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Author Topic: DOLBY DSS/DSP 100 lost time/date Allan Barnes Expert Film Handler Posts: 108 From: GRAND BEND, ONTARIO, CANADA Registered: Mar 2009 posted 02-28-2019 12:05 AM                        I think I can just replace the DSS battery... But how to enter the correct date & time? NOW if needed can the DSP100 four (4) hardwired batteries can be replaced... my most excellent service guy (Dave) says Dolby isn't doing this anymore. CAN SOMEONE RECOMMEND A SOLUTION or A TECH FIRM that has done this repair before. ADVICE & ABUSE WELCOME.  |  IP: Logged Marco Giustini Film God Posts: 2713 From: Reading, UK Registered: Nov 2007 posted 02-28-2019 04:15 AM                     I don't understand what the problem is. Have you lost the date? Does it reset to 00:00 every time you power down your system? You probably just need to connect the system to an NTP server - you can also get into the BIOS and change the date yourself. Be aware that the secure clock - in the mediablock - cannot be adjusted more than a few minutes. If memory serves, Dolby servers will base the show start on the Secure clock while the displayed clock is the system clock which is a software clock based on the hardware clock from the MB! Also, if an NTP sever is unavailable, the system will sync its software clock to the mediablock at boot. The tricky part is to have all those clocks synchronised! Step one is definitely an NTP but a *single* NTP server in the list will seldom work (the server will likely blacklist you very soon if the system keeps polling time). It's a long subject but the NTP server is indeed a start. I believe you can safely replace the coin battery on the DSS motherboard. When it comes to the mediablock, be VERY cautious as if power is lost you will lose the certificates making the mediablock a big doorstop - but I don't think the DSS100 mediablock features a battery on the mediablock?  |  IP: Logged Carsten Kurz Film God Posts: 4340 From: Cologne, NRW, Germany Registered: Aug 2009 posted 02-28-2019 04:45 AM                     Replacing the coin battery on the mainboard in the DSS100 should be the first step indeed, followed by a clock/date set in the BIOS. That's all standard PC procedures, means, if you are not keen to do it, any 'PC guy' will be able to perform it. Then boot and see what happens. I think I have never read anything about the secure clock/battery in a DSP100?! - Carsten  |  IP: Logged Steve Guttag We forgot the crackers Gromit!!! Posts: 12814 From: Annapolis, MD Registered: Dec 1999 posted 02-28-2019 07:43 AM                     The CR2032 battery on the motherboard is definitely changeable. When the server is booting up, tap on the "DEL" key until you get to the BIOS screen. Set the date and time to UTC time, Hit F10 to save/exit and then let it boot up. The problem with changing batteries on the DSP100 is losing the certificate. Dolby won't do it anymore and I believe the 3rd party firm that was repairing them a few years ago has also stopped. The newest DSP100 out there is now about 10 years old with most 10-15 years old now. Changing the time on the DSP100 isn't hard...it is done from the UI by setting the "secure clock". Depending on your software version, you can move it a little or a lot. It had a good clock so one would think you could get it set reasonably accurately still.  |  IP: Logged Sean McKinnon Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1712 From: Peabody Massachusetts Registered: Sep 2000 posted 02-28-2019 12:20 PM                        I don't know of this applies to the DSS100 but I always power on any server or IMB for 30 minutes before changing the battery. I have seen certificates lost after a server has been off all night and the battery was removed without powering on first.  |  IP: Logged Marco Giustini Film God Posts: 2713 From: Reading, UK Registered: Nov 2007 posted 02-28-2019 12:41 PM                     Sean, it depends on the server. Doremi Dolphin card is like that: server must be powered up first, then powered down and then you have very little time to swap the mattery (2 minutes?). Powering them up charges a capacitor which will keep the voltage up while the battery is missing. Other servers will need a backup battery installed before the main battery is removed. Other servers won't require batteries - such as cat.862 if not mistaken.  |  IP: Logged Carsten Kurz Film God Posts: 4340 From: Cologne, NRW, Germany Registered: Aug 2009 posted 02-28-2019 12:51 PM                     Are there any specs on the DSP100 battery? Photos? While the DS100 is severly limited as far as supported frame rates go, I would still pity someone who loses a server (or working backup) just because a 1US$ item. That's an interesting question which of the current parts needing batteries may have a chance to have them replaced in operation or by supplying a temporary backup (as GDC suggests to do). I usually replace Dolphin batteries WHILE the server is running. It's a bit fiddly, but, with plastic or isolated pliers, and with a plastic sheet beneath, it's more or less a safe procedure. I have heard of Dolphin cards losing their cert even when the server had been powered up long enough before the change. - Carsten  |  IP: Logged Steve Guttag We forgot the crackers Gromit!!! Posts: 12814 From: Annapolis, MD Registered: Dec 1999 posted 02-28-2019 12:59 PM                     Wait until the ICP batteries start to go! Then wait to see how people respond to Barco's position of buy a new ICP module (unless one has an extended warranty...which may not be of any use since I think they top out after 10-years). There ought to be a depot for getting things like Enigmas and ICPs repaired for common/known failures (Enigmas have died just due to a failed cover switch).  |  IP: Logged Carsten Kurz Film God Posts: 4340 From: Cologne, NRW, Germany Registered: Aug 2009 posted 02-28-2019 02:15 PM                     I have seen pictures of ICPs with a socketed BR2330 cell + a soldered backup cell. Although I understand there are some ICP revisions with different backup cell types - some seem to have a rechargable Lithium cell with a strictly limited life, while others seem to have supercaps - I would assume the supercaps to live longer. Both should be easy to replace, even if some soldering is necessary. Don't you think it should be possible to replace/bridge the backup battery when/while the button cell is changed? What about CAT862 batteries? Given the number of sites running these systems, there are interesting times ahead... Will there be business for independent techs to perform repairs, or will manufacturers revise their repair/replacement policies once it becomes imminent by numbers? - Carsten  |  IP: Logged Steve Guttag We forgot the crackers Gromit!!! Posts: 12814 From: Annapolis, MD Registered: Dec 1999 posted 02-28-2019 05:17 PM                     The CAT862 is a supercap. The ICP batteries are two different batteries. The changeable one is the RTC battery, the other one is the certificate battery.  |  IP: Logged Carsten Kurz Film God Posts: 4340 From: Cologne, NRW, Germany Registered: Aug 2009 posted 02-28-2019 05:51 PM                     Didn't we have a discussion and/or doubts a while ago about wether one is a backup for the other? One would think that, if the soldered-in cell is a backup for the replacable, that would be the only reason how the RTC could survive a cell replacement? I know it's not important as it resyncs on next boot anyway, but... Unless there is another 'bridge' cell nearby, e.g. a supercap. Would be nice to hear from the ICP manufacturers wether these two cells work independently, or backup each other. Anyway, I guess it is not impossible to desolder or clip-off the soldered-in cell while bridging it externally with a wired cell, then put a new one in. The most interesting question is - when do you feel it being urgent/necessary to perform such a risky operation on a still working ICP... Probably when we hear about the first ICPs dying following a pattern. The same probably applies to the CAT 862. Even if a DSS200 is powered all time, after 10 years or so in a warm environment, the cat862 backup battery could be dead without ever being used, but could possibly be replaced as long as the supercap is still okay. Anyway, at least for Barco projectors, Barco will be happily replacing debrained ICPs with ICMPs instead of rebraining them... - Carsten  |  IP: Logged Allan Barnes Expert Film Handler Posts: 108 From: GRAND BEND, ONTARIO, CANADA Registered: Mar 2009 posted 03-01-2019 01:37 AM                        Many thanks. My DSS100 now has and is holding the current DATE & TIME. Working on the DSP100 now... hoping it isn't a "door stop" with no certificates.  |  IP: Logged Carsten Kurz Film God Posts: 4340 From: Cologne, NRW, Germany Registered: Aug 2009 posted 03-01-2019 05:43 AM                     There may be no need to change the batteries on the DSP100 for now. Did Dolby ever issue a Bulletin on them? Did you try to reboot both and play encrypted content after you reset the DSS100 clock? I think I have never seen the inside of a DSP100. - Carsten  |  IP: Logged Steve Guttag We forgot the crackers Gromit!!! Posts: 12814 From: Annapolis, MD Registered: Dec 1999 posted 03-01-2019 06:19 AM                     Every time I've changed an ICP battery, it has lost the date/time. Barco does not automatically reset the clock, you have to do it with your computer. Christie resets itself as does the NEC. It is the NEC service manual that calls out the two ICP batteries as Certificate and RTC.  |  IP: Logged Bruce Cloutier Expert Film Handler Posts: 161 From: Gibsonia, PA, USA Registered: Aug 2016 posted 03-01-2019 10:09 AM                        Since we are discussing batteries and the RTC I thought I would detail that for the JNIOR just for information's sake. Many of you running decade old Series 3 JNIORs likely have dead batteries. You probably don't notice either because the JNIOR remains powered 24/7 or your application does not depend on time and date. Some use the Task Manager and the RTC setting is more important for that. It does help us in debugging when timestamps in logs are accurate. The Series 3 batteries are soldered in. My fault in looking back. We went with the 2032 cells in a holder for the Series 4. I tried a smaller cell in the 412DMX but will likely move back to the 2032 when the board is revised (if at all). If you feel compelled to replace a Series 3 battery, I would recommend getting a leaded battery cell holder rather than to try to find a suitable replacement to be soldered in place. Any 3V cell will work. On the JNIOR the battery retains the RTC through power off. It also holds the non-Flash file content. Basically that is anything in the file system not part of the /flash subfolder. We typically place log files in the non-volatile SRAM as opposed to the Flash. Kevin does some logging in some applications to the /flash folder. This behavior is a legacy thing in trying to remain compatible with the Series 3. In the Series 3 the Flash is limited, slow and subject to wear. So we used it sparingly. In the Series 4 we have been providing more and more Flash space and are using better technology. It might be possible to move the entire file system into the flash. I just can't get rid of the SRAM without impacting things that rely on immutable blocks (like the MODBUS client and server functions). The problem is that we are single-sourced on that SRAM and our hand may be forced some day. Anyway, if the JNIOR can get to the Internet it will poll an NTP server at boot and every 4 hours thereafter to update the RTC.  |  IP: Logged

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