they did want to complain! Seriously though, to soundproof a room would require a false wall just like multiplex cinemas are built so it wouldn't be ideal. A room in the middle of a house if you have neighbours would be the ideal solution if it's possible. But you're right, you don't need to spend a fortune on a real home cinema. Most people mistakenly think you need to spend a fortune on a screen when the best solution is a flat wall and some white emulsion. The masking is all put together with plastic, cardboard, black velvet, screws and sticky tape so it's nothing complicated. Basic (but noisy) curtain motors take care of both the side and top/bottom masking and X10 makes it automated. Really simple to do and dependent on the cost of the motors, surprisingly low cost. John.

[@13ged]

Surprised you never made it onto Keith's 'Armchair Odeons' , there were enough volumes. Great stuff as always my friend!

[@jmartin1885]

Just found you, and the first review I watched, was your review of 4K Jaws... Excellent! I said to the wife, "I'd love to have a tour of this chap's Cinema".... Here I am! Absolutely lovely set-up! You also have a wonderful voice, with just the right amount of detail for me. A 21st century Barry Norman!!! I get the undercurrent of pure cinema passion through everything you say, thank you! (I saw Jaws at the ABC in Doncaster 1975... A 1277 seat cinema... My Dad, sister and me queued at the first screening... After more than an hour of queuing, we made it to the door, only to be told it was a full-house!!! My Dad took us to WH Smiths, and bought me a Shark Magazine, to make-up for my disappointment... We went mid-week-evening and walked straight-in.... BLISS!) Thank you again!

[@moviecollector5920]

Thank you. I have a similar story for my first screening of Jaws but we did manage to get in first time around. I didn't know where we were going but eventually ended up at the ABC in Reading and my excitement levels on finding out that we were going to see Jaws were through the roof. This was a mid-week evening performance and it was a rare thing for my father to take us out during the working week as he was usually working all hours and knackered. A great memory and even greater to finally own the film in quality that probably at least matches the quality of that 35mm print back in 1975. John.

[@forcedadventure]

I like my home (digital) cinema system, but your is unbeatable!

[@moviecollector5920]

Funnily enough Pero, we're planning to make major changes soon. We want to get our ten foot roll down screen back into use. John.

[@dmitripopov8570]

Thank you for showing how it all works! Very educational and entertaining, as always!

[@moviecollector5920]

I'm shooting a new home cinema video at the moment Dmitri. I think I've now got to a stage where the new home cinema actually looks a bit like a home cinema so I just need to find the time to put it all together for an upload. John.

[@millerman9991]

Im actually speechless. Such a beautiful room. Thanks so much for sharing.

[@moviecollector5920]

Greetings Keith. Nice of you to say. Just before I popped out here (to make my evening Ovaltinies if truth be told!) your latest video popped up on our smart TV so I'll be watching that in a few minutes. Always enjoy your uploads.

[@MondoChelloveckMovies]

Hey Keith, Movie collector and myself chatted over the phone yesterday about....well....movies 🤩 and we both were talking about how much we enjoyed your channel 🤩👍👍👍

[@moviecollector5920]

Yep. Keep up the good work Keith. John, tonight we're watching the Arrow Blu-ray of Phantasm III so maybe I'll remember to check Top Gun indoor shots this time.

[@millerman9991]

@@MondoChelloveckMovies thanks so much John its actually very flattering 2 hear.

[@millerman9991]

@@moviecollector5920 i really hope u enjoy it my friend. I think after your video of your theatre room i can see your channel flying up in subs. Now if we can just get John 2 do a movie tour all will be right in the world

[@SuperGrumpyDaddy]

What a fantastic set up. Used to have a silent Super8 projector when I was about 15. Damn fool I am, sold it when I got my first Betamax player! Nothing quite like projecting your own Super8 movies. Great video, really enjoying your content.

[@moviecollector5920]

Super 8 has been a part of my life since about the age of 3 Mark and when there was an explosion in the print quality in the late 1980s it just took on a whole new significance. Okay, there is always neg dust, marks and general little things like that but somehow with a real [reel!] film projection we look through that and just enjoy the images. Stereo sound was another great addition and it is possible to decode Dolby Stereo from those tiny magnetic stripes. John.

[@zackkhan5169]

Great and awesome Home Theater

[@moviecollector5920]

Thank Zack. Hopefully I've shown that it is all surprisingly easy to do yourself once you've seen someone else do it. And to not waste vast sums of money on a screen when all you need is some white emulsion paint!

[@WillBinks]

That’s it- I’m making mattes on motors one day this is fantastic!! What a cinema!! Love it

[@moviecollector5920]

It's so easy to do as well. If I were to do it again (and I hope to one day with a much bigger wall to act as the screen) I'd do the top and bottom masking in balsa wood because it's light but completely solid. Tape the black velvet over the top and voila!

[@m_thebox]

legendary tour, much respect!

[@moviecollector5920]

Thank you Marcus. The video projector is an Optoma UHD550X but I didn't bother mentioning that at the time. John.

[@mikesmovingimages]

I want! What a delight to see your videos and your home cinema. I'm inspired!

[@moviecollector5920]

Very nice of you to say Mike. John.

[@PeterMcCluskey]

Amazing set up John 💯

[@moviecollector5920]

Thank you Peter. We've just moved so I'm in the process of working out a new installation which will mean extending the masking and a second set of outer curtains to cover a bigger screen. And then once I finally get all that fully sorted no doubt it will be time for the builders to come in to knock the walls about so I can start again! John.

[@nightcreature7271]

Movies are my passion... I love them so much... and I wish you a great day John✌️

[@moviecollector5920]

Thank you NightCreature72. I have a love for movies too. Don't spend enough time watching them though. John.

[@nightcreature7271]

@@moviecollector5920 I only watch one movie... but most everyday.I can't stand watching TV... German TV is soooo boring😴Michael.

[@moviecollector5920]

@@nightcreature7271 Television is a broken format. It can't last much longer in its present format. Netflix and KZbin have proved that.

[@ClarkTeddles]

I must say you have the best home cinema on youtube, from 35mm to 4K, it is truly amazing!

[@moviecollector5920]

There are better out there Clark. Usually people spend a fortune on them but this one certainly didn't. It's all fairly simple and due to knowledge gleaned from other home movie film enthusiasts over the past 40 years or so. John.

[@ClarkTeddles]

@@moviecollector5920 I still think it is the best on youtube, its perfect!

[@moviecollector5920]

@@ClarkTeddles it is amazing what you can do with a bit of string and sticky tape! The most expensive items were the curtain motors. Three of them at about £80 were required but I do have a spare too. The X10 controllers all came to a total of about £150 I suppose but other than that, black velvet material, two curtain tracks, the red curtains (about £80 all those years ago) and a roller blind mechanism for the top and bottom masking. Quite easy really. John.

[@ClarkTeddles]

@@moviecollector5920 I must say that is extremely clever, that certain mechanism is amazing!

[@moviecollector5920]

@@ClarkTeddles All really simple once you know how.

[@danboy77]

Thanks for the tour, really enjoyed it!

[@LeShark75]

Brilliant tour John, thanks for letting us in.

[@moviecollector5920]

Thank you for visiting. I was out hunting for Great Whites while you were looking around.

[@LeShark75]

Lol, brilliant.

[@jc4566]

Hey, love those electric curtains, awesome 😎

[@moviecollector5920]

I don't like going to a cinema to see a film and they don't have curtains so it has always been a must-have for me. Gald you like them J C. John.

