Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: DTS 6D that plays some films but not others

This is topic DTS 6D that plays some films but not others in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Michael Brown (Member # 890) on 06-23-2008, 09:36 AM:

We have a DTS 6D in one auditorium that we use occasionally (we mostly just run in SRD from the main CP-500 processor). Lately it seems to work with some films but not others. Was working fine with "The Happening" last week, but I couldn't get it running "Incredible Hulk" this week. (an similar in the past where it wouldn't run "Son of Rambow" as an example). With "Hulk" after loading the discs it didn't give me the flashing system light.

Is this an issue with discs (I'm sure I heard somewhere that some discs will only play in the new DTS units aka XD-10, but won't play in a 6-D), or could it be something else.

I'm going to have a chat about it to our engineer who's coming (for other stuff) later this week. I was just wondering if anyone else had any experiences.

Posted by Chris Slycord (Member # 4239) on 06-23-2008, 10:25 AM:

Are you sure you're running the newest firmware?

Posted by Jim Cassedy (Member # 4115) on 06-23-2008, 10:59 AM:

As Chris said, the first thing to check is to see if you have the latest firmware revision. It's my understanding that some of the new disks won't play on older versions of the internal software.

The latest firmware revision for the 6D is V1.46
There should be a sticker on the back of your unit that indicates what firmware is installed.

BUT- - I have come across several units that have had firmware upgrades, and nobobdy bothered to update the sticker on the back.

The only way to be 100% sure is to pull the unit out of the rack, take the top off and look for the biggest chip ("U-14") on the time-code reader board. It will have a paper sticker on it clearly indicating the version. It's not hard to find- -it's pretty much the biggest componant in the whole unit and
"you can't miss it" .

Posted by Mike B. Smith (Member # 2829) on 06-23-2008, 12:48 PM:

All DTS discs are the same and should work in all DTS playback systems, the only exception would be the very early DTS discs from 1993. As mentioned in the case of the DTS-6D, it must have the latest V1.46 chip (which is available free from DTS) for proper playback. Unfortunately not everyone will note the update on the back of the unit, the only real way to make sure is to open it up and look. If the system has been playing fine in the past several months chances are you have the correct chip. The system light on the 6D or "Ready" on the display of other DTS units simply means the system has successfully booted up and is ready to play, if you do not get a system light flashing on your 6D it will not play no matter what chip is installed. Check you drives by loading a disc into each one separately power cycling between, see if the ready light flashes each time if not, you might have a drive issue or another boot up problem.

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 06-24-2008, 11:47 AM:

Wonder if his drives are getting tired....If you can pop the top cover off and see the manufacturer dates on the drives can give you a good heads up esp where you got a "D" unit.

Drives don't last forever ....

Power supplies (being an 200w AT power supply powering a I486 momboard) can get tired as well causing read errors on some discs

-Monte

Posted by Blaine Young (Member # 3992) on 06-24-2008, 12:03 PM:

Drive issues are the first thing that spring to mind for me as well. Could be dirty lenses. There are lens cleaners available (a CD with little tiny brushes on them).

Posted by Michael Brown (Member # 890) on 06-24-2008, 06:56 PM:

It seemed to be working today.

I thing one of the issues was that I wasn't waiting long enough for the unit the read the discs. I wasn't in a patient mood yesturday. Probaby chalk this once up as user error. [Roll Eyes]

Posted by Tim Asten (Member # 4051) on 06-24-2008, 07:43 PM:

Our "Hulk" discs play fine on our 6D in the big house. Tonight I have just run a preview of "Wanted" in DTS in the same screen, again with no problems. Mind you we have just had the drives upgraded with dvd drives - not sure about the chip though. We also have a XD10 Media Player with subtitle projector that has never missed a beat. Three out of four of our other 6D's are knackered due to drive failures [Frown]

Tim

Posted by Chris Slycord (Member # 4239) on 06-24-2008, 10:36 PM:

If you've got DVD drives then you'd have to be using the new firmware because their old firmware didn't work with their DVD drive replacement kit. That is, unless you didn't use their drive kit and were just replacing them with SCSI DVD drives, which I doubt happened.