How about next time an answer is found after posting a topic, you go ahead and post the answer so the next guy who is looking this up in the archives won't click on it and say to himself "what a waste of time."
I needed the D.T.S. level and switch information, but due to restricted computer access (cable problems) decided to try for a quick answer. As the cable connection became stable again, i looked up my original post from 3 years ago, under the topic "Digital Poll "which follows:
From 04 Sept. 99
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).
IP: Logged
Using a current DTS setup disk you should playback the 1kHz tone and adjust all output potentiometers so that you can measure 300mV (AC) from each of the 6 channels.
~Manny (preferred by 4 out of 5 doctors).
I don't know if it would make a difference if you were connected (I'll let someone else answer that) but that's probably not how they intend for you to make these settings.
BTW, I learned this information right here at Film-Tech.com earlier this year.
Also, the subwoofer level really can't be set properly without an RTA as compared against the stage speaker's low frequencies. The sub should have a 10db in band gain over the stage channels.
You will also find setting each surround to 82 1/2db @ C weighting is more accurate of a setting to achieve a sum of 85db. Of course this requires an analog SPL meter, but here again this just goes to show how superior analog can be to digital.
(Apologies to Darryl) 
Rick
I found the 300mV procedure very accurate. The level between Dolby Digital and DTS is the same if you set the DTS levels at 300mV.
I'm confused about the SPL levels. Let's ignore the Subwoofer level (that requires an RTA). Our tech set the microphone, EQ all the channels, and then set the levels. He set in the same day both DD and DTS levels, without moving the microphones and using the same RTA (R2 THX).
Then I checked the levels with my tester: 380mV the stage channels, 300mV the rear channels. How is it possibile? I personally saw the SPL readings on the R2 (85-82 dB).
More: just for fun I tried my own RTA (a cheap measurement microphone with Spectra LAB). The curve was not accurate, perhaps becasue I have just one microphone. But when I checked the levels I saw that, at 300mV, DTS pink noise is lower than DD one on RTA (5/6 dB), and the SPL reading was lower.
Any explanations?
Bye
Antonio
That above sounds to me like the individual engineers suggestion not Cinemark as a whole since I have not seen or herd about any such settings.
All subs are to be set to measure at least 79 db. In some cases lower do to bleedover in older theaters. All measurments and calibrations are to be done on the Ultra stereo processors not using the dts ajustments. They are to be set at 250mV on all channels
[/beginrant]
Regarding bass & sound leakage, and speaking of local Regal and Cinemark theaters, all of them with digital sound. I've whined about this before, might as well whine some more. 
The Regal houses (which were originally THX-certified) all have strong, well-articulated deep bass. They also have significant sound leakage between theaters. SO WHAT????!! I've been there many times when sound leakage was very apparent, but I've never seen anyone get up and complain. The worst ever was seeing "AI" next door to "The Fast And The Furious" (I think that's what it was). Sound leakage into AI was terrible. I didn't care because it didn't bother me, and the other audience wasn't being cheated.
The Cinemark houses all have weak, anemic deep bass. Especially the SR-D ones, which have practically no deep bass. I've complained to them, and the response is "We comply with industry standards. The other guys goose their systems up." Which is BS. And besides, they have sound leakage from the mids and highs. Might as well balance it out with the lows too.
I happen to love powerful, well-articulated deep bass. That's one of the sound characteristics that's difficult to duplicate in a home theater setting, if for no other reason than the small volume of air in a small room. In a large theater with good subwoofers, they can move a lot of air, they don't have major problems with standing waves, so they can really sound good in this department. If the subs are deliberately muted, it's cheating the audience out of one of the things that movie theaters can almost always do better than home theater. Bah.
[/endrant]
quote:
"And besides, they have sound leakage from the mids and highs."
I'm sure you already know this David, but if there is mid and high leakage from the auditorium next door at your local multiplex, they REALLY went super cheap-o with the sound insulation between rooms. Bass is always the first part of the sound spectrum to bleed between walls, so it's no wonder they have to set their subs to what mine as well be referred to as "off".
Is Cinemark trying to take the AMC "Silence Is Golden" program to a whole different level?
~Manny.
quote:
If there is mid and high leakage from the auditorium next door at your local multiplex, they REALLY went super cheap-o with the sound insulation between rooms
I don't doubt that at all. This is really the only significant thing I can fault Cinemark on in the design of these theaters, considering this is relatively new construction and they have plenty of "history" of awareness of this issue. I suspect even the roof HVAC units are sound-damped. Beats the heck out of me why they didn't do a little more to help abate sound leakage through the adjoining walls.
Regal gets a free pass on this issue since they inherited this location from Act III. It's a mystery why Act III didn't do something about this problem when they renovated the place in the mid-90s.
quote:
It's no wonder they have to set their subs to what mine as well be referred to as "off".
