Operating Instructions

Basic Operation
See page 10 for identifying the panel components. Turn on the power with the switch on the right rear of the TVT-D8. Check that the left-hand switch is in the "Peak Auto" position, the knob to the right of it is in the upper "Auto" position, and the right-hand rotary switch is in the "Normal Speed" position.
Switch the unit to "Still" and note that there are no hairs or lint visible in the picture on the underscanned video monitor. (Because of the enlargement they may look like logs or trees.) If there are any, swing open the film gate and brush or blow out the hairs. Switch back to "Stop" and close the film gate.
Check that the film format is correct for the present TVT-D8 machine setup:
• Your TVT-D8 is set for Super-8 film when the Claw lever is in the Super-8 S8 (upper) position and the 1/2" (12.7mm) supply reel spindle is installed.
• Your TVT-D8 is set for Regular 8mm film when the Claw lever is in the Regular-8 R8 (lower) position and the 5/16" (8mm) supply reel spindle is installed.
The film will not advance through the gate if the Claw setting is wrong. If the setup is wrong, change to the other TVT-D8 setup as explained below. Besides the basic Claw setting there are optical adjustments needed.
"NTSC" and "PAL" designations on the TVT-D8 badge in the lower right of the front panel show the video standard for which the model is made. NTSC is used in the USA, PAL is used in Europe.
Place the full reel of film on the right-hand "Supply Reel" spindle, matching up the slots in the reel hub with the spokes in the reel spindle. If the reel is correctly prepared, the perforations (sprocket holes) in the film will be towards you, with the emulsion side (the side with the picture) facing to the right, while the film is hanging down from the right-hand side of the reel. There should be about 4 feet (1.25m) of leader before the first picture. If any of this is not the case, return the film reel to the preparation department for correction. The TVT-D8 requires film reels that are not unbalanced, or that are bent and pinch the film edges.
The TVT-D8 has easy manual threading. This sprocketless design prevents the film damage that could otherwise occur if a bad splice sticks in the film gate and film sprockets continue to drag the film through. Threading is done as follows.
Note the two different threading paths according to whether the film will be run forward as normally done, or will be run in reverse, after checking the start of the film for example.
Swing open the light source to reveal the film gate. Pull a few feet (1 meter) of leader past the film gate area and insert it into the film gate. Route the film around the upper rollers, the two retarder posts, and the lower rollers as shown. Close the film gate. Attach the beginning of the leader to the take-up reel, turning the reel clockwise a couple of turns.
Turn the Manual Advance knob counter-clockwise a few turns to ensure that the film advances intermittently through the film gate. Switch to "Forward" to preview the film. It should be right way up (people's heads and the sky at the top). The frameline (the dividing line between pictures on the film) should not be visible; if it is, adjust the imaging lens height until it is not seen. The film need not be running to make the adjustment.
To run in reverse, you must re-thread the film below the film gate so the two retarder posts are bypassed as shown. Switch to "Reverse" and run until the picture is all back on the supply reel and there is about 1 foot (.3m) of leader film between the supply reel and the film gate, then switch to "Stop." Push the "Reset" button to zero the footage counter. Note that in Reverse the image will have jitter and ghosting; this is normal as the shutter is correctly synchronized only in Forward. Correct the threading path to include the two retarder posts again.
Start the video recorder. Switch the TVT-D8 to "Forward" and you will be recording the film on video.
The film should be inspected, repaired, cleaned and lubricated before it comes to you for transfer. A bad splice or multiple damaged perforations can cause the film to stick in the film gate. You can jab the film down with your finger between the two retarder posts to force the film to continue running.
At the end of the film, switch to "Stop" and stop the recorder. Record the film length count for billing purposes, if your company charges by the foot or meter. Attach the end of the film straight across to the supply reel, without going through the rollers and gate, and turn the reel a couple of turns counter-clockwise. Switch the Rewind "On" and when the film is fully rewound turn the Rewind switch "Off" immediately. Do not stick your finger into the reel spokes or grab the edge of a plastic reel while it is spinning, as this may cause injury. Remove the supply reel after it stops, and you are now ready to transfer the next reel.

