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Author Topic: dts problems again - this time with "Seabiscuit" Michael Schaffer "Where is the Boardwalk Hotel?" Posts: 4143 From: Boston, MA Registered: Apr 2002 posted 07-26-2003 03:54 AM                        Interestingly, the timecode dropouts only occur during the louder scenes, but then with a telling regularity. Also, we played a second house (both prints from Technicolor) which had no dropouts. The dts system which dropped out played "Pirates" without the timecode even flickering. So obviously, we have a badly printed analog track which reaches into the dts timecode area (>>> dropouts only during louder scenes). On the other hand, it doesn't sem so bad that it affects all dts readers, only the ones which seem a little off (I am saying only a little since the same reader had no problem with other prints recently). Which reminds me again that we are given no means to check the optical alignment. Yes, I did check and adjust the intensity to 4VDC, and I did reposition the black auxilliary roller closer to the central roller. No, I did not try the toilet paper trick. Film tension is not the problem here, as indicated by the system only dropping out during loud scenes.  |  IP: Logged Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 07-26-2003 04:19 AM                     Flip your two prints and see if the "defective" print plays ok in the "good" house. I'll bet if you have the newer readers that the problem will remain with the reader, not the print. Remember, the odds that you happened to get 8 defective reels is pretty much not a possibility since they are all printed at separate times. I would tend to think that one particular reader just happenes to be slightly off center alignment toward the analog soundtrack...not enough for most movies to drop out, but perhaps for this one particular one. If your warranty has ran out, I would remove the sticker and make a small adjustment. Just make yourself a note as to the original position of the lateral adjustment screw is before you play with it. You shouldn't have to turn it more than 90 degrees either way. I'm betting it won't even take half of that amount to fix your problem. Again, just make sure your warranty is out before you pull that sticker. If your warranty is still valid, return the reader for replacement if you can verify that print plays fine in another dts house.  |  IP: Logged Michael Schaffer "Where is the Boardwalk Hotel?" Posts: 4143 From: Boston, MA Registered: Apr 2002 posted 07-26-2003 06:51 AM                        The readers were made in June 2001. I flipped the readers rather than the prints (lazy me) and the problem did stay with the reader. Since I had no more time for extensive testing, I finally took the reader out of a third screen where "Pirates" is now playing, and the slightly off reader followed that movie. When I have more time, I will take a look at the lateral adjustment - or, how long is the warranty? Why can`t we have an alignment film!?! Obviously a lot of the recently described problems ("Bruce A.", "Hulk") were similar borderline problems where some systems worked, some didn`t.  |  IP: Logged Bruce Hansen Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 847 From: Stone Mountain, GA, USA Registered: Dec 1999 posted 07-26-2003 12:16 PM                     Can you put a scope on the time code output of the reader (I believe it is pin 1 on the 9 pin D connector) and then play some of the loud passages in the film, and adjust the reader for max time code with little or no audio?  |  IP: Logged Darryl Spicer Film God Posts: 3250 From: Lexington, KY, USA Registered: Dec 2000 posted 07-26-2003 12:25 PM                    whats loud passages really have to do with anything other than the fact that the analog track is at its widest point possably interfering with the readers ability to read the code. Other wise the code is just that a time sync code. My bet is that the reader is either out of alighnment of the led needs the brightness incressed on it.  |  IP: Logged Mike Olpin Chop Chop! Posts: 1852 From: Dallas, TX Registered: Jan 2002 posted 07-26-2003 12:28 PM                     Anyone else noticing a pattern? Hulk - Bruce Almighty - Seabiscuit... All Universal.  |  IP: Logged Michael Schaffer "Where is the Boardwalk Hotel?" Posts: 4143 From: Boston, MA Registered: Apr 2002 posted 07-26-2003 04:12 PM                        quote: whats loud passages really have to do with anything other than the fact that the analog track is at its widest point possably interfering with the readers ability to read the code. Other wise the code is just that a time sync code. My bet is that the reader is either out of alighnment of the led needs the brightness incressed on it. Oh, really? That is exactly what I wrote. quote: Can you put a scope on the time code output of the reader (I believe it is pin 1 on the 9 pin D connector) and then play some of the loud passages in the film, and adjust the reader for max time code with little or no audio? That is an interesting idea. Of course you cannot take the connector off as the timecode reader is also powered by it. But with a little adapter that should be no problem.  |  IP: Logged Bruce Hansen Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 847 From: Stone Mountain, GA, USA Registered: Dec 1999 posted 07-26-2003 05:17 PM                     You could take the shell off the connector, and that should expose the connections. Just be carefull not to short two (or more) connections together.  |  IP: Logged Christopher Seo Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 530 From: Los Angeles, CA Registered: Jun 99 posted 07-26-2003 09:36 PM                     Along similar lines, perhaps running Cat. 97 and/or Buzz Track through all DTS readers would generate some useful comparative data.  |  IP: Logged Michael Schaffer "Where is the Boardwalk Hotel?" Posts: 4143 From: Boston, MA Registered: Apr 2002 posted 07-26-2003 10:20 PM                        These films only have 50% modulation, so they wouldn`t reproduce the problem.  |  IP: Logged Gordon McLeod Film God Posts: 9532 From: Toronto Ontario Canada Registered: Jun 99 posted 07-28-2003 06:26 PM                     Cat 97 is 100% modulation  |  IP: Logged Michael Schaffer "Where is the Boardwalk Hotel?" Posts: 4143 From: Boston, MA Registered: Apr 2002 posted 07-29-2003 12:48 AM                        Sorry.  |  IP: Logged Scott Manley Film Handler Posts: 59 From: Austin, TX USA Registered: May 2001 posted 07-29-2003 08:08 PM                     We have noticed a problem with the readers maintaining the correct voltage. We installed some new ones last Oct. and we are already having to adjust them to get them to 4 volts. One has maxed out already at 4V.  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 07-29-2003 08:29 PM                     Actually I had a problem with Seabiscut today as well, but a call to DTS conformed no bad disks as of yet. The player at this site is brand new and for those that ahve not been inside a late model DTS 6D there have been drastic changes made to it. Totally new computer board, and power supply that are ATX, and a brand new DSP based A to D convertor section. This pup is under warranty so it'll just get swapped out tommrrow. Mark @ CLACO  |  IP: Logged

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