The present invention relates to a method for backing up digital cinematographic content, comprising the steps of: generating, from said content, a digital stream encoded in a compressed format, or having said digital stream already encoded in a compressed format; and recording said digital stream encoded in a compressed format onto a photographic film.

Systems and methods convert computer generated data and video into patterns of 0s and 1s for storage as a still image on camera film (e.g., 35 mm film). A system can include a user interface identifying computer generated data for conversion into a still image pattern of 0s and 1s for storage as a still image on a frame of film, a microprocessor programmed to convert the computer generated data into a still image pattern of 0s and 1s, and film imaging hardware for processing the frame of film with the still image pattern as a still image on the frame of film. The data can include at least one of: video data, pictures, text, and diagrams. The frame can be stored in a cartridge, which can contain more than one frame. The cartridge can be stored and retrieved from a multiple cartridge housing including automated storage and reading hardware.

Digital optical tape archival storage systems and methods are disclosed. A digital optical tape recorder simultaneously writes data and two or more guide tracks onto an unformatted digital optical tape recording medium. A digital optical tape reader includes a camera and an image processor. The camera captures a two-dimensional image of the digital optical tape recording medium including the data and the two or more guide tracks. The image processor extracts the data from the two-dimensional image based, at least in part, on the guide tracks.

Systems and methods for providing accelerated data storage and retrieval utilizing lossless data compression and decompression. A data storage accelerator includes one or a plurality of high speed data compression encoders that are configured to compress data. The compressed data is subsequently stored in a target memory or other storage device whose input data storage bandwidth is lower than the original input data stream bandwidth. Similarly, a data retrieval accelerator includes one or a plurality of high speed data decompression decoders that are configured to decompress data at a rate equivalent to or faster than the input data stream from the target memory or storage device. The decompressed data is then output at rate data that is greater than the output rate from the target memory or data storage device.

Digital optical tape archival storage systems and methods are disclosed. A digital optical tape recorder simultaneously writes data and two or more guide tracks onto an unformatted digital optical tape recording medium. A digital optical tape reader includes a camera and an image processor. The camera captures a two-dimensional image of the digital optical tape recording medium including the data and the two or more guide tracks. The image processor extracts the data from the two-dimensional image based, at least in part, on the guide tracks.