Anthem D2/D2v/AVM50/AVM50v/ARC1 tweaking guide - Page 492

This is a really good point. There are peoples who may not want to spent too much time and effort uptomizing their system. The ARC is quick way of doing this.

I think it's time for me to pull the trigger on the ARC upgrade. Warm up the smiley incubator!

Congratulation!

OK, the ARC upgrade for the AVM50 has tweaked my curiosity. Here's what I'd like to know:

Will ARC work for 2-channel as well as 5.1 and 7.1?

I actually have technically a 7.0 system. I have dual Vandersteen 2wq subs passively crossed over to my mains. Any reason ARC won't work (or be less effective) for this configuration?

Will the DSP upgrade change the current way the AVM50 is redigitizing its analog input? I'm happy with the way it sounds now and I've heard at least one D2 owner say the redigitized sound is degraded somewhat compared to HDMI LPCM.

Yes, and even people like me who HAVE spent a lot of time and effort tweaking their systems manually will STILL get better results with ARC. I have spent many hours and days with test tones, sweep software, external sound cards and laptops, BFD etc., and ARC not only does it easier, but BETTER. I continue to be very impressed with my results, and I am a recovering EQ tweakaholic!

Am I correct in assuming that Anthem might offer a bundle for units such as the AVM-30, to include the VP upgrade along with the DSP/ARC? I've been patiently waiting for the arrival of the HDMI 1.3 upgrade, but would be enthusiastic about adding the ARC at the same time.

Is there an HDMI 1.3 upgrade coming? I haven't heard anything official. I just want 7.1 LPCM over HDMI.

As far as I know, upgrading to add a video board (either the current one or something that might come out in the future) still will require returning the unit to the factory. But I see no reason why they couldn't add the DSP change at the same time. Whether they offer special pricing for that is another thing. I doubt it. It looks like the DSP upgrade is pretty aggressively priced to begin with.

Also, if and when Anthem does come out with a new video board odds are they will also change to 7.1 input. That's a pretty significant change affecting almost the entire product. I'm not at all sure it can be done as an upgrade. I suspect it would more likely be a "trade in" situation. Whether the factory is willing to accept old units in trade, or whether they will expect that to be done through the dealers (i.e., with the dealer taking the risk of reselling the old unit) I don't know.
--Bob

Starting a little over a month ago there have been some posts in this thread (LEVESQUE started it!) and in another thread here (the "D3?" thread) that a follow-on to the D2 is coming. So far, there has been no mention of 7.1 input as part of that, although I agree it would be surprising if Anthem didn't include that.

HOWEVER, I have not been able to get any sort of confirmation that such a thing would be available anytime soon. The only comment I've managed to extract so far is that, "The details being posted in AVS are wrong."
--Bob

Room effects alter the audio you hear from each speaker, and that's what ARC works to correct. ARC applies correction individually to each speaker. Not only would it help 2 channel input, but even mono input.

If you have a subwoofer, ARC takes into account the cross overs and any audio that will be steered to the subwoofer. The transition of bass through the cross over is much cleaner.

If you don't have a subwoofer, the D2 steers bass to the large front speakers from the center speaker or surrounds. Again ARC takes the cross overs into account.

But even if there is no bass to be steered (i.e., no center channel or surround channel input), ARC's measurements correct each speaker individually.

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ARC's processing has nothing to do with the digitizing of analog audio inputs. The nature of the digitizing is not changed.

ARC acts on digitized audio before it goes to the analog output stage. If you are using "Direct" analog pass through for an input, ARC can not help with that input. Analog input audio has to be digitized (processed) for ARC to take effect.
--Bob

Thanks.

So then the DSP upgrade to the AVM50 should not alter the initial redigitization of analog in any way, correct?

That is my understanding.
--Bob

The ARC is your medecine.

Well, put me first in line to buy a D2 with LPCM 7.1 over HDMI capability. I don't care about bitstreaming the HD formats, although that's a pleasant plus.

And I'll buy 2 if they call it R2D2! Or even D2R2.

I so badly want a D2, but I can't do it without 7.1 over HDMI.

Need help. I have the arc it was working fine yesterday but today for some reason today I am getting messages on my screen saying, "HDMI Video Muted Need HDCP Monitor" then the screen flashes in and out several times, it does this repeatdly. It does it when Im playing DVD's Marantz player, XBOX 360, and PS3. Any help will be greatly appreciated thanks in advance.

Hi All,

Great thread. I just ordered the ARC for my personal D1 yesterday and will add comments on it after install. Although I tend to pay more attention to video this looks like a great upgrade.

I upgraded the firmware today to v1.33 and only had a couple hitches. The first hitch was the blue screen of death on my laptop near the beginning of the firmware upgrade process. Ugh. I thought maybe the D1 was bricked since it wouldn't turn on anymore. A couple more tries and same result - no satisfaction. Then I switched to my backup laptop and the install went without a hitch. Then I discovered I lost the S VIDEO D1 main output, though composite still worked. A call into Anthem tech support and another install of v1.33 yielded joy! Everything works as expected. I'm not sure if this was posted, but sometimes the S VIDEO output isn't correctly recognized hence no SVID output. Another firmware install corrects the problem.

