How the Otis "Disappearing" Indicator Works

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  • Опубліковано 30 січ 2025

КОМЕНТАРІ • 92

  • @Lift.Tracker
    @Lift.Tracker 3 роки тому +7

    Oh, wow, that’s fascinating! I’ve never seen anything like this in person before, but the only one I know of used to be in a building somewhere in London. It was an old Express lift, and it seems to be the only time they ever used a projection display on their installations. Sadly that elevator is long gone now though.

    • @stlelevators
      @stlelevators  3 роки тому +1

      Darn. That's a brand I want to see someday.

  • @Jamestube8439
    @Jamestube8439 3 роки тому +2

    That's a really cool indicator! Thanks for sharing this Jason.

  • @NeilPrasad_1905
    @NeilPrasad_1905 3 роки тому +1

    Wow! I'm impressed with all the technology Otis did back then before series 1. I mean, how they did it even in the most precise way.
    Thank you for every single piece of information, Jason. It surely expands the mindset of elevator parts for the elevator community.

  • @ElevatorsInternational
    @ElevatorsInternational 3 роки тому +1

    This indicator was really cool! I saw one of those displays on Otis Lexan traction elevators. It was at a Hotel in St. Charles, Illinois called Pheasant Run Resort. Two other people posted videos of them years ago.

  • @addman27
    @addman27 3 роки тому

    Always wondered how this works and what the innards looked like. Very clever and advanced for its time. Big thumbs up!

  • @lanman95
    @lanman95 3 роки тому

    Awesome video!! I remember making a video many years ago explaining how it works, based on a diagram from CE Electronics. You've gone above and beyond by actually getting ahold of the unit itself!!

  • @FloridianElevators
    @FloridianElevators 2 роки тому

    Really really cool! I've been on 3 Lexans with this Indicator, the Westin Seattle, a building in Lexington KY and one in Savannah GA. Sadly, as of now, all of them except maybe the one in Savannah are modded now. I definitely wish more of these were still around!

  • @alpaljl
    @alpaljl 3 роки тому

    This was a very cool video! Neat to see that IEE was based in Van Nuys, about twenty minutes away from me.

  • @mrmattandmrchay
    @mrmattandmrchay 3 роки тому +1

    I have a PDF somewhere for one, but never actually seen beyond the front panel. Very interesting video and you're really lucky to have one! I remember a lift (Otis) from the early 80s (possibly late 70s) where they made a matrix (5x7?) using not LEDs, but very small NEON lamps!! There was a separate 'hole' for each! The whole thing used to 'shimmer' as neon bulbs do, like this: ua-cam.com/video/i7Br28SGSQs/v-deo.html (09:50)

    • @Lift.Tracker
      @Lift.Tracker 3 роки тому

      Yes, I was struggling to understand exactly how the one on the DMR Express worked. This video made it very clear, and I understand it now. It’s a shame Express didn’t use it on more of their installations, otherwise there might still be some around still.

  • @stfplumbingelevatorsandmore
    @stfplumbingelevatorsandmore 3 роки тому

    I hope to see one of these Indicators soon! They seem neat.

  • @baelevatorsmore728
    @baelevatorsmore728 3 роки тому

    I could definitely see you setting up a car panel for this eventually. This indicator is so cool! I have yet to see one like this myself but I have a good feeling I’ll find one eventually. Cool indicator.

    • @stlelevators
      @stlelevators  3 роки тому

      I pulled this off a car panel that will be going to the museum.

  • @JoshSmith-me7oe
    @JoshSmith-me7oe 3 роки тому

    You wouldn’t see anything like this anymore. Amazing

    • @Lift.Tracker
      @Lift.Tracker 3 роки тому

      I’d like to see an LED version of this made just for the aesthetics

    • @stlelevators
      @stlelevators  3 роки тому

      You could put LEDs in the sockets

  • @FloridianElevators
    @FloridianElevators 2 роки тому

    There was also a smaller version of this indicator used on many 60s-70s Otis Autotronic and VIP-260 installations.

    • @stlelevators
      @stlelevators  2 роки тому

      I think I know what you're talking about.

  • @Fluffberymoff
    @Fluffberymoff 8 місяців тому +1

    Wait does it mean that you can put colored light bulbs in it so it will show different colors?

  • @livionaves
    @livionaves 3 роки тому

    Fascinating. That's some level of electromechanical engineering that simply doesn't exist anymore. With everything being digital nowadays you don't need these wacky systems when a cheap LCD display will do it infinitely better. Crazy how technology goes.
    I know Atlas/Villares tried to imitate this type of disappearing indicator too back then... but theirs was just a rotary indicator with a light behind, much simpler, but worked nice too.

    • @stlelevators
      @stlelevators  3 роки тому

      Oh wow, I would love to see one of those Atlas/Villares indicators.

  • @SouthernPennsylvaniaWX
    @SouthernPennsylvaniaWX 3 роки тому

    This is so cool. I think you should do more of these

  • @Dana_Danarosana
    @Dana_Danarosana 3 роки тому

    This was cool to see. I'd never seen a tear down of these. You probably know this but Industrial Electronic Engineers is still very much in business. They moved about 10 miles west from North Hollywood to Van Nuys years ago (right by the VNY airport). They now specialize in aircraft heads-up displays.

  • @HesitantSignal
    @HesitantSignal 2 роки тому

    Nice! I always thought it was numbers on rollers or tape like the old Zenith clocks.
    Super jealous you got one of these!

