Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Sound But No Picture With NEC1200C & DSS200

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Posted by Steve Kraus (Member # 476) on 11-22-2016, 12:00 PM:

Dolby DSS-200 with Cat.862 (media block in server) running 4.3.5.13

NEC 1200C

Projector is off overnight or otherwise when not in use. Server stays on 24/7 with periodic reboots.

Last run was last night. This morning I fired up the projector and when I went to test the upcoming show it seemed to play normally but there was audio but no picture. I haven't found any error in the projector log but I need to look further. I've not yet checked the server logs.

During this period the projector could alt content. But no picture on unencrypted (or encrypted) server material.

Rebooting the server did not cure it but then shutting down the projector and restarting it did restore normal operation. I know 4.3.5.13 is not the greatest but I had this happen once years ago with the well regarded 4.3.5.9.

One additional factoid. The server, which I believe gets its time from a fairly accurate hardware clock on boot does drift over long runs (not always the same way).

As I had not rebooted in quite some time the server clock was behind by about 7 minutes as of this morning prior to the reboot. I believe the media block has its own clock because when the server time drifts ahead one can still not run encrypted content until the real time says the key can open. I wonder if the server time being too far off reality (as reflected in the media block's or the projector's hardware clocks) may be a factor. Just throwing out ideas.

If this is just a glitch that happens once every four years or so then maybe I shouldn't worry too much. Scary when it happens though.

Posted by Leo Enticknap (Member # 534) on 11-23-2016, 01:45 AM:

Yes, the media block has its own clock.

On the clock issue, even if the system and/or media block clock is way out, if the server can sync to an external NTP server, that will allow the correct time to be set. Until yesterday (when our shiny new Barco DP4K-32L was installed!), we were using a DSS200/cat745, with a clock in the cat745 that is about two hours fast. By trial and error, I discovered that if the DSS200 can pull the time from an external NTP server, that will let it use the correct (as in, whatever that NTP server tells it) time to determine KDM opening and closing times.

To do this, your DSS200 must be connected to the Internet (either the auditorium or theater network, whichever one you have configured to use for administration). As the DSS200 has no DNS lookup capability, you need the IP address of an external NTP server. By looking for our nearest on the list of time.nist.gov servers, I settled on 128.138.141.172. You then need to run the config script (either SSH into your server, or press ctrl/alt/F1 on a local keyboard, then username = see manual, password = see manual), answer yes to "Do you want to change network settings?", enter your NTP server address in the box, save and reboot).

If the server goes for a certain length of time without being able to sync with the configured NTP server, it will revert to displaying the media block's time in Show Manager. I don't know what this timeout period is precisely, but it's hours rather than minutes.

As for the audio but no pix, this is a known issue with the cat862 (it can sometimes be a white screen rather than a black one), especially with older software versions. The cure is a reboot of the media block (or at least, it was for me).

If, when you reboot your server, you do not power it down completely (i.e. you just do ctrl/alt/F1 followed by ctrl/alt/del, or enter the "reboot" command into the Linux shell, and then let it reboot itself), this will only reboot the motherboard, not the cat862 media block. To reboot the 862 as well, you need to pull both power cords when you hear the fans surge during the reboot process (to make sure that you're not pulling power from the unit during a hard drive read/write operation), wait 30 seconds or so, then reconnect them.

Posted by Steve Kraus (Member # 476) on 11-23-2016, 10:59 AM:

Not sure about that business of Show Manager getting time from the media block after no NTP updates because I've never configured it to reach out to a time server and it does drift. If that was indicative of the time on the media block then the media block is many minutes off yet I've never had a problem with keys opening on time. After a reboot, it's accurate again, wherever the time is coming from.

