HI-VI not working with PROJECT HAIL MARY

[Andrew Freeman]

Hey Everyone,

Has anyone else expirienced an issue with Audio Describe not working on Project Hail Mary?

I have tested the DCP across multiple screens, and then several other movies in the same screens, and Audio Describe works with every other feature except Project Hail Mary.

Anyone have any idea?

Had this issue once in the past, with Rental Family, but very few came to see that one so it was less pressing.

I have confirmed that my equipment is operation, and the Audio Enhancement setting even works on PHM, just not the Audio Describe,

These are on both Barco and Christie projectors, and on both DOREMI and Dolby GDC servers.

Any help or thoughts are appreciated! Thanks all!

[Harold Hallikainen]

Does the naming convention indicate the DCP should have HI/VI? I saw the movie yesterday and watched with closed captions. Worked great!

[Frank Cox]

ProjectHailMary_FTR-3_F-200_EN-XX-CCAP_CA_51-HI-VI_4K_XM_20260226_DLX_SMPTE_OV

[Leo Enticknap]

This is a bit of a puzzler. If I understand the situation correctly, the HI and VI tracks play successfully in all screens, but do not just on this one feature DCP, consistently and across all screens in the complex. It is confirmed that this DCP is supposed to have HI/VI tracks on it, per the ISDCF tags in the DCP name posted by Frank.

My first instinct was to suggest ensuring that the DCP servers, audio processors (if the HI and VI channels pass through them) and HI/VI transmitter/emitters are updated to their current software/firmware bundles (the only common denominator I can think of, besides a DCP mastering error). But on both the HI/VI systems I am familiar with installing and servicing (our own IRC-28C, formerly QSC and USL, and DolReMi Fidelio), both channels go into the actual emitter or transmitter as analog. So I can't see how old firmware would make D to A conversion from AES3 possible from some DCPs but not others, because the AES3 standard has not changed at all since the dawn of the DCP.

My best guess is that there was a mastering error at the post house and that on this DCP, channels 7 and 8 actually have no signal, even though the DCP name claims that one is present. Has anyone else heard the HI and VI for this movie through their headsets successfully?

[Andrew Freeman]

Thank you all for your replies,

We do not use DCDC yet, so we get our films via Hard Drive, and I am curious if it is possible that there is an issue with this specfic hard drive, and will get a second drive later this week to test, and update you all. I have also confirmed that my equipment is all fully operational, and I did go ahead and call Deluxe, but they maintain that it is something that I am doing wrong...classic Deluxe.

Thank you all again, if anyone else can test their equipment and let me know if it works, that would be awesome!

[Harold Hallikainen]

It WOULD be interesting to know if others have the issue. I wonder if it's possible to look at the Composition Playlist and see if HI/VI are listed there. But, perhaps, these are encrypted and cannot be directly viewed.

[Marcel Birgelen]

The name of the DCP and the actual CPL you're playing would also be interesting, if it actually implies to have HI/VI tracks.

[Andrew Freeman]

ProjectHailMary_FTR-3_F-200_EN-XX-CCAP_US_51-HI-VI_4K_XM_20260221_DLX_SMPTE_OV

This is the file that I am playing.

[Steve Guttag]

The VI track is on track 8. Looking at one of my Q-SYS sites that has meters on the inputs:

image.png

VI is active. I'm curious what server you have. Once upon a time, GDC SX2001/SX2000 and SX3000 were notorious for remapping channels and 7.1 theatres would get talking out of the surrounds. I stopped depending on the channel remap feature after getting burned by that. The fix was to reboot the server!

Another thing about GDC's channel mapping is it is by the DCP's channel count. So an 8-channel movie and a 16-channel movie do not, necessarily get the same channel mapping. Note, the channel count is defined by the DCP authoring, not what is actually on the channels.

It is listed as 8-channels (the 5.1 version):

image.png

Conversely, the 7.1 version is a 16-channel offering:

image.png

If you do have a GDC server, you need to navigate to your Audio channel mapping and see how they are set. I believe, they normally come set to "Default" on all of them...which should be channel-for-channel...which should work in a 5.1 system.

The other current server brands also allow for channel mapping. Doremi allows for an overall mapping as well as on a per-content basis.

[Andrew Freeman]

I will investigate this further tonight after my 7pm showing of Hail Mary completes.

I have three GDC SR-1000 and three DoReMi IMB servers, I have tested this feature across my GDC servers, but have not thought to test in a DoReMi, and will do so later tonight and update.

As well, I'll check in on my audio mapping and make sure that nothing is askew.

Worth mentioning, my systems are all 5.1 only, so I don't think there would be any mapping issues in regards to 16 channel setups.

Thanks for your in depth investigation!