Need a technician reference

[Mark Gulbrandsen]

I can confirm that we've had a formatter where the connectors for the DMD corroded and cause, essentially, a failure on both that was intermittent until full failure. I've only had one do that, however. Normally, they either work or they don't. Mark G tells of having to retorque the formatter to the DMD to get a reliable connection but those are the only instances I know of an intermittent formatter. 99% of the time it is the ICP plugging into the edge connector and the Barco edge connectors on the signal backplane are notorious for being the most touchy.

NEC actually has a torque spec for the hardware that holds the formatter in. The projector I was installing had green lines running both horizontally and vertically through the image. The problem disappeared once the light engine warmed up. Anyway, I torqued the hardware properly and problem solved. I recently had a formatter fail in Roosevelt, Utah. But on that NC-2000 the formatter had to be replaced. Back then NEC had no formatters available for over a month. Somewhere in storage I have a complete NC-2000 light engine sans about 65 pixels which are stuck on.. But the prism and formatters are still good...

[Jill Mobley]

I have the two types of DeOxit and using it Monday when I plan on reseating the board. We have semis drive by regularly and the whole booth shakes. Maybe that wiggled it loose.

I have only had the first level of Barco training, so this will quickly get out of my capabilities. I am wondering about hiring a tech for a virtual session. What do you guys think?

[Leo Enticknap]

Did you also leave Rancho Cordova at the end of the week with a stomach bug that took days to clear up? That (the number of people who seem to pick up bugs after going there for Barco training), plus endorsing DeOxit, seems to be a running gag on this forum.

Hiring a tech for a virtual session could help, but you'd need to have clear objectives in mind, and be well prepared ahead of time (e.g. have the right tools and equipment). It would also help to read up the relevant sections of the service manual in advance, too. But this is certainly something that I'm sure I and many other techs would be happy to help you with.

The other thing I'd check is the liquid cooling system - that the level in the reservoir looks OK, and that there is no evidence of leakage around the couplings and hose clamps. One of the things that will kill formatters is overheating caused by cooling system failure. The projector's monitoring sensors and software is supposed to shut off the lamp if the temperature goes into the danger zone, but I've encountered breakdowns in which that hasn't prevented light engine damage.

[Jill Mobley]

This is not a liquid-cooled system.

I bought the DeOxit. Are you saying to not use it when I reseat the board?

[Leo Enticknap]

No liquid cooling system? So this a Barco SP2K-12C, or an E or an S series? Those are the only ones I'm aware of that don't have a liquid cooled light engine.

Yes, still use DeOxit when reseating. Ensuring that the cooling system is in good shape (including air filters and fans, in your case) is to prevent future heat-related formatter damage, not to fix the current problem.

[Jill Mobley]

It is a Barco DP-2K 12C

[Leo Enticknap]

DP2K, sorry. In that case, your main defense against the light engine overheating and consequent formatter damage is the big fan mounted on the bulkhead between the light engine compartment and the card cage. I hadn't thought of this before, but that fan will likely create quite a bit of pressure in the compartment at the top of the card cage, where the light engine to backplane connections land; maybe the pressure cycling over multiple starts and stops could have loosened some of the connections for the green formatter/DMD, hence your problem?

[Jill Mobley]

Thank you to all!

[William Uhlhorn]

This is like reading a good mystery novel and then finding out that the last chapter is missing from the book. Hopefully the last chapter will be published.

[Jill Mobley]

Sadly, not ready for publication. My current dilemma, no lamps available! I thought I had a new one ready to go but did not.

I often wonder what made me think I could run a movie theater....

I will update here when I find a tech - either in person or virtual.

[Leo Enticknap]

What size of bulb do you currently use? If you use the DXL-22BAF or equivalent (the biggest a DP2K-12C will take) and need all the light it gives you, then you couldn't go down a size without affecting presentation quality. However, if (for example) you currently use a 12BAF, you could possibly go up to a 16 or even a 20 if they are available, and reduce the lamp current to get you back down to 14ft-l. Yes, you'd pay more for the lamp than you should be, but if it's a choice between that and running a worn out, over hours bulb, I would argue that this is the lesser of two evils. I installed a DXL-20BAF/L a couple of weeks ago, and therefore would guess that they're readily available.

[Jill Mobley]

The one I am using now is an Osram 2000W/DHP OFR.

[Leo Enticknap]

If you are unable to get hold of replacements for this model and would be willing to consider its Ushio equivalent (DXL-20BAF/L - 3,200 hours of warranty life), I believe we either have them in stock or that they're available for immediate shipping from Ushio. I've installed a few in recent weeks and didn't hear anything from customers about how they'd been waiting a long time.