Spirit DataCine
Encyclopedia
Spirit DataCine is a telecine
and/or a motion picture film scanner
. This device is able to transfer 16mm and 35mm motion picture film to NTSC
or PAL
standards or one of many High-definition television
standards. With the data transfer option a Spirit DataCine can output DPX
data files. The Spirit DataCine has become the standard for high-end real-time film transfer and scanning. Over 370 units are used in post production facilities around the world. Most current film productions are transferred on Spirit DataCines for TV, DVD
, blu-ray Disc
, pay-per-view
, In-flight entertainment
, digital intermediate
and digital cinema
. The Spirit DataCine is made by DFT Digital Film Technology and Precision Mechatronics GmbH in Weiterstadt
, Germany
.
tension. An optional optic audio
, pick up system can be mounted in the capstan. All Spirit DataCines use a xenon lamp for illumination
into a diffusion chamber to minimize dust and scratch visibility. With the standard 35mm
lens
gate: super 35 mm and academy 35 mm are supported. Also 2, 3, 4, perf
are supported. VistaVision
8-perf and 6 perf are an option. With the optional 16mm lens gate standard 16mm and Super 16 mm are supported. With the 16mm lens gate an optional Super 8 mm film
gate can be added. 16mm audio system also support 16mm mag or magnetic strip
sound track on the motion picture would be picked up by a head and could be fed to an audio
sound
mixing console
or to the VTR.
Spirit DataCines use a charge-coupled device
Line Array - CCD for imaging. In print mode a “white” light is shone through the exposed film image into a lens and then to prism, color glass separates out the image into the three primary colors, red, green and blue. Each beam of colored light is then projected at a different CCD, one for each color. The CCD converts the light into an electrical signal that produces a modulated
video
signal which is color corrected
and sized
so it can then be recorded onto video tape or a Storage area network
-SAN hard disk
array. Spirit DataCines can output to different TV standards: (NTSC
or PAL
) or HDTV. The Spatial Processor can change the size of the image: pan and scan
, letterbox
or make other aspect ratio
and rotation changes. An optional Scream grain reducer can reduce film grain in all three color channels.
The Spirit DataCine opened the door to the technology of digital intermediate
s, wherein telecine tools were not just used for video outputs, but could now be used for high-resolution data that would later be recorded back out to film. The DFT Digital Film Technology, formerly Grass Valley
Spirit 4k\2k\HD (2004) replaced the Spirit 2000 Datacine and uses both 2K and 4k line array CCDs. The SDC-2000 did not use a color prisms and/or dichroic mirrors, color separation was done in the CCD. DFT revealed its newest scanner at the 2009 NAB Show
, Scanity.
A Spirit DataCines outputing DPX files was used in the 2000 movie O Brother, Where Art Thou?
. The DPX files were color corrected with a VDC-2000
and a Pandora Int. Pogle Color Corrector with MegaDEF. A Kodak Lightning II film recorder was used to put the data output to back to film. To output the movie the Spirit Datacine’s Phantom Transfer Engine software running on an SGI computer is used to record the DPX files from the Spirit DataCine. These files are stored in the virtual telecine
or on a SAN
hard disk
storage array. The Phantom Transfer Engine has been replaced with Bones software running on a Linux-based PC. First generation of DPX interface for data files was the optical fiber
HIPPI
cables (up to 6 frame/s at 2k), the next generation interface is GSN-Gigabit Ethernet
fiber Optic (up to 30 frame/s at 2k). GSN is also called HIPPI-6400 and was later re-named GSN (for Gigabyte System Network). The SAN hard disks are interfaces to by dual FC-Fibre Channel
, cables. The newest DPX output interface is infiniband
.
Most Spirit DataCines are controlled by a Da Vinci Systems
color corrector, 2k or 2k Plus. Some are controlled by Pandora Int.'s Pogle, some with a their MegaDEF or a Pixi color grading
system. A Spirit DataCine comes with a full function control panel that can be used for control and color grade.
The Robert Bosch GmbH
, Fernseh
Div., which later became BTS inc.
- Philips
Digital Video Systems, Thomson
's Grass Valley
and now is DFT Digital Film Technology introduced the world's first CCD telecine (1979), the FDL-60. The FDL-60 designed and made in Darmstadt
West Germany, was the first all solid state Telecine. FDL is short for Film Digital Line. The FDL-60 uses a single-line array system, whereby three lines, RGB with 1,024 CCD pixels per line to record a single line of the film image. FDL60A uses three Fairchild Semiconductor
CCD 133 CCDs for the image pickup. FDL60A released in 1979 used a 115 Volt lamp to light the film. The FDL60B released in 1982 added improve video quality features to the FDL60. The FDL60C released in 1987 used a Fairchild CCD 134 and a 24 volt light source. In 1983 an optional Grain Reduce was introduced by Bosch for the FDL-60, model FDGR 60. The was the first all digital noise reducer. The FDL 60 could operate stand alone or on a color grade system. Bosch made a scene by scene color corrector model FRP 60 as an option for the FDL-60. About 568 FDL-60 telecines were manufacture from 1979 to 1989. FDL 60 were ordered in PAL or NTSC or Secam, a few were multi standard by changing a few electronic circuit cards.
like the Da Vinci Systems
888. The units also had an optional analog output. The film path was similar to the Spirit Datacine, but this was the only similarity. FDL 90 and Quadra used a three Fairchild CCD 181 CCDs. Both had an optional Pal/NTSC switchable option. Both were 3/4 perf switchable. Many FDL-90 were updated to have the Quadra electronic circuit cards improvements. A true Quadra had a new capstan position closer to the film gate and with a blue color deck.
. This unit was never released for sale. This was the first HDTV telecine. The FLH-1000 was improved - resigned and released as the SDC 2000 - Spirit DataCine. The Scanning system and CCDs were made by Kodak in New York. FLH-1000 and Spirit DataCine were a joint effort between Philips and Eastman Kodak. Beta sites for the FLH-1000 were: Producers Color in the Detroit and Channel 4
in London
.
