Anthem D2/D2v/AVM50/AVM50v/ARC1 tweaking guide - Page 511

OK I uploaded v1.33 to the avm50 all is good again. Thanks Bob.
I should of read a few posts back, which I did but after I made my post.

Now next question, I don't need to load the ARC v1.25 untill I actually run the ARC, am I correct?

Bob: I upgraded my 30 to an HD30 last month. It arrived with 1.31 firmware and presented in the same manner regarding horizontal lines in the set up menu and video '7 key' menu. However, my lines stayed in place when going out of menu and into satelite viewing even with sources 720i or higher. Note that the lines would only present if I entered the menu several times or spent quite a bit of time in the menu. I found that I had to turn off AVM and turn back on to get rid of the horizontal lines. Additionally, s-video sources would show white broken horizontal lines on a light grey background at the top of the screen approximately 20 pixels (or more) thick. The vertical hold on s-video would shift from two broken lines visible to one line visible then back again.

Anthem support suggested upgrading to 1.33 fw and since then I have not been able to reproduce the horizontal lines in menu. However, the two vertical broken lines are still at the top of the screen when viewing s-video sources. I am going to call Anthem and let them know that 1.33 firmware has not yet completely fixed my problem.

BTW, I have the red video card and, other than this one (fingers crossed) problem, I am very pleased with my HD30.

I just remembered that my wife notified me that the horizontal lines appeared while watching DTV prior to the 1.33 fw upgrade and did so with normal viewing without entering the menus.
--Don

ARC 1.2.5 is loaded to your laptop or PC and not directly to the AVM50

Right.

Install V1.33 in the AVM-50 (again if necessary) to get the newly installed DSP hardware recognized.

Install ARC V1.2.5 on your PC when you are ready to use it.

Take the ARC Measurements using that PC, Calculate the results and Upload the results to the AVM-50 when you are ready.

Then turn ON Setup / Source Setup / Room EQ for all of your sources.

Finally, Save User and/or Installer Settings to capture the Setup menu changes that ARC makes during the Upload.

I'm glad things are working for you! Let us know how it sounds when you finally turn on the ARC stuff!
--Bob

Horizontal lines in the body of the image are definitely a sign of trouble. Getting to the latest firmware is a good first step, but if those lines are still there you need to get serious about isolating where they are coming from.

The first question should be, do you still get them if you use the Anthem's internally generated test patterns (Video Source Adjust / Patterns)? Those patterns are independent of any source video device. If you do, then the next step is to disconnect everything from your system except for the power to the Anthem and the TV and the connection between the Anthem and the TV. That's it. No audio connections for example. There should be nothing else connected to the TV either. Then see if the problem still exists. If so then you can be pretty certain it is a hardware issue in the Anthem. If NOT then you reconnect things one at a time until the interference reappears.

When discussing this with Anthem you will need to describe precisely what you are seeing since there are particular sources of interference which each have their own tell-tale patterns. For example, if the horizontal interference appears to be moving slowly up the screen at a constant rate then that's a sign of 60Hz power line interference. When you talk to Anthem expect to answer some questions about what the interference looks like.

You could have a hardware problem or you could have some sort of external interference which is getting into your video. The single most common source of garbage getting into people's systems is interference that comes in along the shield part of their cable or satellite TV feed. So whenever you have a problem like this one common step is to temporarily disconnect the feed wire between the wall and your cable or satellite receiver to see if the problem goes away. If so there are solutions. Interference of this type travels between boxes in your system along the shields of the cables connecting them, so it is often difficult to isolate which box is generating the problem unless you go about it in a logical manner -- disconnecting and isolating portions of your system. But if disconnecting the cable/satellite feed eliminates the interference then you know you've got it nailed.

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

The lines at the top of your S-video sources could be something else entirely. A typical video setup with the Anthem will cause your display to show every last pixel, right out to each of the 4 edges. Usually this is good. But some sources produce garbage on the edges of the signal simply because they expect you to be using a less perfect video setup that conceals the true edges of the image off screen -- called "overscan".

For example, Closed Captioning information often appears in the top few rows of the image. And local stations that rebroadcast national feeds sometimes offset the image horizontally by a few pixels leading to garbage on one edge or the other.

This sort of problem is in the content. It is not a failure of your stuff.

