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Author Topic: Solaria One + alternative Manny Knowles "What are these things and WHY are they BLUE???" Posts: 4247 From: Bloomington, IN, USA Registered: Feb 2002 posted 05-20-2014 05:16 PM                     I'm mostly happy with our Barco DP2K-32B. However, there is a lens vibration issue. This is a large projector, which needs ventilation. Not sure if the lens issue exists with the smaller models.  |  IP: Logged Robert Schultz Film Handler Posts: 28 From: Tehachapi, CA, USA Registered: Mar 2004 posted 05-20-2014 05:27 PM                        I have installed a number of B and C series Barco systems and I have never seen any lens vibration issue unless you aren't using an 8" Flexible Duct to the top of the projector. If you have metal duct dropping all the way to the projector from the roof exhaust then the vibration from the low quality roof exhaust system will vibrate all the way down that pipe and cause the image on any projector to shake. Obviously a low quality pedestal can also be an issue for vibration as it will transmit any building vibrations up to the projector as well.  |  IP: Logged Dave Macaulay Film God Posts: 2321 From: Toronto, Canada Registered: Apr 2001 posted 05-20-2014 05:38 PM                     The internal servers with eSAT will need an external CRU bay, the "old" docker that came with distribution drives has an eSATA connector that allows pretty fast ingest. An external CRU bay can also be used, dual bay versions are available but some servers have trouble with the 2-1 SATA multiplexer used. I still don't know how you hook up eSATA to the USL server, I don't see a connector on the front panel but the image available is poor resolution. The projector decision comes down to support, really. Both Christie and Barco are well supported with parts availability in Canada (Christie is located in Canada and Barco has a deep parts depot). NEC doesn't have much in Canada. Sony... I just don't trust Sony any more to maintain service, they have a history of dropping product lines. Dolby and Doremi external serves + IMB systems have CRU bays built in (you need the Doremi SV-4 model with no internal video monitor though). Doremi has far more installed systems in Canada and is setting up a Canadian service depot.  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 05-20-2014 05:46 PM                     There is no need to use flex duct. Some local codes actually do not allow it because of the possibility of hot glass fragments going right through the duct. Actually Fantech makes an isolation unit that works well to isolate the solid exhaust pipe issues. But then, if your exhaust blower is shaking that badly replacing it also makes good common sense because it is probably not gong to last very long. I skip replacing roof units... such an ungodly place to install it, they only fail in +110 degree or -50 degree temperature! Fantech units mounted in the booth hanging or even mounted right to the projector via an iso-mount is the only way to do exhaust any more. FanTech fans don't have any vibration of their own. Mark  |  IP: Logged Marcel Birgelen Film God Posts: 3357 From: Maastricht, Limburg, Netherlands Registered: Feb 2012 posted 05-20-2014 05:52 PM                     quote: Robert Schultz I have installed a number of B and C series Barco systems and I have never seen any lens vibration issue unless you aren't using an 8" Flexible Duct to the top of the projector. While most vibration issues are rather easily explained and fixed, the vibration issues seem to be a returning subject on the Barco B-Series. quote: Mark Gulbrandsen FanTech fans don't have any vibration of their own. Finally someone discovered the perpetuum mobile .  |  IP: Logged Dave Macaulay Film God Posts: 2321 From: Toronto, Canada Registered: Apr 2001 posted 05-20-2014 07:33 PM                     The B lens mount is prone to vibration, the C mounts are much more solid... the difference is the focus movement on a B is in the lens mount, and the sliding box isn't super solid. There is a steadying roller thing at the top that can be adjusted to get it a bit better but it's still not great. If your building is not very solidly built (which costs a lot more in construction), the shaking from people moving around or nearby traffic can be amplified in the lens mount. Putting the projector unit on vibration isolation pads matched to its mass helps a LOT.  |  IP: Logged Anhtu Vu Film Handler Posts: 98 From: Montreal, Quebec, Canada Registered: Jun 2013 posted 05-20-2014 08:34 PM                     The screen size are 24'' x 12'' and 20'' x 10'' give and take a few inches. No need for central server, all the rooms operates independently. We cater to independent films and festivals only. No Hollywood blockbuster. The theaters are open 6 nights a week playing different film every night. This is without counting all the special bookings and major festivals, which we have at least 6 every year…as you can see, we are extremely busy and i need equipments that are extremely reliable. We had a Digital Projection and Panasonic projector for over 6 years in those room before switching to Christie and not one single issue. Just basic maintenance and lamp changes. Since the switch to Christie, we had to cancel 2 festivals and four special events….very stressful to say the least!!! After checking out some of the suggested Projectors mentioned here, i noticed for example the Barco comes with IMB integrated, wouldn't the conventional Projector + separate server more reliable than the all in one solution ??  |  IP: Logged Nguyen Jack Film Handler Posts: 93 From: Singapore Registered: Mar 2013 posted 05-20-2014 08:55 PM                     I don't like Barco DP2K-10sx. It's using small chips, it's not present best solution.  |  IP: Logged Dave Macaulay Film God Posts: 2321 From: Toronto, Canada Registered: Apr 2001 posted 05-20-2014 09:22 PM                     All the "small" DLP projectors use the same DMD chips. There is some contrast loss compared to the bigger 2K chips. I believe the chip pixel density is the same as the 4K chips, which have the same contrast loss. The Barco projectors are available with the Barco "Alchemy" ICMP server, or with a SDI input board for a "old school" server, or can accept any of several brand's IMBs with external server or any of several brand's internal IMS servers. As far as I know only the Christie Solaria 1 is restricted to only their IMS.  |  IP: Logged Anhtu Vu Film Handler Posts: 98 From: Montreal, Quebec, Canada Registered: Jun 2013 posted 05-20-2014 09:37 PM                     Would there be any performance / reliability issue by having the Raid portion inside the projector (IMS) vs IMB with external storage (NAS) like Christie ? Thx  |  IP: Logged Carsten Kurz Film God Posts: 4340 From: Cologne, NRW, Germany Registered: Aug 2009 posted 05-21-2014 06:40 AM                     No 3D? Typically, the inside RAID is smaller than external options. If you have no central library with networked transfers, you will easily run out of space on the internal drives. Doremi IMS has 3 enterprise grade 2.5" 1TB discs, USLs CMS-2200 has internal SSDs. The SSD thing sounds solid, but can be costly if you need the largest 3*1TB option. You haven't said anything about your budget. As you started with a Solaria One, I guess the more common 0.98" or 1.2" machines with full fledged servers are not an option for you? The external NAS sounds nice as far as cheap expansion goes, but it has it's own issues, as you may have seen on the Solaria One already, if it's meant to play the content directly from the NAS. Typically on the machines with internal storage like Christie IMS1000, USL CMS-2200, or Barco Alchemy, you would use the small internal storage only as a short term 'buffer' for the actual playout, as they will only be able to store maybe 6-8 titles. Then have an external NAS or File-Server for storage. If you have a busy schedule, you will need to copy content between internal and external storage often. The CMS-2200 allows to play content from the ingest drives directly, as an emergency option if no proper ingest was possible. If you go with internal servers/media blocks and external mass storage, someone has to be there to manage these transfers in time. A DCP transfer over the network can take 1-3 hours. If budget allows, take a Christie 2215 with ShowVault, or a Barco DP2k-10S with ShowVault. Or think about the Sony 510 again, which comes at a lower price with 4k and loads of storage. - Carsten  |  IP: Logged Dave Macaulay Film God Posts: 2321 From: Toronto, Canada Registered: Apr 2001 posted 05-21-2014 07:18 AM                     Based on your description of your show schedule, I don't think an internal server is your best choice. The internal storage, generally around 1.8TB with 3 1TB drives in RAID6, would not be enough: 2D 2K movies take up around 100gB and 4K (more and more common) around 300gB - 3D even more. You can do ingests and deletions every day or two if shows are one-offs, of course. Going to a 4-drive Doremi external server you can install 4 2TB drives and have somewhere around 6TB available. Possibly larger drives could be used but the latest supported drive list I have only goes to 2TB. With this type (either Showvault/IMB or DCP-2K4 dual SDI) you also get a CRU bay for ingest. These can also play "off the CRU drive" (play while ingest) if necessary but it's not something you want to do often. The Dolby DSS200 or DSS200/IMB can have larger drives as well with similar storage gains. Network ingest should be much faster than 1-2hrs. USB ingest tends to take roughly the same time as the show length with 2K movies, CRU bay about 1/3-1/2 that, and 1gB network ingest is a bit faster than CRU. The price differential is not trivial but you get value for it. With an extenal server the interface is much nicer - the internal server's web interfaces are slow and kludgy in comparison. The server is independently powered, you can do ingests and such with the projector off. UPS protection of the server is much easier: putting a Barco 8/10s on UPS is not so simple, larger Christies and the C and B Barcos have provision for a UPS for the electronics: I'm not sure about Solaria 1, NEC, or Sony.  |  IP: Logged Carsten Kurz Film God Posts: 4340 From: Cologne, NRW, Germany Registered: Aug 2009 posted 05-21-2014 07:38 AM                     quote: Dave Macaulay I still don't know how you hook up eSATA to the USL server, I don't see a connector on the front panel but the image available is poor resolution. http://ftp.uslinc.com/ftp/Products/CMS-2200/Documents/CMS_Quickstart.pdf As Barcos Alchemy, these are interesting devices with nice features. I just wish they'd come out one or two years earlier... - Carsten  |  IP: Logged Antti Nayha Master Film Handler Posts: 268 From: Helsinki, Finland Registered: Oct 2008 posted 05-21-2014 08:49 AM                     Since you're doing a lot of indie films and festivals, a Dolby or Doremi server is probably your safest choice. Off-mainstream films are still often delivered as strangely authored, poorly tested or downright broken DCP's, and the odds of those playing properly on your equipment are higher when you're using one of the two best-selling server brands. The CP2210/2215 really does seem to have much better track record compared to the Solaria One, so don't let your bad experiences with those drive you away from Christie completely.  |  IP: Logged Anhtu Vu Film Handler Posts: 98 From: Montreal, Quebec, Canada Registered: Jun 2013 posted 05-21-2014 07:35 PM                     Let me get this straight, if i go for a Doremi DCP-2000, it will be hooked to the projector the ''old fashion'' way via dual HD-SDI. This method will be limited to 2K playback only, so no high frame rate or 4k, because of bandwidth issue. For high frame rate and 4k playback , one needs a system with the IMB inside the projector, like the Showvault/IMB correct ???  |  IP: Logged

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