Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Dolby DSS100 Show Manger Software upgrade to 4.8

This is topic Dolby DSS100 Show Manger Software upgrade to 4.8 in forum Digital Cinema Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

To visit this topic, use this URL:
https://ft-forum.com/ft/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=16;t=003651

Posted by Jesse Clifford (Member # 10845) on 04-15-2019, 11:34 AM:

I am a computer service tech in a small town and I am helping the local movie theater test their readiness for the SMTPE. We need to upgrade from the current Show Manager 4.0 to 4.8 to be able to transition to SMTPE, but I do not know where to get the upgrade software, or if we need to upgrade in increments like 4.3. Any help is very much appreciated.

Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 04-15-2019, 12:00 PM:

DSS100 (DSP100) tops out at 4.7 and cannot and will never go above 4.7

4.7.8.7 is the most current and should work with SMPTE content.

As for obtaining software, you'd need to speak with a Dolby dealer to obtain the software as well as the license needed to perform the upgrade (you'll need the DSP100's serial number as that is what will require the license).

Posted by Jesse Clifford (Member # 10845) on 04-15-2019, 12:40 PM:

I wasn't sure where to even start. Thank you very much.

Posted by Leo Enticknap (Member # 534) on 04-15-2019, 01:39 PM:

We (the company I work for) can supply the license for 4.7 (assuming that Dolby will still issue them for the 100 - I've upgraded lots of 200s and 220s recently, but the last time I did a 100 was in January 2018). If you are interested, please give Jim Stewart a call on 714-751-7998, ext. 228.

Although the actual KDM is for the DSP100, Dolby may need the serial from the DSS as well. When we buy upgrade licenses for DSS servers, they tend to ask for the serial of the server chassis as well as the media block.

Posted by Jesse Clifford (Member # 10845) on 04-15-2019, 03:14 PM:

That is very good to know. I will contact Dolby first and keep you all informed on my progress. Thanks for all the help.

Posted by Leo Enticknap (Member # 534) on 04-15-2019, 06:00 PM:

Sorry - we both missed one of your queries. I'm 99.9% sure that you can upgrade from 4.0 to 4.7 in one fell swoop. The software comes in the form of an ISO image that you burn to a CD or USB stick, and then boot from. This overwrites the operating system partition on the DSS's RAID and starts over. When the server reboots with the new software, it will then update the media block (in your case, the DSP100) if it can find a KDM that lets it do so. The easiest way is to put the KDM on a USB flash drive, and insert that into the front panel jack during the boot sequence after the installation is done.

I've upgraded 4.3 to 4.7 in a single step many times without any problems, though I haven't encountered a DSS on a version as far back as 4.0.

There is, however, one important gotcha. Your projector has to be able to support TLS link encryption in order for it to run 4.7. Versions earlier than 4.4 (known as pre-DCI versions) can use a less secure form of link encryption (encryption of the image data as it passes through the dual HD-SDI wires between the media block and the projector) called DH. Some very early Series 1 projectors only support DH, and will not work with TLS. There aren't many still around, but there are some.

The gotcha is that for most media blocks, once you've upgraded a media block from a pre-DCI firmware version to a DCI-compliant version (in this case, 4.4 or later), you can't downgrade it again: the upgrade is a one-way ticket. I've heard claims that the DSP100 is an exception to that general rule and that actually it can be downgraded, but even if that's true, you would need a KDM from Dolby to revert it to a pre-DCI version, and there is no guarantee that they would agree to issue one if you upgraded your DSP100 to 4.7 and then found that it will no longer work with your projector.

To find out if your projector is compliant or not, press ctrl+alt_F1 on your server, and then login with a username and password that you would need to obtain from Dolby (cinemasupport [at] dolby.com) - per the rule on this site, I can't post them. Then enter the following commands:

cd scripts
./linkencrypt.sh TLS
reboot

After the server has rebooted, if you can play DCPs, you are good to do the upgrade. However, if you get "Error securing connection between media block and projector" in the control tab of the GUI, you cannot upgrade the server beyond 4.3. If this is the case, then with some cases there is a procedure (TLS certificate recovery) that can be done to enable TLS at the projector's end, but you really need a tech trained by the projector manufacturer to do this.

