8mm Forum: Unusual optical sound recording

This is topic Unusual optical sound recording in forum 16mm Forum at 8mm Forum.

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Posted by Keith Wilson (Member # 4888) on August 21, 2018, 03:56 PM:

i have a 16mm sound film that has a unilateral variable area optical sound recording, Its a single sided wavy line and not a double sided is it a uncommon optical recording ?
the film is Damsel in Distress with Fred Astaire, has any one else got a copy, if so has it got the same sound recording

Posted by Kenneth Horan (Member # 3) on August 21, 2018, 07:58 PM:

This unilateral variable area sound track you describe is an original RCA Photophone recording from the early 1930's. By 1934 the RCA Victor 'High Fidelity' System used a single bilateral variable area record. Variable density soundtracks are Movietone, Western Electric, Powers Cinephone and British Acoustic Film. The newer and more common dual bilateral variable area tracks are Westrex. There were other systems that used variable area and/or variable density records as well, but those mentioned above are the most common. I hope this information is helpful.

Posted by Winbert Hutahaean (Member # 58) on August 21, 2018, 08:33 PM:

With that type of optical sound recording, will the usual projector can still read the sound?

Posted by Nantawat Kittiwarakul (Member # 6050) on August 21, 2018, 09:53 PM:

Variable density/area,unilateral/bilateral,single/dual track - all should be readable on any projector provided that it's properly aligned. [Wink]

Posted by Maurice Leakey (Member # 916) on August 22, 2018, 02:57 AM:

My copy 0f "A Damsel In Distress" has a single bilateral sound track.

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