Film-Tech Cinema Systems
Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE


  
my profile | my password | search | faq & rules | forum home
  next oldest topic   next newest topic
» Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE   » Operations   » Film Handlers' Forum   » DTS 12 seconds, SR 2 seconds etc. etc.

   
Author Topic: DTS 12 seconds, SR 2 seconds etc. etc.
Rob J. Buskop
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 111
From: Rotterdam, the Netherlands
Registered: Aug 2005


 - posted 09-22-2008 03:43 PM      Profile for Rob J. Buskop   Email Rob J. Buskop   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
An odd experience...
Unit: DTS-6D, with Plextor Ultraplex PX-32 CSI caddy drives....
No earlier problems till last weekend. Showing 1999 archival film
that played fine before and oddly enough also after the event.
On this particular show the reader leds were constant and nice, but there was about 12 seconds DTS sound, whereafter the monitor
showed a stopped time code for about a few seconds, then everything went back to DTS. Reader leds remained on constantly. So the whole show (2x 6000ft on 2 projectors)had this regular DTS and default to and fro switching.
Very awkward. Later I tried two of the reels of the same film again: No problems. Can anyone shed some light upon this phenomenon?

 |  IP: Logged

John Wilson
Film God

Posts: 5438
From: Sydney, Australia.
Registered: Dec 1999


 - posted 09-22-2008 07:15 PM      Profile for John Wilson   Email John Wilson   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Were you running anything else on the same power circuit as the DTS unit during the show you didn't run during your tests?

 |  IP: Logged

Mark Gulbrandsen
Resident Trollmaster

Posts: 16657
From: Music City
Registered: Jun 99


 - posted 09-22-2008 10:01 PM      Profile for Mark Gulbrandsen   Email Mark Gulbrandsen   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Did you re-boot the player after installing the disks the first time? If not that was probably the problem.

Mark

 |  IP: Logged

Rob J. Buskop
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 111
From: Rotterdam, the Netherlands
Registered: Aug 2005


 - posted 09-23-2008 04:57 AM      Profile for Rob J. Buskop   Email Rob J. Buskop   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Hi John and Mark!
Thank you for your reply.
John's question: No, everything exactly the same as always.
Mark's suggestion: Like always, 6-D unit was switched on and the caddy's were inserted (2)without delay. Booting up and ready with blinking system light in about 30 seconds..
Cannot see how this sort of slow, but regular oscillation between DTS and default can take place. It was of course very audible in the auditorium.

 |  IP: Logged

Tony Bandiera Jr
Film God

Posts: 3067
From: Moreland Idaho
Registered: Apr 2004


 - posted 09-23-2008 01:48 PM      Profile for Tony Bandiera Jr   Email Tony Bandiera Jr   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Rob:

How long was the processor on before that screening? And in your later test, how long?

If the problem happened after the processor had been on for a while, the problem is most likely that the power supply in the 6D is going bad. Check the fan on the back of the unit and make sure it's running and stays running.

It is a standard power supply that you can get from just about any computer supplier.

Another suggestion to help reliability: buy a UPS for it and your cinema processor. A 350va rated unit has enough capacity. And can be had for about $40-$50.

 |  IP: Logged

Rob J. Buskop
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 111
From: Rotterdam, the Netherlands
Registered: Aug 2005


 - posted 09-23-2008 04:13 PM      Profile for Rob J. Buskop   Email Rob J. Buskop   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Tony, the processor was switched on just before I started lacing up for the feature. So about max. 10 minutes before the beginning of the show.
When I switch the 6-D on I always insert the caddy's immediately
and they're nicely swallowed by the drives.
The power supply seems to be in good order but haven't made any
measurements. Everything is clean inside as is the blower.

 |  IP: Logged

Monte L Fullmer
Film God

Posts: 8367
From: Nampa, Idaho, USA
Registered: Nov 2004


 - posted 09-23-2008 04:21 PM      Profile for Monte L Fullmer   Email Monte L Fullmer   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
6D's uses 200-250w AT power supplies. Pop the lid and check the two harnesses that gets attached to the momboard (being an 486 momboard).

..and do agree: AT PS's do get tired after awhile being they are probably over 10 yrs old.

