Douser on NEC NC1200C Not Opening

[Mike Reed]

Hello,

My douser would not open on my NEC NC1200C projector tonight. Lost customers unfortunately. Douser button lit up green, bulb button light up green, no picture. Sound was good, playlist was good with correct keys uploaded so it wasn't the playlist from what I could tell. Restarted the projector twice. Still did not work. Obviously tried manually hitting the douser button several times with no affect. Never had this issue before. No errors on projector. I guess the projector thinks the douser is open but it definitely was not. Did not try to open up the projector yet. Going to lose a few shows unfortunately. Any ideas what might be causing the douser not to work all of a sudden? Thanks!

[Steve Guttag]

No error codes? Did you try putting up a test pattern?

[Mike Reed]

No error codes? Did you try putting up a test pattern?

No error codes. it it’s like the projector assumes the douser opened but it didn’t. Yes I did try test pattern but the douser still doesn’t open. I’m just wondering if the small motor that opens and closes the douser went bad? I’m wondering if I can at least open up the side and manually open it so I can get my movies going while I wait to get a tech in here.

[Steve Guttag]

It sits behind the lens.

[Mike Reed]

It sits behind the lens.

I guess I’m gonna open the side of the machine tomorrow and take a look at it. I assume I can manually open it and then just leave it open while I order the part too replace it if it’s broken? I’m hoping my projector doesn’t freak out if I do that ?

[Leo Enticknap]

I've just been through the NEC Series 2 training slides and the NC1200's service manual, and, as usual, they are spectacularly unhelpful.

From what I can gather, the dowser (which appears to be called the dowser in some places and the shutter in others) attaches to the lens holder, not the prism assembly. It appears to be a service part that can be ordered - 79TDD051 SHUTTER ASSY - but I would suggest checking with Sharp that this is actually the part that you need before ordering it. You may have to take the prism assembly out of the projector in order to get to it. It's been several months since I last had to do surgery on one of these projectors, and so I can't tell you from memory.

The good news is that the full sized Series 2 NECs (NC1200, 2000, 3200 and 3240) are the easiest of all NECs to work inside, but even they are a challenge compared to their Barco and Christie equivalents.

You will need to take both side panels off to start with, in order to uncover the screws that release the roof. Replacing the dowser/shutter may require removing the front panel as well (which includes four screws securing the lens bellows/snood to the lens holder) - again, I don't have a visual memory to guide me, and there is no dowser/shutter replacement procedure given in the service manual or the training slides. But from the pictures in the latter, it does not appear to be attached to the prism assembly, as it is in Series 2 Barcos.

At some time within the next week or two I'm going to replace the power on fans in an NC3240 (customer is waiting for them to arrive). If these questions still haven't been answered by then, I'll take some pictures and post them for you. It won't look exactly the same as in a 1200 (1.38" 4K prism assembly is different), but the chassis is the same, and so the photos should provide the essential details of how to get at the dowser/shutter.

In answer to your question, your projector won't freak out if you operate it with covers removed, but it will throw a DCI tamper error. You can still project test patterns and DVI in, but not anything through an IMB and/or Enigma card. You'll need to clear the tamper after buttoning it up again.

[Jason Sharp]

I've had this happen to a handful of NEC 2000 over the years. When I have a douser fail I just zip tie it permanantly open. 7+ years like this on some projectors without any problems.

[Steve Guttag]

It is definitely not part of the prism assembly. The NEC prism is a compact thing on the 1200/2000 with the only extra appendages being the "roll cage" it is in plus the cooling hoses/heat blocks.

My guess is, you can take the front cover off (need the small circular key), take the lens out (the lock turns opposite of what you'd expect) and then you'd be staring right at the douser (note...it is douser for most everyone other than Barco, not dowser)...it makes a difference if you are searching via PDF. And yes, sometimes it is called the shutter.

[Ryan Gallagher]

I don't know how the NECs are, but the Christie Series 2 dowsers are very easy to "hear" that they are engaging (both the motor noise and a ca-chunk as bumps against it's limits).

I think everyone else's advice is more relevant, but I'd be curious if you even hear it attempting, assuming you used to be able to? It could just be stuck somehow (deformed part maybe) if you are hearing it "try" when right next to it?

I guess there is no sensor to warn you when it is out of position relative to it's software state.

