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Topic: DTS problem

Tom Kroening
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 214
From: Janesville, WI USA
Registered: Oct 1999

posted 03-18-2001 11:51 PM

Hey, if the dimmer isn't enough trouble, we also have a DTS problem. I ran the movie through tonight to see if i could fix it. From what i can tell, the dts is reading the timecode because the green light is on (this is the older style (disk drive unit.. was installed in 1994. When the ultrastereo processor is in digital no sound comes out, but in analog it works great. All the connections are tight, all the plugs are in. Does anyone have an idea of what the problem might be? We have a DTS unit that we arent using if we need to swap it...

Randy Stankey
Film God

Posts: 6539
From: Erie, Pennsylvania
Registered: Jun 99

posted 03-19-2001 01:46 AM

I just got a company e-mail from one of my theatres on just this exact same subject.

What print is it? Maybe this is one of thoes rare disks that doesn't read properly?

Darryl Spicer
Film God

Posts: 3250
From: Lexington, KY, USA
Registered: Dec 2000

posted 03-19-2001 02:04 AM

Has it ever been upgraded. There is a firmware chip inside that may be outdated causing some disks not to read properly. Is it two disks or one disk? If two see if the A disk will load by itself. Try this in both drives. Also try shutting unit off for 30 secs to get a clean boot then insert the disks. To be honest all these older units need to be updated to the latest chips and disk drives. Age is killing them.

Tom Kroening
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 214
From: Janesville, WI USA
Registered: Oct 1999

posted 03-19-2001 02:08 AM

Nope, its never been upgraded to my knowledge. Its the two drive unit. I believe something in the unit itself is faulty because the last time it was used was with stigmata and it would output loud static after a good 20 minutes of use. I just tried to get it working again the past few weeks and no matter what print is in there she wont work. Swapped out all the processor cards and it still made no difference. The weird thing is that the green light is on.. so theoretically it should be outputting something.

Darryl Spicer
Film God

Posts: 3250
From: Lexington, KY, USA
Registered: Dec 2000

posted 03-19-2001 02:28 AM

Sounds like you need to send the unit in for servicing and upgrade. Karen Hultgren of DTS may be able to assist you. She visits the forums. You may find her email address on the site to get in touch with her.

Antonio Marcheselli
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1260
From: Florence, Italy
Registered: Mar 2000

posted 03-19-2001 06:32 AM

Tom,

If green "digital" led is lighted and there is no sound so the unit has some problem!!!
I can only suggest to check the cable from DTS6 to your CP and CP input.
I have an old DTS6 but has been repaired recently. New teac drives are fantastic, no comparisons with older toshiba 4x of course. But I didn't had any problems with older toshiba and older TCR (when they decided to work: but one CD drive had some mechanical problem).
It also sound strange to me that you swapped all cards from another dts6 and you still have problems.
I suggest to have your DTS6 rebuilded with new drives but in the meantime you could upgrade TCR chip to see if something changes. Ask to Karen for a new one. What version do you have now?

Bye
Antonio

Gordon McLeod
Film God

Posts: 9532
From: Toronto Ontario Canada
Registered: Jun 99

posted 03-19-2001 07:25 AM

You mentioned swapping processor cards
Did you swap the format card with another one in the complex
The USL format cards are their weakest link

Tom Kroening
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 214
From: Janesville, WI USA
Registered: Oct 1999

posted 03-19-2001 02:01 PM

Format card meaning the card with the format selector buttons and the fader? If so yes we swapped that baby out with no change.

Darryl Spicer
Film God

Posts: 3250
From: Lexington, KY, USA
Registered: Dec 2000

posted 03-19-2001 06:15 PM

Tom,

On the dts unit does the system light blink and do the other three lights come on when the proper timecode is being read. If so and there is still no sound there could be a problem with one of the boards in the unit. You say you have another dts unit that you can swap it with have you tried this yet. If not try doing this and see if it works properly with the same conections that you use with the other unit. If it works fine with the other conections then the problem lies somewhere in the other dts unit. If it gives you the same problems then the problem may be with the ribbon cables or connections. All you may need are new connections. My feeling is is that something is wrong on one of the boards.

Tom Kroening
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 214
From: Janesville, WI USA
Registered: Oct 1999

posted 03-19-2001 06:50 PM

Great.. i will certainly try this as soon as possible. One other concern is that the DTS unit i will be taking also makes the connection between the dolby digital deoder and the processor... Is there anywhere i can get one of those ribbon cables to connect the DA20 tothe cp65 directly?

Karen Hultgren
Master Film Handler

Posts: 492
From: Agoura Hills, CA, USA
Registered: Mar 2000

posted 03-19-2001 08:12 PM

Tom,

You should get yourself a DTS Empirical Test disc and measure the DTS outputs. Unplug the DTS from the US and connect a volt meter directly to the DTS outputs - you can connect to the audio breakout card. Insert the disc, dial up the 1kHz tone (BE SURE TO WRITE DOWN THE OFFSET FIRST), and you should measure about 250 to 300 mV RMS. The 1kHz tone is program #36 on the Empirical Test disc, it appears on all channel except subwoofer. The output level depends on the setting of the level trim pots behind the front panel.

After the test is done, return the offset setting to it's proper setting (the one you wrote down).

If there is no output from the DTS unit, it should come in for repair. If you do see output, the US has a problem.

Karen at DTS
khultgren@dtsonline.com

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