Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: NEC douser issue

This is topic NEC douser issue in forum Digital Cinema Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Phil Ranucci (Member # 3820) on 08-02-2010, 03:14 PM:

Just installed 2 NEC2000 series, MIT automation box, GDC server, and Master Image 3D. We cannot get the douser to open reliably. Also sometimes when playback starts all we get is snow, and stopping and starting from the beginning fixes it. Any ideas? The server and projector have both been replaced with no change. Great picture, though.

Posted by Demetris Thoupis (Member # 833) on 08-02-2010, 04:31 PM:

It could be a couple of things. The snow means that the projector does not have a secure connection between the TI boards and the playback server. Most probably a slumpy switch or the ethernet cable. This also could be the reason why the dowser is not raising or lowering. Do you have the IP of the projecor and the TI boards? Of so try hooking a laptop on the network of the projector and try to ping it. If you ping reliably then probably is something else. If you have lagging or lost pinging then probably is your network. You would also be suprised what firmware upgrades fix but I would not recommend doing anything without the assistance of a service technician who is fully aware of the equipment.
Demetris

Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 08-03-2010, 05:56 AM:

A couple of things....

Do NOT stack cues to the projector. That is, don't rapid fire "strike lamp, Macro 001, Douser open". If you look at its LCD window, if it says "Wait a Moment" or words to that effect...it will likely ignore any incoming cues while it completes the last task.

Manually, try each function and time how long it takes for the projector to complete the task...that is how long you need to wait (insert "black" into your show or set up your GDC server's "Show Start" macro with wait times).

We are telling our customers to dispense with the douser open/close commands unless they leave the lamps lit AND have something else PROJECTED onto the screen. If you turn your lamp off at the end of the show...just what is the douser blocking? When you start the next show...again...just what is the douser blocking? It isn't like there is a countdown leader you are trying to keep the audience from seeing. So remove all douser close commands. I would leave the douser open command in (it should be about 16-seconds, on an NEC 2000, from the lamp on command if you want it to work as a safeguard).

As to the snow...yes that is a Link Encryption issue, normally. Make sure your projector has the current firmware running. There was a vital firmware issued in June, which may not be on your projector depending on when it was actually built. The NC2000C can LOCK UP if you stack cues and are running the original firmware. Once you have the current firmware...it will merely ignore the extra cues but not lock up, requiring a reboot. And by lock up, I mean you will see the "wait a moment" message but it will never leave and not have the rotating "/"...it will be frozen.

-Steve

Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 08-04-2010, 09:45 AM:

Please note...NEC just released another service pack for the NC2000 (Service Pack 2) a few days ago. I have no idea what it is supposed to fix/improve...NEC does not seem to publish that sort of thing.

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 08-04-2010, 10:50 PM:

Steve... I installed service pack 2 in a machine last week and found the update list in the software download. I didn't note much change in how the cues behaved after words.

Mark

Posted by Phil Ranucci (Member # 3820) on 08-05-2010, 01:45 AM:

Thanks for the replies.
Tried deleting the open/close cues with no luck, or picture for that matter. I was told by the installer that the NEC automatically closes the douser when the lamp fires, and by looking at the port glass this seems to be the case. I put 2*10 second blacks at the start.
The show start cue(lamp, house lights & sound) is 1 second into the first black and the douser open is 9 seconds into the second one, so 18 seconds apart. Is this what you mean by stacking cues? Should the NEC be selecting the Macro needed? It's not doing that now AFAIK.
Of course it worked when the theater was closed! Start show and the douser opens on snow. Restart show from beginning and everything is fine. One machine was replaced last week, and I believe it has the latest and greatest software. Other machine was updated at the same time.
Is the next step replacing the cat5 cables?

Posted by Demetris Thoupis (Member # 833) on 08-05-2010, 02:15 AM:

What kind of server do you have and how long are the HDSDI cables? There have been issues with the Dolby servers if the HDSDI cables were short because they were overboosting the signal although this seems to not be the case. When you say restart the show do you mean a complete power shutdown and power up of the DCI equipment or do you mean you stop the playlist and restart the play from the beginning and it works? If it is the second then as others suggested perhaps is the cue not being accepted by your projector. One last thing to try when you get the snow, try repressing the cue button directly from the projector and wait a few seconds and see if the image comes up.
Demetris

Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 08-05-2010, 04:25 AM:

Mark, that list only tells you what the version numbers are in the new software pack...it doesn't tell you what problems the service pack addresses. If you look at a Christie or Barco software update, there is normally a PDF or a description on the download that, among other things, tells one what is addressed and any known problems that it does not address.

By stacking cues I mean issuing multiple commands to a singled device at once (strike lamp, open douser, execute macro are three cues that should be spaced enough apart to allow the device to execute each completely before the next one).

There is a douser setting in the DCC software, as I recall that may aid in your douser issue (I'm not staring at the DCC software at the moment to say exactly where it is and what it does. Perhaps Mark can assist here.

The snow issue though is normally a cine-link issue of someone not communicating properly. You can "try" the Cat 5 cable and/or the HDSDI cable going to "A" (the easiest way would be to transpose, on both ends the A and B cables). Then again, it could be a software thing on the server interacting with NEC's software. Have you tried calling GDC to see if they have had any issues with this? Perhaps they have a software update? I would definitely get your systems on the latest software (both projector and server) to ensure that is not your problem.

Steve

Posted by Brendan Penny (Member # 5041) on 08-05-2010, 05:32 AM:

Yes spacing cues is essential. Those that try and execute 5 cues at once will have problems from time to time. At start-up I usually put 3 x 5sec black files to execute my start-up cues.

As for snow, sounds like Cinelink problem. What is it set on? TLS?

Although now I think of it, you are having automation and cinelink problems. Sounds like an ethernet issue somewhere. Start with cables and switch, then I guess look to the bigger items, server and projector. Do you have a spare GDC?