Doremi SV/IMB needs TWO firmwares if HFR is to be supported?

[Steve Guttag]

Well, I'm clearly VERY late to this party. I was under the impression that servers ran on just one firmware in the Doremi world. I noticed that for the Showvault/IMB system there was an "Alternate" firmware for HFR but wrote that one off as for some sort of 3D HFR and since they never explained what you give up when running the HFR version (if it worked for everything, why would you run the normal version?).

My one site that has the SV/IMB did run a test for Avatar 2D HFR and it tested fine. Come the release day...one theatre refused to play it! Coincidentally, this theatre had an IMB that had been serviced (was an -01 after the serial number). I find in the logs that it is looking for the "Alternate" firmware.

So, loading the Alternate firmware (currently 30.08t) in...lo and behold. If you run HFR content, at the start of the show, it loads that version of firmware, reboots the IMB (so this is a 1-minute long process) and then starts the show. If you switch to using just 24fps stuff...it will switch back to the standard firmware (currently 30.11k)...with a minute or so long reload of the firmware at the start of the show.

By the grace of god, the unservied (serial numbers not needing a suffix) had a version of the "Alternate" HFR firmware in them already. If you look on the normal diagnostics page, they don't show you that both firmware are in the server. They just show whichever one is active. Unless, you go to the Mediablock page on the old Romper Room software.

image.png

On the Web UI...nope, that bottom section isn't represented. This is about all you get to see:
image.png

Strange (for me, at least).

Did everyone here know that that you had to load both firmwares into a SV/IMB? Or was I the only one that didn't?

[Miguel Moreno]

I've never used HFR because we haven't received any content at more than 24 fps, unfortunately, although we upgraded the equipment for The Hobbit a long time ago. But I do remember that to play from one format to another, you had to load a special cue file to tell the server what format it was, and as you mentioned, the transition is very slow.

[Dustin Grush]

I remember a notice about this a while ago when a director (probably Nolan) first released something with an HFR version. There was a link to the alternate version, or maybe it was just part of a regular software update that they made available, and how to download it install it as well as an HFR test DCP available. We did it, but I don't remember ever running the test as I don't think we ever actually played the feature. Since then, it seems that the HFR stuff comes out while we are closed for the season.

[Chris Haller]

At least its just a firmware upgrade for these machines.

GDC SR-1000s require an installable license that cost $550 for HFR 3D. They too play HFR 2D just fine. Quite the racket.

[Marco Giustini]

It's a long time ago but I do remember the "alternate" firmware shenanigans required for HDR. As you mentioned, it was never clear what was lost when the alternate FW was loaded as, apparently, it was able to play everything. But HDR was such a short-lived exercise that I never got to the point where I asked that question.

I always thought that this dual-FW process was a temporary patch for The Hobbit but clearly it still happens in 2025.

[John Thomas]

Yes Steve welcome to 2012

The "About" screen should show you both firmwares, regardless of which is currently loaded.

I always recommend pulling a detailed report whenever servicing/PMing a Doremi-Dolby and sending it through the log analyzer -- even if you're not investigating a particular issue. The log analyzer will flag if your alternate firmware is behind and recommend an update.

[Steve Guttag]

Yeah...but the key to my question/point is...I get if you want to run HFR 3D, there was a different firmware...but no not only is it required for 2D as well but BOTH need to be on the server so it can chose, at the time of show start, which to use.

GDC SR-1000s require an installable license that cost $550 for HFR 3D. They too play HFR 2D just fine. Quite the racket.

As for GDC, their model has been to be lower cost for "typical" installations and charge al a carte for features. In other words, for the Dolby/Doremi, you are paying for those features up-front. Remember, Streamit used to be a paid extra on Doremi/Dolby but now included in the IMS3000. Heck, they used to charge for ADA required closed caption support (for those not using their now defunct Captiview). All of that is built in now. Dolby still charges for the sound processor and Atmos decoding in their IMS3000 but other features like 4K and HFR are indeed included. GDC has followed suit in that 4K and Streaming are now "Complimentary." GDC still charges for HFR (up to 120fps 2K/2D and up to 60fps 3D...though I do believe 48fps 2D is standard support as that was a DCI requirement at the get-go). GDC also has an SDI license (providing your server has an SDI port, dual projection and, of course to activate the sound processor. So, it is a different pricing strategy that, for most people will be a lower cost for "typical" use. The sucky thing about charging for HFR is that it is FAR from an established winner of a format, at this stage. Who would want to pay to activate that for something that might get 1-title use for 2-3 weeks?

[Carsten Kurz]

I was aware of the alternate firmware solution for HFR on the ShowVault back when the Hobbit was released. However I lost track of it later on, and though that Doremi had solved it with a common firmware package for both SFR and HFR. Obviously, it is not, and you still need to run the lenghty show-start-firmware-switch. Recently, I also thought wether the necessary firmware version for the certificate extension would also need to be accompanied with a suitable HFR/alternate firmware version. But the cert extension program didn't mention updated alternate firmware versions, and the cert extension itself only needed updates for security manager and SMS software, not media block firmware.

[Stefan Scholz]

At least its just a firmware upgrade for these machines.

GDC SR-1000s require an installable license that cost $550 for HFR 3D. They too play HFR 2D just fine. Quite the racket.

2D, not really. They play 48p without issues, anything in excess - buy the LDM.