"Official" Yamaha RX-A1000/RX-A2000/RX-A3000 thread - Page 263

Ok, so I might be up for the "Biggest Dumba$$" of the year award, but I gotta ask this question.

Over the past 15 years I have tried to get AM reception on multiple AVR's, in multiple houses and multiple locations within those houses, and not a single time have I been able to get even 1 second of reception - day or night. This has been incredibly frustrating as I'm never able to listen to local games broadcast over the air, and I can't listen to them over the internet either since they're blacked out.

I've been trying to find out why my little clock radio can get AM reception, but my $1,500 AVR can't. Well, I was just doing a bit of searching on that subject, and I think maybe I have figured out why.

On all of my AVR's, I've always attached the AM antenna, but I don't think I've ever "stripped" the cord prior to hooking it up. I'm not at home now to verify this, but I'm hoping that I didn't strip it and hoping that when I do, I'll actually get AM reception and win the well deserved award.

If you are referring to the wires where they terminate on the back of the AVR then yes, they need to be stripped.

Thanks. That was the problem. I knew it was there, but it's hard to find the way it is on the menu.

Most AM loop antennas will have the insulator already cut. You'll see small section exposed wire about a a centimeter from the end. All you need to is pull the insulator off with your fingers to properly strip the ends of the wire.

If you've installed the AM antenna with insulator still attached then be careful when removing it. You want to avoid accentally leaving the plastic insulation you were supposed to pull off stuck in the connector.

Even with the AM loop antenna properly attached you still may not get great reception. AM radio doesn't suffer interference well. Things like your TV, other components, even the receiver itself can block reception. By comparison, your clock radio sitting alone by itself upstairs on your bedstand is probably in one of the best places in your house to receive AM radio.

Oh, and one more thing about the AM loop antenna you may not have known (I didn't find out about this myself until recently) is that the plastic bit in the middle is designed to be folded out into stand. This can help you find a better position for it.

If you really want AM reception that bad, there are kits out there. I've seen one that includes a 31" mast (like on a car) with mount, a combiner, and splitter. It allows you to combine separate AM and FM antennas then separate the signal at the AVR.

I'm thinking about getting the RX-2000 for my secondary/tertiary viewing locations.

The reason it's appealing to me is that it has most of the inputs/outputs (especially in the front) that I would like.

Can anyone who has it give me their impressions on the AVR?

I'm having a devil of a time with HDMI handshake issues with my A1000. I've tried longer and shorter cables, replacing cables with new ones, swapping inputs, turning off simultaneous HDMI output. Things work for a while but then some weird issue crops up.

Prior to this, my AVR had no HDMI. I used HDMI via a switchbox (4 in, 2 out) with my same displays, same gear and same cables (two of them over 30 feet and one over 20 feet) and I had no issues. Of course, HDMI was only carrying video at that time.

I bought the A1000 in large part because it has the connectivity I want. However, it seems like that connectivity is illusory--at least with my gear. I have a DVR, a first gen AppleTV, a Cambridge Audio DVD99, a PS3 (fat, 80gb w/SACD), an HD A2 and a Panasonic BMP60(mod. no. ?). Each, except the HD A2, has had problems with HDMI handshakes or something else HDMI related. I "solved" the DVR and AppleTV issue with component/S/DIF connections for the sake of expediency (their conversion to HDMI video has given me flawless service, incidentally), but A) I'm running out of component inputs in the A1000 and B) I need HDMI to get full-res audio from BDs (though I could live without that for movies) and SACD/DVD-A (I refuse to go without full-res for that).

I understand that HDMI is a messed up protocol and that not all devices play nice with each other. I know that sometimes the only "cure" is to turn things on in a certain order. I've also read where the issue could be because my two displays are not of the same resolution and this is causing confusion in the AVR. I won't even comment much on what I think of the connectivity of HDMI vs other protocols in terms of solidity and ease of use (FireWire comes to mind, or ethernet).

Anyway, I'm not looking for specific solutions here (I'm well aware of the amount of trial and error this will entail). Rather, I'm curious if this is a problem others are having or if perhaps so many handshake issues suggest a faulty unit.

Howdy Ovation....I've got the a3000 and don't recall ever having a handshake problem with 4 dvr's, ps3, pc, appletv, roku, dvd, etc.

Is your A3000 hooked up to one or two displays? If two, do they have the same resolutions?

Some things I've read about this suggest that one potential problem is that my two displays do not have the same resolution (apparently, this is especially a Yamaha problem, according to what I've read--though it's purely anecdotal). Not only are they not the same, but one of them has an unusual resolution (1680x1050). Moreover, it appears that even if I manually select the HDMI output (so, I don't leave HDMI 1 + 2 on), it doesn't render the non-"active" HDMI output completely inactive.