If you need to, you can revert your DSS back to DH link encryption with:

cd scripts
./linkencrypt.sh DH
reboot

Posted by Marco Giustini (Member # 4544) on 04-15-2019, 06:10 PM:

If memory serves it's

cd Scripts
(capital S - Linux is case sensitive)

Posted by Leo Enticknap (Member # 534) on 04-15-2019, 06:12 PM:

Sorry - writing in haste

Posted by Jesse Clifford (Member # 10845) on 04-16-2019, 10:08 AM:

OK. I will check to make sure the projector is ready before I start this upgrade process. Thank you for the heads up.

Posted by Dave Macaulay (Member # 813) on 04-16-2019, 03:56 PM:

I believe the DSP100 is one of the few media blocks that can be reverted to a non-DCI version. But check with Dolby and confirm if that's a concern.
I've had DSS/DSP100 systems that refused to do the DSP upgrade automatically after DSS upgrade, I use the Dolby Software Update program to do it via USB when that occurs.
Note that the DCI and TLS problem only happens with series 1 projectors, and only with certain older type TI interface boards. You can check the board type in most projectors through the control software, you didn't say what projector this is with though. If it is series 2 you have no worries.
I got KDMs for 4.7.8.7 on a DSS/DSP100 two weeks back so Dolby does still provide them.

Posted by Jesse Clifford (Member # 10845) on 04-16-2019, 04:26 PM:

OK. I will check to make sure the projector is ready before I start this upgrade process. Thank you for the heads up.

Posted by Ioannis Syrogiannis (Member # 3235) on 04-17-2019, 09:10 AM:

quote: Marco Giustini
If memory serves it's

cd Scripts
(capital S - Linux is case sensitive)

I don't recall if I have ever logged in as administrator in a DSS100.
It might be differently spelled on different types of server (even though it ought not to, since they were using the same software).
On a DSS200, it is "scripts".

I think that if you type linkencrypt.sh without any options, you will get in return the options you can use.

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 04-17-2019, 11:01 AM:

FTP the remote upgrade package into the server and drop in the root directory.

Open PuTTy via SSH connection.

Bold is what you type. Replace PASSWORD with the actual password and replace FILENAME with the actual name of the remote upgrade file.

administrator
PASSWORD
cd scripts
ls
./listUpgradePackages.sh
(The upgrade files you have loaded will show if they are licensed or not. If not you need to obtain the key from Dolby and FTP that in as well. Assuming the upgrade file you want to upgrade to is displayed with "LICENSED" you can proceed further.)
./executeUpgradePackage.sh localhost FILENAME.dlb MainStore

The server will take 30-45 minutes to upgrade. Be patient. Once it nears the end, you can look at the GUI to see how much more it has to go.

Posted by Marco Giustini (Member # 4544) on 04-17-2019, 03:32 PM:

Looks like I was wrong after all - sorry!

Posted by Jesse Clifford (Member # 10845) on 05-20-2019, 10:41 AM:

Well, after a bunch of calls to manufacturers and techs it seems as though the projector (Barco DP2000) will not be compatible due to the fact that it is a series 1 projector. I am at a loss of what my next step can be. Like I said, this is a small town theater and they had just got this used 4 years ago and I know they do not have the money to purchase a new projector. Any help is very much appreciated.

Posted by Leo Enticknap (Member # 534) on 05-20-2019, 11:17 AM:

I have to say that I'm skeptical about this verdict. I've made several DP1500s and DP2000s run with DCI-compliant servers. I've had to update the TI firmware and/or do the TLS certificate recovery procedure on some of them, but I've never come across one that has a hardware incompatible input board.

Have you tried writing to service.digitalcinema.usa [at] barco.com, giving them the serial number of your projector, and asking them? They'd be able to give you the definitive answer.

If they tell you that the hardware is OK, then these procedures could be done by a tech remotely through Teamviewer, albeit with the small risk of leaving you with an inoperative projector if something goes seriously wrong.

