USL-JSD-60 randomly switching formats during playback

[Barry Floyd]

We've got two USL-JSD-60 sound processors. Both have been rock steady since the day we installed them in March of 2013. One of them in my Screen 1 booth has just started a thing where it will randomly switch from 8CH (movie sound) to NON SYNC while the movie is playing. I've gone through the playlist looking for a random misplaced cue but there are none. Can't figure out what is going on. We can push the 8CH button and get the sound restored, but it shouldn't do this to begin with.

Anyone else ever experience something like this?

[Gordon McLeod]

try disconnecting the automation cable and see if it still does it

[Harold Hallikainen]

I agree with unplugging the parallel automation cable, if present. Also, have a look at the log (visible through the GUI and the web interface) to see the cause of the format change. If NS is the power up format, it MAY be due to a complete system reset (which would be shown in the log). A couple reasons for a complete reset are temperature (which is logged) and an extremely busy network (also logged). I have seem situations where an Atmos system floods the network causing stuff to not work. I've seen this cause captions to not work or JSDs to reset. I've also heard that some TMS systems may flood the network. Ideally, the JSD only sees traffic destined to it.

So, the log will tell you a lot. Also, unplugging parallel automation, RS232 and Ethernet can help isolate the source.

Good luck!

Harold

[Elia Orselli]

I would also reseat the flat cable inside the processor that links the font pannel to the main board.

[Mark Gulbrandsen]

What Gordon, Harold and Elia said, plus has the firmware ever been updated?

[Leo Enticknap]

If it always does the same rogue action, that does suggest an automation fault. A contact closure GPI closing when it shouldn't, maybe?

[John Thomas]

How often does this happen, and is there any pattern to it: Once per show? Once per day? Same show each day? Completely random and once per week or month? Only during feature/credits/trailers? Always at the same time of the feature? This information can help determine if the issue is an equipment failure or a configuration issue.

Are you using an automation system like a Christie ACT or a DCA-21/Pennywise/ etc?

Keep in mind that if you're using ethernet for automation that a misconfiguration on a different house could be triggering format changes on the house where you're seeing the issue.

Is the JSD-60 set up to go to non-sync at startup? Perhaps the audio rack is losing power momentarily and the JSD-60 is just booting back up to non-sync.

Do you use NCM for preshow? Weirdness can occur in the morning when staff improperly shuts down zero-audience shows the night before.

[Leo Enticknap]

Keep in mind that if you're using ethernet for automation that a misconfiguration on a different house could be triggering format changes on the house where you're seeing the issue.

Does screen1 change from movie audio to nonsync at the same time that the show in screen 2 is ending?

[Barry Floyd]

We don't have a TMS, so we can rule that out - same with ATMOS. The JSD60 gets its automation cues from the GDC IMB. We have an American Cinema Equipment KLA-1 automation panel, but the only thing hooked to it is field lights and exhaust fans (drive-in), and of course the associated ethernet cables that go back to the IMB.

The JSD 60 boots to NONSYNC as the default. It does NOT happen every night. It does not happen at the exact same time every night. It DOES (so far) only happen when playing Goonies. Can't really see how a feature file could cause random format changes. I've checked the play list for random misplaced cues, and there are none.

We have had several LIVE concerts here in the last couple of weeks (Keith Urban and Kip Moore) and both times their sound guys plugged in to our rack. The rack is a wall mount unit with a hinge on the left side. It's "possible" that something may have come loose inside the rack. Tonight is my first night back since Monday so I haven't had the chance to check yet. Don't really want to check while the movie is playing.

[Harold Hallikainen]

It would be great t see what the log in the JSD-60 says. I suspect you are getting a reboot for some reason. There WAS a problem years ago in the JSD-100 where a combination of high audio level and high RF level (theater across the street from a cell tower) would cause the mute light to flash on loud audio and eventually the JSD-100 would reboot. That turned out to be RF coming down the HI line. The JSD-100 had HI go to an analog input on the microcontroller to measure the outpt level. The JSD-60, instead, gets output levels from the DSP, so there is no direct path from the outside world to the microcontroller. Anyway, the log might show something!

Good luck!

Haold

[Marcel Birgelen]

Also, make sure the booth is locked and nobody is randomly pushing buttons. :P

[Barry Floyd]

Been a week or so since I posted on this. I know it's really not possible for a "feature file" to cause the switching back and forth between formats, but my issue with the JSD-60 went away as soon as "The Goonies" did. Haven't had an issue with the processor since then.

[Harold Hallikainen]

Very strange! Were you able to find the issue in the JSD-60 log? I suspect you somehow got a system reset, but I don't know how that could be content based.

Harold

[Gordon McLeod]

As a excercise to help other the log files are needed so if the problem happens for someone else we know where to look

[Carsten Kurz]

logs - or it didn't happen!