[wajo]

Setting the Clock, or Not... The 11:57 Procedure... S-Video Input... TV Aspect... Progressive Scan... Auto-Chapter... Disc Audio... HDMI/DVI... HDMI/TV Control... FP Display Brightness

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A Note on Potential Clock Setting Issues
Setting Your Clock - Initial Setup
THE 11:57 PROCEDURE
One Reason to NOT Set Your Clock!
Setting Video Input (S-Video or Composite)
Setting TV Aspect
Setting Progressive Scan
Setting Auto-Chapter Interval
Setting Disc Audio
Special Settings for HDMI or DVI
My HDMI Settings
HDMI Control Feature on 2160A Only
Setting Brightness of Front Panel Display Light

A Note on Potential Clock Setting Issues

Apparently, the digital transition has caused some clock issues that came into focus in the HDTV DTVPal DVR thread. That DVR has been having clock problems caused by its handling of TWO clock signal streams, one in the TVGOS system and one in the std PSIP data all digital channels are supposed to carry.

The PSIP time is apparently controlled solely by each station and they've not been diligent in keeping them accurate, so there's been a "conflict" causing their clocks to go "wonky." They just got a new FW version that seems better and includes a manual time setting option that it didn't have before. There may be errors in my story but not terribly important for our purposes.

Our DVDRs may be suffering from this problems also? The stations are trying to do better, but since the PSIP data is controlled by individual stations, it can more easily be off in accuracy.

Not sure if our DVDRs look for digital PSIP data, but any of them could be "influenced" by it! They all have digital tuners, and a full channel search for a time signal... one not restricted by a "Manual" Auto Clock setting as described in The 11:57 Procedure below... could easily find some bad or rogue PSIP data that could set the clock, or even the year, incorrectly!

Anyone NOT USING COAX, like a satellite-only subscriber, should STILL set set their clock to Auto Clock > MANUAL, choosing a good local NETWORK channel number, even tho they can't receive any time signal. That'll give their unit the advantage of longer power-backup time from an Auto Clock setting but restrict the normal time searches to a single, "good" channel... and since there's no coax connection, it can't find ANY signal, much less a "rogue" one.

The default setting is for Auto Clock ON.

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Setting Your Clock - Initial Setup

The functioning and internal operations of a DVDR depend on a clock signal and timing for SO MANY things, it's rather mind-boggling... incl. "time-stamps" all over the place for recording, etc. Therefore, it's important to have a reliable time-set either by manual means or by the Auto Clock feature.

For initial setup with any unit, I recommend you set the clock yourself using the 1st option in the Clock > Clock Setting menu, then do an Auto Channel Preset thru the Channel menu. This order is best cuz the default clock settings are for Auto Clock and DST ON, but with the transition to digital, station broadcasts are a mess and there might not be any reliable time signals in your area, even if on cable, and definitely not if on satellite.

This DVDR will try to find a time signal from an ANALOG channel (or a DIGITAL channel 2160 only) at noon and midnight thru the coax connection, but only when it's off... it will "spin up" briefly at 11:59am and 11:59pm and search for a time signal (no change in display or power-on indication). The slight noise this DVDR makes during "spin-up" has annoyed some light-sleepers with it in their bedroom... if so, might have to turn Auto Clock OFF, check for time drift, and reset when necessary?

The 3575/3576/2080 units search for ANY analog channel thru the coax (not just PBS as stated in the manual), but I found FOX analog is amazingly accurate and stable in my cable system (9 months dead-on). The 2160 can receive a time signal from an analog or a digital channel on the coax, so it's good for antenna-only users as well as cable-users.

NOTE: People with a 3575/3576/2080 on antenna-only or satellite-only should set their Auto Clock to MANUAL and select any local network channel, even tho it might not have a good time signal, so they can benefit from the increased power-backup time that setting gives, as described in Step 6a below.

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The 11:57 Procedure

This DVDR does NOT have a menu that tells you whether a good time signal has ACTUALLY been found or not... you won't know if it's failed to sense a good time signal until the clock drifts or goes completely "wonky" like advancing 3-hours ahead or to the year 2037!

However, "The 11:57 Procedure" described below will let you FIND and CONFIRM any auto-clock time signals in your area, and it'll show whether that time signal is CURRENTLY accurate, but it won't guarantee that signal will REMAIN accurate... it's up to the station to do that.

