Onkyo TX-NR818 "official" owner's thread discussion - Page 20

I am slowly getting used to it coming from a Yammy 3067 (rx-a3000). I think the Yammy had a more lush warmer sound which I normally like, the Onkyo is a little more forward, but the detail is just amazing and the integration of sub with the others is fantastic. XT32 is certainly very very good.

I am pleased I decided to change, after much debate with myself.

Can anyone tell me about the noise reduction built into this receiver, and under which circumstances it will apply itself? If I feed the receiver 480i, the noise reduction settings certainly seem to do things, as in I can go between the various settings and see effects right away, but when fed 1080p, it appears to go completely catatonic and not do anything, almost like 1080p is too much for it to process. I know the older HQV processor, the Reon-VX, only allowed noise reduction on 480i and 480p content. I thought this limit had been removed in the HQV Vida, but it seems somehow that it persists, at least in the Onkyo TX-NR818.

Help me out?

1080i content can have noise reduction applied, but so far it seems that 1080p content is left untouched. Onkyo feature decision or HQV hardware limitation?

I don't know if you mean no adverse effect, or no effect at all..

I recommend turning the output resolution to "Source" and then adjusting the picture settings on your TiVo input.. I've noticed a great improvement on 1080i content from DirecTV with thees video chips...

You can set it to pass through either a specific input or "Last Used.."

Since the receiver is off, I don't know why hschaaps would expect it to switch inputs with a remote click... there isn't an AVR out there that does that, and it defeats the whole purpose of the unit being in standby.

You have many choices for listening leveling with this receiver...

Audyssey Dynamic EQ does this... it will boost both the sub level and surrounds as the volume is reduced from reference, i.e. 0.

I recommend setting the Reference Level Offset to -5 for BluRay, and -10 for broadcast.. YMMV.

If you also engage Dynamic Volume, it will "level out" the loud and soft parts of materials..

In addition, however, you have the choice of a couple of different options.

It also has THX Loudness Plus (which is On by default, and I suggest turning it off...)

Same concepts as Dynamic EQ...

There is also Dolby Volume... it has two components, one of which is leveling, which you can turn off..

Obviously you can use only one... I myself like Audyssey's offering..

Some people find the sub level lower than previously experienced.. however, I think that for most they have never had a proper cal on the sub.. live with it for a bit, measure with a test disc, and see how it grows on you..

You cannot have the AVR pass audio out the HDMI ports at the same time it is processing the audio in the main zone..

Only the brand new Denon's and recently announced Pioneer Elites and Yamaha's AVENTAGE allow a true secondary output to another zone (including video + 2 channel audio via HDMI...) This requires a matrix switch, etc..

Again to point #3... the secondary output is a mirror.. not a discrete feed with it's own processing... that would be asking for an entire separate video processing solution, which would add a ton of cost.... no products out there that do that...

You're asking it to handshake at a different resolution..... I suspect that is why the issues

Don't know why that is.. might have to do with the Apple TV remote programming, but that doesn't make any sense....

Again I suspect having two different resolution monitors attached may be causing issues.. unplug the second zone and see if that helps the timing..

Best of luck..

Can anyone compare and contrast the 809 vs the 818? I understand the features of each and other than XT32 on the 818 I'm not seeing a big difference. Is there anything else that would justify a price premium for the 818?

On the older models, it defaulted to "Through..." upon further checking, it now defaults to Auto..

This used to mean that it wasn't doing any up conversion out of the box.. but I see they've changed this now.

Go to Main Menu > Input/Output Assignment > Monitor Out > Resolution.

Some people like to set their BR players to Through to avoid extra signal processing, and then have their TiVo or STB set to 1080p... this only works if you have the main output set to Source.

Even in these modes, it doesn't pass it though un converted (i.e. your 480 example...) This menu item has to do with the output resolution specifically.

As a side note, if you are indeed having issues with two different displays (one 1080p and one 720p) you might set/force the output resolution to 1080p in this menu... that might alleviate the handshake issues it seems you are having..

I tried that. All seven speakers still light up. This happens even when I am listening to DTS HD 5.1 or Dolby True HD 5.1. By the way, I am still having trouble with volume going up and down with certain movies and programs. Can anyone advise?

Unless I'm confused, don't you want all 7 speaker lights to light up? After all you do have 7 speakers hooked up. So if you're playing material that's decoded for 5 channel, you don't want to hear the additional 2 channels?

