Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: THX no longer supporting R2 Spectrum Analyzer

This is topic THX no longer supporting R2 Spectrum Analyzer in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Jon Bartow (Member # 241) on 07-10-2003, 07:34 PM:

On tuesday my R2 was hit by a "brown-out" that threw the calibration out of whack (it read 9db higher after being rebooted) so I called THX to see about getting it recalibrated. They told me that they no longer are supporting the R2 and they gave me the number of the company that is.
That company's info:

http://www.acoustx.us/
AcoustX
PO Box 4214
San Rafael, CA 94913
415.785.2888

Tim Holms is the contact person.

They will calibrate and repair (if possible) R2 units for about $300US for the calibration (will meet or exceed all THX criteria) plus shipping and repair fees

They also have a new product about to become available: The D2 and winRTA. The D2 is planned to be the replacement for the R2 (get it... R2-D2) It is supposed to be more or less the same thing as the R2 (four wired mics, multiplexer, and control box, hook it up to the laptop) However it is about half the size (and weight), the multiplexer wire is smaller and it has more features (such as 1/12 octave resolution). Price is still yet to be determined but will probably be somwhere in the $3500-$4500 range for the D2 kit.

Tim was very friendly and professional and I will have my R2 back on Monday or Tuesday.

Jonathan

Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 07-10-2003, 07:51 PM:

You think they'd at least release the new product before giving up on the old one.

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 07-10-2003, 10:04 PM:

But the big question remains...when will the D2 be available?

Posted by Antonio Marcheselli (Member # 373) on 07-10-2003, 11:48 PM:

Brad,

From the acoustix web:

"D2 available Summer 2003"!

Bye
A

Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 07-11-2003, 03:05 AM:

Bye Antonio! See ya!

--J

Posted by Daryl C. W. O'Shea (Member # 1303) on 07-11-2003, 03:06 AM:

Guess what, it's summer now.

Posted by Phil Hill (Member # 371) on 07-11-2003, 03:10 AM:

Gosh Daryl! You are sooooo wise and all-knowing. I can not think what we all would do without your post on the obvious... [evil]

>>> Phil

Posted by Jon Bartow (Member # 241) on 07-11-2003, 05:46 AM:

Brad, Tim indicated to me that the first ones would be available in the next 4-8 weeks. Also the winRTA software will not control the R2, only the D2. It will however open R2 files for comparison.

Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 07-11-2003, 07:32 AM:

Hey, Tim Holmes was they guy behind the R2 so it makes sense that he would be the one handling it...its his baby...as it were. It also makes sense that he would be developing its replacement since he no longer works for THX.

Steve

Posted by Mark J. Marshall (Member # 1409) on 07-11-2003, 09:25 AM:

I seem to remember THX stood for someone with the initials "TH" "eXperiment" - which also conveniently went along with Lucas' THX 1138 movie.

Is Tim Holmes the "TH" in "THX"?

Posted by Manny Knowles (Member # 1171) on 07-11-2003, 09:36 AM:

No.

The TH stands for Tomlinson Holman, who is a lecturer at USC School of Cinema-Television.

Posted by Mark J. Marshall (Member # 1409) on 07-11-2003, 12:23 PM:

Ah, Thanks Manny!

Posted by Bill Mantz (Member # 754) on 07-12-2003, 12:33 AM:

I emailed the company and this is there reply:

Thank you for your interest in the new analyzer. It is a comprehensive tool for cinema alignment and troubleshooting.
The new system is still under development. It now looks like it will be available in September or October. I will send you more information as the time gets closer.

It seem they are still working out some bugs in the program.

Posted by John Pytlak (Member # 331) on 07-14-2003, 01:29 PM:

In addition to his role as a professor in the film school at USC, Tom Holman is still very active in the industry with TMH Corporation:

http://www.tmhlabs.com/about/about.html

http://www.tmhlabs.com/products/products.html

http://www.smr-home-theatre.org/surround2001/technology/page_11.shtml

http://www.audiorevolution.com/equip/tomholman/

Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 10-15-2003, 12:46 PM:

Just looking at there site and the multiplexer looks like the USL one right down the on off switch in the same spot
Hope the software is Win 98 compatable since some processors setup software is not xp compatable and it would be a pain to boot back and forth

Posted by Larry Zuverink (Member # 1483) on 10-15-2003, 02:09 PM:

The software is not 98 campatible. It would have to be set up on a dual boot system or run something like Virtual PC

Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 10-15-2003, 08:21 PM:

That is a rather stupid move since most industrial communication is still Dos or maybe win98 designed (some is actually OS2)
SO to do an XP interface is plain silly
end of rant
I gues I will just stay with the R2 then

Posted by Larry Zuverink (Member # 1483) on 10-16-2003, 04:17 PM:

From what I understand it was done in XP to take more advatage of the processor in the laptop. Virtual PC should run all the other software fine. When I went through my THX training a couple months ago the tech was running his R2 on XP throught Virtual PC. He also ran SDDS and Dolby Load500 through it. Now not having a R2 and waiting for the D2 I like the fact it is based on the newest technology. However if I had a R2 right now I would be upset with the change.

Posted by Daryl C. W. O'Shea (Member # 1303) on 10-16-2003, 06:00 PM:

FWIW, I've had no problems running Load500, DRAS10, and the DTS software under Windows 2000 using a USB to serial adapter. WinDRAS doesn't work worth a [bs]

though.

Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 10-17-2003, 07:22 AM:

Just where is the THX training nowadays? It used to be at Lucas' ranch. I would suspect it is no longer there since Lucas involvement is only now in partial ownership.

Steve

Posted by Larry Zuverink (Member # 1483) on 10-17-2003, 01:47 PM:

I don't know where they do it know. I was trained on site during a re certification.

Posted by Kris Brunton (Member # 432) on 10-17-2003, 01:58 PM:

When I went 4 years ago it was held mostly at there offices in San Rapheal. We went to the ranch only for 1 afternoon then to a theater another afternoon. Are they still in the same offices in San Rapheal? If so I would assume they still hold the training there.