Film Format Changeover    See Page 9 for illustration

Claw Change: Move the Claw lever all the way up to S8 to center it for super-8 film. Move the claw lever all the way down to R8 to center it for regular-8 film.

Note: the following step uses the 1/16" Allen hex key.
Reel Spindle Change: To exchange the supply reel spindles, loosen the setscrew a few turns, slide off the old reel spindle, slide on the new one, and tighten the setscrew. S8 film uses the 1/2" (12.7mm) spindle and R8 film reels have the 5/16" (8mm) size hole. (The "wrong" spindle can be installed to suit film that is wound on the wrong type non-standard reel.)

Counter Change: Remove the 3 thumbscrews and the Optics Cover. Flip the toggle switch up to S8 for counting super-8 film length (72 frames per foot.) Flip the toggle switch down to R8 for counting regular-8 film length (80 frames per foot.)

Note: the following steps use the 7/64" Allen hex driver.
Magnification Change: Loosen the Lens Lock Screw and slide the lens so the right end is flush with the right side of the Lens Mount for S8. For R8, slide the lens so the right end extends 1/16" (1.5mm) past the right side of the Lens Mount. Tighten the Lens Lock Screw. Make it tight but do not over-tighten as this could damage the lens. (When adjusting the TVT-D8 to match the aperture of a particular film camera, this setting can be modified. Moving the lens to the right will further magnify the film (zoom in); moving it left will reduce the size (zoom out). If you "zoom in" too much you will cut off people's heads and feet more often. If you "zoom out" too much you will have to change the Framing Adjustment more frequently while working.)

Centering Change: Insert the film to be copied into the film gate, a few feet past the end of the head leader. Pick a spot with lots of fine detail or that is grainy, for easier focusing (below). Turn the Manual Advance knob so the film advances once and then is stationary. Loosen the two Centering Lock Screws on the back of the camera module by 1/8 of a turn, and slide the camera module in or out on the elongated holes to center the image. (Do not disturb the 4 small screws that mount the camera module to the black metal plate.) Tighten the Centering Lock Screws.

Framing Adjustment: Loosen the two Framing Lock screws about 1/8 of a turn. Slide the lens holder up or down on the elongated holes until the frameline (the line separating the pictures on the film) is not visible. Tighten the two Framing Lock screws. (Unlike most equipment the TVT-D8 does not need to be running to see the effect of this adjustment.)
Note: The original Framing knob is no longer active for Framing owing to optical and mechanical changes. If it is set wrong however you will get a dark shadow at the top or bottom of the frame. Turning this knob a little will remove it.

Note: the following step also uses the Focus Jig accessory.
Focus Adjustment. Remove the two lower thumbscrews that hold the panel's left edge in place. Install the focus jig plate with the counterbored holes towards you. Re-install and tighten the two thumbscrews. Slide the focus adjust screw through from the left and screw it in to the left side of the camera mount. NOTE: do not short out or physically damage the tiny components on the exposed camera circuit board.
Loosen the two Focus Lock screws about 1/8 to 1/4 turn. While pushing in on the end of the focus adjust screw, turn the thumbscrew Focus Adjust for optimum picture sharpness. Tighten the two Focus Lock screws while still pushing on the end of the focus adjust screw.
If necessary, re-adjust the Magnification, Centering and Framing settings as changing the focus may have altered them slightly.
When done, remove the focus jig, and replace the optics cover and the 5 thumbscrews. Be careful to not pinch the wires between the optics cover and the mounting standoffs.