Unfortunately, none of my HDMI displays is of the same resolution as the other (one is 1680x1050, one is 1280x720 and one is 1366x768), so I cannot test this theory with two identical resolution displays (not without buying another display).

I believe my unusual combination of displays could be at the heart of the issue (coupled with the Yamaha's apparently less than robust solution for HDMI switching). It is infrequent enough (so far) that I've been willing to live with it, chalking it up to the vagaries of HDMI. In the medium term, I plan to replace my two displays (one is a computer monitor I use for short viewing or DVD-A menu navigation, one is a front projector) with a large, single flat panel display (likely a plasma).

My other option is to return the unit (my warranty is 4 years and I've had it for 5 months), but while I anticipate no problem from my dealer, it is out of the way for me to do so (4 hours round trip). I've been hoping it would not come to that.

HDMI itself is at its heart a very simple, almost foolproof system. It's almost an exageration to say that there's any handshaking going on. All that needs to happen for HDMI to work is that the source needs to transmit in a format that the display supports (and the cables and devices in between all have enough bandwidth to carry it). No handshaking or anything, just the source transmitting in the right format.

While things like hot-plug detect, EDID, CEC, ARC, etc.. complicate actual HDMI implementations, if you can manually force your sources into using the correct format then none of that other stuff really matters. Of course if you can't do that then you're relying on things like the EDID being correct so the source can automatically figure out the best format to use. In your case in particular this could be a pretty big problem. Your two TVs have different EDIDs and what the format actually is the best can vary depending on which TVs are active at any given time.

Now, you may have noticed I have yet to mention one notorious four letter acronym often used in combination with HDMI and handshaking: HDCP. This unfortunately useless but often manditory copy-protection scheme is really another layer on top of HDMI. Nothing about HDMI requires it use, so HDCP handshaking problems aren't really a problem with HDMI itself. While distinction hardly seems to matter when you're having trouble connecting HDMI devices together, it make a difference in terms of the likelyhood of being able to fix the problem.

Unlike with plain HDMI, HDCP can very accurately be described as using handshaking and if anything goes wrong in any step of the process it simply doesn't work. About the only way you can force things to work is to try to stop devices from using when they're not actually required to do so. In cases where HDCP is required, like when playing Blu-Ray discs, then there may be nothing you can do to fix the problem other than to find a set of hardware that does work together.

Something similar can be said for Ethernet. It's pretty simple, no real handshaking and usually just works. Once you layer other stuff on top of it, like IP, TCP, DNS, HTTP, etc... then things become more complicated, there's actual handshaking going on now, and so things to break more often.

Does anyone watch Netflix on a Roku XDS with their xx00? When I watch a movie it comes up on the AVR as PCM. Will I need to have the AVR do the processing. And if so, can I set it to do so only on the input for the Roku?

Generally speaking there is no benefit from having the receiver do the decoding. PCM is a raw undecoded format, and it's very likely that the receiver would decode the encoded bitstream to the same PCM values that the source would.

Thanks.

I have what's probably a simple question but I can't figure it out.

I have the RX-A2000. I would like to be able to watch an input from one source on my tv while listening to audio from another and I can't figure out how to get it done.

For example I would like to watch feeds from "input AV2" which is an HDMI audio and video signal from my dish. To watch the signal I have one HDMI from "HDMI Out 1" to the TV. I have a 7.1 system so I don't use the tv's speakers. While watching this source I would like to be able to listen to an input from "Audio 1" which is my iPod input.

Any thoughts on how to do this?

When I switch from "AV2" to "Audio 1" today I lose the the video to the tv.

You can move the iPod to the analogue (or coax/optical) audio jacks for AV2 and then select the analogue audio (or coax/optical) on AV2 ([Option] -> Audio Select -> Analog). You can use a Scene to memorize it so you can get to this specific configuration with one button press. Just hold down one of the four scene buttons the remote to memorize that configuration. When you turn off the receiver it will forget which audio source you had selected an go back to HDMI audio for AV2.

You can also run a second video cable (eg. component) from your dish directly to your TV.

Finally you can assign the analogue video outputs to zone 2 or 3. Run analogue video cables from all your sources to the receiver (in addition to HDMI), then run an analogue video cable to the TV.