Posted by Dave Macaulay (Member # 813) on 05-20-2019, 11:22 AM:

No, no, no.
Series one projectors can work with a current SDI server and do the TLS connection required for DCI compliance.
It depends on the projector's TI "interface" card. This is in the ELCA box in a DP2000. You can get the interface card version through communicator: it's in diagnostics, actual and then "TI status" or something like that and "detailed status" or similar.
You really want the 1S type 5 card: this will have "HDCP" in the name and the status will show "security armed" - if it says something like "security=no" or similar you're not dead yet. There may be type 5 cards without the secure enclosure (black encapsulation covering the electronic parts).
Pretty much if it says HDCP you're OK, and many if not all type 4 cards will handle TLS. If you can save a certificate (same window, I think) you should be OK for TLS. If not there is a certificate recovery procedure - boards that have used Cinelink DH since new may need this to recover the TLS certificate.
As far as I know, type 3 boards (or older) will not do TLS.

Posted by Jesse Clifford (Member # 10845) on 05-20-2019, 11:37 AM:

The projector does not have the optional communicator touch screen that I have seen in many stock photos. Is there a way that I can hook a pc or monitor to it to see the information that you are requesting?

Posted by Leo Enticknap (Member # 534) on 05-20-2019, 12:58 PM:

Yes, using the Barco Communicator PC app running on a PC hooked to the same LAN as the projector.

However, if you have not run the projector that way before (from your message, I'm guessing that you operate the projector solely using the side button panel and cues sent from the server), the setup involved is significant, and you'd need to register on mybarco.com to download Communicator.

A much easier way would be to email Barco with the serial number of your projector, as described above. That number should be on a label, either on the side of the projector near the lamphouse cover, or on top of it next to the lamphouse vent opening. From that number, they should be able to tell you if your projector shipped with a type 4 or 5 board in it, as Dave describes. If they tell you that it did, then I think you need a tech to update the projector and recover the TLS certificate if and as needed, then update the server and media block.

Posted by Marco Giustini (Member # 4544) on 05-20-2019, 04:13 PM:

You could replace the TI board but those are expensive unfortunately.
I don’t mean to argue with your techs but are you really sure that it’s not going to work? ‘Being a series 1’ is not necessarily going to be an issue with TLS.
As mentioned, the DSS gives you the ability to test TLS with your current software.

Posted by Jesse Clifford (Member # 10845) on 05-22-2019, 05:19 PM:

Well, after a bunch of calls to manufacturers and techs it seems as though the projector (Barco DP2000) will not be compatible due to the fact that it is a series 1 projector. I am at a loss of what my next step can be. Like I said, this is a small town theater and they had just got this used 4 years ago and I know they do not have the money to purchase a new projector. Any help is very much appreciated.

Posted by Carsten Kurz (Member # 5396) on 05-22-2019, 05:48 PM:

You need to get better advice. Many if not most series 1 machines ARE TLS/CINELINK II compatible if they are equipped with the right interface board. You better make yourself familiar with Barco Communicator and find out yourself. One simple test would be to try to play a DVD/Bluray through HDMI/DVI directly into the projector. If the machine supports HDCP, it will show the image and it is or can be made TLS compatible and also play SMPTE subtitles in combination with the DSS100 running the latest software (4.7.8.7). Even if it doesn't support HDCP, there is a slight chance it is a series 3 or 6 board still supporting TLS/CINELINK II.

- Carsten

Posted by Stephan Shelley (Member # 8587) on 05-22-2019, 06:09 PM:

You can always use Cinelink I. The DSS100 will still do it in DCI compliant version software. Note that 4.7.8 is the newest the DSS 100 will run. All series 1 projectors will do Cinelink I. Series 2 will not.It is Cinelink II tls that is questionable one.

Posted by Marco Giustini (Member # 4544) on 05-23-2019, 04:33 AM:

Stephan,
Are you sure about Cinelink I on DCI version for DSP100? I thought one point of the DCI version was the inability of running CineLink I.

Anyway, the best way is to test enable CineLink II TLS on your DSP. It's really easy and that will give you *THE* answer. You can revert to Cinelink II DH at the end if it does not work.

(I'm going by memory here)
- With the server fully booted up, press CTRL-ALT-F1 to get onto terminal
- log in with user (administrator) and password (password is on the manual, on the upgrade section - on my manual it's section 4.6.2)
- Get into the script folder by typing cd scripts (enter)
- type the following command

./linkencrypt.sh TLS

- that will enable TLS. You will lose connectivity with the mediablock for a few seconds. When the mediablock is back, it's in TLS mode.