(1920 Luminance and 960 Chrominace RGB) x 1556 RGB. The SDC 2000 Spirit DataCine uses two physical CCD, one for Chrominace and one for Detail/Luminance. The unit used two CCDs for improved Signal to Noise
ratio. Inside the Luminance CCD are 4 electrical CCDs. In side the Chrominace are 3 electrical CCDs: red, green and blue. With the data option the Spirit DataCine can be used as a motion picture film scanner
outputting 2K DPX
data file
s as 2048 x 1556 RGB. The normal input data file standard is DPX
. The data files are often used in DI - digital intermediate
post-production using a film recorder
for film-out
. The control room
for the telecine is called the color suite
or sometimes a color bay. In a two years time span the Spirit DataCine took over the number one spot of telecines from Rank Cintel
.
. It is able to color correct, re-size and grain reduce 2k DPX files in real time. Used in DI work and to make multiple video formats off one film transfer scan (PAL, NTSC, Pan scan, letter box…). This was accomplished by playing the DPX files back through the Spirit Datacine’s process electronics and a Pandora International
's MegaDef Colour Correction system.
is shown.
fiber Optic has speeds up to 30 frame/s at 2k. Also a Color Graphical Control (GCP) panel now came standard and replaced the monochrome functional control panel (FCP).
. Like the SDC 200x the unit is made in Germany. SDC 2K Spirit DataCine uses three physical CCDs: red, green and blue. The SDC 2K Spirit DataCine could be configured as just a data scanner outputed on a GSN fiber Optic with speeds up to 30 frame/s at 2k or just a video telecine (with a spatial processor) or both. The DPX
data file
s are outputted to a Bones Lunix
workstation
that is connected to a SAN.
(4096) data scanning CCD. It can output 4k DPX files at 8 frames per second, SAN speed permitting. With the optional scaler the 4k CCD output could be used as an oversampled 2k output. The unit can also output 16 bit data.
fiber Optic, rather than GSN.
non-linear post production software system. Bones Dailies can control all dailies production process: ingest to a SAN, up to 30 frame/s - faster than real-time and make color-graded Dailies masters. It has an audio ingest, audio syncing, ASC CDL
based primary, and secondary color-correction. It will work in multiple formats: SD, HD, or 2K-4k material and can ingest content from the Spirit DataCine or other devices like video tape or digital acquisition cameras. Bones can be also be used in a virtual telecine
mode.
, Scanity http://www.dft-film.com/scanners/scanity.php. Scanity uses Time Delay Integration (TDI)
line sensors and FPGA
image processing. Scantiy uses a continuous film transport servo system, using a capstan and a LED
light source. Transfer speeds are up to: 15 frame/s @ 4K, 25 frame/s @ 2K, 44 frame/s @ 1K, 69 frame/s @ 0,5K, 96 frame/s @ 0,25K. Scanity LED light sources is variable and programmable. Like all the telecines above it uses a continuous motion capstan film transport. New for scanity is the use of a infrared
CCD channel for dirt mapping. Scantiy has a new optical audio scanning option for 16mm and 35mm, also 16 mag strip audio.
Playout that converts DPX, Quicktime and raw digital camera clips and creates a master for playout as video, DPX, and SD or Hd video. Other feature are timeline editing, EDL on-line conforming, and optional color correction, and image resizing.
Flexxity Dailies can be used on-set or as a post production tool for digital and film dailies. Flexxity Dailies image and audio synchronization feature, with the easy to use timeline editing, and parallel workflows gives high throughput and more efficiency.
Flexxity Archive software provides an easy interface for operators to access archived material from SAN disk storage and also can input film DPX files from film scanners. Flexxity Archive helps quality control of archive material. Flexxity Archive has scratch and dirt removal retouching capabilities, Grain reduction, and image contouring. Many of these feature can be add to Flexxity Playout and Flexxity Dailies.
Telecine
Telecine is transferring motion picture film into video and is performed in a color suite. The term is also used to refer to the equipment used in the post-production process....
and/or a motion picture film scanner
Motion picture film scanner
A motion picture film scanner is a device used in digital filmmaking to scan original film for storage as high-resolution digital intermediate files.A film scanner scans original film stock: negative or positive print or reversal/IP...
. This device is able to transfer 16mm and 35mm motion picture film to NTSC
NTSC
NTSC, named for the National Television System Committee, is the analog television system that is used in most of North America, most of South America , Burma, South Korea, Taiwan, Japan, the Philippines, and some Pacific island nations and territories .Most countries using the NTSC standard, as...
or PAL
PAL
PAL, short for Phase Alternating Line, is an analogue television colour encoding system used in broadcast television systems in many countries. Other common analogue television systems are NTSC and SECAM. This page primarily discusses the PAL colour encoding system...
standards or one of many High-definition television
High-definition television
High-definition television is video that has resolution substantially higher than that of traditional television systems . HDTV has one or two million pixels per frame, roughly five times that of SD...
standards. With the data transfer option a Spirit DataCine can output DPX
DPX
Digital Picture Exchange is a common file format for digital intermediate and visual effects work and is an ANSI/SMPTE standard...
data files. The Spirit DataCine has become the standard for high-end real-time film transfer and scanning. Over 370 units are used in post production facilities around the world. Most current film productions are transferred on Spirit DataCines for TV, DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
, blu-ray Disc
Blu-ray Disc
Blu-ray Disc is an optical disc storage medium designed to supersede the DVD format. The plastic disc is 120 mm in diameter and 1.2 mm thick, the same size as DVDs and CDs. Blu-ray Discs contain 25 GB per layer, with dual layer discs being the norm for feature-length video discs...
, pay-per-view
Pay-per-view
Pay-per-view provides a service by which a television audience can purchase events to view via private telecast. The broadcaster shows the event at the same time to everyone ordering it...