As far as the volume problem, I don't have my 818 yet (thanks EE for that 1), so I'm not familiar with it, have you tried swapping out HDMI cables?

I can confirm with 5.1 DTS-HD MA titles it is indeed "locked" into 7.1 output.

In regards to volume going up and down....

What volume do you listen at?

I suspect fairly low if you are having issues like this..

The receiver is equipped with both Dolby Volume and Audyssey Dynamic Volume.. see if either of those help..

spotify...

how do you set to shuffle? cant seem to find it on the 818.

thanks,
jason

Most of time I listen at 25 or 30. So I guess it is considered relatively low. So you are saying if I listen at low volume, something like this can happen? On the other subject, there is no way to change 7.1 option and I am locked in?

That's not what I said or meant. What I expect is that when I play on the xbox in the evening and turn everything off when I'm done and go to bed. When the wife want to watch a movie the next morning on the Blu-Ray player that it will detect that hdmi signal and switch to it without being on. Should be easy, one active hdmi signal, switch to that.

My 818 is now up and running after four updates. I also have a Sony ES 400 disc Blu Ray changer now along with some new rear channel speakers. Have not run Audyssey yet but will do so in a day or two.
I really like this one. My son now has my 608 and is thrilled with it. I gave him a new Blu Ray player and a new 42" plasma TV. His birthday is coming up and he too, is an music and film buff.

I forgot to ask. Have any of you had difficulty logging into your Pandora account? It keeps telling me that my password is incorrect but it's not. I tested it on my laptop and it works as advertised every time.

Thanks in advance for any insight into this annoying problem.

The operative words are "without being on.."

Once again, there are no receivers that do that....

As I said, you can designate an input to always pass through, such as BR or Sat...

In addition, the remote has one button macros for Movie, Music and TV... your wife could use those to select what she wants to watch..

I have WIDES set up and I just went into the HOME/SETUP menu and changed them in the CONFIGURATION to NONE and they turned off and the receiver switched from Audyssey DSX to Dolby Digital. This was with DirecTV content but I'm sure it would be the same for any source.

Hello all. I just moved and sold my old yamaha receiver. I bought this Onkyo 818 based on strength of reviews, etc.

When watching blu-rays, I used to always set my PS3 to bitstream and my yamaha would always just figure out the best playback mode - DTS, Dolby, whatever, and I never messed with any of the preset modes on the receiver - I figured, just give me what they put on the disk. I was generally happy.

Seems like the Onkyo requires me to select one of the "movie modes" or "music modes", and I'm kind of surprised how different they sound from one-another.

Anyway, I thought I'd ask you pros how you typically set up to watch movies or concert disks, in terms of listening modes.

Just received the 818 last week to use in the living room and kids playroom. I have an integra 80.3 in the theater room. I have a quick question. When hdmi output is set to both the video processor does not work
on the hdmi sub output. Basically what ever is input is output. I contacted a technician at onkyo usa and their 818 did the same thing. They are going to look further into the issue.The question is could others test
their unit and see if this is normal behavior? The hdmi out sub goes to a Panasonic st50 in the kids playroom. I can switch the kids playroom tv to the hdmi output main and the video processing features work and then do not work on the living room tv
connected to hdmi output sub. According to the manual as long as hdmi output is set to both the video processor should be active on both outputs.

Can that be done on the 818?

I'm trying to figure out how to power up my amps automatically when I turn on my 818, as this is how I've done it with all my other AVR's over the years. I don't have my 818 yet, it'll be here today, but I did just get a new power conditioner so I'm setting that up also. Hope to get that set up by the time the 818 gets here later.

I was just contacted by a higher up onkyo tech who informed me the hdmi out sub on the 818 is pass through only regardless of settings

I was wondering about this too. For the life of me, I cannot get any of the network commands to change the 12V triggers. I assume they only function when using pre outs for zone 2 and 3.

^^^You should be able to turn the amps on by powering up zone 2/3. This has worked on onkyos in the past.

can you please elaborate? I'm trying to decide if I should replace my yamaha rx-a1000 with the Onkyo 818. I use an Outlaw amp connected to my AVR. the Outlaw pushes my Emotive 6.2/6.3/erd-1 setup and the AVR handles the 2 Emotiva UOM6 outdoor speakers on my patio. I want to be able to turn on my AVR with my iphone or ipad, and have the amp turn on at the same time. I though a Belkin power conditioner or other smart surge protector would be the only way with the 818. Please let me know if I am mistaken.