See Also:
What is SDDS?
(courtesy the official SDDS site)
alanj@ibmpcug.co.uk (Alan Jay)
SDDS - Sony Dynamic Digital Sound
From: alanj@ibmpcug.co.uk
Date: 12 Jul 1993 09:29:15 +0100
Newsgroups: rec.arts.movies
Subject: SDDS [Sony Dynamic Digital Sound (TM)]. (long)
by Alan Jay (c) Copyright 1993
SDDS [Sony Dynamic Digital Sound (TM)].
Sunday morning I had the pleasure to hear the latest in the
line of Digital Film formats. At a special screening of "In
The Line of Fire" at the Odeon Marble Arch (London, UK). I
also spoke to a number of the developers of the system, which
according to them, has gone from the drawing board to having 4
cinemas equipped with the prototype in under 6 months.
Talking to the main designer of the sound system the following
seemed to me to be the most interesting. As has been mentioned
before the system has the capability of up to 8 discrete tracks
and uses a 5:1 compression technique (probably based on that of
the mini-disk from Sony) and the writing algorithm maintains
100% data redundancy so enabling quite large flaws in the print
to be survived. Already they have run prints 500+ times
without noticeable loss.
How does this specification compare with other on-film digital
systems Dolby SR-D and the now defunct CDS system. Dolby SR-D
has a 10:1 compression ratio and from my experience can fall
back to the standard SR mode too easily (one print I saw
cracked and popped its way along most annoyingly on a couple of
occasions). SR-D also only has 5.1 discrete tracks (I think).
CDS on the other hand had a similar 1:5 or 6 (?) compression
ratio but because of its lack of optical tracks made print
production and inventory control difficult. Sony
representatives also stated that they are very aware that the
system must be able to be completely dealt with and optically
printed at the mix down studio and not require special
facilities. Also that when the system becomes widely available
in the 2nd quarter of 94 that they hope that all prints of say
a 2,500 run will be SDDS.
SDDS seems to be aimed to provide complete compatibility with
any setup, the system although inherently 8 track can have 4 or
6 discrete track mixes placed on the system and the decode
electronics will interpolate and spread sound to other channels
if available without user intervention. The reverse is also
true the system can be used in 4 and 6 track auditoria and the
system will happily convert the data correctly again without
the operating having to do anything. Most noticeable this
would be a house with 6 track (3 speakers behind the screen)
where the left center and right centre tracks can be mixed into
left/right and centre channels to give phantom left/right
centre speakers.
This leads Sony to claim that the system can be all things to
all people, providing digital grade sound in a range of
auditoria with a standard release format that is backward
compatible with the current Dolby optical surround systems.
How did it sound?
Well I was reasonably impressed, although "In the Line of Fire"
was mixed 6 track the extra screen channels gave an extra width
to the picture and voice track which was very nice but I
suspect missed by most of the listeners. Having the split left
and right surround channels has noticeable advantages. Overall
the sound quality was more than acceptable for a cinema
experience (a slight loss of high frequencies that I felt was
most likely due to the cinema speakers rather than inherent to
the format, also the noisy air conditioning unit wasn't heard
by my companions but was also noticed by the Sony technical
staff).
One of the designers, a sound mixer, said that the reason he
wanted an 8 track system was that when he remembers mixing in
the 70s when 6 track mixes were for 5 speakers behind the
screen and a mono surround track it gave composers and
directors the opportunity to fill the space in front of the
screen in a way that it is impossible to achieve with 3
speakers (especially in wide screen movies 2.x:1 Panavision
etc). And that this flexibility was why he insisted on a full
8 track system.
The other fun story behind the development of SDDS is that the
people involved in the US went to the hardware side of Sony in
Japan and asked for them to become involved in the project the
people in the hardware business wanted to know how many million
units they could hope to sell. After a little persuading they
cottoned onto the idea and different initial market size and
now have seen the synergy between Sony as a hardware company
and their US software arm and see this as the medium of the
future with an eventual goal of providing this level of sound
to the Home Theatre Market (but don't hold your breath). Also
I was told that DTS promised Steven Spielberg 1000 DTS units
installed at the launch of Jurassic Park and managed 700, still
not bad but only 700 out of the 2,400 showing the movie.