- Go back to GUI by pressing CTRL-ALT-F8
- Your projector may or may not reconnect at this point, give it a couple of minutes.
- If it does not reconnect, power cycle both server and projector and see what happens.

- If the projector really does not reconnect anymore (give it plenty of time), follow the steps above to put the projector back to the original encryption but change the line you type to

./linkencrypt.sh DH

- then reboot etc.

(Still, if it does not work, you could try running the certificate recovery procedure but I'd leave that for later)

Posted by Stephan Shelley (Member # 8587) on 05-23-2019, 12:34 PM:

Positive about Cinelink I. A few theatres I know upgraded and had to us Cinelink I to get them out of a jam. The command is CINELINK instead of TLS. DH is no longer an option in the DCI compliant versions.

Posted by Leo Enticknap (Member # 534) on 05-23-2019, 10:01 PM:

I once had Cinelink I running on a DSS200 with an NEC NC2500 that had a non-Gore board interface board (one that could not do TLS, period). This was in 2016 - can't remember what version the 200 was on, but likely 4.7 or 4.8.

The only potential gotcha there is that if ever the server needs to be replaced with one that is not a Dolby DSS model, and the projector really can't do TLS, you're in trouble.

quote: Jesse Clifford
Well, after a bunch of calls to manufacturers and techs it seems as though the projector (Barco DP2000) will not be compatible due to the fact that it is a series 1 projector. I am at a loss of what my next step can be. Like I said, this is a small town theater and they had just got this used 4 years ago and I know they do not have the money to purchase a new projector. Any help is very much appreciated.

I hope this doesn't come across as a flame, but we've already made a number of suggestions for how to address this, and explained that most of the Series 1 projectors currently in use can be made to work with fully DCI-compliant servers and media blocks.

Maybe I'm reading too much into this, but I get the impression that you don't want to call a tech out to work on your system if it can't actually be done. I understand your situation: looking at a map, you appear to be located roughly equidistant, about 400 miles, from Denver, Kansas City and Minneapolis/St. Paul, which I'm guessing are where the nearest Barco and Dolby trained techs are located. So getting one to your theater is going to be seriously expensive: a day's travel in each direction, plus at least one overnight stay, over and above the cost of the callout itself.

That having been said, if you want to make progress fixing this without having to do that, you might need to take a risk in going outside your comfort zone, and try some of the things we've suggested here.

Running your projector's serial number by Barco and asking them if the input board is TLS compatible or not does not need any specialist technical knowledge. If they tell you that it is (i.e. that it has a type 4 or 5 board in it), then at least you know that if you do call a tech out to your location, that they will be able to upgrade the projector and server to make them fully DCI compliant. The only other thing you'd need is an upgrade KDM for the DSP100, and the vendor you choose to get a tech out should be able to take care of that for you. You could also have the tech do planned maintenance on both while (s)he is there, thereby killing two birds with one stone.

If you want to go further without professional help, then the suggestions we've made in the replies above include:

- Putting your media block into TLS mode and seeing if you can still play DCPs. If you can, then you know that you can upgrade the server and media block software to 4.7.8.7 (fully DCI compliant, and will play most SMPTE DCPs). If you can't, the cause may be a known issue (TLS certificate recovery) that is fixable by a tech, but it may also be that you have an incompatible board.

- Checking the version of the TI card in your projector using Barco Communicator, to establish hardware compatibility.

- Trying Cinelink I.

If you don't feel confident doing any of this stuff, and still want to make progress in getting your system DCI compliant and reliable for use with SMPTE DCPs, I'm afraid that there probably isn't any way around getting a tech out to your location.

Posted by Marco Giustini (Member # 4544) on 05-24-2019, 08:03 AM:

To be honest, remoting into the system would be enough to diagnose this issue.

If then Cinelink I is still available on DSP100 after the upgrade, then I don't see an issue here.

Posted by Leo Enticknap (Member # 534) on 05-24-2019, 01:51 PM:

It would, but I get the strong impression from the OP's earlier posts that there is very limited technical knowledge at this site, and that even setting up a PC with Teamviewer that is connected both to the management LAN and the Internet might be a stretch for them.