It is my theory that the system gets time from hardware...either on the main board or perhaps from the media block...and then drifts from there. It doesn't always drift in the same direction so that may have something to do with the workload since last boot. If it happens to have drifted ahead, if I go to where one selects a show, if the system time thinks the key has opened, a show with that encrypted content is now offered as an option, but clicking on it takes you back to Please Select a Show for Playback because the media block said it wasn't time yet. If system time were coming from the media block they'd all be in agreement.

I never bothered to set it up for NTP because I was satisfied with the accuracy of the time that is on it after a reboot. I just checked on it now from home, and about 25 hours after last boot it's actually running about 38 seconds ahead.

Yes, I always reboot by pulling power cords, and waiting at least 30 seconds to make sure the media block will reboot.

Posted by Leo Enticknap (Member # 534) on 11-23-2016, 12:08 PM:

Someone from Dolby may jump in and correct me, but I'm pretty sure that Show Manager uses the time from the media block if it disagrees with the system clock's time in the BIOS by more than a trivial amount and it can't sync to an external NTP server. When we first got the server that was showing two hours ahead, about the first thing I did was to check the system clock in the BIOS, and that was only about a minute out from what the time on my cellphone (which gets an accurate time from the telco) was saying. I then booted it with the 745 data link disconnected and the projector off, and Show Manager displayed the accurate time. I then booted the projector (thus enabling the server to communicate with the 745 over the main LAN), and a few minutes later, the time jumped two hours ahead.

Then I set up a nist.gov NTP server in the config script, rebooted the server with both links to the 745 good, and Show Manager gave me the correct time and kept it.

I'm a bit surprised that the order in which the server takes its time is BIOS clock > media block > NTP in ascending order of priority. Given that the media block's clock is the only one that you absolutely cannot f*** with (you could set up your own NTP server on a LAN broadcasting an incorrect time pretty easily), giving an NTP server priority over the media block would be a security issue, if you're in playing a DCP outside the KDM window paranoia mode.

I'm guessing that Dolby and/or DCI thought that giving people in situations like mine the option to get the correct time without having to return the media block to the factory is the lesser of two evils, given the tight time windows that studios like to issue KDMs for, and the resulting high risk that a media block clock that is more than a few minutes out could cause the loss of a legitimate, scheduled screening.

Posted by Leslie Hartmier (Member # 7053) on 11-23-2016, 02:38 PM:

Leo, that has been our experience as well about the time drift being non-trivial causing the time to be grabbed from the media block.

Our solution was to have a time server in-house, that if the internet went down, the time server would maintain the time as possible, and if nothing else, would at least synchronize all the servers to be the same wrong time for consistency. Note: the internet has never gone down long enough for us to have that worst case scenario.

Interestingly, we had an issue with a couple of the BIOS times on some of the DSS motherboards that it would take in the time, but would shift it forward or back hours until we corrected the timezones, but that has little to do with the issue at hand.

Leslie

Posted by Steve Kraus (Member # 476) on 11-23-2016, 03:27 PM:

What would constitute non-trivial? As of yesterday morning before the reboot, the time shown to me was 7 minutes behind. Wherever it got the time on reboot, whether main system hardware clock or media block hardware clock, that time is accurate or much more nearly so. This is with no NTP action.

(Next time I reboot I will look to see exactly how the time -- however supplied -- varies from real as I don't know if the current 38 seconds ahead was present after the reboot or represents drift since yesterday.)

Posted by Marco Giustini (Member # 4544) on 11-23-2016, 06:30 PM:

if you have no NTP the OS clock is being synced to the 862's clock which is quite accurate.

That does not correct the BIOS time, which may be way off - OS time gets the BIOS time during boot up and then attempts to sync on NTP. Failing that it syncs on 862's.

To double check 862's time, under system/auditorium enable secure time and if I am not mistaken that will match the OS clock.

To sync the OS clock with the BIOS the easiest way is to soft-reboot (CTRL-ALT-F1, then CTRL-ALT-DEL) or get into the BIOS yourself.

That said, I reckon that a drifted time does not have anything to do with your issue unfortunately.

