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Anthem D2/D2v/AVM50/AVM50v/ARC1 tweaking guide

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#1 ·
UPDATE!!! Anthem D2v NOW SHIPPING. News By Bob Pariseau:


''The Anthem Statement D2v is shipping now (confirmed). The Anthem AVM 50v is supposed to ship this coming week. [NOTE: Anthem originally referred to these two units as the "D2 v.2" and "AVM 50 v.2".]


The original Statement D2, AVM 50, and quite possibly the AVM 40, may be discontinued soon if that hasn't already happened. Upgrades to the D2v or AVM 50v for owners of the original units should be available soon (my guess would be February for the D2 -> D2v upgrade). Upgrade pricing is not confirmed yet. Either upgrade will require shipping the unit to the Anthem factory in Canada.


HDMI is V1.3c -- some folks may care about the particular V1.3 level

Speaker Xover is "Pair"

Surround Mode is BOTH PLIIx and THX (the additional THX stuff is user selectable -- you don't seem to have an option for that)


Pricing is a little confusing right now as Anthem seems to be offering a reduced "introductory" price at the moment. It appears the US MSRP for the D2v is $7499 at the moment. The AVM 50v pricing is not confirmed yet but will likely remain $2K less than the D2v pricing. The price includes Anthem ARC-1 (room correction) bundled with either the D2v or the AVM 50v.


LPCM audio: for both of these units it is up to 7.1 channels at up to 192KHz/24bit. [NOTE however that ANALOG multi-channel audio input remains 5.1 on both units.]


In addition, Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD bitstream decoding are in both units now via HDMI 1.3c. Anthem has announced that "Dolby Volume" will be added as a free software upgrade for both units (user installable) -- no ETA announced.


Video is up to HDMI 1080p/60 (with 1080p/24 support) including HDMI V1.3 "Deep Color" and full video processing. Video processing is 12 bits per component (36 bits per pixel) end to end using the latest VXP chip from Sigma Designs. The two HDMI video outputs run in "parallel" -- i.e., they are both live at the same time, but they can not be set to carry different video signals. It is not clear yet whether that restriction may be relaxed in future firmware.''



Anthem support. Fast and really efficient:
tech@anthemav.com


Anthem D2v2 announcement:

http://www.castercomm.com/prView.cfm?cid=111&id=208


And the new Sigma scaler (Sigma bought Gennum...):

http://www.reuters.com/article/press...008+BW20080414

8 HDMI 1.3c IN and 2 OUT!!!!! No need for an external HDMI switcher anymore!






Here's a compilation of links to find specific informations faster in this mega-thread on the D2!


--------------------------------------------------------

PANIC ROOM!


* Should I panic since the D2/AVM50 are NOT HDMI 1.3? :


Not anymore!!!


The D2/AVM50 will both be upgradable (hardware upgrade) to do the D2v, so they will be HDMI 1.3c, 7.1, and will support decoding of DD TrueHD, DTS HD and DTS-HD Master


--------------------------------------------------------

FIRMWARE and INSTALLING NEW FIRMWARE


* Belt & suspenders approach to doing the update from Bob Pariseau
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...post10645127


* Disconnect HDMI sources and display PRIOR to installing an upgrade!
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...&post9277613


* Some extra steps to make sure your settings remain good
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...&post9543881


--------------------------------------------------------

SETUP -- SOME BASIC, SOME ADVANCED


How to adjust Phase and Polarity for your subwoofer(s)
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...post13997761
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...post15831964



* How to get the best from your video setup (video calibration for non-ISF techs)
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...&post9277613
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...&post9564825


* Lossless HDMI audio for folks without HDMI displays
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...&post9805765
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...&post9808465


* Max resolution/frame rate for processed HDMI or Component video
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...&post9683898


* My video is "shocking pink"!
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...&post9610862


* Using AUTO DIG to get more than one device on the same input
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...&post9564730


* What if my 1080p display only accepts up to 1080i input?
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...&post9286645