I've learned through bitter experience in the last couple of years that you have to think quite carefully about how much self-help an end user is able to bring to the table in cases like this. If it's not enough to assist with the remote access work effectively and without the risk of misunderstandings resulting in the tech hundreds of miles away barking up the wrong tree, then it's best for everyone involved to recommend a tech callout, even if, as in this case, we're looking at a lot of travel time. If the tech callout is planned thoughtfully, then it can be a good investment for future troubleshooting, e.g. (s)he installs and sets up a remote access PC while on site.

The reason that I suggested that he runs the projector's serial past Barco and finds out from them whether it has a TLS-compatible board or not is that if it does, and he knows for sure that it does, then that removes the risk that he'll spend significant money having a tech drive for several hours to the theater, hook his laptop up to the projector, say, "Very sorry, Sir, but this can't be done" three minutes later, and then drive straight back again.

As for Cinelink I, the only red flag I can think of is that, as far as I know (and please correct me if I'm wrong), the Dolby DSS servers and media blocks are the only ones that can use Cinelink I with a fully DCI-compliant software version. Therefore, for example, if this DSS100/DSP100 dies and is replaced by, for example, a second hand Doremi or GDC with DCI-compliant software already installed, then if the projector really can't do TLS (IMHO a small risk, but one that can't be ruled out until it's checked out), then the end user is in trouble. But as a short-term workaround, it'll work.

Posted by Jesse Clifford (Member # 10845) on 05-26-2019, 04:25 PM:

I was able to contact the owner who had the Communicator software on his laptop and I was able to verify a few things also. I tried playing a standard DVD in the drive on the server and it would not play or show up in the theater software. I did not get to verify, but was told by the owner that they were able to play DVDs through the DVI in port on the projector. I was able to get into the Communicator software and find that Interface board type is a series-1S Type 3. What would my next step be?

Posted by Carsten Kurz (Member # 5396) on 05-26-2019, 05:11 PM:

Contact CinemaSupport@dolby.com and ask for software/license 4.7.8.7 for DSS100/DSP100. They will probably forward you to a dealer/integrator. As far as I know, the update license will cost only a few US$.

To become SMPTE compliant, you may also need to update the projector software to TI 15.1. If you're unlucky, you may also need to perform the TI certificate recovery procedure.

Barco Communicator will also tell you the current TI software version of the DP2000. 15.1 is actually 6-7 years old, it may be that the Barco is already running that version.

Instructions are available for these updates. You should ask the integrator wether they can assist you on site, or remotely.

The server optical drive will not play video DVDs, it is not a general purpose computer.

- Carsten

Posted by Jim Cassedy (Member # 4115) on 05-26-2019, 05:20 PM:

quote: Jesse Clifford
I tried playing a standard DVD in the drive on the server
and it would not play or show up in the theater software.

No no NO! The drives on the servers are NOT for playing DVD's.
No server that I'm aware of has ever been manufactured that will do this.

Back in the days when these servers were designed, those drives were
used to ingest software upgrades, and I believe the original plan was also
to distribute trailers on DVD disks- - but even then the trailers would
have been encoded on the disks as DCP files, & not in DVD format.

If the theater was playing DVD's or blu-rays through the DVI ports,
they were doing it using an HDMI-to-DVI cable, or some other device,
but there's no way they would have been playing them back on the server.

Posted by Marco Giustini (Member # 4544) on 05-26-2019, 06:10 PM:

quote: “Jesse Clifford”
I tried playing a standard DVD in the drive on the server
and it would not play or show up in the theater software.

To be honest after reading that my advice is: call a qualified technician to have the system checked and maybe upgraded

Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 05-26-2019, 08:59 PM:

Marco is correct if you are not qualified to service this equipment then call a certified service engineer they spent the time and money to learn the ins and outs

Posted by Leo Enticknap (Member # 534) on 05-26-2019, 09:33 PM:

quote: Jesse Clifford
I was able to get into the Communicator software and find that Interface board type is a series-1S Type 3.

I'm afraid that this is an interface board that does not support Cinelink II TLS link encryption. Per Dave's post above, only 4 and 5 can.

