Official Pioneer VSX-521k owners thread - Page 13

^^^

you don't have to set anything on the avr... it takes whatever it gets from the source...

Thank you...What I thought, but was unsure.

^^^

you are welcome...

keep in mind that dts-ma, true hd, etc. are codecs... they are simply the "container" being used...

whereas dplii (and it's x and z variants) are post-processing routines...

two different things...

Got it! Thanks

I cannot confirm it since in order to do that is not easy for me right now. But my sister has a Sony Full HD TV and she has connected her laptop (Toshiba) that has HDMI output successfully with her TV. I don't know why it is such a big deal for you. Your graphics card and drivers will see on what they are connected and the max resolution supported by the device.

First, you have to press "Receiver" button ot the remote, then you can press bass/treble buttons and they should work fine.

If it says "CANT SEL" first of all it means that your remote works. "CANT SEL" can be shown on other occasions also but most of the times appears if you have select "DIRECT" or "PURE DIRECT" on those modes also "CANT SEL" appears if you try to change Tremble or Bass for example.

I usually do use DIRECT. I usually prefer to listen to my movies the way it was intended. Do most of you use a different setting? I never quite got how to properly use the sound settings.

^^^

use mcacc.... whether you use post processing for sound fields or not...

"direct" doesn't give you "the way it was intended"... it gives you "what was intended, and then subsequently dragged through what your room does to it"...

mcacc usage will give you "what was intended, and then subsequently (somewhat) corrects the impact your room has on it"...

iow, "direct" will actually give you a less accurate representation of the source than using mcacc will... your mileage will not vary...

Well i leave it on Auto Surround usually this works fine. On surround tracks it won't change a thing besides your input on Treble+Bass or Phase settings e.t.c.

I want to use HDMI video but optical sound; is there any way I can do that? I can't seem to find the option anywhere.

Hi steelfrog, sure just assign the optical port to the same HDMI video input. Then use "Signal Sel" button to cycle from HDMI to Digital.

Edit: Fixed:

Hi fellows. I want to share my experiences although maybe nothing new. I had my satellite DVR (Sagem HD PVR 101-ST) connected by HDMI to 521 and again HDMI to TV. Worked fine but when watching recordings and fast forwarding the picture occasionally vanished ('no signal' in TV) and had to reboot the DVR. First I thought my DVR is about to be broken but then I connected it straight to TV with HDMI and audio with digital COAX (no optical output...) to 521. No problems after that. I also tried that COAX from TV to 521 but it indeed loses the true 5.1 (f.ex. Dolby Digital) audio.

Moreover I disabled all the HDMI automatic 'handshakings' in all devices (when I turned TV on also Blueray went on, no good...) and my general remote chooses the right inputs and so. Currently very pleased

I have read through the thread but still do not get it.
Where in the chain do I put the digital audio cable so that I can watch tv without the receiver being on.
Right now I have:
Directv HD DVR - receiver - Panasonic ST30
I want to use the receiver to watch tv but not all the time.
Is this possible?
Sorry but I am a newb and have learned alot on here but for some reason this has me stumped.

If your TV supports ARC (audio return channel), enable it, and enable ARC on the receiver. Done.

IF NOT, connect the HD PVR to your TV via HDMI. Then connect your HD PVR to your receiver with a digital cable (coax or optical).

^^^^
What he said. That's exactly the way I have mine set up. Optical cable from the Comcast DVR output to the optical input on the receiver. I also have the cable box connected to the TV via HDMI. This way I can watch TV without turning on the receiver and still get sound. Makes it easy for the wife to watch TV without messing with the receiver.

Just a quick question. Are you glad you picked the 521 or if you had to do it again, would spend another 150.00 and upgrade? I have read most of this thread and many other receiver threads. I can pick up a 521 for 150.00 - 20.00 newegg credit = 130.00 final cost shipped. 5.1 is all I need. If you would have went the upgrade , could you explain why? This price seems good for what you get to me.

