Nuoptix Stereo Optical Recording System User manual

revised April 10, 2011
Nuoptix Inc
31336 Via Colinas #104
Westlake Villa e, CA 91362
USA
tel: [phone]
fax: [phone]
INPUT SETUP BIAS INPUT SETUP BIAS
LEFT RIGHT
MONITOR MODE
LEFT
RIGHT
DIRECT
INPUT STEREO
PEC
AUX MONO
RECORD
STEREO OPTICAL RECORDING SYSTEM
N
UOPTIX
RECORD
BIAS
SETUP
REVERSE
E-TEST
AUXILIARY - OPTICAL - SYSTEM
N
UOPTIX
LAMP CURRENT
ON
POWER CURRENT
OPERATE
MODE
OUTPUT LEVEL
STANDBY
PINK
TONE
HEAD
TONE
400HZ 1KHZ 6KHZ
XMOD
8KHZ
XMOD
10KHZ
XMOD
1 KHZ
XMOD

TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGE
SPECIFICATIONS i,ii
GENERAL DESCRIPTION 1
INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS 3
OPERATION 4
MONITORING 6
EXPLANATION OF CONTROLS 7
CALIBRATION AND NECESSARY EQUIPMENT 8
INPUT SIGNAL LEVEL CALIBRATION 9
DELAY CALIBRATION 10
NOISE REDUCTION CALIBRATION 11
CLIPPER CALIBRATION 12
TRACK PLACEMENT 13
SIZE ADJUSTMENT 14
HOW TO MEASURE % MODULATION ON OPTICAL TRACKS 15
OPTICAL TRACK DIMENSIONS AND PLACEMENT 16
LIGHT VALVE EQUALIZATION 17
LAMP BALANCE 18
FILM LOSS EQUALIZATION 19
SORS PRINT LOSS EQUALIZATION CURVES 20
P.E.C. AMPLIFIER ADJUSTMENTS 21
PIN OUT CONNECTS FOR THE SORS AND THE AOS 22
HOOKUP DIAGRAM 23
SCHEMATICS AND LAYOUTS 24

SPECIFICATIONS
STEREO OPTICAL RECORDING SYSTEM (SORS)
Electrical Characteristics:
Input Type: Balanced differential amplifier
Input Level: -10dbm to +10dbm (for 100% track)
Input Impedance: 10K ohms (may be driven from any souce
0 to 5K ohms)
Preamp Input: SORS provides ±15VDC to and accepts
monitor si nals from photocell preamplifier
Output: Drives modified 5 contact Westrex type
li ht valves
Frequency Response: 20Hz to 14kHz
S/N Ratio: >65 db
Power Requirements: Powered by Auxillary Optical System
Physical Characteristics:
Dimensions: 19 inches (482.6 mm) wide
5.25 inches (133.3mm) tall
14.4 inches (368.3mm) deep
Wei ht: 12 lbs. 10 oz. (3.95 K .)
i

SPECIFICATIONS
AUXILLARY OPTICAL SYSTEM (AOS)
Electrical Characteristics
Lamp Output: 12VDC at 4.25 to 8.50 amps
Di ital Meter: Displays lamp current in amps
Si nal Output: Minus infinity to +13dbm
Auto-controlled from SORS
Frequency Tolerence: ±0.005%
Output Frequencies: 400Hz Tone, 800 Hz Head Tone, 1kHz Tone
6kHz, 8kHz, 10kHz, 12kHz X-MODS
Pink Tone: 30 components 1/3 octave spacin
Equal amplitude
Pink Tone Freqs: 24,32,40,48,64,80,96,128,160,192,256,320,
384,512,640,768,1024,1280,1536,2048,
2560,3072,4096,5120,6144,8192,10240,
12288,16384,20480 Hertz
Power Output: ±15VDC at 1.5 amps
+5VDC at 0.5 amps
Power Requirements: 115 VAC or 230 VAC at 60Hz or 50 Hz
Power Consumption: Approximately 225 watts
Physical Characteristics:
Dimensions: 19 inches (482.6mm) wide
5.25 inches (133.3mm) tall
14.5 inches (368.3mm) deep
Wei ht: 26 lbs. 8 oz. (13.2 K )
ii

