Anthem D2/D2v/AVM50/AVM50v/ARC1 tweaking guide - Page 475

Bob,
tried your suggestion and it worked for the sound when pj off. Thanks again for your help. All is now well in Anthem Land
John

PS. sound from optical is fine it seems the hdmi implementation is the problem.

Is there a manual for the live video settings editor? I am trying to find out how to use the advanced video settings, specifically the custom gamma correction.

Thanks

John

Not that I've been able to find. If you get a handle on a good way to use the Custom Gamma stuff, please do post the info here.
--Bob

Yes, the HDMI input source is trying to determine whether it has to mute the audio due to copy protection, but when the display gets turned off it can no longer find the display's info to complete that. The bug is that the Anthem should demand a complete new HDMI handshake (as when you switch away to a different input source and back) as opposed to just a normal "re-confirmation" of the HDCP copy protection stuff within an existing connection (set up by the prior handshake).

When you manually force the new handshake by switching to that input AFTER the display is off, the Anthem properly presents itself as the end of the HDMI chain and the source device is happy again.
--Bob

I wonder whether the Setup / Source Setup / Muting item is properly functioning with the new HDMI driver in D2 V1.32c.

Do you have a pair of Optical or Coax audio input sources you could switch between to see if you are getting the popping on source switch when HDMI input is not involved?
--Bob

After waiting for over 7 weeks for an ARC I finally called my dealer who contacted his rep. Apparently they are again about to start being available. I know someone earlier said that it was due to a shortage of microphones, however it also seems to conincide with the firming up of some of the software mentioned here recently. Hopefully it will not be too much longer.

I do, but I already rolled back to 1.31. Maybe I will reload 1.32c and try the optical audio and see if it pops also.

The D2 V1.32c "test" software -- the one with the new HDMI driver -- has been withdrawn from the Anthem password protected download page. Nick says, "Back to the drawing board."

The D2 V1.33 new "official" software version is still on there, and there are now release notes specific to the changes in it from V1.31 -- which presumably was a necessary step before they could move it over to the public download page. Here are its notes:


The D2 V1.20 software has reappeared on the password protected download page for some comparison testing related to specific problems Anthem is working with V1.31 and V1.33. For example, Nick has asked me to revert back to V1.20 temporarily to see if my S-video interference lines problem goes away in the older software.

Again, most readers here should be on V1.31 or V1.33, I'll be switching to V1.33 myself as soon as I have finished Nick's requested test with V1.20.
--Bob

I switch to V1.33 and it seams to work well.

D2 V1.33 Released!

D2 V1.33 is now available on the Anthem public downloads page. This is the new "official" software release for the D2:

http://www.sonicfrontiers.com/HTML/P...e/Upgrade.html

This is particularly important for ARC users, as when used with ARC V1.2.2 (also on that page) you will get additional verification to make sure your Upload of ARC results to the D2 has, in fact, transmitted all the values correctly to the D2.

ETA: An updated version of the D2 V1.3x Operating Manual is also now up on the Anthem public download page:

http://www.sonicfrontiers.com/HTML/P...ual/D2_OM.html

--Bob

[quote=Bob Pariseau;14094686]I just got an email heads up from Nick at Anthem:

D2 V1.32b is about to go "official" as the V1.33 production release. This should happen today. Note that among other things this version will allow ARC V1.2.1 or higher to completely verify all the setting changes it makes when it Uploads results to the D2.

Bob, I upgraded to v1.32b a few days ago and its been working fine. Is it exactly the same version as the new v1.33 now on the main Anthem site?

I also updated ARC to 1.2.2. and thought I had re-run it for the new software, but I had failed to do the 'auto detect' step. Thanks for the step by step instructions in another one of your posts, BTW. So I re-ran it correctly and my subwoofer x-over went from 100 to 120hz, similar to what some others have experienced.
I do have one concern with ARC though. Every time I re-run it and check my settings it always changes my sub from 2 to 1. Is ARC not running both my subs during its sweeps? or are the corrections not being applied to both subs?, or is it merely a glitch in ARC that hasn't been corrected? There is nowhere in the ARC speaker set-up to tell it how many subs you are using, but the checkbox says 'subwoofers'.
Also could you tell me what the 'CP' and 'NP' mean that are now showing up on the front panel display.
Thanks, Tom

I contacted Anthem tech support a few weeks ago, and they said more ARC's would be shipping on June 12. I see on my caller I.D. that my dealer called today (no message?) so I hope that means they are shipping it to me. (I placed my order on April 9!) But yeah, after some of the earlier "bugs" maybe it's better that we are getting ours "late".

