8mm Forum: no sound

This is topic no sound in forum 8mm Forum at 8mm Forum.

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Posted by David Wilmot (Member # 4133) on January 31, 2014, 05:38 PM:

Hi Guys,
I am new to this and I have a problem.
I have OLD family super 8 film and an old Bell and Howell Model 489 Filmosound 8 projector.
I have no manual and I can't find one on the web but it runs fine except NO sound.
There is a hum from the speaker which gets louder as the volume is turned up.
I assume that the sound is magnetic like an old cassette tape.
If correct might the heads be dirty and is there any way they can be cleaned by say running a piece of special cleaning film through if there is such an animal. As I said, new to 8mm.
Any advice on how I can get the sound working or should I cut and run and find one that works. I want to get the sound off this film and add it to a digital copy of the film which was done without sound.
Thanks
D W

Posted by Steve Klare (Member # 12) on January 31, 2014, 07:24 PM:

Hi David,

Are you sure you have sound film? Most family movies are silent.

If they are talkies you should be able to see either one or two brown magnetic stripes at the very edges of the film.

These are the most obvious in light colored or clear lengths of film.

If they are sound the easy thing to try is to operate various sound related switches and see if maybe they've built up oxides while in storage.

Posted by Maurice Leakey (Member # 916) on February 01, 2014, 02:23 AM:

This projector was made by Eumig and a manual is on line from Film-Tech. Click on my link and go to 8mm projectors, and then down to Eumig S810 series. Note that the manual also covers the "D" model which is dual gauge.
http://www.film-tech.com/warehouse/index.php?category=2#8mm Projectors
If you have established that you have a film with magnetic sound, try operating the record button on the left/rear side a few times. Do not operate with a film in the projector as it could delete some of the existing sound track.

Posted by Vidar Olavesen (Member # 3354) on February 01, 2014, 02:30 AM:

If it's a dual, isn't there a S and N switch under the cover? It's on my Mark-S 710D and won't give sound on Super 8 if it's set to N

Posted by Maurice Leakey (Member # 916) on February 01, 2014, 02:45 AM:

It is not a dual-gauge.
http://www.super8data.com/database/projectors_list/projectors_bell/bell_489.htm

Posted by David Wilmot (Member # 4133) on February 02, 2014, 06:51 PM:

Hello All,
Thanks for your responses and apologies for not getting back sooner.
As to my film having sound or not I know it had sound as it was there back in the late 80's when I ran it on my original projector and I do have the oxide strips running down both sides of the film. Narrow on the sprocket edge wider on the other edge.

I have looked at the EUMIG S810 and it seems almost identical except for a couple of bits inside but in reading the instructions it occurs to me that I may have inadvertently wiped the sound and there is no way to check unless I have a projector with KNOWN sound operating?
The Bell 895 is exactly how mine looks.
Coming back to sound. I am not sure when running a film with sound should the recording switch (the right hand one) be turned all the way to the right until it clicks, which I would assume is the Off recording position.
And lastly ain't it ironic. Had I had this problem 22 years ago when I lived in Bristol I now know where I could go for help!!!

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