, In-flight entertainment
In-flight Entertainment
In-flight entertainment refers to the entertainment available to aircraft passengers during a flight. In 1936, the airship Hindenburg offered passengers a piano, lounge, dining room, smoking room, and bar during the 2½ day flight between Europe and America...
, digital intermediate
Digital intermediate
Digital intermediate is a motion picture finishing process which classically involves digitizing a motion picture and manipulating the color and other image characteristics. It often replaces or augments the photochemical timing process and is usually the final creative adjustment to a movie...
and digital cinema
Digital cinema
Digital cinema refers to the use of digital technology to distribute and project motion pictures. A movie can be distributed via hard drives, optical disks or satellite and projected using a digital projector instead of a conventional film projector...
. The Spirit DataCine is made by DFT Digital Film Technology and Precision Mechatronics GmbH in Weiterstadt
Weiterstadt
Weiterstadt is a town in the Darmstadt-Dieburg district, in Hesse, Germany. It is situated approx. 6 km northwest of Darmstadt.....
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.
Spirit DataCine
All Spirit DataCines use continuous transport motion, using a capstan and constant filmFilm
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
tension. An optional optic audio
Sound-on-film
Sound-on-film refers to a class of sound film processes where the sound accompanying picture is physically recorded onto photographic film, usually, but not always, the same strip of film carrying the picture. Sound-on-film processes can either record an analog sound track or digital sound track,...
, pick up system can be mounted in the capstan. All Spirit DataCines use a xenon lamp for illumination
Lighting
Lighting or illumination is the deliberate application of light to achieve some practical or aesthetic effect. Lighting includes the use of both artificial light sources such as lamps and light fixtures, as well as natural illumination by capturing daylight...
into a diffusion chamber to minimize dust and scratch visibility. With the standard 35mm
35 mm film
35 mm film is the film gauge most commonly used for chemical still photography and motion pictures. The name of the gauge refers to the width of the photographic film, which consists of strips 35 millimeters in width...
lens
Photographic lens
A camera lens is an optical lens or assembly of lenses used in conjunction with a camera body and mechanism to make images of objects either on photographic film or on other media capable of storing an image chemically or electronically.While in principle a simple convex lens will suffice, in...
gate: super 35 mm and academy 35 mm are supported. Also 2, 3, 4, perf
Film perforations
Film perforations, also known as perfs, are the holes placed in the film stock during manufacturing and used for transporting and steadying the film. Films may have different types of perforations depending on film gauge, film format, and the intended usage...
are supported. VistaVision
VistaVision
VistaVision is a higher resolution, widescreen variant of the 35mm motion picture film format which was created by engineers at Paramount Pictures in 1954....
8-perf and 6 perf are an option. With the optional 16mm lens gate standard 16mm and Super 16 mm are supported. With the 16mm lens gate an optional Super 8 mm film
Super 8 mm film
Super 8 mm film is a motion picture film format released in 1965 by Eastman Kodak as an improvement of the older "Double" or "Regular" 8 mm home movie format....
gate can be added. 16mm audio system also support 16mm mag or magnetic strip
Magnetic tape
Magnetic tape is a medium for magnetic recording, made of a thin magnetizable coating on a long, narrow strip of plastic. It was developed in Germany, based on magnetic wire recording. Devices that record and play back audio and video using magnetic tape are tape recorders and video tape recorders...
sound track on the motion picture would be picked up by a head and could be fed to an audio
Sound recording and reproduction
Sound recording and reproduction is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording...
sound
Sound
Sound is a mechanical wave that is an oscillation of pressure transmitted through a solid, liquid, or gas, composed of frequencies within the range of hearing and of a level sufficiently strong to be heard, or the sensation stimulated in organs of hearing by such vibrations.-Propagation of...
mixing console
Mixing console
In professional audio, a mixing console, or audio mixer, also called a sound board, mixing desk, or mixer is an electronic device for combining , routing, and changing the level, timbre and/or dynamics of audio signals. A mixer can mix analog or digital signals, depending on the type of mixer...
or to the VTR.
Spirit DataCines use a charge-coupled device
Charge-coupled device
A charge-coupled device is a device for the movement of electrical charge, usually from within the device to an area where the charge can be manipulated, for example conversion into a digital value. This is achieved by "shifting" the signals between stages within the device one at a time...
Line Array - CCD for imaging. In print mode a “white” light is shone through the exposed film image into a lens and then to prism, color glass separates out the image into the three primary colors, red, green and blue. Each beam of colored light is then projected at a different CCD, one for each color. The CCD converts the light into an electrical signal that produces a modulated
Modulation
In electronics and telecommunications, modulation is the process of varying one or more properties of a high-frequency periodic waveform, called the carrier signal, with a modulating signal which typically contains information to be transmitted...
video
Video
Video is the technology of electronically capturing, recording, processing, storing, transmitting, and reconstructing a sequence of still images representing scenes in motion.- History :...
signal which is color corrected
Color grading
Color grading or colour painting, is the process of altering and enhancing the color of a motion picture, video image, or still image either electronically, photo-chemically or digitally. The photo-chemical process is also referred to as color timing and is typically performed at a photographic...
and sized
File size
File size measures the size of a computer file. Typically it is measured in bytes with a prefix. The actual amount of disk space consumed by the file depends on the file system....
so it can then be recorded onto video tape or a Storage area network
Storage area network
A storage area network is a dedicated network that provides access to consolidated, block level data storage. SANs are primarily used to make storage devices, such as disk arrays, tape libraries, and optical jukeboxes, accessible to servers so that the devices appear like locally attached devices...
-SAN hard disk
Hard disk
A hard disk drive is a non-volatile, random access digital magnetic data storage device. It features rotating rigid platters on a motor-driven spindle within a protective enclosure. Data is magnetically read from and written to the platter by read/write heads that float on a film of air above the...
array. Spirit DataCines can output to different TV standards: (NTSC
NTSC
NTSC, named for the National Television System Committee, is the analog television system that is used in most of North America, most of South America , Burma, South Korea, Taiwan, Japan, the Philippines, and some Pacific island nations and territories .Most countries using the NTSC standard, as...
or PAL
PAL
PAL, short for Phase Alternating Line, is an analogue television colour encoding system used in broadcast television systems in many countries. Other common analogue television systems are NTSC and SECAM. This page primarily discusses the PAL colour encoding system...
