Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: LOST BARCO LENS FILES

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Posted by Allan Barnes (Member # 5178) on 12-02-2014, 09:43 PM:

I just lost all my LENS FILES on my BARCO 1200. I came in for the first show and the picture was very small, out of focus mostly off the screen. Lens config read 0 0 0.

Anyone have an idea how this happen? Power fail, voltage spike, hidden dead watch battery, angry god, etc?

I rebuilt and saved a new MACRO... I hope it holds for Wednesday.

Your Ideas and thoughts welcome.

Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 12-03-2014, 06:48 AM:

All I can say is..."it happens."

Nobody's lens files will actually have the lens hit its target properly over time...with each successive switch it drifts a little...if the lens is pulled/reinserted...it will come up a little off. As such, I typically will redo the lens files anyway.

On a Barco Series 1...it is best to delete off ALL of the old lens files so it has no point of reference. If you want, you can even, temporarily switch the designated lens in software (to another one of the SAME BRAND) and then switch it back to the proper one. This should force it to start from scratch as you set the lens files. On the Barco series 1s, with each save, it creates basically the new movements to get the lens to where you want it...it records each bump this way or that and you can want it find its way to where you want it. After a period of time, it is just best to start from square 1. Try to minimize the number of movements you need to get it where you want it.

I've also noted that some projectors are more prone to amnesia than others. I have one DP2000 that has acted up over the years...eventually, after cleaning all contacts between the lens motors and the cinema controller in the ELCA box...it has behaved ever since.

Posted by Edgar Prass (Member # 7558) on 12-03-2014, 08:34 AM:

Lately following update of Commander and Communicator software on the touchpanel of our Barco 20C it also lost the lens files.
By the way, is the "lens touching prism" error something I should worry about? I get that warning when I zoom out a lot.

Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 12-03-2014, 10:30 AM:

The Communicator cannot "lose" the lens files...you can update Communicator all you want...they are not stored there. Lens files are stored on the Cinema Controller in the projector. You can have lens files go haywire when the "Barco Software" is updated (and I have had that happen).

Lens touching the prism is indeed a bad thing...the rear of the lens is bumping into a sensor. Most likely, you'll need your back-focus reset to push the entire lens out a little bit further. Odds are, your focus are probably also close to the extreme end of one range (on at least one of the formats). Ideally, you should not have your focus (or zoom) be at the extreme end...you really want it somewhere in the middle to avoid having to see "target not reached" if it ever has to wind the lens to end of its range.

Posted by Gavin Lewarne (Member # 5397) on 12-03-2014, 04:11 PM:

Our Barco 12c occasionally loses its lens files for no apparent reason. Both service engineers, Dcinex and Barco have no real resolution other than "it happens"

A lens home+ return, reload of clone file and manual fine tuning of the lens settings per format always has me back on screen within 30 or minutes.

Steve is right, the lens settings do drift over time a little with every format change, I tend to manually fine tune mine every month or so and that way very little correction is ever needed, then I save a clone file of the projector.

Posted by Allan Barnes (Member # 5178) on 12-03-2014, 08:36 PM:

Steve

I should assume my CINEMA CONTROLLER card is going bad?

My new LENS FILES are still saved / holding in the Barco after 48hrs.

AND YES.. sadly my focus and zoom are at the extreme WIDE end
I really need a wider lens but the replacement cost is $$$$$

THANKS FOR THE ADVICE!

Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 12-04-2014, 06:29 AM:

Not necessarily. Again, I've had success by cleaning all of the contacts between the lens and the Cinema Controller to ensure that the servo is being read properly. I'd also clear out all reference to your old file.

And, if you are at an extreme...you are going to be more susceptible to the lens going wacky...if the lens is prevented from moving because it ran out of range, that throws the controller all off since it basically plays back a macro of all of the steps you took to get the lens where you wanted it...if the server doesn't show it reached a particular position, it can't get to the next step.

Resetting you back focus, you can definitely get your focus closer towards the middle of the range and you might find that it also helps on the zoom slightly.

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 12-04-2014, 12:37 PM:

I've had this happen on NEC's too but only on two projectors and firmware upgrades over time seem to have corrected the issue. I seem to remember Barco also having certain firmware versions that wold loose lens settings. Be sure you are not running one of those versions.

Mark

Posted by Marco Giustini (Member # 4544) on 12-05-2014, 05:15 AM:

Allan,

If focus is at the extreme of your range, you need a backfocus adjustment, not a new lens. That said, a DP2000 will, unfortunately, lose the lens file every now and then. Make sure you have the latest SW which improves the issue.
Make also sure that you never turn off the projector when a macro is still being executed. Series 1 Barco will take a long time to position a lens, give the projector 2 minutes after selecting a macro before turning it off.