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#1 ·
Circuit City online has gotten the new Panasonic players in a bit earlier than expected and the first orders are shipping today. Those that opted for "express" shipping (like me
) will begin receiving players on Tuesday the 14th. It is time for a new owners thread.


I have owned the previous Panasonic BD30, as well as numerous other models. I currently have the LG BH200 and PS3 in my system for comparison and I'll be posting my comments on the new Panasonic BD35.
 
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#4,221 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by BIslander /forum/post/15189085


This will work if you can actually lower the other channels that much coming out of the player. The BD55 only allows for a -6db output of the front mains.


But, that approach increases the noise floor because you have to crank up the overall receiver volume quite a bit with the channel trims dropped down so low. It is better (and, admittedly more work) to turn up the volume knob on the sub to get the analogs right and then to recalibrate your digital inputs by reducing the sub output for them. Everything will be balanced and will require no "on the fly" sub adjustments.


Of course, if you are happy with another approach, then use it.

So turn up the volume knob on the subwoofer (all the way?) and then do the sound level test on the receiver to make sure all levels are equal. What about the crossover level on the subwoofer, should that be halfway or all the way up?


I'll try it both ways, and see which works out best. Thanks guys, you're a credit to the forum.
 
#4,222 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by Longballsd /forum/post/15189348


I made the settings in the receiver. Also, be sure that your speakers are set to LARGE if your speakers can handle it as it sends more LFE to the sub.

I can't, I have Bose 301s in the front, and I think Bose 100s for the rear (ceiling mount), and a Bose center channel, so I have them set to small.
 
#4,223 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by Longballsd /forum/post/15189348


Also, be sure that your speakers are set to LARGE if your speakers can handle it as it sends more LFE to the sub.

LFE itself is the same regardless of the speaker size setting. It feels like there's more LFE because bass management with small speakers drops the subwoofer output another 5db to make room for the redirected bass from the other speakers. Then, the sub needs to be boosted by 15db in the receiver.


Using a large setting is fine, but only if you actually have full range speakers. Otherwise, your overall bass performance will suffer because the lower non-LFE frequencies will not get redirected to the sub.
 
#4,224 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by dsskid /forum/post/15189387


So turn up the volume knob on the subwoofer (all the way?) and then do the sound level test on the receiver to make sure all levels are equal.

Turn it up until you get the proper level with an SPL meter (or by ear, if you prefer) for the analogs. It will likely be 10-15db, depending on whether your speakers are set to large or small.

Quote:
What about the crossover level on the subwoofer, should that be halfway or all the way up?

The sub crossover should be turned off or set at the very highest level. You don't want it involved at all. The crossover in the sub should not be used if you are doing bass management in your player or in your receiver. Do the crossover in just one place.
 
#4,225 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by cdnewmanpac /forum/post/15186966


...


To date, the two tracks I find consistently demonstrate a benefit for lossless are Master and Commander (both the difference in the strings in musical passages and the clarity of dialogue during loud battle scenes) and Immortal Beloved (the musical passages). One other point to consider: While I may not notice specific differences, both my wife and I are less aurally fatigued at the end of movies with lossless tracks than with lossy. I never get the desire to turn the volume down as I do with some lossy tracks.

I saw the movie "Speed" on HBO a couple of weeks ago and it was in DD 5.1. I liked it so much I bought the BD version. The audio on the lossless version was immensely better than on the lossy version. It's very evident.
 
#4,226 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by dsskid /forum/post/15189221




That's in the receiver, not in the B55, right?


I'll check my receiver when I get home. Thanks again to all three of you for your help.

Adjust it in the receiver if the receiver will allow you to have different speaker levels set for analog and digital. Some do, some don't. If yours doesn't allow it, you'll have to adjust the speakers down in the player itself. What BIslander is saying is to adjust the sub itself up, and then bring down the sub level in the receiver on the digital side. Of course you can only do this if your receiver allows different levels for analog/digital.


