You might want to consider getting a CP65 (or a CP55, but it will also need the new cards and some backplane modifications) before going digital.

If all you want is the DTS or digital advertisment ability (plus digital sound, of course) then DTS makes (and includes with a new purchase) an interface board called the "D567". It is simply a relay board that will allow you to inject the DTS signal into the CP-50's signal path. There are minimal modifications to install it. You will have to remove some resistors on the backplane and wire from the DTS board over to the pads where you removed the resistors. Not to worry, the DTS board does have the resistors on it to keep the levels right.

When you are done, you will have a DB25 connector to plug you DTS into and your optical path will funtion as normal.

As Aaron said, you can go for the full upgrade but it is more work. In addition to the DTS board, you could obtain a Dolby Cat. 560 to have stereo surrounds and have the subwoofer controlled from the CP-50's fader (otherwise, the DTS subwoofer is fixed). The Cat. 517 (output fader card) is also a recommended upgrade (regardless) since it will improve your S/N and reduce distortion...but one must modify the CP-50's backplane some more for that card.

We used to make an backplane daughterboard that, once installed, made the whole digital thing a bit more upgrade friendly. By setting the jumpers to what you have installed, you could have the Cat. 560 and/or the Cat. 517. It also boosted the optical level by 3dB if SR cards were inserted. It also provided a hearing assist output (pre-eq, pre-fader). We stopped making them about 6 years ago when those that wanted digital on their CP-50s had them, the rest of the CP-50s were either pulled or moved down to the lesser houses for optical (in some instances upgrading a previously mono house). We have a handful left of raw boards but time is so scarce that we still owe Mark G one board for some time now!

Steve

 |  IP: Logged

And just where do you come up with that opinion? The CP-50 has the general processing as the CP-65 and is cheaper to upgrade than to outright purchase a CP-65 (or CP-650)...keeping everything in the quality Dolby relm.

Steve

For a DTS-6D, if you buy a system from us or one of our dealers, the one price supplies you with the DTS-6D, a reader, and all cables and accessory boards you need to complete the installation. Also includes an installation manual.

Please visit our web site at www.dtsonline.com Look under 'cinema' to see a list of DTS dealers. Choose whichever one appeals to you.

As far as the CP50 goes, normally, all you will get is mono surrounds.

One is better off using a CP-55 now, as those things go for about 500 bucks on the market without the SR adapter. The CP-55 is much easier to deal with when it comes to making it cost effective.

Remember, you want to have good quality sound when the digital system defaults. Otherwise, the GIGO method applies.

I think it is financial suicide to spend so much money on the CP-50 to get it up and running for any digital format.

The CP50's are installed in two auditoriums. There will be NO upgrades to it. We have a DTS 6 and a DTS 6-D to install. Since we have the units from surplus storage we are not going to spend any real money. We are interested only in getting them hooked up and that is all. We will run MONO surrounds and NO subwoofer at this time.

SO... We just want to hook the units straight up to the CP-50's and we find this to be worth the time I would spend doing so, as the sound would not be perfect, but much clearer than the optical.

Karen, we purchased the units used from canada but did not come with the cables. What will we need from you to get these hooked up.

Dave

Paul

Now, I'm not bashing anyone; please don't get mad at me. But as I read Dave's post, my interpretation is, ".. anything so we can say we have digital." As an example; without installing any subwoofers, it's really not DTS or Dolby stereo, as a subwoofer is required with those systems. Has anyone given thought to things like; is the db range of the existing amps and speakers enough for the spl levels digital required? And even though advertising with the word "digital" is not contractually defined as it is with Dolby, I feel it's a bit misleading in this case.

It's not the worse misrepresentation I ever saw in theater sound, but just because you can electrically make it work, it's not right either.

Now, Dave is probably caught in the middle; management has stated what they want, and he is charged with delivering it, period.

Sorry to rant, I just feel it's this kind of thing that cheapens the industry. I get the same depressing feeling when I see a mis-mash booth with, like, all different kinds of projectors, sound heads, consoles, sound equipment thrown together.

