Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: We finally went for the Qube XPD

This is topic We finally went for the Qube XPD in forum Digital Cinema Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Juan Jose Garcia Calvo (Member # 1702) on 05-29-2017, 12:42 PM:

Hello.
Do you remember the Datasat DC20 non DCI compliance issue?

We finally accepted to buy from QUBE an XPD with some discount, and received it recently. They told us that the certificates will last many years...

We was surprised when we noticed that this server doesn't have any IO card. Our DC20 had this card and we need it for the sound and lights automation.

We claimed it to QUBE, and we also claimed for the different server users passwords (projectionist, Manager, Admin and Support).

To make the marriage with our old Barco DP3000, we have the instructions and password from Barco, but, on the server side,do I need to prepare the server in anyway to be married?

Maybe any of you have these paswords?
(we are wainting the qube answer with our hands in our pockets)
It would be very helpfull if any of you can give it in advance.

Thanks!!

Posted by Carsten Kurz (Member # 5396) on 05-29-2017, 04:16 PM:

quote: Juan Jose Garcia Calvo
They told us that the certificates will last many years...

If you had asked them that question 5 years ago concerning your previous server, they would probably have answered the same...

After your previous experience, I wouldn't have thrown a single cent to Qube again.

Check your new server certificate by uploading it here - it will give you it's expiration date.

http://www.kdm-inspector.com

- Carsten

Posted by Dave Macaulay (Member # 813) on 05-29-2017, 04:27 PM:

Hope your old Barco has a TI interface card that will do TLS. I don't think anyone makes a server that does not require this, it's necessary for DCI certification.

Posted by Juan Jose Garcia Calvo (Member # 1702) on 05-30-2017, 02:41 AM:

Hello!

Carsten:
I checked it.
Validity until Wed, Dec 31, 2036 18:29 UTC
I think this time is OK

Dave:
Yes, I checked it before, and the TI interface is the gore board, with security included. It's a Series 1S, type 5.

QUBE people has answered us very fast, and now we have the required passwords.

We are going to reutilize the old IO board from the Datasat server and install it on the XPD. I hope this will work.

Regards!!

Posted by Kevin Fairchild (Member # 4985) on 05-30-2017, 05:19 AM:

Did you see the below notice about the XP-D? I wish you luck with your server. I think you'll need it.

---
End-Of-Life Notification (EoL) - In effect from Jan 1st, 2017
This marks the end of the Qube Cinema’s support for Qube XPD. From this time, Qube Cinema will not be under obligation to perform support services of any kind for the hardware, operating system or software. Qube Cinema is fully committed to all subsisting maintenance support agreements with its customers, and nothing in the present End-Of-Life Policy should be construed as repudiation of such agreements concerning any particular product. Customers seeking support services must ensure that they hold a valid and effective service contract agreement with Qube Cinema.

Posted by Marcel Birgelen (Member # 6801) on 05-30-2017, 06:41 AM:

So, Qube essentially sold you an EoL product?

Sorry, but damn, this is one crappy company.

On the bright side, the XP-D is an OEM-ed Supermicro machine, so there are plenty of spare parts in the open market, but if it hits e.g. the IMB or you encounter a show stopping software issue, you're essentially stuck in limbo.

Posted by Juan Jose Garcia Calvo (Member # 1702) on 05-30-2017, 11:42 AM:

Well: This XPD machine is basically the same the one it replaces, our "old" Datasat DC20, and they sold us at a discount price (we can't afford a new server and projector, and remember we still have our Barco DP3000 Series1 projector, that can't be supported by modern servers except maybe GDC).
Consider it as an upgrade of our DC20 to make it DCI compliant again.

Even if Datasat was the seller of the NOW obsolete (and NON DCI compliant) server DC20, this machine was a great machine and worked without problems for us.
Ingest film are MUCH more fast in this machine than our Doremi IMS1000.
Drag clips and drop it over the timeline is a fast and easy way of work.
The problem was the company, Datasat, that left his customers in hands of another company.
I'm pretty sure that our DC20 could be updated to the series 2 XPD software and firmware, but this could take some work for Qube to solve the problems of Datasat...

The DC20 was VERY well done, with an ASUS P5Q de luxe motherboard, both analog and digital audio outputs, built-in IO card, very good cooling system, Kingston HiperX Ram memories, SSD for the OS (XP embedded). The XPD is not as well built like the Datasat was...

Regards

Posted by Dave Macaulay (Member # 813) on 05-30-2017, 08:55 PM:

As far as I know, any current server will work with a TI series 1 projector, as long as it has the "gore board" interface card... or a previous version that supports TLS. I think it's possible for future security to NOT accept S1 without a gore board, but this has not been switched on yet.

Posted by Marco Giustini (Member # 4544) on 05-30-2017, 10:39 PM:

Wouldn't have been better to invest into something which is not already EOL??

How much time till you require assistance and you get a "product not supported" reply?