Installation

Connect the TVT-D8 machine to a suitable video recorder. This is often a Mini-DV (digital video) or else DVD (digital video/versatile disc) recorder, or less commonly these days a VHS (video home system) machine. There are two video output jacks on the front of the machine. Both can be used at the same time if desired:
  • The S-Video ("Separate"-video) Y/C output may give a cleaner video signal in many cases, as the luminance (brightness or Y) and chrominance (color or C) signals are sent through separate wires and will not interfere with each other, and thus not cause odd artifacts to appear in the picture. This preferred connection is with the Mini-DIN 4-pin cable.
  • The conventional video output is used in case the recorder lacks an S-Video input. The jack is a professional BNC type, so use the BNC cable to connect to commercial video equipment. Use the BNC to RCA phono type cable, to connect to consumer equipment.
Plug the TVT-D8 into a source of 100 to 240 volts AC (alternating current) at 50 or 60 Hz (Hertz, or cycles per second.) For safety the third wire should be grounded (earthed.) Turning on the unit will cause the footage counter to light up, and for black video to be output.

Monitoring

A color video monitor should be used to help you best oversee the transfer operation. We recommend that the picture monitor be connected to the output of the recorder, so the tape or disc playback can be spot-checked for quality. We also suggest the use of an "Underscan Monitor" which enables the entire video signal to be seen by the operator. Such a monitor can be recognized by an Underscan-Normal switch. (In the underscan position, the active video area is bordered with black.)
This is because ordinary monitors and TV sets have varying degrees of "overscan." The picture is larger than the picture tube, so the edges are cut off. The amount of underscan is not well standardized, may not be centered, may be out of adjustment, and may hide defects that could be seen on a different TV set. For example, the film may be out of frame so that the frameline is visible on some receivers but not others. Or, a piece of lint may be lodged on the edge of the aperture and working its way into the frame. To guarantee that the frameline or hairs will not be visible to anyone, no matter how their TV set may be adjusted, the transfer process should be watched with an underscan monitor so the entire video signal can be seen. There can be small artifacts on the extreme edges, such as dirt specks stuck to the aperture, which will not be a problem as the customer will not see the entire video frame on his TV set.
The Underscan monitor is necessary when correctly adjusting the magnification, centering, framing and focus when changing over between the S8 and the R8 settings.
When demonstrating the process or results to the public, the monitor should be switched back to the Normal position to prevent misunderstandings or long explanations.
If an Underscan monitor is not available, you can manage with one having Pulse Cross (Pulse Delay.) This puts the corners of the picture in the middle of the screen. It is possible to use this function to check for framing and gate hairs although it is less convenient.

Other Needs

Film will be received from the public in various states of disrepair, with bad splices, winding turned over on the reel, being mounted on the wrong type reel or the wrong way out, no leaders, etc. and a facility must be provided for making the footage ready for transfer. This requires at the minimum a pair of film rewinds, with adapters for regular-8 and super-8 reels, a supply of film leader and empty reels, a film splicer, and a way of cleaning excess dirt off the film. Ideally there will be a light box for looking through the film, and a light above the editing bench to reflect light off the film.
Refer to the first section of these instructions for a description of how the film should be wound on the reel. There should be 4 feet of leader on the start for proper threading of the TVT-D8, and enough leader on the end to thread the film cleaning device. Torn film sprocket holes and crooked splices should be removed to prevent transfer problems.
Small rolls should be spliced together for efficient transfer, also the TVT-D8 does not like small 50' reels. A properly made cement splice, using fresh cement, is preferred. The smoothest transit of splices occurs when you have made a beveled splice using an (unfortunately discontinued) Agfa or Bolex splicer, where the total thickness at the splice is about the same as unspliced film. (Fuji Single-8 and K-Mart Focal film was on polyester base and must be tape spliced.) When making tape splices, ensure that the sprocket holes are not covered up and the tape is on straight, on both sides of the film.
We suggest using 400 foot (122 meter) reels, and cans or 7" size white 1/4" audio tape boxes. Usually if 7 small 50' rolls of regular-8 film, or 8 small 50' rolls of super-8 film, is wound on each reel, this will enable two of the reels to fit on each 1 hour tape or disc with minimum waste and no need for time-consuming tape editing or overlaps. Mark the leader on the head (beginning) of the reel with the customer's name or job number, and the reel number, to avoid mixups. Leader with a matte finish can be written on with pencil, while shiny leader can be marked with a Sharpie or India ink. Ensure that that the cleaning step does not remove the reel identification. Storage cans should be ventilated for slight air circulation, to prevent film deterioration from "vinegar syndrome." Advise the customer to keep his film in a cool, dry, dark place to prevent fungus growth. You want the film to be in good condition so you can transfer it again when the next super generation of video equipment formats makes the present transfer obsolete. :-)
NOTE: The TVT-D8 has the super-8 claw position, above the gate, when running both S8 and R8 films. Such mechanisms are fussy about splices, compared to regular-8 only ones with the claw below the gate. If your cement splices cause excessive jamming in the film gate, change the direction of splicing by winding the film right to left on the bench while splicing, instead of left to right, so you are scraping the outgoing film instead of the incoming one. Having the splice accordingly lap the other way (so the sharp leading edge of the thick splice rubs against the mechanism's pressure plate instead of hitting the bottom of the minimally undercut aperture plate opening) will give more reliable running.
After each reel is spliced and repaired, it is rewound through the film cleaner device on to the proper reel, which restores the reel to being heads (start) out instead of tails (foot or end) out, and sent to the transfer room. Note: When using a liquid cleaner, view the rewinding film by reflected light to make sure it is dry again before it winds up, or else the film may dry with "shoreline" marks on it. You can wind quite fast if not using an excessive amount of fluid.