[quote=tngiloy;14104983][quote=Bob Pariseau;14094686]So I re-ran it correctly and my subwoofer x-over went from 100 to 120hz, similar to what some others have experienced.
QUOTE]

Since v1.1.2, all my sub xover values have been set to 120 hz consistently. It seems that more and more users are getting the same result. Anybody got something different? Is it a fixed value now?

I do not know if there have been any last minute changes between D2 V1.32b and V1.33 other than the version number. I suspect not, but since V1.33 is now the "official" release, I'd suggest you upgrade to it and get it out of the way.

The D2 manual says that when using ARC the "1 sub" setting is to be used whether or not you have more than 1 sub. This makes sense as all the 2 sub setting does is modify the volume at which the Setup / Speaker Calibration tones are sent out to make it easier for the user to use the same "noise level" despite the extra sub driver. ARC doesn't need that. The subwoofer volume trim levels it uploads also assume the "1 sub" setting. Since the D2 sends exactly the same signal to both subs (i.e., no separate controls for the second sub) you lose nothing by doing it this way. Both subs are driven (at the same time) when you do the sweeps because the 2 sub outputs of the D2 invariably carry the same signal (which includes the ARC test sweeps). I.e., ARC corrects for the pair of them as if they were one combined subwoofer.
--Bob

I suspect we have a biased sample here since many of us probably have subwoofers that can easily go up that high.

Again, the ACTUAL roll off of the subwoofer will be a combination of the cross over filter setting and the cuts implemented by the room correction parameters ARC calculates. So long as your "target" subwoofer curve makes sense to you (rolling off nicely above 80Hz) then you are fine despite the higher cross over filter setting.
--Bob

[quote=seismo;14105312][quote=tngiloy;14104983]
Not for me. Got 100Hz consistently.

Bob


I would also like to know about the CP and NP on the display

That one's easy. CP means the input source has mandated Copy Protection. NP means the input is Not Protected -- i.e., allows high res digital output from the Anthem to any device including a recorder.
--Bob

Completed the V1.20 testing and installed V1.33. It performs like V1.32b for me. I.e., it works.

But I hope Anthem gets the kinks worked out of the new HDMI driver soon, because now I really miss the snappy HDMI handshake V1.32c provided for my Comcast HD-DVR...
--Bob

Bob, I understand what your are saying but having had the last 20 measurements giving me a sub xover of 120 hz is strange I think. While doing those last 20 or so meausurements I was experimenting with sub location. I moved the sub to 5 different locations in the room. The end result, was a room gain ranging from about 1.7 to 3.7 and a consistent xover of 120 hz.

Does this make sense?

Thanks

Me too -

Also, at least with my system, 1.32b/1.33 was a real step back in terms of HDMI stability. I am sticking with 1.31 for now.

I saw very little difference in HDMI stability between V1.31 and V1.32b (AKA V1.33), but if anything I thought the V1.33 was a little MORE stable.

The bottom line is that the current HDMI driver (V1.33) is doing more retries then it should really have to do, and how many retries you get will vary for all sorts of reasons.
--Bob

I don't know the answer to that. You might want to send an email to Nick at Anthem with your results. He can run it by the ARC engineers to see if this is expected behavior. But again, if the Target (and Calculated) curves for the subwoofer look reasonable to you, then the actual cross over value is not really important.

Keep in mind that it is easier to implement elements of the room correction as cuts rather than boosts -- i.e., it is easier to attenuate the output than to amplify it. If overlapped cross overs between the main and the subs yields hot bass near the cross over (prior to applying the room correction stuff), then more of the room correction application will be in the form of cuts.
--Bob

Today got some weird things with 1.33.

1. interference when in the setup menu. ie. diagonal blue and red lines
2. very loud pop on several occasions when going into the setup menu through all speakers as well as sub. On mute can't hear it.
will let Nick know

Question for Bob,
read one of your posts about ps3 video settings. Wondered why you suggested 1080p/24? I have a 1280x720 pj but I realize the signal will go through the video processor in my AVM50. Is there a benefit for me doing it this way. Tried it both ways and could not tell any diff.

John

Please give Anthem tech support a call regarding your Setup menu issues. Your symptom is distinct from what I'm seeing but I wouldn't be surprised if they are related.

