I know of a small company here in Germany that sells specially modofied CD players which can be slaved to a Super 8 projector. The basic idea is to record your audio digitally and edit it using HD recording software (Cakewalk, Cubase, ProTools etc.) These programms let you build your soundtrack around a SMPTE timecode which can be matched to your edited Super 8 footage. I believe this involves knowing exactly how long your scenes are (yes you have to count all those frames or use a Super 8 frame counter). Now you go into your audio program and lay down your soundtrack based on the length of your scenes and your frame rate (I think 16-25 fps are supported by the modified CD player). Finally, you burn a CD of your soundtrack. A special initialising track (supplied by the company) is placed at the beginning of the CD as track 1. This tells the CD player which frame rate you will be projecting at. Track 2 is then your finished soundtrack. A single cable connects the CD player to the projector. I believe the Elmo GS 1200/ST 1200 and other high end projectors have a built in sync output, which sends one pulse per frame projected. If your projector doesn't have this feature, I believe it can be modified.

You load your projector with the film and run it up to your starting point. Start the CD player. The initialising track is read and the CD player pauses at the beginning of track 2 (your soundtrack) waiting for the first frame. Start your projector, frame one kicks in starting the CD player in sync, which then makes small speed adjustment to stay in sync with your film. I don't own this system, but I almost bought one about a year ago. I've seen it demonstrated and it works. I decided to finish my films on video, but if you really want to project film then this would be another possibility. I don't know if they sell internationally. Why wouldn't they?

Gebuhr Synchrongeraete GmBH
Imhoffstrasse 4
90429 Nuernberg
Germany
Tel.(from the states) 011-49-911-260304

Kurt

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