Posted by Steve Kraus (Member # 476) on 11-24-2016, 01:23 PM:

System > Auditorium > secure time area is grayed out. Maybe because it wasn't configured?

Current time display is about 22 seconds fast, less than yesterday. Current guess is that the media block is 38 seconds fast and the system drifts in the direction of falling behind.

A way to test/prove the theory of where time comes from is, before the system time falls behind real time, seeing if something will open that many seconds early. If the system clock allows the attempt and the media block is fine with it then they are both ahead.

Posted by Stephan Shelley (Member # 8587) on 11-24-2016, 01:57 PM:

To set the secure (media block) clock you have to have a secure connection to the projector. A show ready to play. You should then be able to check the box to enable the secure time adjust. Note you can only do +/- 6 minuets a year. There is a script to adjust the cat 745 +/- i hour.

Cat 862s are usually accurate.Try this. ctrl>alt>F1 then reboot using ctrl>alt>delete. It should sync the system time with the media block on boot-up.

The black screen can be an indication of a security error in the projector with series two projectors. Any tamper or marriage issues? Is the network connection okay between the DSS200 and projector good? You can ping the projector from the administrator login on the DSS200 to check it.

Posted by Marco Giustini (Member # 4544) on 11-24-2016, 03:31 PM:

quote: Stephan Shelley
To set the secure (media block) clock you have to have a secure connection to the projector. A show ready to play.

and not a show running

quote: Stephan Shelley
Cat 862s are usually accurate.Try this. ctrl>alt>F1 then reboot using ctrl>alt>delete. It should sync the system time with the media block on boot-up.

Already suggested that [Wink]

Anyway the system would re-sync on the 862 at boot regardless. The soft-reboot would write the BIOS time in case it was SO far away that ntpdate refuses to sync when the OS is started.

Why are you still running 4.3.5-13 on a 1200C???

Posted by Stephan Shelley (Member # 8587) on 11-24-2016, 04:08 PM:

Another thing to check is make sure the link encryption is Cinelink II TLS. Having it set to Cinelink I would get you sound but no image with a series 2 projector. In the systems tab go to theatre devices. Expand screen server and at the bottom of that expand the Cat 862 and it will show the link encryption.

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 11-24-2016, 07:02 PM:

Can you even run a SMPTE DCP?

Posted by Leo Enticknap (Member # 534) on 11-24-2016, 11:10 PM:

quote: Marco Giustini
Why are you still running 4.3.5-13 on a 1200C???

That is the final version that allows you to use DS link encryption, and so you need it if your projector won't support Cinelink (either I or II). But the 1200 is a Series 2 projector, isn't it? If so, I can't think of any reason why Steve can't upgrade to the latest version.

quote: Mark Gulbrandsen
Can you even run a SMPTE DCP?

When I first started at the Egyptian, the DSS200/cat862 was on 4.3.5.13, feeding an NEC 2500, which itself had pretty old software in it (main and TI). SMPTE DCPs that were unencrypted, with a frame rate of 24 and which didn't have subtitles would play. But no subtitles would display from SMPTE DCPs, and if the frame rate was anything other than 24 and/or the DCP was encrypted, the chances were 50/50 at best that it would play at all.

After the projector, server and media block were all updated to what were then the current versions, almost all SMPTE DCPs played OK. Very occasionally we would get one with subtitles that didn't work (two that I can recall, in two years and probably around 500 DCPs played in total).

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 11-24-2016, 11:26 PM:

4.3.5.13 is a crazy-stable version. All weirdness happened with the move to 4.4.x.x (like with all manufacturers).

I couldn't speak for captioning, but that version certainly seems to play everything thrown at it thus far, including SMPTE. So why "upgrade" when it does what is needed and will continue to be more stable than any "upgrade"?

