Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: cp200

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Posted by David J Hilsgen (Member # 2614) on 01-08-2015, 07:29 PM:

any value in these processors, took mine out replaced w/a cp650 works great w/ the 70, being it`s just dts now. there still has to be a few running out there.

Posted by Stephan Shelley (Member # 8587) on 01-08-2015, 07:58 PM:

Don't know about the value but the Grand Lake has one in service in side 1. A second in stand-by in side 2. California in San Jose CA has one in service as well.

Posted by David J Hilsgen (Member # 2614) on 01-08-2015, 08:55 PM:

Stephan if you ever can`t find parts let me know, i can imagine there a lot of them sitting on the shelf out your way

Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 01-08-2015, 09:27 PM:

We still use them in our 70mm venues...the AFI/Silver and the Library of Congress. It is the most awesome sound processor for Cinema...ever.

Alas, it doesn't have much place in the DCinema world though.

http://www.film-tech.com/warehouse/picview.php?id=4785&category=1

Posted by Sam D. Chavez (Member # 1841) on 01-08-2015, 09:58 PM:

I just sold one after all these years complete with MPU and a pile of SR cards.

It took me 3 units to make one good unit as the front doors had various problems, one had a dead section in the display, the second would not correctly generate the number selected on register B BCD switches. So, out of 3 units I now have two units that don't work and no easy way to fix either except to find more front doors.

Posted by David J Hilsgen (Member # 2614) on 01-08-2015, 10:07 PM:

Steve I got to get and see some these places, been working to much. what a set up, did`nt have that many toys on mine, was running it w/ a d/a converter for a while. kept mag peamp in place just in case.

Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 01-09-2015, 06:12 AM:

In 2013, the AFI underwent an "update" of sorts. The "video" and A/V parts of the system was revamped. What was once all analog video (except for broadcast which was/is SDI) is now all digital traveling on Crestron DM systems with HDMI carrying picture and sound. The digital projectors changed from Barco DP50s (thats right, the AFI ran DP50s for 10-1/2 years...DCinema "series 0" or "Mark VII" for those that knew that generation) to Christie 4K projectors.

As such, I elected to put a digitally based audio processor AFTER the film processors. Digital sources (DCP, Blu-Ray...etc.) do not flow through the CP200 (or Panastereos in the smaller theatres) but get a direct digital shot to the cinema processor/EQ and then just one D/A conversion to the amplifiers. This avoids having a D/A conversion then have a 8-channel analog audio path to feed through the film-based processors only to be converted back to digital for EQ/Crossover and then back to analog. It makes the digital signal path clean and simple and also means that all of the "legacy" stuff didn't have to be touched at all. The down side is that form "film" there are now 2 volume controls. We opted to have the digital processors to "jump" to unity when film is selected so all of the old volume settings used before are the same and the remote at each projector also remain active and as functional as ever.

The digital sound processor we went with was the QSC DCP300 due to its flexibility (lots of inputs and outputs in it plus crossover and monitoring). It isn't perfect by any stretch and not as flexible as the CP200 is but it did meet the needs of the number of inputs (16-channels of AES, 8-channel analog, 6-channel analog, 16-channels of Cobranet {bi-directional}, plus a S/PIDF and analog stereo input.

Posted by Jason Metcalfe (Member # 5739) on 01-09-2015, 12:43 PM:

Hey David, sent you a PM

Posted by Sean Weitzel (Member # 244) on 01-09-2015, 08:00 PM:

I have one with an MPU for my screening room. When the Century 21, 22, and 23 theaters in San Jose closed down last year there was a pile of them upstairs in the 22 booth. They were all scrapped as far as I know. Sad. It's getting harder to find cards for these now. I finally found all of the necessary cards to interface it with a DA-20 a few years ago. I paid more for just those cards than I did for the whole processor back in 2008. I'd like an Aux rack for mine someday. Sam was quite helpful when I was getting it all hooked up for the first time. Thanks Sam!

Posted by David J Hilsgen (Member # 2614) on 01-09-2015, 08:41 PM:

Jason i never got the pm

Posted by Bill Elam (Member # 6867) on 02-07-2015, 10:46 PM:

I just dug out my CP200. One of the power supply's front panel had been damaged. The three fuse holders are busted and the guard around the power button is bent. Odd fuse holders. Not sure where to buy them since I am not in the biz anymore. Ideas?

Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 02-08-2015, 12:28 AM:

I don't know where to source the exact same fuse holder (Sam may know the make/model). But you are looking for 5x20mm fuse holders (panel mount).

Posted by Sam D. Chavez (Member # 1841) on 02-08-2015, 08:01 PM:

Hello Bill, nice seeing your name pop up.

I have more PSI's than I need so would make one available to you. I have no parts for these though.

Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 02-09-2015, 06:53 AM:

<shameless plug> We will update CP200 power supplies for "switch mode" such that they will put out the proper voltages without high ripple. That said, you'd still need the fuse holders since we deliberately keep the exterior looking/acting like the original.

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 02-09-2015, 04:04 PM:

And since I had Steve rebuild a pair for me I can absolutely vouch for the fact that it performs 100% flawlessly without the slightest hint of noise.

Posted by Sam D. Chavez (Member # 1841) on 02-09-2015, 08:03 PM:

So please elaborate.

Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 02-10-2015, 06:10 AM:

Brad doesn't have one of our switch mode updates...his are merely recapped (with slightly higher capacity caps that are physically a lot smaller).

The switch mode update we do basically guts the internals and replaces them with switch mode supplies and even the pilot lamp (we use an LED so it won't burn out either). The tricky part getting the voltage rails right (can't go too high and you don't want them to be too low either) as well as using supplies that won't put noise in the system.

When done, the CP200 gets a LOT quieter...particularly with the CAT517/560. Hum is gone and even hiss drops. A modded supply can be swapped out without any exterior changes and will still allow daisy chaining a primary/backup system.

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 02-10-2015, 02:36 PM:

Well geez Steve, I must respectfully inquire on how it could get quieter than the one you recapped, but I trust you.

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 02-10-2015, 03:24 PM:

I did switch mode conversion to a number of CP-50's that had the later cards in them and it was a whole different sounding processor afterwords. Highly recommended for analog units.

Mark

Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 02-11-2015, 06:44 AM:

Brad,

You are only using yours for the MPU-1...not to drive the whole CP200. So you are only on the 24V rail and not really taxing it very much at that so I'm sure it is sufficient. There is a common transformer (multiple secondary taps) in the PS1(B) so when the full 200 is on it drawing on the +/- 14V rails...the whole thing sags. In fact, the power conditioner in the MPU-1 is there just to get the PS1 supply to be clean enough for the MPU...the CP100 didn't need it but the CP200/PS1 does. You are probably only using 1/4 of the PS1's capacity and the 24V rail is probably pretty close to 24V right now (if not a tad high).

Now hook it up to a full CP200 and watch what happens. And if you have an O'Scope handy (but if not set your multimeter to "AC" volts) look at what happens to all three rails...not only will the +/-14 volt rails drop to 12.2 - 12.5...the ripple shoots WAY up.
That is where the hum/noise comes in. The cleaner the power, the cleaner things will be through the system. But the CP200 was designed with the PS1 in mind...you don't want to have +/-15V going through it...you will start blowing things plus you are going to be right at the crowbar diodes protecting each card. The relays on it are 12VDC...not rated to operate at 15V so, as I said, it is a bit tricky. Another thing to keep in mind, to get more swing, for the CAT517/560 they went to the +24/-14 rails to get about 38V of swing but KNOWING that neither were going to be at their rating...particularly the -14V part so again, if one doesn't pay attention you'll go out of range.

Posted by Jim Cassedy (Member # 4115) on 06-09-2015, 09:21 PM:

We had to pull the ol' portable, roll-around CP200
Rack outta the closet the other day to run several
'obsolete' formats, including some mag soundstuff.

Everything is 'connectorized' through huge cables
& mulit-pin plugs, so it's pretty much 'plug & play'
once you wheel it all into place and power it up.

Floor & rack space is valuable, so when not in use this rack normally lives in the
corner of a sound mixing booth next to the projection room. Those are Kinoton
35/70mm projectors equipped with Dolby Digital, DTS & magnetic sound readers.