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» Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE   » Operations   » Film Handlers' Forum   » CP-500 not responding to automation (Page 1)

 
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Author Topic: CP-500 not responding to automation
Paul G. Thompson
The Weenie Man

Posts: 4718
From: Mount Vernon WA USA
Registered: Nov 2000


 - posted 06-21-2002 04:59 PM      Profile for Paul G. Thompson   Email Paul G. Thompson   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Ever since I have been at this theatre, one of the CP-500's would only switch into non-sync 50% of the time. Through the months, it got worse. Now non-sync has to be manually engaged at the end of each show.

Starting earlier in this week, the CP-500 will not go into any format at the start of the show. It stays in non-sync. (since that is where we manually put it at the end of the show.) I punched the SRA-5 format, and it didn't respond, but instead it shifted into SRD about 1/2 of a second after I mashed the SRA button.

The system contains the CP-500, Surround EX Adapter (Dolby Labs), and an USL DPP-10 panel. Automation is a TA-10.

The system also had a SDDS that never worked from day ONE, and it was ripped out of the system by another tech. (Namly the company that installed it). I don't think the removal of the SDDS had anything to do with the problem, as that problem was present even before the SDDS was removed.

Since I have two problems, I don't think it is the automation, but I have not verified that yet.

Any suggestions?

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Gordon McLeod
Film God

Posts: 9532
From: Toronto Ontario Canada
Registered: Jun 99


 - posted 06-21-2002 05:51 PM      Profile for Gordon McLeod   Email Gordon McLeod   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Try disconnecting the automation cable and doing a manual short for each format to ground and see if it switchs
If it does the problem is in the cabling or the automation

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Paul G. Thompson
The Weenie Man

Posts: 4718
From: Mount Vernon WA USA
Registered: Nov 2000


 - posted 06-21-2002 06:01 PM      Profile for Paul G. Thompson   Email Paul G. Thompson   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
I'll try that, Gordon. I was going to try some triggering in the automation terminations, but when I looked at that mess, it would take me several hours to figure out how it was wired. So, your idea will be employed.

One thing I forgot to mention.....I observed the shut-down to see if I could get some more indications. What I found was this sequence:

1. Chage-over closed.
2. When the Dolby Digital signal was lost, the "Mute" light flashed about 6 times, then defaulted to SRA-5.
3. Then the machine shut down properly when the film expended through the fail-safe.
4. I had to manually engage non-sync.

Several times in the past, I have noted the mute light continued to flash until I manually triggered the non-sync format.

Hope this helps......Thanks.

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Ken Layton
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1452
From: Olympia, Wash. USA
Registered: Sep 1999


 - posted 06-21-2002 06:04 PM      Profile for Ken Layton   Email Ken Layton   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Does the CP-500 have the latest software version?

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Paul G. Thompson
The Weenie Man

Posts: 4718
From: Mount Vernon WA USA
Registered: Nov 2000


 - posted 06-21-2002 06:39 PM      Profile for Paul G. Thompson   Email Paul G. Thompson   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Ken, the firmware version is 1.61EX.

One other thing I observed on shut-down is the CP-500 is unmuted when the xenon contactor opens. I *think* this is how it's wired, as the lamp contactor opens about 1/2 second after the motor shuts down.

I have to get some more indications and when I do, I'll post them.

Just noiced something else....The EX light comes on when lamp and motor shut down, but it does not go into non-sync.



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Mark Hathaway
Film Handler

Posts: 31
From: Australia
Registered: Nov 2001


 - posted 06-22-2002 01:40 AM      Profile for Mark Hathaway   Email Mark Hathaway   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
does the cp500 have serial control, or relays switching ground for the automation interface?

Mark

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Paul G. Thompson
The Weenie Man

Posts: 4718
From: Mount Vernon WA USA
Registered: Nov 2000


 - posted 06-22-2002 12:07 PM      Profile for Paul G. Thompson   Email Paul G. Thompson   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Mark, I cannot answer that right now because I don't know. I would presume it is switched directly from the TA-10. However, I did discover an additional relay bolted inside the TA-10, but what its purpose in life is, I have not figured that out yet. I'll have to do some manual triggering to see what it does.

