Wolverine-Hawkeye Telecine

[Richard Ivakitch]

Hi Stan, I am like Chuck and have been following this thread for a bit and ready to start diving in. I was hoping as well there would be a kit to buy. Please let me know if there is such a thing. I have my own camera already.
Thanks

[Bradley Moon]

Hello Everyone. I've enjoyed reading through the archived and this current forum. There's a lot of great work going on here!

I have a few questions, I hope you can guide me on the correct course of action.

I'm using a stock Wolverine Reels2Digital Moviemaker (not the pro version). I want to scan the movies with zero magnification, images centered, low sharpness and -0.5 light. After the scan, I want to take the footage into a video editor so that I can scale and block the footage, basically keeping the 4:3 ratio, so this will block off the top and bottom margins and of course the extra left and right. Also, change the framerate per Super 8 or 8mm.

So it looks like my best option would be to flash the firmware to the 1080x1440 firmware located here:
http://retromania.pandelground.com/w...tal-moviemaker

Will this firmware work with my version of the Wolverine?
Do you feel this is the best resolution for my needs?
Is there a different firmware I should be aware of?

Thanks again for your help!

[Stan Jelavic]

Hi Richard and Bradley. I sent you a private message Richard. Suggesting to go with the projector and possibly a microscope camera. There are several posts here claiming good results with the microscope that is pretty ow budget. Will dig those posts out.
Not sure Bradley, some people had issues with the upgraded firmware. Maybe post the question there.

[Stan Jelavic]

Sorry it took so long.
This project uses the RPI with the microscope lens
https://tscann8.torulf.com/index.html
https://shop.pimoroni.com/products/m...31885093371987
Tony's project
https://8mmforum.film-tech.com/vbb/f...ping-it-simple
Here is another one
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJ8Fry9BgdE

[Chuck Tsocanos]

Can I ask people with the UX226 camera to share what settings they are using in IC Capture?
Im scanning Super 8mm, but not terribly happy with exposure settings using similar settings to STan's newbie guide v13. But some of the film was originally shot with improper lighting so may try to use post-processing to fix that rather than overexposing the scan.

Is anyone else here having stability problems with virtualdub2+avisynth+videofred scripts throwing memory errors? Last time I used this stuff was c onverting interlaced DV and 3:2 pulldown years ago back on Wind XP/7. Now on windows 10 x64, I'm getting intermittent memory errors running Option4.avs, with the scanned resolution is RGB32 2560x1920. As much as I love Avisynth, using 10+ year old 32 bit DLLs seems like its in need of a refreshed approach.

Im going to try this "LAA" version of virtualdub2 that is patched to address 3-4GB but still 32bit version of latest build. https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/...ing-virtualdub

I may also try Groucho's installer and use the MT (multi-threaded) version of Avisynth 32bit (option 4) - see here https://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?t=172124

One big tip for those struggling with Avisynth/Videofred on Windows 10 - certain 32 bit DLLs must be copied into SysWOW64. I moved fftw3.dll and also had to find and copy 2 other DLLs there.

These 2 additional DLLs (msvcp71 and msvcr71) were downloaded from here and placed into SysWOW64: https://www.addictivetips.com/window...-in-windows-7/

Lastly a quick a lightweight way to play AVS files is using mediaplayerclassic - https://mpc-hc.org/

See this link for supporting details https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/...-on-Windows-10

[Patrik Olsson]

HI Stan

I am new at this board and has as many else here a box full of old 8 mm and super 8 film. I have been reading about the Hawkeye and seen pictures here on the board that looks
great compared to Wolverine original. I recently started to look for ways of digitize all these films and found the Wolverine Moviemaker Pro which I am going to buy since I cant find anything better for the money with the Hawkeye upgrade installed.
I wonder if there is any possibility that you help me with a "Hawkeye" kit to upgrade the Wolverine?


Kind regards
Patrik

[Stan Jelavic]

Hi Patrik,
I can definitely help you here. The Hawkeye kit is still available but I am getting it assembled in China. It is just too much soldering for my old eyes and hands. I will let you know when the kit is available and the price. The price may come down with the automated assembly but not sure yet.
Best regards
Stan

[David Brown]

Hey Stan, you must be typing with 2 keyboards, the forums look busy and your name is on most of the threads!!!

Just thought I look in. I've still not resumed my last project. Too much Christmas.

I noticed someone above, #1487, going down the firmware rabbit hole and tried to warn him though it's been a month. I went there before finding Hawkeye. Yes the stock Wolverine captures look bad, but the modified firmware makes it worse.

Happy New Year

Dave

[Stan Jelavic]

Every room in my house has a keyboard Dave . Just trying to help any way I can. But must admit, it is getting hard to keep track of everything. Yes the modified firmware is not the right way to go. I looked into that as well several years back and really struggled with it. In any case let me know when you are ready to continue with the projects. I am currently trying to help the Workprinter owners with the sw. It is coming along pretty good.

[Rick Boyer]

I had kinda the same issue. The film would move 3 frames, then skip a frame and continue. The reason I had that issue was I did not have both sides of the film under those 3 very small tabs . On my unit two black tabs in the front and one white in the back to hold the film in place. Fixed my issue. Manual is not real clear, because it is easy to miss. And hard to see on the editor. Make sure you have adequate light aimed, so you can see those two tabs.

