Onkyo PR-SC886P Pre/Pro Official thread - Page 35

Here's how I got them loaded:

• First, I extracted all of the hex code from the spreadsheet for the commands I wanted and placed them into a plain text file - see attached file OnkyoHex.txt... (You're Welcome!)
• I created an email "incident" using Harmony's online support pages. The body of the email was:

Please add the commands in the attached file to my account:

Account Name: xxxxxxx
Device: Onkyo TX-SR876

Thank you for your assistance.

• I attached to the email a text file with the subset of commands I wanted to add... I did not attempt to inundate them with ALL the commands in one request... I split it up over three separate requests in about a months time. An example of the attachment is also attached here.
• Every time I made a request, the commands were succesfully loaded by 5pm the next business day. Kudos to Harmony CS for the excellent work.

That's about it... very simple procedure.

BTW... at this point I have all of the commands in the "full" document loaded and tested with my H1/876. Everything appears to work except AudioAdjust... I have no idea what its supposed to do... [Update... AudioAdjust was for 806... removed from file]. I also did not submit (or extract) the 886 or 906 specific commands like the discrete trigger commands (886) or streaming audio commands (906). If I get the time this weekend I may do that and repost an updated "full" hexcode file for you.

[EDIT: Updated "OnkyoHex.txt" to include 886/906 specific commands.]
[EDIT: Added original Onkyo spreadsheet document]
[EDIT: Updated "OnkyoHex.txt" to correct Audyssey ON/OFF/WRAP hex codes.]
[EDIT: Updated Onkyo spreadsheet to 08/09 document with xxx7 models]
[EDIT: Updated Onkyo spreadsheet to 07/10 document with xxx8 models]
[EDIT: Updated "OnkyoHex.txt" to include all Main Zone codes for 876/886/906/3007/5007/5507/3008/5008/5508 models]

 

SampleHarmonySubmittal.txt 7.2685546875k . file

 

Onkyo_IR_AVR_121_(thru_2010_models).xls.zip 212.01953125k . file

 

OnkyoHex(v2.0).txt 99.6533203125k . file

...and per input video & scaling settings.

...As well as the Audyssey features.

I have an 886 with a W4S multichannel amp and Legacy speakers which I am very happy with. I don't have any experience with Paradigm speakers so I can't add anything in that regard.

Thank you for the step by step procedures! I was finally able to open all the links you provided, its not easy being severly computer challenged. Now another brilliant question, do you just copy and paste the whole line of code for each command you want added to the request form for Harmony?

When you add them to your Harmony did you add them in the Custom button area (top display on 688 w/ 6 buttons)? I see codes for DynamicEQ On, Off and Toggle. Do you add all of them or would having just Toggle be good enough? I am assuming the Toggle command when pressed would toggle between On and Off, would that be correct?

Thanks again for your time and patience.

Bill

I found this on a thread on AVforums.com:

The new model adds the powerful new audio processing capabilities of THX Loudness Plus and Audyssey Dynamic EQ which both improve the home theater experience when listening at moderate sound levels. It also adds Audyssey's Dynamic Volume, which maintains consistent overall volume levels regardless of changes in the source. For broadcast fans, the DHC-9.9, has an HD Radio tuner, is Sirius and XM Satellite radio ready, and offers XMHD Surround and THX Neural Surround.

It looks like the HD tuner existed in the 885 though... and it looks like Neural surround also existed in the 885...

I think the GUI is a little better. A couple people have said sound quality is improved - but that's hard to say definitively.

Yes... just cut and paste the whole line... it might be easier if your text editor (Notepad?) has Word Wrap turned on. Or... it might be easier for you to make a copy of the full file and edit out what you don't want.

Once you have them add the commands to your own personal database, then you can assign them wherever you want. Just to test the commands, I added every damned one of them to my 876 device mode custom pages (15 pages on the H1!), but in reality you probably would not need to do that unless you just wanted to play.

In all likelihood you would use the discreet commands in startup/shutdown sequences and put the toggle/wrap commands in your activity custom buttons...we humans can usually deal with lists, lol. For instance... It probably makes sense to use the DynamicEQ toggle in your custom buttons... no sense using two buttons when one will do. But if you needed to change the Dynamic EQ state in a startup sequence, use the discrete command so there is no chance of it getting it wrong.

Another example... I normally run the output scaler settings on "Source" so I can have different settings for each input. But occasionally I might change the output to something else... and I forget sometimes at my advanced age. So... I added a "ResolutionSource" command to the startup sequence of every activity so that it would always come back to the correct state regardless of what I may have changed in the last activity session.

In the end, it really depends on how you use the commands in your setup and how many pages of buttons you want to wade through. If you want to deal with more buttons... by all means add the discrete commands so you can go directly to a particular mode. In particular, having discrete access to the various processing modes makes comparisons MUCH easier and more valid, since you eliminate the time time lag that normally would be there as you cycled between Listening Modes.

There's lots of flexibility to make it however you want it to be.

Can I update the firmware using CD player or do I need to have db9 RS-232 cable/USB cable? If so, does anyone has a link for an instruction on how to do that? I remember updating my 805 using a CD but not sure if I can do that with the 886.

Alex,

You need a RS-232 cable to do the FW update. A CD is used for the DSP update not for the FW. I updated the FW and DSP for my 805 as well and had to use the RS-232 cable (Monoprice) to my PC for the FW update. Here is a link to gurkey's thread. The first post has the downloads for both 1.04 and 1.05 (876)

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1016297

Bill

Bravo, bravo Bill very well done... I'll be waiting for the next Fw if this particular one has been around for some time...But I definitely want to be updated with the latest and current FW's so I'll be taking the plunge sooner rather than later.
So you'll be hearing form me on this subject


Dan

So, I have a dumb question... What's the purpose of the HDMI sub output?

