You posted:
>I'm trying to learn about super 8 sound film. This may sound stupid, but is the film still 8mm wide then there is a magnetic strip of sound on the side? I've looked at the silent version of super 8 and there isn't much room for the sound.

Sound film has been recently discontinued by Eastman Kodak. Believe it or not...the Super 8mm sound film actually has two magnetic soundtracks on it. The main track (Track 1) is located on the wider portion next to the image area, and the Balance stripe track (Track 2) is located along the edge of the film on the perforation side. The main track is thicker and has better sound resolution, however both tracks can be utilized for recording and playback, and dual track and stereophonic sound projectors have been made. Beaulieu still manufacture their high grade 708 EL Stereo sound Super 8mm projector.

Early sound Super 8mm projectors and low end models, only provided recording and/or playback features for the main sound track. Super 8 sound cameras record only on this main track. The second or balance track as it is known (originally intended to allow Super 8mm sound film to wind up evenly on reels) can also record sound quite well, and in practice on higher end machines....the sound quality is quite admirable.

There were also commercial films released in the Super 8mm format that have optical soundtracks along the edge of the film next to the images. Although this optical sound track is very tiny, it still is/was capable of quite decent sound resolution. Many commercial films made this way were made for In-Flight Entertainment for airliners such as Braniff and others. This preceded the video projection era, and some films that were shot in WIDESCREEN or CinemaScope, where also presented this way on airliners.

Hope this fills you in!
Best wishes,
Martin W. Baumgarten

Novomagnetics in California only do professional striping on processed films and their minimum order acceptance is for 10,000 feet. The sound stripe is a liquid paste that is applied on a massive machine to ensure viscosity and thickness of application. They used to sell the liquid paste in gallon amounts, and the price with shipping was somewhere around $100 per gallon. The do NOT make laminate (tape) stripe which is what many are looking for these days.

For any one having a Perfecta type paste striping unit......you might as well forget trying to use them. The stripe material has to be of the correct viscosity in order to flow properly and dry quick enough prior to take up. Thus the material has to be 'cut' with a solvent to dilute it, or have an agent added to it to thicken it up....and this really has to be done with a certain degree of perfection (no pun intended).

For anyone having a laminate type striping unit (Hama, Carnall, Superior, Bolex Weberling, Eumig, Juwel, Elmo and others)....the problem here is that depending on the transport system.....different strength adhesives were made up for each type system. There are three items needed: the correct stripe cement, a greaseless film cleaner such as Freon 50 which was used, and the laminate sound stripe material. AGFA F-7 stripe was used for many years...and has been long since discontinued. Places such as Cresta Electronics in England [Note: Cresta has been bought by Classic Home Cinema] that offer sound striping have also been slitting old 1/4inch sound recording tape that was made on acetate base. Modern polyester/mylar based recording tape cannot be used.

In Germany, there are a less than a handful of camera shops that possibly still have a few supplies remaining of sound stripe materials...but for the most part....supplies have dried up and/or are in the hands of those offering this service. In order to have a tape manufacturer make up the necessary laminate stripe material...it would have to be a massive production order, or it wouldn't be worth their time and effort. Also...they may not want to be bothered to produce sound stripe...even if someone were willing to pay whatever it would cost! I know of a company in Germany that has a massive amount of sound stripe....but they aren't willing to sell any of it. It is currently being used to make sound film in bulk intended for the users/owners of the BEAULIEU SuperDrive 200ft(60m) film magazine for the Super 8mm BEAULIEU cameras.

I wish to add here...that many of the home use sound stripers were not very well made and results ranged from competely unacceptable to mediocre on some of the units. Also...if the film isn't completely cleaned and free of lubrication...the adhesive has trouble adhering the laminate tape to the film and it tends to flake off later when you are projecting/recording the sound. It is important that the film first be properly cleaned (sometimes many of the professional sound striping services also buffed the edge of the film were the stripe would go to roughen it up slightly to provide a surface 'tooth' to ensure best adhesion), the correct cement is used, the correct and good quality sound stripe is used, and that the film be properly cleaned and lubricated after sound striping to allow smooth transport thru the projector afterwards. To do a good job on this is no small feat...and thus....the cost is often reflected in the degree of service quality by the places doing the sound striping. Most places offering this service, will leave the post cleaning and lubrication up to the consumer.

For what it's worth, I hope this helps clarify this situation.

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