The Anthem offers an easy way to deal with this. In Video Source Adjust / Crop Input for that source turn Edges ON and select a number of pixels. A strip that many pixels wide will be cropped out all the way around the image.
--Bob

Bob, What is really interesting is [Note* I have not run ARC yet] the sound quality is better already, I have done nothing but reload my user settings. Wierd yes or could it be the help of the dual DSP?

Another note, my SAVE USER SETTINGS will not accept my password. I emailed Nick on how to fix this.

Also the talk around here re: Dealers charging for the install , My thing is, the install is so easy do you/we really need the dealer to do this, will it void warranty if done by end user?
Mine is done and the dealer did the install but I'm just asking for anyone interested in this.
Also next is, what do I do with the extra Single DSP? A rebate from Anthem would be cool . I mean even 20$ off your new ARC with the return of the old DSP chip set.

I don't know I'm just typing out loud here.

There is a sequence of buttons to press on the front panel to allow you to reset a forgotten or incorrect password. Stupid me, I didn't write it down when Anthem service went through it with me. Perhaps you will, and post it so we have a record of the sequence for the users of the forum.

bob: walt here, still bad news. i FINALLY found the mic correction file, moved by drag and drop to the arc folder[will not load into the anthem room correction file], verified it is in there, started the measurement, ok for L;C;R;R surround( as per yesterday) , then the arc goes looking for REAR SPEAKER(i am surround, only, and they are all connected properly) and then the error (0X03) reappears and i am done.
[i re calculated my original measurements from 3 weeks ago done at 5khz, increased to 12khz and all works fine -not overly pleased with the sound, but we are up and running]
however, based on yours and others scripts, i believe i can improve on the overall results with a more refined measurement - - which brings us back to square one.
thx again
walt

As far as I know the extra DSP is idle until you Upload ARC results. I don't know what firmware version you were running prior to putting in the DSP, but the upgrade to V1.33 could be the cause.

The password issue may be a bug in the firmware install process, so it is good you emailed Anthem.

The procedure to clear the password and start over is in Section 3.14 of the Manual. If that doesn't work, Nick will have to help you. Remember that you have to use the remote to enter the password (not the Front Panel buttons).
--Bob

Ah! Interesting. I was not aware of such a procedure.
--Bob

Unlike the Mac, Windows does not store application related files inside the "file" for the application program itself. Copying those two licensing/calibration files to the folder containing the installed application program file was the right thing to do.

When you run the ARC Measurements it puts up a set of check boxes for you to specify which speakers will be part of the configuration.

If you do not have rear speakers you must clear the check box for rear speakers.

The error simply indicates that ARC tried to send the test sweep tones to the rear speakers but they weren't there.

ARC wants you to specify this, even though it is already specified in your Setup / Speaker Configuration menu in the Anthem, because there are cases where you might want to set up a configuration that doesn't actually use all of your speakers. For example I have ARC set up a separate Movie and Music configuration with the difference being that I tell it not to use the Center speaker in the Music configuration.
--Bob

Hi Bob, I will recheck the manual but I don't recall seeing it.

As for the f/w I had before I can't remember but it was a 1.xx lol like that will help you. It was the one that fixed the PS3 popping noise issue.
This was just from listening to the Cable and I was like wow this is strange it sounds better, even my wife commented on it. I can't wait to hear Bluray tonight , and then do some ARC measurements.

I will report back.

send me to bed early with tears in my eyes, and visions of emoticons dancing pyramidally on bob's chest!
yes, after mucho guidance from bob, V1.25 is installed and functioning.
i just finished watching Mahlers Sixth (Abbado / Lucerne / Euroarts) and there is a definite improvement. nont the dramatic improvement those with younger ears are reporting, but, the bass is tighter, the strings more pleasing and the treble not 'screechy', which can happen.
the numbers all changed from the last measurement as well.
first i lowered the chair backs (8) to a normal listening position. Then i was very careful in the placement of the mic. finally, i converted the measurements to 12,000 khz.
final results are front l;r still crossed at 40 hz, but the ctr is now 90(from 100) the surrounds are 90(from 105) the sub 90(from 120)
also, the boost(+/-) changes on all speakers as well.
basically a different room!!
finally, again, my appreciation to bob for recognizing that my problem was not ARC, but my failure to read the instructions.
walt

Walt,
Fortunately, these don't come with any instructions you have to read!