1. Your DVDR must be connected to an antenna or cable via coax on ANT IN (top coax connector).
   If you have a cable box and you connected as shown in the manual, with this DVDR behind the box on the coax, see Item 5 here. This DVDR should be either 1st on the coax, as shown in Sketch 3 here, or on one leg of a bidirectional splitter if you order PPV or VOD thru the coax. (Antenna and cable subs. w/o a box should be connected as shown in Sketches 1 and 2, resp.)
   
   
2. Open the Clock > Auto Clock Setting > Manual menu.
   This is an unfortunate word to describe this setting. It's NOT the same as entering the clock digits "manually," using the 1st option in the Clock menu. A better name for this Auto Clock "Manual" would be "Single-Channel Auto-Search" or something similar.
   
   
3. For 3575/3576/2080 w/cable TV: Enter your local FOX ANALOG channel in the "Set Channel No." box. If using antenna, set Auto Clock to OFF since there are no OTA analog signals, then set clock to correct time with the 1st Clock menu option.
   For 2160 w/cable TV: Enter your local FOX ANALOG channel in the "Set Channel No." box. If an analog channel doesn't work, try a digital channel as explained next.
   For 2160 w/OTA antenna: The 2160 can search either ANALOG or DIGITAL channels for a time signal. The 2160 has TWO fields, the "Set Channel No." box like on the 3575/3576/2080, plus a box at the left that shows "CH" (analog) as a default. If you arrow left to that "CH" box, you can up- or down-arrow to change it to "DTV" then enter a DIGITAL FOX channel... major channel number only cuz it searches that channel group. Press OK after entering a channel number. A Time Zone (TZ) menu will pop up for you to select your TZ. Press OK after entering the TZ.
   
   
4. Open the Clock > Clock Setting menu and set your clock for 11:57am or pm, doesn't matter. Press OK after setting the time, then turn DVDR OFF.
   You can set for 11:58 if you're in a hurry and have experience with this procedure already. However, the clock MUST be on 11:58 or earlier when it shuts down completely or it might not spin up at 11:59 to do a time search, and complete shutdown takes ~15-20 sec after power-off.
   
   
5. At 11:59, the TV pic will change from blue- to black-screen, the DVDR will make a "spin-up" sound and search for a time signal, then a "spin-down" sound and blue-screen again, indicating the search on that channel is done. If it finds a time signal, it syncs to that time; if not, the clock doesn't change time.
   A station's time signal is always "on" so there's always an hour:min. present and the seconds are continuously "incrementing." If this DVDR finds a good hour:min. signal, it'll wait for the sec to hit 00, then sync hh:mm:ss at that instant and display it in the control panel... make sure it set the "correct" time and am/pm compared to some other clock in the house and leave it set that way. My analog PBS sets a time but it's always WRONG, whereas my analog FOX has been dead-accurate for 10 months... until just recently! DO NOT CHANGE THE AUTO CLOCK SETTING MENU TO OFF AFTER FINDING A GOOD MANUAL CHANNEL... just leave machine set the way it is now, you're done!
   
   If you DON'T get a confirmed, correct time signal on a FOX channel by the time the machine spins down, go back to Step 2 and try CBS, then PBS (can be unreliable, keep watch to be sure), then any other suspects... varies by locale.
   However, I recommend NOT using or even trying any local/cableco/community-access channels cuz they MAY keep your time search running for a long time and/or prevent you from turning off your unit normally (have to unplug).
   
   
6. If you did NOT get an auto time change (NO confirmed time signal) on ANY channel, you have two choices:
   1. Keep Auto Clock on Manual with either FOX or CBS (not PBS) in the channel-entry box so your DVDR has a power-backup time of 2-3 min. rather than the typ. 30 sec. when Auto Clock is set to OFF. Correct time manually if/when it drifts. Don't use a local community-access or CATV channel cuz they might freeze your unit.
   2. Set clock to correct time and Auto Clock OFF. Correct time manually if/when it drifts.
   
