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Author Topic: Dolby DFC100 Servo Lock Problem Neil Emiro Film Handler Posts: 14 From: Raton, NM, USA Registered: Dec 2008 posted 12-03-2016 04:40 PM                     It's been a long time since I have posted here, but am hoping you guys can help. I have a Dolby 3D system in a NEC NC2000C projector. System has been running fine for years, until this week. When I try to enable the DFC100, it will insert the wheel, spin, and attempt to servo lock. Most times, I will get a Red light on Servo Locked, and it will kick out. Every now and again, it will work. No idea how/when/why, other than to say that chances of success seem to be higher, if the ENABLE button on the front panel is manually pushed, rather than enabling via software. Here's all that I have checked: - Disassembled projector, and verified that the color wheel is spinning, and locking into position - Checked all of the cables, and verified no broken wires or dirty connections (even disassembled connector shells to get a close look) - Verified that I have good network connectivity between all units - Dolby Show Server sees the DFC100, and it reports DFC100 Enabled: Yes, Status: OK - Within Digital Cinema Communicator (NEC DCC software), GPIO settings appear OK, diagnostics all appear good - Dolby DFC100 software shows that the DFC100 tries to Enable, sometimes lighting the 72Hz Rate indicator, and sometimes will stay in Enabled, but without any rate indicator lit Interestingly, if I change aspect Title changes (ie, Flat2D, Scope 3D, etc) within DCC, the Rate Indicator within the Dolby DFC100 software will light the 72Hz indicator for a minute or two, and then turn off, but it will keep the DFC100 Enabled. All of this seems to indicate that all the wiring is good, GPIO settings are correct. Updating the DFC100 firmware to 1.2.0.2 did not change anything. No other updates to the projector, show server (DSS200-3, v4.8.8.4), or anything else have happened directly before or since this came up. 2D shows play fine. 3D formats, and all available clips give the same results. I searched on this, and the best I came up with is this YouTube video, which shows a similar problem, but no description at all: Servo Lock Error Tried to be thorough on the info provided, but I am at a loss. Anyone ever seen this one before?  |  IP: Logged Stephan Shelley Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 854 From: castro valley, CA, usa Registered: Nov 2014 posted 12-04-2016 12:45 AM                     I would check the settings in the 3D file on the NEC to make sure they did not get changed. Important is the 3D sync input mode. It usually needs to be line interleave. Also make sure the frame rate is 6:2  |  IP: Logged Neil Emiro Film Handler Posts: 14 From: Raton, NM, USA Registered: Dec 2008 posted 12-04-2016 01:21 AM                     I'll take a look, but from memory, it is set as 4:2:2 and Progressive.  |  IP: Logged Stephan Shelley Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 854 From: castro valley, CA, usa Registered: Nov 2014 posted 12-04-2016 01:46 AM                     That is not the 3D file settings. 4:2:2 is the data type and progressive is the scan type. A settings used in both 3D and 2D. What I am talking about is the settings inside the Dolby 3D file. The Dolby 3D file is selected in the 3D titles (preset macro).  |  IP: Logged Neil Emiro Film Handler Posts: 14 From: Raton, NM, USA Registered: Dec 2008 posted 12-04-2016 01:48 AM                     Ok, understand that. I will login in the morning and find out. Thanks!  |  IP: Logged Marco Giustini Film God Posts: 2713 From: Reading, UK Registered: Nov 2007 posted 12-04-2016 03:56 AM                     Maybe unlikely but make sure the wheel hasn't come loose on the shaft.  |  IP: Logged Steve Guttag We forgot the crackers Gromit!!! Posts: 12814 From: Annapolis, MD Registered: Dec 1999 posted 12-04-2016 11:38 AM                     I'd look at the communication between the projector and DFC 100 via the GPIO port. The DFC100 get's its timing from there on GPO 1. NEC calls that signal the "Ready/Busy" signal. I don't think it is a configuration thing. NEC doesn't give one the ability to fire a GPO based on Title/Preset. It is configured in SETUP so it should either work or not. However, if anything is making that connection unreliable (bad opto, on either end) then you'll get an erratic filter wheel controller. The fact you say it only sometimes lights the right frequency indicator is what leads me to believe it is on the input side of the DFC, not between the DFC and the wheel itself. Note, the enable/disable doesn't use the GPIO so it being told to engage or not is not affected. Likewise, since it works sometimes, I don't think