Spirit DataCine
Spirit DataCine is a telecine and a motion picture film scanner. This device is able to transfer 16mm and 35mm motion picture film to NTSC or PAL television standards or one of many High-definition television standards. With the data transfer option a Spirit DataCine can output DPX data files. The image pick up device is a solid state charge-coupled device. This eliminated the need for glass vacuum tube CRTs used on older telecines. The units can transfer negative film, primetime, intermediate film and print film, stock. One option is a Super 8 gate for the transfer of Super 8 mm film. With a sound pick up option, optical 16mm and 35mm sound can be reproduced, also 16mm magnetic strip sound.[1] The unit can operate stand alone or be controlled by a scene by scene color corrector. Ken Burns created The Civil War, a short documentary film included in the DVD release, on how he used the Spirit DataCine to transfer and remaster this film.[2] The operator of the unit is called a Colorist or Colorist Assistant. The Spirit DataCine has become the standard for high-end real-time film transfer and scanning. Over 370 units are used in post-production facilities around the world.[3] Most current film productions are transferred on Spirit DataCines for Television, Digital television, Cable television, Satellite television, Direct-to-video, DVD, Blu-ray Disc, pay-per-view, In-flight entertainment, Stock footage, Dailies, Film preservation, digital intermediate[4] and digital cinema. The Spirit DataCine is made by DFT Digital Film Technology GmbH[5] in Darmstadt, Germany.
All Spirit DataCines use continuous transport motion, using a capstan and constant film tension. An optional optical audio pick up system can be mounted in the capstan. All Spirit DataCines use a xenon lamp for illumination into a diffusion chamber to minimize dust and scratch visibility. With the standard 35mm lens gate: super 35 mm and academy 35 mm are supported. Also 2, 3, 4, perf are supported. VistaVision 8-perf and 6 perf are an option. The unit comes with select-a-speed, this gives the section of a film speeds from 2.00 frames per second to 57.00 fps in SDTV and 2.00 to 31.00 fps in HDTV interlace format. With the optional 16mm lens gate standard 16mm and Super 16 mm are supported. With the 16mm lens gate an optional Super 8 mm film gate can be added. 16mm audio system also support 16mm mag or magnetic strip sound track on the motion picture would be picked up by a head and could be fed to an audio sound mixing console or to the VTR.[1]
Spirit DataCines use a charge-coupled device Line Array – CCD for imaging.[6] In print mode a “white” light is shone through the exposed film image into a lens and then to prism, color glass separates out the image into the three primary colors, red, green and blue. Each beam of colored light is then projected at a different CCD, one for each color.[7] The CCD converts the light into an electrical signal that produces a modulated video signal which is color corrected and sized so it can then be recorded onto video tape or a Storage area network-SAN hard disk array. Spirit DataCines can output to different TV standards: (NTSC or PAL) or HDTV. The Spatial Processor can change the size of the image: pan and scan, letterbox or make other aspect ratio and rotation changes, also product interlaced video if needed. The Spatial Processor also produces the 2:3 pulldown, if needed for the format. An optional Scream grain reducer can reduce film grain in all three color channels.[1]
The Spirit DataCine opened the door to the technology of digital intermediates, wherein telecine tools were not just used for video outputs, but could now be used for high-resolution data that would later be recorded back out to film. The DFT Digital Film Technology, formerly Grass Valley Spirit 4K/2K/HD (2004) replaced the Spirit 2000 Datacine and uses both 2K and 4k line array CCDs. The SDC-2000 did not use a color prisms and/or dichroic mirrors, color separation was done in the CCD. DFT revealed its newest scanner at the 2009 NAB Show, Scanity.[8]
A Spirit DataCine outputting DPX files was used in the 2000 film O Brother, Where Art Thou?. The DPX files were color corrected with a VDC-2000 and a Pandora Int. Pogle Color Corrector with MegaDEF.[9][10] A Kodak Lightning II film recorder was used to put the data output to back to film. To output the movie the Spirit Datacine's Phantom Transfer Engine software running on an SGI computer is used to record the DPX files from the Spirit DataCine. These files are stored in the virtual telecine or on a SAN hard disk storage array. The Phantom Transfer Engine has been replaced with Bones software running on a Linux-based PC. First generation of DPX interface for data files was the optical fiber HIPPI cables (up to 6 frame/s at 2K), the next generation interface is GSN-Gigabit Ethernet fiber Optic (up to 30 frame/s at 2K). GSN is also called HIPPI-6400 and was later renamed GSN (for Gigabyte System Network). The SAN hard disks are interfaces to by dual FC-Fibre Channel, cables. The newest DPX output interface is infiniband.[1][11]
Most Spirit DataCines are controlled by a Da Vinci Systems color corrector, 2K or 2K Plus. Some are controlled by Pandora International Pogle, some with a their MegaDEF or a Pixi color grading system. A Spirit DataCine comes with a full function control panel that can be used for control and color grade.[3]
POLAR HQ[edit]
POLAR HQ is a native 8K archive film scanner released in 2023. POLAR HQ is designed for new film and archive remastering film, able to putput both 4K and 8K resolution.[63] POLAR HQ has: Touchless film handling, Optical Pin Registration, Visible shuttle, Dual & Triple HDR modes, Keykode, full edge-to-edge scans, Diffuse light source, optional (IR) Infrared and optional Audio pick system.[64]
Phantom 2[edit]
At NAB in April 2014 DFT introduced Phantom 2. This software is for outputting the Spirit Datacine's DPX files. Phantom 2 Transfer Engine software runs on a Linux computer and is used to record the DPX files from a Spirit DataCine with a data option. These files are then stored on a storage area network. A Phantom 2 can replace a Phantom one or Bones ingest system. Data interface output uses infiniband fiber optic,[65][66]
OXScan 14K[edit]
OXScan 14K is 65mm film and 70 mm film scanner at up to a depth of 16 bits, released in 2022. Able to output TIFF and DPX files. File sizes for mastering has a max size of up to 14.3K horizontal and 10.7K vertical resolution. A 35mm gate is also available. File output can be DPX or TIFF 10 or 16 bit output. 65/70mm film is supoorted in both 5 perf and 15 perf.[67][68]
On December 9, 2016 Digital Film Technology (dft), completed the acquisition of Sondor. Sondor products were manufactured in Zollikon, Switzerland. Sondor was founded in 1952 by Willy Hungerbuehler. Sondor is noted as inventing the standard for bi-phase interlocking pulse signals to sync sound to film. Current products:[69]