--------------------------------------------------------

ANTHEM ROOM CORRECTION (ARC-1) : AUDIO BLISS IN A FEW, EASY STEPS

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...=#post14142274
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...=#post14160614
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...=#post14165296
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...=#post14181449
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...=#post14192486
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...=#post14207104
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...=#post14207158
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...=#post14207663
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...=#post14214469
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...=#post14216213
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...=#post14220432
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...=#post14232090
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...=#post14236866
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...=#post14256232
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...=#post14262027
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...=#post14267952
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...=#post14268617
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...=#post14286844
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...=#post14287488
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...=#post14296873
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...=#post14306824
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...=#post14320989
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...=#post14322061
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...=#post14327449
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...=#post14335277
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...=#post14347781
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...=#post14351330
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...=#post14353551
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...=#post14363180
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...=#post14365808
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...=#post14366806
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...=#post14370256
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...=#post14372958
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...=#post14377508
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...=#post14379882
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...=#post14380719
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...=#post14383015
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...=#post14384710
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...=#post14391953
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...=#post14393593
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...=#post14393664
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...=#post14394305
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...=#post14395567
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...=#post14396801
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...=#post14407572
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...=#post14413014
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...=#post14415277
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...=#post14420677
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...=#post14422227
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...=#post14424204
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...=#post14424251
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...=#post14424733
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...=#post14429013
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...=#post14430627
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...=#post14436325
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...=#post14439704
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...=#post14439977
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...=#post14440383
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...=#post14448571
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...=#post14451192
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...=#post14458172
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...=#post14459485
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...=#post14461019
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...=#post14462796
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...=#post14469019
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...=#post14477302
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...=#post14484075


--------------------------------------------------------

THINGS YOU CAN DO WHILE WATCHING/LISTENING


* Why can't I get to the audio processing mode I want?
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...&post9627851


*Making SDTV Programs Fill a 16:9 Screen Without Distortion
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...post10864623


* Fun with Custom Cropping and Scaling
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...&post9587424
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...&post9652415
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...&post9660854
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...&post9672930
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showp...ostcount=10203


* What's with this Frame Lock stuff?
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...&post9556938


--------------------------------------------------------

TERMINOLOGY AND TECHNOLOGY


* Color Space
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...&post9731538
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...&post9738172


* Data Format (YCbCr 4:4:4, etc.)
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showp...ostcount=14288
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...&post9442585
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...&post9443139
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...&post9445345
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...&post9306459


* Frame Rates and Custom Resolutions
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...&post9211974
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...&post9276351


--------------------------------------------------------

SOURCE DEVICE SPECIFIC SETTINGS


* Scientific Atlanta DVR
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...&post9557247


* Oppo 970 for SACD or DVD-Audio over HDMI
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...&post9388249


--------------------------------------------------------

DISPLAY SPECIFIC SETTINGS


* Custom Resolution for a 1366x768 Panasonic display
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...&post9081443


* How to output 1080p48 to Sony Ruby with Live Video Settings Editor
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...&post9221154


* Custom /24Hz Resolution for a Sony Pearl
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...&post9256440


* What if your display won't accept it's "native" resolution as input?
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...&post9795082


--------------------------------------------------------

SOUND SPECIFIC SETTINGS


* How to set the D2 with the Velodyne DD15 subwoofer
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...&post8872147


* How well does the Room Resonance Filter work? What does it do, and what affect does it have?
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...post10516640


==================================



Latest review by Kris Deering (august 2006) of the Anthem D2:

http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/volum...006-page1.html


And my review:

http://statement.anthemav.com/HTML/P...D2_Reviews.pdf


For those searching for Kris Deering's benchmark of the video section of the D2 at Secrets, you can access it directly here:

http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/cgi-b.../V%20Processor


Anthem's page for the Statement D2:

http://statement.anthemav.com/HTML/Products/D2/D2.html
 
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3
#10,281 ·
I rec'd my D2 just before Thanksgiving and I finally got around to hooking it up (I've been busy lately) this week. After I fit it in my audio rack and finished building some new audio/video cables I hooked everything up and went through the setup menus for the D2.

