Onkyo PR-SC886P Pre/Pro Official thread - Page 37

Originally Posted by doctor.mwg

Thanks, problem is I can't get audio to speakers. I'm using balanced interconnects to all five, and LF to sub, but it's as if no pre-amp connection, which is very weird.

Thought maybe there was something in pre that had to be set before handshake with amp.

Until I solve that, mic makes a very poor paperweight! Set goes up as soon as I can get sound..darn thing weighs too much to be pushing console in/out from wall, then trigger should be easy. Still, with trigger switch 'off' on amp, shouldn't have any effect on amp operation.
Maybe somebody will have Cambridge codes?!?

Originally Posted by Djoel

So you're say that your 886 is non operational? You have to work out the unit playing sound first, like I mentioned above you should call Onkyo as soon as you can...You want them to send you a new working piece before that 30 day runs out. That is if you got it from Onkyo direct.

Originally Posted by MrKegFlex

Just joined the club, picked up a 886 refurb... I think it's brand new, it sure was packed like it had never been opened.

Setup was amazingly easy with the menu system. I am really happy with this unit but I have one annoying problem with video delay when switching between 480/720/1080 on my cable input (component). I might have missed this topic while scanning the thread but was curious if this was fixed in a firmware upgrade. I may end up just connecting straight to the tv or seeing if setting that input to through (I'm assuming that would eliminate it) but I would miss out on the reon.

Is this considered normal?

Originally Posted by rockets63

Just received my 886 refurb from shoponkyo. It appears to be brand new and the main firmware is 1.01. Called Onkyo Support about an authorized service center in Las Vegas, no luck, the closest one is the regional in Denver and the turnaround time is two to three weeks after they receive it.

I wanted to have the firmware updated before I install the unit, but I am completely computer illiterate and there is no way I can attempt this update.

Any suggestions, anyone in Las Vegas willing to help?

John

Originally Posted by Bill Mac

John,

I am not very good with computers either but I was able to handle the FW update. Maybe you have a friend or family member that can help you out. It takes under 20 minutes and would be a real pain to send it to Onkyo just to update the FW.

Bill

Originally Posted by homeav

I seem to recall reading somewhere that the newer firmware 1.04 improves (reduces) the problem with the delay...........

Originally Posted by MrKegFlex

I hope so, I'm going to try and update over the weekend... this is my experience right now. First off, this is a noisy, hard to see video taken with my phone... and, it has a watermark in the middle from the conversion software but it should give you an idea of the amount of time I'm talking about. I've never used a prepro for video before but this seems like it would not be considered acceptable.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/1828685...7619306741932/

Originally Posted by MrKegFlex

I hadn't thought about connecting everything via component, I'll try that today. Thanks for the suggestion!

EDIT - I just went ahead and tried a complete component path (dvr to 886 to tv) and experienced the same behavior whether it was set on pass through or not. So, I experience the same thing with a complete hdmi path and a complete component path.

Originally Posted by MrKegFlex

I hadn't thought about connecting everything via component, I'll try that today. Thanks for the suggestion!

EDIT - I just went ahead and tried a complete component path (dvr to 886 to tv) and experienced the same behavior whether it was set on pass through or not. So, I experience the same thing with a complete hdmi path and a complete component path.

Originally Posted by MrKegFlex

One thing that is odd about the video delay... when I switch to the channel, I see the video for about a sec or two and then it goes blank for about 6-7 seconds and then comes back. It seems to do this even though I have set it to pass through... even tried going the hdmi route even though I doubted it would make a difference.

Originally Posted by CCONKLIN1

Seriously, if Bill can do it anyone can!

Originally Posted by Bill Mac

You speak the truth! I just figured out how to post links and how to use the multi quote feature (thanks djoel). I'm so proud of myself.

Bill

Originally Posted by fsrenduro

I have an 885 and had the exact same problem that drove me nuts for several months. The issue is your cable box. I have Verizon HD-FIOS and my box has an SD override function thats a sub menu of whatever HD signal you choose (ie 1080i, 720p, etc). On my box if I had the override set to anything I would get the delay you are talking about. Set the override to 'off' if possible. If you can't find a menu option to do that then call you cable company and speak to someone in technical support. In the first software on my cable box it was in a hidden menu that most people didn't know about, now it is in the main menu.

Originally Posted by MrKegFlex

I just tried calling TWC... no luck on a hidden/service menu. The only way to eliminate the delay is to tell the cable box my tv only supports 1080i... which is not desired if I understand the setup correctly. On a semi-positive note, TWC in this area is slowly rolling out a new samsung dvr but it's hard to get at the moment... not sure if this one might address this problem but I suspect it's running the same TWC Mystro software.

Originally Posted by jcalabria

The issue is not the cable box... they actually change resolutions rather quickly... its the Onkyo and also your TV that are the slow ones. You are correct that locking the box at 1080i would cure the delay (because the Onkyo only sees one resolution) but also that it is undesireable doing double scaling processes (especially the 720p>1080i>1080p process... poor video signal getting ripped apart and sewn back together, lol) with at least half of it being done by a $10 scaling chip instead of your Reon.

The Samsung is not any different than the SA boxes in this regard, except that several of us have seen them get stuck on 720p output regardless of the settings or the program content.