[@yannisgk]

NOW EXIST SMART SPEAKER CURTAIN-ROLLERS.

[@frankbizzoco1954]

Thanks for sharing this. I really thought the room was bigger than that. You managed to make the most use for the space you have. That screen is great, the THX speakers are even better. I think sound is just as important at the theater as a nice screen, if not more. I distinctly remember in Saving Private Ryan before the battle for the bridge, the rumble of the Tiger tanks approaching in the background. It was so immersive, and probably the best use of theater surround sound I've heard before, or since. It put the fear right into the viewer, as it got closer and closer. Much like the shark in Jaws.

[@moviecollector5920]

The opening of Saving Private Ryan was one of those all-time cinematic legends. The sound is a big factor in its success but it sounds good through anything. It just gets better the more money you spend but I sometimes feel like I've taken things too far because it's difficult to stay in the room at times. Turning it down doesn't really help because then the dialogue is inaudible. But I got that THX system for other reasons at the time and never intended to have it in our home cinema here. We used it five times at the BFCC and it shook the massive Victoria Hall at the Ealing Town Hall. That was rather special for a domestic sound system. People are brainwashed by sellers into thinking they need to spend a fortune on a projection screen. That is not the case and I hope I've proved it in this video. Film collectors have always simply painted a wall in because all that is important is a flat surface to put a brilliant white emulsion paint on. A black border to frame the image is the most important part of it and that is where most people projecting video go wrong. John.

[@Wildmutationblu]

Fantastic room. I like the remote mechanism best of all.

[@moviecollector5920]

Sorry I didn't reply sooner but I missed your comment this time wildmutationblu. The remote setup is a simple X10 controller. Each device is plugged into an X10 adapter socket which is then given a code from 1 to 16. I've only got 5 separate devices which are curtains, side masking, top/bottom masking, top screen lights and then side screen lights. The lights are on dimmer X10 switches/adapters and whereas the masking and curtains are on codes 1 to 3 I've put the lights on 7 and 8 so I can fiddle with them all in the dark by feel and generally not activate the wrong device. It's all very simple but took some trial and error initially to get it all 100% but that's inevitable as it's not something you simply buy off the shelf. The cost is minimal with the most expensive item being the curtains. The motors are only about £25 each now so three of those, two corded curtain tracks and a bare roller blind (or two as I don't think basic roller blinds are generally available at over six feet in width so I joined two together). Finally, some black velvet material for the masking and plastic tubing and card to make a lightweight frame to hang the top and bottom masking. Side masking is about six inches of card covered in black velvet with additional black velvet at the side acting as a curtain to cover the white of the screen as the masking is moved inwards. I hope that all makes sense.

[@bushmanblu426]

Fantastic room tour, enjoyed this video and gave you a thumbs up.

[@moviecollector5920]

Jolly decent of you Bushman Blu.

[@mirvmn2]

Lovely home cinema u have John :) Great tour

[@moviecollector5920]

Ta velly muchly.

[@RonD84]

Absolutely brilliant setup mate, Just sat and watched through this and multiple other videos of yours and ive gotta say you can spend forever chasing new Audio equipment that is released, But its great to see someone who has obviously invested a lot of time and money over the years in a brilliant home cinema room, I must say it has a lovely vintage look and feel to the room and thats just from watching it pal, Absolutely brilliant 👍🏻

[@moviecollector5920]

Thanks Ron. Ad Astra in 4K tonight if you can get here! John.

[@TheShornak]

That's an awesome setup you have there. I always wished I had a basement that I could turn into a home theater.

[@moviecollector5920]

Nah... what you want is a dining room with a serving hatch in just the right place!

[@phylliswheeler6634]

Congratulations John lovely Cinema & excellent presentation, Keith was allways going to video my Home Cinema in Aldermaston but never got round to it. We have now down sized to Chineham with a 15 seat 8ft screen in the garden c/w Crompton mine organ which reses in front of the screen. How I wish some of my dear departed film friends( Barry,Tony, Roy, Maurice etc) were still alive and come and share it with me.. Once again John WELL done, I look forward to seeing MORE. Geoff (Big Screentime") Wheeler

[@moviecollector5920]

Great to hear from you Geoff. We'll be visiting your home cinema one of these days as mother-in-law ain't too far away in a little town called Newbury. Also, Mark Williams and I want to attempt to resurrect the BFCC with Keith as figurhead (and thereby hopefully avoiding all the stress of the past conventions where he was solely responsible) mainly so that we can all get together again. Perhaps also get some 4K enthusiasts to come along and enjoy a day of film with other enthusiasts on that big 24ft screen. We'll see what happens but I need to make a few more enquiries and then see what Keith thinks. John.

[@tomrhardwick]

Ah, so good to see you projecting the Super-8 version of '2001:A Space Odyssey' trailer. I too have this print in my collection, though my GS1200 audio does wow for some reason.

[@moviecollector5920]

The GS1200 often 'wows' Tom. If I haven't used any of mine for a long time they can sometimes take a while to settle down. In the past I seem to have cured it by going into ESS pulse mode and out of it again plus a few other speed variation adjustments and it's brought the machine back to full operability. The quality of that trailer was very good. Shame the CineaVision print didn't get anywhere near it. John.

[@condo0073]

Love the DIY work. It does the trick. Very cosy. I had 5.1, then 7.1 now I've added 2 x height - Dali Alteco downward firing speakers for atmos.😁👍

[@moviecollector5920]

This is THX so adding a new amplifier/processor would be a major investment and then I would struggle to find the same Kef rear tripole speakers to strap to the ceiling... and they're too big for that anyway. So to install Atmos in a small room at home would require smaller speakers and they would have to be timbre matched which would mean changing the whole speaker system. I reckon I could improve on the sound system I have for about £5K. I don't think I'll be doing that any time soon. I've had the present system getting on for 20 years now but it's one of those once in a lifetime sort of investments. I did have a few problems in the early years due to running the system in the big Victoria Hall at the Ealing Town Hall and blowing a cone or two out, but Kef still had the spares so that was okay. These days in such a small room you'd expect the sound system to have an easy life but sometimes it's up so loud it's difficult to stay in the room with it! John.

[@condo0073]

@@moviecollector5920 glad I found your channel. Keep up the good work 👍😁

[@moviecollector5920]

@@condo0073 Will do. Spider-Man next if all goes to plan.

[@TURBO18TMK4]

Thanks for doing the video I suggested! Next suggestion, your movie collection. Atmos really does make a massive difference difference. I am running some Ken Kreisel Quattro’s in a 7.1.4 config and it makes a massive impact!

[@moviecollector5920]

Yes, it's all your fault Umar! The shape and size of the room does make a difference to sound systems and I don't really get the best out of mine because it's too big for the room. But to update that system into a THX Atmos that would fit with the existing speakers would cost a couple of thousand pounds so it's a lot of work and expense for little [if any] gain. When I do my next cinema the screen is going to be 20 feet wide and then I'll be able to get the sound as good as possible. One day.

[@TURBO18TMK4]

Movie Collector ha! My room size is roughly the same size as yours. However i have straight Ceiling. One day as you say, look forward to seeing your collection! Keep the content coming, its different and knowledgeable from your average review.