) or HDTV. The Spatial Processor can change the size of the image: pan and scan
Pan and scan
Pan and scan is a method of adjusting widescreen film images so that they can be shown within the proportions of a standard definition 4:3 aspect ratio television screen, often cropping off the sides of the original widescreen image to focus on the composition's most important aspects...
, letterbox
Letterbox
Letterboxing is the practice of transferring film shot in a widescreen aspect ratio to standard-width video formats while preserving the film's original aspect ratio. The resulting videographic image has mattes above and below it; these mattes are part of the image...
or make other aspect ratio
Aspect ratio (image)
The aspect ratio of an image is the ratio of the width of the image to its height, expressed as two numbers separated by a colon. That is, for an x:y aspect ratio, no matter how big or small the image is, if the width is divided into x units of equal length and the height is measured using this...
and rotation changes. An optional Scream grain reducer can reduce film grain in all three color channels.
Digital intermediate
Digital intermediate is a motion picture finishing process which classically involves digitizing a motion picture and manipulating the color and other image characteristics. It often replaces or augments the photochemical timing process and is usually the final creative adjustment to a movie...
s, wherein telecine tools were not just used for video outputs, but could now be used for high-resolution data that would later be recorded back out to film. The DFT Digital Film Technology, formerly Grass Valley
Grass Valley (company)
Grass Valley, previously known as Grass Valley Group, is a privately held company based in California, USA. Grass Valley produces technology for the video and broadcast industry. On January 29, 2009, Thomson announced its intention to sell the Grass Valley business unit...
Spirit 4k\2k\HD (2004) replaced the Spirit 2000 Datacine and uses both 2K and 4k line array CCDs. The SDC-2000 did not use a color prisms and/or dichroic mirrors, color separation was done in the CCD. DFT revealed its newest scanner at the 2009 NAB Show
National Association of Broadcasters
The National Association of Broadcasters is a trade association, workers union, and lobby group representing the interests of for-profit, over-the-air radio and television broadcasters in the United States...
, Scanity.
A Spirit DataCines outputing DPX files was used in the 2000 movie O Brother, Where Art Thou?
O Brother, Where Art Thou?
O Brother, Where Art Thou? is a 2000 comedy film directed by Joel and Ethan Coen and starring George Clooney, John Turturro, Tim Blake Nelson, John Goodman, Holly Hunter, and Charles Durning. Set in 1937 rural Mississippi during the Great Depression, the film's story is a modern satire loosely...
. The DPX files were color corrected with a VDC-2000
Virtual telecine
A virtual telecine is a piece of video equipment that can play back data files in real time. The colorist-video operator controls the virtual telecine like a normal telecine, although without controls like focus and framing. The data files can be from a Spirit DataCine, motion picture film scanner...
and a Pandora Int. Pogle Color Corrector with MegaDEF. A Kodak Lightning II film recorder was used to put the data output to back to film. To output the movie the Spirit Datacine’s Phantom Transfer Engine software running on an SGI computer is used to record the DPX files from the Spirit DataCine. These files are stored in the virtual telecine
Virtual telecine
A virtual telecine is a piece of video equipment that can play back data files in real time. The colorist-video operator controls the virtual telecine like a normal telecine, although without controls like focus and framing. The data files can be from a Spirit DataCine, motion picture film scanner...
or on a SAN
Storage area network
A storage area network is a dedicated network that provides access to consolidated, block level data storage. SANs are primarily used to make storage devices, such as disk arrays, tape libraries, and optical jukeboxes, accessible to servers so that the devices appear like locally attached devices...
hard disk
Hard disk
A hard disk drive is a non-volatile, random access digital magnetic data storage device. It features rotating rigid platters on a motor-driven spindle within a protective enclosure. Data is magnetically read from and written to the platter by read/write heads that float on a film of air above the...
storage array. The Phantom Transfer Engine has been replaced with Bones software running on a Linux-based PC. First generation of DPX interface for data files was the optical fiber
Optical fiber
An optical fiber is a flexible, transparent fiber made of a pure glass not much wider than a human hair. It functions as a waveguide, or "light pipe", to transmit light between the two ends of the fiber. The field of applied science and engineering concerned with the design and application of...
HIPPI
HIPPI
HIPPI is a computer bus for the attachment of high speed storage devices to supercomputers. It was popular in the late 1980s and into the mid-to-late 1990s, but has since been replaced by ever-faster standard interfaces like SCSI and Fibre Channel.The first HIPPI standard defined a 50-wire...
cables (up to 6 frame/s at 2k), the next generation interface is GSN-Gigabit Ethernet
Gigabit Ethernet
Gigabit Ethernet is a term describing various technologies for transmitting Ethernet frames at a rate of a gigabit per second , as defined by the IEEE 802.3-2008 standard. It came into use beginning in 1999, gradually supplanting Fast Ethernet in wired local networks where it performed...
fiber Optic (up to 30 frame/s at 2k). GSN is also called HIPPI-6400 and was later re-named GSN (for Gigabyte System Network). The SAN hard disks are interfaces to by dual FC-Fibre Channel
Fibre Channel
Fibre Channel, or FC, is a gigabit-speed network technology primarily used for storage networking. Fibre Channel is standardized in the T11 Technical Committee of the InterNational Committee for Information Technology Standards , an American National Standards Institute –accredited standards...
, cables. The newest DPX output interface is infiniband
InfiniBand
InfiniBand is a switched fabric communications link used in high-performance computing and enterprise data centers. Its features include high throughput, low latency, quality of service and failover, and it is designed to be scalable...
.