I would love to upgrade, but cost is not effective at this time. One thing at a time. First install what we have and make it the best that we can. As money flows easier then piece by piece we can install subs, split surrounds, etc.

I feel all of your pain, but cost is cost and with the way things are right now, money is not easy to come by.

D567 interface board for CP-50
D711 Automation cable

I respectfully disagree with you regarding the CP-50 and digital. The CP-55 cetainly is not the better signal path. It's bad enough that digital tracks sometimes drop out, but to announce it with a "SNAP" each time the format card switches the format back and forth is rather bad. Also, the CP-55 is crippled in the SR department. Dolby no longer has the SRA-5 for SR and the Cat. 22SR/A is a poor excuse for SR noise reduction....the CP-50 on the other hand can take the superior Cat. 280T noise reduction and pay less for the pair of them than one Cat 222SR/A. Depending on the Cat. 150 decoder presently in each, the CP-55 may not even get the edge there. The CP-55 may have the edge in the EQ department if the CP-50 does not have Cat. 64Bs but late model CP-50s came with those too!

So what does it take to upgrade the CP-50? For digital, SR is a must as a back up (same with the CP-55). Stereo surrounds should be done but not a must (both Dolby and DTS offer mono-surrounds all the time as well as their Stereo Surrounds) and if the CP-50 is to have stereo surrounds, a mere Cat. 560 upgrade is all that is necessary for both digital subs and stereo surrounds. The CP-55 needs...a Cat. 441 for the same benefits...that is a dead wash on the cost front plus the Cat. 441 also requires back plane modifications (the SR card or outboard frame does as well on the CP-55).

So what's left? The output card on the CP-50? It certainly isn't a requirement for digital though some improvement can be had. Remember the Cat. 117 was used for magnetic on the CP-200 (as well as the Cat. 64s) without everyone proclaiming that the sound was anything but the best. Magnetic has the same potential levels as digital.

Perhaps the optical pre-amp...again, look at the Cat. 108 vs the Cat. 240 on reverse scan readers...the 240 doesn't set up great. The 240A does...So upgrading the preamp to the Cat. 108C is a wash as compared to the upgrade to the Cat. 240A.

In short, the difference in cash outlay of upgrading the CP-50 vs the CP-55 for proper digital is a whole lot closer to each other in cost and labor than you make it out to be. In fact, the CP-50 CAN be made to outperform the CP-55 in just about EVERY respect. That is, you take a CP-50 with a Cat. 108C, Cat. 280T, Cat 109C, Cat. 150E/F, Cat. 64B, Cat 517, Cat. 112 or Cat. 113C and lastly the Cat. 114C will equal or out perform the most tricked out CP-55 in all measurable respects as well as audible.

In just about all cases, it is cheaper to get a CP-50 digital ready than the CP-55 too. Oh and if you are an "art-house" that handles mono still...the Cat. 109C correctly handles the Academy curve whereas the CP-55 has a token adjustable LPF and link for the HPF...I believe both of the CP-55s are first-order though.

Whether or not it is a good choice depends on many factors though...just how old is the CP-50, what generation are the cards...because I would agree to take the first CP-50 off the line with all original cards to get it ready for quality digital...everything would be changed....but if on the other hand, you have a CP-50 that has been kept up all along or was a late model then the jump is much more minute. To dismiss the CP-50 out of hand may be convienient but not always the best decision. Personally, I favor the installation of SR cards and moving them down to the formerly mono houses...it is quick and it impoves the lesser houses while letting the presentation houses receive the latest.

Ken (thought I forgot about you, eh?)....

The Cat. 113C is not essential for the CP-50 to run digital. It is only essential if your automation so dictates and/or an outboard SR noise reduction (like the SRA-5)

Steve

And, of course, Dolby Labs never recommended the CP-50 conversion, either. It is just too old, and too many things must be done to make it work - properly.

Paul