Happy 4th!

Cheers.

This is not related to ARC.

You are having Copy Protection problems in the HDMI handshake between the Anthem and the display (most likely since it effects multiple sources) or between the Anthem and the sources (less likely).

First steps. Power down everything. In addition, turn off the Anthem using its back panel switch. Now gently reseat your HDMI plugs (both ends). The most likely issue is that a plug has come a little loose in the socket. This is particularly likely if you reached around back there to attach and detach the serial connection for your ARC setup.

Now power up and see if things work better.

If that doesn't do it, consider what might have changed related to cabling since it last worked correctly.

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If you just recently updated to a V1.3x software version in your D2, understand that its current HDMI implementation takes a lot longer to sync up properly when you select a new source or change video resolutions from the same source. Maybe 10 seconds or so.

Anthem is working on new HDMI code that reduces this back down to a more reasonable 2 seconds.

Basically the current HDMI implementation is doing a lot more retries than it really should have to do.
--Bob

Thank you very much Bob.

Is there a child lock feature for the D2 which will enable the D2 to not respond when buttons on front panel are depressed? I have my 14 month old niece visiting and she loves banging on the D2. Plus my little two month old will be crawling in the next four months.

Not that I know of. I guess if you could place it so that's not in the range of your niece and your two month old that would be best. However, if you don't have a choice but to leave it where it's at, then you can turn the power switch on the back of the unit off.

Only 14 months old and she already appreciates good equipment!

You can put a password on the Setup menu settings. See Section 3.14 of the manual. But that's about it.

There's no setting that will prevent her from being able to turn on the D2 for example. Turning off the back panel power switch would be wise if you can't protect the D2 behind a cabinet door with a child lock.

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Watch out for your Blu-Ray player as well lest you discover one day that a jelly sandwich has been inserted into it.
--Bob

I upgraded my Sony PS3 software the other night, and when we tried to watch a Blu-ray movie tonight I had problems. At first there was no video, then I played with the PS3 settings, and got video, but no audio. Now I can't get audio from anything, and the D2 is acting weird and responding real slow to commands, and acting frozen at times. I even tried playing a CD, and the D2 says "No Audio Input" when you toggle to what is coming in to it. A power off has not seemed to solve it either. I guess I need to reload my software v. 1.33? Prior to this I upgraded to ARC a week ago, and everything was running great. Could the new PS3 software have caused this?

No. The new PS3 software could not cause this.

Try power cycling the D2 with both the remote AND its rear power button. Also check that you didn't accidentally knock any of the cables loose in the course of doing other stuff.

Finally, many early buyers are getting to the point where the batteries in their D2 remote are just now wearing out. Sluggish D2 response could simply mean you need to change the batteries in your remote.
--Bob

Why do you say that? Sony officially recalled the 2.40 software update due to undisclosed problems. I think it's at least possible the PS3 update created these problems.

Bob,

My remote batteries are fine, the D2 was even sluggish when using the buttons on the front. I checked the cables, all are in and firmly connected. I can't get audio from anything I have connected, whether it's HDMI or optical it doesn't seem to matter (audio input = "no signal") and the D2 gets sluggish when I start changing anything in the setup menus related to audio. I did try turning the D2 off with the rear power button, and it did not help. I think I need to reload 1.33 unless you have any other ideas.

First do a Reload Factory Defaults and see if things are still sluggish using the front panel buttons. (I'm assuming you already have Saved User Settings that are current.)

If they are, then yes a reload of V1.33 would be a good next step.

Sluggish response could indicate something going on which is causing one of the internal processors to crash and restart repeatedly -- perhaps a memory problem. A reload of the system software might cure whatever has gotten corrupted.

Also try removing wall power from all of your attached sources, amps and your display to make sure there isn't some unusual voltage or signal coming in to the D2. Check for sluggishness by observing the D2 front panel.
--Bob

I don't believe it possible that the range of symptoms he described could be caused by anything the PS3 could do over that HDMI connection.
--Bob

This is not looking good. I tried reloading the factory defaults, and no change. So I tried re-installing 1.33, and I'm getting error messages, first it says "failed to switch to 115200 kbs", and then I get another message that says "failed to exit debug mode". I re-tried several times with no change. What do I do from here?

Give Anthem tech support a call on Monday. They will likely have you run the "Flash Eraser" Windows PC program which erases the programmable memories in the D2 and leaves it in a state where it can take a fresh install of V1.33. If your problem is a corrupted install of the system software this will fix it.

I take it you also tried my suggestion to remove power from everything else already, right?
--Bob

Just hooked up my Arcam DVD which I use for CD as well. I setup the dvd inputs and it works fine. 96kHz discs are output fine. Howeverk, for CD, I hooked up the two analog outs to the AVM50 CD in. When I select CD and hit select on the remote it displays 48kHz in and out. If the same disc is played using the DVD settings which use optical out, 96k is displayed as in and out. The player was set to output bitstream 96kHz in it's setup menu. Is there anything in the Anthem that is preventing proper output of this frequency?
John