Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: DTS problems with Bruce Almighty

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Posted by Kenny Thies (Member # 1551) on 05-25-2003, 12:20 AM:

I was wondering if anyone else had a DTS problem on reel #3 of Bruce Almighty. It kept dropping out every 5 to 10 seconds.

Kenny

Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 05-25-2003, 02:59 PM:

well have you done the normal checks first.
when it drops is the timecode light on the reader blinking and droping out and what are the status of the leds on the player.
The drill for dealing with DTS drop outs has been well covered here so it would be a good idea to check that first before posting a teaser like this

Posted by Darryl Spicer (Member # 711) on 05-25-2003, 03:11 PM:

http://www.film-tech.com/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=004748#000004
http://www.film-tech.com/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=004757#000000

Posted by Kenny Thies (Member # 1551) on 05-25-2003, 07:24 PM:

It only happens on reel #3. I would imagine its with that reel. Other movies we have had in there worked fine. Just was wondering if this was a problem other people were having.

Kenny

Posted by Thomas Procyk (Member # 1170) on 05-25-2003, 07:43 PM:

We've been having problems too. I've only been around to catch it happening during Reel 3. Reel 1 and the Hulk trailer played through fine.

It's a problem with the timecode. The light on the reader blinks, and sometimes goes off for several seconds.

=TMP=

Posted by William T. Parr (Member # 677) on 05-25-2003, 07:45 PM:

Kenny I am having the same problem with the same reel on my print. Gordon, the light on the reader keeps blinking indicating it is loosing the track while going through the reader on my print. Had no problems with the reader or DTS unit in this house with Holes last week so I think I can rule out a hardware problem. and narrow it to a bad disk or poorly printed reel.

Posted by Kenny Thies (Member # 1551) on 05-25-2003, 07:53 PM:

Thanks for your replies. I was just curious if other people were having a this problem too because I did check out everything before I posted this message.

Gordon, it was not meant to be a teaser topic. I just posted like I have seen other topics relating to DTS dropouts with other films. I thought I was following the rules.

Kenny

Posted by Mike Olpin (Member # 1115) on 05-26-2003, 12:09 AM:

One of our reels, I think #3, not only had severe DTS dropout, but also had a yellowish tint at the begining. We ordered a replacement reel and I'm sure it's been attatched by now, however I don't plan on being at the theatre untill Tuesday, so I won't know until then if the reel replacement solved the dts issue.

Posted by Darryl Spicer (Member # 711) on 05-26-2003, 12:33 AM:

Mike, you have watched that poweraid matrix trailer one to many times. [Smile]

Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 05-26-2003, 09:03 PM:

try adjusting the alignment screw on the reader to see if it steadys the reading and that would tell that it is misaligned print

Posted by Mark J. Marshall (Member # 1409) on 05-26-2003, 09:40 PM:

quote:
try adjusting the alignment screw on the reader to see if it steadys the reading and that would tell that it is misaligned print

Good lord, don't do that unless you have the technical skills to put it back where it's supposed to be!

The easiest thing to do is if you have a 2nd DTS unit, switch the prints around during a show when it's not going to sell out, and see if the problem moves. If it does, it's the print (or the CDs). If it doesn't it's the DTS.

If you don't have a 2nd DTS house, switch the prints and try running a different print in the DTS theater to see if the problem persists. If it does, it's the DTS. If it doesn't, it's the print (or the CDs).

From what's been posted here though, it sounds like a print problem.

Mark

Posted by John Pytlak (Member # 331) on 05-27-2003, 10:00 AM:

As noted in another thread, the centerline of the DTS timecode track should be printed 0.297 inches (7.54mm) from the reference edge of the print, per standard SMPTE 115. I'd check that on the problem reel(s) before changing anything else.

Posted by Evans A Criswell (Member # 381) on 05-29-2003, 11:09 PM:

I just saw "Bruce Almighty" in a THX house with DTS at the Carmike 10 here in Huntsville. The DTS started dropping out about halfway through the movie (which would be around reel 3). Most of the second half of the movie played in analog. So, in this case, the problem was not isolated to reel 3. The analog sound had a noticeable and distracting slight "talking under water" sound to it. Normally, when I hear about problems with a print's sound like this, I am lenient and do not deduct for it in the rating on my web site, but in this case, since they've been playing that print for 6 days, there is no excuse for not switching that print with a print in one of the THX houses with Dolby Digital to avoid the problem. Also, the analog sound should be maintained. This location has often been guilty of not keeping their analog sound maintained since theoretically it should never be used. Another factor in my decision is there have been more problems than usual at this theatre lately, and some are problems that have been happening for nearly 2 years.

Presentation quality notes for Carmike 10, Huntsville, AL

[ 05-30-2003, 12:11 AM: Message edited by: Evans A Criswell ]

Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 05-30-2003, 10:03 PM:

Mark it is sort of safe to assume it is the print since it is only reel 3 that mistracks
by slightly adjusting the alignment screw and noteing if it corrects itself will tell if it a centering issue or another lab issue
Usually slight centering issues can be corrected since the newer readers have a slightly wider scanning area a 1/2 way point can usually be found where it will track the entire print

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 05-30-2003, 11:27 PM:

quote:
The analog sound had a noticeable and distracting slight "talking under water" sound to it.

That sounds like a classic case of the lateral guide roller (hopefully I've got the name right....the roller that keeps the film tight around the sound drum) not being closed. That would definitely be a "deduction." You would only notice it if the sound was played in analog. I'd bet anything that projector has been threaded that way before, but the problem never surfaced due to the digital sound.

For what it's worth, we've had no problems with our Bruce print.

Posted by Patrick de Groot (Member # 858) on 06-01-2003, 05:24 AM:

quote:

The analog sound had a noticeable and distracting slight "talking under water" sound to it.

or a too small film loop that causes the film to not run smoothly over the sounddrum.

Posted by Mark J. Marshall (Member # 1409) on 06-02-2003, 07:50 PM:

Thanks for the clarification, Gordon. I'm just thinking of the guy who does a search and finds this thread ten months from now and starts turning screws without fully understanding the consequences that go with it! [Wink]

Posted by Jonathan M. Crist (Member # 413) on 07-09-2003, 08:20 AM:

Opened this on second run. On our print the DTS dropped out approximately one minute before the end of Reel 2 just before the beginning of the music snipe "I've Got the Power". The reader tracks fine and there is time code but it appears that the audio is missing from disc B. (The drive light goes out). There does not appear to be anything visibly wrong with the disc. Once the splice for Reel 3 goes through everything is fine for the rest of the film.