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Author Topic: Dolby CP200 or USL DSP-60S ? Catalin Balaceanu Film Handler Posts: 36 From: Pascani, Iasi, Romania Registered: Mar 2006 posted 03-27-2006 03:17 AM                        Hi everybody! First of all , I gotta tell you this forum rocks! It's a real treasure for newbees like me...and I'm sure it's the same for more experienced ppl, too. Now, let me introduce myself: my name is Catalin and I'm a romanian cartoon animator. In the last couple of months I've been really considering to invest in a movie theatre, in my hometown (50.000 ppl.), which has no theatre, btw. It had one before, but not anymore, due to really bad management. The nearest theaters and multiplexes are at abt 50 miles form here. So, with no competition around and a good management, I think I might make it. I've got the location and the old projectors which are in a relly mint condition. The only bad thing is that they have mono sound on them (don't lough, ok!) . So, I need to upgrade the sound equipment. Anyway, I've been doing a lot of research on internet abt this business and the technical challenges that come along with it. The budget is kinda tight, so I found two processors I can afford: cp200 and dsp-60 (both used, ofcourse). My question is, which one would you guys go for? I know the cp200 is quite old and unreliable, but it's DOLBY. On the other hand, dsp-60 is newer and has this fancy digital processing features (which sounds very appealing for me ), but I've red a lot of nasty things abt it on this forum. So, which one's gonna be? Come on, help a guy out! I already bough the reverse scan analog readers and for now I gotta stick to analog. But I definetelly want to go digital in a near future. Though, second hand equipment is the only option for me. So, here's another one for you: what do you think abt a Sony DFP-D2000 + the reader, without the CCZ cable, for 600$? Is it a good deal? I asked around and our national film distributors provide copies with SDDS sound on them , so SDDS would be a good option for me, I think. I'm also looking for a decent priced DA10 or DA20 processor. (ok, ok, I know i should got to the sales board for this). That would be it for now. I'm waiting for suggestions regarding my questions. Thank you and everybody have a great day! regards, Catalin  |  IP: Logged Steve Guttag We forgot the crackers Gromit!!! Posts: 12814 From: Annapolis, MD Registered: Dec 1999 posted 03-27-2006 06:40 AM                     There is nothing unreliable about the CP200. There really isn't a choice between the two units you listed...the CP200 is the only smart choice.  |  IP: Logged Sam D. Chavez Film God Posts: 2153 From: Martinez, CA USA Registered: Aug 2003 posted 03-27-2006 10:25 AM                       The CP200 is very good but with a number of caveats. Do you know if it actually works, is it complete with all cables and cards? There are many of these available as they are being pulled out of service in all the studios and most theatres. A number of the circuit boards are getting had to find. I would not pay more than $1,500 at most for one even in great condition.  |  IP: Logged Michael Schaffer "Where is the Boardwalk Hotel?" Posts: 4143 From: Boston, MA Registered: Apr 2002 posted 03-27-2006 01:49 PM                        What kind of prints do you get of mainstream product? Do you get English versions with lasered subtitles or are the movies dubbed in Romanian? What projectors do you have in that location?  |  IP: Logged Steve Guttag We forgot the crackers Gromit!!! Posts: 12814 From: Annapolis, MD Registered: Dec 1999 posted 03-27-2006 04:41 PM                     Sam, Consider his "other" choice. A DSP60...an orphan whos engineer is not with the company anymore, had limited production, had issues, poor noise reduction...and the list goes on. The CP200, on the otherhand...is still supported by Dolby, has had relatively few failures, mostly in the power supply via loose capacitors, is upgradable and will otherwise work upon hooking it up. The CP200 is what it is...the best link between the past and the present and still the best unit for more than 2 projectors and/or for magnetic soundtracks. It remains the most flexible unit. Again, in this case, between the two, there isn't a choice. My last CP200 went in 3-years ago...I'm transplanting one later this year and I have a new installation with one coming up next year (4-projector with 70mm and 35mm magnetic). Steve  |  IP: Logged Sam D. Chavez Film God Posts: 2153 From: Martinez, CA USA Registered: Aug 2003 posted 03-27-2006 05:42 PM                       I had not looked at the alternative processor, the DSP 60. No one likes the CP200 more than I as it has my footprints all over it. I just don't want anyone to pay too much for a device no longer fully supported. Also, I have seen a few too many people ripped off on an incomplete CP200 processor.  |  IP: Logged Catalin Balaceanu Film Handler Posts: 36 From: Pascani, Iasi, Romania Registered: Mar 2006 posted 03-28-2006 05:15 AM                        Hi guys, thank you so much for the feedback! Though, I see that the opinions vary from one individual to another...as I was actually expecting. Anyway, here are my answers for you: Steve, thank you for filling me in about dsp-60s' issues. It sounds like you hate the damn thing ...and for serious reasons, as it looks. Though, I would be more then happy if you'd describe those issues better; what are actually it's weak points, besides weak noise reduction and lack of technical support. Ofcourse, I'm really considering to follow your advice. Sam, the CP200 I intend to buy is 300$. It looks like it's way too cheap for a decent cp200? You were right about the needed cards; being a newbee, I'm so terrified to buy the processor just to find out that I need I-don't-know-what card, which the processor won't work without. therefore, I need to learn more about the dolby cards naming policy (the "Cat...." thing) which sounds like chinese language for me...and I use to think abt myself that I'm good with technical stuff. Michael, all the movies in Romania come with the original sound on them, with romanian subtitles. Nobody wants to hear Bruce Willis or Pacino talking in romanian.That would be against the good nature, wouldn't it That's actually the logic behind using the subtitles instead of dubbing, here in Ro. Though, some shows meant for children are dubbed in romanian...oh, and the soap operas..for some reason Now, before posting here, I was thinking to go for the DSP-60 just because it's got the digital processing feature and because it doesn't have so many cards in it to be worried about. Ofcourse, the down side of this is that, if something's broken , you have to replace big chunks of it, like Randy Stankey once said. Btw, Randy , it looks like you have some more experience with this device. Can you say something abt it? Once again thanks to all for the replies! Cheers! Catalin Oh, the projectors I have are IOR; It's a romanian company who does mostly military optics, but there was a time when they ware making professional cinema equipment. Well, I'm more then certain you haven't heared of them and you're smiling right now but the guyz have done some amazing things. here's some things about them , in case you care  |  IP: Logged Michael Schaffer "Where is the Boardwalk Hotel?" Posts: 4143 From: Boston, MA Registered: Apr 2002 posted 03-28-2006 02:41 PM                        Good to hear you have OVs with subtitles. Coming from a country in which all movies are dubbed (Germany) and only a few select theaters in bigger cities play the OVs, I hate the whole dubbing thing. I wonder if the prints you get are new ones. I heard that a lot of prints for smaller countries are actually used prints from British and American releases which are recycled and get the subtitles lasered on them. As has been discussed here ad nauseam, the SDDS format can work very well if the print is in good condition and the track was printed properly in the lab, but that often does not happen and a lot of used prints have massive edge damage which leads to a lot of failures of the system, with the older DFP-D2000 system more than with the newer DFP-D3000. So SDDS may not be a very good choice for you. Also, when I left Europe 3 years ago, a lot of European productions still didn't have the SDDS track on them. I don't know if that has changed, but generally, Dolby Digital seems to be a better choice for you. But I would hunt for a DA20 rather than a DA10. These had a lot of problems in the beginning. If you have access to the CP200 offered to you, maybe you could post highres pictures of the modules here and also list the cards contained in it.  |  IP: Logged Stephen Furley Film God Posts: 3059 From: Coulsdon, Croydon, England Registered: May 2002 posted 03-28-2006 04:12 PM                     quote: Michael Schaffer when I left Europe 3 years ago, a lot of European productions still didn't have the SDDS track on them. I don't know if that has changed I don't see that many prints with SDDS, even mainstream ones; and almost no arthouse and independent type films. Until recently most prints of films released in the last few years had the cyan edges, sort of blank SDDS track, but recently there have been a lot more prints coming in without this. Are the labs starting to remove the SDDS facility from their printers? I've only ever heard SDDS once, and seen the equipment instaled in a couple of places; it was never very popular over here.  |  IP: Logged

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