Official Pioneer Elite BDP-05FD & BDP-51FD Owners Thread / Vs 1.32 DTS-HD MA - Page 101

I wasn't aware these players were so collectable.

Is anyone here experiencing sound dropouts with coax/optical output when the player is outputting bitstream?

Yeah, but 20 or so pages were fueled by The Bland's POS comments.

how can you be doing both

I replaced my Monoprice HDMI cables with DH Labs. The new cables are very nice. The cables are more flexible than Monoprice and have a very nice look to them (two tone connector covers, nice casing that covers the cables, etc).

I am no expert but I noticed a slight improvement with the picture quality (reference is Cars). The picture looks more crisp and detailed. I also noticed more clarity in the audio, especially the dialog out of the front channel and the ambient sounds from the fronts and surround channels.

Hey...no worries, dh! I knew you had enough posts under your belt that you knew the score. I kinda figured it was just a quick off the cuff post and that you probably had something more specific in mind, but I couldn't resist needling you. But on the other hand, I was seriously trying to say if we could get to the heart of the matter and be a bit more specific, it might be easier for you to get the info you need.

Unfortunately I don't have my 05 yet, but from what I've picked up here I believe there's some instructions on how to check your firmware on the first page of this thread in post #5. However, since there was a firmware release put out by Pioneer just the other day, it's probably not necessary to check which version you have...unless you are just curious (I know I would be). I don't have the link, but you can check the Pioneer support pages for the latest firmware download...or you might check a couple of pages back where someone posted the exact link. As far as the Integra is concerned, I couldn't say. I don't have that unit, so I more or less skimmed the posts dealing with issues with this pre/pro.

Hope this helps some.

P.S. Yep, I can tell by the polite tone of your response that you're a fellow Southerner! So if you're ever out this way, drop by for a glass o' sweet tea and we'll sit out on the porch together for a spell.

From what I've read at AVS over the past six years, that's not how digital signals work. With video you either get the full signal, or you see serious sparkles, blocking, or no image at all. Audio signals would be similar -- go or no go.

I was using live view pic in pic commentary on the Batman Begins Blu Ray disc the sound level was hard to hear... I turned up the master level on my AVR... When the commentary stopped the sound level for the movie was way to high... One: is there a setting on the 051 I am missing to adjust the second audio level??? Two: If not is this common on the Pioneer players??? Three: If it is common would it be possible to increase the pic in pic audio level in firmware or possibly add an adjustment to the menu options??? Fourth if not are there any players that allow that adjustment???

Dana

I was having the same issue. No matter what I tried, the machine would only output Dolby Digital. I swapped the cable running from the 05 to the receiver with a 1.3a certified cable and everything works fine.

Incidentally, turning highspeed to "off" did not resolve the issue for me.

The other thing I noticed is that the menu was extremely sluggish when I was using the lower quality HDMI cable. I have no idea why this would be the case, but it is reproducible. Extremely odd. Anyway, the menu is quite responsive now. Firmware 1.02 by the way.

Agree. This players has some of the best analog sound quality among affordable players. I just really glad it makes and excellent transport for CD play. Many DVD players suck as transports. My favorite was my old Denon DVD-2800II (still collecting dust in my garage).

I think the 51 makes a pretty nice transport for CD play over digital out. I haven't tried combos of optical/coax, etc to see how different it sounds (and it does sound different with different cables... though very subtly).

Would it go against transports with AES/BU and other high end digital transmission methods? Probably not.

My setup for the CD digital path is: Pio 51, DH Labs Toslink cable, Sunfire TG II pre, Audioquest Diamond to home built class T amp (copy of Bel Canto eVo design), Audioquest bi-wire to Vandersteen 2Ci speakers.

You are probably correct. The improvement in PQ/SQ that I am see/hearing could also be attributed to the 05. I watched Cars once before I swapped out the HDMI cables and then once after. I could have sworn that I see and hear improvement but it could be a placebo affect too. The most interesting thing though is after swapping out the cables the first thing I noticed was improved performance from the center channel. So much so I pulled out my SPL meter to take some measurements.

I had no issues with Monoprice HDMI cables either. I was able to configure my gear in any configuration without issue.

I am definitely enjoying the 05.

If your local vendors don't offer good deals then I can understand why you look elsewhere. And yes, my dealer does the same things and also lets me take pieces home to try out which is a great benefit to me. Further, my local vendor is an avenue for me to build relationships and perhaps generate business for myself in my line of work. None of your online vendors are capable of pushing any business my way nor do they care about how I feed my family so excuse me if I am not overly emotional about supporting internet vendors. If AVS goes away, I will survive and the dealer with survive, a local business with a different business model probably depends on my business more and its' survival has a more tangible effect within my sphere.