Most Spirit DataCines are controlled by a Da Vinci Systems
Da Vinci Systems
da Vinci Systems is a main manufacturer of high-end post-production color grading and film restoration systems for feature films, video production and broadcast post-production facilities...
color corrector, 2k or 2k Plus. Some are controlled by Pandora Int.'s Pogle, some with a their MegaDEF or a Pixi color grading
Color grading
Color grading or colour painting, is the process of altering and enhancing the color of a motion picture, video image, or still image either electronically, photo-chemically or digitally. The photo-chemical process is also referred to as color timing and is typically performed at a photographic...
system. A Spirit DataCine comes with a full function control panel that can be used for control and color grade.
FDL 60
Robert Bosch GmbH
Robert Bosch GmbH is a multinational engineering and electronics company headquartered in Gerlingen, near Stuttgart, Germany. It is the world's largest supplier of automotive components...
, Fernseh
Fernseh
The Fernseh AG television company was registered in Berlin on July 3, 1929 by John Logie Baird, Robert Bosch and other partners with an initial capital of 100,000 Reichsmark....
Div., which later became BTS inc.
Broadcast Television Systems Inc.
Broadcast Television Systems was a joint venture between Robert Bosch GmbH's Fernseh Division and Philips Broadcast in Breda, Netherlands formed in 1986.- History :...
- Philips
Philips
Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. , more commonly known as Philips, is a multinational Dutch electronics company....
Digital Video Systems, Thomson
Thomson SA
Technicolor SA , formerly Thomson SA and Thomson Multimedia, is a French international provider of solutions for the creation, management, post-production, delivery and access of video, for the Communication, Media and Entertainment industries. Technicolor’s headquarters are located in Issy les...
's Grass Valley
Grass Valley (company)
Grass Valley, previously known as Grass Valley Group, is a privately held company based in California, USA. Grass Valley produces technology for the video and broadcast industry. On January 29, 2009, Thomson announced its intention to sell the Grass Valley business unit...
and now is DFT Digital Film Technology introduced the world's first CCD telecine (1979), the FDL-60. The FDL-60 designed and made in Darmstadt
Darmstadt
Darmstadt is a city in the Bundesland of Hesse in Germany, located in the southern part of the Rhine Main Area.The sandy soils in the Darmstadt area, ill-suited for agriculture in times before industrial fertilisation, prevented any larger settlement from developing, until the city became the seat...
West Germany, was the first all solid state Telecine. FDL is short for Film Digital Line. The FDL-60 uses a single-line array system, whereby three lines, RGB with 1,024 CCD pixels per line to record a single line of the film image. FDL60A uses three Fairchild Semiconductor
Fairchild Semiconductor
Fairchild Semiconductor International, Inc. is an American semiconductor company based in San Jose, California. Founded in 1957, it was a pioneer in transistor and integrated circuit manufacturing...
CCD 133 CCDs for the image pickup. FDL60A released in 1979 used a 115 Volt lamp to light the film. The FDL60B released in 1982 added improve video quality features to the FDL60. The FDL60C released in 1987 used a Fairchild CCD 134 and a 24 volt light source. In 1983 an optional Grain Reduce was introduced by Bosch for the FDL-60, model FDGR 60. The was the first all digital noise reducer. The FDL 60 could operate stand alone or on a color grade system. Bosch made a scene by scene color corrector model FRP 60 as an option for the FDL-60. About 568 FDL-60 telecines were manufacture from 1979 to 1989. FDL 60 were ordered in PAL or NTSC or Secam, a few were multi standard by changing a few electronic circuit cards.
FDL 90 and Quadra
Philips-BTS eventually evolved the FDL 60 into the FDL 90 (1989)/ Quadra (1993). These units were able to support super 35mm, super 16mm and super 8. The units were able to zoom and position the picture. The units outputted 4:4:4 digital video to feed a color correctorColor grading
Color grading or colour painting, is the process of altering and enhancing the color of a motion picture, video image, or still image either electronically, photo-chemically or digitally. The photo-chemical process is also referred to as color timing and is typically performed at a photographic...
like the Da Vinci Systems
Da Vinci Systems
da Vinci Systems is a main manufacturer of high-end post-production color grading and film restoration systems for feature films, video production and broadcast post-production facilities...
888. The units also had an optional analog output. The film path was similar to the Spirit Datacine, but this was the only similarity. FDL 90 and Quadra used a three Fairchild CCD 181 CCDs. Both had an optional Pal/NTSC switchable option. Both were 3/4 perf switchable. Many FDL-90 were updated to have the Quadra electronic circuit cards improvements. A true Quadra had a new capstan position closer to the film gate and with a blue color deck.
FLH 1000
In 1994 the FLH-1000 was demonstrated by BTS inc.Broadcast Television Systems Inc.
Broadcast Television Systems was a joint venture between Robert Bosch GmbH's Fernseh Division and Philips Broadcast in Breda, Netherlands formed in 1986.- History :...
. This unit was never released for sale. This was the first HDTV telecine. The FLH-1000 was improved - resigned and released as the SDC 2000 - Spirit DataCine. The Scanning system and CCDs were made by Kodak in New York. FLH-1000 and Spirit DataCine were a joint effort between Philips and Eastman Kodak. Beta sites for the FLH-1000 were: Producers Color in the Detroit and Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
SDC 2000 Spirit DataCine
In 1996 Philips, working with Kodak, introduced the Spirit DataCine (SDC 2000), which was capable of scanning the film image at HDTV resolutions and approaching 2KDisplay resolution
The display resolution of a digital television or display device is the number of distinct pixels in each dimension that can be displayed. It can be an ambiguous term especially as the displayed resolution is controlled by all different factors in cathode ray tube , flat panel or projection...
