Considerations for digitising sound, video and motion picture film recordings, presented at Digital collecting 27 May 2019

1. Sound, Video and Motion Picture Film Recordings
Damien Cassidy
Digital Media Technical Analyst
27 May 2019

2. This session will introduce you to some fundamentals of
digitising legacy audio-visual media.
Cummings and Wilson projector : PXE 789 (v.56)
Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales
Session Overview
Introduction to Audio-Visual Carriers
Identification and Assessment
Care and Handling
Reformatting a/k/a Digitisation
Post Digitisation (QC)
The End

3. www.nedcc.org/preservation-training/fundamentals-of-av-preservation

4. Introduction to Audio-Visual
Carriers
Sound Recordings
Video Recordings
Motion Picture Film
Radio Publication Job
From the collection of the State Library of NSW

5. Sound Recording Carriers

6. Recordable Magnetic Tape
Cassette Tapes
• Compact Cassettes
• Mostly one format (can be 4-track or ½ speed)
• Usually one type of machine is sufficient
• Micro Cassettes
• Usually one type of machine is sufficient
• Mini Cassettes
• Different size, different machine though one type of
machine is sufficient

7. Recordable Magnetic Tape
Open Reel
• Many formats in one type of tape due to
• track configuration and playback speed.
• A few other variables such as EQ.
• Requires a variety of playback machines.
• If not labelled, pretty much impossible to tell from looking

8. Recordable Magnetic Tape
DAT
• Standard format with variable Sample Rate.
• Only Some machines/tapes support low sample rate
• Usually one type of machine is sufficient

9. Video Recording Carriers

10. Recordable Magnetic Tape
VHS
• Consumer
• Mostly one format (can be PAL/NTSC/½ speed – Hi-Fi)
• Usually one type of machine is sufficient
Betamax
• Consumer
• Mostly one format (can be PAL/NTSC/– Hi-Fi)
• Usually one type of machine is sufficient

11. Recordable Magnetic Tape
U-Matic
• Professional
• Mostly one format (can PAL/NTSC/– HI-FI)
• Usually one type of machine is sufficient
Betacam (SP)
• Professional format
• Mostly one format (can PAL/NTSC)
• Usually one type of machine is sufficient
Digital Betacam (SP) a/k/a DigiBeta
• Professional format
• Mostly one format (can PAL/NTSC)
• Usually one type of machine is sufficient
Many DigiBeta machines can playback standard Betacam

12. Motion Picture Film Carriers

13. Motion Picture Film
Many production components created in the production of a film.
Prints are usually
• 35mm
• 16mm
• 8mm
Can be positive or negative
Can run at a variety of speeds (frames per second a/k/a fps)
During production the soundtrack is on separate magnetic media

14. Format Obsolescence

15. • AV formats require machines to play them back
• Generally, each format requires a specific machine
• The machines are no longer manufactured or supported
• The people who maintain them are no longer manufactured or supported
• Digitisation is imperative to the sustainability of the content held on AV formats

16. Identification and Assessment
Sound, Video and Motion Picture Film Recordings

17. Identification and Assessment
Primary Sources
Associated Paperwork
Labels on the Carrier
Carrier Format
Identification Guides
Auditioning or Viewing

18. Online Format
Identification Guides
• obsoletemedia.org
• psap.library.illinois.edu/collection-id-guide

20. Identification and Assessment
NEED TO KNOW
- Broad format category
- Compact Cassette
- ¼” Open Reel
- VHS etc…
NICE TO KNOW
- Playback Speed/FPS
- Track arrangements
- Colour/B&W
- EQ
- NTSC/PAL/SECAM
- etc…
Some of these may inhibit the ability to
playback but generally are variations of
configuration of equipment.
Broad categories will define the
ability to playback a carrier
with the correct equipment.

21. Identification and Assessment
NEED TO KNOW…
PHYSICAL CONDITION
- Digitisation Impacts
- Ability
- Quality
- Timeframes
- Cost

22. Severely Warped Film

23. Care and Handling
Sound, Video and Motion Picture Film Recordings

24. Storage
Avoid
• Heat
• Humidity
• Liquids
• Dirt, dust, and particulates
• Light
• Mould and fungus
• Pollutants and contaminants

25. Handling
Avoid
• Handling portions of the media where the signal is recorded without
appropriate gloves
• Putting weight on the media
• Leaving media unhoused
• Using machine transports that are not functioning properly
• Using machine transports that have not been properly calibrated and aligned

26. Shipping
• Packed to minimise vibration, shifting and shock
• Fluctuations in Temperature and Humidity can
cause significant damage.
• Insulation is required

27. Reformatting a/k/a Digitisation
Sound, Video and Motion Picture Film Recordings

28. Reformatting a/k/a Digitisation
PLAYBACK
MACHINE
SIGNAL
PROCESSING
ANALOGUE
TO DIGITAL
CONVERTER
ENCODER
PRESERVATION
MASTER
ACCESS
COPY
WORKING
COPY
TRANSCODER

29. Metadata
• Unique Identifier
• Equipment used
• Settings applied

30. Post-Digitisation
Sound, Video and Motion Picture Film Recordings

31. Quality Control
• Watch and listen to a sample set
• Where issues are found try and
isolate:
• vendor
• operator
• equipment
• Is the content what you expect?

32. Sound, Video and Motion Picture Film Recordings
Damien Cassidy
27 May 2019
Photography by
Joy Lai &
Gene Ramirez