Thanks

I upgraded. The 521 is a good unit, but here is why I upgraded (to a VSX-1326 / VSX-53):

- no component/composite upscaling to HDMI means you're running multiple outputs from the avr to the tv. If all your devices are all HDMI, you have no worries here

- only 4 HDMI inputs. I was already full

- my 521 introduced black dots in the HDMI picture when I was playing 1080p input. My new receiver doesn't do that

- new system is a 7.1 -- not that I can truly discern a difference, but more and more content is coming out in 7.1 natively

This, unfortunately, did not work for me. Here's what I did:

- Plugged in my HTPC via HDMI in Video 1
- Plugged in the HTPC's optical cable in the TV/Sat port

Turned on the HTPC and got video and sound via HDMI - no problems there (however, no DTS supported via HDMI). Set the HTPC to output via SPDIF and pressed the "Signal Sel" button on the remote. Nothing happens.

Any ideas?

[EDIT] Looking at some photos of the unit on Google, mine is slightly different in the back. I've got binding posts rather than spring connectors, but I don't know if the input names change.

HDMI Video input is fixed to HDMI audio, it cannot be changed. Used either BD, DVD or DVR/BDR.

Strange, but I'll do just that and let you know if it works!

You have put me into more thinking. I've seen these dots (when playing DVDs) and i thought that it was from the BD-player or the tv which both have been bought recently and of course after the A/V.
I will check to see if by direct HDMI to TV these dots go away.

Just bought this reciever from newegg. I think my unit is DOA. Just want to make sure I haven't overlooked anything.

After I connected all of my speakers and equipement, I turned the unit on. The only indication that it was on is the red light for MCACC. Nothing else on the display. Pressing the setup button does not bring up the OSD (i tried both component and composite and even swaped out the composite cable for another). I get no sound. I cycled the dimmer button but it did nothing for the display. Only cylced the MCACC light off about every 4 hits. I did attempt the factory reset proceedure in the manual but since the display wasn't working I not sure if it was sucessful.

I unplugged everything from the unit but still only MCACC light and no display. Am I overlooking something or is this a bad unit?

Thanks.

Hello all...first time posting here

Just bought a 521K and the panasonic TCP60s30, I also have a Sony blue-ray and Rogers Cable box.

Connections are all thru the 521K via hdmi and monitor out to the tv.

The issue is this:

My wife and daughters are used to using the Cable box remote to control the volume as we watch TV. With my Old receiver (Yamaha htr5550), using component, this was not an issue, but I can't figure out how to configure the system so I can leave the 521K on at a standard level, and use the Cable box for volume control. I can see the 'volume bars' going up and down on the screen, but it has no effect on the volume coming out of the speakers.

What have I done wrong?

I don't believe changing the volume on your cable box will have any affect of the volume from your reciever when the connection is via HDMI. Were you using a analog connection for audio on your Yamaha?

A better solution may be to reprogram the remote for the cable box to change to volume on the reciever instead of the cable box when the volume button is pressed. You will need to find the manual for your remote.

Sounds to me like you have a bad unit. You've tried everything I can think of.


Your cable box remote should be able to control the receiver's volume. Check your remote manual on how to enter codes to configure it to control the receiver.

That's exactly what I wound up doing, but, on Roger's remotes, you have to press which component you are controlling before you try to adjust, so what keeps happenning is that I will change the remote to control the receiver, so they can adjust the volume, but the ladies would forget to push the CBL button to control the channel, so they would try to switch channels and wind up changing all the setting on the receiver.

I believe it was analog, as I was only using RCA's to connect the sound.

Hi. I have this receiver and so far love it (replaced old denon 1604 that died). Bluray plays fine, but yesterday tried a 3D disc and had loads of noise interference on the screen and it wouldn't show or do anything. Put ordinary bluray in and played fine. Bluray 3D straight to tv - fine. only 3D through receiver won't work. Has anyone tried 3D yet? Disc was Monsters vs Aliens (PAL) if that helps. I'm fairly certain all leads are 1.4 high speed and are mid range price not bargain ones.
Any ideas or help appreciated.

I have played 5 3D BDs so far with no problems but i wasn't satisfied with the 3D. Since i see that others have HDMI/VIDEO problems will hook the hdmi directly to TV and will use the Optical again. Not a big deal the HD sound as far as i see it.