Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: DCI Compliant Servers (features, undocumented or otherwise)

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Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 08-21-2012, 05:32 PM:

So what has everyone's experiences been with updating and living with the DCinema servers for DCI compliance?

So far, for me, Dolby has been the fastest server to move to the DCI compliant software (how long it takes to update...presuming you were reasonably current before the update). It can be done remotely though one should have the ability to do a full power-cycle. I want to say the typical update is about 20-30 minutes (including the server and mediablock). The change to end-user after the update is pretty much zero (if you were on version 4.3.5.9 or above).

GDC was a multi-step procedure that must be carefully followed and MUST be done in person (a cable is added and moved about...plus other interaction). The time for update is over 1-hour, for sure.

The three biggest changes I noted once all DCI complied was that it now requires a login upon boot up (no more of waking up into the SMS screen), there is about a 5 minute wait period for the Security Manager to do its thing. And when one starts a show now...it does its DCI check (like another server as always done) so it does not immediately start running the SPL.

I have not done a Doremi yet so I'm interested to hear about experiences there. What has changed in the look/feel/operation once updated? What was the approximate update times? How straightforward was the update? One definitely does NOT have to post a step-by-step as those sorts of things might even be confidential.

Any freakishness in the systems once updated? I think the potential for the audio watermarking to interfere with things like DBOX are well documented though I've heard of it also affecting some other channels.

Lastly...anyone not updated to DCI yet? Various deadlines for that have come and gone and some are about to come...for VPF people.

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 08-21-2012, 07:35 PM:

The Dolby is by far the easiest to upgrade. It takes about 30 minutes as you found, but note you can do the entire building worth of YOUR work in 10-15 minutes (depending on number of screens). Then you just wait another 10-20 minutes for the updates to finish on their own. Tremendously simple and no catastrophes. As Steve said, this also had no impact on the staff, as the operating procedures and 6-7 minute boot time remained identical. This is a TRUE "remote upgrade". We handled these at the NOC for our customers.

The Doremi for me was a little frustrating, as I am running 4 drive raids and since I had to change the OS chips on most of them, the servers "woke up" with the default 3 drive raid, meaning I was starting over from scratch on content and OS config. I don't think most people are running 4 drive raids (and certainly those that won't need to change the OS chip) will have that hassle. The screens where I did not have to change the OS chip went quickly and smoothly, about 20-30 minutes. Regardless, it is NOT a "remote upgrade". Operational-wise though, it remained identical, including boot time (at about 2 minutes).

A tip (that occurred to me after the fact, of course) for anyone running 4 drive raids on a Doremi that needs to change the OS chip for whatever reason...use one machine as your "configuration machine" and keep putting the new chips in there and setting the server up. Then just move that OS chip into the server it was configured for and I don't think you will lose your content raid, because it will have already been configured as a 4 drive raid on your configuration machine. (Note I didn't actually test that theory.)

GDC is also NOT a remote upgrade like Doremi (as Steve has already described), but there are consequences involved with upgrading. The auto-SMS lock Steve spoke about is annoying and the normal boot time went up to 5 minutes, but what kills me is the 20 minute reboot. Yup, if there is a power failure it takes 20 minutes to recover before playback can be restarted! At that point, you've just lost the show.

As Steve pointed out, everyone on a VPF program is REQUIRED to upgrade to this firmware. Either the deadline has passed, or will within the next 2 months.

Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 08-21-2012, 08:25 PM:

I think the 20 minute thing is if you have an IMB and the projector powers down before server...or if you don't let the SM come up fully.

I have tried, in the shop, just killing the power and seeing how long it took to come back...and it was the same 5-minute SM boot up time that was the last to come on line.

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 08-21-2012, 10:17 PM:

Is your shop setup is NOT an IMB version? If so, that's good news for the normal servers (but still bad news for the IMB people).

Posted by Danial Simmonds (Member # 4638) on 08-24-2012, 12:19 PM:

Was wondering the upgrade on the doremi to DCI Compliance is that like on the intel / compact flash based servers or the supermicro / ssd ? interested to know...

Posted by Marco Giustini (Member # 4544) on 08-25-2012, 05:10 AM:

I upgraded three doremis to the DCI compliant firmware/SM manager and installed the new software - which is no different from the old one BTW.
The longest task was the SM manager. All together it takes 20 minutes. This is with a Dolphin 1.2 card and with SW/SM/FW up to date to the previous version (2.2.3, 21.2k and 2.0.13).
No human intervention required, DLMs can be downloaded from doremi support FTP. The software map is clear and links to the DRM folders are provided.
Machines need to be powered off though. If not, you won't have picture - no errors displayed.

It can be remotely done, I reckon. You just need to ftp the content onto the special ingest folder.

Posted by Scott Norwood (Member # 30) on 08-25-2012, 09:53 AM:

Are these upgrades just for VPF purposes? Is there any reason to do them in a non-VPF situation (i.e. is there any risk that a new release might not play on non-upgraded equipment)?

Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 08-25-2012, 12:20 PM:

VPFs are the hammer that is requiring them now. That said, the servers are shipping with the DCI compliant versions of software (once they work their way through...I know Dolby now shipping with 4.4.0.48).

If for no other reason than time, I'm not updating my VPF people to the DCI stuff yet. For the most part there is just no reason...no new features. The DCI stuff is apt to be more buggy since it is all about stopping you from doing things, not helping you.

So, if you are happy with the software version you are on and aren't experiencing problems...stay with it...for now.

Posted by Marco Giustini (Member # 4544) on 08-25-2012, 02:24 PM:

also, keep in mind that - at least with doremi - you cannot downgrade from a DCI version!

Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 08-25-2012, 06:03 PM:

Correction, I'm not updating my NON-VPF people at the moment.

None of them will let you go back to Non-DCI once they are in DCI spec. One of the things that is severed is the ability to use Cinelink 2 DH. If one tries to downgrade...they will have a dead unit. It is a one-way street. One, that we will likely forget within a very short time since it really doesn't matter to 99% of the systems out there.