This is where the problem begins. I have an OTA Ant. hooked up to a Samsung 260 HD tuner using the tv/cable in from the ant. and the tv/cable out to the tv. I'm using the component Out from the Samsung 260 to the D2's #1 component In. Then from the D2's Main component Output to the tv's #1 Input. When I put the tv input to #1 I get multiple screens. The picture repeats itself across the screen 3-4 times. If I don't use the D2 and go directly to the tv from the Samsung tuner the picture is fine.

I should say that the tv is a rptv (Pioneer 710) and I have a Channel Master amplifier for the ant.


I'm going crazy trying to fix this ---I need the experts help on this one.

TIA,

Ken
 
#10,282 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kensmith48 /forum/post/12500313


I rec'd my D2 just before Thanksgiving and I finally got around to hooking it up (I've been busy lately) this week. After I fit it in my audio rack and finished building some new audio/video cables I hooked everything up and went through the setup menus for the D2.

This is where the problem begins. I have an OTA Ant. hooked up to a Samsung 260 HD tuner using the tv/cable in from the ant. and the tv/cable out to the tv. I'm using the component Out from the Samsung 260 to the D2's #1 component In. Then from the D2's Main component Output to the tv's #1 Input. When I put the tv input to #1 I get multiple screens. The picture repeats itself across the screen 3-4 times. If I don't use the D2 and go directly to the tv from the Samsung tuner the picture is fine.

I should say that the tv is a rptv (Pioneer 710) and I have a Channel Master amplifier for the ant.


I'm going crazy trying to fix this ---I need the experts help on this one.

TIA,

Ken


The pro710 won't accept 720p, try 1080i output via video configuration in the setup menu.
 
#10,283 ·
abc999,

That did the trick. I set it at 1920/1080i/60 and everything worked fine. Thanks.


After some tweaking I'm dissappointed in the picture though. DVD's only show as 480p because of macrovision and tv shows at 1080i don't appear to be vastly superior to the $180.00 hd tuner. Is there something that I'm missing? It has to get better than this.


The sound is the real winner. I spent so much time on the video that I didn't even get a chance to tweak the sound. It's only coming from the fronts & center and sounds amazing. I can't wait to get the surrounds and sub set up tomorrow.


Any advice is welcome.
 
#10,284 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kensmith48 /forum/post/12501483


abc999,

That did the trick. I set it at 1920/1080i/60 and everything worked fine. Thanks.


After some tweaking I'm dissappointed in the picture though. DVD's only show as 480p because of macrovision and tv shows at 1080i don't appear to be vastly superior to the $180.00 hd tuner. Is there something that I'm missing? It has to get better than this.


The sound is the real winner. I spent so much time on the video that I didn't even get a chance to tweak the sound. It's only coming from the fronts & center and sounds amazing. I can't wait to get the surrounds and sub set up tomorrow.


Any advice is welcome.

Try using an HDMI connection for the DVD if you can - especially one of the players that will send 480i over HDMI (I use an Oppo 970). This will allow you to get past the Macrovision limitation. You WILL notice a difference then.


With the HDTV signal, the Samsung is quite good (I have the same OTA tuner), and if the source was good, then there is not a lot for the D2 to do other than deliver the signal pristinely.


That said, there are a lot of little tweaks you can do that all combined will make for a noticeably better picture. First thing you should do is calibrate your display and D2. There are links in the first post for this. I myself would recommend an ISF calibration if you aren't pretty technical and DIY.


I agree the sound is stellar!
 
#10,285 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kensmith48 /forum/post/12501483


abc999,

That did the trick. I set it at 1920/1080i/60 and everything worked fine. Thanks.


After some tweaking I'm dissappointed in the picture though. DVD's only show as 480p because of macrovision and tv shows at 1080i don't appear to be vastly superior to the $180.00 hd tuner. Is there something that I'm missing? It has to get better than this.


The sound is the real winner. I spent so much time on the video that I didn't even get a chance to tweak the sound. It's only coming from the fronts & center and sounds amazing. I can't wait to get the surrounds and sub set up tomorrow.


Any advice is welcome.

Ken, you need to be patient with your video setup and calibration. It takes a while to get a feel for what's going on. But it is definitely worth the effort.


With modern digital video setups, the difference between getting the settings just right and "nearly right" may very will be a lot greater than you are used to with your earlier stuff.