[Leo Enticknap]

Barco and NEC dowsers are not easily audible like Christies are, especially when competing with the ambient noise of a fully powered up booth (lots of fans, HVAC, etc.).

I've had this happen to a handful of NEC 2000 over the years. When I have a douser fail I just zip tie it permanantly open. 7+ years like this on some projectors without any problems.

I once did this on a Christie Series 3 as an emergency measure to prevent lost shows, only to discover that when the dowser is closed, all the DMDs are set to the full reflect position in order to mitigate overheating and the risk of stuck pixels. So if you mechanically force the dowser to be open when the projector thinks it's closed, you project a white test pattern. Presumably NECs don't do this, or else you'd have noticed it.

My guess is, you can take the front cover off (need the small circular key), take the lens out (the lock turns opposite of what you'd expect) and then you'd be staring right at the douser/

You'd certainly be able to see it, but would that (along with having the roof and the prism assembly side panel off) give you enough access to remove it and install a replacement without needing to remove the prism assembly and/or the lens holder? Knowing NEC, I'd be very pleasantly surprised if the the answer to that question is in the affirmative!

[Mike Reed]

I've just been through the NEC Series 2 training slides and the NC1200's service manual, and, as usual, they are spectacularly unhelpful.

In answer to your question, your projector won't freak out if you operate it with covers removed, but it will throw a DCI tamper error. You can still project test patterns and DVI in, but not anything through an IMB and/or Enigma card. You'll need to clear the tamper after buttoning it up again.

Ok i got the douser fixed. Now it throws the IMB Service Door Tamper code and I cant get it to go away. Tried advanced user mode. Tried clearing it when it comes up says clear/execute and I hit enter and the error comes right back up. I took off the 2 side panels and reseated them again. Same error. Restarted projector twice, same error.

[Ryan Gallagher]

Ok i got the douser fixed. Now it throws the IMB Service Door Tamper code and I cant get it to go away. Tried advanced user mode. Tried clearing it when it comes up says clear/execute and I hit enter and the error comes right back up. I took off the 2 side panels and reseated them again. Same error. Restarted projector twice, same error.

I'm not as familiar with NEC, but I think you have to execute a re-marriage to clear those errors.

We'll see how accurate the google gemini AI search result is:

To clear an NEC Integrated Media Block (IMB) tamper error (such as a logical marriage or service door tamper), power on the projector, clear physical or service door tamper flags via the projector control panel, and execute a security re-marriage using the Digital Cinema Communicator (DCC) software tool. [1, 2]

Steps to Clear an IMB Tamper

• Check physical security: Ensure all projector covers, service doors, and the IMB card cage are tightly closed and secured, as loose screws trip the internal intrusion sensors. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

• Power on the unit: Turn on the projector main unit. Power must be active to clear events in the system software. [1]

• Clear panel tamper flags: Use the projector control panel or keypad to navigate to the service menu, enter your authorized 4-digit service PIN, and clear active service door or general tamper messages. [1, 2]

• Perform re-marriage: Launch the Digital Cinema Communicator (DCC) software connected to the projector, and execute a cryptographic re-marriage or certificate reinstall to restore communication and clear logical marriage tamper codes like error 583. [1, 2, 3]

[Jason Sharp]

I don't think this would require a re-marriage unless you took out the IMB.
Make sure all screws are in place and that you didn't accidentally leave a key in the unlocked position.
Boot up. Log in as the advanced used from the projector itself by holding MENU until it asks for the password.

[Steve Guttag]

Leo...I was only pointing out how one could physically MOVE the douser...not necessarily remove it. I've had people cut the brown or white wire on a Barco (that one can usually see hanging down) to keep the dowser from closing and then push it up and out of the way. On the NEC? Hopefully, just pushing it up will be sufficient.

As to the error...watch out...NEC tamper switches are notably prone to having a bad contact. Also, sometimes you need more than the Advanced PW to clear a tamper.

[Mike Reed]

I don't think this would require a re-marriage unless you took out the IMB.
Make sure all screws are in place and that you didn't accidentally leave a key in the unlocked position.
Boot up. Log in as the advanced used from the projector itself by holding MENU until it asks for the password.

I did all this. It did not clear the door tamper error. I tried to make sure the switches were depressed to make sure they were making contact and that didnt work. My only other thought is one of the 2 switches is somehow faulty. So my time spent fixing the douser created a new problem I cant seem to fix now.