Hi, Jeff, While this could be timecode, I think it is more likely a Pilot tone of some sort given the date. Here is my attempt at listing the different systems: http://richardhess.com/notes/formats/magnetic-media/magnetic-tapes/analog-audio/synchronization/ On that page, I link to EBU T3095 which was restored at the EBU site at my instigation. You can find the link on my page or go directly here: https://tech.ebu.ch/docs/tech/tech3095.pdf If it is a full-track tape with two tiny tracks superimposed in the middle, then that would be NeoPilot, one of the more common formats, and I can digitize that and possibly resolve it using an Otari EC401 with a Studer A80. We should talk more about this. Cheers, Richard On 2015-09-28 15:05, Jeff Willens wrote: > Here's a question for the preservation and transfer people -- > > I have a 1/4" analog tape which appears to be a film audio track. It is > on a 5" reel (labeled "Schneider Tonbandspule" from Germany). There is > no other information on this reel or box, although I believe it dates to > the mid- to late-1960s. > > Seen under a magnetic viewer, it appears to be a half-track tape with a > linear pilot tone of some sort down the middle. I don't know if it's a > Nagra, Telefunken or other sort of tone. > > We need to do a preservation transfer of this tape, and then make a > listening copy available. Should I attempt to capture the pilot tone? If > so, what's the best way to do it if we don't have the gear? And how > would I determine the format? > > Thanks in advance, > > -- Richard L. Hess email: [log in to unmask] Aurora, Ontario, Canada 647 479 2800 http://www.richardhess.com/tape/contact.htm Quality tape transfers -- even from hard-to-play tapes.