it is a Title configuration (you'd need the correct 3D file and it should be configured correctly for 6:2 multiplication, Line-interleave and such. That 6:2 multiplication is what will get the GPO_1 to output at 72Hz. That is all the DFC100 has to go by is the frequency that status is changing and based on that, it chooses the appropriate slider to set the filter wheel. For instance, the 60Hz slider could be used for 60fps using a 2:2 multiplication or a 30fps using 4:2 multiplication, as far as the DFC100 is concerned, they are identical timings from the projector 60Hz. As I recall, the actual filter settings are different minimal crosstalk (based on actual tests). The server has no play on this at all but I'd update to 4.8.9.12 just on principle. It is MUCH more robust than 4.8.8.4. You don't need a KDM to make that transition, it is the same CAT862 software. There was a time when the DFC100 would wait for a proper server to talk to it but that was removed 2 versions of software ago. Since you are on the current version 1.2.0.2, that shouldn't be an issue for you.  |  IP: Logged Neil Emiro Film Handler Posts: 14 From: Raton, NM, USA Registered: Dec 2008 posted 12-04-2016 05:07 PM                     This is the setup we have been using. No issues with it, to this point:  |  IP: Logged Neil Emiro Film Handler Posts: 14 From: Raton, NM, USA Registered: Dec 2008 posted 12-05-2016 05:48 PM                     So, Just learned an interesting thing. You will only intermittently get a flash sync rate from the NEC NC2000c *if* the lamp is not on. You will not get a reliable signal with the lamp off. If you have a signal, and the lamp is turned off, the signal will go away. There is no mention of this in any of the documentation I have. We had a failure the other night with the lamp on, and all of my remote testing (I am not at the theatre itself), I was doing with the lamp off. Turn the lamp on, and the 72Hz rate indicator comes right up on the DFC100. I will say that I did mess around with the GPI settings on the DCC software 3D profile. After concluding it was not helping, I went back to the profile that is shown in the screen shot above. Unsure if messing around with the GPI setting, and then putting it back "flipped a bit" somewhere, and fixed that side of it. I will report back with more observations.  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 12-05-2016 08:28 PM                     Hummmm... That doesn't sound right to me. I have several Dolby's scattered about, all on NC-2000's. When I installed them I do not remember having to have the lamp lit to achieve servo lock. As long as the server is in 3-D mode and the projector macro is set up properly it should sync. I am thinking you have a flaky CPU module, which is the top module. You should also try re-seating all the cards first if you have not done so. While I have had but one NEC card seating issue in 6 years of Series 2 NEC's there seem to be more problems with that in areas of high humidity.... which in theory shouldn't be you n N.M. But I'd still re-seat them and go from there. Sadly, the Dolby doesn't have the nice indicators that Master Image has. Master Image is the best of the bunch for seeing exactly whats going on with the web interface they have, it'll tell you what the incoming frequency is and the ratio among other things. Dolby pretty much leaves it all for you to guess at. You'd have to throw a scope on the GPIO output to verify the sync pulse. I've had to to that with early Series 1 Barco's, some of whihc did not supply a Sync Pulse because they were made before 3-D. To theor credit, Barco always supplied a new backplane free of charge for those projectors. Mike Blakesley might be able to chime in as to having the lmap lit or not to achieve syn as he has that exact setup... Mark  |  IP: Logged Mike Blakesley Film God Posts: 12767 From: Forsyth, Montana Registered: Jun 99 posted 12-05-2016 08:47 PM                        Our 3D stopped working early in the spring -- it wouldn't lock in and the Enable button would flash red. I was able to revive it by reinstalling the software. But then in April it quit again, and currently all we get is the dual flashing buttons (amber color). I've reinstalled the software multiple times and nothing helps. I haven't done the amount of checking the settings that the OP here has, but we haven't changed anything so I doubt that's the problem. When it WAS working, we never needed to have the lamp on to get servo lock. I go upstairs every night and turn the equipment on, and with 3D shows I would press the 3D button right after hitting the power-on on the projector. It would always lock, no problem. Didn't matter if the projector was fully booted or only partially.  |  IP: Logged Neil Emiro Film Handler Posts: 14 From: Raton, NM, USA Registered: Dec 2008 posted 12-05-2016 09:10 PM                     I have to admit, this is a new one on me. I have no recollection of it doing this before. Now, I can turn the lamp off, and it will maintain servo lock (indicated), but after 10-15 seconds, the rate indicator in the DFC100 software will go out. Turn the lamp back on, and the rate indicator comes back. Makes no difference if I turn the lamp on through DCC or through our serial automation, which does not 'touch' the DFC100 in any way. If I push Enable on the DFC100 without the lamp on, it will give me a red light on servo lock, and eventually kick out to DISABLE. If I push ENABLE, and then turn the lamp on, I will briefly get a red Servo Lock indicator, and then it seems to sync up and 'green up'. I can't be at the theatre to test directly, but you bet I will test with an oscope the next time I am there. Given all of this, I suspect the problem to be in the projector, and not the DFC100, as the DFC100 has nothing to do with the lamp, at all.  |  IP: Logged Steve Guttag We forgot the crackers Gromit!!! Posts: 12814 From: Annapolis, MD Registered: Dec 1999 posted 12-06-2016 07:36 AM                     NEC is not precise about the "ready/busy" signal and it is entirely possible that they do disable it when the lamp is off. I'd think a system like master image (the original spinning wheel version) would appreciate that if the lamp is off, to no longer have a 72Hz signal telling it to spin up. As for UI...if you use the DFC100 program, it will let you know what frequency it has locked to via virtual "LEDs" No, not the greatest but it is better than nothing. Conversely, if you have a Barco projector and consequently using the Barco manufactured Dolby 3D system, then its screen will tell you the incoming frequency of that pulse. That said, the Barco isn't "auto sensing"...you have to explicitly choose the correct 3D file for each frame rate, including if you have a frame rate change mid-show (e.g. 24fps previews with a 48 or 60fps feature).  |  IP: Logged Neil Emiro Film Handler Posts: 14 From: Raton, NM, USA Registered: Dec 2008 posted 12-06-2016 07:51 AM                     As I said in an earlier post, I can't be at the theatre, but with an assistant at the theatre, we ran through some tests last night. With everything fired up, but no movie playing, and the lamp off, pushing ENABLE on the DFC100 resulted in green lights on Filter Spinning, Filter In, but at first an amber light on Servo Locked, followed by a red indicator on Servo Locked, a red flashing ENABLE button. About 30 seconds later, it kicked itself to a green DISABLE status. Turned the lamp on, and everything would green up, and stay in ENABLE. Played Dolby 3D test chart, and everything looks proper. Hit DISABLE on DFC100, and the test chart looked as you would expect. ENABLE again, and everything goes to normal. On our normal cues, we open the douser and enable to DFC100 at the same time as we put in 'confirmation cues' for Lamp On and correct title settings. This resulted in about a 50% failure rate of the DFC100. Mind you, over six years this equipment has been running like this, without issue. I added an additional 5 second black clip, and added a DFC100 DISABLE cue as the very first cue upon start of a show. I then moved the cues for DFC100 Enable and Douser open to the second 5 second black clip. So far, this has resulted in a 100% success on proper DFC100 ENABLE/Servo Lock. I am glad it is working, but am stumped as to why this is suddenly an issue. I appreciate everyone's input. I trust and value your experience greatly!  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 12-06-2016 11:53 AM                     quote: Steve Guttag NEC is not precise about the "ready/busy" signal and it is entirely possible that they do disable it when the lamp is off. Absolutely not true. If you have any Master Image Wave systems installed they automatically slide over and go into 3-D mode as long as the selected projector macro is 3-D. The lamp being on or off has absolutely nothing to do with it. You can also watch this via the built in Web Page Server and actually see the incoming sync frequency. I only had the spinning wheel version on Series 1 Christies, so can't speak for those and NEC. But on a Christie the wheel would slow down if you switched to a 2-D macro. I'm not even sure M.I. even makes the spinning version any longer... I find the Wave to be every bit as good as the spinning version. If USL wants to make some more money they ought to come out with a Sync Detector Tool that reads out all this pertinent stuff. It would be a very handy tool to have. Mark  |  IP: Logged

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