The "Official" Denon AVR-4311CI/AVR-A100 thread [NO PRICE TALK] - Page 687

I would be very hesitant to keep using the 10" sub as it really isn't substantial enough. Get a larger, more powerful sub to replace it. If you combine a good sub with one with poor performance Audyssey will limit the better sub to the performance of the lesser one. That's what happened when I combined a very capable 15" sub with a just o.k. 12" one.

Don't forget BB normal return time is 30 days!

+1 for Crutchfield - always received great service from them; just ordered a 4311 from their outlet store. 2nd choice would have been "open box" unit from Onecall (through ebay) with 2yr warranty. 3rd choice, accessories4less website refurb w/1yr warranty. Lots of ebay stock, but few with factory warranty. I don't have any experience with the squaretrade warranty, but the max limit on warranty payout is purchase price, so buyer beware. From scanning various repair threads, it seems a 2nd repair during warranty period would exhaust available coverage.

Go with Crutchfield. Looks like they have a fair price right now. And their service is top notch. You are guaranteed a new-in-box product, with no monkey business.

I like crutchfield but the clearance deal I got at best buy is 33% less and I got 2 yr no interest financing.

New in box, from Best Buy?

Yep brand new on clearance with 2 yr no interest

Well can't beat that!

Best thing I ever scored from BB was an AVR-4806CI for $2100 when MSRP was $3999. It was a total headache to make it happen, but still a sweet deal.

My new 4311CI just arrived. I am trying to update the firmware. This is what is happening with time and display references.

4:06 started firmware update
4:18 download fail AE
4:40 updating, 6 min,
5:02 connection fail A4, then please wait update retry
I gave up after over an hour and pushed the power button for 5 seconds, was watching tv for a minute or so and then:

Ether IMG 06 min updating
5:47 please wait update retry

I can see the 4311CI in "my network" on my desktop screen and I can see my acces point flashing, although sometimes rather slowly. I am connected directly with ethernet cable that I tested just before using, I also check my internet speed which is 3 mbps which is what I pay for.

It is still acting like it is updating, is it really after 1 hr and 45 minutes?
It seems to be stuck on update. If it is how do I get out of this, because when I press the power button for 4 seconds, it comes out of it and then goes back to updating.
I would like to try Pandora to check if I'm on the internet, but if keeps throwing me out and going back to updating.

Thanks guys, I'm sure it's something I'm doing wrong.

You''re not likely going to be able to even access the Pandora servers until the firmware update completes due to the Pandora update a few weeks ago. Try rebooting the router as well as powering off the AVR for a few minutes.

will do

Ok, after resetting access point and unplugging AVR, I plugged AVR back in and it came back up to updating screen but the difference is that the horizontal arrows that show updating progress are moving faster. Before it would show 5 arrows, then 5 arrows, then 4 arrows and get stuck on the 4 arrows for quite some time. This time it went 5 arrows, 5 arrows, 5 arrows, at a faster pace.
Although now it just says updating with no arrows, but my access point lights are flashing faster as if it is passing more info.
Don't laugh, I'm just trying to describe what's happening.

It just went into another update retry. I am watching back and forth as I was typing.

Give it overnight if necessary to complete the process. If by "access point" you mean you are using a bridge router, you need to reset the main router as well. Additionally, you may need to wire the AVR directly to the main router, even if only for the firmware update (as recommended in the Owner's manual).

I have internet provided by rf to a antenna/box thing that I think has a modem and router, from there I have a router that I have set as an access point only for wireless to my laptop, it does no routing.
I hooked up the AVR directly without the access point as you said. Anyway the thing is just locked up, so I did microprocessor reset and it comes on still updating. So I did a network reset (press up and down on the front panel while turning on wait 5 seconds and release up and down) and it came out of it. I went back to the firmware update section and as previously did a firmware check and it said (just like the first time) connection error 05, I tried again and it said there was a firmware update (just like the first time). I proceeded to do the update and it locked up again, did the network reset and it clears it.
I wonder now if this has a bad network card.

Thanks for the help.

I will set it up and leave it go overnight, but I don't think it is going to work because I see now it does the same order of things and I don't think it is just slow.
If it is that slow then again why?

Oh and I did reset the main router, which I did not before, thanks for mentioning that. I let that slip.

Update: This time it went to firmware update available the first time
Edited by culliganman - 1/14/13 at 8:08pm

Theresa, forgive me if i missed a post updating it but i was curious if your new receiver was up and running and not having the same issue your 4311 had?

Its up and running and does NOT have the problem that the 4311 had. It exceeds my expectations. I prefer both the audio and video to my 5508 and the 4311 I sent back.
Edited by Theresa - 1/15/13 at 4:15am

The update was successful, it took one and a half hours. It now shows update latest. Pandora works BUT:

Now my hdmi does not work and it did before. I am exhausted, the update finished at 2 am.
I have tried a microprocessor reset and no joy. I am going to unplug the electrical cord and hdmi's and see if that helps.
I can only see the menu when I am on the network. I have Directv sat, blue ray player hdmi into the AVR, AVR out to tv hdmi.
As I said before it did work before the update. So close, so tired.
Any other suggestions?