When it died for that short of duration, was the "CD ROM" light lit, or was it out? If out, then the drive, or even the disc was failing in the information area.

 |  IP: Logged

Bruce Hansen
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 847
From: Stone Mountain, GA, USA
Registered: Dec 1999


 - posted 09-23-2008 04:57 PM      Profile for Bruce Hansen   Email Bruce Hansen   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Did you happen to watch the film as it went through the DTS reader?

This could have been just another computer glitch.

 |  IP: Logged

Rob J. Buskop
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 111
From: Rotterdam, the Netherlands
Registered: Aug 2005


 - posted 09-24-2008 04:37 AM      Profile for Rob J. Buskop   Email Rob J. Buskop   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Monte, as always in a sort of "state" when something goes wrong I cannot remember for sure what the drive lights were saying but
I'm pretty sure they were showing normal operation. Although the reader leds remained on, my monitor showed a short stoppage of timecode approximately 10 seconds. Then everything went to SR for 2 seconds and back again. This continued the whole show, so with TWO drives and TWO discs. So it seems that there would be nothing wrong there.
So, although very unsatisfying as it is, it might have been a computer glitch. Very unscientific and out of reach to do something about it. Will check the PS at a convenient moment.

 |  IP: Logged

Zachary C Washburn
Film Handler

Posts: 18
From: Peoria, IL
Registered: Sep 2005


 - posted 09-28-2008 02:33 PM      Profile for Zachary C Washburn   Email Zachary C Washburn   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
I have been having the same problem. It is off and on. But the show is running in digital and then drops out and immediately goes back to digital. And of course every time it switches it puts a pause in the sound in the auditorium.

 |  IP: Logged

Monte L Fullmer
Film God

Posts: 8367
From: Nampa, Idaho, USA
Registered: Nov 2004


 - posted 09-29-2008 03:03 AM      Profile for Monte L Fullmer   Email Monte L Fullmer   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
quote: Zachary C Washburn
But the show is running in digital and then drops out and immediately goes back to digital. And of course every time it switches it puts a pause in the sound in the auditorium
..and like above, the green LED in the reader: what is it doing when DTS does drop in and out?

 |  IP: Logged

Blaine Young
Master Film Handler

Posts: 477
From: Kirkland, WA, USA
Registered: Sep 2006


 - posted 09-29-2008 01:39 PM      Profile for Blaine Young   Email Blaine Young   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
quote: Zachary C Washburn
I have been having the same problem. It is off and on. But the show is running in digital and then drops out and immediately goes back to digital. And of course every time it switches it puts a pause in the sound in the auditorium.
If you are hearing any evidence of a DTS -> (non-DTS) -> DTS transition (other than the fidelity obviously), there is something amiss in your setup. The DTS should pulse the automation into DTS mode only when it is outputting audio (green Digital Audio light on), and pulse back out when the green Digital light goes off. You should not experience any gaps or pauses.

 |  IP: Logged

Danial Simmonds
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 107
From: Kota Damansara, Selangor, Malaysia
Registered: Jan 2008


 - posted 09-30-2008 05:06 AM      Profile for Danial Simmonds   Author's Homepage   Email Danial Simmonds   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Well i had experienced something almost the same as this,

First the show starts in DTS then in jumps to Dolby SR then after a while goes back to DTS.

As where i am almost every corner there is DTS-6 and 6D's...

It could be the print or disc error.. Try playing a DTS test film like RP2000 "Buzz and Bill"

The Power Supply - most likely if your DTS has run like 10 Years...

Or one of the DTS discs does not read properly (if using the test film and it still happens) check the DTS Timecode cable, automation cable, 6 Channel output cable.. if those are ok..

Most likely to be a bad drive cant read smoothly

Regards
Dan.

 |  IP: Logged



All times are Central (GMT -6:00)  
   Close Topic    Move Topic    Delete Topic    next oldest topic   next newest topic
 - Printer-friendly view of this topic
Hop To:



Powered by Infopop Corporation
UBB.classicTM 6.3.1.2

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.

© 1999-2020 Film-Tech Cinema Systems, LLC. All rights reserved.