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Topic: Digital Poll

Rick Long
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 759
From: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 09-14-1999 05:30 PM

Joe, I wonder if you are using different tracks for setting the auditoriun S.P.L. than I am, and why the lower volume in centre channel.
I have been using;
37 - Left channel 85 dB(c)
38 - Left surround 82 dB(c)
39 - Centre channel 85 dB(c)
40 - Right surround 82 dB(c)
41 - Right channel 85 dB(c)
42 - Subwoofer 91 dB(c)
I turning off the subwoofer amp when setting
the surrounds, and vice-versa.
From memory, the delay is set by counting the frames from the reader pick-off to the aperture and multiplying by 1.25 (the D.T.S. time-code being based on 30 frames/sec).
If anyone is considering making their digital systems truly portable, may I suggest looking into the Kelmar "docker" system. Properly set up, changing heads is a snap, and time delays are the same for all booths. (If different projectors are used, the delay is set for the longest projector, and spacers are used to compensate).

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Brad Miller
Administrator

Posts: 17775
From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall)
Registered: May 99

posted 09-14-1999 05:37 PM

Joe is recommending the center be set at 84db intentionally. That is not a typo. This is assuming the theater has good acoustics and insulation. Films must be mixed for worst case senarios and in a properly designed theater with a good eq, lowering the center channel one db is desirable. The surrounds also typically blend a bit better when they are raised one db. Also, 82db into each surround only equals about 84.5db combined in a typical theater. Again, this is for properly designed and set up theaters. Ultimately, the engineer must listen and make final adjustments by ear.

The Docker system is extremely nice, but way overpriced. For DTS, it is much more cost effective to just purchase extra DTS brackets. For SRD penthouses, the Docker is preferable.

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Randy Stankey
Film God

Posts: 6539
From: Erie, Pennsylvania
Registered: Jun 99

posted 09-14-1999 05:46 PM

Might I add, that DTS does not "Take Over" your sound system like SDDS does.

If the player does malfinction (not likely) it just won't play. You'll still play in SR as if the DTS was never there in the first place.

We've had a SDDS die on us and it made it impossible to play ANYTHING on that projector. We had to completely unplug the unit from the system.

You know, just because of the SDDS player, I've had a LOT lower opinion of Sony's quality lately. Used to be, if you want a TV. -- Buy a Sony. No question. Nowadays, I'm not so sure!

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Joe Redifer
You need a beating today

Posts: 12859
From: Denver, Colorado
Registered: May 99

posted 09-14-1999 07:40 PM

Randy, I have to agree with you! I find Sony's products to be of questionable quality lately. Nearly everything that I personally own that is made by Sony has given me problems. Sony has a service center here that once tried to charge me $75 for tightening a screw on my minidisc car radio! I said "no". But of course they had no problem replacing the failed laser lens for free. How odd.

Has anybody ever heard of the Sony Playstation game console? Those things break down all the time! They are very cheaply made (always have been) and will easilly overheat due to simple design flaws. Does Sony replace the units? No! You must buy a new one. I have also had minidisc units, TV's, camcorders, and lots of other stuff made by Sony fail on me. Now I hardly own anything Sony. How can SDDS be any better?

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Art Averett
Film Handler

Posts: 14
From: Orlando, FL
Registered: Mar 2000

posted 09-15-1999 03:36 PM

I like DTS do to the fact that it has CD like quality and is quiet. No noise, pops or clicks. As for Dolby Digital, if you keep getting repeated failures from the Cat 700 digital soundhead reader, change out the EPT lamp. I had a problem where I was seeing some faults on the DA20. Not enough to affect the digital audio. However, I ran a sneak of a new movie with SR-D and started to hear digital distortion. To make it short, it turned out to be the EPT lamp. Check the lamp first if you are getting some digital distortion and seeing alot of faults. If the lamp reflector is loosing its coating, or has been in the reader for over a year, change it out and see if your faults disappear. As for SDDS (still don't do S**t), it sounds too distorted, especially in the dialog and highs.

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Bruce McGee
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1776
From: Asheville, NC USA... Nowhere in Particular.
Registered: Aug 1999

posted 09-15-1999 06:03 PM

This is off-topic, but I had to chime in on the Sony remarks.