I always thought if you had low LFE you wanted to set the speakers to SMALL as this direct all bass (below 120 hz or something) to the sub. Is it not the same for the BD 55?
 
#4,227 ·
So, I'm shopping for my first blu-ray player, which one is is better the 35 or 55?

Does the 55 have more features, etc, or is the 35 fine? I have never bought a hd-dvd or a blu-ray player yet.

I still have my Denon S1500 dvd player, and been waiting it out till the format war was over.

Thanks for the suggests.
 
#4,228 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by TheaterChad /forum/post/15190025


So, I'm shopping for my first blu-ray player, which one is is better the 35 or 55?

Does the 55 have more features, etc, or is the 35 fine? I have never bought a hd-dvd or a blu-ray player yet.

I still have my Denon S1500 dvd player, and been waiting it out till the format war was over.

Thanks for the suggests.

Depends on what equipment you have and what features you need.
 
#4,229 ·
Anyone using a hdmi 1.1 AVR with the 35/55? I'm seeing some major handshake issues with my Onkyo 604...time to upgrade AVR to 1.3 already??? My tv and BD35 are hdmi 1.3; AVR is hdmi 1.1 passing thru audio and video. Thought I had this thing whipped until I got a new tv with 1.3. Any takers?
 
#4,231 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by SportX /forum/post/15183566


Question on outputs - I have an older receiver Marantz SR8001 if I remeber right. It can do Dolby and DTS, but that's it. I see these players decode several more surround formats than that and Panny says they 'bitstream' them out. Does my receiver need to be compatible with the newer formats or will the 35/55 decode and my receiver will just amplify what is sent to it? I would most likely be using the optical cable between the player and receiver with HDMI going directly to the TV since my receiver doesn't have HDMI connections.


Thanks in advance.

SR7001 here, it works very well set to HDMI-PCM... Seemed to decode everything I threw at it over the long T-day weekend.
 
#4,232 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by kreativeimages /forum/post/15185976


I lived in Japan too, it shouldn't be 100V there, its 220v. Mainland Japan uses 50Hz, and Okinawa uses 60Hz. I had to use transformers when using 110V electronics. I have the same situation here again in Germany, most of my Home Theater stuff is running on transformers, sucks!

You are correct in that Japan uses both 50HZ and 60HZ; however it is 100v everywhere I have been in japan. My wife is from Tokyo and we are still using her 20 year old Sony tv in the guest room in Hawaii without a transformer. We did use 115v-->100v transformers on her more expensive electronics when we got married 15 years ago.
 
#4,233 ·
Stew:


I have an older Yamaha RX-V 2095, it has DD, DTS, and optical out, no HDMI.

I've been using a Samsung LNT 4669F for a year, and waiting it out till the format battle is over.


I will be buying a new receiver later, but looking to watch blu-ray now, I can get the BD35 ver cheap, and can get the BD55 very reasonable too. I have two sets Klipsch RF7's and surrounds in front and back, just looking to experience blu-ray now, wait for better models later, that's why I'm probably leaning towards the BD35, just enjoy something just for now. Thanks again for the help, I know everyone is asking the same questions, what to buy...... But it still comes down to gut feeling, just buy and try.... Thanks!
 
#4,234 ·
Both will work and will function virtually identical when connected to your receiver via optical - you will get DD and DTS, but won't get lossless audio.


The BD55 enables you to connect the analog outs to your receiver which will then provide you with lossless audio. The BD35 doesn't have 7.1 analog outs.
 
#4,236 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by BIslander /forum/post/15185395


Are you sure about that? I didn't think the AVR300 redigitized the analog inputs. If it doesn't, then you need to do speaker sizes and distances in the Panasonic. Normally, you would leave the levels flat coming out the player and do any trimming in the processor. Add 10db to the analog sub output in the Arcam, 15db if any speakers are set to small.

