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Author Topic: Digital footage counters Jamie Hanslip Film Handler Posts: 13 From: Southampton, England Registered: Dec 2000 posted 04-19-2001 04:20 PM                     Does anyone know if there are any digital footage counters on the market, if so can i have a link to there website. Thanks Jamie.  |  IP: Logged Ian Price Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1714 From: Denver, CO Registered: Jun 99 posted 04-19-2001 05:02 PM                     I'm sure you can make anything. But a digital footage counter sounds like a waste of technology. Besides, it sounds like it would need batteries or plugging in. I know, a digital footage counter is the thing on the front of your VCR!  |  IP: Logged Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 04-19-2001 05:26 PM                     CPI and Neumade both make film counters that are more than sufficient for the job.  |  IP: Logged Scott Norwood Film God Posts: 8146 From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas) Registered: Jun 99 posted 04-19-2001 05:40 PM                        The Christy's catalog includes a device that attaches to a standard Moviola sync block and outputs the footage counter to an LED. It might have a serial interface, too, but I'm not really sure. In any case, it's do-able, but I'm not sure why anyone would want such a thing. Note that the newer-model Steenbeck editing tables and most modern dubbers incorporate electronic footage counters as well.  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 04-19-2001 05:46 PM                     Actually its easy to make one from some off the shelf LCD counters that Digi-Key sells. I made frame and footage counters for my VistaVision camera out of them so it can be rolled back to an exact frame for creating in camera effects. All you need to do is count sprocket teeth or film perfs and divide it down properly for the correct count to take place. In my case I counted the pulses from the tachometer in the crystal motor drive since the motor is directly coupled to the camera movement if the motor turns the film moves regardless and the count takes place. MArk @ GTS  |  IP: Logged Jamie Hanslip Film Handler Posts: 13 From: Southampton, England Registered: Dec 2000 posted 04-19-2001 05:48 PM                     Thanks for the replies. I am building a system, which can measure reels of film so that the lengths can be used to rewind the film from the platter when breaking down the film. The idea is to prevent damage to the film by marking the joins with the various methods used. The project, will also double up as a footage counter that can measure feet, meters and time. This is for my final year project at university. I am doing some market research and wondered if there were any such devices on the market. Jamie  |  IP: Logged Gordon McLeod Film God Posts: 9532 From: Toronto Ontario Canada Registered: Jun 99 posted 04-19-2001 06:17 PM                     Hollywood film equip used to sell a digital footage counter for syncros The other option is mount a shaftencoder on it and use the one MagnaTech makes  |  IP: Logged Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 04-19-2001 08:17 PM                     An interesting idea, but not one that is really needed. I don't know of ANY theater that still uses shoe polish and other such items that would damage film anymore. In fact, every operator that I personally know of uses only clear splicing tape and makes no other marks. Some theaters mark the edge of the reel at the "fill line" to make it easier on the newbies, but even that is unnecessary. Now if you could figure out a way to have a sensor automatically stop the MUT when it detects a splice followed immediately by a set of cue marks...THAT would be pretty cool.  |  IP: Logged

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