Posted by Steve Kraus (Member # 476) on 11-25-2016, 12:25 AM:

I'm sure I could use a host of updates to the server, media block, and the projector. But I generally don't make changes unless I have to. I'm very conservative about software changes. I absolutely do not want anything brand new. Only software that has been out and revealed itself to be bulletproof and bug-free.

I'm running a screening room where I don't want to chance any glitches. And total failure must be avoided at all cost (short of duplicate equipment though I do have a DSS100 in the back of the room that I have played with). There is no alternate screen to direct people to in event of a breakdown.

It's not like changeover film projection where one could always get through a show on one machine. I never had to do that but always kept some 6K reels in the corner just in case.

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 11-25-2016, 10:33 AM:

The only NEC firmware that actually had a bug that could have affected you was 4.217. None of the other NEC stuff was at all buggy. In fact there hasn't been a major S-2 TI update in who knows how long. Mostly, recent updates have been just to add new lamps to the lamp catalog and a few new buttons that add extra features to DCC...

For Dolbly I'd go with what Brad or Steve recommend. I'm not sure you can play SMPTE or not safely, and they are now starting to release SMPTE only DCP's.

Mark

Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 11-25-2016, 11:15 AM:

It was Cinelink 2 DH (Deffie-Hellman).

The clocks...

On a Dolby server (any of them) there are at least three clocks. There is the BIOS clock and has all of the accuracy of any motherboard BIOS clock subject to the whims of the battery and power.

The Show clock, which can reference the other clocks and then is on its own.

The mediablock/ secure clock. Subject to the rules of DCI.

The TMS clock (it appears to be the show clock but it is really just the clock of the TMS, which could be a DSL or another server within the complex)

When a Dolby server boots up, it uses the BIOS clock, at first (it has to use something) but that is presumed to be inaccurate. If you pay attention to the boot up, it will get to a point where it seeks the NTP clock. If a valid NTP clock is defined when one configures the server (default is 192.168.241.2 for the default IP of a DSL100 or DSL200), it will use that clock to set its show clock, providing that the requirements of the NTP clock are met (when it was last set, how many hops the NTP clock is from its source...has to be less than 15). If the NTP clock is considered bad or unavailable it will then set its show clock from the secure clock (CAT862 or CAT745). The CAT862 is a good clock and can hold its own for a LONG time. The CAT745 has the accuracy of a bad sun-dial. If the CAT745 is powered on, it does okay. If powered off and is on its battery...it WILL run fast...very fast and consequently will screw up the show clock with it. Note, if you had NTP sync but lost it...the server will begin to "slew" the show clock time to match the secure clock, until such time NTP quality is re-established and then it will slew it back.

It is a good idea to keep the secure clock accurate since there are heavy restrictions on setting it (+/- 6 minutes/year). There is a way, on the CAT745 to expand that time range but you should speak with Dolby on that one since I have not located where they published it in the release notes (only that they fixed it). The secure clock can only be set when the "Security Manager" is on and not "busy" You can't have times changing while logging is going on. The Security manager is either the IMB(IMS) or the Enigma board. So, you need to be between shows but the projector is connected and powered up.

The KDMs ALWAYS refer to the SECURE clock for unlocking a movie regardless of what the show clock may indicate (anybody's server). You can't change time zones to get out of a KDM requirement.

The show clock on an individual server is only true if the server is in SMS mode. If it is in TMS mode (via a Dolby DSL or via a miniplex configuration) then the clock displayed is the TMS' clock HOWEVER, since each theatre is an island, the server's internal show clock will STILL be the clock used for show starts! So lets say you have a three plex and they are in a mini-plex configuration with theatre #1 as the "TMS"...all clocks will read theatre #1's clock. However, lets also say your NTP is bad so each theatre is running wild based on its mediablock time. If you set all three shows to start at 12:00 noon...it is possible (and likely) that all three will start at different times! It isn't how I would design it, but that is how it is and I can appreciate aspects of doing it that way (particularly from a logging standpoint).