[@moviecollector5920]

@@TURBO18TMK4 If we were sat in the middle of the room the sound would be easier to discern, that's another factor I should have mentioned. Trouble is, our heads would be in the way of the beam a lot of the time so you just can't win really. I'm doing quite a bit of trial and error with 4K vs. 2K and having just spoken to John at Mondo Chelloveck Movies about this very subject, it's interesting that he is finding similar results to me. I need to look at Top Gun again though as he's pointed out video noise in the interior shots so perhaps I missed that or the problem does not show up through my projector. I need to check this on my television because I think we need to get this story right so we can perhaps get others discussing the subject and maybe get other alternative, informed opinions.

[@jameskeenan5353]

Class set up

[@moviecollector5920]

Thanks James.

[@RetroRepair]

Amazing setup by the way, truely inspirational

[@moviecollector5920]

Really quite easy to do something similar. Most people are daunted by the cost of a screen but the best, flattest solution is a white wall. Put masking around it and you're on your way. The Odeon daysets are Super 8 by the way. Loads of them were duplicated and sold on Super 8 as well as for just about every other chain of cinemas in the UK. John.

[@RetroRepair]

@@moviecollector5920 It's just not many you see are the traditional style theatre, nor do they run film. Ah yes from Derran? I believe I had a few of their ad reels many moons ago. I'd imagine they're all but extinct now

[@moviecollector5920]

@@RetroRepair Derann went bust a few years ago but many collectors have held onto all the prints they issued. Features tend to go for a lot of money now, particularly titles such as Alien, The Terminator and Star Wars but they are still around if you look for long enough. We've been going through our own Super 8 collection over the past three or four days as we're doing a lot of re-arranging - the collection is even bigger than I realized. It weighs a ton! John.

[@RetroRepair]

@@moviecollector5920 Yes I had at one point all the classics on super 8, many in scope. I also had an eiki xenon projector. Good times. I sold it all for probably what one feature is worth now!

[@RetroRepair]

I think I miss Back to the Future the most, though my copy of Jedi was beautiful

[@cheetahluv210]

With the digital projector you could actually watch sporting events if you purchase a tv box really you have the best home theater I’ve seen

[@moviecollector5920]

I actually gave up with sports over 15 years ago Cheetahluv210. All the cheating got to me and I couldn't bear to watch any longer. I'm pleased that you like the home cinema and I must thank you for saying that. Now, I'd better answer your other comments on the other videos... stand by!

[@yannisgk]

@@moviecollector5920 SIR, COULD YOU YOU EXPLAIN WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THE WORD "CHEATING" IN SPORTS???THANKS!!!

[@moviecollector5920]

@@yannisgk I don't remember the context now but I gave up on watching all televised sport years ago because I couldn't stand looking at all the cheating. I played football up until my early 40s but thankfully moved to a vets team for the last few years because too many youngsters were acting out their idols nonsense that they'd seen on the television. Why cheat when you're playing a game? It makes no sense to me. Learning that the foorball World Cups had been fixed since the 1970s didn't help either but not many people around the world ever got to know about that. John.

[@dextertheragdollcat213]

Immensely enjoyable John. Your cinema reminds me of one I read about in Home Cinema Choice, a UK magazine, back in the '90s I believe. I love the way you've set it up and I share the exact same passion for showing movies in the home. Does your wife share your enthusiasm? Mine has no interest. Keep up the great work mate 👍

[@moviecollector5920]

Fortunately my wife and I do everything together. Neither of us are ever likely to grow up so every day we look forward to what we will be watching in the evening. We're not in the cinema every night but we've been in there more often this past year. I would say it's kept me sane but that would be assuming I had all my marbles to start with! John.

[@mattmardigan]

Great video! Would love to see a video about your old school film projector, it’s functions/features, where you got it, where you can buy film reels, etc. My dream to be able to collect 35mm & 70mm of a few of my favorite films one day!

[@moviecollector5920]

70mm is a bit of a giant leap Matt but 35mm is certainly achievable. Ben Wales has 70mm and he's brought all his projection and sound equipment along to screen a few reels to our film collector conventions in the past (www.bfcc.biz) but 70mm is hard to come by and what you can find tends to be a bit faded now. He did show a reel of Lawrence of Arabia at one of the shows which was certainly memorable. I used to get my 35mm films from the 35mm Forum but I've lost touch with it these days. Possibly it's been superseded by Facebook groups now. I do show my 35mm projector in quite a few videos. Take a look at the Alien review video I did and also The Fifth Element to get close-ups of a film running through it. It is magic and there's nothing like the drumming of a projector behind you to make you feel like you really are in a cinema. Super 8 or 16mm are the best places to start though and then if you get on with it, it's time to take the next step. John.

[@Designsbyg]

loved this! I would love to get the chance to sit and listen to it. I can very much appreciate what it takes to get it sounding good. I have been working on my audio for the past 5 years now and its finally getting good. i'm only running 5.1 on a CP500. I love your masking setup. you have inspired me to try that here. love those curtain motors (y)

[@moviecollector5920]

I purchased a couple more of those same curtain motors a year ago when I was re-assembling the cinema in our new house after moving in December 2021. I now have the curtains about four feet wider and each running on its own track with its own motor. The motors are louder than any of us would like but they do the job and are comparatively cheap. They tend to go by the name of 'Butler Curtain Motor' now if that helps you to find a dealer on eBay or elsewhere. As for the sound, I've had the Kef speakers about 20 years now and I don't think the quality has ever changed... so far! John.

[@nacthenud]

Great look into the setup! The projector and actual film look intimidating to my inexperienced eyes. My home video collecting started with VHS and evolved with discs.

[@moviecollector5920]

Having a favourite film on film has something magical about it. 35mm isn't really a practical method of movie collecting unless you have a very large home but a few features on the shelves is very special for a film buff such as myself. Super 8 doesn't take up much space and although these miniature format prints are no longer the ultimate format for home cinema there is still something about it. I suppose I grew up with it and as a result never really got into the poor quality offered on VHS. Super 8 quality to a giant leap towards the end of the 1980s and so it wasn't until video projection for the home improved about ten to fifteen years ago that Blu-ray really started to take over the top spot. Laser disc was a good addition to my film collecting but only really looked good on CRT television and now all a bit wishy washy on current equipment.

[@nacthenud]

Movie Collector - growing up it was a revelation when my parents finally got a colour CRT TV. Back then I didn’t even care about image quality, just the movies themselves. Heck, I thought widescreen movies were terrible because of the black bars at the tops and bottoms of my 4:3 TV. How little I knew. But VHS was good enough for my tastes back then and then DVD was plenty adequate for my 26” CRT I used for most of my early adult life. A far cry from the quality you were used to with Super 8, no doubt. It wasn’t until I finally got a nice 1080p LCD that I started to care about picture quality with Blu-Ray. But then 4K UHD Blu-Ray, and, in particular, HDR, on my OLED really took my love for movies to new heights. The format has breathed new life into movies I’ve seen many times before.

[@moviecollector5920]

@@nacthenud Your experience is similar to my own. I was only thinking this morning about how I used to simply enjoy being able to see films on television despite the poor quality offered. Then Laser disc was a revolution in terms of video quality when that really got going over here in the early 1990s but it was Blu-ray that was the game changer (and HD DVD for a while) that made home video projection a realistic proposition for the first time. I didn't think I'd ever see the day when the quality of the best Super 8 releases of the 1990s and 2000s was surpassed but it happened. Now with the standard of modern home video projection available for as little as a reasonably priced television, it's made home cinema using video as the basis a possibility for many more people than real film ever did. It's a shame in one way but it's wonderful to be able to watch just about every title I could ever wish for in the same was as I've enjoyed my films over so many years. I very rarely watch a film on my television now but I reckon if I had your OLED I'd be watching an awful lot of movies on it.