(1920 Luminance and 960 Chrominace RGB) x 1556 RGB. The SDC 2000 Spirit DataCine uses two physical CCD, one for Chrominace and one for Detail/Luminance. The unit used two CCDs for improved Signal to Noise
Signal-to-noise ratio
Signal-to-noise ratio is a measure used in science and engineering that compares the level of a desired signal to the level of background noise. It is defined as the ratio of signal power to the noise power. A ratio higher than 1:1 indicates more signal than noise...
ratio. Inside the Luminance CCD are 4 electrical CCDs. In side the Chrominace are 3 electrical CCDs: red, green and blue. With the data option the Spirit DataCine can be used as a motion picture film scanner
Motion picture film scanner
A motion picture film scanner is a device used in digital filmmaking to scan original film for storage as high-resolution digital intermediate files.A film scanner scans original film stock: negative or positive print or reversal/IP...
outputting 2K DPX
DPX
Digital Picture Exchange is a common file format for digital intermediate and visual effects work and is an ANSI/SMPTE standard...
data file
Data file
A data file is a computer file which stores data to use by a computer application or system. It generally does not refer to files that contain instructions or code to be executed , or to files which define the operation or structure of an application or system ; but specifically to information...
s as 2048 x 1556 RGB. The normal input data file standard is DPX
DPX
Digital Picture Exchange is a common file format for digital intermediate and visual effects work and is an ANSI/SMPTE standard...
. The data files are often used in DI - digital intermediate
Digital intermediate
Digital intermediate is a motion picture finishing process which classically involves digitizing a motion picture and manipulating the color and other image characteristics. It often replaces or augments the photochemical timing process and is usually the final creative adjustment to a movie...
post-production using a film recorder
Film recorder
A Film Recorder is a graphical output device for transferring digital images to photographic film.All film recorders typically work in the same manner. The image is fed from a host computer as a raster stream over a digital interface...
for film-out
Film-out
Film-out is the process in the computer graphics, video production and filmmaking disciplines of transferring images or animation from videotape or digital files to a traditional film print...
. The control room
Control room
A control room is a room serving as an operations centre where a facility or service can be monitored and controlled. Examples include:*in television production, the master control is the technical hub of a broadcast operation common among most over-the-air television stations, television networks...
for the telecine is called the color suite
Color suite
Color suite also called a Color bay or a Telecine suite or Color correction bay. Color suite is the control room for color grading video in a post production environment. The video source could be from: a telecine, a Video tape recorder , a motion picture film scanner, virtual telecine or a Direct...
or sometimes a color bay. In a two years time span the Spirit DataCine took over the number one spot of telecines from Rank Cintel
Cintel
Cintel International Ltd is a British company, based in Ware, Hertfordshire,SG12 0AE, which specialises in the design and manufacture of professional post-production equipment, for transcribing film into video or data formats...
.
- The 1998 movie PleasantvillePleasantville (film)Pleasantville is a 1998 American fantasy comedy-drama film written, produced, and directed by Gary Ross. The film stars Tobey Maguire, Reese Witherspoon, William H. Macy, Joan Allen, Marley Shelton and Jeff Daniels. Don Knotts, Paul Walker, Jane Kaczmarek, and J. T. Walsh are also featured.The film...
was the first digital intermediate film scanned on a Spirit DataCine. This process produced the mix of B&W and color pictures. The 2000 movie O Brother, Where Art Thou?O Brother, Where Art Thou?O Brother, Where Art Thou? is a 2000 comedy film directed by Joel and Ethan Coen and starring George Clooney, John Turturro, Tim Blake Nelson, John Goodman, Holly Hunter, and Charles Durning. Set in 1937 rural Mississippi during the Great Depression, the film's story is a modern satire loosely...
was scanned with Spirit Datacine, color corrected with a VDC-2000 using a Pandora Int. Pogle Color Corrector with MegaDEF. A Kodak Lightning II film recorder was used to put the data output back to film. This process changed the greens to a green-yellow color.
Specter - VDC - Virtual DataCine
In 1999 Philips introduces the Specter the first virtual telecineVirtual telecine
A virtual telecine is a piece of video equipment that can play back data files in real time. The colorist-video operator controls the virtual telecine like a normal telecine, although without controls like focus and framing. The data files can be from a Spirit DataCine, motion picture film scanner...
. It is able to color correct, re-size and grain reduce 2k DPX files in real time. Used in DI work and to make multiple video formats off one film transfer scan (PAL, NTSC, Pan scan, letter box…). This was accomplished by playing the DPX files back through the Spirit Datacine’s process electronics and a Pandora International
Pandora International
Pandora International is a maker of hardware and software. Pandora International devices are able to color correct video and 16mm and 35mm motion picture film transfered through it'sdevices. Pandora International is based in Greenhithe, Kent, England....
's MegaDef Colour Correction system.
SDC 2001 Spirit DataCine
In 1999 the SDC 2001 replaced the SDC 2000, the SDC 2001 had the addition of an optional 6 vector resolution independent color corrector. An optional RGB resolution independent film grain reducer also became available for both the SDC 2000 and SDCs 2001 called the Scream film grain reducer. Scream film grain reducer is a resolution independent three channel RGB grain reducer. Scream can be used on the Spirit DataCine and the VDC. Also in 2000 the first D6 HDTV VTRD6 HDTV VTR
D6 HDTV VTR is SMPTE videotape standard. A D6 VTR can record and playback HDTV video uncompressed. The only D6 VTR product is the Philips, now Thomson's Grass Valley's Media Recorder, model DCR 6024, also called the D6 Voodoo VTR. The VTR was a joint project between Philips Digital Video Systems...
is shown.
Shadow
In 2000 the Shadow telecine was demonstrated by Philips. The Shadow (STE) is a Spirit DataCine without a Kodak front end (lens, optics and CCDs). This made for lower cost telecine transfers, good for SDTV and HDTV.SDC 2002 Spirit DataCine
In 2003 the SDC 2002 replaced the SDC 2001, the SDC 2002 had the addition of being GSN data output ready. Data interface, GSN-Gigabit EthernetGigabit Ethernet
Gigabit Ethernet is a term describing various technologies for transmitting Ethernet frames at a rate of a gigabit per second , as defined by the IEEE 802.3-2008 standard. It came into use beginning in 1999, gradually supplanting Fast Ethernet in wired local networks where it performed...
fiber Optic has speeds up to 30 frame/s at 2k. Also a Color Graphical Control (GCP) panel now came standard and replaced the monochrome functional control panel (FCP).
