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True Speed 8 Telecine Models

Advanced High Quality Transfer Models

 

Fully Self-Contained Telecine. Connects directly to your DVD, MiniDV or VHS recorder, since you are not dependent on a computer or special computer programs. Run through the footage once and you are finished! Count the money while the competition is still waiting for computer rendering. Or, connect to a computer if you wish. These exclusive True Speed models include exactly correct speeds that do not need changing, so no computer is needed for that reason. Running the film correctly in the first place also looks better than adding whole extra frames by computer, thus adding extra jerkiness of movement.

 

Emulsion or Base Side Scanning. The built-in camera looks directly at the film’s emulsion side, doing “Direct Imaging” through a highly corrected 1:1 macro lens, with Emulsion Side Scanning in the Dual-8 model. This feature is important to some customers.

           Our traditional and well-proven Base Side Scanning is used in the regular-8 and super-8 only models, and this gives the best picture quality.

           Simplified and perfected optics with both kinds gives a superior picture, and prevents the quality loss and bulk of old style “film chain” optics found in other less advanced systems. Digital correction of image orientation means no cheap projection lens, condenser lens, field lens, mirror, zoom lens or “Coke bottle bottom” uncoated plastic close-up lens to introduce geometric distortion and color fringes, collect dust, lose resolution, reflect room lights, or introduce vibration or drifting image position.

 

Camera:

  Y/C S-Video Output. The Y/C output is technically superior and keeps brightness & detail (Y) and color (C) information separate (S) so they don’t interfere with each other. There is also Composite video for connection to the Yellow jack on consumer equipment. Base side cameras have switchable automatic white balance, with the Emulsion side camera you can specify this option when ordering and it is not user switchable. This high grade Sentech camera from Japan is conservatively rated at 480 TV line (640 pixel) resolution. We have heard that this CCD camera, with our simplified and superior optics, gives a better picture than some old style optics with a 3CCD camera.

 

Enlarged Gate. The Dual-8 models feature an oversized opening in the aperture plate, so you can scan slightly more of the area that was exposed in the camera. The magnification and centering can be adjusted by the operator.  The film gate and lens assembly has loose tolerances so we are now adding a thumb-nut to help stabilize its position. The single format machines are more dependable in this regard.

 

Greater Control. Exposure adjustment is fully manual, or you can choose Peak Sensing Automatic exposure control and still have a manual minimum exposure setting that you can turn up if the Automatic exposure is too dark.

 

Flickerless Correct Speed Running. Speeds are correct for the original filming rate, with the exact 18.000 FPS (frames per second) speed that is standard for Super-8 and late model Regular-8 movie cameras. Film movement is crystal controlled, so no speed tweaking is ever needed. Besides 18 FPS, there is a non-recordable 9 FPS for checking threading or locating a particular frame. Also included is the 24.000 FPS speed as used by cameramen with professional aspirations. There is some blending of consecutive film frames, which is not usually noticeable in ordinary viewing.

 

Heavy Duty Construction. Tobin Video Transfer TVT models feature a precision CNC-machined panel and welded steel case. LED (light emitting diode) light source should last virtually forever. Three motors, so no slipping clutches to wear out and no stretchy belts to fail. Universal power of 100 to 240 volts, 50 or 60 Hz AC power. 600 foot reel capacity. Digital Mechanism Hours counter for scheduling maintenance. Modified and refurbished Bell & Howell well-proven modular mechanism is virtually all metal. Reel spindles are precision machined from stainless steel. Dual-8 model comes with separate supply reel spindles for both film gauges. Power and video cables, and a take-up reel and instructions, are included.

 

Footage Counter. No arguments with the customer about film length if you can quote a precise digital footage count.

 

Fast Rewind. Motorized rewind operates without running the mechanism. Be ready to run the next reel in seconds. Rewinding is lightning fast on Regular-8 and Super-8 models, and fast on Dual-8.