There might be a wiring error. The Surround EX activating on tail-out blows my mind. I think that was supposed to be a non-sync trigger, not an EX trigger. I don't know enough about it until I hit the books some more.


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Ken Lackner
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1907
From: Atlanta, GA, USA
Registered: Sep 2001


 - posted 06-22-2002 12:11 PM      Profile for Ken Lackner   Email Ken Lackner   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
I have no idea how the TA-10 is programmed, but perhaps this is just a programming error and it needs to be programmed for NS rather than EX.

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Gordon McLeod
Film God

Posts: 9532
From: Toronto Ontario Canada
Registered: Jun 99


 - posted 06-22-2002 12:16 PM      Profile for Gordon McLeod   Email Gordon McLeod   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
If you are using a TA10 you are not using serial control of the 500

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Daryl C. W. O'Shea
Film God

Posts: 3977
From: Midland Ontario Canada (where Panavision & IMAX lenses come from)
Registered: Jun 2002


 - posted 06-22-2002 01:49 PM      Profile for Daryl C. W. O'Shea   Author's Homepage   Email Daryl C. W. O'Shea   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
'Just noticed something else....The EX light comes on when lamp and motor shut down, but it does not go into non-sync.'

Paul, if the processor is trying to switch into EX at the end of the projector stop sequence, you could change the format layout on the CP-500 so that the the non-sync softkey is where the EX softkey is now. This may solve the non-sync problem if it is currently trying to switch into EX all the time.

Another thought, is the processor trying to switch into non-sync at the beginning of the show? (The non-sync softkey would flash) If it is you could change the softkey to be format 10 (or whatever you want the default to be).

Good luck!

Daryl

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Paul G. Thompson
The Weenie Man

Posts: 4718
From: Mount Vernon WA USA
Registered: Nov 2000


 - posted 06-22-2002 02:02 PM      Profile for Paul G. Thompson   Email Paul G. Thompson   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Daryl, I'll look into that, but it'll be a couple of days before I can do that..

I do know that it is not trying to switch into non-sync at the start of the show.

There are two Format 10 softkeys set up. Why...I don't know. I think the CP-500 is confused.

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Daryl C. W. O'Shea
Film God

Posts: 3977
From: Midland Ontario Canada (where Panavision & IMAX lenses come from)
Registered: Jun 2002


 - posted 06-22-2002 02:13 PM      Profile for Daryl C. W. O'Shea   Author's Homepage   Email Daryl C. W. O'Shea   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Paul, the reason there are two format 10 keys is that one would be used for trimming the trailer volume. On the start sequence the processor would be pulsed into the key set for the trailer volume, then another cue at the end of the trailers (often in a different position on the film - like the opposite side or center of frame) would pulse the processor into the feature key with the louder feature volume. If you're not going to use another cue at the end of the trailers just set the first key that it pulses into to the volume you want the show to run at (of course after you get it to pulse into a format 10 when it's supposed to at show start ).

Daryl

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Gordon McLeod
Film God

Posts: 9532
From: Toronto Ontario Canada
Registered: Jun 99


 - posted 06-22-2002 02:37 PM      Profile for Gordon McLeod   Email Gordon McLeod   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Paul is the second format 10 at SK8 then it is not a seperate level but the EX dolby digital mode

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Paul G. Thompson
The Weenie Man

Posts: 4718
From: Mount Vernon WA USA
Registered: Nov 2000


 - posted 06-22-2002 04:15 PM      Profile for Paul G. Thompson   Email Paul G. Thompson   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Gordon, there are 3 format 10's in that thing.

They are at SK-4, SK-6, and SK-8.

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Brad Miller
Administrator

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


 - posted 06-22-2002 04:19 PM      Profile for Brad Miller   Author's Homepage   Email Brad Miller       Edit/Delete Post 
Sounds like SK4 is for feature volume/non-EX. SK6 is for trailer volume/non-EX. SK8 is feature volume/EX. The SA10 standard wiring is for SK8 and SK4 is left for running non-EX films.

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