[Jacek Kropinski]

David, I had a nasty jitter and slippage with my old Wolverine and completely fixed the issue. Just wanted to let you know before I compile the pics and instructions. IT is a bit involved. The issue is with cam wear. The metal shroud that goes over the plastic claw part has a nice little groove in it and this limits the amount of claw travel.
Fix, wrap a piece of aluminum tape over the claw return side (the side that causes claw retraction). This is a low force side causing less tape wear.
Pics and instructions to follow.

Just ran a whole reel at 2 FPS and not a single claw slippage. The scanner also sounds different, sounds like my grandma's desk clock just clicking faster. Very quiet actually.

Stan Jelavic I bought a used Wolverine to experiment with and scanned the first 50ft quietly and flawlessly (great quality aside). The next reel I put on, and every subsequent reel, I have a loud knocking noise and slippage - inability to advance. To me, this sounds exactly like the issue you fixed above. I read many blogs about the film being manufactured too wide or split unequally badly, but I don't think that is the issue because it will do one section of a reel and then not the next. And if I put the same reel back on from the beginning, it starts slipping in the very same place. These reels' sprockets may have been damaged over the years also.

So I took the Wolverine apart and couldn't see anything overtly amiss, but the knocking was coming from the advance-claw 'gearbox' under the stepper motor.
I was nervous to take apart that whole 'gearbox' on the stepper, without knowing what I was doing. How do you take the gears off the stepper to reach the claw? Are they simply pressed on? Do you think this may be my issue? When I put it together again it was very quiet as at first. But 5ft later, started the knocking and no claw advance.
The machine doesn't appear to be that old or even much used - it even smells new. And it is a newer 720P model with a stepper motor on the take-up reel. But I did buy it on eBay as a 'customer return'.

Any advice would be most welcome. Thank you!

[Stan Jelavic]

Hi Jacek,
Check if the folded paper fixes this.
https://www.wolverinedata.com/assets..._Film_test.pdf
Also adjusting in the screws on the gate cover can reduce the pressure on the film and help.

If the knocking is present even without the film loaded then it is most likely the cam wear or alignment issue. You can also inspect under the gate two optical detectors that are connected to the claw mechanism. s the claw moves it moves the two optical detector prongs that slide into the optical detector gap. One of them tells the camera when to take the picture and the other one is to provide the film format info to the controller (S8 vs R8).
If one of these is misaligned or damaged it could be hitting the optical detector and producing clicking noise. But this is less likely.
The other possibility is that the claw stopper is not set up right. There is a screw on the side of the transport enclosure to adjust this. On some units they use a plastic stopper instead of the screw. The screw is usually sealed and you have to break the seal to readjust it. If the screw is not set right the claw travels too far and partially jams and then snaps back. You can slide the gear off of the stepper shaft. It is pressed in. Be careful though. Go slowly pulling it from one side and the other side step by step. When you open the unit you can manually rotate the shaft and check if it is jamming.
Could be warn claw surfaces.
BTW, when opening the transport check for small parts and there are small transparent plastic washers and a spring. Easy to lose these.
Also worn out cam surfaces add additional friction and could cause the stepper to skip.
Dirt in the transport.

Sometimes it could be damaged main stepper motor bracket which makes it crooked.
Possibly change the power adapter to 2 Amp.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00Q2E5IXW
Hope this helps
Stan

[Jacek Kropinski]

Hi Jacek,
Check if the folded paper fixes this.
https://www.wolverinedata.com/assets..._Film_test.pdf
Also adjusting in the screws on the gate cover can reduce the pressure on the film and help.

Thank you, Stan Stan Jelavic
The folded paper trick is the first thing I unsuccessfully tried, and then adjusting the screws.
I couldn't really get to them, which is why I disassembled it. I found that instead of the recommended 1/4 turn they had been screwed in all the way by the previous owner - so even with minimum pressure on the plate it is still knocking- intermittently. Which is probably why they returned it.

It's the intermittency which makes me think something is out of whack rather than worn - otherwise, why would it do some reels without a problem, then part of a reel with no problem, and then knock with or without film? If the cam is worn, it would knock all the time, wouldn't it? It's a really loud, repetitive knock that vibrates the whole machine - it sounds like a woodpecker. So I doubt it's a sensor being hit by the claw. Seems more like a slipping gear. Or dirt in the transport as you suggest.

When I removed the stepper motor, the main shaft and gear would not rotate. As I mentioned, I was worried about how far to disassemble, but now with your expert advice I'll dig deeper.

And thank you for the warning on the plastic washers and springs - I already lost them without knowing and found them quite by accident when reassembling.

I REALLY appreciate your expertise and help.
Thank you.

[Stan Jelavic]

Hi Jacek,
Does the transport exhibit the same issue if the film is not loaded.
If so then it is definitely an issue in the transport mechanism.
Worn out cam can cause intermittent issues. Runs OK for a while and then it stutters.
Also excessive wear on shaft guide holes.
If you open up the unit again try to rotate the cam itself and check if binding.
Here is a similar issue that we discussed in the forum:
https://8mmforum.film-tech.com/vbb/f...nd-the-jitters

[Jacek Kropinski]

Hi Jacek,
Does the transport exhibit the same issue if the film is not loaded.
If so then it is definitely an issue in the transport mechanism.

Yes, Stan Jelavic it does exhibit the same issue when no film is loaded.
It's an almost new machine so unlikely that the cam is worn out or excessive wear on guides.
It's starnge in that it will do sections of a reel perfectly and then jitter/knock no matter what I do.

Thank you for the references above and Bob Dunham's spring fix -I'll take it apart again and see what's going on.
Thank you again - greatly appreciated.