70 mm prints

[technicolour]

Moviestuff

I was wondering how the soundtracks are set up nowdays, I understand that before digital sound the soundtrack was usually on the film itself, when Dolby Surround first came out in 1977 i think the sound was all magnetic analouge on a 6 track 70mm print (6 track for left right center bass and rear surround i think).

if the digital soundtracks or on a CD is the analouge backup on the film or a reel to reel recorder, I thought DTS was the only system to use a CD with sync to the projector.

I think the Kodak CDS system used 4 cd's (might be two im not sure)

But i thought Dolby 5.1 and EX all used optical or digital tape soundtracks

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Jim

[technicolour]

yeah sorry Alex

I did mean optical although some systems at the time of Dolby used 4 track magnetic

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Jim

[AlexGfromUK]

for 35mm releases, which are the most common type, the digital soundtrack is on the film (optically encoded by way of pixels that represent digital information). Films are still made with the optical soundtrack, and this is used as the backup, should the digital track fail.

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[technicolour]

Aha I understand now

I new there was some form of analouge backup but i didnt know where abouts and what form it is in

So there is digital opitcal sound as well?? I didnt know that

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Jim

[Alex]

I don't know if digital optical sound is the correct terminology...it's optical sound read by an optical reader, but there are no one's and zeros, the optical tracks almost look like an EKG paper read-out.

Before CD audio was introduced in the early-mid 90's, the 70mm prints were a win for both picture and audio.

-Alex



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[technicolour]

Ok then............

So whats different about the old analouge optical tracks and the new ones using pixels.

If they are represented by pixels rather than a waveform id call that digital information

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Jim

[trevorbr]

Digital information can be encoded in many different forms using many different types of media. It is simply a series of on/off values that when properly converted to a given output signal can be seen, heard, read, or whatever.
Given the large amount of data required for digital audio, surround in particular, I would be curious to know how they print and read that much information from an optical data track running along with the film. Anyone know of an explanation I could read?


-trevor

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[Alex]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Courier, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by technicolour:
Ok then............

So whats different about the old analouge optical tracks and the new ones using pixels.

If they are represented by pixels rather than a waveform id call that digital information
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I don't know about new ones using pixels instead, this is the first I've heard.

-Alex

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[MovieStuff]

The whole advantage of the CD sound is that damaged film won't result in pops or artifacts in the audio. I know some companies have been promoting the idea of digital sound tracks on 70mm prints, but they still have the problem with scratches and nicks in the soundtrack area. Digital or not, there are going to be problems when this happens. As it stands, the CD synch modules are cheap and seem to have a great track record. I think they'll be pretty much the standard until digital projection becomes a reality. Could be wrong, but that's my impression.

Roger

[Alex]

Digital on Celluloid seems oxmymoronic.

HI-FI video fell out of favor for broadcasting commercials once the spots got a few dropouts in them...the sound would cut in and out because of physical tape damage...an absolute no no for commercials.

It seems a film print with digital opitical would suffer the same fate.

I wonder if digital optical is as hardy as just standard optical.

-Alex





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