Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: No caption issues with USL Captioning system

This is topic No caption issues with USL Captioning system in forum Digital Cinema Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Justin Hamaker (Member # 2165) on 06-05-2017, 03:59 PM:

We have been using the USL captioning system for about 5 years with no issues. Starting with Guardians of the Galaxy (to the best of my knowledge), we have been having regular issues with the closed captions not working. In most cases the issue seems to be resolved by unplugging the power supply and plugging it back in.

Initially I thought this might be a SMPTE/IOP problem, but we are having the issue on both formats, and it's happening in multiple auditoriums. The issue does not seem to affect the assisted listening or descriptive narration.

Further, we are having similar issues at our sister theatre which has the same set up.

Posted by Harold Hallikainen (Member # 5405) on 06-05-2017, 05:09 PM:

What is the firmware version in the IRC-28C? The latest version is 160419 and is available at http://ftp.uslinc.com/?dir=ftp/Products/IRC-28/Software/Firmware . If that does not fix the issue, please capture a log from the IRC-28C and send it to me for analysis.

Thanks!

Harold

Posted by Justin Hamaker (Member # 2165) on 06-05-2017, 05:28 PM:

Units at both theatres on 151015. Will update and see what happens.

Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 06-06-2017, 05:21 AM:

What servers are you using and their software version? If Dolby, then version 4.8.10.4 (or later, when they are issued) is REQUIRED for SMPTE captions. Since that version and USL 160419 have been 100% reliable for us now.

Likewise, we have not had issues with the IRC28C with GDC or Doremi servers running current software.

Posted by Pete Naples (Member # 761) on 06-06-2017, 06:37 AM:

I'm presuming from this that in the US, DCPs have the CC data?

Here in the UK they do not, so CC devices are a complete doorstop.

Posted by Justin Hamaker (Member # 2165) on 06-06-2017, 03:55 PM:

Pete, the DCP's have the CC data. However, there is some kind of problem in the hardware chain which is causing it to not reach the readers. Because the transition from IOP to SMPTE is still in process, I don't know if there is some kind of issue related to channel mapping or something else.

Steve, our GDC's are on 8.01 build 244.

Posted by Jason Raftery (Member # 6291) on 06-06-2017, 10:01 PM:

Justin, I'd wager at least part of your issue is actually with 8.01-build244 on the servers as that version has a problem handling encrypted closed captioning on SMPTE content (e.g. Guardians 2). A temporary fix is to reboot the USL panel but captioning will stop working by the end of the next show when playing a title with encrypted captions. GDC addressed this in 8.01-build256, so I'd recommend updating to it or a later build if you prefer.

On the USL panels, I don't recall using 151015 but I know 151021 was a bad version. 151015 may or may not have the same bug I'm thinking of, but I concur with the suggestion from others to change to a different firmware version. Personally, I've found 150725 to work fine when paired with GDCs.

Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 06-07-2017, 06:36 AM:

Justin, I'd update your GDCs to build 256. It is stable. It sure would be nice if GDC would POST their release notes with each build (like they do with the TMS) so people could judge if the update is worthwhile or not.

Posted by Pete Naples (Member # 761) on 06-07-2017, 10:40 AM:

Justin, in the US that maybe the case, here in the UK the DCPs don't have the CC info on. I've sold a couple of different CC systems, none of them have ever worked. They work perfectly with test DCPs. The sites in question have taken it up with the UK distributors and were told no CC data, no plans to put it on!

We are still seeing predominantly interop here, SMPTE testing begins shortly.

Posted by Justin Hamaker (Member # 2165) on 06-07-2017, 07:16 PM:

I'm a bit frustrated by how GDC names their updates. I have non-IMB servers, so I attempted to use the SASX-non-imb update, only to have them tell me I should not use that update.

Better documentation would certainly be appreciated. In fact, it would be nice if they had an update website where you select your server, then it shows the different updates available, along with the issues addressed in each.

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 06-07-2017, 08:22 PM:

quote: Steve Guttag
It sure would be nice if GDC would POST their release notes with each build (like they do with the TMS) so people could judge if the update is worthwhile or not.

Just ask them for the notes. They do exist.

I have transitioned some customers to build 268, because the provisions for 2TB drives are better covered in it. There is also a hot fix for it that's related to some 2TB hard drives. GDC in fact no longer supplies 1 TB hard drives at all.

Mark

Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 06-08-2017, 05:47 AM:

The point is, Mark, you shouldn't have to ask EACH TIME for release notes! Just post them with the software like, um, uh, EVERYONE ELSE and even the GDC TMS software people do. Stop defending what you know is a stupid policy. Note too, their "release notes" are primarily a change log from the previous version rather than a running list for the version so one has to personally compile their own list.

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 06-08-2017, 11:39 AM:

Better get busy compiling then!

Posted by System Notices (Member # 2357) on 12-01-2019, 12:33 AM:

It has been 905 days since the last post.