I just upgraded firmware yesterday. Now I cant see the GUI on the tv all the time. I try to bring up the OSD and the OSD opens but is flickering and crappy looking. It's on the tv twice. On at left and then towards the right side of screen. Volume won't be on the tv either when I raise or lower it. The only way to fix is sometimes turn off my A3000 and back on. Or turn off then on my directv DVR.

The directv DVR recently updated firmware like 2 days ago. I updated my A3000 firmware yesterday.

I've made sure of DVR proper resolution etc. everything is ok with the DVR.

This issue happens on AV1 hdmi. Not on anything else. But then maybe changing inputs fixes it temporary. I have no clue.

If I can attach a pic here from the iPod touch app for this site then I'll attach a picture. I don't know how though.

Wow, I noticed this exact same problem last night under the exact same conditions! I thought my A2010 receiver (which is not even 45 days old) was malfunctioning! It almost seems like the resolution gets messed up or something because I can still see part of the GUI when the on screen buttons are pressed. Hopefully either DirecTV or Yamaha can put out a fix quickly

Thank you for the input. I see this is not as simple as I had hoped. I am trying to keep the multiple cable proliferation to a minimum so I like the first option you outlined (move the ipod L and R pin connectors to AV2, choose analogue then save as a scene).

But, what if I wanted to keep that configuration and in addition have the capability to watch the dish but listen to a CD which is currently connected from my universal Blue Ray player to the RX-A2000 via the "AV1" HDMI connection? Or listen to an LP that is connected to the pin connectors via the "Phono" input?

This was easier in the "old" days when you could select an AV source which would give you picture and sound then choose an audio only source. The result would be the previous video source but the newly selected audio source, whatever that may have been: ipod, phono, CD, etc.

Was this firmware higher than 3.20?

You'll have to use one of the other workarounds I metioned. Just running one additional cable from the dish to the TV should let you do all this.


HDMI killed this. It used to be that video and audio were handled completely seperately, an AV receiver was essentially two devices in one, a video switcher combined with an integrated amp. There was no reason why the two devices had to be using the same source.

With HDMI audio and video are handled on the same cable, and so can no longer be completely seperate in the reciever. Implementing the ability select a different video source than the audio source when both sources are HDMI is much more difficult. So far no manufacture has decided its worth doing. Since no receiver allows it in the general case, manufactures have dropped the ability to select audio and video sources competely independently. You're left with various workarounds like assigning video to zone 2. I think Onkyo handles this the best, apparently if you select an input with video and then select an audio-only input then the receiver will keep displaying the previous source's video.

Yep. It seems like a resolution issue with something.

I've unhooked then hooked up the hdmi cable in back of receiver and it was better.

I want to know if this is directv issue or receiver. Directv probably will say its the receiver because that's what has the problem and the directv settings are fine.

I was thinking of trying another cable or my Integra DTR-40.3 from upstairs to test.

I'll post a pic next time it happens.

Weird, I have direct tv with the hddvr and 1.08 on the 3010. The only thing I've noticed is how painfully slow the direct tv gui has become lately. I would try a force reset on the receiver and see if it helps any.

Hi,

I've modified the first 4 factory set "Scene" modes on my RX-A2000 and they work just like I want them to. However, I have a little issue with the way the remote handles the same scenes...

For example:

I kept "Scene 3" to music listening, but instead of using CD player, I changed it to my PC input as I stream all my music from a DLNA server which is controlled directly from the receiver as you all know.

My remote will automatically want to control a CD player after pressing the "Scene 3" button and I have to manually set the remote to control the receiver instead of a CD player afterwards... How can I remove that functionality? In the Onscreen Scene settings I had set "SCENE IR" to OFF, yet it stills automatically switches my remote to CD Source control mode.

It really isn't a big issue, but I'd still like to know how this can be even be changed...

Thanks for your help in advance

The manual is cryptic, but it seems you can hold down the scene button and an input button at the same time for three seconds. This should tell the remote that you want to control the device programmed for that input after you press that scene button. You should probably point the remote away form the receiver while you do this.

Thanks Ross!

That did the trick.

Cheers!

Thanks again. I'll purchase another cable for the video and make the adjustment.

Thru NETWORK UPDATE it's still 3.20...

Sirius IR audio levels are lower. Anyone noticed?

What model is your dtv receiver? Dtv pushed out another firmware release this morning for the hr23.

When switching to NET RADIO on my RX-A1000 I get the message 'Not connected'. This is a new problem, since it did worked before.
This can't be a connection issue, because Pandora works fine.
Also I can log on to vTuner from the browser.
I did unplug the router and the A1000 before trying again with the same result.
I am on firmware 3.20.
Hope anybody can help me solve this problem. Thanks.