Image processing
View Patent ↗A method of and an apparatus for the conversion of cinematographic film to corresponding video data, in which the transport mechanism 3 a of a telecine machine 2 a is operated at a rate higher than the real time frame rate for the film to be converted. The stream of video data from the telecine machine 2 a is processed by a video processor 13 and stored in a buffer 15 . The video data can be downloaded from the buffer 15 at a data rate corresponding to the real time data rate of the film.
1. A method of processing a continuous sequence of frames of cinematographic film to produce video signals corresponding to the images stored on the film, the method comprising the steps of:
providing a telecine having a horizontal scan rate greater than the product of the real time frame rate and the desired number of output lines per frame,
transporting the film through the telecine at a frame rate faster than the real time frame rate, thereby producing a stream of video data corresponding to the images stored on the film,
supplying the video data stream to a buffer, and
outputting the video data from the buffer at the desired number of output lines per frame.
2. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the buffer comprises a plurality of discrete stores and the stream of video data is supplied sequentially to each store.
3. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the buffer comprises a plurality of discrete stores and the stream of video data is decomposed into a plurality of substreams of data, each of which is supplied simultaneously to a respective store.
4. The method as claimed in claim 1 , 2 or 3 , wherein the video data is digital data.
5. The method as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the buffer comprises digital memory.
6. The method as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the buffer comprises a magnetic storage medium.
7. The method as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the buffer comprises an optical storage medium.
8. A telecine machine for processing a continuous sequence of frames of ciematographic film to produce video signals corresponding to the images stored on the film, comprising:
a scanning system for scanning the film at a horizontal scan rate which is greater than the product of the real time frame rate times the desired standard number of lines per frame,
a transport mechanism adapted to transport film at a frame rate greater than the real time frame rate, and
a buffer adapted to receive video data at a data rate faster than the real time video data rate and to output the video data at the desired standard number of lines per frame.
9. The telecine machine as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the buffer comprises a plurality of discrete stores and the stream of video data is supplied sequentially to each store.
10. The telecine machine as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the buffer comprises a plurality of discrete stores and the stream of video data is decomposed into a plurality of sub-streams of data, each of which is supplied simultaneously to a respective store.
11. The telecine machine as claimed in claim 8 , 9 or 10 , wherein the video data is digital data.
12. The telecine machine as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the buffer comprises digital memory.
13. The telecine machine as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the buffer comprises a magnetic storage medium.
14. The telecine machine a claimed in claim 11 , wherein the buffer comprises an optical storage medium.
15. A method of processing a sequence of frames of film to produce video signals corresponding to the images stored on the film, the method comprising the steps of:
scanning the sequence of frames by a high definition telecine machine at a frame rate faster than the real time frame rate,
producing a stream of video data corresponding to the images stored on the film,
supplying the video data stream to one or more buffers, and
outputting the video data from the buffers in standard definition from the buffers.
16. The method as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the buffers comprise a plurality of discrete stores and the stream of video data is supplied sequentially to each store.
17. The method as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the buffers comprise a plurality of discrete stores and the stream of video data is decomposed into a plurality of substreams of data, each of which is supplied simultaneously to a respective store.
18. The method as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the video data is digital data.
19. The method as claimed in claim 18 , wherein the buffers comprise digital memory.
20. The method as claimed in claim 18 , wherein the buffers comprise a magnetic storage medium.
21. The method as claimed in claim 18 , wherein the buffers comprise an optical storage medium.
22. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the telecine is a high definition telecine.
23. The method as claimed in claim 22 wherein the telecine has a horizontal scan rate of substantially 1250 lines.
24. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the film is transported through the telecine at substantially twice the real time frame rate.