The latest:
I found out that the BD hdmi WAS working, just not the SAT so I hooked up the SAT to the TV directly and found no picture or audio.
I pulled the plug on the Directv, replugged in, it reset and now I have everything I know of working.
I hope this HDMI dealio is not going to be an ongoing thing.
I still need to to Audessey and all that, but for now it's time for breakfast.
Thanks guys for all the help! :D:D

I'm glad to see you have made progress. It's always more satisfying when the battle was hard-fought! As for the DirecTV HDMI connection, I would not expect you to have any recurring issues. I have three DTV DVR's, and none has ever had HDMI issues.

So far no HDMI problems and I've been switching a lot. Now for something interesting about my blu-ray player.
While watching The Dark Knight Returns with DTS-HD audio it was showing the HD signal on the tv screen from my blu-ray player but not on the AVR-4311CI front panel.
I found an audio setting called BD Audio MIX setting. This is how they explain it.

ON: Outputs the audio obtained by mixing the interactive and secondary audio to the primary audio.
OFF: Outputs the primary audio only. Select this to output HD audio signals to an AV amplifier (receiver).

When I switched this to OFF, the AVR then showed DTS-HD on the front panel. I did lose the swishing sound when you moved around on the menu but who cares.
My Blu-ray player is a Sony BDP-S590

I bought one of the clearance 4311's last night from BB, will pick it up tomorrow. I'm really excited about 11.2 as I really enjoy all channel music. The firmware updates have me a bit concerned because my Internet connection occasionally goes down. Also I'm going to have to learn what I can do with the unused internal amplifiers as I plan on using a 7 channel Emotiva amp with it.

with the 4311 there really isn't anything you can do with those unused amps. Basically, the "core" 5 amps (FR/FL/C/SR/SL) are totally non assignable, no matter what. The four "extra" amps can be assigned, either to heights, wides, surr.backs, "B" speakers, other zones, etc. If you were in full pre-amp mode (only external amps for the main zone) you can set it such that those four amps are devoted to zone 2 + 3, but in your situation -- 11ch mode without full pre-amp mode -- that's not an option.

The newer 4520 has a "Free Assign" mode that allows more flexibility to customize the unused amps (for other zones).

Thanks, I was thinking that might be the case. My plan is to use my Yamaha 7.2 to drive 7 speakers around the other part of my basement so when I'm listening to music through My Sonos I can walk about and have all the music going at once. I did look at the 4520 but couldn't justify paying about double for it over the 4311.Thanks Batpig for your help.

Trouble displaying Denon 3300 setup screen on monitor connected via HDMI to the 4311

I have a 2 zone setup, 1) my 4311 is the main AVR in my HT with both a plasma on monitor 1 and a projector on monitor 2 connected only via HDMI cables; then 2) from the Zone 2 preouts on the 4311 I connected the VCR2/AUX-in on a AVR3300. The 3300 is used to power speakers in other parts of our house and no monitor/tv is directly connected to it.

When I want to view the very low resolution 3300 AVR setup screen (using either composite or S-Video) I have to connect a cable directly to my plazma. I thought... why not connect a composite cable to something like the DVR input on the 4311 and with video convert enabled it should display on the plasma, right? NOT. Before I connect the composite to the DVR input the display from the 4311 works fine, but as soon as I connect the composite the display goes blank and nothing displays until I disconnect that cable. The video convert for the DVR input on the 4311 is set to Auto.

Is there some kind of funky loop causing this, or a video resolution issue that the 4311 can't handle?
Edited by coolplazma - 1/16/13 at 8:18am

batpig,

do you know if I can do the network upgrade on the denon without a monitor (AVR by itself?) I don't have Ethernet in living room so would like to update before I put it in its place?

I will probably leave an Ethernet cable plugged in as I'm probably going to do powerline at some point in the living room...

Not batpig but I did my firmware update from the front panel. You mentioned both update and upgrade, I only did the update but I believe that the upgrade was available on the front panel menu also.

Will be a moot point as I just ordered a Powerline WD kit that is highly recommended.. even if I only get 7-10mbit I'd be thrilled as I could hardwire Blu-ray/4311/Directv DVR to get lower latency. It's a very highly recommended kit and its on sale at BB so I had some RZ and GCs lying around.. can't beat free.

Hum sound 2 front speakers, when plug in Emotiva XPA-2 power amp to 4311ci preout FL & FR
Plug in FR only no Hum
Plug in FL only no Hum
Plug in both FL & FR Hum
Unplug both no Hum
this happen when 4311ci On, Off or unplug power cable
Please help.

^^ Disconnect the 2-ch phono cable feeding the amp. Touch the two ground sleeves together. Does it hum?

Emotiva amps are notorious for hum.