my profile | my password | search | faq & rules | forum home

» Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE   » Operations   » Film Handlers' Forum   » DA20 startup problem

Author Topic: DA20 startup problem Raymond Massard Film Handler Posts: 16 From: Rumelange - Luxembourg Registered: Mar 2004 posted 06-30-2006 11:13 AM                        I just installed a second-hand DA20 connected to a CAT700 reader. On starting up the DA-20 the first time it sigalled HELP0 thru the 7-segment display. Since we were in a hurry to resume shows in the theatre we focused on putting analog and DTS on which was no big problem. After that we notices that the DA20 had resumed normal operation except that the error rate was too high. I changed the lamp in the CAT700 and the DA20 started decoding correctly (error rate 4, still high but acceptable). So all that needed to be done was to set the digital delay and the surround delay to the correct values, what we did. But after that the DA20 would refuse to startup. The display would show the correct startup sequence c-r-L, start decoding for a second or two and then starting the whole sequence again, endlessly. We tried all the usual stuff like resetting, taking out and resettling all the boards, to no avail. Finally I found out that setting the test dial switch beneath the 7-segemnt display to 1 (instead of 0) the DA20 would startup and continue decoding after setting the dial back to 0. But after a new restart the sequence above would resume cycling endlessly. Leaving the dial at 1 the processor appears to work fine. Anybody around who has an idea what's happening here ?  |  IP: Logged Ken Jacquart Film Handler Posts: 82 From: San Francisco, CA, USA Registered: Mar 2000 posted 06-30-2006 07:45 PM                        First suggestion: Measure the +5volt rail with a digital volt meter. Test point located on the Cat 670 card near the bottom. Maybe, just maybe you have an older unit that exhibited the problem of burning molex connector in the power supply. If the voltage turns out okay, then maybe you have a problem with the Cat 673 card itself. Of course, re-seat all the cards is standard practice in any older unit.  |  IP: Logged Raymond Massard Film Handler Posts: 16 From: Rumelange - Luxembourg Registered: Mar 2004 posted 07-01-2006 10:12 AM                        Checked the voltages. All ok and slightly above nominal values. Does anybody know what's different when using test dial on position 1 rather than 0 ?  |  IP: Logged Raymond Massard Film Handler Posts: 16 From: Rumelange - Luxembourg Registered: Mar 2004 posted 07-09-2006 04:19 PM                        Checked some further on this issue: in fact on the left cat671 the upper red light was constantly on whereas the same led on the right cat671 was sometimes flashing shortly. I swapped the cards and now BOTH cat 671 have their upper red light constantly on. After reswapping the cards both leds are still on. Nevertheless if the test rotary swith on the cat673 ist on position 1, the DA20 works absolutely fine. I cannot imagine both cat 671 cards dying within 10 days. Does anybody have a hint.  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 07-09-2006 05:40 PM                     I recently had both 671's go bad in a CP-500 in TWin Falls. I would say that both failing together is very rare. Mark  |  IP: Logged Larry Zuverink Film Handler Posts: 98 From: Caledonia, MI, USA Registered: Nov 2002 posted 07-10-2006 02:26 PM                     I've had that Molex connector be bad even though the voltage was reading good. I've always soldered the connections from the power supply directly to the posts inside of the unit on those older DA20's. It has fixed this same problem about 5 times. If you have another DA20 you might want to try another power supply or even clean those connection really good before trying this though. If cleaning the contacts works, The problem will return.  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 07-10-2006 07:16 PM                     Larry, I agree 100% solder them directly to the board and then its never a question. I also have had many Molex's fail in CAT 700's lamp supply, same thing done there and never a problem again. Mark  |  IP: Logged Raymond Massard Film Handler Posts: 16 From: Rumelange - Luxembourg Registered: Mar 2004 posted 07-15-2006 05:12 PM                        Ok, so I soldered the wires directly to the pins. It didn't solve the problem except that one of the CAT671 behaves normally again (red leds out). But the other one still shows the error and makes the DA20 reboot endlessly. Does the cable that connects the power supply to the backplane also have a molex on the backplane side ? Does the DA20 draw more current on a specific voltage at startup or load ? BTW: Checked the molex on the cat700 and it looked REALLY bad, soldered the wires directly to the pins as well.  |  IP: Logged Raymond Massard Film Handler Posts: 16 From: Rumelange - Luxembourg Registered: Mar 2004 posted 07-17-2006 01:12 PM                        Finally soldered the power supply cables on the DA20 backplane as well. Result: All 4 red leds on the cat 671s are lit now.  |  IP: Logged Ken Jacquart Film Handler Posts: 82 From: San Francisco, CA, USA Registered: Mar 2000 posted 07-24-2006 02:50 PM                        Raymond, A few things... Placing the CAT 673 rotary switch to position 1 forces the "link ignore" mode. It forces the system to ignore the fault indicators. Since you are seeing multiple red LED fault indicators on your CAT 671 cards, you may or may not have a bad card or two. I have seen instances where a fault indicator is on, and after re-seating the cards, all went away. I'm sure that you've re-seated these cards by now. I also suggest that you take a look at field bulletin 219 and verify that this is not your problem (this should've been weeded out many years ago though). If you have the opportunity to get your hands on another CAT 671 card, try temporarily swapping them one at a time to discover which card might be bad. -ken  |  IP: Logged Steve Guttag We forgot the crackers Gromit!!! Posts: 12814 From: Annapolis, MD Registered: Dec 1999 posted 07-24-2006 06:35 PM                     I just had a pair of Cat 671s die in a CP500 following the CP500's power supply going kaput. Oddly enough, three out of four sections (between the two cards) were dead...one was still trying to slug on through! Sadly, the CCD camera also bought it on the power supply failure. Steve  |  IP: Logged Ken Jacquart Film Handler Posts: 82 From: San Francisco, CA, USA Registered: Mar 2000 posted 07-25-2006 12:29 AM                        Steve, I believe that your particular CP500 failure qualifies you for our t-shirt cotton currency giveaway at a bare minimum...  |  IP: Logged Raymond Massard Film Handler Posts: 16 From: Rumelange - Luxembourg Registered: Mar 2004 posted 07-25-2006 09:18 AM                        Thanks Ken, No, the cards are not in the lot discribed in the field bulletin about bad RAM chips. I should have a couple of cards to test with tomorrow. I am afraid the cards have been destroyed by excessive voltage. When I started checking the voltage rails I noticed that the 5V rail showed 5,22 V which is more than actually acceptable. I have since reduced the voltages by means of the adjustable resistor on the power supply but the damage might be done.  |  IP: Logged

All times are Central (GMT -6:00)

Printer-friendly view of this topic

Hop To: Select a Forum: Category: Operations -------------------- Digital Cinema Forum Film Handlers' Forum Large Format Forum Ground Level Feature Info, Trailer Attachments & REAL Credit Offsets Category: Community -------------------- Film-Yak Film Handlers' Movie Reviews The Afterlife Bob Maar's Joke-A-Thon Category: Classified -------------------- Equipment and Supplies Wanted/For Sale Help Wanted/Seeking Employment Category: System -------------------- Software Beta Testing Forum

The Film-Tech Forums are designed for various members related to the cinema industry to express their opinions, viewpoints and testimonials on various products, services and events based upon speculation, personal knowledge and factual information through use, therefore all views represented here allow no liability upon the publishers of this web site and the owners of said views assume no liability for any ill will resulting from these postings. The posts made here are for educational as well as entertainment purposes and as such anyone viewing this portion of the website must accept these views as statements of the author of that opinion and agrees to release the authors from any and all liability.