Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Serial Data port (J3) on Dolby DA-20.

This is topic Serial Data port (J3) on Dolby DA-20. in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Stephen Furley (Member # 1277) on 10-08-2013, 05:09 AM:

What is this port used for? The installation manual says that it is for the auxiliary data channel, but gives no indication as to what this is actually used for. I've tried connecting a terminal to it, and there are data being transmitted, but they're not text.

Posted by Ken Lackner (Member # 1002) on 10-08-2013, 06:37 AM:

It is used for reader alignment with WinDRAS software (and an oscilloscope, of course).

Posted by Stephen Furley (Member # 1277) on 10-08-2013, 06:47 AM:

Thank you Ken. Not something that I need to worry about then.

Posted by Louis Bornwasser (Member # 3063) on 10-08-2013, 07:19 AM:

I had always heard that time code, etc. was on this port. Louis

Posted by Stephen Furley (Member # 1277) on 10-08-2013, 09:40 AM:

Either way, or maybe it does both things, it sounds like it's not needed for the normal operation of the processor, so I don't need to connect it to anything.

I'm going to the cinema this evening to try to sort out a couple of the remaining problems, so I'll take the DA-20 with me then. I've still got the last two cables to make up, the six channel audio ones, and the DTS gear to take down there, and need to re-arrange the sound rack a bit to make room for it, run the cables between the projectors and the rack, and then find the money to get a technician in to align it all. Hopefully first digital show will now be next month, originally planned for tomorrow but postponed due to various problems, not all technical. Hoping for a show on film around Christmas.

Posted by Pete Lawrence (Member # 130) on 10-08-2013, 11:42 AM:

I wouldn't dismiss it so quickly. The Win-DRAS software can give you a lot of information about how your reader is performing. It can be downloaded from the Warehouse section here under Software. The manual for it is also there separately.
This picture is from the manual. Display is in color on a Windows PC.

Posted by Stephen Furley (Member # 1277) on 10-08-2013, 02:54 PM:

Pete,

I thought DRAS was just for technicians. I've just looked for it, but can't see a software section in the Warehouse; I thought I'd seen one in the past. The manual is there; I'll take a look at it tomorrow.

Posted by Pete Lawrence (Member # 130) on 10-08-2013, 03:39 PM:

I should have said Warehouse -> Manuals -> Software. In the middle of the list you will find "Dolby WinDRAS 1.042 software". Works on Windows XP, not sure about newer versions of windows.

Yes, it's for techs. And no, don't just jump in and start making changes unless you know what your doing. Call your tech if things don't look right. It's just another tool that can give you more information than a few blinking LEDs.

It runs without interfering with normal DA-20 operation. So you can watch what's happening during a show. I had a vertical jitter problem I never would have found without it.

Posted by Stephen Furley (Member # 1277) on 10-08-2013, 04:46 PM:

Got it. It *seems* to run on Windows 7 Ultra 64 bit running on a VMware Fusion virtual machine on an Apple Macbook Pro running System 10.8 with a USB-serial adapter. Its screen comes up, and it sees the serial port, but I haven't got anything at home to actually connect it to.