As for software, for me 4.3.5.9 is THE bulletproof version. I had a couple of issues on 4.3.5.13 and when one goes into a configuration mode, you get some odd "punch through" on the UI where you see CLI stuff happening...a minor issue that most would never see). I know that 4.3.5.9 can handle some aspects of SMPTE but I have not fully qualified it. I have one, maybe two sites that are running it.

Note, Cinelink 1 is still available on DCI compliant versions of the Dolby software. It is just that for Cinelink 2, your only choice is TLS (Transport Layer Security). You can still turn Cinelink OFF if you want to just run unencrypted content on a non-DCI projector.

If the DCI compliant versions of Dolby software, I like 4.4.2.10 the best (it is very 4.3 like and has Cine-Canvas fixes in it). However, 4.7 brought the ability to force an Enigma purge, which can be quite valuable and also vastly improved its ability to work with NTP. I haven't had any real heavy problems on 4.7 and that is where the DSS100/DSP100 are stopping on the Dolby software.

4.8 has its bags of ups/downs. I love that it is will start shows just about instantly (which I suspect caused some of 4.8s stability problems due to unintended consequences, just my personal opinion) when play is pressed, some have used the intermission feature. The "Disconnected" problem has been driving me mad. That said, there is a glimmer of hope there.

4.8.9.12 (current release, as of this writing) has a portion of the Disconnected fix in it (not published). Since I've put servers on this version, I noted that my incidents have all but vanished! It is early in its release though I've played with versions of it for months. It does not have all of the fixes in it but I think they have found where the problem(s) are coming from since this had a dramatic (for me) shift in stability. I HIGHLY (in fact, emphatically) encourage anyone on ANY version of 4.8 prior to 4.8.9 to migrate to it. If you are on 4.8.6 or later then you shouldn't need a KDM to move to 4.8.9 and 4.8.6 - 4.8.8 don't have anything more stable than 4.8.9 (trust me). 4.8.9 is just about all bug-fix (check the release notes). It also boots faster, which is one of Dolby's not so strong points.

If I were Steve Kraus, I'd be on 4.3.5.9 but I would have the current version of the software at the ready if he runs into an SMPTE compatibility issue. Note, the DSS100/DSP100 does not have the upgrade/downgrade restrictions so he could set that one up on 4.3.5.9 to always have a known reliable version and let the DSS200 become DCI compliant and SMPTE compliant.

As for the projector, I'd be on 4.217. That will get you all of the critical updates, including Enigma 1.8 (though that came along a bit earlier). NEC is behind the other two on ICP updates. 4.5 is current on ICP. Barco just released it though Christie has had it and 4.4 (Which Barco skipped) for some time now. I suspect that Enigma 1.8 will be the last of it as I suspect new sales of that module are primarily to replaced failed ones! There is now just one new server that can use it, the GDC SX-2001 since Dolby withdrew the DCP2K4 this month.

Based on Steve's description, I suspect it was the projector's communication or the Enigma itself that was at fault. The logs MAY provide a clue but sometimes the devices don't realize they are not working right and the logs don't show why there was no image. If it was a known Cinelink problem, it should have had Cinelink Snow.

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 11-25-2016, 12:08 PM:

Was 4.217 not the version that could brick an enigma if the projector was left off for ~2 weeks? I believe that's why 4.218 was actually released. Everyone around here is on 4.218 I believe for that very reason.

Mark

Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 11-25-2016, 12:35 PM:

Nope, it was 4.215 and 4.216 that had the nasty firmware issue 4.218, 4.219 and 4.219_1 only have lamp additions versus 4.217. If you look, the firmware version is 4.302 for package 4.217 and later. Only the data changes and I believe it is primarily the inclusion of various new lamps. NEC hasn't published release notes since 4.217 which signifies to me that there are no fixes in the later versions, just some minor stuff.

