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Author Topic: cp 500 format change question Patrick de Groot Expert Film Handler Posts: 161 From: Sprang-Capelle, Netherlands Registered: Apr 2001 posted 06-23-2004 07:54 AM                     With our cp 500's we have the following problem: We play our commercials at a lower volume than the trailers and main feature. We have two different formats. However, we put our automation marks on short black film (with no soundtrack). When the format changes from A to B the CP doesnt'read a digital track so it says ...not ready and switches back to format A with the lower volume. So when selecting a format that reads Dolby digital (at another volume) there must be digital data or otherwise it won't change at all. Rather stupid... Is there a workaround?  |  IP: Logged Steve Scott Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1300 From: Minneapolis, MN Registered: Sep 2000 posted 06-23-2004 08:44 AM                     It sounds like you have the auto digital feature enabled. Do you run the trailers in digital or analog? You may need to assign multiple formats with different fader settings that your automation can steer its commands to. What kind of automation do you have?  |  IP: Logged Ferdinando Innocenti Film Handler Posts: 79 From: Genova / Italy Registered: Jun 2004 posted 06-23-2004 08:56 AM                     You can use a trick; configure 3 sound format, the first for the ads in DD or SR, let's say format 6; then format 4 for the movie, and format 2 as SR with the same volume as format 4. When your cue passes after ads, automation goes on format 2, no problem because it's SR with auto target in DD. When you have a DD soundtrack, CP500 operates change format in DD with the same volume. With my automation it works good, try with yours. Nando  |  IP: Logged Steve Scott Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1300 From: Minneapolis, MN Registered: Sep 2000 posted 06-23-2004 09:09 AM                     I agree with what Ferdinando is saying, but just to be clear, you'd be steering the automation to Softkey 2,4,6, etc... not formats. Although you could run old school rules and show the film in format 02, Dolby Mono, you'll get credit from projectionists who've been in the business since those days  |  IP: Logged Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 06-23-2004 04:14 PM                     How odd, by simply typing "cp500 format change question" into the forum's search engine, this link came up. WOW!  |  IP: Logged Patrick de Groot Expert Film Handler Posts: 161 From: Sprang-Capelle, Netherlands Registered: Apr 2001 posted 06-24-2004 06:53 AM                     Thanks for the hint! It worked. Well, I did a search first, but it wasn't about this particular "feature" of the cp500 (format switch failing)... I have things set up now so that on startup Dolby Digital 3.8 is selected for the ads. It keeps the fader setting on revertion to analog (Dolby SR, but the format Dolby SR 5.0 is highlighted). When the trailers start the automation selects the format settings Dolby SR 5.0 (which never fails in contrast with selecting Dolby Digital 5.0) and because it is a user request format change it changes the fader to 5.0. Because this format is an auto digital source as soon as it reads valid Dolby Digital data it switches to the target format Dolby Digital 5.0. (off topic) I know the CP should be calibrated for a fader setting of 7.0, but here in the Netherlands various technicians seems to set them around 5.0.  |  IP: Logged

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