What equipment is necessary for a `home cinema for 16mm and where can it be begged for/purchased?
The cheapest way to start is to pick up a portable, tungsten-bulb, `classroom-style’ projector. These are very common surplus items right now, and can often be acquired for well under $100. When cleaned carefully and completely, and properly loaded, a manual-loading machine in good order is usually very gentle on the film and will give many years of service, with minimal maintenance, other than bulb changes, occasional lubrication, and regular cleaning). Plenty of these machines (most commonly, Bell & Howell, Graflex, or RCA ™ ) can be found from schools and industrial users who have switched over to videotape equipment for presenting instructional/promotional materials. They are also available, usually with warranties, from various dealers in used motion picture equipment. New machines are available from the Japanese manufacturer Eiki, but they cost in excess of $1200, and are sold by audiovisual dealers. For those who want screen images larger and brighter than a tungsten bulb wil