Yeah, When listening to a blueray disc, I can hit the trim level button on the Arcam remote and adjust the levels of all speakers. The sub level is still adjusted the same way as well, there is a button on the remote. I was quite surprised as well. It never actually says what the format is on the Arcam, it says unavailable but when I hit the audio button on the Panny remote it says DTS master or Dolby True HD. Just assuming that this is what is reaching my Arcam since it leaves the Panny via 5.1 analog and enters the analog ins on the Arcam. By the way, in the original setup of the Arcam, it asks if you want to boost the DVD-A input by 10db and recommends doing so because of the same reasons you listed.
 
#4,237 ·
Thanks Stew, much appreciate your input!


I'm lost as to the part of you "won't get lossless audio", with an older DD / DTS receiver. Would I notice the lostless audio with a newer receiver ?, will I even notice 7.1 analog inputs? I'm trying to do make a fast decision, I got a ebay coupon to buy something, and trying to ask myself, if I'm gonna buy something cheap like the 35, or spend a little more and buy the 55, will I eventually use it? I'm sure I'd enjoy the 35 just fine....

Thanks.
 
#4,238 ·
Finding what seem like HUGE differences in sound level (volume) from BD to BD since I got my 55 last week. Iron Man and Starship Troopers seem very low, Iron Man incredibly so, while Band of Brothers seems much louder, and BoB also seems to have far more dynamic sound than the other 2. I'm doing the 2-channel downmix through my Krell KAV 300i. I seem to remember someone saying BDs have considerably lower level sets than say CD or even DVD. Are others experiencing this?


Sorry, the search engine in avsform is just too primitive to be very useful (only searches on single words, etc).
 
#4,239 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by boylan13 /forum/post/15188186


HDMI is awesome, except when it sucks. The 604 was HDMI 1.1 and the BD55 is HDMI 1.3. This is not to say that the BD55 *should* have problems negotiating with the TX-SR604, but I'm not surprised that it does. And unfortunately if it is the Onkyo receiver's "fault," you're not going to have much fun getting that upgraded without a service call.


Try a couple of different cables as has been suggested. I have seen cheap cables cause problems (sparklies or image drop-outs), but usually only when they are really long or when they are mechanically defective in some way.


You might also try a specific power up order (display, then receiver, then player) and see if this helps. This way by the time the player needs to negotiate the handshake, the display devices are already powered up and happy (a technical term).


-CB

Chris,


I have a quick question. I was making some changes today to my setup today.


I have officially changed my main setup to be a Panny 35 and my oppo 893 for SD. I was bouncing between a XA2 and a Denon 3800 but I ditched everything for the Panny and the Oppo 983. I don't know why but I just feel comfortable with this setup. The XA2 was just too slow and I am going to sell the Denon to a friend.


Anyway, I noticed in the PAnny setup that there is a setting for RBG normal and extended? If this player outs 444 why the RBG setting? Was just a question that puzzled me today.


Thanks for the help.


jimi
 
#4,240 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by tvckmiller /forum/post/15190517


Yeah, When listening to a blueray disc, I can hit the trim level button on the Arcam remote and adjust the levels of all speakers. The sub level is still adjusted the same way as well, there is a button on the remote. I was quite surprised as well. It never actually says what the format is on the Arcam, it says unavailable but when I hit the audio button on the Panny remote it says DTS master or Dolby True HD. Just assuming that this is what is reaching my Arcam since it leaves the Panny via 5.1 analog and enters the analog ins on the Arcam. By the way, in the original setup of the Arcam, it asks if you want to boost the DVD-A input by 10db and recommends doing so because of the same reasons you listed.

Adjusting volume levels is not the same as setting speaker sizes and distances. Bass management and time alignment must be done while the audio is digital. So, in your case, those settings have to be done in the player, not your receiver. You can do level trims in the Arcam and that's the proper place to boost the output of the sub. But, your Arcam will not be handling bass and distance adjustments because the audio is already analog by the time it gets there. Some processors can re-digitize analog, but not yours.
 
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