------------------------------

The general rule of thumb for ALL source devices is to have them do as little as possible to the content, unless you have some good reason to turn on processing in them. Blu-Ray movies (film based content) come off the disc as 1080p/24 (except for "live concert" style Blu-Ray discs which come off the disc in "video rate" at 1080i/60). By turning on the "Automatic" 1080p/24 in the PS3 it will send 1080p/24 to the Anthem when playing the 1080p/24 discs. The Anthem will then convert that to your desired output video format. This is the best way to do things even if you don't happen to have a /24 capable display because it eliminates one more step in the processing before the PS3 can output its video.

The PS3 will send 1080i/60 discs to the Anthem as 1080i/60. The current PS3 software does not offer the option to de-interlace such discs to 1080p/60. But of course the Anthem can do that correctly for you prior to scaling down the video for your 720p projector.

You definitely do *NOT* want to tell the PS3 to send 720p video to the Anthem [EDIT: For Blu-Ray movies. Some Games will insist on 720p video output from the PS3]. Let the Anthem do any scaling you need.
--Bob

Bob,
Already done. Thanks for the explanation.
John

ps. I gather that should be done with my HD DVD player?

HD-DVD? What's that? (grin!)

I've lost track of which HD-DVD players can output 1080p/24, but if yours can, then that's most likely what you should be using when playing HD-DVD "film based" movies into the Anthem -- again, whether or not you have a /24 capable TV.
--Bob

I have the XA2 which I believe does output at 1080p/24.

John

Does anyone know of a way to get the PS3 to send 12-bit, YCbCr 4:2:2 to the Anthem instead of 8-bit, YCbCr 4:4:4?

Since the PS3's HDMI V1.3 output is capable of "Deep Color", it should also be capable of YCbCr 4:2:2 at 10- or 12-bits per sample, but I can't find any way to tell it to do that.

ETA: I believe some of the upcoming new Blu-Ray players, the Pioneers for example, can be set to do YCbCr 4:2:2 output. If this works well with the Anthems, *AND* if people actually see any improvement in imagery when using this (which is by no means a given), that could be the first chink in the armor of the PS3 as a Blu-Ray player for use with the Anthems.

I sent an email to Nick to try to nail down what the Anthems' own capabilities are here -- i.e., when doing YCbCr 4:2:2 input or output, do the Anthems support 10-bits/sample or 12-bits/sample?
--Bob

CAUTION: "Get" function of Live Video Settings Editor V1.30a not reliable!

Live Video Settings Editor (latest version V1.30a) is an Anthem Windows application that lets you view and alter the Video Source Adjust menu settings "on the fly" -- i.e., while viewing video. It is also the tool you use to set up Custom Video Output resolutions or Custom Gamma Correction, which, once uploaded into the Anthem, can then be selected from the Anthem's Setup menus. [These last two items, altering the Setup menu, are not done "on the fly".]

The "Get" function retrieves the entire set of Video Source Adjust menu settings (for all inputs) so that you can view them in the application. One important use of this is so that you can then "Save" those settings to a file on your PC -- a crucial step when upgrading the firmware from V1.29j or older to V1.30 or newer since the Video Source Adjust menu settings will not survive that transition.

I have now seen several instances where certain specific data items don't come over properly from my D2 when I do a "Get". There are 3 specific items that sometimes fail for me:

1) The choice to use Exponential Gamma Correction for some input gets retrieved as No Gamma Correction (Gamma disabled).

2) The numeric value for Exponential Gamma Correction for some input gets retrieved as 1 instead of the proper value (114 in my case).

3) The input Contrast setting for some input gets retrieved as 5 instead of the proper value (50 in my case).

This doesn't happen every time, and in fact simply doing another "Get" most often retrieves the correct values. And of course you can also change incorrect values to correct values manually within the application.

But you should definitely review your Get results before Saving those values to a PC file as you backup file -- particularly when you intend to use that to reload settings to the Anthem after a firmware install.

This is using my older Windows 2000 laptop with the real serial port. I've seen LVSE V1.30a Get failures now on D2 firmware versions V1.31c, V1.32b (AKA V1.33), and V1.32c. I doubt the D2 firmware is the culprit here but I mention this for completeness.

I've not yet found a case where restoring values to the D2 was unreliable -- i.e., Open a saved file on the PC and Load the results to the D2 -- but folks should keep a wary eye on this, too.

None of this is fatal, since you can, obviously, make manual corrections, but it is wise to double check the results of both Get and Load operations to avoid confusion after the fact. And in particular, double check your Get results before you Save them to a backup PC file.

This issue has been reported to Anthem.
--Bob