Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Doremi "Rescue Mode"

This is topic Doremi "Rescue Mode" in forum Digital Cinema Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Austin Pettit (Member # 9143) on 11-01-2015, 01:38 PM:

Hi Film-Tech vets! I know I'm brand new here, but hoping you guys can help me out a bit. Working with the usual Doremi DCP-2000, we're having a wee bit of an issue. Ok, more like a major issue as far as I know. Anyway, we weren't having any luck with CineLister, with it saying "Couldn't load the ShowPlaylist." So we went into the diagnostics and it's telling us that the Security Manager is in "Rescue Mode." Already been working with Doremi's tech support and sent them a report, but they're telling us we need to replace the Dolphin card. I'm really hesitant since we JUST had to replace the Dolphin card on the screen next door and those things are so expensive. After diagnosing everything on the other server, it was pretty evident that the Dolphin card was indeed having issues as it was saying things like "Dolphin card not found" and such related errors upon bootup. This time however, the server's saying it's finding the card just fine and when going to the "About" program, everything (firmware and software) seems to be loaded up as usual.

SO, I am hoping beyond hope that there is SOME way to manually pull this thing back out of "Rescue Mode," but according to tech support the only way to do that is by replacing the Dolphin card. Their tech support is great and I'm inclined to believe them, but I just want to make sure I've exhausted all efforts before ordering a new card. Any advice? Or do I just need to suck it up and order the new card? We're just a little 2 screen independent theater, so if there's ANY way that this can possibly be a software issue that we can fix, that would just be awesome.

Anybody here ever had any success getting their systems out of rescue mode?

Posted by Marin Zorica (Member # 1716) on 11-01-2015, 02:53 PM:

First, this shoudl be moved to digital cinema forum. Next, power all down, take out dolphin card, ram and clean all (take care of electrostatic not to kill it) put all back together, download latest software, security manager and firmare from doremi web, as dlm for you're e-S/N and upgrade all again......than see if it work and send diagnostic package again to doremi.....or they suggest you to do it this way allready?

Posted by Austin Pettit (Member # 9143) on 11-01-2015, 06:05 PM:

Ah. Thanks for moving this thread and for the advice. Wasn't 100% where to post. Anyway, I've already reseated (resat?) the Dolphin card, but it's still stuck in rescue mode. I'll see if I can re-ingest the latest software, security manager, firmware, etc. and see if we can get anywhere. Man, I sure hope we can get away with not having to replace that card. Seems really odd that BOTH of our servers went down within a couple weeks of each other. Of course happened when trying to apply new updates to play new movies, but you know how it goes. Haha. Just praying nothing happens between when I get it fixed and the release of Star Wars. ;-)

Posted by Carsten Kurz (Member # 5396) on 11-01-2015, 06:32 PM:

According to Doremi:

---
Please note that we are still unable to re-serialize a mediablock (Dolphin DCI FIPS 1.2) if any of the following conditions are met. In those cases, the only option will be to purchase a new mediablock

The SM (Security Manager) is missing
The mediablock is in rescue mode, and cannot be recovered
The date is greater than the current year
---

Did Doremi tell you how to try to recover the mediablock from rescue mode?

As far as I know, there are different conditions that may force the SM into rescue mode. Some are recoverable (there is a hotfix), some not. It may be that Doremi is able to tell from your logfiles that your's is not recoverable.

- Carsten

Posted by Austin Pettit (Member # 9143) on 11-02-2015, 08:37 AM:

No, they haven't helped me with recovery. They've looked at the log files and said it's unrecoverable, but I was just REALLY hoping that there was perhaps some software based way to save it. Going to try to re-seat it again and try re-ingesting the updates as one final effort, but it looks like I might be ordering a new card today. Two dead cards within just a few weeks of each other. I guess these things only have a finite lifespan as they're about the same age and went bad REALLY close to each other. Either that or just plain bad luck. [Frown]

Posted by Carsten Kurz (Member # 5396) on 11-02-2015, 12:26 PM:

How old were they?