Wanting the best scaling I have just put up with the delay... I have found myself using the guide more to search for programs rather than just channel surfing.

BTW... the Onkyo/Reon combo supports 480i input over HDMI... the cable boxes usually default to 480p/720p/1080i as their output. For best video, the box should be set for 480i/720p/1080i (turn 480p off)... this will send everything out native so Reon can do its thing without any help from that $10 scaler chip in the box.

Originally Posted by Alex solomon

Hello guys,

I finished setting up my 886 and so far nothing but total frustration. First and foremost, I have lost the flat FR I was getting with the my Onkyo 805. I have rerun Audyssey six times plotted the graph with REW numerous times with different setting and calibration to no avail. Second, the quality bass I used to have is now replaced with just huge boom. Undefined, overexaggerated and muddy bass, especially with music. My room now sounds like a circuit city demo room. I have changed the intellivolume to -10 as recommended but that didn't help at all. I have not changed anything at all except swapping the 886 for the 805, everything is same as before. So far I have only played a few songs but so far it is a huge step back in terms of sound quality vs. the 805 which led me to believe that I have either got a lemon or I missed something during setup. Any suggestions?

Originally Posted by Alex solomon

Hello guys,

I finished setting up my 886 and so far nothing but total frustration. First and foremost, I have lost the flat FR I was getting with the my Onkyo 805. I have rerun Audyssey six times plotted the graph with REW numerous times with different setting and calibration to no avail. Second, the quality bass I used to have is now replaced with just huge boom. Undefined, overexaggerated and muddy bass, especially with music. My room now sounds like a circuit city demo room. I have changed the intellivolume to -10 as recommended but that didn't help at all. I have not changed anything at all except swapping the 886 for the 805, everything is same as before. So far I have only played a few songs but so far it is a huge step back in terms of sound quality vs. the 805 which led me to believe that I have either got a lemon or I missed something during setup. Any suggestions?

Originally Posted by jcalabria

Do you have Dynamic EQ on? Many folks seem to find the bass much too heavy handed for music with it on, myself included. You can turn it off and still leave the MultiEQ engaged for basic room correction. After all, its just a fancy loudness control... turn it off if its not working for your source - you will not be discarding the core value of Audyssey. BTW, you can make that an easier task, or even automate the process for music sources, by adding the discrete Dynamic EQ IR codes to your universal remote, if you use one.

As far as the speaker distance settings, those only effect phase. While phase does effect imaging, its more in the vein of how focused vs. diffuse the imaging is, not the actual location the sound appears to be coming from. That is much more effected by the relative speaker level controls. Try tweaking the speaker levels rather than the distance controls.

Finally (just asking, not pointing fingers)... you are comparing the 886 to an 805. Were you using the the 805 as a preamp with external amps or with internal amps? If external amps, are they the same as you are using with the 886? If they were not the same amps as you are using now, then that is another variable in the equation you are trying to solve.

Originally Posted by Bill Mac

Alex,

I agree with jcalabria in the fact that Dynamic EQ might be active. If I am not mistaken when I ran Audyssey several times each time it set Dynamic EQ to on. I also did not like Dynamic EQ with music as well. With jcalabria's assistance I added the additional hex codes for Dynamic EQ/Volume as well as other commands to my Harmony 688. It is great to be able to access these commands without going deep into the menu of the 886.

I decided to move my sub out from the right front corner of my room a bit and reran Audyssey. I had run Audyssey several times and each time the sub distance was at 5.4' and not 9'-10' my 805/885 measured. Well when I ran it this last time the measurement is at about 9' which is what it should be. The actual distance is about 8' but it was always a bit long a 9'-10' which is what Audyssey says is the norm.

I have to say I am very happy with the SQ of the 886 although I have not had a chance to really crank it with a good action Bluray. Next will be to experiment with the many video calibration settings. I had a Oppo BDP-83 for a short while but decided to return it and break out my ole' BD30/A2 combination. I use the the A2 for SD DVD and I am going to try to set up the A2 to use the Reon and the BD30 for pass through. I had been planning on having my Panasonic 50" plasma professionally calibrated but I have the bug for a new 58" 1080p set.

Bill

Originally Posted by jcalabria

The issue is not the cable box... they actually change resolutions rather quickly... its the Onkyo and also your TV that are the slow ones.

Originally Posted by Alex solomon

Same here Bill. My 805 report sub distance almost accurately @16.5'. Sub is actually 16' away. The 886 reports the sub 22.5' first few tries and @ 18.5' next few. I am going to use the old mic with the 886 and run Audyssey again. Not that I expect that to make a difference but what do I have to lose?

Originally Posted by fsrenduro

While I may not be able to explain exactly why it happens I know it happens. If I turn on the SD Override function on my Motorola FIOS HD cable box I get EXACTLY the same problem described earlier. When changing from an HD to SD channel (or vice versa) I get a split second of picture then it goes black for 6-9 seconds before the picture comes back on.

I understand that the problem is probably caused by the HDMI handshake in the Onkyo but the solution for me was turning off the SD override function. I can repeat this problem over and over so I know that this is the problem in my system.

Originally Posted by Bill Mac

Alex,


I had a Oppo BDP-83 for a short while but decided to return it and break out my ole' BD30/A2 combination.

Bill