    • @stlelevators
      @stlelevators  2 роки тому +1

      This piece is on display in the elevator museum for anyone to enjoy!

    • @HesitantSignal
      @HesitantSignal 2 роки тому

      @@stlelevators OwO - Is it static or is the display able to change numbers on its own?

    • @stlelevators
      @stlelevators  2 роки тому

      I built a full simulator for it: ua-cam.com/video/ZnnVj8_tN18/v-deo.html

    • @HesitantSignal
      @HesitantSignal 2 роки тому

      @@stlelevators Just watched that video. Nice job!

  • @GothGuy885
    @GothGuy885 Рік тому

    I think Fran Blanch did a video about a similar IEEE display , but the one that she featured, was in a compact cube form factor that would be mounted into a control panel.
    I love IEEE displays! 😍

    • @KeritechElectronics
      @KeritechElectronics Рік тому

      That's IEE, not IEEE, let alone SMIEEE :)

    • @GothGuy885
      @GothGuy885 Рік тому +1

      @@KeritechElectronics thay was a typo. my laptop has a mind of its own sometimes.. .

  • @lilbluefoxie
    @lilbluefoxie 2 роки тому

    There are a few of these in the crown plaza in Danbury CT. Theyre not working well the last time I was there

    • @stlelevators
      @stlelevators  2 роки тому

      Probably has a lot of burned out light bulbs. Usually fixing things like this isn't at the top of the priority list for most people.

  • @NWIndianaElevators
    @NWIndianaElevators 3 роки тому +1

    Interesting! I was curious about how these indicators work because I have seen a few of them work.

    • @stlelevators
      @stlelevators  3 роки тому

      It's actually rather simple, it just uses some cool physics stuff :)

  • @neaelevator
    @neaelevator 3 роки тому

    Awesome tutorial!!!

  • @DieselDucy
    @DieselDucy 3 роки тому

    This will eventually be functional in a panel in the elevator museum.

  • @norfolkelevators8477
    @norfolkelevators8477 3 роки тому +1

    I’ve always wondered how these things work, thanks! I bet the yellowing on the lenses was caused by all those light bulbs being lit up over the years.

    • @stlelevators
      @stlelevators  3 роки тому

      Yeah that's most likely what caused it.

  • @PlanetEscalators
    @PlanetEscalators 3 роки тому

    Interesting,. I’ve only seen 1 & it was probably the most interesting indicator I’ve seen

    • @stlelevators
      @stlelevators  3 роки тому

      It's one of my favorite indicators too mainly because of how unique they are.

    • @PlanetEscalators
      @PlanetEscalators 3 роки тому

      @@stlelevators they’re amazing & I absolutely love the fact that if you’re for example going from 39-38. The 3 stays lit up. It’s unique & cool how an indicator that old can function like that & I wish there was more of them.

    • @PlanetEscalators
      @PlanetEscalators 3 роки тому

      @@stlelevators also thanks for the reply btw

  • @KeritechElectronics
    @KeritechElectronics Рік тому

    Fran-tastically interesting!

  • @Carman1744
    @Carman1744 3 роки тому

    This was a interesting video and I never ridden a Otis with this kind of indicator.

  • @SouthStarElevator058Official
    @SouthStarElevator058Official 3 роки тому

    When are these installed in what year?

  • @metroelevators4619
    @metroelevators4619 3 роки тому

    Wow it's fascinating and interesting

  • @joezegers
    @joezegers 2 роки тому

    Westinghouse has also made a fixture similar to this

    • @stlelevators
      @stlelevators  2 роки тому

      It's probably made by the same company that made this one.

  • @bluepuptweetelevators1306
    @bluepuptweetelevators1306 3 роки тому

    are these on edge lit lexans?

  • @mariokart8715
    @mariokart8715 3 роки тому

    Is this similar to Montgomery Vector?

    • @zackcacciapalle6405
      @zackcacciapalle6405 3 роки тому

      No. Montgomery Vector used incandescent lamps up to 4 floors (separate modules, not projection) then used vacuum fluorescent displays for elevators with more floors.

  • @CenTexElevators489
    @CenTexElevators489 3 роки тому

    Nice indicator, and sadly there were only 2 of these that I found in Austin TX. One of them was at the St. David's Medical Center West Wing (replaced to modernization in the early 2010's), and the more familiar one at the UT Main Building Tower. Sadly, I wasn't able to acquire these indicators (even one of them), since the people in charge of the elevators at UT Austin are really unfriendly. I'll try to get one, but I highly doubt it. And even if these were really unique displays, I could see why they were so rare, they were overcomplicated, as opposed to traditional multi-light, and of course, digital floor indicators.

    • @stlelevators
      @stlelevators  3 роки тому +1

      Yes they were a little more complicated, but they work just like an analog indicator and are repaired like an analog indicator as well.

  • @ProspectElevators
    @ProspectElevators 3 роки тому +1

    Don't get me started on losing my locals ones out in St. Charles via Pheasant Run Resort :(

  • @tanchoonnee
    @tanchoonnee 3 роки тому +1

    I saw a video and the 4 projection is broken

  • @centralindianaelevatorsesc6925
    @centralindianaelevatorsesc6925 Місяць тому

    In reality could you replace those bulbs with LED?

  • @PNWElevatorAviation
    @PNWElevatorAviation 3 роки тому

    NICE

  • @HSETM
    @HSETM 4 місяці тому

    Not gonna lie it looks a bit like a Thunderbolt 1003 without the horn, horn support brackets, chopper and everything else.