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Author Topic: Sudden DTS-6/D problem. Help sought. Rob J. Buskop Expert Film Handler Posts: 111 From: Rotterdam, the Netherlands Registered: Aug 2005 posted 04-30-2011 03:35 AM                     When I switched the DTS-6/D on last night, the monitor screen that displays it's funtions, gave an unusual,slow performance and stalled at the page that reads "Award Software Inc." Here under it said diskette drive A to D none base memory 640K, extended memory 0 K, cache memory none. DISC BOOT FAILURE, INSERT SYSTEM DISC, AND PRESS ENTER. Last show all was fine and all of a sudden this complete failure occurred. I do have a keyboard connected, but don't have a "system disc". Anyway, something must have given up the ghost when the unit was switched on. A reset did'nt produce any improvement over this situation. Has any of you had a similar experience or know how to solve this problem? Any help would be greatly appreciated!  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 04-30-2011 08:50 AM                     Probably the most common failure in 6D's at this late date that I am seeing are bad power supplies. They are just standard 250 watt AT type power supplies. I would try that first and see if it revives it... Beyond that all you can do is sub parts in fomr another 6D until you find the culprit.  |  IP: Logged Carsten Kurz Film God Posts: 4340 From: Cologne, NRW, Germany Registered: Aug 2009 posted 04-30-2011 10:05 AM                     The 'system disc' on a DTS 6D is a BootRom chip, not a HD. I would think that the BIOS battery is dead and the boot settings have been reset - so the board looks for a standard system disc to boot from instead of the ROM Chip. You should first try to locate and replace the battery, then reconfigure the BIOS settings. I think DTS had a tech-note for proper BIOS settings. - Carsten  |  IP: Logged Rob J. Buskop Expert Film Handler Posts: 111 From: Rotterdam, the Netherlands Registered: Aug 2005 posted 04-30-2011 12:18 PM                     Carsten amd Mark, thanks for your reply. Mark's option was what I had in mind myself, but the battery story also makes a lot of sense. Will pursue that first and then start x-changing cards when I can find them. Battery, hey? Now I have to find it's location! Thanks again for your advice, it's greatly appreciated. Rob.  |  IP: Logged Monte L Fullmer Film God Posts: 8367 From: Nampa, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 04-30-2011 03:48 PM                     The momboards are standard AT boards with the older "sub AA" sized 3.3v battery with leads that are soldered to the board. I've done AA battery mods with old STRONG CPA10 automations with taking two Alkaline AA's, tying them together sideways with POS and NEG ends opposite, then soldering a jumper wire across these ends to get me 3V on the opposite ends where I have soldered leads to so I can attach them to the momboard. Works like a charm. ..and talk about being ghetto ...... lol - Monte  |  IP: Logged Carsten Kurz Film God Posts: 4340 From: Cologne, NRW, Germany Registered: Aug 2009 posted 04-30-2011 04:05 PM                     Note that some batteries are really just batteries that discharge over a couple of years (latter mainboards e.g. have CR2032 button cells). While other boards actually have rechargable NiCd or NiMH cells (usually 2 or 3). Before you connect simple alkaline batteries as a replacement, you should make sure which cells have been used originally - because if they were rechargables, then a low charging current is fed to them when the DTS 6D is running - and Alkaline cells will not like this and might leak or explode after a while, possibly causing severe damage to the mainboard. Replace Alkaline or Lithium only with the same, and rechargables with same type of rechargables. - Carsten  |  IP: Logged Ram Sup Film Handler Posts: 57 From: Malaysia Registered: Mar 2008 posted 05-03-2011 05:02 AM                     "the monitor screen that displays it's funtions, gave an unusual,slow performance" Just like to know on which monitor screen does it show. As i understand on XD10 and 6AD have small screens whereby DTS 6/6D do not have screens. Just curious to learn? RAM.  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 05-03-2011 08:09 AM                     For 6D and 6 you have to install an ISA type video card in order to watch the boot up process on a monitor. Mark  |  IP: Logged Ram Sup Film Handler Posts: 57 From: Malaysia Registered: Mar 2008 posted 05-03-2011 01:28 PM                     Where can we buy ISA type video card. Only from DTS or anywhere?  |  IP: Logged Chris Slycord Film God Posts: 2986 From: 퍼항시, 경상푹도, South Korea Registered: Mar 2007 posted 05-03-2011 01:42 PM                     I see plenty of options for ISA video cards through google's shopping section. I assume you can find ones on ebay as well.  |  IP: Logged Ram Sup Film Handler Posts: 57 From: Malaysia Registered: Mar 2008 posted 05-03-2011 01:47 PM                     Thanks Chris.  |  IP: Logged Rob J. Buskop Expert Film Handler Posts: 111 From: Rotterdam, the Netherlands Registered: Aug 2005 posted 05-13-2011 03:45 PM                     The culprit turned out to be..... the ROMDOS board. Thank you all for your reaction. Greatly appreciated! Now, I'll have to try and find this small ROMDOS board somewhere.  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 05-13-2011 07:25 PM                     You can still buy it but I have a box full of em laying around. I'll be back in the shop in a couple of weeks and could send you one if you can wait that long... Mark  |  IP: Logged Rob J. Buskop Expert Film Handler Posts: 111 From: Rotterdam, the Netherlands Registered: Aug 2005 posted 05-14-2011 08:29 AM                     Mark, I've sent you an Email.  |  IP: Logged

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