A film recorder exposes film through various mechanisms; flying spot ( early recorders ); photographing a high resolution video monitor; electron beam recorder ( Sony HDVS ); a CRT scanning dot ( Celco ); focused beam of light from a light valve technology ( LVT ) recorder; a scanning laser beam ( Arrilaser ); or recently, full-frame LCD array chips.
22.
The TI system relies on a chip with a million tiny mirrors, while CineComm's is based on a light valve produced by Hughes-JVC . The key selling point for both is that the magnetic tapes or digital disks in the new projection systems won't wear out, unlike film, and will be able to project pristine images even after hundreds of showings.
23.
Both variable-area systems and variable-density systems were marketed by both RCA and Western Electric, the Western Electric " light valve " being capable of producing either variable-density or variable-area depending on which ribbon axis was parallel to the film motion, and the RCA " galvanometer " was capable of producing either variable-area or variable-density depending upon the particulars of the optical system.