   
7. FINAL STEP: No matter what the results were, check timer rec programs to make sure changing the clock time didn't MOVE a timer program for today to the bottom of the timer list, assuming it was PAST the time for that program. Normally, once the clock gets reset for actual current time, automatically or manually, timer program(s) for today that might have moved will return to their "natural" position at the top of the list. If you find today's program(s) NOT back in normal position, check the clock setting again and make sure it's correct, i.e., not set or "stuck" in an incorrent am/pm state or wrong day/date. If clock and day/date are correct and timer program remains in wrong position (would be very unusual), click OK on the program(s) for a Program Change, then click OK again to close the program(s) and make sure they moved back to their normal position at the top of the list.

TIP: If your clock doesn't sync to the exact second compared to an atomic or other accurate clock in your house, go back to the 1st clock setting option and arrow right until you're over the minutes. Arrow up to 1 minute AHEAD of the atomic/accurate clock . Watch only the atomic/accurate clock and, exactly when it changes to that minute, press OK. The clock will start keeping time with the seconds in sync.

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One Reason to NOT Set Your Clock!

If you want NO DATE OR TIME on titles from copied VHS home movies, where a current date/time might be "confusing," use this procedure (tested only on a 3575):

1. Write Timer Rec programs down cuz you'll lose them, along with the clock, during this procedure. Reset them later.
   
2. Turn Auto Clock OFF to make sure the machine doesn't find a time/date from a station immediately after turning machine on and off in next step (which it's programmed to do). DON'T go into the Clock Setting menu... a default date will appear in that menu that could be transferred to titles if you press OK in that menu.
   
3. Unplug unit for at least 3-5 minutes (longer is better), then plug back in.
   
4. Copy old home movies or other material to the HDD.
   
5. Change title name on HDD (or later on DVD), if desired.
   
6. Dub normally.
   
7. Set date and time in Clock Setting menu if you reset your timer rec programs.

Obviously, you can't do timer recordings w/o a clock, but this is one way to avoid a permanent "recording/copying" date on DVDs with old video watched by easily confused relatives?

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Setting Video Input (S-Video or Composite)

If you use S-Video (Separate-Video) as an input from a STB, VCR, DVD player or other device to E1/L1 on the back of this DVDR, make sure you set the SETUP > VIDEO > VIDEO INPUT to S-Video. Same if you use the front S-Video input on the H2160 (L2).

You can connect both Composite and S-Video to E1/L1/L2 for two sources, like a DVD player and a VCR, and switch between the menu options in Setup > Video > Video Input. Use audio Y-cables (Wal-Mart) to connect the dual L/R audio outputs (2L+2R) from the components to the single L/R audio inputs of this DVDR. This is ideal for someone who doesn't want cables connected in front, but has a VCR for occasional copying of VHS tapes. Only drawback is remembering to change the setting.

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Setting TV Aspect

This DVDR's "TV Aspect" setting controls the format of the pic you'll see AND record on digital channels... it gives you a WYSIWYG view of the pic you'll be recording. The setting does not affect analog 4:3 channels but it can be used to play commercial widescreen movies on a 4:3 TV if the movie has the widescreen flag... they'll have a notation on the case such as "Enhanced for Widescreen" or "Anamorphic Widescreen."

You should set this DVDR for 16:9 Wide in the Video > TV Aspect menu to make sure most of your recordings will play well on all TV types.

I've noticed that sometimes a change in my DVDR Aspect setting doesn't "take"... the pic hangs on its last aspect and takes a 2nd or even 3rd try at toggling the checkmark to a new aspect setting. If working correctly, once you press the SETUP button to exit the aspect setting menu, the pic should "pop" into its new shape, i.e., you should see a change in aspect almost immediately, but again, only on a digital channel.

See this post for more info on setting TV Aspect and recording widescreen programs.

Note: Some HDTV's won't properly upscale a 16:9 WS pic sent to it by this DVDR using 480p or 720p. If you can't seem to see or record WS pics thru this DVDR using HDMI, change the format with the HDMI button to all the formats available and see if your HDTV needs one specific HDMI format to show a true WS pic.

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Setting Progressive Scan

Only the Component connection is affected by the Progressive Scan (PS) setting, no matter what type of TV you have.

On the 3575/3576, if you use Composite or S-Video, they can only send 480i and will ignore the Progressive setting. Same for HDMI since it sends specific rez/scan formats under a separate control (HDMI button).