Well, my argument would be they shouldn't worry so much about this issue. Regal doesn't and nobody's banging down their doors complaining. Turn up the subs for crying out loud.
------------------
John P. Pytlak, Senior Technical Specialist
Worldwide Technical Services, Entertainment Imaging
Research Labs, Building 69, Room 7525A
Rochester, New York, 14650-1922 USA
Tel: +1 585 477 5325 Cell: +1 585 781 4036 Fax: +1 585 722 7243
e-mail: john.pytlak@kodak.com
Web site: http://www.kodak.com/go/motion
quote:
nobody's banging down their doors complaining.
That doesn't mean anything. Unless the film stops, I've never seen anyone complain. In fact, that's the excuse that theatre managers use whenever I complain. They say, "well no one else is complaining." And that's with out of focus images, sound channels in the wrong place or missing, etc.
I remember years ago seeing ET in a first-run Broadway theatre in which there was 60-cycle hum in all the surrounds. I went to the manager and he said to someone else, "oh..he noticed the problem. Give him his money back." But I was the only one there complaining.
Some weeks back I went to see a film and the Dolby was acting very strangely. The center channel had really strange EQ and the dialogue level was way down. But the trailers had all played okay and I'm almost certain they were also in digital. So I complained, the manager came into the theatre but stood only way in the back and only listened for a second and pronounced everything fine. So I demanded my money back and when the cashier wanted to know what was wrong he said, "the sound doesn't meet his standards" as if it were only my problem.
When I saw Buena Vista Social Club, the channels were coming out of the wrong speakers. I complained to the projectionist who told me to sit way on the left and 'everything would be alright.' Obviously I demanded my money back and left the theatre. But once again, no one else complained.
Some circuits now have feedback forms on their websites.
If the distributor hired THX, Dolby, Kodak ScreenCheck, etc. to monitor the quality of presentation for a particular feature, use their feedback form or hotline:
http://www.thx.com/professional_services/tap_800.html
http://www.kodak.com/US/en/motion/screencheck/worldwide.shtml
http://www.dolby.com/press/co_pr_0207_PrintChecking.html
------------------
John P. Pytlak, Senior Technical Specialist
Worldwide Technical Services, Entertainment Imaging
Research Labs, Building 69, Room 7525A
Rochester, New York, 14650-1922 USA
Tel: +1 585 477 5325 Cell: +1 585 781 4036 Fax: +1 585 722 7243
e-mail: john.pytlak@kodak.com
Web site: http://www.kodak.com/go/motion
Remember that when you measure a subwoofer level with an SPL reader out of the port window you are near a wall where, usually, the bass level are stronger.
Also, I found (for experience and for user's suggestions!) that SPL reader is no reliable with subwoofers.
Bye
Antonio
Online feedback forms: In recent months, Regal always replies. It's a "canned" response, but I know they're forwarding the comments to the district and local managers, and they have fixed some things I've complained about. Cinemark always forwards the comment to the local manager, who always replies personally. The only "brick wall" I've run into with them is the subwoofer levels, which I've mentioned a couple times. The local manager insists they are correct, maybe because that's what his tech is telling him. They are not correct, and they are also inconsistent from house to house. A few are almost OK (all DTS), but most are very low or non-existent (especially SR-D). Their largest house has SR-D that actually sounds like it's EQd very well in the mids and highs, but there is NO deep bass in there at all. ARGH!
I often hear many managers that say that subwoofer level is right because "I can hear it from the outside of the theater". Unfortunately they ignore physic laws that say that while a high frequency is stopped by a door, very low frequencies continue their trip despite doors and walls. But in the auditorium the low frequencies has to be louder than the high ones to be felt correctly.
Am I right?
Bye
Antonio
Do you know if the Cinemark theater subs sounded correct from the theaters opening day? Reason why I ask is they may have a problem they are not aware of or unwilling to do anything about. We found a problem with our rack systems that we have remedied. Apparently when they pre-wired the racks they added an unnedded ground wire to the wiring conections in the bottom of the racks. This was causing groundloops and problems driving the subs causeing unknown overloads and speaker failures. We eliminated the extra grounds and wired all conections by tying them together with the appropriat wires instead of using that block down in the rack. This has improved bass response and allows the amps to run cooler. We also had to replace around ten subwoofer cones.
This may be the problem at that theater. The may have bad cones that they are not aware of or are aware of but are so many that they don't want to spend the money to fix it. all those digital houses should have 4 subs behind the screen.
) I think the booth mgr. is Ian-something.If it is a DTS-6AD (cinema processor and digital player in one unit), then you would use the internal pink noise generator to set levels. You would not use a setup disc on this unit. The setup disc can be used to verify that the drives are working but should not be used to set levels.
Karen at DTS
Karen at DTS
khultgren@dtsonline.com
The processor in this case, is a Dolby CP-500.
Karen at DTS
khultgren@dtsonline.com