Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Mod2C hook up to a Dolby MPU Unit

This is topic Mod2C hook up to a Dolby MPU Unit in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Don Furr (Member # 1469) on 03-30-2005, 01:40 PM:

Does anyone have experience hooking up a mag. preamp to a Smart Mod2C. Would it make any difference if it was a Smart 430 or a Dolby MPU? I'm guessing the preamps are inputed where the digital connection is on the rear of the 2C. Also is there a switch where both the digital and the mag preamp can be attached at the same time?
Thanks....

Don

Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 03-30-2005, 01:55 PM:

The mag will connect to the digital input
The only easy way to connect both is to pass the mag through the pass through point of a DA20 (JM11/JM21) connection as in a CP200 configuration or the same with a DTS 6 if it is a DTS6d then a relay breakout board for the CP200 is needed

Posted by Don Furr (Member # 1469) on 03-30-2005, 02:53 PM:

Thanks Gordy.
As little mag as I'll be running the easiest thing to do is simply unplug the DTS6D and plug in the Dolby MPU. I'll try that.

Don

Posted by Oscar Neundorfer (Member # 458) on 03-31-2005, 07:15 AM:

Simply plugging one or the other in is the easiest way unless you plan to switch back and forth a lot. Also, you can probably use a computer style db25 A/B switcher (sometimes used for switching printers) to do the switching as long as the switcher switches all 25 pins (most do).

If you are running split surrounds, remember to take the surround out of the mag preamp and connect it to both LS and RS inputs. That way all your surround speakers will be used and not just one side.

Posted by Don Furr (Member # 1469) on 04-01-2005, 10:12 PM:

Thanks Oscar.......
My FINAL question....If I plug the MPU into the digital input on the Mod2C, if the mag drops out for whatever reason will it default to optical? (in the case of mag/opt.)
I'll be running a print that has a 3 minute replacment optical piece.

Don

Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 04-02-2005, 06:02 AM:

the optical default that is in digital systems is part of your digital unit (da20 or DTS) mag preamps don't have any default system partly because how can they tell if the lack of audio is a fault or the actual silence on the track
digital default is caused by the loss of a data stream

Posted by Oscar Neundorfer (Member # 458) on 04-02-2005, 06:04 AM:

No way that I know of that it will default to optical if MAG dies or drops out. There would have to be a means of detecting loss of MAG sound and then switching to optical format. The MPU is just a preamp and has no sort of ciruitry to perform such a switch.

Best bet is to use a cue detector with inboard and outboard cues and put a piece of cue tape at the change points which would trigger a format change to optical and then back to MAG. A proximity detector with relay outputs would be ideal as you could connect the cue detector outputs directly to the format inputs of the processor. (I don't know if you have any kind of automation in your setup. If so, maybe the automation could be programmed to perform this function also if it is flexible enough for multiple sound cues.)