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Here is what I have:

Simplex XL projector heads, Simplex soundhead , Speco platters. Eprad Co-operator projector automation unit. Christie H-20 lamphouse and Strong X60b lamphouse.

Smart Sr130 sound processor.

I want each room to either be stereo surround, or full DTS surround. I would like to use the existing SR130 if possible because it does have surround capabilities.

However, I need to know your opinions and thoughts on what is needed. The rooms are very LONG and much bigger than most movie houses.

The SR130 is pretty old and it does not have any equalization. If you want to use DTS digital sound you ought to look for a newer/better processor. The are plenty of UltraStereo, Dolby, and Smart processors on the used equipment market that would be good choices for stereo/digital in the other houses.

Smart manufactures a time delay device for the surrounds in large auditoriums.

I havent been able to find anything on ebay. I want to go inexpensive but still get good quality out of a Dolby or DTS system.

Also, because I cant remember anymore, does the simplex soundhead take the sound off of the film to something that is usable?

Alot of theater equipment dealers have tons of good used equipment sitting in their warehouses. Here's one I like to use:

American Cinema Equipment (www.cinequip.com) in Portland, Oregon.

As it is, any soundhead will pick off the analog sound track. That signal is usable, because it serves as the back-up to your digital sound. A DTS reader would be mounted on top of the projector. A Dolby digital digital reader is either mounted on top of the projector or at the sound drum (with the analog pickoff). These readers pick up the separate digital track and send that signal to the appropriate brand of processor.

When you have digital sound, there are actually two sound tracks available to your system at the same time, though only one is in use. The sound system will default to digital, if it is available. If the digital fails, or is unavailable, the system will revert to the analog track.

When we went digital my tech recomended DTS over Dolby for a retro fit. He said with the old simplex equipment like mine he had trouble with the dolby design of the digital pickups and he did not have trouble with the DTS ones. I think it had to do with mounting above verses below but I am not for sure.

The only problem with playing a film in DTS is getting the discs to the film. With the Dolby Digital format the information is there on a great many prints. So you may have trouble getting discs if the theatre before you does not return them with the print.

I use Dolby digital for my system and time and time again I see the poor DTS discs sitting UNDER the shipping reels getting beat to death and bent up. Maybe they would still play OK but I doubt it. The very idea that they should ride along with those heavy reels is ridiculous. They need some sort of method of delivering these things besides just throwing them in with the reels.

So Dolby or DTS? I want the best sound I can get that is most affordable. Any links to used equipment would help too.

While I am asking, does anyone know where to get used seats. Mine are dark blue rocking chair style.

DTS HAD a good disc case carrier, those yellow and later black disc holders at one time. Then they went cheap with the DVD style holders, that get crushed in the cans.

Cheaper? Well, DTS is cheaper
In my opinion, Dolby is a better design and is more robust. A Good analog system is also an inexpensive option.

My theater in Covington,La has 650 dp Dolby on all 14 screens and my theater in Beaumont, Tx
only has 1 DP-500 touchscreen dolby, 1 cp-65 dolby,1 DA20 dolby, 6 DTS XD10, and 3 DTS 6D. I would trade all 9 DTS units for Dolby units, even for older dolby like DP-65. My XD10 DTS store the CDs or DVDs on a hard drive so you only use them once.

Ok the final verdict. What should I do? I am trying to minimize start up cost but I still want to provide good theater surround sound. I want to make sure if I ever have to upgrade, it is just a piece of hardware and not a complete system.

You should try for good analog SR surround. ALL prints will have SR 4 channel and you will have to have it for the prints that don't have the digital format that you decide on.

You can add a digital system later. There are problems with both digital systems. DTS is reliable and excellent but you don't always get discs. The Dolby Digital information can be corrupted and fail (back to analog SR) on used prints.

Remember, you will have to change to a red reader for the newer analog tracks.

The disc problem seams to be on print that you don't open on the break. We open almost everything on the break and have had no problem with the discs. The Hard drive on the XD10 also helps with this because after the discs are loaded you put them back in the cans. Also my back up plan with the XD10 is to borrow the discs from my neighboring multiplex in the next town long enough to load them if I ever get a print with no discs.

We did have one film reciently that came without discs but they came the next day even when I called at 7:30pm CST.