Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Audio Tracks

my profile | my password | search | faq & rules | forum home

»	Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE » Operations » Film Handlers' Forum » Audio Tracks

Author

Topic: Audio Tracks

Dave Bird
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 777
From: Perth, Ontario, Canada
Registered: Jun 2000

posted 10-11-2000 08:17 PM

How many different formats of audio tracks on your normal "garden variety" 35mm print?
Reason I ask is that I know theatres are using everthing from mono to various optical multi-channel to digital. But are they all on every print? Or are there seperate runs with different formats? Where can I learn more? Thank You.

PS-Two - count 'em - 2 bottles of Film-Guard are on their way! Dunno what I'll do with 'em yet, maybe run my 8mm with it!

------------------
Dave Bird

| IP: Logged

Rick Long Jr
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 211
From: Toronto, Canada
Registered: Jul 2000

posted 10-11-2000 09:24 PM

Dave; Most films nowadays are printed with all of the "big three" digital sound formats; SR-D(Dolby Digital),S.D.D.S, and D.T.S. All three formats use Dolby S.R. analog noise reduction as their fallback, thus the analog soundtrack is usually S.R. Fortunately, Dolby analog tracks are "backward compatible". That is, an S.R. print can be played in a theatre equipped only with A-type noise reduction, or in a mono theatre, and sound okay.
It used to be that different distributors favoured different digital formats. Universal used to be D.T.S. exclusive, Columbia S.D.D.S
and Warners or Fox SR-D. Now most use all three to guarantee digital reproduction in as many theatres as possible.
I haven't seen many A-type prints lately, and mono is pretty much extinct( though I did run into a couple at the Toronto Film Festival this year).
All three digital formats can be printed in the same film because they each occupy a different area of the print.(D.T.S. prints only a timecode on the film to sync to an external processor readind C.D.'s. with the film soundtrack). However the analog track can be only one format; mono, A-type or S.R. type noise reduction. Hope this helps!
-RLJ-

| IP: Logged

Scott Norwood
Film God

Posts: 8146
From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas)
Registered: Jun 99

posted 10-11-2000 10:14 PM

Actually, not all prints with digital tracks have SR-encoded optical tracks. I've seen mono prints with digital tracks and type-A prints with digital tracks (the SDDS trailer is one example that comes to mind).

Theoretically, any print with an SR-D digital track should have an SR-encoded optical track, though there are a few exceptions to this, despite what the license agreement says. Beyond that, some DTS prints have "DTS Stereo" optical tracks (a Dolby-clone matrix system; it should be played back with SR-type NR, if I remember correctly; someone will correct me if I'm wrong...). Some prints have Ultra-Stereo tracks; occasionally trailers will have Academy mono optical tracks and SDDS or DTS (though this is less common now than it was a few years ago), etc.

| IP: Logged

Frank Prete
Film Handler

Posts: 55
From: Victoria, Australia
Registered: Sep 2000

posted 10-12-2000 03:07 AM

I remember a few years ago that different distributors/film studios used different digital tracks.

For example, anything that came from Columbia Tristar had an SDDS track only (along with an SR backup). The Fifth Element is a good example of that. Anything that came from 20th Century Fox or Lucas Films had DTS only. Generally, WB had Dolby Digital.

All of this of course was due to alliances with equipment manufactures. Columbia Tristar was/is a division of Sony Pictures, hence the SonyDDS link. I think DTS was connected with Lucasfilms (Maybe someone can confirm...) I think WB did whatever they had in most of their theatres (again unsure on this point).

It was always a big occasion when a film had all three formats. I remember our four prints (not bad for an eight plex) of Men In Black all had the three formats. Session startiing every 30 minutes was kinda cool

These days most of our ads come with a Dolby Digital track.

Lets not forget 4-track mag for 35mm (Killa over to you on that stuff) and then there is the double head formats for production copies. Don't see much of that stuff about.

I think it is very cool how well a full SR track folds down into a Mono track.

| IP: Logged

Dick Vaughan
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1032
From: Bradford, West Yorkshire, UK
Registered: Jul 2000

posted 10-12-2000 06:36 AM

DTS was launched on the back of Jurassic Park which was a UIP/Universal/Amblin release.
In fact at one point in the UK I think only DTS equipped theatres were going to be offered first run of the film.

| IP: Logged

Dave Bird
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 777
From: Perth, Ontario, Canada
Registered: Jun 2000

posted 10-12-2000 06:53 AM

Thanks fellows, I sort of get it. The reason I asked, is I recently saw the identical soundhead to mine updated from exciter lamp to some kind of red light. It still looked as though the pickup was the same. This guy is running stereo and what I wondered was if he had to update to the best of the best, or if he simply upgrades to the level of sound he wants, and if my old mono exciters would actually read any sound at all from a newer print or trailer. Thank you.

| IP: Logged

Tom Kroening
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 214
From: Janesville, WI USA
Registered: Oct 1999

posted 10-12-2000 08:12 PM

I do think that they are switching analog soundtracks over to cyan and i read that all exciter based soundheads need to be upgraded to LED to read these tracks. Wasn't that supposed to take place this year?

| IP: Logged

John Pytlak
Film God

Posts: 9987
From: Rochester, NY 14650-1922
Registered: Jan 2000

posted 10-16-2000 11:45 AM

At ShowEast last week, Ioan Allen of Dolby reported that "a major distributor" agreed to testing the analog cyan dye track early next year with releases of about 50 prints going to theatres equipped with red light readers. If successful, it was hoped that 100% conversion would occur by the end of 2001. Ioan reported that about 65% of US screens are already equipped with the necessary red light readers.

------------------
John P. Pytlak, Senior Technical Specialist
Worldwide Technical Services, Entertainment Imaging
Eastman Kodak Company
Research Labs, Building 69, Room 7419
Rochester, New York, 14650-1922 USA
Tel: 716-477-5325 Fax: 716-722-7243
E-Mail: john.pytlak@kodak.com

| IP: Logged

Brad Miller
Administrator

Posts: 17775
From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall)
Registered: May 99

posted 10-16-2000 02:15 PM

Ok, to make things clear, I do not actually know the answer to this question...but I'm betting it's Warner. They always seem to be the first studio to try new things.

| IP: Logged

Tom Kroening
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 214
From: Janesville, WI USA
Registered: Oct 1999

posted 10-16-2000 02:24 PM

I'd have to agree with that... after all didn't they try out ELR for a while? One thing I'd like them to try out is to limit the amout of black between the attached trailer and the feature! Also (and this goes out to all the studios) GET THE FREEKIN LINE RIGHT! Most of the time the line is right, sometimes the little arrow is right, but damn... if its not right all the time they shouldnt bother putting it there in the first place.

| IP: Logged

Steve Guttag
We forgot the crackers Gromit!!!

Posts: 12814
From: Annapolis, MD
Registered: Dec 1999

posted 10-16-2000 09:30 PM

John,

Ioan reported a lot of things at the P-3 meeting and provably not all were true (e.g. "there is only one manufacturer of exciter lamps.")

At this same meeting

All times are Central (GMT -6:00)

Printer-friendly view of this topic

The Film-Tech Forums are designed for various members related to the cinema industry to express their opinions, viewpoints and testimonials on various products, services and events based upon speculation, personal knowledge and factual information through use, therefore all views represented here allow no liability upon the publishers of this web site and the owners of said views assume no liability for any ill will resulting from these postings. The posts made here are for educational as well as entertainment purposes and as such anyone viewing this portion of the website must accept these views as statements of the author of that opinion and agrees to release the authors from any and all liability.