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Author Topic: 17-track optical test film? David E. Nedrow Master Film Handler Posts: 368 From: Columbus, OH, USA Registered: Oct 2008 posted 03-14-2010 01:14 PM                        The SH-1000 manual mentions a 17-track optical calibration film. Does this still exist, and would it have any value?  |  IP: Logged Jim Cassedy Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1661 From: San Francisco, CA Registered: Dec 2006 posted 03-14-2010 04:48 PM                     I may have one of these. I seem to recall that somewhere in my ersatz archives, I have an optical test alignment reel from 1947 issued by the SMPE. (There was no "T" back then!) I can't recall how many tracks are on it, but it's several hundered feet long. - and it's on nitrate stock.  |  IP: Logged Frank Angel Film God Posts: 5305 From: Brooklyn NY USA Registered: Dec 1999 posted 03-14-2010 06:03 PM                        OK, I'll bite -- what does that mean, exactly....17 tracks?  |  IP: Logged David E. Nedrow Master Film Handler Posts: 368 From: Columbus, OH, USA Registered: Oct 2008 posted 03-14-2010 06:14 PM                        It appears to be a test film used to align the sound pickup. From the manual, "when tracks 3-15 are aligned" you're as good as it gets. I'm guessing it was for lateral alignment, though it does also note that filament sags are indicated when the middle tracks are underperforming. I wondered if it was seventeen tracks all together, or alternating tracks simply numbered 1-17. -David  |  IP: Logged Frank Angel Film God Posts: 5305 From: Brooklyn NY USA Registered: Dec 1999 posted 03-14-2010 07:17 PM                        They were able to fit 17...even just 15 tracks into the soundtrack area of a 16mm print? These are modulated tracks? And how was one supposed to isolate each track to determine the performance? I would love to see a picture of this thing.  |  IP: Logged Louis Bornwasser Film God Posts: 4441 From: prospect ky usa Registered: Mar 2005 posted 03-14-2010 07:56 PM                        Perhaps there were 17 frequencies on a multi-frequency test reel? I cut mine done years ago before pink noise. (Only short bursts of tone.) Louis  |  IP: Logged Jim Cassedy Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1661 From: San Francisco, CA Registered: Dec 2006 posted 03-14-2010 07:56 PM                     Frank- We might all be talking "apples & oranges" here. If I recall, the reel I have is 35mm and contains multiple consecutive "sections" which in the paperwork were referred to as "tracks". It was like having SMPTE buzz track, 1k Tone, Frequency Sweep, etc test films all spliced consecutively onto one reel. Those were followed by several short scenes from different films which were meant to judge sound system and room acoustics. There was one scene of dialoge, another which contained an orchestra playing, another of a piano solo, etc. An accompanying piece of paper told you what to listen for as you listened to each cut, such as "wow" or flutter in the piano and violin solos which would indicate speed problems. It's similar to the 16mm SMPTE "Jiffy" test film, but longer and in 35mm. ("Almost Jiffy"? ) I don't know if this is the same film David said is referred to in the SH-1000 manual. But it has multiple "tracks" and is the right vintage.  |  IP: Logged David E. Nedrow Master Film Handler Posts: 368 From: Columbus, OH, USA Registered: Oct 2008 posted 03-14-2010 10:11 PM                        Thanks for the info Jim. That must be what they were referring to.  |  IP: Logged Louis Bornwasser Film God Posts: 4441 From: prospect ky usa Registered: Mar 2005 posted 03-15-2010 06:14 AM                        The 35mm test film you describe was issued by SMPTE and was called "The Manager's Test Reel." btw: Dolby once had 6 channels of stereo inside the existing track area of optical sound. (Not matrix.) You can see what it looks like with the Dolby 566 test film. No one wanted "double system" so it was doomed. (about 1980.) Louis  |  IP: Logged Steve Guttag We forgot the crackers Gromit!!! Posts: 12814 From: Annapolis, MD Registered: Dec 1999 posted 03-15-2010 09:00 AM                     Actually, it was 4-track only, to the best of my knowledge. It was also known as Parasound because Paramount used it for Popeye Steve  |  IP: Logged Bill Gabel Film God Posts: 3873 From: Technicolor / Postworks NY, USA Registered: Jan 2002 posted 03-15-2010 09:06 AM                     Popeye's sound track was Vistasonic.  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 03-15-2010 12:32 PM                     Seems to me his used to exist. Also that SMPTE also made a similar thing when they actually used to be into making useful test films. It was Optical and had different cuts of different frequencies as well as some music and piano. Not unike Dolby's Jiffy Test Film but with more things on it and there was no image. The one for Popeye Steve is thinking of is an entirely different film and was used to test/adjust the color decoding on that system (can't remember it's name though). Mark  |  IP: Logged Gordon McLeod Film God Posts: 9532 From: Toronto Ontario Canada Registered: Jun 99 posted 03-15-2010 12:33 PM                     also there was colortek discrete analogue system and kintek had one too  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 03-15-2010 12:34 PM                     Yea, thats the one Gord, Colortek. The problem with Kintek is thay didn't have anything that actually worked... for the long haul!  |  IP: Logged Frank Angel Film God Posts: 5305 From: Brooklyn NY USA Registered: Dec 1999 posted 03-16-2010 10:07 AM                        Didn't John Mosely use his system on some prints of TOMMY? Quintaphonic Sound or something?  |  IP: Logged

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