Take a look at the "Video Calibration for non-ISF Techs" post you will find in the collection of links in the first post of this thread for suggestions.

--Bob
 
#10,286 ·
The HDMI connection is not going to happen since the Pioneer 710 rptv and the Denon 3800 dvd player don't have it. The Pioneer was ISF calibrated by David Abrams approx. 4-5 yrs. ago but it still has a very good picture. I only use the set for dvd's (90%) and tv viewing (5-10%).

Thanks for the suggestions. I see there is alot of tweaking to do from the video section of the manual. Hope I can get something worked out for a better picture. The wife is trying to justify the cost.


I'm asking from memory of the manual, but when it says component can be converted to hdmi, what exactly does this mean and how is it done?
 
#10,287 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by barhoram /forum/post/12500285


zzzzdoc,


Yes, you can have spaces in the displayed text. Howver, you have an extra space in there after z1. It should be like this "P1z1Bass Shakers: On"


As far as I can tell, you are correct on the two lines. I back to back commands (like a macro) for the first and second line of text. Usually, they both pop up at the same time, but every once in a while there is a short delay.


Since the entrace to my theater is behind the seats, it's real easy to get "snuck up on". I put a motion sensor in the lobby, and now I get a quick pop up if somoene is coming in the theater while I'm blasting a movie. Keeps my wife from scaring the crap out of me

Oh, I'm going to have fun with this. Doorbell and caller ID come to mind (we'll see if that's possible.)
 
#10,288 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by barhoram /forum/post/12500285


Since the entrace to my theater is behind the seats, it's real easy to get "snuck up on". I put a motion sensor in the lobby, and now I get a quick pop up if somoene is coming in the theater while I'm blasting a movie. Keeps my wife from scaring the crap out of me

A motion sensor-monitored trap door may help.



Seriously it never fails to have an entrance right at the climax to talk about some inane topic...
 
#10,289 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kensmith48 /forum/post/12503320


The HDMI connection is not going to happen since the Pioneer 710 rptv and the Denon 3800 dvd player don't have it. The Pioneer was ISF calibrated by David Abrams approx. 4-5 yrs. ago but it still has a very good picture. I only use the set for dvd's (90%) and tv viewing (5-10%).

Thanks for the suggestions. I see there is alot of tweaking to do from the video section of the manual. Hope I can get something worked out for a better picture. The wife is trying to justify the cost.


I'm asking from memory of the manual, but when it says component can be converted to hdmi, what exactly does this mean and how is it done?

The Anthem will take Component video input at up to 1080p/30 (1080i/60), do all the various sorts of video processing it offers, and output that on the HDMI output at up to 1080p/60. The display needs to be HDCP (copy protection) compliant, which should be a given with any HDMI display, but may not be the case if the display has only a DVI input.


The restriction to 480p output for Component video input that happens to be Macrovision protected, only applies if the Anthem's Component outputs are used. If the HDMI output is used the Anthem will scale such Macrovision protected input up to 1080p/60.


The Anthem can also "pass through" Component 1080p/60 to the Component outputs (but ONLY to the Component outputs) as an unprocessed video signal (merely switched from the selected input to the outputs).


Typically you would set SD Component video sources to send 480i to the Anthem. HD Component video sources should send 720p or 1080i/60 to the Anthem (according to the resolution present in the source content), unless the TV is capable of accepting a 1080p/24 video signal and displaying it at a refresh rate which is a multiple of 24 -- in which case sending Component 1080p/24 to the Anthem is also useful. 1080p/24 is less than 1080p/30, so a Component 1080p/24 signal can be processed to HDMI output.


See section 2.1 of the Manual.


-----------------------------------------------


The key factor in video quality is confirming that your TV is properly set to display the test patterns generated internally in the Anthem. Depending upon how your TV was originally set up, this may just work without change. However if the TV's input settings were set to specifically match your source devices at the time (which is one of the two approaches to video calibration), those settings may not be optimized to receiving video from the Anthem instead.


Doing that, along with the other steps described in that "Video Calibration for non-ISF Techs" post, should result in a very pleasing picture.