[@BigDinSanDiego]

Great tour! But the most important part was left out! What make or model do you have for the 35mm and 8mm projectors? 😊 I would love to have those in my house but the wife has tolerated quite a bit with my speaker needs. 😂

[@RoyJenningsDJ]

Wow! Amazing setup and a fantastic video. Thanks for sharing. Keep up the great work.

[@moviecollector5920]

I'm glad you enjoyed it RJ Vids. I shot quite a lot of video, waffled more than I should have done and then cut it to shreds to end up with something I hoped was informative, entertaining and would make anyone seeing it perhaps feel like they were in the cinema themselves.

[@ldp123100]

Omg nice setup you really need a bigger theater for it, or a higher ceiling

[@moviecollector5920]

Take a look for the Home Cinema Tour 2023 Eugene and you might spot a bit of a difference. John.

[@darkvader7231]

Fantastic set up John, love the masking and curtains. if there is no masking or curtains in a commercial cinema then it aint a cinema. I grew up with the ABC's, Odeons etc...all with ambient lighting, curtains (wrap around into the auditorium) and masking and some screens had huge curved 70mm screens. If I had a larger house with a spare room, I'd let rip thats for sure!!🎥🎦🎬📀📼

[@moviecollector5920]

Next time we move Mr. Vader we plan to find a house where we can put in the biggest screen possible. When we viewed this place 20 years ago we both walked in the dining room and said "this will be the cinema". I too grew up in ABCs and Odeons but probably like yourself, when they were past their grandest days and a bit faded. But it's how I remember cinema. My favourite is the Empire, Leicester Square which was at its heights after the 1989 refit and remained at the top until the second half of the 1990s. Last couple of times I went there the image quality was as crap as every other cinema but it's probably improved again now. I hope so anyway cos' I plan to get back there in the summer if possible.

[@darkvader7231]

@@moviecollector5920 I saw Beetlejuice at the Empire after I got married so it would have been 88 or 89 pre refit days, I know I have'nt bedn back since.

[@idhong]

fantastic!

[@moviecollector5920]

Thank you! John.

[@nazboutique3380]

Hello sir nice setup I liked it I'm from india

[@moviecollector5920]

Thank you Naz. Good to have you here. Hope all is going well over there now that you seem to be through the worst of the Covid-19 Delta variant. John.

[@pocketmego-Ray]

Amazing!

[@moviecollector5920]

Thank you Raymond. John.

[@paulcadman3562]

Hi , how is the house move going ? , look forward to seeing your new cinema 🎥 room , look forward to that video , all the best have a great Christmas 🎄 😀

[@moviecollector5920]

I keep trying to get onto the new home cinema Paul but so much else is demanding my time that it's proving a little difficult. I hoped to get the screen up today but no banana. It's coming though. We've just been putting shelves up to house the disc collection. Super 8 collection in a complete mess and more shelves needed there while 35mm collection is currently residing on the floor in what will be the new home cinema. Oh dear! John.

[@dennisbennett6709]

Your knowledge of this subject is unbelievable. Just binge-watched a dozen or so of your videos, many more than once. One question please. Are you projecting onto your wall? You imply its the best! Is it coated with any special paint or just 'Dulux brilliant white 2 for 1 offer' from B&Q!

[@moviecollector5920]

Dulux Solid Emulsion Brilliant White I think Dennis but I painted it in 20 years ago so I can't be certain now. Any brilliant white emulsion will do. A wall is the flattest surface possible so it's the best and most cost effective way to go. The video projecting age has meant a growth of dealers all trying to sell expensive equipment that isn't necessary and rip-off screens are a big one. The most important thing for any projected image is to have the image are framed by black. Most people purchase a 16x9 screen, slap it up and then project 'Scope films on the middle of it which destroys the image quality. That is the reason for the masking but us film collectors worked all this out decades before the video projection age got going. String and sticky tape is the way to go! Thank you for watching by the way. Much appreciated. John.

[@routemaster19]

Coming to this a little late - I have been sporadically dipping in to some of your reviews for the things that interest me for a while and wondered what your set up was. I love the Heath Robinson feel of some of it - why splash out thousands on generic kit that you have to make all the rest of your set up fit around when you can do the same job for next to nothing with the same results...excellent. I think we all have the issue of having to compromise our set ups to a degree according to our living arrangements. My humble 4K set up is in the loft of our Victorian mid-terrace in North London. I daren't run a subwoofer (let alone 2 these days for 7.2 arrangements!) for fear of annoying the neighbours - though my main speakers have good bass drivers which generate kick and oomph when required. Like you I held off going down the video projector route for decades waiting for the quality to improve to an acceptable standard (and a realistic price) but finally caved 2 years ago and love the mini movie experience. Having grown up in the 70's and 80's for me the importance of film presentation was very important. I had a good 1930's Odeon in Colchester - it had been tripled in the 60's of course but the main screen 1 was still large and properly maintained. excellent sound and presentation. The smaller screens were adequate but lacked the all important wow factor. Sadly that old Odeon is derelict and at risk of demolition as it has been left to rack and ruin over the last 20 years replaced by one of their soulless multiplexes. Being in London the switch to Digital was swift for the most part and yes initially the results were disappointing. Things are looking better but if by chance a film print is being shown I will try and get to see it - though sadly some occasions have been marred one way or another (Hateful Eight in 70mm at Leicester Square Odeon print damage in the last reel) Rogue One at the Imax I believe was a transfer of an all digital film (probably mastered in 2K) onto Imax 15/70mm film...why bother?) First 4K digital screening I was blown away by was while visiting New Zealand watching Oz The Great & Powerful. Crystal clear eye popping. Came back to watch it at the BFI Imax on their Christie 2K's and the difference was palpable. A real shame. I was given a tour of the BFI projection room a couple of years back and its a real pity they are constrained to using those sub par Christie's especially with the monster Grand Imax projector sitting alongside them and the Century 35mm/70mm which they still occasionally use. The laser Imax projector at the Empire is better but the auditorium (what was the rear section of the main auditorium) is pretty rubbish - devoid of any theatricality. I'm not sure I could really enjoy a film experience with the noise of the projector right up close - I enjoy getting immersed into a film so anything that detracts from that is a problem - I have had to compromise having my 4K Projector next to me due to space constraints but as you know the Panasonics are very quiet. And yes while the look of film has it's draw factor - if there is too much degradation in that it draws attention to itself (eg long scratches, bad splicing, chemical splashes, etc) it destroys the whole point of the medium which is to present something to escape into. But neither do I don't like presentations of films from celluloid which have been DNR'd and scrubbed to within a mm of their life to get rid of any grain or small imperfection. Thankfully that practise does seem to have fallen with much more sympathetic remastering of films lately. I'm still bowled over by the restoration of The Ladykillers from 1955, the last British 3 strip technicolor film, a film I have known and loved for over 40 years seen from standard def broadcast, VHS, DVD, Blu-ray, 1990 35mm re-print and now finally this 4K - and I've never seen it look so good. Anyway - I've realised I've just rambled a whole stream of consciousness and taken up far too much space just to say thanks for your reviews! Best.

