"Official" Denon AVR 2809CI/989 Thread - Page 170

Actually i'm going to another HDMI source on the TV for satellite watching. I'm running optical to the AVR for that. Maybe I should swap ports and see if I have the problem on the input where the satellite is currently running? What's throwing me off is I never had this problem with the S300 dinosaur that I had or the S350.

Bill are there any settings within the menu that I need to make sure are enabled when it comes to the anynet stuff?

That's partly why I was asking the question, because weird things sometimes happen with these early versions of HDMI when AnyNet+ is enabled at the TV, HDMI Control is enabled at the AVR, and whatever Sony calls it is enabled at the blu-ray player. When HDMI Control is enabled at the AVR, the TV takes control over which speakers are being used, overriding the AVR's HDMI Audio Out setting, and I was wondering if something like this might be happening to you.

Here I opted to leave AnyNet+ off, HDMI Control off, etc. When someone turns on the AVR, he or she then needs to grab the Samsung TV or cable box control to turn down the volume on the TV. We are always having to figure out which speakers are in use, to know which remote to grab to adjust the volume. It's not at all automatic, but I've not suffered your symptoms either.

OK, so it sounds like you're saying I should just do everything manually, which honestly is no big deal really. I will give it a shot and see how it does. Thanks a bunch man!

Would a good remote be able to achieve all of these commands while being able to keep all of the hdmi stuff off? That might be the way I need to go. I might still have to turn down the TV but no biggie.

Yes - I suggest looking into Logitech Harmony remotes.

Greetings all... and merry Christmas!

I have a quick and (I think) easy question.
For my new year's eve bash, I'm wanting to put live tv up on the projector screen, with muzak coming in from itunes on the pc.

My PC's audio is hooked up to the 2809 with optical toslink.

My Sony tv set-top box (or the PS3 with PlayTV) is coming in via HDMI.
The Denon is expecting to hear HDMI audio on these two inputs, and I can't seem to get it to only take video via HDMI, while looking at an optical input for audio.

Any help would be much appreciated.
For what it's worth, you can see my setup by clicking on my signature.

Thanks in advance!

^ Hope this helps. From the batpig guide:
Q: Can I mix the audio and video from two different sources? For example, can I watch the game on TV while listening to music on my CD player?

A: Denon AVR's have for years had a "Video Select" function (sometimes labeled on the remote as "V.Select") which allows you to mix the audio and video from different sources. In theory, you simply go to the source you want to hear audio from, and then keep hitting "V.Select" until the display indicates that you are getting video from the source you desire. You can also pre-assign the Video Selection in the INPUT SETUP menu.

Unfortunately, however, there is one major hangup with newer Denon models - you cannot use the Video Select function with any HDMI sources!! This is a pretty big bummer, and is one of the (many) reasons it is probably better to leave your cable box hooked up via component video + digital audio as opposed to HDMI. You cannot mix the audio and/or video from ANY HDMI source using Video Select at all.

There are workarounds -- for example, you could temporarily go into INPUT SETUP and actually reassign the audio input you desire to match with the video input you are watching. Or you could run a second audio connection to the input you get the video from (for example, "TV/CBL") and use the "input mode" buttons to switch from HDMI audio to "digital" or "analog". But, of course, if you forget to change it back your wife will be wondering why she is trying to watch TV and only gets sound from the CD player!

Thanks for that. Changing the input settings to Digital does the trick.
T'is a pity you have to manually change it back and forth, but I can see why it works that way.

Thanks again!

Hi all, newbie here.. used 2809 headin' my way and I have a couple questions.
My front and center speakers will be JBL-4311's (12 inch woofers), and my sub is an entry level, (robust, but entry level) Onkyo SKW-520. Should I still set front speakers to "small" in Audessy?

