Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: CP 500 'Not Ready' message when selecting Dolby Digital

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Posted by Jonathan Wood (Member # 4614) on 02-21-2017, 12:25 PM:

Hi all,

I've been using a cp 500 for some time using just SRA and it's been fine . Finally got around to checking Dolby Digital and after connecting it up and selecting format 10 I get a 'not ready' message and it just keeps on format 05. I'm not too bothered as SR is fine for me but I was wondering if anyone knows what the most likely cause is ? I wasn't really expecting it to work as I know SRD is fussy and I don't have the necessary tools / gear to set it up properly . It's a Vic 5 basement dual reader and I'm using a cable from a kinoton FP40 digital reader, which I'm hoping by (!) should work. The led at the side of the reader( in addition to the main red led that reads the track) are lit so I guess it's getting power from the CP.

Any advice gratefully received! Cheers Jon

Posted by Fredrik Sandstrom (Member # 8171) on 02-21-2017, 12:57 PM:

Just checking: Did you start the projector? (Sorry, but it is not obvious from your post if you did.) If you select format 10 when film is not running, it is normal to get "not ready", and have it revert immediately to format 05, as there is no digital track being read. Once film is running, with a valid digital track, it jumps back to format 10.

If you are indeed running film, and it still stays in format 05, your digital reader is most likely out of alignment. Or possibly, the digital track on the film is damaged. Open the front panel of the CP500 while film is running and look at the error rate display on the Cat 673 card. If it displays an F it is getting some signal from the reader, but fails to decode it. If it displays a dash (-) it's not getting anything at all.

Posted by Magnus Eriksson (Member # 6085) on 02-21-2017, 01:08 PM:

Is the "motor start" connector properly wired? Bridge pins 1 & 5 for projector 1 or pins 9 & 5 for projector 2.
/M.E.

Posted by Jonathan Wood (Member # 4614) on 02-21-2017, 01:32 PM:

Hi guys thanks for your replies. Yes film is running, I will check the card to see what's going on. No, the motor start isn't wired/ connected at all, I'm not using any automation; does it need to be wired as you describe? Should have stuck with SR ! Cheers Jon

Posted by Magnus Eriksson (Member # 6085) on 02-21-2017, 01:40 PM:

Yes. Just hardwire the pins I described (depending on what input you are using). It doesn¨t affect SR playback.
/M.E.

Posted by Fredrik Sandstrom (Member # 8171) on 02-22-2017, 01:24 AM:

It is not necessary to have the motor start wired. If a digital signal is present and format 10 selected, the CP500 will play it regardless of motor start wiring.

However, leaving the motor start disconnected will cause the CP500 to never revert to analog. Thus, what you describe is strange: You do not have the motor start connected, and yet you get the "not ready" message and reversion to format 05. That should not happen. It should stay in format 10. Something else is wrong here. Could you possibly be missing any of the cards required for Dolby Digital? Or have one of them malfunctioning?

Posted by Marco Giustini (Member # 4544) on 02-22-2017, 03:44 AM:

I'm with Fredrik here

quote: Fredrik Sandstrom
Open the front panel of the CP500 while film is running and look at the error rate display on the Cat 673 card. If it displays an F it is getting some signal from the reader, but fails to decode it. If it displays a dash (-) it's not getting anything at all.

Posted by Jonathan Wood (Member # 4614) on 02-23-2017, 03:16 PM:

Thanks for the advice guys, it's very much appreciated. I ran a film (with digital sound) and I get a ' - ' sign so it looks like no digital info is being received from the reader. I'm using a cable from an FP40 digital basement reader , but I believe this should be the same pin out as the Vic 5 reader ? Also I've noticed that the small LED in the side cover of the digital reader glows red until I switch the digital scanning LED on at which point it goes amber. When I switch off the current to the LED it momentarily flashes green before reverting to red? Does this sound like a reader board problem ? Thanks in advance , Jon

Posted by Marco Giustini (Member # 4544) on 02-23-2017, 04:53 PM:

"-" could also means that the reader is SO misaligned that the sound processor cannot make head or tail out of the data. It does not necessarily mean that there is a wiring issue.

(PS: are you aware that you CANNOT hot-plug the readers when the sound processor is switched on?)

I am not familiar with the newer soundheads with the status LED but if I am not mistaken that tells you if the video level is correct. It should turn green when you are running a print.

I believe you may need an oscilloscope to find out what's going on.

As a starting point, make sure the red LED is clean and also the lens in the reader. Use cotton bud and - to be safe - some glass cleaner suitable for coated lens. DO NOT spray anything on the LED or lens, just slightly soak the cotton bud. You may need to bend the stick - do not touch the cotton bud using your greasy fingers!

Make sure the slots where the print sits around the drum are free of dirt - use cotton buds and some rubbing alcohol.

Make sure the spring loaded roller spins freely. If you have an hydraulic dampener, it should not move up and down when the print runs (only when damage/splices run through). Also, it should stay half-way through its range when print is running.

If everything seems to check out, you may need an oscilloscope and see what happens.

Wow, it seems ages since 35mm was around!!

Posted by Sam D. Chavez (Member # 1841) on 02-23-2017, 08:09 PM:

The video status LED is essentially a voltage indicator. It was designed to go green at above 2 Volts Video level if memory serves. Orange just means less than 2 Volts but indicates the CCD in the reader is working. This is upstream of the CP500 though so the problem is likely there. I would reckon the video front end is out, 670 video acquisition board. That is the likely outcome of hot plugging the video cable.

Posted by Jonathan Wood (Member # 4614) on 02-23-2017, 09:18 PM:

Thanks Marco and Sam, I knew about the danger of hot plugging the cable so I made sure the CPwas off whilst this was done . Everything seems pretty clean and the sound head seems mechanically ok and SR has always worked fine. I have a DA20 and aCP 45 which I could try at some point but will probably stick with SR as it seems far more straightforward!

Cheers Jon

Posted by Sam D. Chavez (Member # 1841) on 02-23-2017, 09:27 PM:

The failure may have happened some time ago. The video cable are all alike between brands but the Kinoton used their own color code. As long as they are wired end for end you are OK.

Posted by Jonathan Wood (Member # 4614) on 02-24-2017, 02:13 AM:

Thanks Sam, the processor had been sitting on a shelf for quite a while rather than in use , so I suppose it had been sitting there for a reason .
Jon

Posted by Marco Giustini (Member # 4544) on 02-24-2017, 03:54 AM:

I am not sure I would rule out the reader so quickly, Sam. The LED gives a rough indication of a video level. Again, I am not familiar with those newer readers but I reckon it could display an amber signal even though the signal is half missing or completely screwed up - at the point the CP500 wouldn't even try to decode it.

I feel the next step is to borrow an oscilloscope, hook it up and see.

Posted by Fredrik Sandstrom (Member # 8171) on 02-24-2017, 05:08 AM:

There is definitely something wrong with the CP500. Like I said in my previous post, it's not supposed to behave like that when the motor start is not wired. Even when no reader is connected, it should stay in format 10.

You said you have a DA20. I suggest you swap the Cat 670 cards and see if that makes a difference. You can try it with other cards too; all the Dolby Digital-related cards in the CP500 are found in the DA20 as well.

Posted by Jonathan Wood (Member # 4614) on 02-24-2017, 05:25 AM:

Thanks Fredrik ,

I was in the process of trying just that when I discovered that someone has deliberately stripped the screw heads on the front panel of my da20 (I suppose in an attempt to prevent access to it. ) I'll get into it over the weekend and have another go.
Jon