--Bob

This is a commend trend. who read instructions these days

ok I just ran ARC , my charts don't look right or I really have a bad room, I have treatments for the 1st reflection but they are not up yet.
Could someone tell me, how do I upload pictures please?

I hope I'm doing this right

Trevlan,
The only really bad thing in your charts is your subwoofer. Something is definitely not right there.

You've got a pretty severe room mode around 200 Hz showing up in the Measured lines for all your main speakers (red lines), but it looks like ARC is handling that (green lines). You've got another around 50 Hz that the front speakers are running afoul of, but again ARC is handling that. However your subwoofer is dropping off a cliff way too fast in the lower frequencies.

Your subwoofer is acting like it isn't really a subwoofer. I don't know what sorts of settings you have on your subwoofer, but something is definitely wrong there. Double check how it is connected up as well -- i.e., whether there is any chance you are using the wrong connection jack on the subwoofer.

It's bad enough that it looks like your subwoofer might be broken.
--Bob

*******************************************************

RESTARTING AFTER AVS DATABASE FAILURE

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I just wanted to put a marker message in here to reflect the loss of posts in this thread (and the rest of AVS) between August 2, 2008, and August, 11, 2008. By my recollection of post counts, some 300 posts have been lost in this thread alone.

For people who check this thread infrequently, the most important item I can think of that got lost is that a new ARC "test" version, V1.2.6, has appeared on Anthem's password protected download site, but so far everyone who has tried it, including me, has reported it appears to have some problem in handling bass properly. And we've all gone back to the current "official" V1.2.5 release.

The ARC V1.2.6 "test" version install folder also includes updated D2 and AVM40/50 V1.3x Operating Manuals dated 8/8/2008. There don't appear to be any major changes in those manuals.

Many of the lost posts related to people posting their initial ARC results and folks commenting on those. I think everyone who posted results had a chance to read the responses before AVS had its stroke, but if not you'll just have to repost your charts and ask again.

If anyone can think of any other key news items that might have gotten lost, just repost them or PM me, and I'll try to edit a summary of them into this post.

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All posts between August 2 and August 11 2008 HAVE BEEN LOST!

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============================================================ =============

ADDITIONAL LOST NEWS ITEMS

* Anthem has reproduced a "hiss" problem in the AVM units. The symptom most commonly reported is a brief "hiss" just as audio starts up. They are working on it now. My guess is that it has something to do with how the new firmware interacts with the new DSP board used for the ARC upgrade.

* We've had a handful of people report complete loss of their Setup menu settings as result of doing an ARC Upload with V1.2.5 and now V1.2.6. The settings all appear to return to Factory Defaults. It is not known yet what triggers this. But if you have a good copy of your old settings in Saved User and/or Installer Settings then recovery is easy: Exit ARC, power cycle the Anthem to get it into a fresh state, Reload Saved User Settings (using the Front Panel Display), run ARC in Advanced mode, Open your latest ARC results file, and Upload it again. Confirm that everything looks good in Setup at this point, and, if so, Save User and/or Installer Settings to capture the changes made by the ARC Upload.

--Bob

Have just finished testing ARC at 12 kHz. Music sounded great seemed to have a little more detail, bass response dead on. Movies same, with great detail and very tight sub. Mid range remained excellent. Can't detect any negative effects so will leave it for awhile. Given the difference it may be more than a while
John

Bob,
my hissing started well before the DSP upgrade as did some other AVM users. Nevertheless, I am glad they're working on it and can reproduce it. If my memory serves me, Nick mentioned it was reproduced well before the upgrade as well.
John

Did you go to V1.33 firmware before doing the ARC upgrade? I think the hissing may be related to changes they made in the firmware in preparation for the ARC upgrade for AVM units.
--Bob

I note that in the 8/8 version of the Manual, Nick has relaxed his warning about raising the Max EQ Frequency Target above the default 5KHz. He still points out the potential problem (biased Measurements due to directionality in the high frequencies -- resulting in Calculated results that look better than they really are). But he now suggests this may be a problem mainly for people whose speakers are not mounted so that the tweeters are all at seated ear height.

