Cornell Box Film Recorder
Cornell University Program of Computer Graphics 		Cornell Seal

 

Introduction

The PCG lab has a Lasergraphics LFR Mark II DPM 4k film recorder with a 35mm film back. Both slide and paper film can be used but mostly slide film gets used. The process of creating 35mm slides or prints film from digital images has three basic steps. The first step is to create or select the subject matter. Often this may be from Power Point slides. Then one must create BLL (Binary Lasergraphics Language) files suitable for the film recorder. With the correct drivers, this can be done on your windows machine. The final step is to move the files to the print queue on Navion (film recorder host), load the film into the film recorder, and then start the queue. All of these three basic steps can also be performed on the Lasergraphics film recorder host.

 

Creating Image Files

The data files size should be a Lasergraphics standard slide (7.33x11.0) in order to fill a slide. When picking the film LFC (Lasergraphics Film Calibration), use the 35mmU drivers. The 35mmU LFCs are used to fit the image within the viewable area of a mounted slide. The standard LFCs (non-35mmU) go beyond the edges to assure the entire slide is filled. The common film type is Elite CHROME for slides.

Notes:
    • The Lasergraphics standard 35mm slide is not the same as a PowerPoint standard slide. The PowerPoint slide is slightly bigger and will not output correctly to the Lasergraphics film recorder.
    • "Elite II" has undergone a change in name only to "Elite Chrome." Use 35mmU Kodak Elite 100 v3 driver.
    • A "LFR Standard slide (7.33x11.0)" page size option is installed with the BLL driver software. See the printing section for more details.

 

Printing BLL files

The BLL Generator is a PC printer driver. It gives you the ability to print presentations and images created in your favorite applications to a BLL (Binary Lasergraphics Language) file. The BLL file can be previewed locally to insure the file integrity. Every file should be previewed before being submitted to the WinRascol queuing software.

User can install a copy of the BLL generator on their desk machine. The software can be downloaded from www.lasergraphics.com/lfr_web/pages/support/supprt2.htm. The Lasergraphics help/installation files cover installation questions. Then install the 35mmU LFCs. It is recommended to install both packages in the default locations. The 35mmU LFCs installation script does not find the BLL install if it is in a non-standard place. Once this is installed, run BLLConf Add/Modify BLL generator to setup the driver. You'll need the following data: LFR Mark II DPM; unit_serial_number; pick your own directory. e.g. c:\temp\bll.

Notes:
    • Preview BLL files to insure the output integrity.
    • Horizontal black (background color) stripes indicate an incorrect page size.
    • Setting default queue parameter (e.g. film type) is done from the settings/printers/ document_defaults dialog.
    • Read the directions from Lasergraphics when installing the BLL generator.
    • Lasergraphics Windows BLL manual winbll41.pdf.

 

Sending to Film

With data converted to valid BLL files, one can now send the images to film. The file copy location on NAVION is C:\Program Files\LGDATA\Q\mk2db. The queue name may change, but not the location.

Cookbook:
    • Verify that the LFR Mark II film recorder is on. Power it up with the switch on the back. If time allows, it is recommended that the film recorder be allowed to warm up for 30 to 60 minutes. Place your film canister on the film recorder so that someone else doesn't shut the power off.
    • Start WinRascol32 in order to view the available queues. There usually is only the default queue. If there is no queue available, then it has inadvertently been removed. Users with normal access can remove the queue but they can't create a new one. Historically, Mac users removed their queues. Find a staff member with administrative access to create a new queue. The queue should be stopped a green button to start the queue should be visible.
    • Copy BLL files into the queue directory. C:\Program Files\LGDATA\Q\mk2db. The files will appear in the WinRascol32 window. At this point, the BLL files can still be viewed and some of the properties can be changed.
    • Load the film into the film recorder. The dialog on the film canister should reflect that the film has been loaded.
    • Start the queue by clicking on the start (green) button. The queue can have more images than the film capacity. The system will prompt for more film.
    • When the queue is finished processing, the default queue action is to remove the files. If the queue is still active, then turn off the queue by clicking the red button. DO NOT REMOVE THE QUEUE.
    • After removing the exposed film, turn the Lasergraphics film recorder off in order to extend its service life.

 

 

Macintosh Access

An equivalent Macintosh application exists which uses the SCSI interface on the film recorder. The default hardware configuration is to have the SCSI cable removed from the film recorder. Contrary to popular wisdom, the SCSI & parallel interfaces interact. Users needing to process legacy slides need to attached the SCSI cables and then remove them when theyre done. The Mac interface is not supported but is kept strictly for legacy applications or data.

 

Last updated 05.09.00 PCG Home Page Search the PCG Site PCG Webmaster