If this is the first time you have attempted video calibration on your own, be aware that it is a skill that takes some time to acquire. Also, much of this video processing stuff has to do with how "problem content" gets handled. So for example, if you are not familiar with what de-interlacing failures look like, it may not jump out at you that the Anthem doesn't have any of them, because you not only need to have an eye for when things go wrong, but you also have to be playing content that triggers it.


Over the course of this thread we have had many posters in your situation -- where their early attempts at video setup didn't produce the excellent results they were hoping for. I can only think of a scant few cases where those posters didn't come back a while later and say, "I spent some more time on it, and by golly it now looks fantastic." So take heart. It is worth the effort.

--Bob
 
#10,290 ·
Does anyone know if there is a way to output a second audio source along with your primary audio/video source?


I'm talking only the audio...


We are watching movies and running the Rifftrax along with them at the same time (if you dont know what these are do a google search, its kind of like MSTIII...you'll get a good laugh i promise) , it would be nice to get the Rifftrax audio to come out my main speakers along with the audio from the DVD.


Thanks for your help.
 
#10,291 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by dseliger /forum/post/12506908


Does anyone know if there is a way to output a second audio source along with your primary audio/video source?


I'm talking only the audio...


We are watching movies and running the Rifftrax along with them at the same time (if you dont know what these are do a google search, its kind of like MSTIII...you'll get a good laugh i promise) , it would be nice to get the Rifftrax audio to come out my main speakers along with the audio from the DVD.


Thanks for your help.

If you want to get the audio mixed so that BOTH audio sources come out of the main speakers at the same time, then no.


Here's what you CAN do:


You can select an alternate audio input to go along with any video input so long as the alternate audio is not coming from an HDMI input (this may have changed in the latest software, but in the V1.11 stuff you can only play HDMI audio input with video input from the SAME input -- which would of course also be on that same HDMI cable). See Simulcast in section 4.4.2 of the Manual. You will hear only the audio from the alternate input source -- no audio from the normal input source for that video input will be heard.


Or you can set up the Zone 2 path through the Anthem to be independent of the Main path -- i.e., you can select its input separately from what you select for the Main path. Then the Zone 2 audio outputs would carry the audio from the source you have selected for Zone 2 -- which you would amplify and send to an additional pair of speakers set up in the same room. In such case (i.e., when you are not "Copying" the Main path to Zone 2, the audio inputs for the source intended for Zone 2 must be via traditional, RCA, analog stereo connection (i.e., you can't send digital audio input to Zone 2 in this case). You will hear audio from your normal source on the Main path (to your normal speakers) as well as audio from the alternate source on the Zone 2 path (to your pair of added speakers).


EDITED TO ADD: With that second setup (alternate audio going through Zone 2), you may be tempted to use a "Y" connector to feed the Main and Zone 2 audio outputs together into your amp -- so that the audio from both will come out your main speakers. DO NOT DO THIS!


The reason is that in addition to connecting the two outputs to the input of your amp, you are ALSO connecting them TO EACH OTHER. Which means you are pushing voltage back INTO the Anthem's outputs. Not a good thing.


If you actually want to mix two audio streams you need an audio mixer that, among other things, will buffer one input from the other input.

--Bob
 
#10,293 ·
What output setting should I be using on the Anthem? 4:2:2?? Display is 1080p plasma.
 
#10,294 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by bluemark81 /forum/post/12508573


What output setting should I be using on the Anthem? 4:2:2?? Display is 1080p plasma.

I recommend you start with 4:4:4 on an HDMI display. Get that as good as you can get it and spend some time getting familiar with how it looks.


Then experiment with 4:2:2 and see if you can do better. It will depend largely on what your TV does with 4:2:2.


Check out the "Terminology and Technology / Data Format" collection of links in the first post of this thread to demystify this a bit.

--Bob
 
#10,295 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bob Pariseau /forum/post/12509628


I recommend you start with 4:4:4 on an HDMI display. Get that as good as you can get it and spend some time getting familiar with how it looks.


Then experiment with 4:2:2 and see if you can do better. It will depend largely on what your TV does with 4:2:2.


Check out the "Terminology and Technology / Data Format" collection of links in the first post of this thread to demystify this a bit.

