DTS XD10 CSS license non available

[Elia Orselli]

Hello,
as I've bought an used XD10 DTS processor without CSS enabled. I've sent an email to ATI AMPS asking for the CSS license file to enable subtitles (I did this a couple of times, last time was 3 months ago and I got my license in a couple of days) but I've just been informed that ATI AMPS recently dropped XD10 support and that they don't offer CSS licenses anymore.
This could cause problems with subtitles for future 70mm screenings. Does anyone know if XD10 support was bought from another company or anyone has any ideas for finding a solution (other than manual subtitling with a separate tool like subtivals)?

[Ryan Gallagher]

I expect there is a solution... but if we end up in a situation lacking official option license. I think one fall back method might be to install a system drive that is cloned from another XD10 system having the license? Obviously the hope would be the donor system is on the last/best software version. Cause doing an upgrade also tends to require license reinstall.

[David Ferguson]

I know that they were still issuing them in the US early last year, but I also know that summer last year a lot of people from Datasat/ATI were let go (my usual go-to people I asked for help had their emails bounce). So this could be the end of support from Datasat/ATI.

I think one fall back method might be to install a system drive that is cloned from another XD10 system having the license?

Sadly not, because the license is tied to the motherboard of the XD10.

I have poked around in the DTS code before and it's probably not impossible to trick it into thinking it has a license. But probably easier is to make some alternative software that does the same thing - I have already reverse engineered and documented the format of the subtitles, and a few years ago made a Python script to display them, which worked. Audio is a little trickier but not impossible.

In the short run, I would highly recommend that everyone with an XD10 that has CSS to backup their license to USB - that way if you have a drive die, then you can reinstall that license. I also do have a couple of the CSS units (the cut-down XD10s that are only for subtitles/narration) in storage if they are needed - but I only know of one cinema in the UK that has DTS CSS installed, and they haven't used it in over a decade (despite me trying to convince them!).

[Elia Orselli]

I've used your script and converted subtitles from CSS to srt using SubtitleEdit once and it worked well.
I assume that it's possible to develop a tool (like a raspberry) that could read timecode from DTS reader or from XD10 and output subtitles in sync via hdmi, but that's beyond my capability. Combined with subtivals or something similar would probably give a better result on screen than the original CSS feature...

[Michael Zarits]

There is possibly a way to create a license file for any XD10 if support completely drops. Working on it.