Ultra Stereo
Encyclopedia
Ultra Stereo is a cinematographic sound system that was developed by the year 1984
Film Journal International August 1999, p. 34 in competition to the predominant format, Dolby Stereo
, by former employees of that company. It is a 4/2/4 photographic sound encoding and decoding procedure that has the same technical basic data, and similar audio quality, as its competitor. Four channels of information (Left, Center
, Right and Surround
) are matrix-encoded into two optical soundtracks on 35 mm
theatrical release prints, occupying the same area of the film which previously held the monophonic soundtrack. The matrix-encoded track is decoded by the cinema processor in the theater during exhibition. As of 2011, 1029 titles are listed on the Internet Movie Database
as using this format, a high percentage of which are low-budget and independent films.
Ultra Stereo Labs (USL), which had been concentrating on the manufacture of sound equipment for studio screening rooms, was drawn into the exhibition-end of the business quite by chance. A theater owner asked USL if they could produce a theatrical stereo sound system. The company developed a cinema processor, but according to USL founder Jack Cashin, nobody at USL was very happy with the performance of the unit. The "perfection bug" hit and over the next several years they kept improving it and eventually placed the processor in a couple of theaters and USL began getting interest in it. Specifically the USL cinema processor achieved greater channel separation than had been possible up to that time. Also, a balancing circuit was included which took care of film weave and some of the imbalances between the left and right soundtracks, a common problem with early optical systems, which caused voice leakage into the surround channel. For making improvements in film sound Ultra Stereo Labs won a Technical Achievement Award from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
in 1984.
Soon thereafter USL also became involved in encoding movie soundtracks. Since they had been manufacturing studio equipment for quite some time, people asked the company to develop encoding equipment for making print masters. Films encoded in Ultra Stereo can be also decoded on Dolby Cinema processors, as it was designed to be compatible with Dolby Stereo
(with A-Type noise reduction) prints.
The Ultra Stereo JS series model 105/195 unit introduced a six channel discrete input module (JFM-20 SR) circa 1993 which creates a THX
approved 5.1 surround field. This is a line level input that can accept the output from a DVD
player with 5.1 discrete channel outputs. However, the JS series was eventually discontinued in favor of later models.
Film Journal International August 1999, p. 34 in competition to the predominant format, Dolby Stereo
Dolby Stereo
Dolby Stereo, is the trade mark that Dolby Laboratories used for the various analogue stereo cinema sound formats that they produced.Two basic systems used this name. The first was the 'Dolby SVA' system used with optical soundtracks on 35mm film...
, by former employees of that company. It is a 4/2/4 photographic sound encoding and decoding procedure that has the same technical basic data, and similar audio quality, as its competitor. Four channels of information (Left, Center
Center channel
Center channel refers to an audio channel common to many surround sound formats. It is the channel that is mostly, or fully, dedicated to the reproduction of the dialogue of an audiovisual program...
, Right and Surround
Surround channels
Surround channels are audio channels in surround sound multichannel audio. They primarily serve to deliver ambience and diffuse sounds in a film or music soundtrack...
) are matrix-encoded into two optical soundtracks on 35 mm
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...
theatrical release prints, occupying the same area of the film which previously held the monophonic soundtrack. The matrix-encoded track is decoded by the cinema processor in the theater during exhibition. As of 2011, 1029 titles are listed on the Internet Movie Database
Internet Movie Database
Internet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...
as using this format, a high percentage of which are low-budget and independent films.
Ultra Stereo Labs (USL), which had been concentrating on the manufacture of sound equipment for studio screening rooms, was drawn into the exhibition-end of the business quite by chance. A theater owner asked USL if they could produce a theatrical stereo sound system. The company developed a cinema processor, but according to USL founder Jack Cashin, nobody at USL was very happy with the performance of the unit. The "perfection bug" hit and over the next several years they kept improving it and eventually placed the processor in a couple of theaters and USL began getting interest in it. Specifically the USL cinema processor achieved greater channel separation than had been possible up to that time. Also, a balancing circuit was included which took care of film weave and some of the imbalances between the left and right soundtracks, a common problem with early optical systems, which caused voice leakage into the surround channel. For making improvements in film sound Ultra Stereo Labs won a Technical Achievement Award from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is a professional honorary organization dedicated to the advancement of the arts and sciences of motion pictures...
in 1984.
Soon thereafter USL also became involved in encoding movie soundtracks. Since they had been manufacturing studio equipment for quite some time, people asked the company to develop encoding equipment for making print masters. Films encoded in Ultra Stereo can be also decoded on Dolby Cinema processors, as it was designed to be compatible with Dolby Stereo
Dolby Stereo
Dolby Stereo, is the trade mark that Dolby Laboratories used for the various analogue stereo cinema sound formats that they produced.Two basic systems used this name. The first was the 'Dolby SVA' system used with optical soundtracks on 35mm film...
(with A-Type noise reduction) prints.
The Ultra Stereo JS series model 105/195 unit introduced a six channel discrete input module (JFM-20 SR) circa 1993 which creates a THX
THX
THX is a trade name of a high-fidelity audio/visual reproduction standard for movie theaters, screening rooms, home theaters, computer speakers, gaming consoles, and car audio systems. The current THX was created in 2001 when it spun off from Lucasfilm Ltd...
approved 5.1 surround field. This is a line level input that can accept the output from a 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....
player with 5.1 discrete channel outputs. However, the JS series was eventually discontinued in favor of later models.