[Mark Hunter]

Hi Guys,


You Dilard guys are the greatest bunch of customers a guy could ever ask for. Truly!


However, I have been hearing a little about a potential bug in the program and am trying to find out how often it happens, and when.


I know from past experience that you guys rarely complain about the software, but this time I'm actually asking you to. It would help me out.


The problem is that certain commands seem to be failing at certain known times.


SUMMARY OF THE PROBLEM

• In some environments, some commands fail.
• This is usually first seen as the inability for the Back-Up Wizard to back-up or restore the "Area Data" (the red icon).
• The same issue may also exhibit itself in the Image Geometry Wizard (with the same backing up of the Area Data).
• It may/may not also affect the Precalibration/Calibration Wizards

THEORIES ON THE PROBLEM

• At first, the problem appeared to only be in a couple of European ("E" designation) JVC D-ILAs. I just recently heard about the problem on a Dukane projector as well.
• There may be other projectors affected.
• The problem only occurs with long (binary) data.
• I had believed that there may be an "overflow" occuring, but attempts to fix the issue by buffering data were not successful.
• Different possibility: Bad cables/interference. Maybe short commands get through fine, and long commands fail just due to the fact that the probability of failure is higher on more bytes being sent.
• Different possibility: Projector command sets. Many of the projectors with the issue seem to all have ROM version 1.0.0. It is possible that original release projectors did not support the full command set.

HOW YOU CAN HELP


Please let me know if you are (or are not) experiencing this issue. I can not replicate the problem, nor have I been able to do so with the several projectors that I have run the software on in the past few months.


Please specify:

• What projector you own
• Projector ROM version (from the "Projector Detector Wizard")
• Whether Dilard can back-up the AreaData
• Dilard Version
• Windows language and version (this seems to be a much more frequent issue on European language Windows)
• Cable information
• Anything else that might be helpful

For example

• JVC G11
• ROM 4.2.3
• Yes, back-up works fine.
• Dilard 2.1
• Windows 2000 (US English)
• Null modem-cable connected to serial cable
• I live next door to a nuclear power plant.

Thanks! I can't seem to lick this one, and I don't want it to affect the Calibration Wizards.

 

[Sore Eyes]

Mark,


The reason you find yourself with good customers is self-evident from your post above. What I see reflected in your approach to this problem is an old-fashioned virtue; integrity.


Sore Eyes

 

[Stew M]

SEyes,


And anticipating problems before they materialize, and excellent communication skills . . .


Not to mention looking for bugs and problematic feedback before many shipments (incl mine) even go out!

 

[Frank]

Hi Mark:


I just tried it with the newest release 2.2 and the area data can't be transfered.

Quote:

Different possibility: Projector command sets. Many of the projectors with the issue seem to all have ROM version 1.0.0. It is possible that original release projectors did not support the full command set.

This is probably the problem since this projector is an old G1000 and my ROM version is 1.0.0.


Frank

 

[brian_vh]

* JVC G11 - Though wizard says G1000 and I know I have one of the last G11's made

* ROM Version 4.1.1

* COMM1 - 9600

* Backup works fine

* Dilard 2.20.0296

* Windows 98SE, 512MB PIII 733 i815

* 3' Serial cable, chopped and spliced in 25' of category 5 cable to get the length I needed.

* I live in my theater, in the U.S.

* Awaiting your majesties 2.2b with sensor.


I hope this helps, Brian

 

[danjb]



• Projector: Dukane 9000 (tried two of them)
• ROM Version: 1.0.0
• Backup wizard can not backup image area data
• Image Geometry wizard can backup image area data, but only for the currently active area (e.g. SXGA3).
• Pre-calibration wizard can not set gamma table
• Dilard version: 2.2b
• Windows version: Win98SE
• Cable is a cat-5 cable with the 4 main RS-232 wires connected, about 20 feet long. Have also tried an 8 foot "plain old" RS-232 cable. Use a RatShack null modem adapter in both cases.
• Related info: projector aligned with North/South magnetic axis of the earth...

I'll try this from a laptop running Win2K to see if OS makes a difference. I do have Visual Studio running on the machine connected to the projector, and a remote control app, in case you want to do live debugging on it. My "gut" feeling is a command set variation / bug in older projectors, since the failure is so consistent in my environment regardless of serial cable, actual projector used, etc.

 

[Bo]

I have a Dukane 9000D projector and don't have a problem backing up the geometry area data. Dilard says the projector's ROM version is 4.1.1.


Interestingly, though, it also says that the Manufacturer and Model is JVC G11, but it's not quite sure of this, as it puts up a dialog saying "The Wizard could not positively identify your projector manufacturer and model ...".


Bo Lewendal

 

[MrWigggles]

Mark,


Your software says my LT150 is a Dukane 9015 !!! It won't load firware or anything.


That's a pretty big bug in my book.


