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Author Topic: Dolby CP650 sudden instability Christian Hove Film Handler Posts: 41 From: Aalborg, Aalborg, Denmark Registered: Jan 2012 posted 02-17-2014 05:06 PM                     Hi, We have a auditorium with a Dolby CP650 that has been running in the current setup flawlessly for almost a year, but now during the last week it has become unstable, causing me great grief. The following problems occur sporadically: - Digital audio stops working - Remote control stops working - Strange characters in the display When the digital audio stops working, it acts as if the audio from the S/PDIF inputs is not received. This have happened during a show where the audio suddenly disappeared. Manually changing audio format to something else and back again, brought the audio back. When the remote control stops working, the CP650 ignores the commands sent over ethernet for changing format etc. Power cycling the CP650 made it work again. I have taken a photo of the display showing strange characters: CP650 strange characters The second line of the display normally shows something like "6-Channel PCM". I'm not sure if the " ' " in the end of the third line ought to be there. Has anyone experienced anything similar or know what to do about it? We are a small cinema with very limited financial resources, so just buying another CP650 is not appealing to us. Christian  |  IP: Logged Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 02-17-2014 05:47 PM                     Please use the forum's image upload and upload that picture to this discussion. Linking to an off-site picture like this is is against the forum rules because it destroys the archives for future people researching. When you go to edit or make a new post/reply the link to upload an image is right there by the text input box.  |  IP: Logged Christian Hove Film Handler Posts: 41 From: Aalborg, Aalborg, Denmark Registered: Jan 2012 posted 02-17-2014 06:13 PM                     Okay, it seems that I cannot edit the first post anymore: "Sorry, the time limit for editing your post has expired" Here is the photo:  |  IP: Logged Dave Macaulay Film God Posts: 2321 From: Toronto, Canada Registered: Apr 2001 posted 02-19-2014 10:20 AM                     First step for me would be to power it down, remove the front panel (one screw under the door), then remove the inside front panel (MANY screws), then reseat the boards plus the daughter boards. If this doesn't fix it, I would reflash the firmware. After that it's a job for Dolby I think. I don't know if they still offer exchange service for 650s - probably not?  |  IP: Logged Pete Naples Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1565 From: Dunfermline, Scotland Registered: Feb 2001 posted 02-19-2014 10:53 AM                     It's be worth looking at the PSU rails. PSU has long been Dolby's Achilles heel, and the 650 is no different. 650 is still a current product, but I think exchange service in only in warranty.  |  IP: Logged Marco Giustini Film God Posts: 2713 From: Reading, UK Registered: Nov 2007 posted 02-19-2014 02:47 PM                     I vote for the PSU as well  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 02-19-2014 04:38 PM                     Check for black crud leaking from the end of the electrolytic capacitors. About three years ago I had a whole bunch of 650 supplies fail within a few months of each other. Every one of them had crud leaking from the end of the caps. They can be rebuilt in the field quite easily if thats the case. Mark  |  IP: Logged Christian Hove Film Handler Posts: 41 From: Aalborg, Aalborg, Denmark Registered: Jan 2012 posted 02-26-2014 07:35 AM                     Thanks for all your input. Based upon your responses I have contacted a local company to borrow a used PSU for the CP650 to test with. I hope that I will have some progress on this issue soon...  |  IP: Logged Jim Cassedy Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1661 From: San Francisco, CA Registered: Dec 2006 posted 02-26-2014 09:32 AM                     quote: Mark Gulbrandsen About three years ago I had a whole bunch of 650 supplies fail within a few months of each other. Every one of them had crud leaking from the end of the caps I had EXACTLY the same experience. A bunch of "650" PS fails within weeks of each other. Just FYI: Probably a victim of "the great capacitor plague" of 2002. ('google it') Hundreds of thousands, if not millions,of capacitors with a bad electolyte formula were manufactured and found their way into power supplies and products of many well known companies including Dell, HP, IBM, etc. I've replaced 'plagued' caps in at least half a dozen SHARP flat screen TV's owned by various friends & associates. Also in a few computer power supplies. (Sharp eventually acknowledged the problem and issued a recall. Also there are a wholebuncha articles & you-tube videos online on how to replace them yourself) Although the problem seems to have subsided, there are still who-knows-how-many bad caps in power supplies that haven't failed yet or that are sitting on shelves in warehouses yet to be sold.  |  IP: Logged Christian Hove Film Handler Posts: 41 From: Aalborg, Aalborg, Denmark Registered: Jan 2012 posted 03-17-2014 06:59 AM                     Update: I have swapped out the PSU with another used one - Unfortunately the display still show strange characters. Subsequently I have cleaned the four flat cable connectors to the front panel board - Still odd characters.  |  IP: Logged Marco Giustini Film God Posts: 2713 From: Reading, UK Registered: Nov 2007 posted 03-18-2014 01:55 PM                     Did you try sending the software again? Maybe a newer one?  |  IP: Logged

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