I have a Sony Trinitron that was bought in 1973. I have never had the back off of it. Ditto for a Sony audio receiver that I bought in 1970.
I also have a 2-year old receiver that has died at least 5 times since the warranty expired. Being a service tech helps. I have found literally zillions of poor solder connections. It was built in Malaysia. The playstations are cheap and plastic, with the worst disc drive.

I am running webTV with a 27" Sony that has had its power supply fail 3 times since 1993. When it dies, it takes out around 15 parts. Sony denies any problems with the KV27TS32, but a local service company here knew what I was talking about when I questioned them about it.

I wont buy another Sony TV or audio product. Now, back to our forum. I have learned alot during the months that I have coming here, and I'd like to thank Brad, Gordon, Ken, and all the rest for all their help and understanding. I'm having a good time here. I hope that everyone else feels the same way.

By the way, hurricane Floyd is about 250 miles from here. You should see the skies here in the mountains of west NC. No rain, yet, but we keep hoping.

Bruce

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Rick Long
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 759
From: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 09-15-1999 09:43 PM

It sounds as though you better start tying everything down (except, perhaps, for the S.D.D.S. units).
Good luck, Bruce, and take care.

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Stephen Jones 1
Film Handler

Posts: 62
From: Tulsa, OK, USA
Registered: Aug 1999

posted 09-19-1999 02:51 AM

In response to Joe's response on the 14th, I had everything that you listed and the DTS player would not play any tracks on the Empirical Test Disk. Will I need a DTS Setup Disk for this also, and where can one get one of these? And, (more questions) I'm moving the DTS player from the 2nd largest theatre to the 3rd largest since the 3rd doesn't have any type of digital, even though my smaller theatres do. The 2nd largest also has SDDS and when I remove the DTS reader the distance will change for the SDDS. Everything else with the DTS switch was pretty easy; I'm ready to adjust the channels appropriately. I opened the front of the SDDS unit and looked around for anything resembling frame offset or sound syncing. Everytime I try to reset a current setting it flashes "NOT IN SERVICE!!" How can I change the sync on my SDDS unit?, so I can move the DTS reader into the other theatre. I know, it's a ton of questions and I'm very interested to hear what anyone has to say and any advice to help me.

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Brad Miller
Administrator

Posts: 17775
From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall)
Registered: May 99

posted 09-19-1999 02:58 AM

Do you have a laptop? Or at least a computer you can move next to the sound rack? You will need this along with the SDDS program to change the offset. SDDS seems to pride itself on being the most user-un-friendly digital system out there.

This adjustment can be made without altering any eq settings, but if you have the capability of re-eqing with an RTA, I highly recommend you move that piece of junk down to your smallest house where it belongs.

Windows 95 minimum 486 is the standard requirement for the software.

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Gordon McLeod
Film God

Posts: 9532
From: Toronto Ontario Canada
Registered: Jun 99

posted 09-19-1999 07:28 PM

The latest SDDS software for both the DFP2000 and the DFP3000 will run under win 3.1

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Joe Redifer
You need a beating today

Posts: 12859
From: Denver, Colorado
Registered: May 99

posted 09-19-1999 08:56 PM

Even the 1st generation SDDS players could run the software on Win 3.1.

Anyway, in regards to DTS, was the Empirical Test Disc the only disc in the machine? Make sure that it is the only disc in there and give it plenty of time to boot up. Not more than a minute or two. It should autoplay and then after that you can switch tracks using the delay switches. You can also use the DTS Setup disc, which is a simple version of the Empirical. You put in the Setup disc and you hear an annoying tone, then you can advance tracks by pressing the little button inside the area where the delay switches are. It also autoplays. If I had a CDR, I would send you a copy, but unfortunately I don't.

If you get it all set up and ready to go, be sure to make a big-ass loop out of a trailer that has DTS timecode and that you have a disc for. Thread the loop through the projector and all the way back to the platter, so it goes in one big square (depending on where your platter is). Go into the auditorium and listen for lip sync as well as sound quality. The bigger loop will prevent you from going insane from hearing the same 2 second sound snipe over and over and over... Good luck!

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