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Last Modulus 3000 made? Let's have some fun


Michael Stumpf

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For those of us who've been around this game long before digital was even a thought in our minds, we didn't have Boxx Meridian's, Teradek Bolts, etc.

We had Modulus 2000 and 3000's.

 

Back in 2008/2009 while on a show I realized "maybe I should buy a back up Modulus 3000"

So I did.

Well, little did I know that shortly thereafter SAG was going to go on strike, and voila, producers decided OK, we'll shoot on this new technology called HD cameras and hire AFTRA actors....speeding up the transition from film to digital easily by 2-4 years.

 

There was talk of a Modulus 4000 that never really came out, partly because of the pretty sudden transition to HD, but well, lawyers and the FCC were all over them like flies on shit.

 

So I recently was looking through some of my, shall we say, previously state of the art stuff, and realized, I still have both of my Modulus 3000's.

One that was my workhorse for many years and as of 2011 when I last used it, still worked great (was upgraded a year or two prior too) and my basically brand new one that probably hadn't been used more than 8-10 days.

 

I was curious, I wonder who has the last Modulus 3000 ever made?

I know the one I have was bought near the very end of production.

It is serial number #9654

Wonder where that lies in the final production numbers??

 

If you have a Modulus 3000 with a serial number around mine or even higher, chime in. It's funny to think, there are younger camera crew members, not to mention even directors and producers who won't even know what these are. :D

 

 

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I had a 2000 with no luck, it worked really bad in Argentina so I ended up with a Coherent system that worked like a dream for many many years. It always amazed me that from one batch to the next, the units would work in a completely different way, mine was 3000% better than one that a friend bought two years after mine. Just fun stuff from the past.

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There actually was a Modulus 4000. It was a total pile o'crap. Things got real slow on the Modulus sales when l, Wolf Seeberg and Able Cine Tech LA were notified by the FCC that we were in violation of the law. And we were to cease and desist or face fines of $10,000 to $100000 per infraction. I had to hire an attorney to talk to the FCC. But since their ability to fine me, far exceeded my ability to pay their fines...

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There actually was a Modulus 4000. It was a total pile o'crap. Things got real slow on the Modulus sales when l, Wolf Seeberg and Able Cine Tech LA were notified by the FCC that we were in violation of the law. And we were to cease and desist or face fines of $10,000 to $100000 per infraction. I had to hire an attorney to talk to the FCC. But since their ability to fine me, far exceeded my ability to pay their fines...

 

 

Well you'd know Terry.

And come to think of it, I do vaguely remember seeing a Modulus 4000 at one point.

Oh the "good old days". How things have changed, and change fast now. You could buy a Modulus 3000 and know it was good for years and years.

Now you buy the latest video transmitter and they come out with a newer, better one the following year. Just like phones, computers, or anything else electronic these days.

Too hard to keep up.

 

And Rich, probably not, but they bring fond memories for those of us who spent a lot of time using these things.

I still have power cables for all the major film cameras (Arri, Panavision, Arricam, Moviecam, etc.) in my cable cases. For some reason I keep them, knowing there is very slim chance I'll ever use them again.

I even still have my 9" Sony Color monitor we Steadicam operators used to have to bring to set so we could set it up for the directors along with our shark fin antenna's so they could see our images broadcast from the Modulus 3000's when we day played on shows or commercials. I keep a lot of those old film items in sealed plastic tubs in my attic. Some day I figure they'll be an antique. Right now they are just for memories.

I almost bought an Arri 435 body just to have and display like Panavision does their old cameras in their rental houses. :D

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Hi Michael, my two Modulus 3000's are still sleeping soundly in their case. The last time either of them awoke was in September of 2014 when the last images coursing through that antenna from the tap of an Arri 416 was this video:

Both units remain dreaming of yesteryear at channel 37, my go to channel for much of their days, shared of course with my Transvideo Hermes receiver that was last awoken by those same images, along with my Casio EV-4500 that still sports my custom monitor shade and a piece of green tape to steer you right to my sworn by channel…how modern, clever, and slick we felt with the advent of those slim little handheld TV's! While my back up unit has a serial number of 9213, my younger uber modulus sports a serial number of 401349. On hot summer days I burned my share of power supplies which led me to Hamlet's garage for some Modulus repairs and experiments. I certainly don't miss that aspect though I often do miss having my focus puller within sight! So often they now disappear into the image from my already outdated Bolt 2000! In a full circle we've returned to the 3000! Luckily that number now refers to distance in feet and not a 3rd try.

-Chris

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