SDC 2k Spirit DataCine
In 2005 SDC 2K http://www.dft-film.com/scanners/spirit_2k.php Spirit DataCine was demonstrated by of Thomson's Grass Valley, The Scanning optic system are made by Kodak in NY. The CCD are made in Canada. SDC 2k has a full 2k (2048) RGB resolutionImage resolution
Image resolution is an umbrella term that describes the detail an image holds. The term applies to raster digital images, film images, and other types of images. Higher resolution means more image detail....
. Like the SDC 200x the unit is made in Germany. SDC 2K Spirit DataCine uses three physical CCDs: red, green and blue. The SDC 2K Spirit DataCine could be configured as just a data scanner outputed on a GSN fiber Optic with speeds up to 30 frame/s at 2k or just a video telecine (with a spatial processor) or both. The DPX
DPX
Digital Picture Exchange is a common file format for digital intermediate and visual effects work and is an ANSI/SMPTE standard...
data file
Data file
A data file is a computer file which stores data to use by a computer application or system. It generally does not refer to files that contain instructions or code to be executed , or to files which define the operation or structure of an application or system ; but specifically to information...
s are outputted to a Bones Lunix
LUnix
LUnix, short for "Little Unix", is a Unix-like operating system designed to run natively on the Commodore 64 and Commodore 128 home computer systems. It supports TCP/IP networking...
workstation
Workstation
A workstation is a high-end microcomputer designed for technical or scientific applications. Intended primarily to be used by one person at a time, they are commonly connected to a local area network and run multi-user operating systems...
that is connected to a SAN.
SDC 4k Spirit DataCine
Same as the SDC 2K http://www.dft-film.com/scanners/spirit_2k.php Spirit DataCine but with the optional 4kDigital cinema
Digital cinema refers to the use of digital technology to distribute and project motion pictures. A movie can be distributed via hard drives, optical disks or satellite and projected using a digital projector instead of a conventional film projector...
(4096) data scanning CCD. It can output 4k DPX files at 8 frames per second, SAN speed permitting. With the optional scaler the 4k CCD output could be used as an oversampled 2k output. The unit can also output 16 bit data.
SDC HD Spirit DataCine
In 2007 the SDC HD http://www.dft-film.com/scanners/spirit_hd.php Spirit DataCine, that is similar to the SDC 2K Spirit DataCine and SDC 4K Spirit DataCine was introduced. The SDC HD can output HD and SDTV video from rack 2. As the spatial processor is now part of rack 2, eliminating the need for the many electronic cards in rack 3 . The Data interface output is now using infinibandInfiniBand
InfiniBand is a switched fabric communications link used in high-performance computing and enterprise data centers. Its features include high throughput, low latency, quality of service and failover, and it is designed to be scalable...
fiber Optic, rather than GSN.
Bones Dailies
In 2007 Bones Dailies was introduced, a LinuxLinux
Linux is a Unix-like computer operating system assembled under the model of free and open source software development and distribution. The defining component of any Linux system is the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released October 5, 1991 by Linus Torvalds...
non-linear post production software system. Bones Dailies can control all dailies production process: ingest to a SAN, up to 30 frame/s - faster than real-time and make color-graded Dailies masters. It has an audio ingest, audio syncing, ASC CDL
ASC CDL
The American Society of Cinematographers Color Decision List is a format for the exchange of basic primary color grading information between equipment and software from different manufacturers. The format defines the math for three functions: Slope, Offset and Power...
based primary, and secondary color-correction. It will work in multiple formats: SD, HD, or 2K-4k material and can ingest content from the Spirit DataCine or other devices like video tape or digital acquisition cameras. Bones can be also be used in a virtual telecine
Virtual telecine
A virtual telecine is a piece of video equipment that can play back data files in real time. The colorist-video operator controls the virtual telecine like a normal telecine, although without controls like focus and framing. The data files can be from a Spirit DataCine, motion picture film scanner...
mode.
- Bones ingest was introduced in 2004 and was the replacement to PTE – Phantom Transfer Engine software the ran on a SGISilicon GraphicsSilicon Graphics, Inc. was a manufacturer of high-performance computing solutions, including computer hardware and software, founded in 1981 by Jim Clark...
- IRIXIRIXIRIX is a computer operating system developed by Silicon Graphics, Inc. to run natively on their 32- and 64-bit MIPS architecture workstations and servers. It was based on UNIX System V with BSD extensions. IRIX was the first operating system to include the XFS file system.The last major version...
platform. Ingest (Bones or PTE) software is used to transfer the DPX data files from the DataCine to a SAN.
Scanity
DFT - Digital Film Technology revealed its newest film scanner at the 2009 NAB ShowNational Association of Broadcasters
The National Association of Broadcasters is a trade association, workers union, and lobby group representing the interests of for-profit, over-the-air radio and television broadcasters in the United States...
, Scanity http://www.dft-film.com/scanners/scanity.php. Scanity uses Time Delay Integration (TDI)
Time Delay and Integration
A time delay and integration charge-coupled device is widely used for observation of high speed moving objects undetectable by classic CCD...
line sensors and FPGA
Field-programmable gate array
A field-programmable gate array is an integrated circuit designed to be configured by the customer or designer after manufacturing—hence "field-programmable"...
image processing. Scantiy uses a continuous film transport servo system, using a capstan and a LED
LEd
LEd is a TeX/LaTeX editing software working under Microsoft Windows. It is a freeware product....
light source. Transfer speeds are up to: 15 frame/s @ 4K, 25 frame/s @ 2K, 44 frame/s @ 1K, 69 frame/s @ 0,5K, 96 frame/s @ 0,25K. Scanity LED light sources is variable and programmable. Like all the telecines above it uses a continuous motion capstan film transport. New for scanity is the use of a infrared
Infrared
Infrared light is electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength longer than that of visible light, measured from the nominal edge of visible red light at 0.74 micrometres , and extending conventionally to 300 µm...
