FAQ - Tscann8 / ALT-Scann8 Differences
ALT-Scann8 is an enhanced software interface and hardware improvements for the Tscann8 hardware. The two share the same mechanical platform; the comparison below notes where ALT-Scann8 differs from the base Tscann8 software.
| Feature | Tscann8 / ALT-Scann8 | Tingopix v1 |
|---|---|---|
| Film formats | Super 8, Regular 8 | Super 8, Regular 8, 8mm, 16mm |
| Reel capacity | Standard reels | Up to 400ft (8mm) |
| Camera | RPi HQ (IMX477) | RPi HQ (IMX477) |
| Lens | Industrial lens (proprietary mount) | Enlarger lens, M42 tube + adapters |
| Illumination | Single white LED with diffuser | Multiple LEDs with 3D-printed integrating sphere, bespoke PICO control |
| Frame detection | UV LED emitter + photo detector (hardware) | Vision-based at reduced light intensity — same camera, no additional hardware; full illumination restored for capture |
| Transport type | Capstan with pinch roller | Friction capstan (no pinch roller) |
| Film handling | Pinch roller pressure on film | Tension-only drive (no pinch roller) |
| Film contact | Flat rollers, full-width contact | Profiled rollers, edge-only contact with film |
| Tension control | Basic | Active, supply to pickup, PICO-controlled |
| Stabilization | Post-scan (ALT-Scann8) | Directly at capture — from sprocket and film edge |
| Motion controller | Arduino (Tscann8 / ALT-Scann8) | Raspberry Pi Pico (RP2040), F-Code command system |
| RPi ↔ Controller | I2C | USB serial — simpler wiring |
| PCB | Through-hole | SMD |
| Stepper driver | A4988 | TMC2209 |
| Image pipeline | picamera2 standard RGB | Sensel-native — bypasses picamera2 RGB pipeline |
| Colour processing | picamera2 + settings | BLC + Clipping + CCM (calibrated tuning file) |
| Debayering | picamera2, 8-bit | Directly at capture: 2032×1520 Honest Binned TIFF; option for Sensel-RAW TIFF; post-scan VNG: 4064×3040 OpenEXR or TIFF |
| File output | JPEG (8-bit) / DNG (12-bit) | Honest Binned TIFF, Sensel-TIFF, OpenEXR — all linear |
| Bit depth | 8-bit JPEG / 12-bit DNG | 12-bit native; up to 16-bit via bit depth extension |
| Multi-exposure | Up to 5 bracketed shots (ALT-Scann8) | 1–16 frames averaged per channel for bit depth extension and noise reduction; independent exposure and light level per channel |
| GUI | Tkinter (ALT-Scann8) / standalone display | GTK4 via VNC, real-time waveform display |
| Archival intent | Home movie digitization | Sensel-native archival, post-production ready |
| Documentation | Well documented, active community | GitHub in progress |
| Community | tscann8.torulf.com, Discord (ALT-Scann8) | GitHub, Reddit, Kinograph Forums |