 

Your Choice of Formats. Select machines for Regular 8mm, Super-8, or Dual-8 (takes both.)

     Regular-8 and Super-8 have sprocket drive. If film loops are lost, just push the loop setting lever, or for severe cases the film sprockets have ratcheting clutches to reset them without rethreading.

     Dual-8 is sprocketless with no film loops to lose and is well suited to film that is in less than perfect condition. Lumpy splices or existing damage will cause the film to just stall in the gate instead of being dragged through by sprockets. With the absence of sprockets to pace the film smoothly, the film strand does appear to vibrate when entering or leaving the reels. With small or small-hub reels you may need to put an anti-friction washer (included) on the supply reel spindle before mounting the reel, to avoid the film pull having to turn the reel motor.

 

     Format Change: With the Dual-8, it does take time and tools to change from one format to the other, and the user should have mechanical aptitude and reading comprehension skills.

 

     If you have separate machines for Regular-8 and Super-8, you can change instantly from one format to the other, or be doing two jobs at the same time.

 

Automatic Exposure:

           The preferred Center Weighted Averaging automatic exposure is available through a front panel switch on single-format base scan models.  You can also switch to Peak Automatic or fully Manual. There is a switch on the camera that will also select Automatic White Balance if you want it.

           The Average position on the front panel of Dual-8 and other emulsion scan machines is a fixed preset value for perfectly exposed film and is not automatic. We can program Averaging auto exposure and/or auto white balance into the camera, but this is not recommended because it makes the Peak Auto and Manual modes basically useless as they will fight each other and can create a higher noise level in the video.

   

Dual-8 TVT-D8TS Available in NTSC or PAL, $3195

Emulsion side scanning, sprocketless, Y/C camera with RCA yellow jack and Y/C video outputs, Peak Automatic and Manual exposure modes. Automatic threading.

 

Regular-8 TVT-R8TS Available in NTSC or PAL, $3000

Base side scanning, Y/C camera with BNC/RCA yellow jack video output and Y/C S-video, with sprockets, Peak Auto, preferred Average Auto and Manual exposure modes.  User can select automatic white balance with a tiny switch on the camera. Framing adjustment lever. Automatic threading. Base side scan only.

 

Super-8 TVT-S8TS Available in NTSC or PAL, $3000

Base side scanning, Y/C camera with BNC/RCA yellow jack video output and Y/C S-video, with sprockets, Peak Auto, preferred Average Auto and Manual exposure modes.  User can select automatic white balance with a tiny switch on the camera. Automatic threading. Framing adjustment lever.

 

Option:

For regular-8 format machines only, we can use a manual thread mechanism instead of automatic threading, just ask.

 

Single format (regular-8 or super-8) machines are normally looking at the Base side of the film which is not usually a problem. The base scan camera is technically slightly better than the camera for emulsion scan, also adding the desirable feature of Averaging automatic exposure control. This camera also has a Negative-Positive switch for experimenting with transfer from negative film instead of the normal reversal type.

 

Base side scan is not available for dual-8. Emulsion side scan is not feasible for regular-8 as associated parts will not fit.

 

Ordering information and warranty are here. An order worksheet is here. Instruction manual for the Dual-8 True Speed model is here.

 

Looking for something more oriented towards automated “sausage factory” mass production with no frills? Check out our Mainstream E models.

 

Thinking about preventing future obsolescence? Our High Definition TVT-8HD models can be used now for standard definition, and will be ready for doing High Def transfer work tomorrow with the same machine. Image quality is similar to the more expensive 3CCD Ultimate models, at a lower price.

Dual-8 with Emulsion Side Scanning

 

Box on right hand side encloses an Emulsion Side facing camera. Light source is on the left.

Super-8 Sprocket Drive with Base Side Scanning

 

Base Side of film is facing camera on the left, with light source on the right. 

 

Appearance of Regular-8 model is similar.

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