The "Official" Denon DVD-2910 Owners Thread - Page 15

Yeah I plan on connecting the Moto HD Comcast box via DVI and the 2910 via HDMI. so I look forward to hearing about your experiences with a similar setup.

M

Were these observations before or after you applied the new firmware? Is the macroblocking very noticable or distracting? I've been thinking about trying this player because I want to find one that will get the most out of my new Panny plasma but am concerned about the macroblocking reports.

The only place I can find a 2910S/955S in stock to ship is with an un-authorized dealer. I don't want to wait for the backorders to be filled, but if I buy from an un-authorized dealer I won't have any warranty correct? I've never needed service with any other DVD player but... Would I at least be able to obtain firmware updates?

mismatched - as far as I can tell, DVI=HDMI on my JVC; component not quite as good

Yes its with the firmware fix, but right now no means to test the hdmi/dvi ports to see how the fix worked.

I totally agreed that DVI/HDMI on 2910 should be the reason why people are buying this unit, since its component out is so ordinary n a notch below the Pioneer player I used to have.

Has anyone had problems accessing the audio setup? I have it set on multi channel but everything besides sacd filter and compression is blacked out. I want to access the speaker setup so i can change the chanell levels but can't get into it.

Sounds like you have an option on your first menu screen set wrong, I am currently at work so I can't actually look at it. There should be a setting for audio out options there somewhere, change it and you should be good to go. Only other thing I can think of would be your pure direct is set in video mode?? I'll take a look again when I get home if you haven't figured it out by then...
Regards,
Steve

Bruce73:
I am HDMI connected to a Panny DLP. I cannot see any difference in pictue quality when switching between HDMI YCbCr and RGB.
Does anyone have any suggestions which to select as a general rule?

1. HDMI/DVI - Provides direct digital path to display
2. Component - Provides better path for transmission/separation of colors.
3. S-Video - Susceptible to interference due to everything being crammed into one small cable, if your using it, it's best to invest in a high quality one.
4. Video - Last Resort

Thanks; but I was referring to only the HDMI video output options available ie; Y Cb Cr or RGB.

However, what are the plus and minuses of HDMI vs. Component?

I also am experiencing same thing. However, do the audio settings matter on the 2910 if I have already adjusted the speakers using my Harman Kardon 7200 receiver?

You should set them up so the they are duplicate, same for both, by that I mean speaker size, then use the A/V unit to adjust output levels. It is also highly recommend to use the bass enhancer on the DVD player if your not already, and then adjusting the bass using the A/V unit or Sub if so equipped...........

I'm using a DVI connection, but I believe you and udp (not sure if he is using HDMI) have your audio configured to be used for your HDMI connection, you need to tell the player in the menu somewhere to bypass the HDMI connection for audio use.

I thought that might be the problem; but my AVR is receiving audio signals from the Digital Coax output cable just fine; since it doesn't have an HDMI input. Do you think using the dvd DVI output with an adapter to the HDMI connector on the TV would work?

The only thing I can think of is that you have your HDMI configured to Multi-CH on the setup screen under the HDMI/DVI Balck Level. Make sure that is set to 2CH. This should unlock the other audio options.....

rdkaz:

If you're not going to use the HDMI audio signal, set HDMI ouput to "2CH" under the "Digital Interface Setup" page. I believe that should free up those options in the "Audio Setup" page.

If you're ouputting audio via digital cable to your A/V receiver, the receiver's settings will be used. If you're ouputting analog audio via the normal 2-channel or the SACD 6-channel ouputs, the 2910's settings will be used (at least this the way it is ouputting to my Yamaha HTR-5450).

As to the HDMI video output (YCbCr vs. RGB), this is what I learned from Kris Deering at the Secrets of Home Theatre forum:

I just got the CD from Denon to upgrade the firmware....it mentions corrections to the DVD-A menu thru DVI, and HDMI 1.1 support, but doens't mention anything about the Green push, and the Macroblocking.

does anyone know if these issues get resolved with the firmware upgrade?

thanks!

Steve_Lazarus and bruce73:

Thanks to both of you. I am not home now; but I'm certain I didn't have the digital output set to 2 channel. I will try that. However; does it matter,; since I"m using the AVR speaker setup and not the 2910?

I haven't tried SACD or DVDA yet. I'm sure I'll have more questions then.

I guess I'll use the Y Cb Cr HDMI output for the video. Any suggestions on whether to use the 720p or 1080i format? I am connected to a Panny DLP.

Just a 2910 manual observation: It would be nice if they provided explanation notes; to help you select the correct settings.

Rkaz,

I spent sometime last nite playing around with this same exact thing, and here is what I found:

1. In LOTR and Gladiator, both seemed to be better at 1080i than 720p. My guess is that it is film-based, and since my TV (SOny 55XS955) converts everything to 768p, that there is more "data" available at 1080i than 720p, and thus it looked fuller when sony tried to reconvert it to 768p.

2. In Nemo and Shrek, the opposite was true....I found that 720p provided a better overall picture than 1080i, and this kinda confused me. They are animated pictures, and thus I would have guessed that by using 1080i cominf out of the DVD, the TV would do better, but it was not the case.

3. in dark movies, like Gladiator, LOTR, and nite shots of Spiderman, etc, when using the enhanced black, it made a WORLD of difference!!!! Again, when looking at Nemo and Shrek, I liked it better without it, but it was a must in LOTR.

I still have to see which mode (auto1, auto2, video1-3) works better with these DVD's, but I was too tired to continue messing with it.

