Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: gdc sx-3000 IMB

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Posted by David Bramante (Member # 2436) on 07-22-2019, 11:26 AM:

We are running six sx-3000 units One unit died last week.
Has anyone seen that before?
And sx-3000 IMB is no longer available. I think the option for a replacement is an sx-1000. I'm not familiar with that unit.
Another question is the batteries.
We've been operating the units since early 2014 so from previous comments it seems like it is time to change the batts. What happens if the batteries give out?

Posted by Peter Mork (Member # 1336) on 07-22-2019, 12:08 PM:

Dave, the one thing I discovered is it's best not to remove both batteries when replacing them, because you will lose a lot of settings. Not sure if replacing one, then the other, will keep things as they are.

Posted by Mike Peterson (Member # 4049) on 07-22-2019, 12:27 PM:

David - The batteries in the SX-3000 last about 3-4 years. If the battery voltage dips below the minimum voltage threshold, the secured certificate is lost and it is basically bricked and you will need a new one. GDC introduced in it's software a battery voltage warning. You need to be on 9.0 B447 or higher for that to be implemented. NEVER change both batteries at once as the second one is there for redundancy and you will surely brick the IMB if you change both at the same time.

Mike Peterson
New England Theatre Service

Posted by Dave Macaulay (Member # 813) on 07-22-2019, 01:55 PM:

Yes! Change the batteries asap!
I believe GDC will still recert (repair) servers that bricked from dead batteries. I think they used to do cross shipping?
You can get the unusual Tadiran batteries online and snip the leads off short, or get them from GDC ready to install.
Take the board out and flip it over. Find the solder pads where the battery sockets connect. Measure voltage on both batteries: change the one with lower voltage first!
Remove the clamp bar carefully, it may be stuck to the batteries and you DO NOT want them both to pop out.
Change the batteries and replace the clamp bar.
Check that it still works!

Posted by Sam D. Chavez (Member # 1841) on 07-22-2019, 04:05 PM:

Dave,

Wise words from someone who has done this a time or two. And/or watched someone do it wrong. [thumbsup]

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 07-23-2019, 08:51 AM:

I have close to 60 of those in the field, about half running in NC-900's, and the batteries need to be changed a bit BEFORE the three year mark!!!!! Back before GDC USA even knew about the battery life on those I had several units last exactly three years and a number of weeks before losing the certificates. Note that the full size GDC servers the battery life span is 5 years.

GDC should still be able to repair it and if you call GDC Tech Support they can arrange an RA through your dealer or perhaps Moving Image Technologies if you have no dealer. Overall they have been pretty reliable and I've actually had more drive failures than actual server problems.

The replacement server is vastly different... different storage, different GUI, and no on board video. So you will have to have a booth computer (at minimum), or TMS to access the SR-1000.

Mark

Posted by David Bramante (Member # 2436) on 07-23-2019, 05:38 PM:

Thanks all. I have ordered the batteries and plan to replace the failed SX-3000 with an SR-1000.