Like I said, I'd have no problem purchasing from any vendor on AVS and if all things being equal, I probably would go in that direction. But things are not equal based on my preference to purchase locally with the aforementioned considerations.

At this point, I am not going to banter further about the virtues of how someone makes a buying decision, I stated my opinion and it should be harmless to anyone who disagrees and I voiced respect for the referenced vendor and their customers. The important thing is that we all have choices and we respect each others choices as we are bonded in the fact that we share a similar passion.

Jim, I don't know as I am not running it that way. I am having a hard time telling the difference.

Your "banter" is verbose.

Andy,

I too preferred component with my previous CRT RPTV (Sony KP-57WS520). However, once calibrated, HDMI and component very close. With a CRT RPTV (with well focused & calibrated 7" guns is probably around 1200 or 1300 x 1080) at 1080i over component, I would suspect there would be no differences over 1080i with the different players you've used. I suppose you could see a very slight difference with higher quality DACs using component.

...since there are a lot of technical questions posted, I try this...

How do I print out the 05 update instructions from the pioneer site without having to revert to the nearest observatory's telescope?...I've tried to enlarge the print but wind up with the sides of the printed line cut off...the only way I can print this out is via the incredibly small print...any help would be appreciated.

Thanks, in advance

Have you tried downloading the file? It's in text file format. Depending on what text programs you have local to your PC you can copy the text from the downloaded text file, and dump it into Word for example, where you can manipulate font & size to your hearts content. Good Luck.

Oh, brother. Here we go again and from someone that's supposed to know better.

Know what better?

I did just put in a brand new lamp today so the difference is harder to see... I admit though, both look good. The first pic is without the x.v. Color engaged on my 200. Both have the same settings (except the x.v. color does its own gamma and black level that can't be changed)... I do apologize for the slight blurriness. I was trying to hurry since we have company showing up here any minute...

The PiP is programmed that way so that the sound of the movie does not interfere with the commentary. The volume drops, commentary on, then it comes back up.

However, for me Batman Begins PiP commentary sounded perfect.... Perhaps your speaker levels are miscalibrated?

(select all) (copy) then open your text program of choice (Word, Notepad, Wordpad, etc...) and (paste). If you're using Notepad, make sure Wordwrap is on to see everything (Format > Wordwrap)

Steve

Did the 1.02 update to my recently purchased 51 (came with 1.00 already on it) and everything went exactly as the instructions indicated, no problems at all (and I even used a Memorex CD-R).

I haven't had alot of time to play with it much, but from the few Blu ray titles and DVDs I've sampled I'm really impressed so far. Discs could load faster, but that's not a big issue for me. I'd gladly take superior video/audio perfomance and stability over fast load times anyday.

I am running 1080i out via component to my Tosh crt RPTV and 5.1 analogs out to my Anthem AVM 20. I have the Anthem set to handle bass management duties.

I remember some posting here that they had to turn the volume up on their processors/receivers up more than usual with the 51. My experience has been the opposite. I had to turn the Anthem's volume MUCH lower than normal. I ended up changing the audio out setting on the 51 from Fixed to Variable then lowering all the speaker settings to their lowest level.

If I remember correctly, the Anthem also allows some adjustment of each inputs level. I'll have to check that out as well.

Hopefully this weekend I can find some time to just sit, watch and enjoy!

that page numbers are irrelevant here since they're user controllable.

I see. I could make it another 100 pages long by next week.

I was in the Magnolia/BB this afternoon to check out the 05 since I have 2 more days before my 51 return window closes.

The 05 really looks slick but it wasn't plugged into any display so I couldn't play with it; on the other hand a 51 was and i sort of sat down and checked how it played on a 60" pdp.

The 51 was paired directly with an in house calibrated 151FD but nobody had gone through the settings, so I did quickly (source direct (1080p24), 4:4:4 , professional) and then chapter skipped through PotC Worlds End (which I had just watched last night at home on my 50" panny pz700u)



WOW

All I can say is that Robert may have told the truth a while back.... the picture was the best I had ever seen, even being in a fairly lit room, perhaps it is the 151FD or the DCT, I really didn't care, the result was amazing.

Now I really have pdp~~~~~display envy.....

Thank you, both, very much!

...just went through Printing 101!...

Huh? It seems to me that you can set the player to output 1080p/60 in the menu independent of high speed/deep color.

Yup. These new Pioneer BD players paired to a Kuro display is a match made in heaven!