Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Doremi 2k4 Dolphincard problem

This is topic Doremi 2k4 Dolphincard problem in forum Digital Cinema Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Torsten Juergens (Member # 7916) on 08-19-2015, 01:18 AM:

Hello,

has any one of you ever had the following problem?

In Diagnostic Tool system,no information about chassis or version was shown, all blank!
Projector NEC2000C was obviously not seen by the doremi.

The Server has the latest software, firmware, SM version installed.
Our usual startup error messages: maintenance for a few weeks on 0 days, Dolphin Battery Replacement about 250 days.
Was never a problem.

After reboot business as usual.

Do I have to worry?
I will check the doremi logs this day.

Torsten

Posted by Torsten Juergens (Member # 7916) on 08-19-2015, 02:58 AM:

-Update-

The issue was not recognized by the system.
The log only shoes an "Invalid boot sequence" due to hard shut down and a few old "Playout logs with warnings".
After several tests with playing through a showstart with regular shutdown plus 30min pause all seems to work.

Torsten

Posted by Dave Macaulay (Member # 813) on 08-19-2015, 10:27 AM:

Dolby (Doremi) techs can find a lot more info in the report than the online log analyzer gives you.
The card was obviously not found on boot. That gives you exactly what you describe. The card has an ethernet connection and the PCI bus connection. Maybe USB too?
I would at least reseat the ethernet cable to the card (both ends), reseating the card is also a plan but you need a static wristband and must be extremely delicate with the card so the tamperproof covering isn't damaged.

Posted by Jim Cassedy (Member # 4115) on 08-19-2015, 11:34 AM:

Just curious- - Do you get a "secure clock not found" error message too?

I had a dolphin board die about two weeks ago.
In addition to not being able to "see" the dolphin board, I also got the
'secure clock missing' error message. As Dave mentioned, the Doremi techs
have a much more sophisticated log analyzer than the one available online,
and can quickly diagnose your problem. You should send your logs to them.

In my case, they determined my dolphin was beyond resurrection, and
over-nighted me a replacement, & things have been working OK since.

(Unfortunately, this occurred about 72hrs before a big film festival, and I
had to frantically e-mail about two dozen different distributors and program
providers in several countries to get new KDM's issued ASAP, since changing
the dolphin board also changed the serial number and security certificates
for the serverthingy.) [Eek!]

- - but everything worked out OK in the end.

Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 08-19-2015, 04:22 PM:

One thing GDC definitely got right is their ability to set a serial number on the mediablock (or IMB) such that if one is swapped you don't have to change keys (there is a "sync" button in the content manager to get all of the keys back in the new mediablock.

Having computers sometimes come up and not recognize things is something I've seen on other servers/computers and a reboot normally addresses the problem. I don't call it fixed since a reboot is normally a cover-up for an "undocumented feature."

I'm sure the problem for programmers is tying to nail down an infrequent item where it may be some bazaar timing thing where it only happens about 1 in a few hundred boot ups or so.

Posted by Marco Giustini (Member # 4544) on 08-20-2015, 04:33 PM:

Are you saying that if you swap a mediablock on a GDC you don't need new KDMs?

Posted by Jack Ondracek (Member # 1466) on 08-20-2015, 04:55 PM:

I had a similar situation in one of my systems at the beginning of this year's drive-in season. (Before anyone asks... we keep the room at a constant 60 degrees throughout the winter, and we start the projectors up mid-way through the off-season to keep the batteries charged.)

Our server was not able to identify its connection to the (Barco) projector, so we started with the obvious.... the cables. Having 3 screens here, I was able to exchange pieces to try sourcing a bad part. I also tried swapping IMBs with the other working machines. Still no luck.

Finally, I pulled the "bad" server our of the rack and brought over one from a working projector. After changing a couple of IP addresses, the server from the good system "saw" the projector. This narrowed the problem to the server.

Finally, after discussing the problem with Doremi, the support tech suggested reseating the cards in the server.

