As we move ever nearer towards Christmas and then in a blink of the eye, the end of yet another year, full of trials and tribulations, it gave me the time reflect upon what has been yet another colourful and eventful year in the hobby. Very trying at times but also I feel, THE most rewarding year overall for all of the things we all learn as we go associated with the hobby.

I was amused this afternoon by the post that was hitting our other most popular of forums, all to do with the GS1200 this afternoon. You have collectors like Graham Ritchie over there, that'll swear blind the GS 1200 is the greatest of projectors that ever hit planet earth. They have never damaged a print of his, they work like clockwork, and quite frankly, why anyone would ever care to mention any other machine, is quite a mystery, such is the majestic ELMO GS, and let's not forget the 40yr, long standing, totally reliable marvel known only as his ST1200!

Anyhow, just about anyone (and I do mean ANYONE ), will swear blind that their machine runs their films flawlessly. Well I received prints only just recently, where a collector stated the very same. MK 3, runs flawless, only shown 4 times max and guess what?.....

That infamous trademark that can only be ever known as the Elmo Owners blindspot surfaced yet again!!

Who are these people kidding?? Totally dilluded or what??

Don't ever kid yourselves people, you certainly ain't kidding anyone here, these machines are no better than CINEWRECKS (Cinerex) until seriously modified beyond belief. They really ought to be issued as an airfix kit in order for you to do your modifications as you build them, such is their finesse.

I said only a week or so ago, (to the usual silent response I hasten to add when everyone knows your points are at least half valid but cannot stomach admitting so!), that without the vital discovery of the machines I managed to suss for myself, were half useful for what they were ever created to do....I'd have been out out of this hobby for a second time quicker than a one legged man in an arse kicking competition.

Its been a trying year but a fulfilling year now it draws to it's end and in pictures, I now mark and acknowledge what a fine tool the real machines that both perform the task of both showing our films, but also more importantly, as the years roll by, protect our films as they do so, really are in these twilight years of the otherwise great Super 8mm film collecting hobby.

Where would we be without you both??

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When I form the Elmo appreciation society next year Andrew, I was wondering if you would like to run it for me, maybe Hugh could help out as well.

I'll proof read all comments Bill, and amend accordingly.

OK Paul your on !

Put me down for a life time subscription please Bill

Dave

Madness... shear madness!
Does anyone want to borrow or lend out my glasses, they work really well, honest! I will post three pairs tomorrow!

I can see where you're coming from Andrew, Bill, you are a little devil, you little sod pot you,. The Elmo can be a killer to
film if not taken in hand, the well respected John Clancy, recommended removal of the troublesome tracks, I modified mine, but
that aside, the ST1200 is a formidable machine, it is a showman's projector, it is reliable, is a gem to do recordings on, with modifications, it is near perfect. The GS1200, I craved this machine, could taste it, yet I was sorely let down, a litany of costs and problems. I was left one by a fellow collector, but the after taste lingers on, too complicated for its own good. I wonder though at
folk that say they have never experienced any scratches on film with them, I had that within the first 12 months! Either these machines
do not get any use or someone is telling lies, they scratch like hell, hence my hatred of Japanese product, longevity is alien, as is care
of the software, the Japanese are slaves to gimmicks, which I personally hate, they are "of the now", which is odd, considering a few hundred years ago they were still feudal and steeped in tradition.

I suspect the latter Hugh, in many many cases. I've just witnessed one example in this past month of such as I pointed out above!

My experiences with 5 different ST1200's was no better than what you're describing for the GS where the trademark is concerned.

Great powerful amp on the HD and brilliant mag head, but the thing has no stability whatsoever to make the kind of recordings in sync that I make.plus you can never switch to reverse to do a section again.

Probably ok for home movie overlay stuff though where lip sync doesn't matter.

It sounds as though either a machine has been purchased or a film badly marked, either is a nuisance Andrew. I prefer the ST1200
over the GS1200, anytime, it has done sterling work for me over the years, and a lot of recordings, in sync from "wild" tape, it is a
slow process, but yields good results. I understand though that the GS1200 can be synched up to a separate box to keep step with
an outside recording source, although I have never tried it. The ST was a simple machine to operate for recordings and the only fault
I can lay at Elmo's door on it are those God awful tracks, Tom Photiou had the best idea, buy in bulk the spares, but I went the permanent way and kept the film proper well away from the bloody things as shown in a previous post.