Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Solaria One Dumping Content

This is topic Solaria One Dumping Content in forum Digital Cinema Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

To visit this topic, use this URL:
https://ft-forum.com/ft/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=16;t=002316

Posted by Martin McCaffery (Member # 37) on 06-07-2015, 09:35 PM:

We ran two shows today without a problem. On our third show we got through the trailers and the screen went black and the automation went through to the end of show routine. I checked and the content had been dumped from the control screen.

I reloaded the playlist and set it to begin with the feature. The only control buttons that lit up were the Stop and Pause. It waited a few seconds and it went to the end of show commands after the feature content.

Tried a different playlist. Same thing.
Tried plain content. It would wait a few seconds and then unload content.

Rebooted.
Same problem.

Sent people home. Tried with different content (trailers, different feature). Same results.

There are NO warning lights or error messages. I have not looked at the logs yet.

I have closed down everything - projector, server and will boot them all up in the morning.

We may have had a similar problem a week ago when I wasn't at the theatre. The projectionist said it dropped the feature about halfway through and did the close down procedure. He reloaded the playlist and moved it to the point it closed and it started fine. No problem since then.

Any ideas on what is causing this and how to correct?

Posted by Dennis Benjamin (Member # 1137) on 06-08-2015, 06:36 AM:

The Christie I.M.B. would be the most likely culprit.

We have had this happen at two of our locations, the result was getting the I.M.B. replaced.

If the theatre is on the Christie N.O.C., they can pull the logs and tell you what exactly the problem was.

Posted by Martin McCaffery (Member # 37) on 06-08-2015, 07:52 AM:

I'll be pulling the logs this morning. This is a replacement IMB, which doesn't make me happy.

Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 06-08-2015, 10:58 AM:

Oh...you'll be replacing that IMB somewhat regularly. We still have two new-in-the-box IMBs for sale too.

Posted by Martin McCaffery (Member # 37) on 06-08-2015, 11:08 AM:

We're still under warranty for the time being.

This is rather pissmaking.

Posted by Peter Provorov (Member # 8455) on 06-08-2015, 09:47 PM:

You need change new IMB, I get same problem. only change IMB.

Posted by Martin McCaffery (Member # 37) on 06-08-2015, 10:34 PM:

Yup, a new IMB is on the way. Our 4th in a year and a half (one arrived broken, but still...). Is Christie ever going to fix this problem, or is it a way to guarantee we single screeners sign up for extended warranties?

The distributor was nice enough to get us an .mp4 of the movie, but we couldn't download it in time. Maybe we just need to get Blu Ray or .mp4 backups with every movie so the show can go on.

Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 06-09-2015, 05:57 AM:

It is quite clear that the Christie IMB S2 has intrinsic problems with it. I hear there is an S3 in the works but I have no idea as to when it will be released and I'm sure it too will have its growing pains. They ALL do.

Posted by Martin McCaffery (Member # 37) on 06-09-2015, 08:18 AM:

There's growing pains and then there are terminal diseases...

Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 06-09-2015, 08:59 AM:

Are you telling me you didn't know about the IMB S2's woes before buying the Solaria 1/1+? The fact that one is tied to a particular server when deciding on that projector should have been reason alone to raise an eyebrow. There are other "cheap" projectors on the market.

Posted by Sam D. Chavez (Member # 1841) on 06-09-2015, 09:24 AM:

I have one customer who bought this projector despite my objections and has lived to regret it. Course he was on the Christie VPF. Of the six projectors we sold him, it's the only constant headache.

Posted by Carsten Kurz (Member # 5396) on 06-09-2015, 11:37 AM:

As far as I understand, that Christie IMS is part of Christies Duo and laser-projection systems - and as such, part of Dolby Cinema Systems. I'm wondering how these high-profile auditoriums can get away with such an unreliable central device?

- Carsten

Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 06-09-2015, 11:55 AM:

Yeah...me too.

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 06-09-2015, 12:45 PM:

And I have yet to have a single SX-3000 fail or even go blip. Yea, that Chinese stuff really sucks! [Big Grin]

Mark

Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 06-09-2015, 01:14 PM:

Um...I can't make that claim. Definitely had the blip and its cousin, the 2000AR IMB definitely has had some issues too.

But nothing has proven to be as bad as the IMB S2.

Posted by Marcel Birgelen (Member # 6801) on 06-09-2015, 02:31 PM:

quote: Carsten Kurz
As far as I understand, that Christie IMS is part of Christies Duo and laser-projection systems - and as such, part of Dolby Cinema Systems. I'm wondering how these high-profile auditoriums can get away with such an unreliable central device?

Regarding Dolby Cinema, they actually do have a spare, which they can pull from the CP2230 they keep aside for fail-over purposes...

But essentially you can only hope your IMB-S2 will die while still in warranty and after the release of the S3 and you will get shipped one as the replacement..?

To me this reeks of a faulty design, which should be covered by the manufacturer, even outside of warranty.

Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 06-09-2015, 03:08 PM:

And it is made in China (since Mark brought it up).

Posted by Andrew Thomas (Member # 7000) on 06-10-2015, 04:14 PM:

We are 18 months in with our 4 Christie's (3 Solaria Ones and 1 CP4220). The 4220's IMB crapped out about 8 months in. 2 of the Solaria Ones have had the CF card failure issue. I was really irritated that Christie wouldn't send me spare CF cards to swap out in the event they tanked, especially given that it is a known issue!

Posted by Sam D. Chavez (Member # 1841) on 06-10-2015, 07:40 PM:

Our Solaria was down and we were told there would be no IMB's available until 15th of the next month. And they are on the Christie NOC!

Lucky for me the Christie tech lives in the same town and he came up one.

Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 06-11-2015, 05:46 AM:

Yep...had a pair go down last year about this time...Christie was to leave them down through July 4th weekend...those IMBs were replaced with another brand of server...the replacements arrived much later in July.

Posted by Mike Moreno (Member # 4887) on 06-11-2015, 08:11 PM:

i had the same problem with solaria 1. the play list stop by it self and desapear from the conten player.
we replace the IMb and we still have that problem so we replace the NAS [uhoh]

i have that projector on test and it seems to be working now, my point is that we must take a look to the NAS to.

another weird thing that happened with another solaria, it came with one wire unplugged from factory. it was a nigthmare on this one. something on the internal electronic power supply wasnt plug. [Embarrassed]

Posted by Sally Strasser (Member # 211) on 06-18-2015, 07:07 AM:

One of my one+'s crapped out the same way and it led to a replaced IMB. Yesterday I put in my third IMB since Nov. 2013 (I have two projectors). Christie told me they were giving me an updated version...but couldn't enlarge on just what was different!

Posted by Carsten Kurz (Member # 5396) on 06-18-2015, 07:49 AM:

It's hard to believe such a high-level issue can only be cured by an IMS replacement. Wondering what goes on there. I hope Christie is able to fix these issues for the existing IMS's quickly.

- Carsten