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 11-25-2016, 12:38 PM:

I can vouch for 4.218 being just fine. I have it running on well over 200 projectors.

Posted by Justin Hamaker (Member # 2165) on 11-25-2016, 05:08 PM:

This happens occasionally on one of my NEC NC2000C projectors. Usually just reseating the A and B BNC connectors on the projector will resolve the issue.

Posted by Leo Enticknap (Member # 534) on 11-25-2016, 08:07 PM:

quote: Steve Guttag
The CAT745 has the accuracy of a bad sun-dial. If the CAT745 is powered on, it does okay. If powered off and is on its battery...it WILL run fast...very fast and consequently will screw up the show clock with it. Note, if you had NTP sync but lost it...the server will begin to "slew" the show clock time to match the secure clock, until such time NTP quality is re-established and then it will slew it back.

That would explain why the one we were using temporarily between June and last week was nearly two hours fast. I'm told that it had been mothballed for quite some time before we got it and put it in the loaner Barco. The 745 at the Aero, which is probably powered up for around 30-40 hours each week (and has been in that usage pattern since it was installed new in August 2014), is now around 25 minutes fast.

Posted by Steve Kraus (Member # 476) on 11-26-2016, 09:19 AM:

As general background information, I was on 4.3.5.9 until I had a media block failure. It did not survive periodic (bimonthly or so) reboot. (Judging from no lit on-board LEDs, the regulator(s) failed.) The replacement had software not compatible with 4.3.5.9 so it was a matter of downgrading the media block software or changing the system software. I did the latter while considering the former but the eventually the "it's working--don't touch it" syndrome overrode that.

At risk of going off on a tangent, I've successfully run unencrypted features and trailers off the 100. I've also tested a short, homemade encrypted DCP to prove that works. So I would view this as a potential backup server. I've not registered it with D-T as I don't want to start getting two sets of keys for every movie.

However, last time I played with it it seemed like the CRU drive was no longer working. I will need to investigate this. But the question is whether it's worth pursuing this to keep it as a viable backup server or whether some impending change (SMPTE or DCI compliance) will render it useless anyway. I know someone will ask but I don't recall what software is currently on it. I will have to look.

Posted by Leo Enticknap (Member # 534) on 11-26-2016, 10:39 AM:

Deceased CRU readers are easy to replace. I've never swapped one out in a 100, but in a 200 the chassis is designed such that all you have to do is unplug the SATA and power connectors, release a single catch, and out it comes.

Posted by Tony Bandiera Jr (Member # 2365) on 11-26-2016, 11:22 AM:

quote:
quote: Steve GuttagThe CAT745 has the accuracy of a bad sun-dial. If the CAT745 is powered on, it does okay. If powered off and is on its battery...it WILL run fast...very fast and consequently will screw up the show clock with it. Note, if you had NTP sync but lost it...the server will begin to "slew" the show clock time to match the secure clock, until such time NTP quality is re-established and then it will slew it back.

That would explain why the one we were using temporarily between June and last week was nearly two hours fast. I'm told that it had been mothballed for quite some time before we got it and put it in the loaner Barco. The 745 at the Aero, which is probably powered up for around 30-40 hours each week (and has been in that usage pattern since it was installed new in August 2014), is now around 25 minutes fast.

And this is a prime example of why you should ALWAYS leave your servers (and projectors) powered up at all times, and NEVER completely kill power to either via the breakers. (Projector on standby of course.)

We had a thread debating this some years ago....

To summarize, in any public access screening environment (cinema or as in Steve's case, screening room) the extra power used can be minimal in cost compared to the costs of lost shows. That is a factor you must consider when looking at the big picture (pun intended.)

Wear and tear on fans, drives, etc. is usually not a big factor, if proper maintenance practices are followed.

And most importantly, you MUST have the server and projector electronics on a quality UPS. This will help prevent surges, brownouts and line noise from damaging electronics.