CCD channel for dirt mapping. Scantiy has a new optical audio scanning option for 16mm and 35mm, also 16 mag strip audio.
Flexxity
On September 5, 2011 DFT announced a new product Flexxity. Flexxity is a suite of software for a host of post production applications. Flexxity can process DPX, R3D, ARRIRAW, QuickTime clips, stereoscopic 3D support with stereo color matching and parallax adjustments, left and right eye synchronization and more. Flexxity has a unique fast image and audio synchronization feature.- Flexxity Playout:
Playout that converts DPX, Quicktime and raw digital camera clips and creates a master for playout as video, DPX, and SD or Hd video. Other feature are timeline editing, EDL on-line conforming, and optional color correction, and image resizing.
- Flexxity Dailies:
Flexxity Dailies can be used on-set or as a post production tool for digital and film dailies. Flexxity Dailies image and audio synchronization feature, with the easy to use timeline editing, and parallel workflows gives high throughput and more efficiency.
- Flexxity Archive:
Flexxity Archive software provides an easy interface for operators to access archived material from SAN disk storage and also can input film DPX files from film scanners. Flexxity Archive helps quality control of archive material. Flexxity Archive has scratch and dirt removal retouching capabilities, Grain reduction, and image contouring. Many of these feature can be add to Flexxity Playout and Flexxity Dailies.
Spirit DataCine Awards
- 1997-1998 Outstanding Achievement in Technical/Engineering Development Awards from National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences; Development of a High Resolution Digital Film Scanner Eastman Kodak and Philips Germany.
- 1996 National Association of BroadcastersNational Association of BroadcastersThe National Association of Broadcasters is a trade association, workers union, and lobby group representing the interests of for-profit, over-the-air radio and television broadcasters in the United States...
- NAB, Editors’ Pick of Show. - 1996 ITS(Imaging Technology and Sound), International Monitor Award
- 1996 IBC, International Broadcasting Editors Award, International Broadcasting ConventionInternational Broadcasting ConventionThe International Broadcasting Convention, more commonly known by its acronym IBC, is an annual trade show for broadcasters, content creators/providers, equipment manufacturers, professional and technical associations, and other participants in the Broadcasting industry...
- 1997 Film and Video, 1997 Most Valued Product.
- 1998 Academy of Television Arts and Science / Los Angeles Primetime Emmy AwardEmmy AwardAn Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
- 1999 International Monitor Award
- 2009 Scanity Film Scanner was awarded the Outstanding Product Award in the Digital Film and Cinema category by BIRTV.
- 2010 Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Award: Scientific and Engineering Awards to Volker Massmann, Markus Hasenzahl, Dr. Klaus Anderle and Andreas Loew for the development of the Spirit 4K/2K film scanning system as used in the digital intermediate process for motion pictures.
- 2010 Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Award:• Technical Achievement Awardsto Dr. Klaus Anderle, Christian Baeker and Frank Billasch for their contributions to the LUTher 3D look-up-table hardware device and color management software.
See also
- Film ChainFilm chainA film chain or film island is a television - Professional video camera with one or more projectors aligned into the photographic lens of the camera. With two or more projectors a system of front-surface mirrors that can pop-up are used in a multiplexer. These mirrors switch different projectors...
- Digital film
- Digital cinemaDigital cinemaDigital cinema refers to the use of digital technology to distribute and project motion pictures. A movie can be distributed via hard drives, optical disks or satellite and projected using a digital projector instead of a conventional film projector...
- Direct to Disk RecordingDirect to Disk RecordingDirect-to-disk recording refers to methods by which analog signals and digital signals such as digital audio and digital video are digitally recorded to optical disc recording technologies such as DVDs, and CD optical discs...
- Hard disk recorderHard disk recorderA hard disk recorder is a type of direct to disk recording system that uses a high-capacity hard disk to record digital audio or digital video. Hard disk recording systems represent an alternative to more traditional reel-to-reel tape or cassette multitrack systems, and provide editing...
- Factors causing HDTV Blur.HDTV blurHDTV blur is a common term used to describe a number of different artifacts on modern consumer high-definition television sets.The following factors are generally the primary or secondary causes of HDTV blur; in some cases more than one of these factors may be in play at the studio or receiver end...
- Da Vinci SystemsDa Vinci Systemsda Vinci Systems is a main manufacturer of high-end post-production color grading and film restoration systems for feature films, video production and broadcast post-production facilities...
- Pandora InternationalPandora InternationalPandora International is a maker of hardware and software. Pandora International devices are able to color correct video and 16mm and 35mm motion picture film transfered through it'sdevices. Pandora International is based in Greenhithe, Kent, England....
- Color gradingColor gradingColor grading or colour painting, is the process of altering and enhancing the color of a motion picture, video image, or still image either electronically, photo-chemically or digitally. The photo-chemical process is also referred to as color timing and is typically performed at a photographic...
and editing systems. - CintelCintelCintel International Ltd is a British company, based in Ware, Hertfordshire,SG12 0AE, which specialises in the design and manufacture of professional post-production equipment, for transcribing film into video or data formats...
telecine equipment. - Color suiteColor suiteColor suite also called a Color bay or a Telecine suite or Color correction bay. Color suite is the control room for color grading video in a post production environment. The video source could be from: a telecine, a Video tape recorder , a motion picture film scanner, virtual telecine or a Direct...
- For means of putting video on film, see telerecording (UK) and kinescopeKinescopeKinescope , shortened to kine , also known as telerecording in Britain, is a recording of a television program made by filming the picture from a video monitor...
(US).
External links and references
- Facebook Scanity page
- DFT Digital Film Technology - Manufacturer of CCD based telecines and data scanners
- History of Telecines
- tig for colorist
- "FDL 60-Progress in Film Scanning Using CCD Sensors and Digital Processing", D. Poetsch et al., `International Broadcast Engineer`, Jan. 1981, pp. 47–49.