This is topic Christie/Dolby automation confusion in forum Digital Cinema Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.
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Posted by Jon P. Inghram (Member # 4125) on 04-23-2009, 07:37 PM:
We've finally switched to digital, but our technicians are having a terrible time figuring out the automation. The servers are Dolby but the projectors and automation are Christie, CP2000ZXs and ACTs respectively.
The only automation functions they've managed to get working is controlling the CP650 over ethernet.
The projector is hooked up to the server through an ethernet switch, but when I read the manual for the CP2000ZX it doesn't appear that it has an automation interface over ethernet, just RS-232.
The ACT is connected to the server via RS-232 which they apparently cannot figure out. I did get the theater lighting and masking cues working myself the other day (I can RTFM) but they've got a bit of a "don't touch anything, you're just a projectionist" attitude so I has to undo my fixes without telling them. ![[Mad]](mad.gif)
Does anyone have any hints I might be able to pass along covertly without wounding their egos? ![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 04-23-2009, 07:50 PM:
Yes the projectors can receive serial commands via ethernet.
I haven't bothered with the ACT since it is such a basic, and therefore restrictive, automation...but since it was designed with d-cinema in mind, it has to be able to send serial strings via ethernet. It could be as simple as they may have forgotten to program the ACT to send the strings to a particular IP, that they may have also forgotten to assign to the projector.
Its also possible they didn't program the ACT to "login" to the projector before trying to send the serial string. They are different between projectors.
Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 04-23-2009, 07:57 PM:
If they got the Projector Ethernet settings right...and installed the Dolby server right...when both the Dolby server and the CP2000ZX are connected to the "Auditorium" switch (and after rebooting the server)...the Dolby server should populate the "cues" with every "channel" that is configured in the CP2000ZX.
Steve
Posted by Jon P. Inghram (Member # 4125) on 04-23-2009, 08:20 PM:
The projector control cues do show up, but they don't work.
The ACTs can send and receive commands over ethernet, but they don't have them hooked up to the auditorium network.
Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 04-23-2009, 08:45 PM:
Thats an easy one. They have not set the NETWORK LOG ON parameter under the admin tab, then somewhere on a lower tab I believe, network perhaps. If this is not set to the correct setting(three to choose from) then the default is that the server has to be able to log onto the projector each time it has to send a command... and the server can't log on!!! So this control loop has to be left open at all times. Also there are actually two of these to choose from at two different areas of the ZX software. The other one is for the projector log in password and if you shut that off the CDP is always left in an open state and anyone can access the projector settings....(really bad!!!)
BTW: There is a script I have for the act that makes it function just like the NA-10 does. It's all that 98% of theaters out there will ever require. If you need it just shoot me an e-mail.
P.S., Your guys don't sound too competant to me and I'm pretty sure they are the ones we beat out of a couple of quotes over in Kansas!! If they haven't given you the projector log on password just shoot me an e-mail... wouldn't it be nice to teach them a thing or two in the morning! In the not so distant past at least a couple of competant booth people I associate with have had past IT experience and they taught be a few tricks of the trade that I have been ever grateful for....
Hope this helps,
Mark @ CLACO
P.S. Steve... Thats my one gripe about the Christie projectors... ALL of the channels show up in the Dolby cue list. There is no way I know of to actually deactivate channels or better yet pages of channels. I think I tried leaving a bunch of them blank once but they won't take in the memory and I had to use N/A instead. I could easily live with one page of channels at all of my locations.
Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 04-23-2009, 09:23 PM:
Mark, not to rain on your parade or anything, but I doubt the guys installing are incompetent. To my understanding, there doesn't exist a good ACT manual, and it as you know it only takes one tiny little thing to be setup wrong and the entire automation won't communicate. This is probably their first install with the ACT. Cut the guys a little slack. Everyone has to learn sometime.
If you do have a script to help the ACT people, you should consider submitting it formally so we can share it with the masses.
Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 04-24-2009, 06:46 AM:
Mark,
I've had success in just erasing the names of the channels and that kept them from showing up on the cue list. In fact, I normally only have a handful of channels active. Works for me.
Steve
Posted by James B Gardiner (Member # 5151) on 04-24-2009, 09:00 AM:
On my installs, we came up with a standard set of channel names that we use on all locations. Its all you really need, otherwise it starts getting to custom per screen. But you then custom it up as rerly required (At hour rate extra).
But then again we use our own automation systems that has a scripting language. its pretty cool as it can re-use older automation systems already installed or work in conjuration with a film system still in use, while not interfering with it.
Its all based on a touch screen computer that automatically configures itself based on the scripting language. Can attach to it from any web browser.
Its also very fast. Christie interface stuff is horrible. (And amazingly slow)
Does a lot of other stuff, but I am not suppose to talk about it ![[Frown]](frown.gif)
James
Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 04-24-2009, 09:10 AM:
I'll try it again Steve. Have a bunch going in the next few weeks. We are pushing them to just put seomthing into the TPC/CDP software that allows one to just shut off entire pages of channels. I wonder if anyone has ever used all those channels!!
James,
One thing I wouldn't want to do is re-use very much of the old automation we have around here!! Alot of it is absolute crap!!! You guys probably don't have High Tech and Raven Automations down under though... Even some of the well known brand new automations are now highly un-reliable because of the removal of cadmium from the contacts and microswitches.
Mark
Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 04-24-2009, 10:12 AM:
I think there definitely needs to be an equivalent of a Basic and Expanded list.
That is...for our "basic" customers...just a handful will do it...Flat/Scope in 2D or 3D and maybe a couple extras for special events.
For our non-traditional cinemas...then I do need more than just that, for sure.
Steve
Posted by Jon P. Inghram (Member # 4125) on 04-24-2009, 03:28 PM:
They came in this morning and tried some more to get the serial communication working between the server and the ACT. After some gentle coercion ("Hmm, I wonder if you try this instead...") I managed to show them how to get the cues working. I mentioned the script to make it act like a NA-10 and they didn't seem interested, oh well. Also mentioned the setting on the projector to open the ethernet connection and they went "I thought we were forgetting something!" Now we've got automation working, yay! ![[Smile]](smile.gif)
Thanks for the help!
Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 04-25-2009, 09:12 AM:
Jon,
Glad you got things going! I suspect they don't even know what an NA-10 is or does...
Steve... I think a page by page "on-off" would be adaquate to have. I think you could fit just about all current d-Cinema and video standards in about a page and a half of projector channels.
Mark
Posted by James B Gardiner (Member # 5151) on 04-29-2009, 08:19 AM:
Mark,
We support Panamation and are doing CA21/pennywise now. And, yes, we cannot support the TOO old type system.
But really, why rip out what works and replace ($$), and also cost the screen an extra do or so to re-wire. ($$)
Plus, you can run the old with the new while the staff re-learn.
The old Automation just acts like a external serial controlled contact closure device. You need one anyway.
James
Posted by System Notices (Member # 2357) on 07-04-2014, 09:19 PM:
It has been 1892 days since the last post.