I see pics of theaters that have movable carts that can be moved from system to system. How is this achieved? What components are needed? Screenshot 2025-09-12 092445.jpg Screenshot 2025-09-12 093223.jpg Screenshot 2025-09-12 093134.jpg
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How is this achieved
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With some patch panels and extension cables
I had my own DTS cart, I made some patch panels to feed "Timecode" "Automation" and "Sound" and I could move the system between screens.
Just be careful as some systems won't like "hot-plugging". The DTS won't care but you cannot hot-plug a Dolby Digital reader for example. I am not sure about the SDDS one.
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Different systems did it differently. What is pictured is Odyssey Products' version. They were just patch cables and adapter boards. We developed our own to ensure all of our systems could float between platter and changeover houses and use a common set of connectors for Dolby or DTS. Used, mostly, Circular Plastic Connectors for such interconnects as DSubs wear out if used a lot. Plus, sooner or later, the screwlocks will come out.
This was all before phones had cameras and such (heck, before many had cell phones) so I don't have many pictures. We, basically, made adapter boards for the various processor in our service to work with a common set of interconnects. Some were more elaborate than others. The CP50, which didn't have as much in the way of inputs, was the most elaborate:
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The Mobile Rack Interface isn't populated on this one. The board was designed to work with either the mobile rack or with in-rack digital processors, like DTS or any combination. The CP500 board was the least elaborate as it was most ready for such things, already.
We then had adapter boards for each digital processor to also work with the interface. Again, to ensure that changeover or platter and regardless of DTS or Dolby digital, it would work on any rack/processor. One cable for Audio, one cable for Control and then the reader cables.
It was more automatic/seamless than the Odyssey solution. But we had specific customer needs to satisfy (like the whole changeover/platter thing where some sites had a mix of them). ​
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