Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Should I replace my Ultra/DTS with Dolby?

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Posted by Steven J Hart (Member # 2340) on 01-23-2008, 10:11 PM:

My theater is currently equipped with an Ultra*Stereo JS-200 (with SR card) installed new in 2000. We added a DTS 6D in 2002. This equipment works great and has never given me any problems. My tech/dealer is suggesting (pushing) me to replace this combo with a Dolby processor. He says that Ultra*Stereo can no longer support the JS-200 because spare parts are no longer available for many of the cards. He says DTS is having similar problems with supporting the aging 6D.

I expect that Digital Cinema is coming to my theater someday, so my view is that whether or not these products are still repairable, It would be a waste of my money to install a new 35 mm film sound processor.

What do y'all think? Is my dealer blowing smoke up my ass and trying to scare me into spending some money with him, or are his concerns about these products warranted?

Steve Hart

Posted by Richard Fowler (Member # 893) on 01-24-2008, 12:11 AM:

USL is one of the best in supplying exchange cards to keep your JS running. DTS is also doing excellent support.
When you switch to digital display, then maybe the stripped down Dolby unit or the current USL processor would be an option.
I know of 10+ year old 6Ds and much older JSs chugging along.

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 01-24-2008, 12:17 AM:

Obviously his only concern is selling you new gear and nothing else. Actually USL offers repair/exchange for all the cards with discontinued semi's. They bought huge quantities of the semi's involved and will be able to repair them into the future for quite a number of years. I definately think your dealer is blowing smoke at you here or he has to do the annual on his twin engine Cessna or pay for a new roof for his remote woods cabin. I just installed a D-Cinema system with a Dolby DMA-8 feeding a JS Series processor and it sounded spectaculuar, although unplugging the DTS and plugging in the cable from the DMA-8 is a bit of an inconvenience. The other D-Cinema systems I installed are feeding PAnastereo CSP-1200's which actually have three seperate digital inputs... more convenience than even the Dolby has and better sound to boot!! The Dolby is a great processor but yours is no slouch either. If you have money to blow or are looking for a nice tax write off or marketable name to use in your newspaper ads then the Dolby is a good idea. In terms of support both companies are on a par with excellent support. Also if you feel the need to replace your processor to have something directly compatable with D-Cinema take a close look at the USL JSD-80. It can be equipped with a digital input card to directly decode the output of any D-Cinema server, and its about $6,000.00 less expensive than the Dolby! Your decisions have to be based on your pocket book spending limits and immediate needs, not your dealers needs!

Mark

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 01-24-2008, 03:23 AM:

Sad is when dealers know that what their customers DON'T know about what's in their theatres, or how they are running their theatres and take advantage of the situation with selling them what the dealer wants to sell them, not what the owner/op needs.

Yea, keep the JS-200/DTS combo unit going for if you're happy with the setup, that is what should matter.

Clint at USL is fantastic in helping out any of their USL customers with needs of any kind.

-Monte

Posted by Steven J Hart (Member # 2340) on 01-24-2008, 07:16 AM:

Richard, Mark, Monte - thanks for your responses. I suspected that I might be being led astray. I like the sound I'm getting from the JS-200 / DTS and don't really have much money to spend in the booth. As long as the distributors keep including DTS disks in the cans I should be in good shape.

Steve

Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 01-24-2008, 08:10 AM:

quote: Steven J Hart
This equipment works great and has never given me any problems.

Now that is the key to it all. If you have something that is working well and living up to your expectations...why would you change it? Now if the JS unit is giving you problems or you don't think it is giving you the sound quality you desire, then that would be another story and it would apply to ANY piece of equipment. There really is no benefit to upgrade/change for change sake. If you wait until you get the most life out of what you have (if it becomes unreliable or if new equipment comes out that has features you desire), then it makes sense and by waiting you will be buying into the latest technology rather than something that might be towards the end of its life.

Mark...why would installing a DMA8 require plugging/unplugging for the DTS? The DMA8 has a pass-through connector that is active when in the "Film" position. One can program it for what automation pins refer to format 10 and 05 since the DMA8 is designed to integrate in with a DA20 system. What would make the DTS any different?

Steve

Posted by Louis Bornwasser (Member # 3063) on 01-24-2008, 08:56 AM:

In defence of the California manufacturers (all of them): Certain boards can only be repaired; no new ones made because of the "lead free" law. What good are chip-sets if you cannot make new boards and the customers don't send the defective ones back for repair. Certainly Dolby, dts, Ultra, etc are all in the same boat. That is why Dolby discontinued all but the CP-650.

In addition, there's more to lead free than just lead: Cadnium & others metals have gone away.

Now, as regards your immediate problem: I agree that if it is working and you are happy; you are certainly free to enjoy it as it is (I feel the same way about Digital Cinema.) If the Dolby processor is in your future, you can just wait until you need it. We carry 20-30 in stock at all times to cover such an emergency. Louis

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 01-24-2008, 06:09 PM:

quote: Steve Guttag
Mark...why would installing a DMA8 require plugging/unplugging for the DTS? The DMA8 has a pass-through connector that is active when in the "Film" position. One can program it for what automation pins refer to format 10 and 05 since the DMA8 is designed to integrate in with a DA20 system. What would make the DTS any different?

At this location the Barco DP-100 and Dolby components are set up to be used in two different back to back theaters. This necessitates unplugging both the audio feed and automation interface cable from the NA-10 then rotating the whole rig 180 degrees and plugging them both back into theater two's gear. We installed an MS connector on both of the automations and the usual DB-25 at the end of the snake to facilitate this. Change over takes about 30 min including on screen projector alignment and a sound check. There are two sets of macros on the projector each properly set up for doing this so all pertinent stuff is properly fitted to each screen... Theater 1 and Theater 2 in this case. It takes three people just to rotate the projector as it has an anamorphic on the front. Fortunately the folks at this site are more than capable of doing the switch over...

Stephen, You may also want to look for a new dealer while you're at it.

Mark

Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 01-25-2008, 12:40 AM:

One thing can be said that USL provides excellent user support for all there products even back to the old CS series days

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 01-25-2008, 08:22 AM:

When the CS's die we replace them with the new JSD-80. The performance is so superior that repairing the old ones just doesn't make any sense. They were decent in their day though.

Mark