Also, my system includes a DVDO Edge. I have a computer sending analog audio to the Edge, which will connect to the AVR via HDMI. Will the AVR see that signal as digital and apply Audyssey EQ? (I've also posted this question in the Edge forum)

Thanks,

TC

typically, yes: http://www.audyssey.com/blog/2009/05/small-vs-large/

however, in the rare case that the speakers may actually produce better bass than the subwoofer, you may find that you prefer them "large" until you upgrade the sub. Best bet is to try it both ways and decide for yourself.

that is 100% dependent on the Edge. If it can convert an analog audio input to digital audio output, the receiver will get a digital signal. How could the receiver possibly "know" what the signal was originally? All it can do is play what you feed it.

[ How could the receiver possibly "know" what the signal was originally? All it can do is play what you feed it.[/quote]

Geez - lighten up. I didn't "know" if analog could be passed through hdmi. I didn't think so, but I didn't "know". I was hoping someone with an Edge might "know". That's why I asked, ya "know"? I didn't think the AVR was sentient, honest.

The reason i asked in the first place is this: I'm looking for a way to play lossless files (wav or wma) through my AVR. I thought my Oppo BDP-80 could do so, but I was mistaken. I have a computer in the rack for another application, but no digital outputs, and I still don't know how much (if anything) might get lost in the translation of digital to analog to digital (computer file-> analog out to Edge-> digital out to AVR).
I'd like to be able to listen to playlists, or at least have the ability to "shuffle"....but, I digress.

Thanks for the input on my first question, though

So lately when watching a movie, I tried to use Speaker "B" another set of speakers. Is there any issues if I use the A+B when watching a movie in 7.1? So basically I have 2 sets of fronts.

The A and B speaker posts are connected in parallel, so when you run them both, you effectively cut their impedance in half. So if you've got (4) 8 ohm speakers connected, the AVR will see them all as 4 ohm speakers, thus increasing the load on the AVR considerably more. This shouldn't be an issue if you keep the volume to moderate levels, however, if the AVR shuts down in protection mode, you'll know you went to high and will just have to limit the volume below that shutdown point.

One additional point. Audyssey can only really optimize 1 set of fronts. I don't know what your setup is, but I recommend that one get the best FR/L and timbre-matched CC reasonably affordable, not so fussy on surrounds, best SQ sub reasonably affordable, and run Audyssey. 5.1, 2.1 and 2.0 will all be great.

Good to know... Thanks...

+1

happend to me when i got it first. did not realized then. if you need to run 2 sets of front speakers, just get another set of amps and connect it there

^ I personally cannot see why you would want to run 2 sets of fronts at the same time, but if the combined resistance is 4 ohms or less, I would recommend you avoid the speaker posts (and the internal amps) altogether and use the 2809's FR/L preouts to a capable external amp (or amps). My 2809 would not drive my new Dali Helicon 400's (4ohm, 88dB sens) near reference cleanly. Nor did the AVR 4310 do all that better a job with its internal amps, despite having somewhat more power. Running either AVR as a prepro into my new Emotiva XPA5 does the job effortlessly.

BTW, if both speakers are 8 ohms and wired in parallel, the load the amp sees is 4 Ohms. If they are different the formula is
Zt = (Za x Zb) / (Za + Zb)

IMHO if you want to run two pairs of fronts simultaneously because you want "more" sound up front... you should upgrade to a receiver with Audyssey DSX processing ASAP and run the "extra" front speakers as WIDES.

^+1 And if you want better rather than more, an upgrade of the 3 front speakers will yield a better solution. If you give these Audyssey-equipped AVRs halfway decent speakers to work with they sound great! My 2809 did wonders with the Polk towers (RT800i, about $1K) and matching CC, and worked miracles with my Polk in-wall surrounds.

have you tried DSX wides yet? If not you have to, now that you have the 4310 you owe it to yourself! Get your wife out of the house for a few hours and slap the old Polks out at the right angles, re-run Audyssey, and give it a whirl!! You will probably find yourself negotiating some new plants to conceal the extra tower speakers because you won't want to disconnect them

I have not, but it would be fun. I am very very pleased with the SQ now. And I am just beginning to explore all the new stuff on the 4310 vs the 2809. IIRC it has the ability via networking to save my Audyssey settings to somewhere (online or my computer?) so after the wides test I wouldn't have to rerun autosetup to go back to just fronts!? Guess I should post this in the right thread, eh?

