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Author Topic: Movies wont stay in EX Frank Dubrois Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 896 From: Cleveland, OH Registered: Mar 2005 posted 04-18-2005 11:22 PM                    This has been going on for a while now...so I know its not the print. When we get an EX film in, we put it in out EX house, however I have been noticing that it doesn't always stay in EX. Maybe I'm not reading it right, but there are 2 Dolby Digital selections on the menu, one seems to engage EX, while the other is standard digital. Sometimes halfway through the feature, it switches. Sometimes it never even starts in EX and has to be manually switched. Anyone have any ideas about this?  |  IP: Logged Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 04-18-2005 11:51 PM                     What processor are you using. Also, are you aware that not all movies are recorded in EX?  |  IP: Logged Bobby Henderson "Ask me about Trajan." Posts: 10973 From: Lawton, OK, USA Registered: Apr 2001 posted 04-19-2005 12:13 AM                     To go a bit further, most movies (perhaps 90% - 95% or more) are not recorded for EX. I've even seen occaisions where films were released theatrically non-EX, but then get the EX or even DTS 6.1 treatment on DVD.  |  IP: Logged Monte L Fullmer Film God Posts: 8367 From: Nampa, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 04-19-2005 12:30 AM                     Also, would you know if the EX software for the processor had corrupted, to where it needs to be reinstalled? Happened to us at one theatre -Monte  |  IP: Logged Frank Dubrois Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 896 From: Cleveland, OH Registered: Mar 2005 posted 04-19-2005 12:33 AM                    I couldnt tell you what the EX processor model is, but we use the CP500 Dolby processors. I know most movies arent in EX, but a couple we have had were (cant remember the titles) but even when a movie apparently isnt in EX, occasionally the EX leds will come on as if its being presented in EX. No idea whats going on here...  |  IP: Logged Monte L Fullmer Film God Posts: 8367 From: Nampa, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 04-19-2005 12:40 AM                     What version of software is in that CP-500? When you turn on the unit, the display will show the version number, or hit menu then 'about the 500' and this will show the version number. If it's old, like 1.2x then the software needs to be upgraded. BUT, there is a software like 1.62, or something, then this version is buggy and will have problems with EX software. Unfort, I've heard that there is no fix on this version, being the last version before the 650's came out. thx-Monte  |  IP: Logged Frank Angel Film God Posts: 5305 From: Brooklyn NY USA Registered: Dec 1999 posted 04-19-2005 04:49 AM                        Does EX matrix out FOUR channels from the two rear channels, like the old quad matrixes did (circa mid 70s), or does it extract a single rear channel, as per what Dolby's analog does? Does this rely on phase orientation to extract audio, wouldn't you be able to leave it on all the time and there would ALWAYS be some out-of-phase ambience audio making its way to the matrixed rear channels, just like an matrixed scheme does (I hooked up quad decoders in my first apartment system and never shut if off....no matter what the program material, there was always some out of phase ambience that came through the surrounds. It was always 360. Would this be the case with EX?  |  IP: Logged Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 04-19-2005 04:53 AM                     EX essentially does what Pro-Logic does from a LR source to create LCR. Yes you could leave it in all the time, but often a 5.1 mix is more "monoish" in the surrounds than stereo. In that instance all of the sound gets steered into the rear wall, which is distracting.  |  IP: Logged Frank Dubrois Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 896 From: Cleveland, OH Registered: Mar 2005 posted 04-19-2005 05:04 AM                    Well, I noticed something strange as well. We run Pepsi ads which at BEST would be in digital, however, the EX lights dance around like crazy when the Pepsi ads run..also with some trailers. Does this mean we may have a problem with the software or processer or is this normal?  |  IP: Logged Steve Guttag We forgot the crackers Gromit!!! Posts: 12814 From: Annapolis, MD Registered: Dec 1999 posted 04-19-2005 08:37 AM                     The latest CP500 firmware for EX is version 1.65EX...it is supposed to have the bug fixes for the VERY buggy version 1.61EX. Version 1.61 is very bad voo-doo stay away unless you want your processor to only switch to Non-Sync on chance, or perhaps dump its programming and lower all levels, including optical preamp to zero. The best firmware I've personally used at length is 1.31 but it will not work with an SA-10 or other EX box since the later firmwares echo the format changes back to the automation connector (essential for the SA-10 or other EX box to see when the internal Dolby Digital decoder dropped to analog or had digital selected. I believe the oldest firmware that will work with EX is 1.51 I have exactly one theatre running on version 1.65EX and have heard no complaints.  |  IP: Logged Bobby Henderson "Ask me about Trajan." Posts: 10973 From: Lawton, OK, USA Registered: Apr 2001 posted 04-19-2005 11:11 AM                     quote: Brad Miller Yes you could leave it in all the time, but often a 5.1 mix is more "monoish" in the surrounds than stereo. In that instance all of the sound gets steered into the rear wall, which is distracting. Very distracting indeed. I think this is more of problem in home setups than what one encounters in a commercial theater since just about every modern mix is true 5.1. Some home users insist on manually activating EX for everything. The problem is a good number of catalog DVDs are actually 4.1 instead of 5.1. The box may say DD 5.1, but with movies like "The Abyss" the mono surround channel is recorded identically across both LS and RS channels. The EX circuit pulls all that identical audio to the back wall, making for an oddly hollow and empty surround effect.  |  IP: Logged System Notices Forum Watchdog / Soup Nazi Posts: 215 Registered: Apr 2004 posted 09-01-2006 09:41 AM                 It has been 499 days since the last post.  |  IP: Logged Ken Lackner Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1907 From: Atlanta, GA, USA Registered: Sep 2001 posted 09-01-2006 09:41 AM                     So if I understand correctly, when you play a film in EX that does not have the EX channel, there is the possibility that all surround information will come from the rear surrounds only? I have a theater that had an EX system (CP650EX) installed a year or two ago (before I serviced the theater) and they have always played every film in EX. One of the managers said they were told they have to play it in EX because if they play in Format 10 there will be no rear surrounds. (I know that's NOT true and I wonder where that idea came from.)  |  IP: Logged Steve Scott Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1300 From: Minneapolis, MN Registered: Sep 2000 posted 09-01-2006 11:37 AM                     In the SA-10 manual, it suggests just that, Ken. Especially in analog surround formats. I remember this very pronounced effect during the Episode One trailers. Another reason for mono trailers  |  IP: Logged Ken Lackner Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1907 From: Atlanta, GA, USA Registered: Sep 2001 posted 09-01-2006 12:13 PM                     quote: Steve Scott In the SA-10 manual, it suggests just that, Ken I'm sorry, it suggests just what? That you always play in EX, or that you do NOT play in EX unless the print is EX?  |  IP: Logged

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