On the 2080/2160, if PS is ON, no VIDEO is output from the Yellow Composite or S-Video connection. You'll know PS is ON if you get only AUDIO from the Yellow Composite or S-Video output on the 2160 since the White/Red AV OUT cables supply audio for all video outputs whether PS is ON or OFF, even HDMI if you turn HDMI Audio OFF).

If you see a B&W double image with PS ON, your TV isn't compatible with PS so turn it off.

The default setting for PS is OFF. If you use the Component connection to an OLDER, NON-PROGRESSIVE TV, leave the setting OFF. If you have one of the newer flat panels, which are *all* fixed-pixel and PS, AND you use the Component connection, go into the Video > Progressive Scan menu and set it ON. There will be two confirmation dialogs to answer before it lets you switch to ON, just to make sure your TV is compatible.

This DVDR allows you to set PS from ON to OFF easily by playing something from HDD or DVD, then pressing and holding the SETUP button for more than 6 sec (ignore the "no-can-do" circle). However, you have to use the menu to set PS back to ON.

Simultaneous Output.
Be aware that, if you use HDMI and/or Component, the Composite and S-Video outputs will not be active at the same time (simultaneously). This is only important for people who want to output to multiple TVs at the same time using different DVDR outputs.

You WILL be able to use all four outputs in a normal manner if connected to a single TV, i.e., by selecting the appropriate INPUT on that TV. (And, for the 2080.2160, you have to leave Progressive Scan OFF so there's a normal signal thru the composite and S-Video outputs.)

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Setting Auto-Chapter Interval

This DVDR creates numbered chapters only... no separate index pic or other visual clue that you can use in a top menu, like in a Toshiba. The numbered chapter marks are visible and instantly addressable in the INFO menu, and the front-panel display counting playback time also shows the chapter numbers briefly as they are reached. They can be instantly moved to during playback with the NEXT/PREV buttons.

Most OTHER units don't allow auto-chapter marking on the HDD, and ONLY custom-set (edited) chapter marks are transferred during high-speed dubbing. However, THIS DVDR is unlike those other DVDRs: (1) it can set auto-chapter marks on the HDD, as well as DVDs, and (2) both auto- and custom-set (edited) chapter marks transfer to DVDs when dubbed at high-speed. A real-time dub uses only the auto-chapter setting you make in the Recording menu, so it strips any auto- or custom-set chapter marks from the HDD original.

This DVDR has six settings for Auto Chapter marking, from Off to 60-min. intervals. A chapter mark can also be set manually (Add Chapter), and one is automatically set at every Scene Delete. That can add up to a lot of chapter marks w/o you realizing it!

For that reason, and cuz chapter marks can "collide" and cause problems if they get too close from deleting scenes (for example), I advise keeping auto-chapter marking on the HDD set at its default 10-min. interval, or longer... don't use 5-min. interval.

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Setting Disc Audio

Our SDTV DVDR tuners and line inputs are designed for home viewing or recording in DD2.0/stereo only, so recording thru the tuner or line input, or playback of home recordings will provide only stereo audio.

The Digital Audio outputs (coax or optical) are for playback of commercial DVDs with DD5.1 audio or any audio beyond DD2.0/stereo.

You can also use a "high-end" AV receiver with HDMI connections that CAN PASS DIGITAL AUDIO (not all do even if they have HDMI connections)... the HDMI on those receivers pass DD5.1 to your TV from live TV or DVDs that have DD5.1 audio... you won't need to use the separate digital audio connections with such a receiver (unless you don't want to turn the receiver on every time). If you use Digital Audio output to a"low-end" AV receiver with HDMI or an HDMI-less AV receiver, make sure your Playback > Disc Audio > Dolby Digital is set for the default "Stream"... this is the only audio source that the Disc Audio setting affects.

While playing a commercial DVD, you can see the types of audio available by pressing the AUDIO button on the remote. Use arrow and OK keys to make a change to a diff. language or audio type, as desired. You can also use the 2nd icon (the speaker) in the INFO menu to view and change audio options.

You might notice low audio on some programs on digital channels or recordings of them. Here's a note with more info on that "phenomenon."

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Special Settings for HDMI or DVI

When you first use HDMI, you should press the HDMI button on the remote. This "activates" the HDMI output and sets it at 480p output mode. Sequential presses of that button switch output to 720p, 1080i and 1080p. You can press quickly, or even hold the button down, you don't have to wait till the pic appears for each output. Whatever output you leave the unit in when turning off, that's the output it'll start up on.