I thought that ALL the audio settings on the 2910 were by-passed if one used digital audio cables (optical or coax) connected directly to an AVR. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

In my "testing" with the 2910 hooked up via HDMI to a mits dlp 52525, regardless of DVD (tried several action, drama, and animation - watched about 12 DVDs so far using this player) the best picture always was 480p Y Cr Cb. I also tried component cables and the HDMI was "clearly" superior. Not SD to HD type change but noticable improvement over HDMI.

As an aside, the major issues I've had while watching DVDs are that Panic Room Superbit has terrible green push (VERY bad) and the Matrix (not the new remastered version that comes in the new box set, the original release on DVD) looked very pixalated regardless of settings or connection used. Both of these we so bad that I'm considering returning the Denon for fear that these types of issues will show up in other movies.

Interesting. if true the digital multimedia interface output to 2 channel won't work either. I guess I'l try it to see.

[quote]Originally posted by phicar2
[b]In my "testing" with the 2910 hooked up via HDMI to a mits dlp 52525, regardless of DVD (tried several action, drama, and animation - watched about 12 DVDs so far using this player) the best picture always was 480p Y Cr Cb. I also tried component cables and the HDMI was "clearly" superior. Not SD to HD type change but noticable improvement over HDMI.

Are you saying that the HDMI Y Cr Cb output was used at a 480p format? Or did you mean 720p?

He must mean 720p since YCrCb has no meaning for 480p.

I am trying to setup my dvd player; which is connected to a Panny DLP via HDMI; and have read various posts about video calibration. I have a few questions:

1. Which calibration disc is best; DVE, D-Avia, Avio Pro, or another? Thus far I have used the THX Optimizer on the Star Wars II dvd?

2.Will I need to adjust the chroma, gamma, etc. the 2910 manual covers?

3. Will I need to go into the service menu?

Sorry about all the questions; but I'm trying to learn.

Thanks.

Not sure I understand why the HDMI setting doesn't matter when using 480p. I use the HDMI/Format button to select 480p and the HDMI/DVI Select button to select HDMI Y Cb Cr. I have to select something on the HDMMIDVI Select (it's either OFF, which I don't want, DVI which I don't want or one of the 2 HDMI settings). Are you saying that it doesn't make a difference? I thought I had read on these boards that it might, and I "thought" the Y Cb Cr looked better when I swithced back and forth. Of course, if it doesn't matter then it was just my brain making me think it looked better :-)

Interesting that you would say that.....seems confusing to me though. At 1080i, the Faroudja processor is able to grab the raw 480 lines and scale them by 2 and then use the algorithms to fill in the 1/4 change (thus the 2.25 scale factor from 480 to 1080)....in 720, the processor is doing the brunt of the work to fill in the 1/2 increase of resolution.

granted that the Faroudja processor does a suberb job at it, but I don't know how well it would do it for 50% increase as compared to 25%.

I also noticed that for extremely fast moving shots (like the gun fights in star wars, etc), the 720p did considerably better than 480p.

1: All are good, though the THX one is the least complete.
2: If you are using HDMI or DVI, chroma, gamma, etc. are allegedly "disabled". You can change the values but according to Denon, they have no impact over a digital connection, according to the manual. I cannot speak to what your TV let's you adjust, or not.
3: I've not read through the entire thread yet, so I may have missed some info on this topic, but it doesn't sound like it. (On the other hand, to do a complete calibration of most TVs, you *will* need to go into the service manual -- and by "you" I mean the ISF tech you hire.)

(I'm happy to be corrected, if I'm wrong about the above items. In particular, the lack of gamma control via DVI is a little annoying.... so I'd love to know that I am wrong.)

The first question you need to answer is why do I want to calibrate my display. Some people are happy with the default settings, some adjust by eye and others start using some sort of calibrated standards. Calibration with standards can also be done to different levels also. One level is to set the basic picture controls, another to set any advanced controls and the last is to set service menu controls. Now even the new digital video DVD players, like the 2910, also require its controls to be understood and set.

Everyone will have a different opinion and desire on how deep into calibration one must do to get the best picture possible. Plus, the higher levels of calibration with standard will require measurement equipment so there is addition cost and time.

So your question is not an easy one to answer but I can tell you what I do to calibrate my Panasonic AE500 projector for use with the 2910 and DVI ouput...

First I set the DVD player's HDMI/DVI output to Normal (some displaces might need Expanded), the Picture Adjust - Set - Picture Level to 0 IRE. All other DVD settings are at their defaults.

I did some research and have read that the Natural Picture mode with the color Temp set to -1 provides a near 6500k picture for the 500 (not perfect, but close). To determine this requires a light meter like a Smart III Analyzer, some software and test patterns, which I don't have so I just trust this is a good setting for my display too.

Now I calibrate the 500's brightness, contrast and sharpness with AVIA. The 500's Color and Tint controls are de-activated when using DVI due to the digital nature of the video signal so no adjustment can be made there.

The 500 has a Advanced Picture Menu where you can adjust the gamma and RGB levels. Since I don't have the Smart III analyzer, I don't make any adjustments in that menu. I have been told that Gamma is a hard adjustment to make because the standard for gamma is not widely agreed upon (some agree it is 2.2) and that it is almost accepted you adjust as you see fit. Some people like darker blacks and whiter whites. You can find a lot of treads which talk about Gamma. After changing the gamma curves, re-verify the brightness and contrast settings.

Now that we are into these digital displays, calibration has become more difficult. Hopefully over time, the procedure will get easier but for now it can be very intimidating. It has taken me 6 to 9 months to find my setting that has made me feel good about my picture. Maybe, if I had bought the picture analyzer it would have been faster.

Good luck in finding your magic picture settings that allow you to sit back and say "WOW", that is a really nice picture.