In 1983, NT founder Tom McCormick applied the idea of 1/2 speed, used in record mastering, to improve the quality of optical sound tracks. Running the film at 1/2 speed, the optical recorder can expose more accurate images on the sound negative. To this day, only NT Audio has been able to perfect the 1/2 speed recording process. NT was instrumental in developing the process of recording all three digital formats and analog on the same optical negative. This Quad recording process was first applied in 1995 on Twentieth Century Fox's "Die Hard With A Vengeance." This innovation allowed distributors to eliminate multiple release print inventories. Exhibitors gained greater flexibility in sound.

In-house developing
One factor contributing to the quality of our work is that we develop all our negatives in-house. With the camera and processor under the same roof, we precisely control the relationship of all digital and analog track densities.

Optical Transfer
Optical Soundtrack Negatives (OSTN) for 35mm created with NT Audio's exclusive 1/2Speed transfer process. We specialize in Quad Format Optical Negatives with analog, Dolby Digital, DTS, and SDDS sound formats. In addition to 35mm OSTN's, we also create 16mm mono sound negatives in A Wind or B Wind format.

Accepted Transfer Formats:
Analog 35mm or 16mm -
DA88 16Bit or 24Bit HR
Timecode DAT
35mm Mag - Stripe, 3 Track, 4 Track, 6 Track - Dolby SR or A Type *Pro Tools - Version 5.1 or lower
*MMR8
*Akai DD8
.AIFF & . WAV Audio Files
24 Track 2" Audio Tape
Dolby Digital AC3 Encoded MO Disks (Motion Picture Format Only)

If a format you require is not listed, please inquire with your NT Audio salesperson.

*Digital Dubbers accept Hard Drives in Kingston Wide or Narrow Carriers as well as 5.2GB MO Disks Dolby Digital

Dolby Digital
AC3 Encoded MO Disks (Motion Picture Format Only)

To create a Feature OSTN with Dolby Digital requires a Dolby Encoded Magneto Optical Disk (MO). Only representatives from Dolby Laboratories have the equipment necessary to record audio to the MO Disk. Optical transfer facilities such as NT Audio only have the ability to playback the MO Disk for the purposes of creating the Optical Negative. To encode your film with Dolby Digital please contact Dolby directly and ask for the Licensing department or reach them on the internet at http://www.Dolby.com.

DTS
To encode DTS on an OSTN also requires contacting DTS directly to arrange a License agreement. Once the licensing details are finalized, DTS will contact NT Audio with the unique DTS Serial Number for your project. During the creation of the OSTN, we place the DTS timecode encoded with your Serial Number on the negative. The Discrete 5.1 audio is encoded on the CD's by DTS directly.

SDDS
The SDDS format requires a discrete 5.1 or 7.1 printmaster to create the optical soundtrack negative. The SDDS format also requires a license fee that must be arranged with SONY prior to shooting the optical negative. We accept the following audio formats to create the OSTN -

35mm 6 Track MAG SR Encoded
DA88 16Bit or 24Bit HR
3324 DASH
*Pro Tools Session V5.1 or earlier
*MMR8 Compatible Session
*AKAI DD8 Compatible Session

*Digital Dubbers accept Hard Drives in Kingston Wide or Narrow Carriers as well as 5.2GB MO Disks

Please note: The SDDS format is native 16Bit - 44.1kHz - referenced to film speed of 24.0 frames / sec. Any variation from this specification will involve digital rate conversion or A/D conversion of the material to resolve the mismatch.