The HDMI output mode is displayed briefly on the front panel of this DVDR, till the TV syncs up with that mode. Your TV should also display which mode it's receiving in one of its Display screens. You should go thru all four settings and see which one produces the best PQ in your system. If your TV doesn't support one of the outputs, the manual says this DVDR will skip it; however, my 720p LCD and the front panel of my 3575 both show me sending 1080i or 1080p, even tho the TV can't display anything above 720p!

Generally, your TV's scaler will do a better job at upconverting to its native res than ANY current DVDR, so I recommend trying 480p... it might actually be your best choice?

HDMI cable carries both video and audio, even DD5.1. If you use an AV receiver that has HDMI connections, you don't need any other audio to get DD5.1 to your TV from live broadcasts or recordings.

This DVDR has a default Setup option to use the HDMI cable for audio, but you can turn that off if you use a separate audio connection, like we do to our HDMI-less AV receiver... and you don't mind having to turn your receiver on for audio EVERY TIME you use the HDMI connection. If you leave HDMI audio on, you'll be getting sound from your AV system PLUS the TV, which might cause an "echo" effect. We use HDMI w/audio on cuz we seldom use our HDMI-less AV system, and then only for playing commercial DVDs w/DD5.1 via a digital coax or optical connection (no HDMI on our AV), so we just turn the TV sound to zero.

If you have to convert your HDMI to DVI, use an adapter, but remember that DVI only carries video, no audio, so you'll have to add L/R audio cables. Look for a DVI setting in your TV and turn it ON. Some TVs don't have a specific DVI "setting" but instruct you to use a specific HDMI input for DVI (mine says use HDMI-2), so just use the HDMI-DVI input the manual specifies. If you've got a 1366x768 (720p) TV that shows a dark pic, it might also produce a brighter pic. In fact, even if you're using pure HDMI, try turning the TV's DVI setting ON or use the TV-manual-specified HDMI-DVI input just to see if PQ is improved.

If using a DVI setting or HDMI-DVI input on your TV, set this DVDR's HDMI Format to RGB and NOT YCbCr, cuz RGB is DVI's native format.

If your HDTV also has a setting for "Overscan," try setting it OFF to see if it increases your PQ. Your TV's Overscan function can also affect pic size for JPG/JPEG pics. When using HDMI or Component input on your TV, and you notice poor quality or clipping of JPG/JPEGs (5-10%) from all sides, it could be caused by your TV's Overscan function. You should look for "Overscan" in your TV menus and turn it OFF to see if it helps.

In this post (and thread), edDV explains it this way: "What you are seeing with loss around the edges is overscan. Most analog component and HDMI inputs have overscan. Most "PC/Game" ports (usually VGA) don't overscan and some TV makers allow turning off overscan on the HDMI port (e.g. Samsung's "Just Scan" feature)."

Odd Aspect on Pics - When I view MY jpg pics via Composite or HDMI connection to my Vizio 1080p LCD, my DVDR aspect setting reacts the OPPOSITE of what I expect, i.e., if I set my 3575 for 16:9 Wide, pics show up normal 4:3 (the camera format), but setting the 3575 to 4:3 LB displays a stretched 4:3 pic, full-screen and w/o LB bars... all with my LCD TV set for Wide!? You'll have to play with your DVDR AND TV settings to get the best combo for your system.

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My HDMI Settings

I have my HDMI connection to my 47" 1080p and 37" 768p Vizio LCDs set with the following.

HDMI Output = May depend on your TV!
I use 480p cuz my Vizio LCD does a better job in upscaling than my 3575. However, cheaplikeafox has a HDTV that wouldn't show full widescreen 16:9 until he selected 1080p, and he also got a much better pic with that setting!?

To find your best HDMI setting, press HDMI button on remote, format shows BRIEFLY in this DVDR's display (till channel tunes fully) and in the display of most TVs. The most common "expert" advice is, if you have to upscale, do it only ONCE cuz every upscale loses some quality. Since today's flat-panel displays are "fixed-pixel," they upscale/downscale EVERYTHING to their native (and "fixed") rez. And some of today's computer/video flat panels have "non-video" computer rez like 768p, so they'll ALWAYS have to upscale or downscale to fit that native rez. So, following their advice, don't upscale in this DVDR AND in your TV, just send it the "native" HDMI rez of this DVDR: 480p.