-Mr. Wigggles

 

[Mark Hunter]




I need to work on that one. The same thing happens with my LT150. At least I can replicate that!

 

[mjws]

I was the first to have the area data backup problem with Dilard. At the time I felt persecuted by fate, but now I don't feel quite so lonely!


My machine is an early G1000 with version 1.0 ROMs. I only tried the demo version of Dilard 2.1 - and when it could not do the full backup, I decided to write my own utility (in Java).


Using my utility, I can only do a successful backup/restore of the current area data. The command set for standy-mode full backup/restore of the area data is definitely missing on my projector.


I can, however, do a successful backup/restore of the Gamma tables (using my software). So that part may be a timing issue. I wrote a Gamma editor and used it extensively to calibrate the projector.


Hope this helps.

 

[dcarl]

Panasonic D995 (G1000 clone)


ROM 1.0.0


Baud Rate: 9600


Backup wizard cannot backup image area data. I tried changing all of the COM2 settings and properties, nothing worked.


Dilard 2.2, just downloaded.


Windows ME


4' Serial cable with null adapter, works fine with a G-11.


Mark, don't you need to alert Dilard users who have these early D-ILA's that they shouldn't restore their backup without examining it first? That could be a catastrophe for Dilard, which otherwise is a great product.

-Dave

 

[Mark Hunter]

Hi Dave,


Starting with Dilard 2.2, you can not back-up or restore invalid data. It is validity checked at both ends.


UPDATE:


A very special thanks to Dan Butterfield. With his extensive screen-shots and detailed descriptions, we were able to solve part of this issue on some computers.


The Precalibration, Calibration and Backup Wizards are fixed for affected projectors! Woo hoo.


Unfortunately, it appears that the other issue is that some projectors don't support the "batch" loading/retrieval of AreaData. There is nothing Dilard can do about this. Those settings can be individually retrieved with the Image Geometry Wizard. That's the best that can be done.


Other than that, 2.22 seems to be working well. Hopefully calibration reports will start to come in....

 

[kenh]

really sorry i can't help you hear Mark I am waiting on the Sensor and new CD with dilard 2.2b on it, but will let you know as soon as i receive it.

 

[Vlubbers]

by the consumer or JVC or Immersive? I don't think I have 1.0 but there is a serial port on the projector.

 

[kenliles]

Hi Mark-


Just ran complete backup including area data - no problem




JVC G11


ROM 4.2.3


Yes, back-up works fine.


Dilard 2.20.0296


Windows 98 (US English)


Null modem-cable connected to serial cable


I live next door to a nuclear power plant, but it really powers up the DILA nicely!


ken

 

[Chris Carollo]

Quote:

Other than that, 2.22 seems to be working well. Hopefully calibration reports will start to come in....

Hey, send me the hardware and I'll have one up pronto!


Seriously though, if the hardware isn't likely to require any more modifications, it would be great to start sending them out en masse.


And though you might get swamped with support requests, that'd be fine with me. I'd rather have the hardware and be waiting on a software fix from you than waiting on the hardware because of a potential software fix that may or may not even be necessary.


In any case, it'd be nice to know where along the list everyone is -- any chance of me receiving the hardware this week? Next week? After Thanksgiving?


Also, I asked this before but it got lost in the shuffle: will we bet getting shipping notices from you or AVS? I'd like to know when I should start checking the incoming packages area at work.


Thanks!

 

[Steve13]

The software doesn't work at all for me. Here's info on my problems, and setup.

• doesn't recognize my projector
• can't upload info from the projector
• can't download info to the projector
• doesn't adjust any of the setting that it should

It's almost like your software wasn't even designed for my projector. I just hope you fix it soon. I've had enough.



One thing I almost forgot. I have a Sony LCD projector and I've never even tried Dilard!


So, you'll probably tell me the problems are my fault and not your software's right???? You're just another typical software developer, always blaming the user!



Sorry, I couldn't resist.


Seriously, as a guy who's in the software biz, it's nice to see developers that really try to develop a great product and also care about improving it. Keep up the good work!!


I wish you had something like Dilard for my 10HT!

 

[karos]

Using the latest version of Dilard 2.21, win98se, JVCG15


I can backup and restore complete projector settings. I can even modify image geometry no problem with appropriate backups and restores.


Trouble is, the precalibration wizard crashes when it gets to the color blocks. It does ~20 minutes of colored screens with the audio of camera snapshots but when it gets to the 6 colored blocks thing, it says there was an error when going between wizards. The projector screen then fades to black. Only a restore from backup revives the projector.

 

[damon]

Where am I on the "rollout" list? Nothing has come to my door.

I am however very patient , or at least was pre-panamorph. Thanks, Nomad

 

[Mark Hunter]

Stefan,


That is precisely the issue that was fixed in the 2.22 version. The "targets" block on the Precalibration Wizard.


Luckily, it's just a download away.


Anyone waiting: shipments accelerated starting today! Make sure to download the latest version for your calibration.