Help bringing a DTS XD10 to "current" software?

[Ryan Gallagher]

I'm now the caretaker of the Paramount Austin booth, and our DTS XD10 is unfortunately stuck at Loader v1.04 (444A) and Software v101.17 (Apr 7 2005).

I'd really love to use the USB media loading features that were introduced in later versions, and get the booth more "setup" for the rare need for 35mm DTS, but the house reports when they tried to install 2.x versions before my tenure it never recognized or started the update.

I'm wondering if anyone knows the version sequence to get there, perhaps you can't go directly from 101.17 to 2.x generations? But maybe the 2.0.0.43 disc-only upgrade hosted on film-tech is the golden ticket?

We've historically ignored DTS for everything except the rare 70mm engagement, but recently we had a 35mm booked, "Hackers" (1995)" where the only digital audio is "DTS Stereo" (I assume matrixed multi-channel), the alternative being the 4chan Dolby A-type. While we've elected not to break anything just as the summer series starts, I'd like to endeavor to get the XD10 updated for situations like this in the future after this series ends, get our readers fully checked out, and proceed to split hairs over the best possible presentations. ;-)

Thoughts and advice?
Cheers,
Ryan Gallagher

[Kyle Mikolajczyk]

If you poke around the old forums/google you should be able to fine a copy of the update/operating system. There is some good documentation, although I don't have time atm to pull the links up

[Ryan Gallagher]

If you poke around the old forums/google you should be able to fine a copy of the update/operating system. There is some good documentation, although I don't have time atm to pull the links up

Yeah thanks. I have found the .43 and 2.2.6 images etc, the instructions for the .43 include a “save config disc” and explicit instructions for going from 1.17, so that feels like the best place to start.

Just waiting for sone DVD-Rs to arrive in the mail. lol

[Mark Gulbrandsen]

Contact DTS directly, they are still around. They will send you the latest software updates for the XD-10.

[Blaine Young]

I'm now the caretaker of the Paramount Austin booth, and our DTS XD10 is unfortunately stuck at Loader v1.04 (444A) and Software v101.17 (Apr 7 2005).

I'd really love to use the USB media loading features that were introduced in later versions, and get the booth more "setup" for the rare need for 35mm DTS, but the house reports when they tried to install 2.x versions before my tenure it never recognized or started the update.

I'm wondering if anyone knows the version sequence to get there, perhaps you can't go directly from 101.17 to 2.x generations? But maybe the 2.0.0.43 disc-only upgrade hosted on film-tech is the golden ticket?

We've historically ignored DTS for everything except the rare 70mm engagement, but recently we had a 35mm booked, "Hackers" (1995)" where the only digital audio is "DTS Stereo" (I assume matrixed multi-channel), the alternative being the 4chan Dolby A-type. While we've elected not to break anything just as the summer series starts, I'd like to endeavor to get the XD10 updated for situations like this in the future after this series ends, get our readers fully checked out, and proceed to split hairs over the best possible presentations. ;-)

Thoughts and advice?
Cheers,
Ryan Gallagher

The 2.2.06 DVD will wipe the contents of the drive and rebuild fresh. You don't have to 'step' through any version sequencing. Of course, you will lose your contents... If you are licensed for anything other than audio (like pre-show video or CSS), you need to copy the configuration to a USB drive (and install it again after reloading) to retain your license.

[Ryan Gallagher]

The 2.2.06 DVD will wipe the contents of the drive and rebuild fresh. You don't have to 'step' through any version sequencing. Of course, you will lose your contents... If you are licensed for anything other than audio (like pre-show video or CSS), you need to copy the configuration to a USB drive (and install it again after reloading) to retain your license.

Thanks. Aware of that nuance after i started reading install docs. The .43 version came with a config save boot disc, as no usb function was enabled in 1x i may attempt .43 first, as i did not see an equivalent save-config disc with the 2.0.06 archive on film-tech.

Contacting DTS first is probably the way though.
Will update again if/when we move to the next step.