I know from the manual that you can change the HDMI output to HDMI main or HDMI sub.

But... Is it merely a second HDMI output that you can switch over to in the menu?

I recall reading somewhere the HDCP only allows one active monitor connection.

Correct - one display at a time... Projector vs. flat panel, Zone 1 vs. Zone 2, or... in my case, I have it set up with a small 22" display in the wall unit above the main display... I can watch OTA or QAM cable via the main TV's tuner and route the cable STB via HDMI Sub to the small display for PoP... great for football season.

Dan,

Thanks for the kudos! It is a big thing for me to be able to do a FW update and not end up with a boat anchor. The one thing that jcalabria mentions is that in order to add certain Onkyo hex code functions for the 886 it has to be updated to at least 1.04. So you want to update before trying to add certain codes to your Harmony.

Bill

Audyssey and ISF related commands will not work with 1.01.

Yes, you are right Bill. It was the DSP update I did for the 805. I am going to order the cable from mono tonight. I guess it means I will have to wait another week before I set up the 886. How are you liking yours far?

Alex,

I am enjoying the 886 so far and the 885 will be on A-gon soon. I was debating selling my 805 to but I will keep that for a back up. It will take awhile to get a feel for alll the additional features the 886 has over the 885 but I feel the upgrade was well worth it. I have to agree with joe rod and Sherv that with the addition of DynamicEQ it makes viewing movies at less than reference volume levels quite enjoyable.

If you are in the Boston area let me know as you could borrow my cables.

Bill

Bob,

Nice, thanks for the feedback. Which MC model do you have?

I'm taking a look and trying to decide between the 'regular' MC7 3x 250 + 4x 125 or the 7x 250, and the Mini MC7

The Mini is obviously cheaper and powerful enough for what I need now, but not upgradable later and doesn't have quite as good sonic performance according to EJ @ W4S over in the W4S thread.

I'm trying to decide with an eye towards upgrading to something more powerful in the future but not go overboard, so it's kind of a tough call.

I was honestly on the fence about this, and had been waiting a very long time for a good, medium to higher end pre-pro to appear that was remotely affordable, worked well, offered great home theater sound (two channel is handled elsewhere) was well built, and provided good customer support. That pre-pro has still not come to pass.


I have long admired what Onkyo achieved with the 885/886, for anywhere close to the price, and thought about that as my default/fallback position if needed. The specials/refurbs from Shop Onkyo almost pushed me over the edge recently, but, after visiting their site today, I noted that it was the last day of an additional 10% discount on refurb sales for the Memorial Day week. I simply couldn't pass that up. Seriously, $900.00 for the 886? I added the three year warranty for an additional $85.00, because I've heard the stories of horrible customer service.

With this little invested, I can easily sit on this pre-pro for a couple years and wait out the right time to go upscale, or, possibly, since home theater is my only need, settle for even longer. I only hope that I need not face their customer service in that time.

Thanks to all who provided me witht he information I needed in this thead, and allowed me to make what I consider a very good decision.


John

John,

I think you will enjoy the 866 and find you made a wise choice especially when you consider the cost. I have bought a 805, 885 and the 886 from shoponkyo and have had zero issues. I almost feel for the most part the issues with the Onkyos have been right out of the box. So hopefully you will not need to have your 886 serviced and have zero issues.

Bill

Bill,

Thanks for the offer, I am in the greater D.C area. I may take the unit to a service center for the firmware upgrade as I am not comfortable about voiding the warranty in case something goes wrong. I have bought an extended warranty but I don't know if the warranty will cover me if I brick the unit.

It seems there is much to read and then tweak to get the best out of the 886. Should I read this thread or the 876?

What exactly did 1.04 update other than the IR codes?

Jim

Alex,

I understand your caution on doing the FW upgrade yourself. I was very nervous when doing the 805 which was the first FW update I had done that was not done with a CD. I have read that some have had issues getting the FW to initiate but no reports of bricked units. When I did mine following the step by step instructions in the 876 thread it really was a breeze.

I believe that with the download that is in the first post of gurkeys Onkyo FW (1.04 for the 886) thread has full instructions available in the download. I was unable to open the instructions either due to my lack of computer skills () or an issue with my computer. So that is why the first post in the 876 thread was so helpful.

I would visit the 876, 906, 9.9 and gurkeys FW thread to get any helpful advice for the 886 as these models have very similar operating systems.

Bill

From what I have read 1.04 enables the use of Audyssey Pro and corrects a Gamma issue along with enabling the codes for Audyssey/ISF remote functions.

Bill

Bill

Tks for the info on the 1.04 update.

Thanks Bill. I have found a RS232 cable (non USB version) and I will go ahead and do the FW upgrade via the serial port of my computer. I will visit the threads you mentioned.

What are the improvements in FW 1.05 over 1.04?

Well, clearly, it is .01 better!
Actually, I don't think anyone has ever said what 1.05 brings to the table over 1.04. Hell, I see reports of a 1.06 out there as well!
Best,
Chris

lol!

Any one getting low chirps volume during the Audyssey procedure??? Can't hardly hear the little birds calling! So I'm getting error sings..

If anyone can get me a fix for this tragedy let a bro know It might mean I have to return it back to Onkyo, which I don't mind if that's the only issue...This thing is that good...

Thanks

Djoel

Dan,

I would hop over to the Audyssey thread as well and PM Chris (Audyssey). What is the error showing on the 886s display? How is the volume of the test tones when you do a manual calibration? Are you using the taller mic that came with the 886 (stupid question but...). I have the manual with me in work if I have to I will hop on the Acela and see what we can do.

Bill