I know the usual advice is to keep FR/L and CC the same brand/series so that they blend, but I'm using a set of full-range un-branded FR/L that I got in 1969. They are from a start-up speaker company that was only in business for a few years. I have not run Audyssey on them and am using them in stereo-only mode with no other speakers, and they sound fine for music. I would like to get a CC speaker as I sometimes have problems hearing movie dialog coming blended into the FR/L speakers. However I have no idea how to choose a CC speaker. Any suggestions for a reasonable CC without replacing my FR/L speakers? I don't really want to spend the money to do that. Thanks very much.

First off, you can run Audyssey on the current speakers you have and that alone may improve dialog. I also recommend that you try for the best placement for your speakers. For FR/L that means you should be sitting at the corner of an equilateral triangle formed by your seat and the FR and FL speakers. This will optimize imaging.

I do recommend you go ahead and try some CC speakers. I'd start with good CC of roughly similar design (i.e. don't buy a Klipsch horn type if you have softdome tweeters) from a vendor with a no-hassle return policy, like a local BB. Run Audyssey on them all. Audyssey will actually help timbre-match and blend them by bringing each speaker's FR closer to reference and setting proper balance and distance. If it doesn't sound fairly similar when things pan across the front soundstage, try another brand. Of course, even dinky surrounds really add to the movie experience so pick up any old pair of those while you're at it. And don't forget the sub...

yes, you can save the current config to your networked computer, to be reloaded at some future date if necessary. Super easy through the web interface.

However, in this specific case it would not be needed, because Audyssey only forces you to re-run if you ADD speakers. Taking a speaker away doesn't affect the filters calculated for the remaining speakers.

^ you da man, bp.

I ran Audyssey, and now it seems that the overal volume level from my two speakers is reduced: i.e., I have to crank up the main volume level higher (-12 to - 13db) to get a level that seems as loud as before I ran Audyssey (-20 to -21db). Is this usual? I know that Audyssey created a equalization profile that emphasizes certain frequencies more than others. It DOES seem that dialog is clearer now, but to get a loud sound requires a higher level overall from the volume control. Also, after Audyseey ran, it showed that both A & B speakers were energized although I only have speakers connected to the A terminals. I went in to the manual settings, to "customize" and set it for A only. Does this create a problem,and is the default for Audyssey to have both A and B speaker terminals energized?
Thanks.

no, not at all. When you run Audyssey it calibrates your volume dial so that "0" corresponds precisely to "reference level" for films. So if you have a small room and/or efficient speakers, they may require all negative trims to calibrate the volume.

The volume control is all digital so it doesn't change anything in terms of power or "headroom". The only difference is what number it says on the display.... so if you want it louder just turn it up!


no problem at all, just move on. You probably hit a button somewhere and accidentally turned on "B" speakers at some point. nothing to worry about

^ Just to clarify, what batpig is saying is that neg trims are not unusual in the least. Enjoy.

Thank you and Sound of Mind for both being so helpful and so quick to respond. I know I have just begun to tap the power of this piece of gear, so it's comforting to know there are such good resources to help "in a pinch." I have read the manual and have somewhat of an understanding of the complexities of the unit, but I had never tried out the Audyssey process. It does seem to have improved the sound even with just two speakers.
Marv Finnley

^You're most welcome Marv. I love the 2809, it's a great value in terms of SQ/$ and in addition has a great track record for reliability with 0 issues in terms of hardware/firmware problems.

Now that you,ve run Audyssey, try DynEQ. It's freaky good.

From what I see in the manual, DynEQ is automatically set "on" once auto setup has been run. I checked my settings, and indeed, DynEQ is on. However, DyneVolume was off. I set it "on" to try it. The front panel LED now is "green" rather than "red" which indicates, according to the manual, that both DynEQ and DynVol are "on."

BTW, my surround sound setting is "stereo" as I only have two speakers. Is this the preferred situation for two speakers, or should I have it set to something else now that Audyssey has been run?

Thanks again.