This is topic ŋTricking a DTS unit? in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.
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Posted by Miguel Angel Martorell (Member # 1110) on 02-19-2002, 06:16 PM:
I know the curiosity kill the cat but Iīm looking for the post where Karen explains how to force the DTS discs to run and I donīt find it.
Can anybody tell me how to do this?.
Un saludo.------------------
Posted by Randy Stankey (Member # 64) on 02-19-2002, 06:44 PM:
For TESTING purposes, to tell if your system is playing right, etc. you can take an "Empirical Test Disk" and put it in "Drive A" and a disk from a movie and put it in "Drive B". Shut the player off and then turn it back on. After it boots up again, the movie disk should start to play. When you're done listening, eject the disks and reinsert the correct ones. You must also turn the player off and back on again to reload the correct software, etc. If you don't do this your movie disks might not play.
Posted by Miguel Angel Martorell (Member # 1110) on 02-19-2002, 06:50 PM:
Where do I get a "Empirical test disk"?.------------------
Posted by Greg Mueller (Member # 17) on 02-19-2002, 07:29 PM:
Which unit do you have? I have successfully tricked my 2 drawer unit several times------------------
Greg Mueller
Amateur Astronomer, Machinist, Filmnut
http://www.muellersatomics.com/
Posted by Steve Kraus (Member # 476) on 02-19-2002, 07:34 PM:
On a DTS6 (I presume but do not know if 6D is similar) if you remove the back cover you can plug an ordinary PC keyboard in and select the option to play disks without timecode--from a menu which of course you cannot see without a videocard and monitor. As I recall it's SPACE, 2, RETURN, #, RETURN. ...where # is a number representing the choices on that disk. 2 on Disk A is generally Reel 1.
Posted by Miguel Angel Martorell (Member # 1110) on 02-19-2002, 07:47 PM:
I have the old two drawers unit. In this moment I donīt remember the model.
I knew that the unit allows the connection of keyboards but I wonder if thereīs any other easy way?. It would be a very usefull tool īcause in two times I can remember the disks didnīt work and in the openning weekend we show the movies on SR cause we havenīt got any other digital unit for this screen. We usually receive the copy on wednesday so we could check the disks and be sure of itīs good working for the openning friday.
Un saludo------------------
Posted by Greg Mueller (Member # 17) on 02-19-2002, 09:22 PM:
Here's what I did/do. Get an old EGA or VGA card and monitor. You'll need one that is NOT a PCI type. Open up the unit and put the video card in just like you would a computer. While you have it open you'll see a place to plug in a keyboard. Plug in the keyboard there. Turn on the DTS unit and monitor and put your disks in and you'll be able to watch what's going on. You'll be able to play each "reel" and some of the snipes on the disks. I've never gotten mine to play any of the trailers (which is an option). I just left mine all hooked up and the monitor sits in the bottom of the sound rack, with the keyboard resting on top of it, for whenever I want to trick the DTS unit.------------------
Greg Mueller
Amateur Astronomer, Machinist, Filmnut
http://www.muellersatomics.com/
Posted by Frank Angel (Member # 248) on 02-20-2002, 12:12 PM:
Greg, what displays on the monitor during regular operation. Do you see reel numbers and print identification and such as the film plays? If it did, that would be a very helpful thing to permanently have installed in the rack; we had a room full of old PCs and monitors that I could commondeer. I already have a dual trace osc sitting on top of the rack showing L/R azimuth display.
Posted by Greg Mueller (Member # 17) on 02-20-2002, 12:22 PM:
Yep there's all sorts of info being displayed. Actually a whole page full of stuff. I ran into a situation where the DTS unit kept dropping out during reel two of a feature it was about in the same place but not exactly. It turned out to be a well placed piece of gunk on the disk which I didn't figure out until I tricked the DTS unit and it dropped out at that point. I cleaned the disk and it worked better but still dropped out just a little later. I got a new disk and everything was fine. It's also kind of cool to be able to play some THX sound and DTS sound snipes even if you don't have the film.------------------
Greg Mueller
Amateur Astronomer, Machinist, Filmnut
http://www.muellersatomics.com/
Posted by Karen Hultgren (Member # 395) on 02-21-2002, 11:55 AM:
Actually, if you load any self-playing DTS test disc, you can "trick" the unit into playing a loaded movie disc.Karen at DTS