In the meantime, if i’m authoring a downloaded DTS soundtrack to disc for ingesting into 1.x, what does it expect?

I tried a DVD-R with a film DTS folder and DTS.exe and TMPCD.lst, but windows made it a UDF file system. The XD-10 did not seem to read that. The soundtrack was a hair too large for a 700mb CDR.

[Blaine Young]

Sounds like you have the structure correct, but discs need to be ISO 9660.

[Marco Giustini]

Correct me if I am mistaken but there is really very little configuration on an XD10, particularly if you don't have the subtitle projector. Output levels should be set to 0dB or measured with a multimeter.
The XD10 is a Linux PC, it can be diagnosed as such. If you plug a VGA monitor at the back, you can see what's happening. Some of those motherboards suffer the capacitor plague, check for swollen ones. The HDD could also be dead or not in great shape.

I would go for a full re-install unless you really need the content currently on the unit. If there is a license - such as a subtitle licence - DTS will send you a replacement to ingest if you contact them.

[Kyle Mikolajczyk]

Totally agree with Marco about the HDDs, those old IDE drives are struggling these days. We got a new HDD when we upgraded the firmware, I would recommend the same. Plus, if something goes wrong you can just put the old HDD back and you have restored the XD10 to exactly the way it was before

[Ryan Gallagher]

Thanks for the thoughts all. I knew it was linux under the hood but I hadn't thought to plug in a display for console monitoring. Will def do that.
Maybe we'll do our dry run "upgrade" to a new HDD too, that sounds like wise move.

I'm reading DVDRs can be ISO9660 too (but windows natively doesn't, only with burner software), so I'll try one of those first before resorting to buying some 90min/800mb CDRs.

We have no extra licenses/features on this XD10, but is there a "base" license that has to transfer too? Or is a clean install "functional" out of the box?

Thanks.

[David Ferguson]

The DVD isn’t the problem, as others have said you need to ensure it is ISO9660 when burning. This is sometimes called “DOS compatibility” in burning software.
I use DVDs for all my DTS discs as it saves space, and never had an issue.

[Ryan Gallagher]

The DVD isn’t the problem, as others have said you need to ensure it is ISO9660 when burning. This is sometimes called “DOS compatibility” in burning software.
I use DVDs for all my DTS discs as it saves space, and never had an issue.

So I did make an ISO9660 DVD-R yesterday, same folder structure. Neither bay was able to read it. Is there a chance this generation of DVDROM readers only accepted DVD+R discs?
It reads some DTS trailer discs we have handy just fine.

Hmm.

[Brad Miller]

Ryan, is this the file you downloaded? (This is the latest software installer.)

• DTS XD10/XD20 v2.2.06 software INSTALL disc (Zip file with ISO image and notes) (1542 MB - ZIP)

Did you UNZIP the iso file inside to your desktop? From there you should be able to double click the now-unzipped iso file that is on your desktop and it should bring up your DVD burning program. Use a blank DVD-R and let it burn.

[Ryan Gallagher]

Ryan, is this the file you downloaded? (This is the latest software installer.)

• DTS XD10/XD20 v2.2.06 software INSTALL disc (Zip file with ISO image and notes) (1542 MB - ZIP)

Did you UNZIP the iso file inside to your desktop? From there you should be able to double click the now-unzipped iso file that is on your desktop and it should bring up your DVD burning program. Use a blank DVD-R and let it burn.

Sorry Brad, thread is touching on two tasks. My testing is just with the "Hackers" DTS soundtrack files. I have not ventured into the system upgrading yet.
I used ImgBurn to make the ISO9660 DVD(minus)R with basically the default settings. No love in the XD10.

I have some DVD(plus)R discs on order now, but I expect it was something about the way it was burned, and not the plus vs minus disc types.
Ryan

[Michael Zarits]

DVD-R and +R only matters for burning. Once they are burned all discs are the same regardless of +R or -R.
Is the player immediately ejecting the disc when trying to read? Root dir contains DTS.EXE and DTS folder only?