[@moviecollector5920]

That's a great post. That's a great post Routemaster. I bet you have a great time in your attic based home cinema. Some of the best home cinemas I've seen have been in loft spaces. I don't think deep bass is fundamental to enjoying a film and at times with our THX system it's difficult to stay in the damned room it gets so low. I haven't been to The Empire for about ten years now and what you've just said about it suggests they've split screen 1 into two auditoriums. Is this true? Have they really destroyed the best cinema in the world to fit in a taller IMAX screen. If that is the case, then both my wife and I are heartbroken. But reading that you got into the projection box of the Waterloo IMAX cheered me up because I'm hoping to wangle my way into there sometime. To see genuine IMAX 70mm rushing through a projector is pure magic. You are correct about Rogue One being a 70mm blow-up from a video. I too saw it at the Waterloo IMAX and although it didn't look particularly good, I still prefer to watch a print rather than a video projection. At 90 feet wide, I'll happily put up with that compromise. And I love to be able to hear the faint drumming of the projector whenever I'm in a cinema so to have the same sound at home - but at a much higher volume - is something I appreciate and it adds to the enjoyment and love I have of the movies. It's surprising how quickly you don't even hear it and just enjoy the film on the screen actually. Super 8 is a good place to start with this so if you fancy giving film a go sometime, find a budget Super 8 projector and get a couple of old cut downs. You'll have a fun time. Thank you for such a great post. John.

[@professorx4946]

Very enjoyable, thanks for sharing

[@moviecollector5920]

You are very welcome Professor X. Thank you for subscribing.

[@andrewattenboroughtwothumb4697]

cool setup mate

[@moviecollector5920]

Thanks again Andrew.

[@Big_Chef_Dawg]

How would you mask a movie or tv show presented in the 2.00:1 ratio? I've noticed for sure it's becoming a popular choice for new projects. What are your thoughts on it?

[@moviecollector5920]

I just hit the stop button when the masking is in the right place Jasper. It doesn't have to be exact as films were always slightly oversized in cinemas so don't get too hung up on trying to mask exactly. John.

[@MrCREWCRUSHIN95]

Great DIY home cinema! Love your channel! The question nobody is asking: What about the sound and the neighbors?!!

[@moviecollector5920]

Haven't got any neighbours which is just as well really. If we did I think they'd have moved out by now anyway! John.

[@macutmore]

Very impressive set up. Interesting to see the mechanical projector which certainly looks worth a tidy sum. I wondered how much maintenance you get away with to keep it at peak or whether it needs regular service. Certainly must be one hell of an experience feeling that woofer do its thing!

[@moviecollector5920]

The 35mm machine only requires oil occasionally Mike so there's not been much required there at all over the years. Actually, nothing other than oil. The subwoofer is set lower than THX specs. want it to run but sometimes it's a bit hard to stay in the room at genuine THX levels. The subwoofer case is 70 litres and there are occaions when I can feel the wind from it rushing through the room despite being about eight or nine feet away.

[@davidprice6994]

I love your film room.Thats what id love to have and love the Quad posters and F.O.H stills on the walls. I do miss the old film certs at the begining of the films. Cert A. U. AA. X certs. been trying to find on youtube these so i can seek out someone to do me a retro disc so i can put it on before the main film just like back in the day. Jaws comes to mind .. This film has been passed an A cert.

[@moviecollector5920]

Thank you David. The original UK theatrical trailer for Jaws has a warning on the end of it to explain why it has been granted an 'A' certificate so if that's on-line somewhere then I think that one is right up your street. I did show the title card for Alien in my Alien video and I may have done the same in the Halloween video so it might be possible to replicate the design from those if it's not available elsewhere. After you've got title cards sorted out you'll just require some period cinema adverts and daysets. Should be fun. John.

[@davidprice6994]

@@moviecollector5920 Yea ive only been able to find the U.S PG trailers but would love to see your original UK jaws trailer .maybe you could upload it if you like .Ive found a lot of UK cinema ads thanks matey.

[@moviecollector5920]

@@davidprice6994 I shall try to find an excuse to include that end screen to the UK Jaws trailer on a future video. I did have it prepared for the Jaws 4K review a year ago but I felt the video was getting too long so snipped it out. John.

[@davidprice6994]

@@moviecollector5920 ok thank you that would be brilliant if u could or you could e mail it to me lol whatever is better many thanks Dave

[@newcamnoddy]

Great too see all formats..one point..what's happening to the top masking and the curtains that don't seem to close ? It seems uneven? Just an observation not a dig lol ! :)

[@moviecollector5920]

The top masking moves up and down in tandem with the bottom mask. As one goes up the other goes down. The curtains don't quite meet in the middle which is quite handy so I can just about see which ratio the masking is set to before I open them. To get tabs to fully close requires two motors and two curtain tracks and although I have the additional motor I never felt it necessary to modify it and put the second corded curtain track in. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. But next time I create a home cinema I expect I'll use two motors and two tracks. John.

[@brookes79]

Do you play the Pearl & Dean ad before the movie starts? All my childhood memories are of the iconic pa pa, pa pa pa of this (at my local Gatley Tatton picture house, which sadly closed over 20 years ago)

[@moviecollector5920]

I used to run the Pearl and Dean advert opening and closing a lot as I have a couple of copies on Super 8 advert reels. Also, the Heineken advert that refreshes the pa-pa-pa-parts others beers cannot reach! John.

[@brookes79]

@@moviecollector5920 haha brilliant

[@Edward135i]

How do you get sound from your film projector to your receiver, are films in surround sound or does the receiver have to up mix from stereo to 5.1?

[@moviecollector5920]

Just optical stereo William which means a decode into Dolby Stereo. But I'm hoping to finally start investigating a few upgrades to the 35mm machine soon. A long play unit for hour long reels and Dolby Digital would be nice but none of it's really essential. A really bright light source is the priority when I get around to it. John.

[@ThePowerpuffHotline]

Nostalgic

[@moviecollector5920]

Thank you. That says it all. John.

[@paulcadman3562]

Very interesting room how much you have got going on in there , i was once into super 8 mm projectors but never owned a 35 mm , do you think 35 mm looks better than a 4 k disk or like me do you like the ease of 4k projectors and players these days .

[@moviecollector5920]

Running a film on any gauge is a special event but it's not something I'd want to do as regularly as I once did. 4K video is so good that it has reduced the impact of film somewhat but it's still special to have a mechanical projector running behind you during a show even if it's more convenient to just press a few buttons for video projection. 35mm is unquestionably the superior format but a lot depends on the print of course. John.

[@robertromero8692]

Very nicely done, John. I especially like the variable masking. So you also have 35 mm? I know a guy with a 35 mm projector in his home theater, as well as professional theater speakers behind his screen (perforated). My IB subwoofer that I've mentioned before has eight 15 inch drivers.

[@moviecollector5920]

I think you're going to benefit from the Meyer Sensual Sound with your subwoofer Robert. You'll have to let me know if the house collapses next time you run Apocalypse Now. I'd love to have Apocalypse Now on film but alas, nothing's ever crossed my path. John.