Important note on lubrication: Some film types are not lubricated in processing and will give an unsteady image and noisy running until lubricated. This includes the current Ektachrome 64T film as well as some private brand films made by other manufacturers. The cleaning fluid should have a small amount of wax dissolved in it to provide lubrication for smooth transport through the TVT-D8 or through the customer's projector. A suggested amount is a lump of candle wax or beeswax the size of a pea ground up and dissolved in a pint (half litre) of solvent. Cleaning solvents that are widely used include methyl chloroform (toxic fumes), perchloroethylene (dry cleaning fluid) (toxic fumes), Freon TF (ozone depleting), or 99% isopropanol (isopropyl alcohol) (flammable). There are also commercially mixed film cleaners with lubricant. Cleaning must take place in a ventilated area.
Some users have adopted a modified means of lubrication. They spray Pledge Beeswax furniture polish on to a rag, and wind the film through it while still damp.

Exposure Correction
The correction uses your choice of Peak or Center-Weighted Averaging sensing, for optimum results from a variety of original moderate over- and under-exposure conditions. This is selected with the Peak - Manual - Average switch to the left of the rotary Auto - Manual knob. Peak sensing is recommended for reasonably well-composed film, maintaining the mood of the film. Average sensing is used for film that is strongly backlit (shooting into the sun) or that is dark and also has a light source (movie light or bright window) near the edge of the screen, or that is very badly overexposed. A minimum brightness level can still be set with the Manual knob, to prevent over-reacting to flashbulbs going off and the like.
For critical transfer for fussy customers who are willing to pay extra, the brightness can also be set fully manually. This latter option usually means that the video must be edited later, to remove the overlap and startup jitter when previewing, starting and stopping the TVT-D8 for each brightness correction.

Theory of Operation

The conventional means of film to video transfer uses a projector with a specific number of shutter blades, attached to the mechanism and rotating with it. One blade is used to obscure the film while it is being quickly pulled down to the next frame; additional equal blades are used to get the desired interruption rate, which must be a whole multiple of the video field rate. The blade complement might be either 2, 3, or 5, depending on speed and video standard. That is, for 24 FPS (frame per second) transfers to NTSC (USA type) video the projector will have 5 blades. For running at 20 FPS you would need 3 blades. This type machine will usually give more or less flickerless results at only one speed. Some old equipment requires that the operator frequently tune the speed to minimize flicker and complaints. Usually the running speed is quite inaccurate compared to the original