GENERAL DESCRIPTION
The Stereo Optical Recordin System (SORS) and Auxillary Optical System
(AOS) to ether comprise a complete photo raphic sound track recordin
packa e for makin both monaural and Stereo Optical sound track ne atives on
a Westrex type recorder. The system uses a specially modified five contact li ht
valve and electro-optical monitorin system. The SORS provides direct
independent electronic control of each of the four "ribbons" in the five contact li ht
valve. This allows electronic track placement and spacin so that a sin le valve
can be used for both mono and stereo recordin . The SORS monitors the li ht
passin throu h the li ht valve to the film and uses this information to display on
di ital meters a direct readout of optical track size which means extremely
accurate dimensions can be maintained. The SORS uses CCD technolo y to
delay the audio si nal while the noise reduction si nal is bein confi ured. This
results in the lowest possible noise and eliminates the transient distortion and
muted sound quality of older eneration optical sound tracks. The direct
electronic control of the li ht valve modulator provides for frequency response
from 20Hz to 14kHz. The system provides for selected print loss equalization
and exact level setup by use of di ital peak si nal monitorin . The SORS will
accept input si nal bus levels from -10dbm to +10dbm. It has a separate
monaural input which is automatically selected when the system is switched to
-1-

the mono mode. The system provides line level monitor outputs capable of
drivin 600 ohm loads.
The AOS auxillary system provides a unique set of di itally enerated test
si nals which can be instantly selected and injected into a recorded track. By
di itally eneratin the test si nals their frequency and level are extremely
accurately defined. This assures that crossmodulation test tracks made on the
machine are absolutely standard and readable on the new static crossmodulation
readin system. A unique new Pink Tone si nal is also selectable. This si nal is
also di itally enerated and provides a flat spectrum on 1/3 octave spectrum
analyzers and has the unique property that a three frame burst is all that is
required to measure the frequency response of the recordin system.
-2-

INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS
The SORS may be rack mounted in a standard 19 inch rack directly above the
AOS unit. The AOS must have at least one inch clearance below to allow
adequate air flow into the slots in its bottom panel. The case of the AOS is
connected to the power cord third wire common. The case of AOS is connected
to the case of the SORS throu h the G terminal XLR interconnect to the AOS.
Si nal round is isolated from the case in both units. It is recommended that all
audio si nals be carried on shielded cables and that the recorder and the SORS
and the AOS be tied to a common chassis round.
Stray li ht fallin directly onto the optical recorder visual observation window
should be avoided as it can result in erroneous SETUP readin s.
The pin outs of all connections on both units is iven on pa e 23 as well as
bein indicated on the system schematics.
-3-

OPERATION
Before turnin the system on or off the front panel mode switch should be set
to the SETUP position. This electrically disconnects the li ht valve from the
electronics and thereby protects it from electrical transients. The system is
turned on by the power switch on the front of the AOS. To record an optical
track, first set the record lamp current and select MONO or STEREO mode with
the SORS front panel to le switch. (Note that the lamp current may be reduced
when not recordin by to lin the lamp standby switch to the standby position.
The reduced lamp current prolon s lamp life.) With the mode switch in the
SETUP position adjust the SETUP pot controls on the front panel to read the
slack li ht valve ribbon spacin (in mils) for the particular li ht valve in use.
Rotate the mode switch to the BIAS position and adjust the two 10 turn controls
labeled BIAS to provide the desired size bias lines as indicated on the di ital
meters. A 1.5 mil bias line for stereo recordin and a 2.0 mil. bias line for
monoaural recordin is recommended. Note that different BIAS settin s will be
required for stereo and mono recordin . Rotate the mode switch to the RECORD
position and adjust the input bus level si nal to read 50% usin the INPUT level
controls. The SORS will accept input bus levels from -10 dbm to +10 dbm. Prior
to or followin recordin any of the test si nals from the AUXILLARY
-4-

ELECTRONICS may be recorded by switchin the input select switch from
INPUT to AUX. The XMOD test si nals may be used to verify crossmodulation
distortion cancellation on the print or for recordin standard crossmodulation
distortion tests. The PINK TONE test si nal is a di itally enerated si nal which
appears as a spectrally flat si nal on a 1/3 octave spectrum analyzer but can be
read from a recordin as short as 3 frames to verify *system and print frequency
response. Followin the recordin , the mode switch may be switched to the
REVERSE position for density check or to the E TEST position which alternates
reverse bias and bias line. Followin the recordin the mode switch should be
returned to the SETUP position to protect the li ht valve.
CAUTION: OPERATION OF THE RECORDING SYSTEM WITH CONSTANT
FREQUENCY ABOVE 8kHz AND 80% MAY CAUSE PERMANENT DAMAGE
TO THE LIGHT VALVE.
-5-

MONITORING
The monitor controls on the front panel of the SORS adjust the output monitor
level but have no effect on the recordin itself. The P.E.C./DIRECT to le switch
selects the monitor si nal from the input or from the photocell monitor. The
SORS is desi ned so that the adjustment of the SETUP controls assures that the
P.E.C. and DIRECT monitor levels match. The internal PEC trimpot (R85) is set
to match P.E.C. and direct monitor level (see P.E.C. amplifier adjustments).
-6-