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PaulM · 14th Jul 2020, 8:50 pm

Your 'fish fryer' (!) is the Marconi B3404 which I have a working example of. I don't ever recall there being a B3404 there so that must have been well after my time (76-80). Mine is the one from Marconi College. Attached is a picture (rather poor) of my photoconductive B3404 and a contemporary photo with some of the design team. It has dual 16 or 35 transports or a mix (which mine is) plus dual 35 mm slide projectors. An optical multiplexer switches between the four sources. For what it does, it's really not that big at all.

The Cintel Mk I at the Hoe Centre was - I'm pretty darned sure - organised in bays against a wall in a fairly narrow downstairs room. Definitely had valves in it. At least one of the racks was a 'double' - much as my surviving Mk II is. It's all a long time ago now . . .

My Mk II came from a chap in Malvern many years ago who had upgraded to a Mk III. He complained that it didn't work as well as his old monster machine and regretted swapping it out apart from the saving in floor space.

I suspect that a lot of the Mk Is and IIs wound up being heavily customised/modded/gutted so hard to say what was 'normal'.

BTW, I saw that URSA for sale and decided not to bid - ran out of room here a long time ago and there's already such a beast in the collection, although it lacks its spool motors.

Best regards,

Paul M

14th Jul 2020, 8:50 pm	#10
PaulM Hexode Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Near Lincoln, UK. Posts: 483	Re: Rank Cintel TK Your 'fish fryer' (!) is the Marconi B3404 which I have a working example of. I don't ever recall there being a B3404 there so that must have been well after my time (76-80). Mine is the one from Marconi College. Attached is a picture (rather poor) of my photoconductive B3404 and a contemporary photo with some of the design team. It has dual 16 or 35 transports or a mix (which mine is) plus dual 35 mm slide projectors. An optical multiplexer switches between the four sources. For what it does, it's really not that big at all. The Cintel Mk I at the Hoe Centre was - I'm pretty darned sure - organised in bays against a wall in a fairly narrow downstairs room. Definitely had valves in it. At least one of the racks was a 'double' - much as my surviving Mk II is. It's all a long time ago now . . . My Mk II came from a chap in Malvern many years ago who had upgraded to a Mk III. He complained that it didn't work as well as his old monster machine and regretted swapping it out apart from the saving in floor space. I suspect that a lot of the Mk Is and IIs wound up being heavily customised/modded/gutted so hard to say what was 'normal'. BTW, I saw that URSA for sale and decided not to bid - ran out of room here a long time ago and there's already such a beast in the collection, although it lacks its spool motors. Best regards, Paul M Attached Thumbnails Last edited by PaulM; 14th Jul 2020 at 8:58 pm.