--Bob

Bob:


Yes, I have been trying to follow the setup procedure you've laid out there. I am kind of stuck on a couple of things.


1. When I start the TV calibration, where should the Anthems brightness/contrast/color and tint be?


2. My TV (Panasonic TH58PZ700) does not have a contrast setting. It does have a setting called "picture", so I'm thinking this may be in place of contrast?


3. I followed yours and Anthems instructions on using the blue filter to adjust color and tint which was quite easily done, but I'm unclear on how to use the green and red filters. Anthems manual shows the "B's" and "C's" with their corresponding bars that are to match when using the blue filter, but what bars are to match when using the green and red filters?


4. I didn't quite follow your instructions for color temp. Should it be set on warm, normal or cool?


That's it for now, but I'm sure I will have additional questions as I proceed.


Thanks,
 
#10,296 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by bluemark81 /forum/post/12509813


Bob:


Yes, I have been trying to follow the setup procedure you've laid out there. I am kind of stuck on a couple of things.


1. When I start the TV calibration, where should the Anthems brightness/contrast/color and tint be?


2. My TV (Panasonic TH58PZ700) does not have a contrast setting. It does have a setting called "picture", so I'm thinking this may be in place of contrast?


3. I followed yours and Anthems instructions on using the blue filter to adjust color and tint which was quite easily done, but I'm unclear on how to use the green and red filters. Anthems manual shows the "B's" and "C's" with their corresponding bars that are to match when using the blue filter, but what bars are to match when using the green and red filters?


4. I didn't quite follow your instructions for color temp. Should it be set on warm, normal or cool?


That's it for now, but I'm sure I will have additional questions as I proceed.


Thanks,

When you are setting up the TV's controls to best display the Anthem's internally generated test patterns, it doesn't matter where you have the Video Source Adjust / Picture controls set for any input. Those controls only affect input video. The Anthem's internally generated test patterns are generated independent of that -- think of them as an alternate video source that has no such controls.


However it doesn't hurt to take this opportunity to set them to their default positions since that's where you will want to start when you finish setting up your TV's controls and now want to refine the video for each source by adjusting these controls that alter the INPUT video into the Anthem from each source.


-------------------------------------


Your TV will have two controls that handle the Brightness and Contrast function. Contrast might be labeled Picture for no particularly good reason. Brightness sets the Black levels (Memory Aid: "Brightness" and "Black" both begin with a "B") -- the floor of the visible video image. Contrast or Picture on the other hand sets the "range" from there to the brightest parts of the picture -- essentially setting the White levels.


These two controls interact since, obviously, if you change the floor (dark end) for a given range then the top end (bright end) must also move with it, but less obviously because when you change the "range" (Picture or Contrast control) it actually moves BOTH ends -- closer together if you are setting a smaller value and farther apart if you are setting a larger value. However the bright end "moves more", so Brightness dominates the Blacks setting while Contrast/Picture dominates the Whites setting. In any event, you need to play with the two controls together to get the best pair of settings.


----------------------------------------


The pair of color bars you use when adjusting the Color control for best Red are "Red & White". Why? Because you are looking at how much Red is going in to making White. Just as you did with the Blue filter and "Blue & White".


Similarly the pair of color bars you use when adjusting the Color control for best Green are "Green & White".


If your color decoder and display primaries are perfect in your TV, and if the TV is not futzing with the imaging as for "automatic flesh tone correction" or similar nonsense, adjusting for a perfect match of "Blue & White" when viewing through the Blue gelatin filter will ALSO, quite automatically, result in a perfect match for "Red & White" when viewed through the Red filter and for "Green & White" when viewed through the Green filter.


In the real world this stuff is seldom perfect (Color setting errors in Red or Green when Blue is perfect are called Red or Green "push" or "depression), and so you may get better results by using the best compromise Color setting which is pretty close for all three.


