Some SRD titles showing "reverted" (but not all titles?)

[Ryan Gallagher]

Thanks all.
As I mentioned these LED modules were working pulls from our older 701s in a pinch. So it doesn't surprise me that one of them is close to end of life (this house used to run a platter and one projector). My intention is after this engagement to swap to the actual NEW diodes that I soldered in but are yet untested, and put these back into emergency status.

I only have two USB-Serial adapters at the moment, but they are both showing up as Prolific drivers. I have a Windows Vista, 10, and 11 to choose from without fighting with virtual machines. Only tried with the Vista so far. Will Give those serial port settings Markus suggested a try next. The Vista machine had 650 setup on it already, so presumably someone had it working in the past.

After the deep read through the manual sections and WinDRAS docs, I am suspecting both readers at minimum need a focus adjustment. Will do all the other things then too once I have WinDRAS working alongside the scope (and proper 2mm pin probes in hand).

We'll roll with the improvements we managed so far for tomorrow, both prints confirm DD now with little evidence of failing over, as well as my personal print that previously wasn't working either. So at least we know our efforts had tangible results in the positive.

In our first effort we were mis-reading the manual thinking the data trace wanted to be at 4v, but we also thought the half divisions were in fact 1v. LOL, Our errors kinda cancelled out. I revisited yesterday and did it proper aiming for 4v on the open sprocket trace.

[Marco Giustini]

Ah sorry I missed that the LED was not new. Still, you might be surprised on how much extra light you can get if you play with the adjustment.

In my experience with the 650 serial, if the 650 likes your serial port, it will just work. Really no need to fiddle with the settings (but please give that a go!). It's just that some adaptors don't like the 650 - or viceversa! I've tried the 650 setup software just the other day with a new Windows 11 installation and it worked. This is with the USA-19HS. I do know there are several HW versions though. I remember a colleague had the same exact model but mine would connect to a USL product, his wouldn't, not even on my laptop.

Well done and I hope you can improve even further! It reminds me when my reader started misbehaving but we didn't have the money to call a tech so I borrowed a scope (along with the person who knew how to use it!) and we tried. The improvement was immediate and lasted until the cinema was knocked down so happy days

[Ryan Gallagher]

Marco, I did give a shot at adjusting the module on the "poorer" of the two waveforms initially... I seemed to be able to flatten it but only at a loss of output, and considering I could not adjust that diode any higher and we were reading DD, let it lie at the slightly askew but closer to 4v signal. Is that slanted upper trace indicative of a horizontal alignment issue?

I have a FTDI serial adapter on the way also, at least I know that is a different chipset. I also still have an XP laptop floating around at home in disuse, I might have to marshal it into service.

Yeah we have DCI and dolby techs out at minimum once a year for SXSW or other high profile premieres. But with the minimum we book 35mm, and almost always rolling with blue-ray backups, techs for the older gear have not really been in the cards unless it becomes obvious it's outside our (my) capabilities to address. For digital we have the luxury of usually piggy backing our tech's onto festival/premiere budgets.

Before I began the stewardship of this booth, 35mm was definitely on the chopping block, but after some well received and executed bookings last season it seems we have elected to attempt to keep the capacity, at least for another phase of enjoyment. It's been almost a decade since this house booked 70mm. Among a full retune of 35mm (still some other points to address there), I'm inching my way towards that goal too (see the XD10 update thread). Hard to find time when the house is booked to the gills with live events you have another role on. ;-)

[Marco Giustini]

The top trace represents the red light picked up by the sensor when a sprocket hole passes in front of the sensor. If you manually slowly move the print in front of the reader (Assuming your processor still passes the data) you'll see the top trace and data trace alternating on the scope.

If the top trace is uneven, it means the light is uneven. This could be alignment but also dirt or damage on either the light source or the photocell.

I would flatten it regardless - that said I don't know how you can get that weird curve - it would usually drop on one end, not drop and recover. Give the whole thing a good clean as well!

[Ryan Gallagher]

Post screenings update. Thanks for the hive mind assistance.

SRD stayed in the 2-4 range for both prints on both projectors with no dropouts that we saw. These prints were in amazing condition num001 of Pearl and num002 of X
............(except 1 issue).

R4 of Pearl Print num001 has an unfortunately placed vertical emulsion scratch the ENTIRE length of the reel. Noticed in our inspection and could see it by eye and flashlight after the feed reel and before any of our readers. So sad. Just left of center, about the worst place to have one, green unchanging line with a sister dashed line near by. Letting A24 know via our inspection report.

But other than that very successful double feature night themed night. About half sold (1250 seat house). Many in cosplay/costume.

Will intend to redo reader alignment with our NEW diodes very soon, after WinDRAS is working. No 35mm booked for a bit, so maybe I'll get to that next assuming I can snag some maintenance time.

Cheers!

[Brad Miller]

Have A24 contact me. We can likely remove that green scratch.

[Ryan Gallagher]

Just popping in to update/close this thread.

After landing some uninterrupted maintenance time, both JJs now have our NEW diodes in the 702 modules (prior "working" but aged diodes+modules are now back on the bench as emergency backups).
Redid full calibration with a scope and WinDRAS (an FTDI serial adapter cable was the trick there).

After that fun I redid both our cooling loops too. Booth Progress! Cheers.