My LCD TV definitely does a better job at upconverting to its native 1080p when I send 480p rather than one of the upscaled rez. If using Component for OTA and Sat, which are Component signals, make sure you set Progressive Scan to ON so you're sending 480p output and letting your HDTV's better scaler/filter circuitry create its native pixel map.

Be aware that the 3575/3576 has active Composite and S-Video with Progressive Scan ON (they ignore that setting), BUT the 2080/2160's Composite and S-Video outputs are de-activated with Progressive Scan ON.

Note: With Some HDTV's won't properly upscale a 16:9 WS pic on a digital channel using 480p, 720p, etc. If you can't seem to see or record WS pics thru this DVDR using HDMI, try all the format settings, 480p/720p/1080i/1080p, and see if your HDTV needs a specific HDMI format to show a true WS pic.

Format = YCbCr*
RGB Range = Normal (doesn't matter for YCbCr but greatly affects RGB setting)
Try both RGB and YCbCr... VERY system-dependent. YCbCr is digital Component video and RGB is YPbPr analog Component video. RGB/Normal are the default settings. This DVDR reverts to the RGB Format setting if you set for YCbCr and your TV is NOT compatible with YCbCr. The Normal/Enhanced RGB Range setting does NOT revert, so check this if you have dark/light pic problems.

*Here's a simple and direct explanation of YPbPr and YCbCr from Answers.com.
Here's another simple explanation: alphabetical listing from Vizio manual.
Here's a multi-page technical treatise: Fundamentals of Embedded Video, Part 2. It says this: "YPbPr is used in component analog video, YUV applies to composite NTSC and PAL systems, and YCbCr relates to component digital video."
Here's a Wiki entry on YCbCr.

If you're using DVI, this should be set to RGB, which is DVI's native format.

These settings appear to be VERY important and can be greatly affected by the picture settings in your HDTV, with their most noticeable effect on live digital channels and recordings and on DVD playback. They can only be set properly for YOUR system if you take the time to test the settings with all sources, even commercial DVDs, which are produced with digital YCbCr video so they might look different than live TV. Obviously, the goal is to set this DVDR so it looks as close as possible to the pic your TV produces thru its tuner cuz you like that pic, right!?

Record a dark scene, on a digital channel only, or play a dark scene in a DVD, then PLAY/PAUSE to see the result. Press STOP, change settings, press PLAY/PAUSE thru the same section of the rec. to see the difference.

I've been back-and-forth on these settings with MY system but, after MANY tests, I've decided it looks best with YCbCr Format (where the RGB Range setting doesn't matter). My 47" Vizio 1080p LCD TV is YCbCr compliant, and I get a noticeably sharper (more contrasty) pic with YCbCr.

With RGB Format, if I set RGB Range to Normal, it produces my overall brightest pic but with reduced sharpness. When I set RGB Range to Enhanced, I get a little sharper pic, but it also gets darker. (RGB/Enhanced might be good for someone who has a pic that's a little too bright, or someone who wants max. sharpness and doesn't see or care too much about a few dark scenes.)

The effect of the RGB Range setting can be subtle on the menu pic but can make a BIG diff. when watching digital channels on the TV or DVDs with dark scenes! So, DON'T THINK THE RGB RANGE SETTING DOESN'T MAKE MUCH DIFFERENCE JUST CUZ THE MENU DOESN'T CHANGE MUCH! ANd make sure you're using the HDMI input on your TV when making Range setting changes. Make sure you watch some live digital channels and DVDs with the Range setting both ways.

Here's a post on some tests I did that might provide a little more info on settings for dark pic.

You can tell if your TV is YCbCr compatible by (1) selecting your TV's HDMI input (vital 1st step), (2) setting this DVDR for HDMI Format = YCbCr, then (3) changing the setting for RGB Range between Normal and Enhanced.

If there is a subtle change in menu pic, your TV is NOT YCbCr compatible and this DVDR is auto-converting to RGB. This brings the RGB Range setting into play.