[NOTE: In older TVs, and even some cheap new TVs, the color errors are severe because "red push" has been engineered into the TV to make its picture more eye catching in garish store lighting and because the "color temperature" of the display has been set to produce "whites" which have a blueish cast (color temperature too "cool", which, confusingly, corresponds to a higher temperature number) -- which fools the eye into thinking the set produces a brighter image. And the built in, "red push" is then necessary to keep people's flesh tones from looking too ghastly and corpse-like. In such TVs you can't get anywhere near a decent result by trying for a compromise setting. So what you do is set Color and Tint for the Blue filter (just Blue) and then reduce Color (leaving Tint alone) until things look more natural and less garish. This is the best you can do with such TVs unless there is a way to get into their service menus and correct the designed in imaging flaws.]


Similar, when adjusting Tint, there will be a pair, each, of the secondary color bars that will match or be close to matching. Nobody can remember the names of these secondary colors, so just do this. Adjust Color and Tint with the Blue filter as described in the Anthem manual.


Then pick up the red filter and see which pair of secondary colors are the closest match (remembering that the primary colors of Red and White will ALSO be closely matched). Those are the two secondary colors you will be adjusting if you further adjust Tint while viewing through Red. Then do the same with Green.


It's not that tough to see which pair to use when you actually try it because the other color bars will be way off when viewed through a filter that is "wrong" for them.


Again, a compromise setting of Tint that is not perfect with any color filter, but pretty close for all three, seems to work best in my experience.


And as with Brightness and Contrast/Picture, the Color and Tint controls interact. It takes some time to find the best pair of settings for the best compromise of Color and Tint. I suggest you jot down the setting pairs that appear close. You will end up with a small number of pairs that might work -- perhaps 4 to 8 pairs of Color and Tint differing by 1 or 2 levels in each.


Then just work through each of those remaining pairings -- looking through all 3 filters one at a time for each pairing, and see which pairing seems to give you the best compromise. Keep eliminating candidates until you are left with just one -- your winner.


The eye seems to tolerate errors in Red more than in Blue or Green. So if you can't get equally close in all three, let the errors be mostly in the Red.


-------------------------------------------------------------


Only the marketing people for your TV know what they mean by "Warm" "Normal" or "Cool" color temperature.


If you find a setting described on screen or in the manual that says "SMPTE Standard" or "6,500K" then that's the one you want.


If you can't find such a description, then odds are the "Warm" setting is the one you want.


To know for sure you will need an optical color sensor and computer software that knows how to display the color temperature it is seeing when you display "white" on the TV.

--Bob
 
#10,297 ·
OK so I finally decided to install the latest update sent to me by Amrit over at Anthem(1.21d). I wemt to Radio Shack and bought a regular 9 pin serial cable attached it to my laptop and to the Anthem D1-HD, first I bring up the editor to retrieve the settings from my processor I hit select the get button under settings and all it says retrieving data but nothing else ever happens it just keeps saying that so what am I doing wrong? editor is ver 1.20
 
#10,298 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by funlvr1965 /forum/post/12510355


OK so I finally decided to install the latest update sent to me by Amrit over at Anthem(1.21d). I wemt to Radio Shack and bought a regular 9 pin serial cable attached it to my laptop and to the Anthem D1-HD, first I bring up the editor to retrieve the settings from my processor I hit select the get button under settings and all it says retrieving data but nothing else ever happens it just keeps saying that so what am I doing wrong? editor is ver 1.20

At the time I installed 1.21d (approx 3 weeks ago), there was not a compatible editor that worked. Perhaps it is still a work in progress. 1.21d seems very stable. There have been no further HDMI handshake issues with the SONY BDP-S301, or Toshiba HD-A3 and each of those respective units current firmware.


Some handshake issues with the Scientific Atlanta Explorer 8300HD, but that unit has had these forever; perhaps there will be a firmware update for the SA someday.
 
#10,299 ·
funlover,


I experienced the same thing. Couldn't get the editor to communicate with my D1-HD. To save your settings, you have to save them internally in the Anthem, reset to original setting, upgrade firmware, then restore them from the Anthem menu.
 
#10,300 ·
Hello all. I'm looking to join the ranks of D2 ownership after my 10-year old Onkyo receiver self-destructed. I'm planning on purchasing used D2 for $5k. Is there anything I should look for or ask about? What is the difference between the rack-mount version and the standard version (I'll need to rack-mount it.) Thanks...
 
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