SEASONS GREETINGS

As another year draws to a close I want to take this opportunity to wish you and your family best wishes for the holiday season.

Sometime ago KMR used to send Christmas cards to thank all our customers. To do this I had to type the labels--we finally got it on a computer program and it only took me a little while to master loading the printer, stuff the envelopes, lick the envelopes (they were not peppermint flavored), and send them shooting through the postage meter which tended to eat every fourteenth card. I thought, why not send something you can use all year if I was going to have so much fun prepping this mailing? KMR sent our first calendar in 1979 (I still have a few left so if you are in to recycling they'll be good in 1990 and I'll be delighted to send you one and clean off the shelf.) Later, a slick salesman helped the calendar evolve to its present form of an appointment book calendar which you tell me you really like. Great--I got a sponge instead of licking all the envelopes, I'm friends with the computer now, and the boss got the postage meter fixed. As always, I'm here to help and if there is anyway I can make your repair job easier let me know.

Wishing you a Verrrry Happy Holiday and a grand New Year,

Kathy Butler KMR Parts

TECH TALK

Several months ago a technical type friend of mine was trying to measure "return-loss." He had called me to see if I knew how this was done. It took some time pawing through reference material before I found a TECscope publication from Tektronix, Inc., the Oscilloscope people in Beaverton, OR. This was the August 69 issue. Why did I keep it so long? Well, I have notebooks full of back issues and old service bulletins because they contain helpful data that I cannot find elsewhere.

Information that is not available anywhere else. That is the kind of Service Bulletin KMR is trying to create for you. Something you can use. A way we can communicate vital information about this changing Audio/Visual service business.

KMR has a commitment to our customers to supply replacement parts at a reasonable price. To keep this supply reliable we sometimes locate the OEM's (original equipment manufacturer's) part supplier and purchase the parts direct. Other times we might have to have the parts built from scratch. In any event, we will do whatever is necessary to keep the equipment running and the supply of spare parts continuous. The down side to this is economics. When a manufacturer stops supplying replacement parts for certain models we have to be sure the demand for the part is there before we commit substantial dollars to a tool-up for a replacement part.

This Service Bulletin will be our way to communicate with you about changes, substitutions, lower cost parts and what is happening in this business.

Who is getting this bulletin? Other technical people like yourself, the people who keep all the stuff running.

What can you do ? You can communicate with us your ideas and suggestions. I know that takes time but I also know that you have valuable information that should be shared with others in the same situation. We will print your submissions in this bulletin. You have a commitment to service and we have a commitment to service. Let's share our knowledge and experience and keep A/V equipment serviced at reasonable costs.

Bell & Howell

Since we sent out the now famous "Eiki buys B&H" letter, in July of 1986 lots of B&H parts have become unavailable.

ARMS

In case you don't yet know the supply of front and rear reel arms has been exhausted. This is not an item we replace frequently, but without it the projector becomes useless. The problem is with the rear arm casting half. This is the part that mounts all the moving parts. This casting is quite difficult to make because of the precise machining required to complete the part. Eiki has promised us that some time after the first of the year they will have a replacement rear half for this arm but its cost will be around $95. If you recall the last price for the rear casting half was about $20. Recently we have had some success in Heli-Arc welding some of these arms back together and the machines have been returned to service. Welding this arm is not a simple task but we feel that we can perfect the technique and possibly offer it as an alternative to replacement. The moral of our story-- "Don't throw out broken arms! The KMR parts doctor can help."

LAMPHOUSE DOOR

The metal lamp house door for the 1500 series projectors has been unavailable for the last 6 months. Without this door the projector splashes lots of light out into the room. We have discovered that the 2500 series plastic door with it's related parts can be attached to the 1500 projector. To assist you drilling the holes for the hinge we have developed a Template Kit which contains the template, a transfer punch and the drill along with a set of instructions to assist you in its installation. This kit is called the "B&H Door Template Kit" and is available from Kathy, in our Parts Department.

AMPLIFIER EXCHANGE

B&H has 4 types of transistor amplifiers for its 500-2500 projectors. The original type of amplifier, which is two circuit boards and a transformer mounted on an aluminum bracket, first appeared in the 500T series projectors. This circuit, with new packaging carried over to the first of the 1500 series projectors.