Overall I think this is an interesting system that seems to be
providing a universal release format and backward
compatibility. If the price is right when it is fully launched
next year then things could be interesting. I was told that
Dolby have reduced the price of SR-D installations since the
announcement of the system. SDDS is seen as a competitor to
SR-D primarily and not against DTS. How this compares to the
DTS system I don't know but I suspect that an offboard system
will be considered as yet another thing to go wrong by
exhibitors. Only time will tell. Sony's view seems to be to
persuade exhibitors to do nothing for a year until things start
to settle. I'm looking forward to more digital sound in the
cinema.
------------
And now the credits:
35mm SDDS film has the digital tracks outside the sprocket
holes on both sides of the film ie:
__Digital track
|
| _Optical Track ____Digital Track
| | |
\/ \/ \/
DD[] XXOOOOOOOOOOO []DD
DD XXOOOOOOOOOOO DD
DD[] XXOOOOOOOOOOO []DD
DD XXOOOOOOOOOOO DD
DD[] XXOOOOOOOOOOO []DD
DD XXOOOOOOOOOOO DD
DD[] XXOOOOOOOOOOO []DD
^ ^ ^
| Image |
| |
--Sprocket holes--
Preliminary Specification from data sheet:
Analogue Outputs:
Left, Left Centre, Centre
Right, Right Center, Sub Woofer,
Left Surround, Right Surround
8x +4dBs, <100 Ohms, Balanced, XLR3 M (+24dBs max)
Frequency Range
8x 5-20,000Hz
Dynamic Range
8x 105bB
Wow & Flutter
Immeasurable
The system also comes with auto changeover between projectors
(if required), remote control and analogue bypass inputs.
Mix & Theatre formats:
The system can be mixed in 8 discrete, 6 discrete, 5.1 discrete
and 4 discrete channels.
The system can be played in the theatre in 8 discrete, 6
discrete, 5.1 discrete and 4 discrete channels.
Any dub stage format listed above can be played on any Theatre
reproduction system listed above the electronics doing the best
conversion possible without operator intervention.
The system will be released in early 1994 and kits will be
available to dubbing studios and film printers to adapt
industry standard film printing equipment so as to provide an
easy ability to record and print SDDS films. Then they will
try to sell the idea of installing the system to your local
theatre. They will also be allowing 'any' studio to use the
technology it will not be limited to Columbia, Tristar.
Currently if you live in LA or New York there are two cinemas
in each kitted out with prototype systems showing "The Last
Action Hero" and "In the Line of Fire". In the UK hold your
breath for 1994... though they were courting the head of MGM
cinemas this weekend and now doubt the Odeon chain as well.
On a final note I think that the SDDS promo (which is good) is
still not up to the Dolby SR-D train. Overall I am not sure
that the general cinema going public will be able to tell the
difference. I can and will go out of my way to see a digital
format or 70mm print but we are the exception. Lets hope that
one of the formats becomes widely available because the advance
over standard Dolby Surround is enormous. Last week I saw a
Dolby SR print of Cliffhanger also at the Odeon Marble Arch and
would say that the advantages of a this analogue technology
over say a 4 track lossy digital technology are not noticeable
except to the film and sound buff. More channels give
noticeable effects that are easier to quantify and so can be
noticed by the general public weather they will go out of their
way to see digital sound systems is another matter that I am
yet to be convinced by. Personally I hope they are, as there
are improvements to be achieved over standard optical film
sound tracks and I am looking forward to seeing and hearing
more digital film.
For more information:
Sony Dynamic Digital Sound Inc
10202 West Washington Boulevard, Culver City, CALIFORNIA 90232-
1395. Tel 1 (310) 280 5777 Fax 1 (310) 280-2024.
by Alan Jay (c) Copyright 1993 July 11th
Tel: +44 (0)81 863 1191 Fax: +44 (0)81 863 6095
PS I enjoyed "In the Line of Fire" good thriller, Clint hold
the piece together well and John Malcovich is excellent.
--
ALan Jay
alanj@ibmpcug.co.uk, PC User Group, PO Box 360, HARROW HA1 4LQ, ENGLAND
Tel: +44 (0)81 863 1191 Fax: +44 (0)81 863 6095
[+ Usual Disclaimer - I didn't say it, can't spell and dysleexia rules KO]