Before I'd pay for a new one, I would try to get hold of Dolby/Doremi support and make them explain what happened, why there are not recoverable, etc.

If you say this happened after applying firmware/software updates, this might explain something, but many do perform their own software updates without such issues.

- Carsten

Posted by Austin Pettit (Member # 9143) on 11-05-2015, 02:23 AM:

After going rounds with tech support and trying all the suggestions here, the Dolphin card was indeed apparently bricked and beyond saving. I just replaced the card tonight and the server's working good as new again. Man, I wish these things didn't cost so much. At least on the bright side, we got our screen back. 2 cards in two weeks...out of our two only screens. Man, that was frustrating.

Thanks for the help everybody! I tried all of your suggestions for sure. At least I learned more about how this whole system works. Haha.

Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 11-05-2015, 06:18 AM:

Welcome to DCinema...where the $$$$ never stop. If people thought repairing intermittents were expensive in the film era, that is the STARTING price in the digital era for component failure.

We just had a customer have an Enigma claim security tamper (one of the switches internal). Since that was the only security alarm (nothing about actually opening the projector to get to the Enigma)...it was clearly the Enigma itself at fault. Probably the switch itself (they are seemingly electromechanical). There really does need to be a repair facility that can take an Enigma, fix it and configure it back to usable. The bulk of them fail for something stupid like that...with many bricking now from a dead battery from the pre 1.8 era.

Posted by Dave Macaulay (Member # 813) on 11-05-2015, 06:49 AM:

I don't see what a dead battery has to do with the firmware version. If battery goes you lose the secure clock, and then the card is dead. Doremi can fix this: they need the card at their shop and the card's eSN will be different afterward.

I'm not sure how the Dolphin security covering works. I was told one system (on some ATM security modules) uses a web of resistive fibers wrapped around the card and encapsulated, with several electrical connections to the card. After the coating hardens, the resistances between those connections is measured: if they change beyond some tolerance the alarm is activated and encryption keys erased. The process of calibrating the system and reloading the keys must be repeatable.

Posted by Carsten Kurz (Member # 5396) on 11-05-2015, 07:44 AM:

Well I think Doremi will have some secret way into the MediaBlock without touching the security harness. It may be tied to another certification instance that is only available at Dolby/Doremi, so, even knowing about that secret way and protocol would make it impossible to hack the card 'at home' And I think that is enough security.

- Carsten

Posted by Dave Macaulay (Member # 813) on 11-05-2015, 09:12 AM:

Just looking at the control program there's a "security officer" ethernet port listed - I expect that's how one connects to reset the FIPS enclosure, load keys, etc. We don't get access to that - or a login above "Service" for the external port.

Posted by Marin Zorica (Member # 1716) on 11-05-2015, 04:52 PM:

Well.....they designed it, they can make it work again, i doubt there is any electronic problem ever, maybe in some rare cases.....as Steve mentioned they should have soem repeir policy on that, except just swapping with new card. As for dead cards, i did have gore board in series 1......last show ended on sunday, next friday they powered up projector and red light was on, tempered event, enclosure triggered.....so gore board not usable.....not that nobody did not touch projector, nobody wasn't even close.....

Posted by Austin Pettit (Member # 9143) on 11-08-2015, 06:28 PM:

Yup. It is pretty crazy how this stuff works. That Dolphin card is something else. I can normally diagnose computer parts and narrow it down to a particular blown component, but not this guy. As said above, this baby's key parts are totally encapsulated. Pretty much impossible for a DIY guy like me to diagnose without tearing it apart, which would DEFINITELY brick something like this. Haha.

I'm glad we're up and running again, but still can't get over how much this stuff costs. With the advent of digital projection, as fantastic as it may be, it is definitely getting harder and harder for small town, independent theaters to stay in the game.

Thanks again for all the advice! Great forum. Glad I joined. You guys are invaluable since I'm honestly a commercial film noob.