IMHO anyone running digital cinema equipment without a UPS isn't too bright. The cost of the equipment and the downtime potential far outweighs the cost of even a top of the line UPS. One power hit and you've easily lost 5 - 25 times the cost of a UPS.

Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 11-26-2016, 06:49 PM:

Tony, with all due respect, running a projector 24-hours because the CAT745 has an extra-crappy clock is downright silly. The cost of maintaining a projector that runs 24-hours versus one that only runs operating hours is significant. Projectors blow dirt around and the cost of keeping the optics clean (and on an NEC, the prism has an air gap that needs swabbing too), changing fans...etc significantly increases wear and tear as well as cost.

As for UPSes..they fail too so you could still lose a show due to a failed UPS (and it is happening too frequently...the failed UPSes). And I don't mean battery failures (though those too needed to be changed every 3-5 years), I mean just plain dead UPSes. This is a reason we have incorporated a transfer switch in our current systems to avoid single-point-failures.

As for 4.3.5.9 versus 4.3.5.13, I'd "downgrade" in a heartbeat. Unlike you, Steve, I've run quite a few Dolby servers on a MANY versions and have never had 4.3.5.9 ever bite me. So while I appreciate that from your personal perspective, you are exercising the "safe" position, if were me, you know my opinion. You are welcomed to do what you wish as it has zero effect upon me. Heck, it could be pure coincidence that I've found 4.3.5.9 to be more stable than 4.3.5.13, it is just my perspective.

As for the DSP100/DSS100. 4.7.x is available for it and 4.7 IS DCI compliant so it SHOULD run SMPTE and DCI packages. Therefore, I claim that it is a 100% valid backup server for you. Remember, on the 100 series, the CRU drive is "manual" you have to press the grey button to turn it on after you stick the CRU in (Same with the DSL100). Perhaps that is the issue you are having with it.

Posted by Adam Martin (Member # 641) on 11-26-2016, 10:38 PM:

The DSP100 cannot run SMPTE content with encrypted captions or subtitles without a serious workaround involving a licensed DSS200/220 and root access.

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 11-27-2016, 12:17 AM:

quote: Steve Guttag
The cost of maintaining a projector that runs 24-hours versus one that only runs operating hours is significant. Projectors blow dirt around and the cost of keeping the optics clean (and on an NEC, the prism has an air gap that needs swabbing too), changing fans...etc significantly increases wear and tear as well as cost.

And this is precisely why IMBs NEED TO HAVE AN EXTERNAL POWER CONNECTION.

Posted by Marco Giustini (Member # 4544) on 11-27-2016, 04:50 AM:

quote: Steve Guttag
Remember, on the 100 series, the CRU drive is "manual" you have to press the grey button to turn it on after you stick the CRU in

That behaviour can be changed by moving a jumper on the back of the CRU caddy

Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 11-27-2016, 05:52 AM:

Adam, are you referring to transferring some code from the later software and plopping it down in the DSS100?

I don't think we have any DSS100/DSP100s in service as a primary server anymore, just as backup servers.

Since 4.7 is supposed to make the DSS100/DSP100 DCI compliant, it wouldn't surprise me that if there is some sort of compatibility issue with SMPTE packages (encrypted subtitles) that another version of 4.7 doesn't come out to correct that problem. Now, if encrypted SMPTE subtitles is some sort of new thing, post DCI specs, then I could see Dolby saying that no NEW features are to be added, the DSS100/DSP100 are frozen in time based on the specs as written when they were in production.

Powering an IMB externally. While I certainly agree in principle, I think the issue would be the heat generated by the IMB while powered. It is in a card cage and without the projector to provide air flow, it could run into heat issues if it were powered but the projector was off (or standby state).

As for the CRU being an auto-start...I had asked Dolby about this years ago and was lead to believe that there was nothing to be done about it. Have you tried converting a CRU drive on a DSS100 (or DSL100)?