When changing HDMI Format to YCbCr, there *might* be a visible change/blip in TV pic if the TV is YCbCR compatible, but there won't be ANY noticeable change in the darkness/contrast when you do step (3) above: change the RGB Range between Normal and Enhanced. (There ALSO won't be any change if you've selected any TV input other than HDMI!) If no change in menu pic darkness/contrast, and you're seeing the TV's HDMI connection, you're set for YCbCr, if that's what works best in your system.

If your TV also has a setting for YCbCr, try setting that on and off for all sources (DVD, HDD, tuner) cuz leaving that off might get a better overall result... most, if not all, TVs should auto-convert to YCbCr when they receive a YCbCr signal from this DVDR. One Samsung user had a TV setting for YCbCr also but got a darker pic turning that on, in addition to his DVDR setting, so turned it off to get a brighter pic on a DVD with some dark scenes, on HDD recordings, and on live TV.

HDMI Audio = ON
The default setting and perfect for everyone, with and without an AV receiver. This allows you HDMI cable to carry audio to your TV or receiver that has HDMI connections and, if the receiver is capable, even DD5.1. Only reason I can think of to turn this off is if you want to use HDMI only for the video (maybe cuz your receiver can't handle DD5.1) and thenuse a digital audio output for the audio.

We have two "odd" audio connections to our old HDMI-less AV receiver: a digital coax for DD3.1 from DVDs, and L/R audio cables from my LCD TV's L/R audio outputs for normal TV/HDD watching. We have our AV surround system with all 6 speakers up front and learned that the Surround speakers, normally behind you, should NOT be in front or the audio will sound "wrong" due to the nature of the surround speaker system. We also got an "echo" from our TV, so we'd have to turn TV audio off, but still the sound seemed "wrong." When we disconnected those Surround speakers, we got nice 3.1 audio w/o any echo from the TV speakers, so we could leave TV audio on. When we play DVDs w/DD5.1, we select the receiver's DVD input. For normal TV/HDD watching, we use our Composite connection, but when we want amplified audio, we switch to the receiver's TV input and control audio with one remote: the TV's.

RGB Range = Normal
For RGB output only, no effect if on YCbCr Format. The Enhanced option changes contrast (some say black level) and can make pic look better or worse than the Normal option, so you'll have to try both to be sure... but only if you use RGB Format. RGB and Enhanced made my pic on a digital channel a little sharper (added contrast) but made dark scenes a little darker, so best to try all combinations of these settings as described under "Format" above.

HDMI Control Feature on 2160A Only

The 2160A has an extra HDMI feature called "HDMI Control." Here is the info from the manual on that feature.

HDMI control allows integrated system control over HDMI and is part of the HDMI standard.

When “HDMI Control” setting is set to “ON”, functions listed below will be available. [Default is OFF.]

One Touch Play
When this unit is turned on, the TV also is turned on and the appropriate external input channel will be selected automatically. The appropriate external input channel can also be selected on your TV automatically, when you press [PLAY >], [>>|], [|<<], [DISC MENU], [TIMER], [DTV/TV], [SETUP], [CHANNEL +/-], [the Number buttons] or [D. DUBBING] when the unit’s power is on.

Standby
When you press and hold [STANDBY-ON] for 2 seconds, it turns off the power to the standby mode of the TV first and then turns the power off this unit also. Someone also suggested that a double-click of the Standby/On button does a sequential turn-off?

System Information

Get & Set Menu Language
This unit recognizes the OSD language set for the TV and automatically sets the same language as the player menu language (OSD menu language) for this unit.

Note
Apparently, some TVs will work in reverse, i.e., turn on TV and 2160A turns on... not what you might want to happen every time you turn your TV on. The proper op sequence is: 2160A on turns TV on and sets input to HDMI connection, but TV on/off doesn't affect 2160A. So far, the TV's that work and don't work properly are:

TV Year	TV Brand	TV Model	Works Properly?
2008	Sony	KDL-40W4100 LCD	Yes
2008	Sony	KDL-52W4100 LCD	Yes
2008	Panasonic	LX85 LCD	No
2009	Panasonic	X1 LCD	No

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Setting Brightness of Front Panel Display

The front panel display light has three brightness settings in the Display > FL Dimmer menu: Auto, Bright and Dark. Auto adjusts for room light. The default setting is Bright.

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