[@danielparker3842]

Home cinema has become the best choice for me to watch movies. My last couple of visits to the local Regal Cinema multiplex has been a bit daunting as the movies were so loud it really took away the enjoyment. The last one I saw was 2018's Black Panther because I wanted to experience the 3D version on the big screen . I don't understand why they play the movies so loud. But having said that some of the movies on blu-ray as well as 4K still have a problem with the center dialogue and I have to use the closed caption feature. I have a new Samsung 5.1 surround sound to go with my Samsung TV. I had hoped that the newer systems would have fixed the center dialogue problem but still has the same problem with some but not all feature presentations. JAWS was one of the better ones. I sometimes wonder if it might not be my hearing but if that is the case then it would be so for all the movies I watch and not just certain ones would it not? I wish I could afford a THX certified home theater but I have to make do with my fixed income. I love your theater with the power curtains and I'm sure it looks and sounds terrific. I also enjoy very much your little lectures (not simply reviews) on feature movies. One of my new favorite 4K releases is the IMAX presentation of ROCKY MOUNTAIN EXPRESS which is a beautiful tour and history of the Canadian Railway that crisscrosses the Canadian Rocky's with it's gorgeous sweeping mountain views and bombastic train soundtrack it is a great way to show off the beauty of 4K in the comfort of ones own home. Have a great day. Daniel.

[@moviecollector5920]

Rocky Mountain Express sounds just like our thing. I'll put that on the list! I don't know if anything much will sort out the sound on most modern films. THX would probably help but that's a step too far. What is required is some sort of compression to regulate the sound levels across all the channels. SRS might do it but I don't think that was ever available as a separate box for digital sound and the Stereo Retrieval Systems built into home cinema amplifiers never seemed to be much use to me. Thank you for taking the time to write Daniel. And thank you too for mentioning Rocky Mountain Express which I'd completely missed up until now. John.

[@jacksondean7305]

Are there any plans to make a video about getting into true film systems? I'd love to see a video about getting into 35mm and Super 8 film prints for the true enthusiasts. I already have a full 4k HDR set up for my home cinema, but I don't know where to start looking for film prints. Great work on your content!

[@moviecollector5920]

Film is a rarity now Jackson but look up Classic Home Cinema in Cleethorpes and see what they're up to these days. If you contact them you'll probably speak to Phil or Denise Sheard who have been in the business for years. 35mm is more of a collector to collector hobby but I used to find films on the 35mm Forum. If that's still around it could be a good place to start. But if this channel helps to resurrect the British Film Collectors Conventions then that would be a good excuse to do thorough coverage of the film formats and how to start in the hobby. Always remember though, pre-1982 fllms are quite likely going to be on print stock that is prone to colour fade. I still have a lot of Super 8 films from before 82 and most of them have suffered to varying degress but the later low fade prints still look like the day I purchased them. John.

[@The.Home.Cinema.Engineer]

retro system but pretty cool! how ever I would recommend an upgrade with the speaker layout and Processor Dolby Atmos is worth it and noticeable! love KEF I use it myself in my theater

[@moviecollector5920]

Having compared modern amplifiers to these 20 year old Pioneer's I'd have to spend about £1.5K £2k to match it and then the speakers would be getting on for another £3K so you can see why I'm not exactly busting a gut to put something else in. Atmos is nice in bigger rooms but the THX does already produce similar results as I'm sure you know with a handle of 'The Home Cinema Engineer'. You can rest assured I'll be checking out your channel as soon as I get a chance and no doubt next time we move and hopefully have a bigger home cinema I'll be asking your advice on a few points. With regards to the current home cinema being retro, too darned right! Modern multiplexes are horrible and not cinema as I used to love it so although I can understand people doing home installations to mimic that it's not for me. I love the old style picture palaces and in that regard there are a few real cinemas left that carry on that tradition and also more modern versions such as the Empire and the Odeon Leicester Square but many of the greats such as the Odeon Marble Arch have long since bitten the dust. It's a shame that youngsters today are not going to know what an event going to the cinema was at one time. Thank you for the comment and good to hear from you.

[@The.Home.Cinema.Engineer]

@@moviecollector5920 yea makes sense. but when that time comes it will be worth it. please do I love talking home theater and cinema. I want to eventually make my theater look like an art deco theater. Inspired heavily by a game called Bioshock. Im 32 so unfortunately I never got to experience older cinema you speak of but it sounds like it would have been a great experience.

[@JohnGClancy]

@@The.Home.Cinema.Engineer I've been lucky enough to visit some of the best cinemas in the world but none of the recent ones could pretend to be in that list. My favourite was the Empire Leicester Square after the refit in 1989 that installed the laser show, the louvred, recessed cieling that changed colours via neon light, and the THX sound system that was quite unbelievable for a few years until digital sound came in and the temptation to turn it up too loud ruined the speakers. A beautiful theatre to this day and although they are mainly video projection now it's still worth a visit. Empire 1 that is, the rest are the usual multiplex disappointments. Tonight we're running the Blu-ray of 'Once Upon A Time In the West' and it's a remarkably good picture. Lovely film grain that makes you realize you're watching a work of art.

[@AscendedSaiyan3]

I would love to see how you store your collection and what it looks like!

[@moviecollector5920]

Here, there and everywhere I'm afraid so although the Super 8 films are all in one place with the laser discs the 35mm is elsewhere and the DVDs, Blu-rays, 4Ks, CD-'s and Video CDs are all over the place with a lot of them in cupboards. In other words, not really worth looking at.

[@AscendedSaiyan3]

@@moviecollector5920 I could tell, from your knowledge of cinema and equipment, that your collection was probably vast. It made me subscribe. I am sure it would make one hell of a series (5? part miniseries). Thank you, for sharing the history of your collecting journey.

[@moviecollector5920]

@@AscendedSaiyan3 Thank you for taking an interest. It has given me the opportunity to include some real (maybe that should be 'reel') film which must be a novel concept for those who haven't been a home cinema collector for as long as I. But there are many who have been at this game a lot longer than me as home movies actually go back to the end of the nineteenth century.

[@TweetBomb]

Awesome home theater, I'm blown away. I have to ask, what kind of 35mm projector do you have? I've been trying to get into 35mm projection for the longest time but don't really know where to start as there is very little information out there and it's scattered all over the internet. I even go on forums for advice but for some reason so many film guys are extremely pessimistic about anyone new trying to get into this incredible medium. (It's dangerous, requires constant maintenance, etc. All things I'm already aware of) I'm very well versed in all the formats and aspects ratios and such, even own a 16mm Bell & Howell 2585 B, but 35mm seems to be the hump I am incapable of climbing over. Thanks for sharing again and keeping this absolutely incredible medium alive and well.

[@moviecollector5920]

Well if you're in the UK then the best advice is to get into the filmic groups over here. We're resurrecting the British Film Collectors Convention next April with the London Underground reach but outside of the dreaded Congestion Tax zone which is vital for making any event a success in the London area now. The plan is to have Super 8, 35mm and 4K video projection there. We rarely get dealers selling 35mm but just getting to know some of the people will make connections. If you watch my recent video titled 'Home Cinemas' which features Noel Pratt's home cinema then he's going to be one chap worth talking to as he has a couple of 35mm projectors that may be suitable and he may be able to prepare them for sale. There's not an awful lot to 35mm if you've been into the smaller film gauges but it is a jump. As for constant maintenance, cobblers! That would be true if running the projectors for 8 hours a day every day but in a home cinema a 35mm projector might need some oil every six months or so. John.

[@TweetBomb]

@@moviecollector5920 Thank for you fast response, John! Unfortunately, I live over in the states and I've found that pretty much anywhere other than California and New York, it's impossible to find any sort of celluloid film culture. I'm constantly on ebay and see 35mm projectors often, I'm just not sure what I should be looking for in terms of condition and also what brands and projectors I should steer away from. I've watched your video on Noel's incredible home cinema and I hope to get to yours and his level some day. Any valuable online resources I should check out that you think might help? It would be awesome to see a step by step process video from you as I would find it extremely helpful. Cheers!

