Panasonic SA-BX500 Small Light Powerful - Page 18

Thanks for the help!! I did go into the DVD menu and looked under LANGUAGE section.......there it was.......ENGLISH DOLBY True HD!! DUH!!

Now that I switched it on, played the Matrix Blu Ray DVD.......and........WOW!
Unreal. I sure was missing out! Seriously, I almost wept a few tears! Now that is what The Matrix should sound like!

I LOVE this Panny SA BX500 receiver........it is soooooo LOUD, CLEAR & CRISP! My Polk Monitor 60 fronts NEVER sounded so good. Now, I need to get my rear speakers upgraded and see what else I was missing!!

NOTE TO SELF: make sure you switch to Dolby True HD in the LANGUAGE section on your Blu Ray DVD!!!!!

I love stories with happy endings!

I've been using my SA-BX500 for about a month now. Very happy except one issue. I have a fairly recent-model Motorola cable DVR (from Comcast) going via HDMI to the BX500, then from the BX500 via HDMI to a Panasonic TH-42PX80U plasma display. I have the Viera link turned off on both the AVR and the display.

Here is the problem: occasionally when changing functions on the cablebox/DVR (for example, going from "on demand" back to regular programming) I get a small, distorted (parallelogram with black around it) all-magenta-colored picture. Turning the television off and back on solves it, so I suspect this is some kind of handshake problem (there is always a momementary blink/black screen when changing cablebox functions, as if a handshake is occurring).

Before I got the SA-BX500, the cablebox went via HDMI directly to the display, and this never happened. So I suspect the BX500 is the problem--although, I suppose, it could be the new HDMI cable that was introduced into the linkage. I also think, but am not sure, that this only happens when the BX500 is off and in pass-thru mode. Has anyone else experienced anything like this? Is there a possibility this is damaging the display?

Btw, I have been thinking about posting a detailed review of the BX500 now that I've used it for a while, but this thread is old and Panasonic has already disco'd it, so does anyone care anymore?

I am using Viera Link. Satellite Receiver to BX500 via HDMI and HDMI from BX500 to TH58PZ850U.

Occasionally the TV picture is pink upon powering on both devices. I can get normal color on the TV by turning the receiver off only (bypass mode), Turn it back on it's fine again. I can correct it by changing inputs on the receiver to DVD & back. I have swapped the HDMI cable from DVD to satellite receiver with the same result. I am baffled too. Intermittent BX500?

Anyone have an extra remote for the panasonic sa-bx500 they might want to sell....

Bumping this up....hope someone can help me a spare remote....

I believe you are going to have a hard time finding anyone with an extra remote. Have you tried pricing one out at panasonic. Or finding a good Universal that will do everything in its place.

I might have to see if panasonic has some for sale...

Actually all you have to do is change the channel to get a new handshake. Now as to why the picture is sometimes pink - that's what I would like to know. Btw, I have a DirecTV HR-21.

VegasRph.. Where in Vegas is this Fry's store? If I make it to vegas soon, I would like to check it out, we don't have one of those here in town. how far is it from the strip..
If you don't mind me asking you.. that is... thx..

Fry's Las Vegas map location, south of the airport.

It's themed to look like a big slot machine.

Any recommendations on a remote for the sa-bx500? One that will have all the settings for the panasonic...thanks in advance

bumping up....

Next time it happens I'll try changing channel and see if that rights things. When you say you'd like to know why this is happening, has this happened to you also? Or are you just curious? It's kind of a bummer if the Rhinelander and I got the only two units with this defect. Really, it's lousy even if they all have this issue, but at least I wouldn't feel like mine has an unusual defect that could be a sign of things to come.

Thank U!

Cheers!

It has happened to me also. It's not all the time however. There must be certain sequence of events that sets it off. It is my recollection that it never happens when I shut it and the TV off at the same time after watching Direc. It may happen when I manually shut it down after manually selecting CBL/SAT after playing a blu-ray. What could be happening is that it didn't complete a HDMI handshake before the unit shutoff. I'll give it a try sometime soon and see what happens.

sorry if this has been asked, but why this receiver is hard to find? it is that bad that panasonic stopped producing it... I have an old Technics receiver that I still enjoy the sound of it, compared to my Pioneer Elite 45TX.. I think it sound decent.

It's probably close to 2yrs. old and I doubt Panasonic is even making any more of them. There was talk Panasonic was getting out of the AVR business for a while but rumours keep coming up. I also have an old Technics that sounds great but the lack of HDMI is obviously a big negative these days.

Ordered the Harmony 550 for this unit...hope everything works...

It has definitely happened to me without shutting the receiver off--the most common sequence seems to be (I will verify this) simply changing the DVR/cablebox from watching on on-demand program to a normal hi-def station. I'll try to start making notes of the exact sequence of events every time it happens. Probably won't do us much good, but if the Panasonic engineers pay any attention to threads like this, maybe the next gen will solve it. Or, is it possible that the firmware in this receiver could be upgraded?

Anybody get this remote, harmony 550 to do the "setup" command?

Ok....got the 550 working good...great remote...

Have to say that this thing sounds incredible....especially with the hd bitstream...nice clear and pleasant sound...thanks to the forum for finding this receiver out and letting us know how good it was...and for all the help with questions, etc. again, thanks

Well, it came on pink last night. I tried everything I could think of on the DirecTV receiver/DVR. Changing channels, menu, starting a recorded program all left me with a pink picture. I have power cycled the SA-BX500 before to correct it so I shut off the power of the Satellite receiver this time & it came back on just fine.

Everything so far points to the receiver. Has anyone talked to Panasonic about this yet? My gut tells me it is an anomaly & we're just going to have to live with it.

I'm thinking of picking up another SA-BX500. Does anyone know where one can be found?

I got mine at Fry's electronics a month ago. It was $250+tax in Phoenix area.
Good luck

Well the closest Fry's to me is about 35-40 miles. I went there today and all they had was the display for $250. It looked/worked fine so I bought it. I got 10% off because it's a display. It didn't have the calibration mic. Since I already have a SA-BX500 and mic to use and was buying this as a spare (simply because they are so cheap) I didn't mind.

Ok, I've got a question for you all...I can't seem to be able to set the L or R speaker output....only the center channel...is that right? Just noticed that today after making some adjustments...

Your volume sets the left and right You are trying to set your other channels to match your mains so you don't need a + - setting for your mains. If for some reason your left/right don't match each other, you use the balance knob.

Thanks SteveSatch....can always count on someone to help here on the forums...