This is topic SR.D Dropouts in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.
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Posted by Stephen Jones (Member # 16) on 01-22-2001, 08:59 PM:
Is there anyway of stopping SR.D tracks from dropping out.This happens even on new prints but not all the time and happens in all cinemas.Could there be a fault on in the printing of the sound track of some movies.It also happens on reconditioned prints we get from the U.S, which is understandable as the prints have been used.Again as joins go through the SR.D defaults back to SR for a second or two.Our leds and the DA 20 have been checked out during our last service and all came up ok with no problems detected.So any info will be appreciated. 
Stephen
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Posted by Rick Long (Member # 213) on 01-22-2001, 09:25 PM:
Stephen, what kind of reader are you using? You mention led's being checked which would seem to indicate that it is either a Dolby 701 or a "basement" reader.
Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 01-22-2001, 09:26 PM:
What kind of SRD reader do you have? If a basement reader, what projector and brand of basement reader? Clear tape shouldn't matter if you have a penthouse reader, as I have repeatedly proven that you can use solid opaque tape for splices without a drop...provided the reader is properly aligned. Same goes for SDDS.
Posted by Randy Stankey (Member # 64) on 01-23-2001, 04:56 PM:
If you are using a 701 penthouse, you MIGHT have an LED problem. (Common occurrence)Inside the back of the reader is a little power supply. That controls the LED's voltage. Use your oscilloscope and make sure you get the thing up to the recommended specs. (Which I'm not going to go into in case somebody reads this and thinks they can do it without calling a tech. 
)
If you can't get it up to spec, you'll have to get a new LED. I've had this problem about a dozen times since last summer. Checking the LED, and sometimes replacing it has solved the problem in 90% of the cases.
Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 01-23-2001, 07:03 PM:
I believe you have the Kinoton basement reader. It might be advisable to use the narrower splicing tape with them
Posted by Gordon Leslie (Member # 139) on 02-26-2001, 06:06 AM:
Yes Stephen that is an annoying problem, it seems to affect some shows and not others. I've had a go at replacing some of the joins, its helped in some of them but not others.? I've used both 16 & 35mm tape.
As with the quality of prints we're receiving from the states, it certainly does leave a lot to be desired . Some of the prints really are, very very poor. Obviously with the tight release schedules and the amount of prints that need to be runoff , the distributors / labs are letting substandard prints out. Which reminds me of a story that happened some years ago . Our company CEO at the time went over to hollywood for a look around the studio's , as he was leaving one of them, and walking down a passage way he passed a couple of features in trunks to one side with the label on them "reject ship to australia"……true story!. .. With the quality of some of the product we are receiving lately, and expected to screen to the paying public, it seems that policy is still continuing………
Posted by John Wilson (Member # 269) on 02-26-2001, 04:36 PM:
Gordon,Get yourself a Kelmar cleaner and some Filmguard...so long as the 2nd hand print hasn't been treated with Permafilm, your print will come up looking pretty darn good.
(search Bless The Child in the FT search engine for more details on what it can do.)
Posted by Antonio Marcheselli (Member # 373) on 02-26-2001, 05:54 PM:
Brad,I noted a strange thing with SR.D since I start working as projectionist. On some film SR.D drop out in SR, many others stay in Digital no matter what...
For example, I'm actually projecting HANNIBAL and the sound NEVER drop in SR at splices. I have a splice also during a dialogue (I replaced a bad lab splice) and the CP stays in Digital, the dialogue is perfect nothing missing.
On other films (same tape, same way to make splices, same projectors) the SR.D drops in analog.
I have Cinemeccanica V5MI with basement readers. Usually my error rate is 3-5. On Star Wars I saw a 0.5 so I think that my soundhead are properly setup!
With Hannibal I have an Error Rate of 3-4.
I think that readers are not the only responsible about SR.D drop-outs!!!
Bye Antonio
Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 02-27-2001, 05:59 PM:
Antonio,
You are correct. During printing things can happen to create higher error rates. If you have a laptop computer and the Dolby DRAS program you can use it to monitor and compare a number of parameters on different prints that you get in. The program runs in real time and shows when high error rates occur. You can check focus, azimuth, lateral position, and a bunch of other parameters while the film is runing. Its a pretty cool program, and this will give you a better idea of what is happening. Also don't discount that your LED's have not faded a bit. This happens very gradually and is not usually noticable to the human eye. You must check video level with an oscilloscope to be sure the incomming level is correct. You can also switch to using narrow splicing tape as well. This may eliminate the drop outs all together. Personally, anyone running SRD should use the narrow tape.
MArk @ GTS