Ultra Stereo

Ultra Stereo is a cinema sound system that was developed in 1984[1] by chief engineer Jack Cashin.

It was a 4/2/4 photographic sound encoding and decoding procedure compatible with (and using the same technical basic structure, with identical sound quality as) its competitor Dolby Stereo Matrix[2]

Soon after, USL also became involved in encoding movie soundtracks. Since they had been manufacturing studio equipment for quite some time, people asked the company to develop encoding equipment for making print masters. Films encoded in Ultra Stereo can be also decoded on Dolby Cinema processors, as it was designed to be compatible with Dolby Stereo (using A-Type noise reduction) prints.

Later developments

The Ultra Stereo JS series model 105/195 unit introduced a six channel discrete input module (JFM-20 SR) circa 1993 which creates a THX approved 5.1 surround field. This is a line level input that can accept the output from a DVD player with 5.1 discrete channel outputs. The JS series eventually evoloved into later models, including the JSD-80, JSD-100, and now the JSD-60.

When the industry moved away from analog soundtracks, USL transitioned to digital processing in all their audio products. In 2008, USL assembled a team of engineers to develop imaging technology for digital cinema. The result of this research and development was a leading edge digital cinema high frame rate media block and now an "all in one" media block with solid-state drives for storage. Ultra Stereo Labs continues to provide modern decoders, picture analyzers, and other devices for motion picture theaters.[3]

Adoption

As of 2017, the Internet Movie Database lists 1,255 titles using this format.[4] Unlike the Dolby process, however, using the Ultra Stereo process did not require licensing fees, reducing costs for filmmakers and studios.

References

  1. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2012-07-08. Retrieved 2015-07-23. Film Journal International August 1999, p. 34
  2. ↑
  3. ↑ http://www.uslinc.com/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=65&vmcchk=1&Itemid=65
  4. ↑ "Ultra Stereo Titles (Sort by Release Date, desc)". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved December 13, 2017.
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