Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: What's the most effective way to clean an SDDS reader?

This is topic What's the most effective way to clean an SDDS reader? in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Matt Kleiber (Member # 2645) on 09-01-2004, 08:11 PM:

My theater uses SDDS on 16 of its 18 screens (the other two switched over to Dolby a few months ago). Like any theater with SDDS we have ongoing problems with the sound dropping in and out of SDDS to analog, especially on older prints. Can anyone provide any suggestions regarding the best way to clean the readers? Or am I better off trying to get them replaced?

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 09-01-2004, 08:17 PM:

2000 series units or 3000 series SDDS units. Do you use FilmGuard to keep the tracks from wearing? What make of projectors are you running?

Posted by Matt Kleiber (Member # 2645) on 09-01-2004, 08:24 PM:

Ack, sorry, I suppose I should have mentioned this earlier:

DFP-3000 SDDS processor units
We don't use Filmguard frequently, mostly on older prints
Simplex S2

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 09-01-2004, 10:46 PM:

I don't think there is such a thing as an S2 Simplex. Check that model number.

You should run brand new prints through the cleaner when you first get them, and not once they start appearing to need it. Once you let the digital track get scuffed, it's all over. Prevention is the solution.

Posted by Dominic Espinosa (Member # 2122) on 09-02-2004, 01:24 AM:

Cotton swab and isopropyl alchohol?
We clean our rollers and optical surfaces once a week with the above method, rest of the time it's either a rag on the rollers or canned air. We don't generally have much problem in our SDDS house due to the way it's positioned. That booth has the lowest dust problem of any of our houses.

Posted by Matt Kleiber (Member # 2645) on 09-02-2004, 02:11 PM:

Brad: It's actually Simplex M2...I think I need to take a nap now.
Dominic: Thanks for the tip

Posted by Steve Scott (Member # 630) on 09-02-2004, 07:40 PM:

Be thankful you don't have to clean 2000 series readers. You'd need a coma after that with 16 machines!

Posted by Matt Kleiber (Member # 2645) on 09-02-2004, 10:00 PM:

It's all relative. I've never been in the booth at Lakeville, but if you've ever seen the some of the equipment they use at Centennial Lakes (in Edina), my guess is that you would be thankful for what you have.

General Cinema made some very questionable decisions when they had their building binge last decade.

Posted by Steve Scott (Member # 630) on 09-03-2004, 09:50 AM:

Matt, we only had one SDDS 2k unit, and the CCD lenses got clogged with dust and eventually went bad for other technical reasons, too. We got a new DTS 6D unit to replace it. Centennial Lakes was built right after the Burnhaven 8 in Burnsville. Burnhaven had DTS and SRD in 4 houses and analog in the other 4, so says a manager I know who used to work there. Mall of America came after Centennial for GCC, which had mostly SRD and DTS, and half Dolby and half Kintek for analog. So, Centennial Lakes' SDDS systems were either a big test for SDDS in their Twin Cities market, or an addition by AMC after the buyout. At least you got the simplified readers.

Posted by Matthew Jaro (Member # 1786) on 09-03-2004, 03:52 PM:

The best way to clean an SDDS reader is to throw it out.

It's really great to place a soundtrack on the one place that the projectors handle the film (the edges). Also, that's the one place where film gets crimped. Another great idea whose time has gone.

Posted by Dustin Mitchell (Member # 372) on 09-03-2004, 04:03 PM:

In defense of SDDS that's all that was left to them.

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 09-03-2004, 06:29 PM:

"The best way to clean an SDDS reader is to throw it out. "

I disagree because we are selling so many 2000 reader sprockets that I may be able to officially retire before SDDS disappears.

Mark

Posted by Chris Hipp (Member # 1788) on 09-03-2004, 10:00 PM:

I they would let me I would change out the otehr 29 houses with those sprockets, but we will jsut have to wait until they go bad to upgrade.

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 09-03-2004, 11:28 PM:

If people threaded them my way those sprockets wouldn't be wearing out and the tracking would be better. [Razz]

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 09-04-2004, 07:26 AM:

With the 2000 it doesn't matter how you thread em.... the sprockets still wear out as they are just bare alumnium(stupid Sony!), nor is there much that you can do to improve what you call tracking which is somewhat of a false saying. Sony could have utilized a bit lighter spring in the tight loop but beyond that there is little one can do to make things any more readable. One of the main problems is the lack of contrast in the scanner to allow better defined data. This is partially caused by the fact that Sony used the wrong color temp LEDs(Stupid Sony!) in the first place for reading the cyan track! I've converted a few 2000 readers lately to use the Dolby RED LED and even with the contrast improvement(seen as more "hair" on the video waveform) afforded by that conversion things are still somewhat marginal but I see less drop outs of the track LED's. Filmguard does help extend the lifespan of a print somewhat but prints will still eventually become unruinnable and its due to the small bit size on the film and that its in the high wear area of the print.

Mark @ CLACO

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 09-04-2004, 10:52 AM:

quote: Mark Gulbrandsen
With the 2000 it doesn't matter how you thread em.... the sprockets still wear out as they are just bare alumnium(stupid Sony!)

quote: Mark Gulbrandsen
nor is there much that you can do to improve what you call tracking which is somewhat of a false saying.

quote: Mark Gulbrandsen
Sony could have utilized a bit lighter spring in the tight loop but beyond that there is little one can do to make things any more readable.

Ok I'm gonna call bullshit on these 3 points Mark.

We ran Toy Story II for over 6 months at UA Galaxy, 6 shows a day on Christie projectors (which you know are the roughest on film) with FilmGuard and SDDS 2000 systems. I ran a QC in #9 on opening day, and on the last day I moved it back to #9 (the system had not been touched during that time) and it tracked better. I did the same demo with Episode I among other films expected to run for a long time. This never failed.

And for the record, we threaded up with zero tension on the 2000 series readers. The UA tech at the time would throw his typical temper tantrum about the way we threaded at that theater yelling that it couldn't work that way, but we were also the only theater in his region that did not have SDDS problems or any noticeable sprocket wear to the penthouse or prints (given new leds or after I started to align the readers myself as they needed it). Indeed when we DID thread with tension "to the red line", we would start seeing dropouts...coupled of course with that horrible sprocket buzzing.

One of these days someone on here is going to listen to me about threading those in that fashion and see the light.

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 09-04-2004, 03:47 PM:

"Indeed when we DID thread with tension "to the red line", we would start seeing dropouts...coupled of course with that horrible sprocket buzzing."

If they were buzzing then the sprockets were already undercut.... and it doesn't take much undercutting of the teeth to get em to buzz. A new sprocket weather its hard coated or not does not nmake any buzzing sound. Of the 30 or so readers I've rebuilt in the shop I've seen no difference in data quality as to the tension of the film unless its way too loose.
I guess Texas is just the optimum place on the planet for all data on film digital systems...... I have to say that it was more likely the Filmguard that saved the day.

Mark

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 09-04-2004, 04:43 PM:

I find that hard to believe (regarding new sprockets buzzing). I was working for UA when they went on their SDDS purchasing craze and ALL of the new installations buzzed at every location I went to. I have also done openings and installations at other companies that purchased SDDS on some or all of their screens and again, brand new out of the box from the Sony factory...they all buzzed when threaded per spec.

Posted by Michael Schaffer (Member # 1204) on 09-04-2004, 05:07 PM:

Brad is right. The sprockets all buzzed right out of the box, that's a known fact.