The next amplifier to appear was the 1500C series amplifier. This amp looks similar to the 1500 amp but it has two Berg type pins staked on the board near the pot that adjusts the exciter lamp voltage. The last board for the 2500 projectors has the tone and volume controls mounted directly to the board.

We have offered an exchange for the 1500 and 1500C series board for quite a number of years. You send us your board in good condition (no broken traces or fried spots or bubble gum fixes) and we will send you a rebuilt board. If you want, we will repair your board with missing traces or burned spots for the same price but.....it will not be same day replacement and shipment which we do when we exchange the board. We do not exchange 500T series amplifiers but do offer repair as with the 500 series tube amplifiers. We also stock parts for all the amplifiers for you convenience. (We still have 25C5's and 12AX7's in case you're looking.)

WOLLENSAK

Of all the cassette recorders used today these units "take a licking and keep on ticking....er talking. Even mass cassette duplicator services use these machines to check the quality of the duplicated tapes. If they will stand up to that kind of punishment then they will last a long time in classroom use.

In January of 1984 the 3M Company sold the rights to the Wollensak line of cassette recorder products to two companies. The 2770 cassette duplicator line went to Universal Tape and the Sync recorders, 2570, 2870, etc, went to Recordex Corp. The 3M Company continued to supply parts through its established parts network and warranty stations.

Recently 3M announced to us that effective December 31, 1988 there will no longer be Warranty or technical service for the Wollensak Audio/Visual Product line. This means that the 3M parts distributor and KMR Electronics will be on its own in supplying replacement parts and setting part prices. As we have continuing relations with both the manufacturers now producing these Wollensaks we see no immediate problems with part supplies for units now being produced by Universal and Recordex ie., the 2770 tape duplicator and 2870 sysc recorders. But as the stock is depleted on units not currently produced 3M will make no efforts to continue to provide replacement parts and will not set prices.

As we did with B&H several years ago we have analyzed our Wollensak spare parts purchased over the last 8 years and have printed a list of most used parts both by part number and by number used. If you are considering laying in a stock of Wollensak parts call Kathy and she will be glad to send you a copy of our list for your reference. We have a couple of possible solutions for the famous inflationary pressure roller, P/N 81- 0186-2910-5, which now sells for 25.00. The Recordex version of this roller (same P/N without the 81) is priced at 18.73 and an exchange of the 3M roller (only without the carrier) is a $16 exchange. (P/N for exchange is 0186- 2910-EXC).

3M 66 OVERHEAD PROJECTOR

Over the years this projector has appeared under various numbers such as 567 and lately as 1093 made in Brazil. Sounds more exotic than Taiwan! The 66 model designation carried an alphabet of letters after it like AG, ALL, AR, RG, etc. Each one of these models denoted some slight deviation from the "original plain vanilla 66." The neat thing about the 66 was it was a simple machine to repair and it hardly ever broke. When repair was needed replacement parts costs were reasonable.

Lately replacement parts prices on simple items have been soaring. Stage glass has almost hit $30, the power switches have been running from the high 20's to $70, the lamp sockets have gone out of sight and the plastic fresnel lens is in "a great meal for two range" ($90). Enough--you say a new one sounds like a wonderful deal. OK, but remember when you replace it and go to a new model 213 the stage glass and the fresnel lens is a sandwich affair and currently costs over $100.

Here is what we have done to help you save money and retain your "plain vanilla 66." We reduced the price of the stage glass-- nope, we're not telling. We have a whole line of replacement switches that fit, work and in most cases are identical to the original units and best yet, none cost over 30 bucks. The main problem now is the lamp and lens. There are no more parts for the DYP or FCB type lamp sockets. 3M's answer to this is a conversion kit (about $52) which allows the use of the internal reflector EHA lamp to be used (the same lamp used in the latest production versions of the 66).

KMR says if you are going to convert lamps, "Why not use the DYS lamp without the internal reflector which costs about half the price of the EHA?" This can be done with the DYS Conversion Kit from KMR at, get this, $38. Two lamp changes alone pays for this kit and enough for a milkshake.

OK, now we have fixed the switch, lamp and stage, what about the lens? Have you ever tried the B&H fresnel lens in your 66. The B&H lens sells for $59.73 and is a 14 inch lens (3M was a 12 inch). KMR has tested it in the Service Department and it works well as a replacement. This is a item we can discount for you in quantity, so talk nice to Kathy and we can get you a great deal behind door #1.