Ultra Stereo (USLinc.) I know was handing out samples of Dolby-Level 1K film. In the UK, I believe they have a cyan demo reel too.

However, if you have a red light reader (Jaxlight, or one of the many reverse scan LED based or laser) then you are ready.

Steve

More links:
http://www.atlab.com.au/faq/000531.htm
http://www.dyetracks.org

It's likely vendors of red LED readers will be supplying cyan dye track test films prior to the conversion next year. Likewise, distributors will be giving ample notice before converting trailers and features to cyan dye analog tracks, and may provide test trailers prior to conversion.

Oh yeah...like that is going to happen. The "next year" scare has been around for each year leading up to this one...still no cyan junk. By next year there still won't be an installed base to justify conversion.

But test your reader, if you must.

Steve

As long as some sow doubt, you will reap chaos. If there isn't an installed base of LED readers, look in a mirror to find one of the reasons.

With a nearly equal mix of white light and red LED readers in place, we are left with high magenta (magenta+silver) tracks for compatibility. Going back to the old tracks (cyan+magenta+silver) will compromise one or the other. The path forward, for many good reasons already discussed, is cyan dye tracks and red LED reverse scan readers.

------------------
John P. Pytlak, Senior Technical Specialist
Worldwide Technical Services, Entertainment Imaging
Research Labs, Building 69, Room 7525A
Rochester, New York, 14650-1922 USA
Tel: +1 585 477 5325 Cell: +1 585 781 4036 Fax: +1 585 722 7243
e-mail: john.pytlak@kodak.com
Web site: http://www.kodak.com/go/motion

To make the claim that because of the 50/50 installed base of red readers going back to conventional optical tracks should not be done is down right silly. It is the best method available, it should be used.

The cost to switch from red to infrared is substantially less that the cost from exciter lamp to red reader...infact, only the LED need be changed. The infrared system is more roubust and stable. The cost/year of supporting an infrared reader to the exhibitor would make it's adoption over red LEDs an easy choice.

Steve

Thanks again to Ultra Stereo.

KEN

When the FCC dictated the installation of HDTV capability there was a lot of this kind of 'waffling'. Result.. How do you like your HDTV?

When Fox opened 'CinemaScope', there was a new black box in the booth for each new film. 'Scope' is now the preferred format. Anybody remember the dual releases when you had to specify Scope or Flat from the exchange?

When the film industry gets the courage of its conviction there will be Cyan Only soundtrack features and your theatre can opt to pass them up if you are not "RED" equipped.

To suggest a very successful advertising campaign "JUST DO IT""

Steve,

The INFRAred LED systems are used for pulsed coding (tv remote controls etc.) and when any power is required, they are built into large arrays. An example of the array design is the hearing impaired assistance system which uses large infrared LED panels to cover the auditorium. These systems provide excellent sound without the need for radio broadcast or reception. The cinema sound application requires a large amount of continuous concentrated energy in a small space. The continuous generation of IR causes a problem. IR is good but heat is not good. The IR wavelengths approach heat.

What the heck are you talking about? Before the dreaded red LEDs came out, the infrared LEDs were what was going into reverse scan readers, period.

The solar cell used in movie soundheads are infrared sensitive, not red...thus the red readers are inherently noisier.

The facts are that the IR led plays all current soundtracks, the red led can only really play high-magenta, an inferior track to conventional, and with hit/miss quality on conventional tracks.

As to this industry getting the courage to switch...not so fast, it normally WONT switch. Shoot, logic would have dictated that SCOPE would be the only format for theatres since the 1.85:1 aspect ratio (and others) can be handled by the scope lens with the proper aperture plate. The facts are, this industry couldn't even adopt a 6000' reel, something that would cost the exhibitors anywhere from little to LESS.

Christopher, have you tried ordering an IR led from Dolby? DPN32054.

It is in the same package though the polarity is often reverse of the visible red.

Steve

First of all, ANY energy expended in the room (less any that can escape) is going to eventually turn into heat whether visible light, IR, sound waves rubbing the air molecules together, etc.

Anyone know if Kelmar made an infra-red exciter unit for their original reverse scanners? I take it since the LED cluster unit just bolts into the frame with two screws, swapping an IR for a red LED exciter wouldn't too much of a hassle. If I knew that I might have to be doing this on occasion to get decent sound from VD prints, perhaps I could outfit the clusters with mini plugs so they could easily and quickly be swapped back and forth. Maybe I can get me a couple of IRs from Kelmar.

Now I look at my red readers and ask with trepidation, "Oh, what have I done?!" I know this is going to bite me in the butt the next time I have to run a VD print, if I don't take steps to fix it now.

Would it be possible for you to get either print again, and actually test it?

------------------
John P. Pytlak, Senior Technical Specialist
Worldwide Technical Services, Entertainment Imaging
Research Labs, Building 69, Room 7525A
Rochester, New York, 14650-1922 USA
Tel: +1 585 477 5325 Cell: +1 585 781 4036 Fax: +1 585 722 7243
e-mail: john.pytlak@kodak.com
Web site: http://www.kodak.com/go/motion

I just want to be prepaired. I hate working in "crisis mode" -- discovering a problem and then needing to fix stuff all in the hour before showtime!