Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: DTS 12 seconds, SR 2 seconds etc. etc.

This is topic DTS 12 seconds, SR 2 seconds etc. etc. in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Rob J. Buskop (Member # 3338) on 09-22-2008, 03:43 PM:

An odd experience...
Unit: DTS-6D, with Plextor Ultraplex PX-32 CSI caddy drives....
No earlier problems till last weekend. Showing 1999 archival film
that played fine before and oddly enough also after the event.
On this particular show the reader leds were constant and nice, but there was about 12 seconds DTS sound, whereafter the monitor
showed a stopped time code for about a few seconds, then everything went back to DTS. Reader leds remained on constantly. So the whole show (2x 6000ft on 2 projectors)had this regular DTS and default to and fro switching.
Very awkward. Later I tried two of the reels of the same film again: No problems. Can anyone shed some light upon this phenomenon?

Posted by John Wilson (Member # 269) on 09-22-2008, 07:15 PM:

Were you running anything else on the same power circuit as the DTS unit during the show you didn't run during your tests?

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 09-22-2008, 10:01 PM:

Did you re-boot the player after installing the disks the first time? If not that was probably the problem.

Mark

Posted by Rob J. Buskop (Member # 3338) on 09-23-2008, 04:57 AM:

Hi John and Mark!
Thank you for your reply.
John's question: No, everything exactly the same as always.
Mark's suggestion: Like always, 6-D unit was switched on and the caddy's were inserted (2)without delay. Booting up and ready with blinking system light in about 30 seconds..
Cannot see how this sort of slow, but regular oscillation between DTS and default can take place. It was of course very audible in the auditorium.

Posted by Tony Bandiera Jr (Member # 2365) on 09-23-2008, 01:48 PM:

Rob:

How long was the processor on before that screening? And in your later test, how long?

If the problem happened after the processor had been on for a while, the problem is most likely that the power supply in the 6D is going bad. Check the fan on the back of the unit and make sure it's running and stays running.

It is a standard power supply that you can get from just about any computer supplier.

Another suggestion to help reliability: buy a UPS for it and your cinema processor. A 350va rated unit has enough capacity. And can be had for about $40-$50.

Posted by Rob J. Buskop (Member # 3338) on 09-23-2008, 04:13 PM:

Tony, the processor was switched on just before I started lacing up for the feature. So about max. 10 minutes before the beginning of the show.
When I switch the 6-D on I always insert the caddy's immediately
and they're nicely swallowed by the drives.
The power supply seems to be in good order but haven't made any
measurements. Everything is clean inside as is the blower.

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 09-23-2008, 04:21 PM:

6D's uses 200-250w AT power supplies. Pop the lid and check the two harnesses that gets attached to the momboard (being an 486 momboard).

..and do agree: AT PS's do get tired after awhile being they are probably over 10 yrs old.

When it died for that short of duration, was the "CD ROM" light lit, or was it out? If out, then the drive, or even the disc was failing in the information area.

Posted by Bruce Hansen (Member # 281) on 09-23-2008, 04:57 PM:

Did you happen to watch the film as it went through the DTS reader?

This could have been just another computer glitch.

Posted by Rob J. Buskop (Member # 3338) on 09-24-2008, 04:37 AM:

Monte, as always in a sort of "state" when something goes wrong I cannot remember for sure what the drive lights were saying but
I'm pretty sure they were showing normal operation. Although the reader leds remained on, my monitor showed a short stoppage of timecode approximately 10 seconds. Then everything went to SR for 2 seconds and back again. This continued the whole show, so with TWO drives and TWO discs. So it seems that there would be nothing wrong there.
So, although very unsatisfying as it is, it might have been a computer glitch. Very unscientific and out of reach to do something about it. Will check the PS at a convenient moment.

Posted by Zachary C Washburn (Member # 3390) on 09-28-2008, 02:33 PM:

I have been having the same problem. It is off and on. But the show is running in digital and then drops out and immediately goes back to digital. And of course every time it switches it puts a pause in the sound in the auditorium.

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 09-29-2008, 03:03 AM:

quote: Zachary C Washburn
But the show is running in digital and then drops out and immediately goes back to digital. And of course every time it switches it puts a pause in the sound in the auditorium

..and like above, the green LED in the reader: what is it doing when DTS does drop in and out?

Posted by Blaine Young (Member # 3992) on 09-29-2008, 01:39 PM:

quote: Zachary C Washburn
I have been having the same problem. It is off and on. But the show is running in digital and then drops out and immediately goes back to digital. And of course every time it switches it puts a pause in the sound in the auditorium.

If you are hearing any evidence of a DTS -> (non-DTS) -> DTS transition (other than the fidelity obviously), there is something amiss in your setup. The DTS should pulse the automation into DTS mode only when it is outputting audio (green Digital Audio light on), and pulse back out when the green Digital light goes off. You should not experience any gaps or pauses.

Posted by Danial Simmonds (Member # 4638) on 09-30-2008, 05:06 AM:

Well i had experienced something almost the same as this,

First the show starts in DTS then in jumps to Dolby SR then after a while goes back to DTS.

As where i am almost every corner there is DTS-6 and 6D's...

It could be the print or disc error.. Try playing a DTS test film like RP2000 "Buzz and Bill"

The Power Supply - most likely if your DTS has run like 10 Years...

Or one of the DTS discs does not read properly (if using the test film and it still happens) check the DTS Timecode cable, automation cable, 6 Channel output cable.. if those are ok..

Most likely to be a bad drive cant read smoothly

Regards
Dan.