[@moviecollector5920]

@@TweetBomb I think the main proviso for a 35mm projector at home is one that will fit because some come with massive lamp houses. What you really want is one that has a small lamp house or one that's been converted to take a modern lamp of some kind so that the whole machine can squeeze into a smaller space. There are quite a lot of machines that were used in multiplexes and therefore have a small footprint as they were designed to fit into smaller projection boxes. As just about all of those have been removed now it's just a question of finding one for sale. The 35mm Forum used to be the place to track down everything so if you're not already on there then that's a good group to join. My own 35mm projector is a Spectra 90 which was actually made in China in the 1970's by Gin Gang Shan (or some other daft name like that) and they were supplied in pairs so they could be used to show features without a break via changeovers. The intention was that travelling showman would take the movies to villages across China I believe. They were also manufactured in Spain up until a short time ago. The were supplied with a mono optical head so very basic sound but it is possible to put a Dolby Stereo cell in there for four channel matrixed Dolby Stereo surround. Some of the projectors removed from multiplexes will have digital readers in them but then you have to also get a suitable decoder to be able to use that digital sound information and a home AV amp isn't going to be able to do that. You'll also need rewind arms so you can rewind a reel after you've run it and probably a 35mm splicer too so that you can join trailers and things together. I hope some of this helps. John.

[@TweetBomb]

@@moviecollector5920 Thank you for all the valuable information. I will definitely join that 35mm forum to see if I can find any luck as well as finding a projector with a smaller footprint is ideal. Thanks for all your help and the awesome videos you provide regarding this medium. Cheers.

[@moviecollector5920]

@@TweetBomb Let me know if you find anything for sale that you think might be suitable and I can always take a look at it providing it's up on the web. John.

[@StreetPreacherr]

I hope he's reconsidered upgrading to Atmos/DTSX. I've found that updating my receiver to ATMOS made a FAR more noticeable improvement in my home theater experience than getting a higher resolution display...

[@moviecollector5920]

High end equipment is a little different Stan. This system already has a similar effect to Atmos but having had various Dolby processors at home for over 30 years now I no longer feel the need to keep spending and extra grand or two on the latest THX amplifier with the latest chips nor additional THX speakers to add them into a room. To upgrade this system to a current equivalent would be getting on for £10K today so I am best advised to stick with it as it currently is as it is better than most home Atmos systems out there. John.

[@DivineAV]

Pretty sweet boss

[@MondoChelloveckMovies]

GREAT video 👍👍 very in depth (which I love) do you have the theatre full anytime? Loads of interesting facts here that I wouldn't have even thought about!! Screen being a wall.... is the clicking of the projector noisey? When you say you have a massive super 8 collection, how many would that be? I'm interested in what we can all put in the mix for 2k v 4k as I think it might have some very intriguing results 🤔🤩👍👍👍

[@moviecollector5920]

We have had more people in the cinema room than we could actually seat on occasion but not any longer. The best surface for a screen is a plastered wall (because it's completely flat, free and cheap to maintain) but there are a couple of reasons why you might need a screen such as not having a suitable wall to paint white or wanting to hide your beautiful hifi speakers so a perforated screen is needed. We have a ten foot roll down screen in our living room that we had in our apartment in London and we had it there because it came down in front of a massive window and balcony doors (i.e. no wall to paint). But dealers will tell you all sorts of guff in order to release vast sums of money from your wallet. I have over 40 features on Super 8, hundreds of trailers and well over a hundred short films, feature extracts and cartoons. All film projectors make a noise but it's part of the magic but I rarely tend to hear the drumming of the cam unless I remind myself it's there. I used to sit at the back of cinemas so I could hear the projector running in quiet sequences of a film. Happy memories of a time now all but gone. I don't want to put my 4K vs. 2K conclusions in your head John but I currently think that the only perceptible difference between the two formats is HDR and sometimes that adversely affects the image compared to the 2K. I really need to find out why 2K Blu-ray discs are not being sold with HDR because right now I suspect it's because it would be difficult to sell us more expensive 4K discs if Blu-rays were being offered with HDR. I hope I'm being a little too negative there but with the way everything is driven by money these days...

[@Tlducken]

Incredible setup! Thanks for sharing it with us. Now, I have a technical question for you. I know some films were shot "open matte", does that mean when you watch prints with your projector you have to matte them yourself to see the correct aspect ratio? Or do those prints come cropped to the correct aspect ratio already?

[@moviecollector5920]

35mm films come in all manner of aspect ratios. Some are supposed to have mats laid in the projector gate but I don't have any features that require that as they're all 'Scope prints. Plenty of trailers should have it but I just mask the screen off. Super 8 is interesting as I have plenty of flat features that should be matted but it's not possible with Super 8. Jurassic Park is a classic example as the computer generated sequences have computer data visible in those 1.85:1 framed images. The rest of the film is a different aspect ratio but i can't remember exactly what ratio it is now. John.

[@ArtVandelayOfficial]

Thankyou for sharing your setup 👍 Have you ever considered velvet side curtains or covers for the large side posters? Being OCD the reflections instantly stood out

[@ArtVandelayOfficial]

Also do you have any experience with OLED screens and what is your impressions

[@moviecollector5920]

First of all I don't have an OLED television. I don't watch films on a television so don't really need anything other than a smart TV with KZbin capability. As for the pictures, you don't see the reflections because of the curtains and masking, they only really show up on wide angle video. I shoot it that way just to get them in and make the imagery more interesting but I was surprised when I put this all together 20 years ago that the reflections weren't apparent once we were sat down to watch a film. John.

[@orlandoouczarcyn3050]

Hermoso

[@moviecollector5920]

Gracias Orlando. John.

[@lamecasuelas2]

Wait a minute, i think i missed something, are you just processing the sound using the Av receiver and then passing the image directly to the projector?

[@moviecollector5920]

Errrrr, yes. The sound comes out of the optical and into the THX and the image goes to the projector. This model was supposed to deal with both but unfortunately the engineers at Optoma didn't understand the audio pass through process and it stripped it down to analogue stereo. Hence why a different player was purchased to deal with sound. Never heard a better domestic sound system than the Pioneer/KEF THX Ultra so far but they are going to be out there by now. Expect to pay big money though. I got this setup for a bit of a bargain as there was almost £1K off the speakers 20 years ago. John.

[@lamecasuelas2]

@@moviecollector5920 that Pioneer looks like a Best, i hope that It last Many More years

[@moviecollector5920]

@@lamecasuelas2 £1700 when new. Fortunately I didn't pay that. I still have the previous model which was £1200 when new but I even got that at a knock down £970. the KEF speakers were £2700 but I think I got the complete set for a total of £1800. Not the sort of system you replace every few years and it's still a delight to listen to all these years later. But I wasn't self-employed back then so quite a few high-end purchases were made in preparation for setting up on my own. John.

[@ClarkTeddles]

Hey John! hop your well! I was watching this video and I was wondering what digital projector do you own?

[@moviecollector5920]

I've had it for over three years now Clark - an Optoma UHD550X. Almost got the next video ready for when I'm home in a few days and it's looking good and should drive a few people your way. John.

[@ClarkTeddles]

@@moviecollector5920 thank you so very much! This will be a huge help!

[@victorpulos823]

What is size of your theater room?