Cinelink I might work (I would have to do some research to establish if Cinelink I would work with a type 3 interface board, or if it can only support DH, unless someone else here can provide a definite yes or no). If it does, this should enable you to upgrade your server/media block software to 4.7.8.7. As long as you continue to use the DSS100/DSP100 as your server, this should enable you to play most SMPTE DCPs reliably. However, if that server dies and you need to replace it with a model that is not a DSS100/DSP100, or a DSS200, you could find yourself with a server that simply will not work with that projector.

I would echo the advice of others here (and myself, in earlier posts). You really need to get a Dolby and Barco-trained tech in to do this upgrading, testing, and reconfiguring. I would suggest that you start by asking the vendor you buy bulbs and air filters for the projector from to give you a quote for coming and doing this work (including supplying the update KDM for your media block).

If they are not able to do so, please feel free to send me an email or PM, and I can arrange for us to. For jobs that are too far away for us to service directly, we maintain contacts with service vendors throughout the country, and I am sure that we'd be able to work with one of them.

Posted by Carsten Kurz (Member # 5396) on 05-27-2019, 09:41 AM:

Leo - Series-1S (Type 3) will do Cinelink II/TLS.

It won't do HDCP for HDMI/DVI-D sources, though, but that's not really relevant here.

- Carsten

Posted by Leo Enticknap (Member # 534) on 05-27-2019, 12:19 PM:

Given that you believe that it will, but Dave (see post on page 2) believes that it won't, it would probably be sensible to get a definitive answer from Barco before the OP schedules a tech call, given that the call will likely cost well into four figures. The only alternative would be for the OP to put the media block into TLS mode, per the instructions on page 1, and see if's still possible to play DCPs. If it is and a remote access PC can be set up in the booth, then the rest of it could likely be done remotely, which would reduce the cost of tech assistance (plus the license) to the low to mid hundreds.

I simply don't work on Series 1 equipment often enough to be able to answer this one definitively myself. In fact, we only have two regular service customers now that still use Series 1 Barcos. I've upgraded probably about a dozen of them for use with a media block running DCI-compliant firmware. I had to recover the TLS certificate on two or three of them, but have never encountered one that is hardware incompatible.

Posted by Jesse Clifford (Member # 10845) on 06-27-2019, 02:26 PM:

Thank you all so much for helping me out on this matter. I did finally get to sit down with the owner and the committee (nonprofit) since its a historic theater. I did let them know that it is something that should be left up to professionals. They were asking about cost so I am now asking all of you who we should speak with about cost and timeframe.

Posted by Leo Enticknap (Member # 534) on 06-27-2019, 05:25 PM:

Per the convention on this forum, I'm not going to make a ballpark $$ guess in public, beyond the very rough one above (though if you'd like one in a private email, feel free to PM me). If you'd like a formal quote from us (Moving Image Technologies, of Fountain Valley, CA), please feel free to contact Jim Stewart on 714-751-7998, ext. 228 or jim.stewart [at] movingimagetech.com. Given your location, I don't think it's likely that we'd quote based on an MiT tech coming out to you (the travel cost would be high), but we do maintain contacts with qualified techs throughout the country, and I'm sure that Jim would be able to find one closer to you. I'm also sure that other tech support companies will be in touch, too, and of course it would be a good idea to get quotes from multiple vendors.

Posted by Jesse Clifford (Member # 10845) on 07-19-2019, 05:01 PM:

Thank you all so much for helping me out on this matter. I did finally get to sit down with the owner and the committee (nonprofit) since its a historic theater. I did let them know that it is something that should be left up to professionals. They were asking about cost so I am now asking all of you who we should speak with about cost and timeframe.

Posted by Leo Enticknap (Member # 534) on 08-22-2019, 09:17 AM:

A follow-up, from my comment on page 1: a couple of weeks ago, I did update a DSP100 from 4.0.something to 4.7.8.7 in one jump, and it took the update without any problems or issues.

The other remarkable thing about that was that the DSP100 in question had been on the shelf for at least two years, and the media block certificate was still good. This was to replace one that suddenly went out (simply refused to boot at all, and swapping PSUs in from another one didn't fix it). The DSS was already on 4.7.8.7, so it was just the player that needed a long jump update. I did the update through USB and using the Dolby Software Update utility, it all went as advertised, and after doing that and setting the auditorium number adjusters on the back, it found the server and projector immediately, and started to play movies as if it had been doing so yesterday.