Posted by Marco Giustini (Member # 4544) on 11-27-2016, 06:49 AM:

I do remember seeing Doremi servers where the CRU power on behaviour was different so I investigated and found a datasheet on the CRU website explaining the meaning of the jumpers at the back of the bay. I changed them on a couple of non Dolby server and it worked. As the connection is just sata, I don't see why it shouldn't work on a 100, I reckon the CRU bays were shipped with the jumpers in that default position and then that changed, that's it.

Posted by Steve Kraus (Member # 476) on 11-27-2016, 11:00 AM:

I will have to check if that was the issue with the 100's CRU bay. Having a backup server would give a lot of peace of mind.

Steve: I would still consider going back to 4.3.5.9 but wonder if it is even worth it at this point. Are they both SMPTE-ready or is that as much a projector issue as server? This is the only real issue* I've had on 13 and whatever was going on seems more likely to be a media block (or projector) issue than system software. I would presume if a MB issue it might exist on older MB-ware as well.

The one other time I had something like this (on the older software) it happened AFTER a show had been successfully tested and when I started it for the audience just got white flashes. At least this time it showed up on testing.

* This aside, the only other issues I've noted on 13 were once in a while a deleted content was not delisted until reboot. And I once had some issue with a post production house bringing me something that would not play but some how caused the CRU drive to stop responding til reboot.

Posted by Leo Enticknap (Member # 534) on 11-27-2016, 01:43 PM:

I've scanned the instruction sheet that came with a CRU DX115 6G bay and emailed it to Brad, in case he would like to put it in the manuals section. My recollection is that the only thing you can change with the jumpers is whether the orange light flashes on and off to indicate access activity or not. But I've wondered why you need to press the button to both mount and dismount with a CRU bay in a PC, but only to dismount with one in a DSS200 (i.e. it mounts a drive automatically on insertion). The instruction sheet says:

Jumper 1 - host activity LED pin / jumper 2 (ground): I presume this is to send a signal for a drive activity light operated from the motherboard, and that you connect these two to the motherboard if you want this facility.

3 & 4 - sheet says "reserved pins"

5 & 6 - HDD LED activity disable. If they're open, the amber activity light will operate; if they're jumped, it won't.

The unit ships with 3 & 4 jumped, and I've installed them both in PCs and DSS200s that way, without touching the jumpers; but the automatic mounting behavior is still different (it does in a DSS200, but not in Windows or Ubuntu).

Posted by Frank Cox (Member # 6258) on 11-27-2016, 01:58 PM:

You could probably configure autofs to automount those things for you if you want.

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 11-27-2016, 02:48 PM:

CRU-DX115 Quick Start Guide

Posted by Carsten Kurz (Member # 5396) on 11-27-2016, 05:59 PM:

That's the generic DX115 guide. The DX115DC guide for 'Digital cinema' is slightly different. The frame has an 'auto spin-up' jumper. I've seen them being set with or without auto spin-up in different servers.

https://www.cru-inc.com/downloads/715/A7-115-0003_Rev3.3.pdf

Note there are version with and without the key lock. Also, previous versions had been spec'd SATA-2, while current versions are SATA-3 (6G). No big deal though, I have seen SATA-3 drives working in the old carrier systems as well.

- Carsten

Posted by Marco Giustini (Member # 4544) on 11-27-2016, 06:10 PM:

Thanks Carsten, I was remembering right.
The PDF does not really show exactly where that power on jumper is - at least on my mobile. Is that the horizontal jumper?

Posted by Leo Enticknap (Member # 534) on 11-27-2016, 10:54 PM:

That would partially explain it, but I have put the generic ones in DSS200s and they have auto-mounted. I suspect that the middle set of jumpers (described as "reserved" in the instruction sheet) is the auto spinup one, and that removing the jumper activates this feature. In fact, I dimly remember altering the jumpers on a replacement bay to match those on the failed one that I removed from a DSS200 before installing it.