Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Strange Image After Playing 3D Trailer In 2D on NEC

This is topic Strange Image After Playing 3D Trailer In 2D on NEC in forum Digital Cinema Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Jim Cassedy (Member # 4115) on 05-27-2016, 11:49 PM:

I got a call from a theater today that they were getting numerous
complains and customers asking for refunds in both their auditoriums
on their first matinee of the day today.

They said the image in both was'squeezed', as if you were playing a
35mm SCOPE print with a flat lens. They totally stopped & refunded
one show, but let the other one run since the crowd in there was
willing to watch it that way. ( [Roll Eyes]

.... go figure)

Since it was a holiday weekend and they were expecting big crowds
for the evening shows, I battled Golden Gate Bridge traffic and
gotmybuttovathere ASAP.

SYSTEM:
GDC Sx-2000 servers
NEC 1200C and 2000C
>> NEITHER ONE EQUIPPED FOR 3D <<
Show in both auditoriums was 2K, 2D SCOPE

What I discovered was that a 3D trailer for WARCRAFT had been
put in the 2D SCOPE playlists of both auditoriums.

I edited the offending CPL out of both playlists.

But, after doing that, the projector kept putting out a "squeezed"
image, no matter how many times I tried changing macros. I even
punched up the NEC's internal test patterns and the Dolby masking
check files on the GDC serverthingy, and they were all squeezed up
too, no matter which projector aspect ratio macro button was pushed.

Problem was solved by re-booting the projector & server.
In one auditorium I had to re-boot the NEC twice before it started
putting out a proper image.

So, I'm confused. [Confused]

Why would simply accidently putting a 3D trailer in a 2D playlist
cause the projector to go wonky enough to ignore macro commands
and require a complete power-down & re-boot to get things back in
proper perspective?

I've never seen this happen before, and I'm somewhat befuddled.

Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 05-28-2016, 08:39 AM:

The problem was with the server (IMB). When in 3D mode, you'll will get the squeeze/stretch images. I'm curious what the GDC control panel looked like when in this mode.

This is the IMB's equivalent to the HDSDI systems Pink/Green pictures.

Posted by Jim Cassedy (Member # 4115) on 05-28-2016, 09:24 AM:

But, Steve- -
Can you give me a bit more of a technical explanation of
exactly what's going on, and why the image simply doesn't
correct itself when the next (non 3D) clip plays?

Why does it remain stuck in the "squeezed" image mode
to such an extent that it requires a re-boot to correct?

Posted by Justin Hamaker (Member # 2165) on 05-28-2016, 12:28 PM:

I would assume this is similar to the color space issue. The server will automatically pick the most appropriate color space for the show. If there is even 1 3D clip in the show, it uses the 3D color space. This will result in non-3D clips looking wrong when a 2D format is selected. On a 3D house this is easily corrected by switching to a 3D format. If the 3D formats are not set up in the auditorium, then you would have to stop the show, remove the offending clip from the play list, and restart.

I have dealt with this more than a few times.

Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 05-30-2016, 07:28 AM:

Hence I asked what the control (SMS) screen looked like. In the lower right corner it would have indicated mode the server was in.