[@srinathhshs4243]

So ...having a near perfect classic - yet techy Home cinema have you stopped visiting cinema theatres ? ! JustCurious ..... 😄 (Exception : Pandemic restrictions) 🤞

[@moviecollector5920]

I only go to a cinema when I know it's screening a film now. Had too many bad experiences after video projection was foisted on the industry before video was ready. John.

[@itsalwaysoniontime]

When your friends and family come over, you should make them pay for a ticket to get into that room!

[@moviecollector5920]

That's a damned good idea! Actually, we've sold that house and moved now so we have a new home cinema. It's not completely finished yet but we may finally be getting close. Nothing beats a bigger screen and it's much bigger now than in the previous house. John.

[@RetroRepair]

Please please please have those odeon idents professionally scanned so they are properly preserved. No where near enough 35mm stuff has been scanned to date, all I had got preserved. Either that or sell them to me 😂

[@moviecollector5920]

I just thought about this scanning malarkey that is the easy cine transfer solution these days and Super 8 never seems to look as good as aerial image transfer. Makes me wonder how good 35mm would be if the labour intensive process was still being used rather than leaving an automated scanner to do the job. John.

[@RetroRepair]

@@moviecollector5920 I'm not sure on the process these days, I believe it was a frame by frame process the last time I sent a print off for scanning. There's at least a dozen of the classics already out there and a new scan pops up every few months. I have an invite to the place that seems to see most of them if your interested in another rabbit hole to dive down :) I kick myself I didn't have the numerous Odeon daysets I had scanned at the time, they are impossible to find now

[@moviecollector5920]

@@RetroRepair Yes, it's an automated scanner that scans each frame at about 40mb per frame of 35mm. Imagine trying to project that in uncompressed form. My Batman trailer was scanned and it took so long to back it up before I sent it all on to the chap who organized and paid for it that I thought something was wrong. That was about 2 minutes of film so imagine what a feature would occupy. Massive. Thanks for clearing up that Back To The Future was 16mm. That print will be worth something these days, that's for sure.

[@kevinweithers1223]

Love it.

[@moviecollector5920]

Thank you. John.

[@paulallenMacca]

Thanks for sharing your video,can you please tell me what of big Projector that is and what size of Reels it could take.

[@moviecollector5920]

It's a Chinese 35mm portable projector from the 1970s (although they still were producing these in Spain until quite recently apparently) and it takes the standard 35mm reels which are 2000ft. Long play units are available but I don't have the room to be able to track one down at the moment. One day though. Great fun to play with. John.

[@paulallenMacca]

@@moviecollector5920 Many Thanks for the info on the projector,do you remember a company called Portland Films I remember sending for their catalogue in the early 70’s when I was still at school.

[@moviecollector5920]

@@paulallenMacca They were on Shaftesbury Avenue and the shop front for Mountain Films. I spent a lot of money with them over the years and it was terribly sad when they sold out. I did pick up a lot of 200ft reels for £1 each then though so it wasn't all bad... although most of those films were!

[@paulallenMacca]

@@moviecollector5920 Only wish I’d kept my film catalogue from them but I was still at school back then.

[@craigrussell3062]

This is such a wonderful setup. I love how you focus on the totality of the room, the mechanics of the screen curtains, and everything else that makes it a one-of-a-kind personal theater room, but I'd love some more technical details on your projectors. I'd love to own a 35mm film projector one day, but everything I see online seems to be some $10,000 refrigerator-sized machine decommissioned from a cineplex that I would never have the space or technical expertise to set up. Yours looks more along the lines of the portable 16mm and 8mm machines I've been able to get my hands on. What's its history? I have an Epson 3700 projector. It's only 1080p, and at the time I bought it, 4k projectors were still expensive and finding their sea legs. I also have a preference for the Epson's LCD projection over DLP, which pretty much every other model seems to use. I've had problems seeing the so-called "rainbows" on early DLP units, although I've heard the more recent ones have that problem much less. It also seems that many of the currently available true 4k projectors are DLP. Do you have any thoughts on this? What model projector do you have?

[@moviecollector5920]

I too had problems with the single chip DLP rainbow effect but because my previous LCD HD projector got dust on the elements and caused me distractions that I really didn't like at times I decided I'd have to put up with the rainbow. At first I thought it was awful but now, more than 3 years down the line, I barely see it. There is an Epson 4K LCD available but I would get a demonstration of a few projectors before making the final decision. Have a look at Classic Home Cinema www.classichomecinema.co.uk/ for the best film dealer lists in the UK and probably the world. I don't think he gets much 35mm but it's worth keeping in touch. I hope to get some upgrades done to my Ging Gan Shan Chinese portable 35mm projector (Spectra 90) sometime soon so I will hopefully then get back into knowing what is available, where from and how much. Various portable 35mm projectors do come up for sale. Probably the best place to find one is from fellow collectors so search for a 35mm Forum (which used to be on-line but I had to stop looking at it as I ran out of space to store more films) and also Facebook groups which I expect have taken over now. The hope is that I can use this channel to help resurred the British Film Collectors Conventions and then we should all get an annual place to meet and see what is around and make contacts to track down equipment and films. Last convention was 2016 so we're in need of another now. John.

[@craigrussell3062]

@@moviecollector5920 The last time I looked into it, John, the Epson 4k projectors (or at least, the more affordable ones) aren't native 4K, but a system that interlaces separate 2k signals. But as you point out in your 2k vs 4k video, in terms of actual visible detail, the difference is close to imperceptible in most viewing environments; the real difference is the HDR. It'll be awhile before I upgrade my video projector, but if I ever run across one of those spectra 90 units, I'm snapping it up. Your 35mm projector looks so cheery and smartly-designed; I love the closeups on its operation in your videos. I'm located in the US, so sadly British conventions would be hard for me to visit, but I'll definitely check out the website. Thanks as always for the information. Craig

[@moviecollector5920]

@@craigrussell3062 The Spectra 90s were sold in pairs with the intention that they'd be used across China to bring movies to cut-off villages, or at least that's what I was told years ago. They were still being manufactured in Spain until relatively recently so I suppose they sold for the same purpose all over the world. There may be some in the USA but they are not the easiest projector to use due to the manual clutch. Ideally a push button that simply starts the film once it's manually threaded up would be good. I find it all pretty easy after about 20 years of ownership though. All I've had to do is oil it occasionally in all that time. John.

[@craigrussell3062]

@@moviecollector5920 It's too bad there's not a market for projectors today. The technology is simple enough that with computer control, they could make much better units much cheaper if they wanted to. Wouldn't it be marvelous if the film industry imitated the music industry (which has brought back vinyl records and the equipment to play them as a way to market music to collectors) and started manufacturing and selling film prints and projectors to consumers? I've realized that there's no way to collect and project celluloid in 2021 without being at least something of a mechanic, because every film projector that still exists is in the process of breaking down.

[@moviecollector5920]

@@craigrussell3062 Fortunately there are still people around who service and maintain projectors. Even more fortunately, 35mm projectors were built like brick sh.... erm, outhouses and tend to go on forever. The lack of electronics and computer control is actually a benefit with regard to longevity. Super 8 is a little different because it's all miniaturized and wasn't expected to be used on an industrial scale like cinemas used 35mm. Kodak are trying to revive Super 8 though because we're not getting young film makers coming along any longer. Just youngsters who know how to shoot on mobile phones and unhelpful rubbish like that. No knowledge of simple things like exposure or focus. John.