Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Dolby DSS100/DSS200 Operating system

This is topic Dolby DSS100/DSS200 Operating system in forum Digital Cinema Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Aleksandar Obradovic (Member # 7266) on 11-23-2012, 01:49 AM:

Hi guys 'n' girls,

I am doing some research about operating systems used in DCinema and i need your help.

Can someone tell me which servers use which OS? So far i know that Doremi uses Linux, Solo G3/GDC uses Windows but i don't know for the others.

Any help is appreciated.

Best Alexander

Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 11-23-2012, 01:56 AM:

You are going to find some form of Linux on Dolby, GDC and Doremi and probably most any other DCinema server. Their distros may be different but Linux is going to be in there somewhere. Now TMSes are a different Story. GDC does use Windows as does Cinedigm and there is hoop-jumping involved with them to read the Linux content...Cinedigm is pretty automated...GDC requires a bit of user help to load the CRU drives.

Posted by Aleksandar Obradovic (Member # 7266) on 11-23-2012, 02:22 AM:

Hi Steve,

I know that i probably find some form of Linux at any DCinema server at least ext2/ext3 filesystem support. But i wish to know what is under the hood of those machines. Like i said i am pretty familiar with Doremi and i know how does it works. I never had a chance to work with other severs then Doremi except XDC Solo G3 which is now called GDC as some guys told me (maybe they were wrong).

So i will redefine my questions. What i can use to remote control DCinema servers currently used in industry? Does all of them support ssh/vnc connections?

BR Alexander

Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 11-23-2012, 12:14 PM:

One can VNC to Dolby, Doremi or GDC. Additionally, Dolby has a Jupiter Client program that also allows remote control. The Jupiter Client program must be of a compatible version with the software on the server itself.

They all respond to SSH type connections, depending on the software running you may have different functions available (based on password strength). Dolby will allow you to do most everything that one can do sitting at the unit (except serial and GPIO since you need to stick a thumb drive in) but all other configurations can be done via SSH using the same user/passwords as being at the system. GDC has a "remote shell" program that, if it is not on can be added starting with version 7.81, I believe. This shell will allow one to create a log for sending to GDC, reboot the unit, save/load a config file...etc. There is a menu (and document on their FTP site) for the various functions.

Posted by Aleksandar Obradovic (Member # 7266) on 11-23-2012, 01:59 PM:

Tnx Steve. So as i understood i can connect to all of them in the same time with few separate VNC sessions?

The aim for me is to remotely control from my office 2 Doremi's, 2 Dolby DSS100 and two Solo G3 i have installed in my cinema. Note that i don't have installed TMS and i wish basic VNC connection to see is everything ok and to control playout in the same time from my laptop. ssh with full root/admin privileges will be the final aim.

BR Alexander

Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 11-23-2012, 02:02 PM:

I don't know the Solos but the Doremi and Dolby can definitely communicate via VNC.

Posted by Aleksandar Obradovic (Member # 7266) on 11-23-2012, 02:19 PM:

Solo is XDC DCinema server build on Windows XP platform and does communicate with XDC TMS via VNC. I saw it in one other cinema during a training. But i don't know how it exaclty works. Is it a opening ssh session then run VNC scripted by TMS. I must investigate it. But like old ppl said "two heads are smarter then one".

Do you know how communication between TMS and DCinema server works in practice? Can you explain it to me and to knowledge hungry community?

Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 11-23-2012, 03:23 PM:

A TMS and a server normally communicate via APIs (Application Programming Interface)...something not for the casual tinkerer. If you have access, you can download the API sets from the various server companies.

For Dolby and Doremi...you can VNC to them via your favorite VNC program. VNC Viewer, UltraVNC and TightVNC have all worked for me.

Posted by Carsten Kurz (Member # 5396) on 11-23-2012, 04:39 PM:

quote: Aleksandar Obradovic
except XDC Solo G3 which is now called GDC as some guys told me (maybe they were wrong).

XDC Solo G3 is not called GDC today - different brands, different servers.

XDC sold their server/TMS business to Barco. The Solo G3 is still serviced, but not sold in new projects to my knowledge. It is indeed running a version of XP.

I think Qube servers are also running under windows.

- Carsten

Posted by Tommy Zackariasson (Member # 6505) on 11-26-2012, 03:14 PM:

We have a pc in the booth running the jupiter client and control it from anywhere with teamviewer. Simple and works fine. The pc has two separate network cards to keep the server away from www.