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Author Topic: Barco DP2K Lamp not striking Geoff Power Film Handler Posts: 38 From: Pershore, Worcs, UK Registered: Apr 2012 posted 05-19-2014 06:32 AM                    We have a recurrent issue with the lamp failing to strike on our Barco DP2K projector. The lamp is not halfway through its life and we always start from a clean boot-up of server and projector etc, but about 1 time in 3 when the Playlist starts in Doremi it reports an error of lamp failing to start, and often a red light on the back of the Barco. It's usually corrected by manually kick-starting the lamp in Communicator, but sometimes even that needs 2 or 3 tries. We've had a service and software upgrade, but no improvement. The better "fix" is to fire up the lamp manually in Communicator before starting the playlist, but we're a small 'arthouse' cinema with a pool of 12+ volunteer projectionists who don't like manual interventions (some claim they don't work). Any ideas what the problem might be ... and a fix?  |  IP: Logged Carsten Kurz Film God Posts: 4340 From: Cologne, NRW, Germany Registered: Aug 2009 posted 05-19-2014 06:48 AM                     Search the forum, there are quite a few threads on this. Barco has a recent software upgrade that improves the lamp striking. May solve your problem. What type of lamp is installed? - Carsten  |  IP: Logged Gavin Lewarne Master Film Handler Posts: 278 From: Plymouth, UK Registered: Aug 2009 posted 05-19-2014 07:00 AM                     We had this, tried everything Switched from Osram lamps to Ushio, never a problem again Check what brand you have installed and swap it as first step. Pretty sure everyone else will concur with that  |  IP: Logged Dave Macaulay Film God Posts: 2321 From: Toronto, Canada Registered: Apr 2001 posted 05-19-2014 07:01 AM                     What projector model? What lamp model? On the "B" projectors the SPG cover was causing strike failures and should be removed. If you take off the left side cover (the main black plastic cover) you should see the SPG (igniter) out in the open mounted near the back. If you see a metal cover hiding it, remove that. On "C" models that is not a problem. Lamp striking has been an issue with them though. Barco changed the lamp start routine in a software update - make sure you have the latest version (1.11.133 currently). I can't see automatcally blaming your projector for lamp strike failures if you have the cover off (B), current software, and sufficient exhaust flow. I would consider a lamp problem, and try a new lamp. Some lamps don't make it through warranty hours. Make a warranty claim on the lamp if it refuses to strike. Some Film-Tech regulars working with hundreds of projectors strongly favor Ushio lamps. If you're having this trouble with an Osram lamp ... it isn't too surprising. You can revise your server and projector macros to ask for multiple lamp strikes. They should be about 5 seconds apart. Add a lamp start as line 1 in each projector macro then add a lamp on command at the end of your server startup macros. Lamp on commands don't cause any problems - or do anything at all - if the lamp is actually on already.  |  IP: Logged Geoff Power Film Handler Posts: 38 From: Pershore, Worcs, UK Registered: Apr 2012 posted 05-19-2014 07:59 AM                    Many thanks for these invaluable comments (and yes, I normally do a forum search before posting - apologies!). Our projector model is 2K15C, and the support engineers did a software upgrade mid March - we can check if we now have v 1.11.133 and the make of lamp. Hopefully there's an answer here  |  IP: Logged Tim Sherman Expert Film Handler Posts: 125 From: North Ridgeville, OH, USA Registered: Aug 2000 posted 05-19-2014 09:52 AM                        This is happening with the Ushio lamps as well. Most Drive-Ins are running the DP2k-32B. The comment about removing the SPG metal cover is correct. The B series that have come out in the past couple of years don't include that cover, but the older ones did. The software updates have helped, but not completely eliminated the problem. When you have the repeated lamp strike issues the bulb needs to be replaced. There is physical damage on the bulb that you can see. Usually a dark spot on the lamp envelope. Not the entire surface, just a spot. So far I hear that the bulb manufacturers have been good about warranty.  |  IP: Logged Steve Guttag We forgot the crackers Gromit!!! Posts: 12814 From: Annapolis, MD Registered: Dec 1999 posted 05-19-2014 10:28 AM                     The only Ushio lamp I've heard of with any issue on longevity is the DXL-60BA2/L. We have not personally had this issue but I've heard it enough to believe that there could be something there...perhaps a bad batch that we missed. Osrams...they are ALL junk.  |  IP: Logged Geoff Power Film Handler Posts: 38 From: Pershore, Worcs, UK Registered: Apr 2012 posted 05-19-2014 11:37 AM                    Have confirmed we have v 1.11.133 software and the make of lamps is a Phillips, which has done 943 hours from 489 strikes and is showing as having 557 hours of life left. Our spare is no doubt Phillips too, but maybe worth changing anyway.  |  IP: Logged Steve Guttag We forgot the crackers Gromit!!! Posts: 12814 From: Annapolis, MD Registered: Dec 1999 posted 05-19-2014 12:19 PM                     It is definitely worth adding a couple more lamp-strike cues to your automation or perhaps to the projector preset.  |  IP: Logged Pete Naples Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1565 From: Dunfermline, Scotland Registered: Feb 2001 posted 05-19-2014 04:21 PM                     Yup, we've seen this for a long time with Osram, now seeing it with Ushio, Phillips and Christie lamps too. Perhaps the industry needs to move back to a T&R/Irem N3/Strong switcher with a good old fashioned Irem/Kinoton/Strong ignitor! FYI we do not see the same ignition problem in Kinoton DLPs, regardless of the lamp brand. The few ignition issues we have seen in the Kinotons have had another bona fide cause. IE the sort of things you'd expect to cause ignition problems, rather than just a crap lamp.  |  IP: Logged Steve Guttag We forgot the crackers Gromit!!! Posts: 12814 From: Annapolis, MD Registered: Dec 1999 posted 05-19-2014 04:27 PM                     The Barco ignition is definitely a little too persnickety. That is for sure. But it does not excuse Osram for making a crap lamp...and they do. I see Osrams "flame out" and don't see that from the others (or at least not Ushio). Perhaps if Barco made igniters rather than Spark Gap Generators they would work better.  |  IP: Logged Tim Sherman Expert Film Handler Posts: 125 From: North Ridgeville, OH, USA Registered: Aug 2000 posted 05-19-2014 05:30 PM                        Most of the lamp strike issues in the Drive-in space have been with the DXL-65BA2. It also seems to have no connection to running at max or min power or CLO mode.  |  IP: Logged Adam Sherwood Film Handler Posts: 20 From: Wicklow, Eire ,Eire, Ireland Registered: Jul 2013 posted 05-19-2014 05:31 PM                        hi.. i had the same problem with the same model. dp 2k 15c. about half way tru its life the tech guys did an update which they said would help the ignition. actually managed to get this justup to 2250 hrs if i rember right.. yeah manually striking fixed it most of the time. at the time we had doremi running itself now we have a tms, and the lamps in all screens are set to stay on if gap between shows is 30m. this solved a big part of the lamp strike. esp on first show now after first lamp start its rare if ever had a problem with the lamp.. and at the time i had osrams in, now we have moved to ushio and are on our last few of them, have had so many problems with osram lamps, i currently have 4 in play 2k with 2200 hours, every few days one wont start but after geting it on the lamp runs fine and no power jumping and screen b is fine. due to change them soon . puting in ushio 2k. ... back to ur originally post u might try getting ur tech person to put in a setting that keep's th lamp on if the gap is only 20 mins or so this wil stop u having lamp striking issues between shows.. . ive found the ignition seems differnt on the barco dp 2k 23 b.. it seems to have a more powerfull start when striking.  |  IP: Logged Monte L Fullmer Film God Posts: 8367 From: Nampa, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 05-19-2014 11:24 PM                     I have two, 15C's with DXL-20BAF/L bulbs in them with over 2400hrs with no issues. These "L" bulbs allow more warranty hours, where these bulbs mentioned above are warranted at 3200hrs. How are the exhaust situations in all of these issues mentioned? I'm having a slight issue with one 32B when the 65BA2 bulb gets close to 400hrs where I have to strike it manually on occasion when it fails on the initial strike from the cue and I get the 'lamp ignition failure' message. I even took it out of CLO so I can adjust the amperage since I know that every large strike, it blows a small bit of tungsten off the end of the anode. I also do keep an eye on the strike count along with hours. Exhaust is adequate, but still wondering if I need to get a booster fan mounted on top to really pull the heat out of these 'big bad boys'.  |  IP: Logged Paul Maxon Film Handler Posts: 17 From: Minden, NE/ Unites States Registered: Apr 2011 posted 05-20-2014 02:32 AM                     This seems to be a normal problem with Barco projectors. I was using OSRAM bulbs since they were the ones that came installed. Those didn't last but I just thought it may have been because they came shipped in the projectors from a very long way away. Nope, the brand new ones also failed at similar hours. I used a total of 17 or 18 of them(8 of which were included in the projectors) and only ONE of them made it to warranty hours. Switched to USHIO After the latest barco update the striking is much more reliable, but that doesn't help when the crappy lamp goes out during the show. All the houses now have USHIO lamps in them and I have one that is starting to miss strikes now, but is stable once lit. But it is the 3D house so the lamp power is changed when the format is changed, so that could have something to do with it. I just redid all of my automation since we got a new advertising system installed, so I added an extra lamp on command. Nothing like a OSRAM going out 20% into its life during the "Let it Go" scene of FROZEN with a sold out 200 seat house. That was the point I gave up thinking I was doing something wrong. Just thought I'd share my story.  |  IP: Logged

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