I had, up to this point, resisted taking the covers off the servers, but the simple fix to the whole problem was doing exactly that and reseating the card that connects the server to the projector.

I notice that, in our case, tightening the screw that holds the card in place slightly raised the edge connector from the motherboard socket. I'm assuming that might have had something to do with it, because the problem disappeared and we've gone through the season with no further issues.

I'm not sure how I feel about having a common connection problem crop up in a $10k server, but in my case, that's what it wound up being.

Posted by Torsten Juergens (Member # 7916) on 08-20-2015, 11:18 PM:

The server is still working fine.
But I try the reseating and replace the battery as well within the next few weeks.
Thanks

Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 08-21-2015, 06:14 AM:

Marco: Yes, that is what I'm saying. The serial number follows the SERVER in a GDC. So, if you have an SX2100, 2001, 2000AR...so long as that chassis remains, that is your serial number and the mediablock or IMB will be set to match that. In the event that you swap your mediablock out (or IMB)...those KDMs are still on the server so once the replacement mediblock is adjusted to match your server's serial number, using the Sync function on Content Manager will reload them back in the mediablock. I don't think I've ever waited more than 15-minutes from the time I report that a new mediablock (or IMB) is installed before GDC is remoting in and setting the serial.

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 08-21-2015, 10:43 AM:

UNtil the advent of the sync button GDC used to have to remote into a servelock to set the SN of a new media block or IMB. I'm not sure at what build that button appeared...

Mark

Posted by Marco Giustini (Member # 4544) on 08-21-2015, 11:43 AM:

And what happens if the server is not connected to the internet?

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 08-24-2015, 08:51 PM:

I've two sites with no internet, If necessary I just set up a wireless hot spot with my phone and they can still remote in via my service laptop. Of course with the sync button that's no longer necessary.

Mark

Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 08-25-2015, 09:43 AM:

They still need to remote in to change the serial number. All the sync button does is transfers the KDMs to the new mediablock once it is the correct serial.

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 08-25-2015, 09:21 PM:

The two media blocks I had to switch out during the DCI upgrade already came with the correct SN in them. Basically plug and play.... I have set up hot spots a couple of times so they could look at server issues.

Mark

Posted by Marco Giustini (Member # 4544) on 08-26-2015, 02:20 AM:

No cinemas in remote locations with no Internet and no mobile reception?

I'm just wondering what happens if you don't have Internet at all. Is there another way for gdc to change the serial?

Posted by Ian Freer (Member # 1940) on 08-26-2015, 05:08 AM:

Marco, If there was absolutely no chance of a remote connection to GDC then you'd have to get GDC to send the mediablock with the correct serial already loaded as Mark has mentioned. I've worked both methods, if I've had an intermittent/non-urgent problem (such as a faulty eSATA ingest port on IMB, does not cause playback issues etc) then I've requested a preloaded mediablock be supplied and once it's on site I arrange to swap it out, but I also carry a blank that can be installed at very short notice, then GDC remote in and set the serial.

I also had a similar issue to the one Jack mentions, a Doremi Showvault that needed the PCIe card to be reseated. In my case, the cinema closed down and after 18 months a new owner purchased and reopened, but in the intervening time the equipment had first been left on, unattended so everything running fans and sucking in dust for over 6 months Then someone eventually went in and shut everything down. The end result was a lot of dust on the filters and a little bit in the server chassis etc, and I think maybe starting the servers back up kicked up some dust that maybe settled on the PCIe card connectors maybe... well that's the only explanation I could come up with. Once reseated all was good.
Another screen at the same site started having Dolphin issues a few weeks after reopening which I put down to the same circumstances...

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 08-27-2015, 11:13 AM:

If they have no access at all you need to make it clear when you order the replacement media block or IMB. They can enter the SN at their facility too. I don't have any locations where cell service doesn't exist and I have some rather remote locations.

Mark