This would most likely be the case for people with wall mounted surrounds for example.

He offers no guidance for how to select a higher frequency. Other than just testing multiple Calculations by ear, the only thing I can think of is targeting specific problems in the high frequency charts, but not cranking it up so high that the lower frequencies in the charts start to wobble too much above and below the target line.

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

In my case, my tweeters are all at seated ear height, and I've had good results using a 12KHz Target here. How 'bout the rest of you who've tried this?

Anybody getting good (or bad) results raising this while using, for example, wall mounted speakers mounted above seated ear height? A problem here might be more noticeable if you've got your front speakers mounted low or high, but, for example, a Center speaker mounted above a screen might also exhibit a problem. We're still trying to pin down what a "problem" here might sound like to advise people what to watch out for.
--Bob

I have an D1-HD and experienced probably about 1/2 second or so of hissing from the speakers last night when I switched channels last night on my DVR when the channel I was watching had froze (a TWC problem, not D2) and I switched to a different channel on my DVR.

It was not something that was loud enough to harm speakers, but it made me jump a little as it was unexpected.

Just an FYI.

Mike

As far as I know, Anthem has not reproduced this problem on the D1-HD or D2. Your problem may have been due to the cable box, but maybe not. If it happens again, send Anthem tech support an email with the details.

How are you connected for audio from the TWC box to D1-HD? HDMI audio or Optical/Coax audio?

The folks who have the AVM hissing issue can reproduce it quite easily. It happens pretty much every time a new audio stream starts up.
--Bob

I have noticed a bug that I would like confirmation on (I'm trying to narrow down if it is a player issue or an Anthem issue). While watching "Chinese Coffee" from the "Al Pacino Collection Box Set" on my Toshiba HD-A30, the 5.0 DD audio comes through as only 2 channel (L/R). The other 3 channels are missing (hense, no voice and ambient effects). I was sending over the DD as PCM. When I switched the HD-A30 to automatic, so bitstream is sent, it comes through o.k. and displays correctly as DD 5.0.

I tried the same movie through my Panasonic DVD player sending PCM and it comes through o.k. but shows up as 5.1 (not 5.0). I suspect the Panasonic is sending a 5.1 flag.

Do you think this is the player sending only a 2CH flag, while sending all 5.0 channels or the anthem not able to accept a 5.0 PCM? I tried the same movie on the same player to my Panasonic receiver (living room) and it played and showed correctly (5.0).

Is anyone able to send a 5.0 PCM signal to their AVM (or D1/2) and the Anthem is showing it is receiving a 5.0 PCM signal? If it shows as 5.1, the player/disk is sending a different flag than the original movie.

There were some reports a while back that people were having troubles playing some of the SACDs out there that have unusual speaker setups (e.g. 4.0) using an Oppo player and HDMI PCM audio.

At the time, I believe it was thought this was an Oppo problem, but I'm not sure that proved to be true. Oppo was undoubtedly in touch with Anthem on this, and so you might want to send an email to Anthem tech support and see if they have any updates on this, and in particular whether they know it to be a player problem with your player.

I presume you are already on the V1.33 Anthem firmware. If not they will likely suggest you try that as a first step.

ETA: I don't think I own any 5.0 tracks that I can try this way.
--Bob

I had the problem with hissing with firmware 1.1e as I remember. I changed to other firmware versions hoping it would solve this but they never did. Hope the next one does. I really seems to depend on whether the hdmi connection has been made not just when audio starts. As ps3 or XA2 are trying to sync with the AVM, the hissing starts, but doesn't do it when playing cds with my ARCAM player. It also doesn't do it with my 8300 digital box and this is connected with hdmi. Go figure
John

I have checked movies which I have used many, many times when tweaking sound. They all sound more detailed, very solid LFE and no hint of increased directionalilty. I have 4 dipole surrouds on the wall and the surround affect has improved as well. The soundfield has expanded slightly as well and the overall effect is awesome. If I find a negative I will post, but for now I will enjoy.
John

Well it was just my guess that the hissing was related to the AVM ARC upgrade. Perhaps it is just that the upgrade makes it more easy to reproduce. I don't know.

I presume you've let Anthem tech support know you still have this long-standing problem. Let's hope the fix they are working on also helps in your case.
--Bob