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Topic: DTS Setup Disc

Stephen Jones 1
Film Handler

Posts: 62
From: Tulsa, OK, USA
Registered: Aug 1999

posted 10-27-1999 04:10 AM

I have been unable to locate anyone with a DTS Setup Disc. Does anyone out there have a CD-Recordable Drive that could burn me a copy or know someone that does? If so, please email me:

sej@ix.netcom.com

Thanks for all the help.

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Brad Miller
Administrator

Posts: 17775
From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall)
Registered: May 99

posted 10-27-1999 05:45 AM

I know the DTS movie and trailer discs will burn ok as I've had to do that in a crunch when we were only sent one disc for two screens. However, just last week I burned a setup disc for a friend and got an error message. The burn completed, but alas, that odd error message.

When he gets back to me on it, I'll let you know if it worked. Since it is an auto playing disc, there may be something out of the ordinary that won't burn directly (or it could've just been a fluke burn error). If it works, I'll burn you one. There's nothing worse than not having the disc and having to literally guess at the proper levels! (Yes, I've heard of people actually doing that when a disc was not available and it is doing an injustice to the format and the overall sound presentation.)

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Jim Ziegler
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 753
From: West Hollywood, CA
Registered: Jul 99

posted 10-27-1999 02:38 PM

Stephen,

These disks are only $50.00 from DTS. If you requistion one, corporate will send it (they sent me one).

If I am not mistaken, you can also set levels off of the pink noise on the Emperial Test Disk (whiwh is only around $30).

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Scott Ribbens
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 118
From: Los Angeles
Registered: Oct 1999

posted 10-28-1999 07:17 AM

You are correct Jim. you can set the levels with the Empirical Test Disc. I belive that tracks 37-42 are the proper ones to use. Just remember to write down the timecode reader offset number as you have to use the rotary switches to select any track 36 to 50. Make sure the timecode offset switchs are returned to the proper position before you run the show. Also remember to set your SPL meter to SLOW response, and C weighting.

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Jim Ziegler
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 753
From: West Hollywood, CA
Registered: Jul 99

posted 10-29-1999 04:17 AM

What does the weighting do?

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Stephen Jones 1
Film Handler

Posts: 62
From: Tulsa, OK, USA
Registered: Aug 1999

posted 10-29-1999 09:16 AM

If I remember correctly weighting has to do with which way the meter reads the noise. C-weighting usually does better with musical noise and A-weighting does better with PA (speaking) systems. The slow and fast response is how fast the meter checks the levels. Usually fast response picks up peaks that are heard. I spoke with a representative with DTS and am getting a Setup Disc and an updated Empirical Test Disc. She told me that the Emp. Test Disc I had was out of date. According to her, the disc has to have a "June 7, 1997" label on it or it will not play in the DTS unit. This explains why I couldn't get my older Empirical disc to work. She was very helpful to me and scores another point in my book with DTS. Can't seem to go wrong with them.

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Steve Guttag
We forgot the crackers Gromit!!!

Posts: 12814
From: Annapolis, MD
Registered: Dec 1999

posted 10-29-1999 10:59 AM

>>"What does the weighting do?"<<

Weighting alters the response of the meter.
In order to use pink-noise, the frequency range must be specified for the SPL reading to have any validity. The "C" weighting is flat in the pass-band of 20Hz - 20KHz and rolls off the response of the meter on either side of the pass-band. So the "weighting" in this case is in the audible spectrum while super-sonic and sub-sonic noises will not factor in to the overall SPL reading.

It is one of the reasons SPL meters should not be used for setting subwoofer level, their response does not cover the weighted scale and in the case of "C" weighting, goes below. A much more accruate way of setting the subwoofer is to use a spectrum analyzer. This will also let one see the peaks and dips in the response and factor them in if they can't be tuned out with exisiting equipment.

Steve

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Stefan Scholz
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 223
From: Schoenberg, Germany
Registered: Sep 1999

posted 10-29-1999 01:58 PM

You could copy the disks - like any other DTS disk, and if burned in slow (1x) mode, they normally work. We have done so for friends. Be sure to use the LATEST revisions, somewhat from mid of 1999.

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System Notices
Forum Watchdog / Soup Nazi

Posts: 215

Registered: Apr 2004

posted 04-22-2017 02:58 PM

It has been 6385 days since the last post.

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Zdenek Stepanek
Film Handler

Posts: 10
From: Varnsdorf, Czech Republic
Registered: Jan 2015

posted 04-22-2017 02:58 PM

Hi Friends,

I try to find "Empirical Test Disc" (or anything else with test tones in each channels to setup and test whole system) for our renewed DTS-6D setup for 70mm Weekend. But unfortunately it is impossible. From previous setup before 10 years left only player itself and timecode readers...

Could anyone grab ISO image and share it on FTP?

Many thanks.

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Jim Cassedy
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1661
From: San Francisco, CA
Registered: Dec 2006

posted 04-22-2017 03:25 PM

I think there used to be copies available for download in the "Warehouse"
section of this website. Look under "software" in the Warehouse.

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Brad Miller
Administrator

Posts: 17775
From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall)
Registered: May 99

posted 04-22-2017 04:46 PM

Film-Tech.com/warehouse/manuals/software

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Zdenek Stepanek
Film Handler

Posts: 10
From: Varnsdorf, Czech Republic
Registered: Jan 2015

posted 05-18-2017 02:31 AM

There is no "Empirical Test Disk" in software section. I got ISO image from some reader of this forum. I can provide it, if someone want them.

But unfortunately due to old DTS-6D was been incompatible with CD for print from 2009, We acquire DTS XD-10 which have test tracks/tones built-in and old DTS-6D is only an exhibit now...

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Leo Enticknap
Film God

Posts: 7474
From: Loma Linda, CA
Registered: Jul 2000

posted 05-18-2017 09:39 AM

Good solution. You'll find an assload of benefits from having an XD player. Given that most DTS use now is for repeated screenings of a few 70mm favorites, you can just ingest the audio from all of them and then forget about CDs (unless the hard drive dies - see below). AES digital out is a plus, too, and the reel countdown function on the display saves you from having to stand next to the projector for 3-4 minutes waiting for a changeover.

However, there are two gotchas (that I'm aware of).

1. At least some XD-10s had a model of motherboard that has a high failure rate from capacitor plague. It is possible to replace the capacitors (elsewhere on this forum Mark Gulbrandsen has described the procedure), but you need excellent disassembly/reassembly/soldering skills to even contemplate attempting it. I'd suggest looking at your motherboard to see if any of the capacitors are starting to bulge or otherwise look suspect; at least you'll have an early warning.

2. The XD-10 uses an IDE hard drive, not SATA. It will work with a SATA to IDE converter board (I'm running an XD-10 with a SATA drive connected this way, and have been for two years with no problems). I would make sure that you have either a spare, known good IDE drive in stock, or an IDE to SATA converter board plus a SATA drive.

The ideal insurance policy is two XD-10s, networked, and set so that they're always syncing the content between each other (i.e. anything you ingest into one is automatically copied over the LAN to the other immediately afterwards). In the event of one unit failing, all you have to do is to swap the reader and audio out cables to the other, and your show is back up. However, that would mean getting hold of another complete unit.

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