This is topic dts problems again - this time with "Seabiscuit" in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.


To visit this topic, use this URL:
https://ft-forum.com/ft/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=005144

---

Posted by Michael Schaffer (Member # 1204) on 07-26-2003, 03:54 AM:
 
Interestingly, the timecode dropouts only occur during the louder scenes, but then with a telling regularity.
Also, we played a second house (both prints from Technicolor) which had no dropouts.
The dts system which dropped out played "Pirates" without the timecode even flickering.

So obviously, we have a badly printed analog track which reaches into the dts timecode area (>>> dropouts only during louder scenes).
On the other hand, it doesn't sem so bad that it affects all dts readers, only the ones which seem a little off (I am saying only a little since the same reader had no problem with other prints recently).

Which reminds me again that we are given no means to check the optical alignment.

Yes, I did check and adjust the intensity to 4VDC, and I did reposition the black auxilliary roller closer to the central roller. No, I did not try the toilet paper trick. Film tension is not the problem here, as indicated by the system only dropping out during loud scenes.
 

---

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 07-26-2003, 04:19 AM:
 
Flip your two prints and see if the "defective" print plays ok in the "good" house. I'll bet if you have the newer readers that the problem will remain with the reader, not the print. Remember, the odds that you happened to get 8 defective reels is pretty much not a possibility since they are all printed at separate times. I would tend to think that one particular reader just happenes to be slightly off center alignment toward the analog soundtrack...not enough for most movies to drop out, but perhaps for this one particular one.

If your warranty has ran out, I would remove the sticker and make a small adjustment. Just make yourself a note as to the original position of the lateral adjustment screw is before you play with it. You shouldn't have to turn it more than 90 degrees either way. I'm betting it won't even take half of that amount to fix your problem. Again, just make sure your warranty is out before you pull that sticker. If your warranty is still valid, return the reader for replacement if you can verify that print plays fine in another dts house.
 

---

Posted by Michael Schaffer (Member # 1204) on 07-26-2003, 06:51 AM:
 
The readers were made in June 2001. I flipped the readers rather than the prints (lazy me) and the problem did stay with the reader. Since I had no more time for extensive testing, I finally took the reader out of a third screen where "Pirates" is now playing, and the slightly off reader followed that movie.

When I have more time, I will take a look at the lateral adjustment - or, how long is the warranty?
Why can`t we have an alignment film!?!
Obviously a lot of the recently described problems ("Bruce A.", "Hulk") were similar borderline problems where some systems worked, some didn`t.
 

---

Posted by Bruce Hansen (Member # 281) on 07-26-2003, 12:16 PM:
 
Can you put a scope on the time code output of the reader (I believe it is pin 1 on the 9 pin D connector) and then play some of the loud passages in the film, and adjust the reader for max time code with little or no audio?
 

---

Posted by Darryl Spicer (Member # 711) on 07-26-2003, 12:25 PM:
 
whats loud passages really have to do with anything other than the fact that the analog track is at its widest point possably interfering with the readers ability to read the code. Other wise the code is just that a time sync code. My bet is that the reader is either out of alighnment of the led needs the brightness incressed on it.
 

---

Posted by Mike Olpin (Member # 1115) on 07-26-2003, 12:28 PM:
 
Anyone else noticing a pattern?

Hulk - Bruce Almighty - Seabiscuit...

All Universal.
 

---

Posted by Michael Schaffer (Member # 1204) on 07-26-2003, 04:12 PM:
 

quote:

---

whats loud passages really have to do with anything other than the fact that the analog track is at its widest point possably interfering with the readers ability to read the code. Other wise the code is just that a time sync code. My bet is that the reader is either out of alighnment of the led needs the brightness incressed on it.

---

quote:

---

Can you put a scope on the time code output of the reader (I believe it is pin 1 on the 9 pin D connector) and then play some of the loud passages in the film, and adjust the reader for max time code with little or no audio?

---