Anthem D2/D2v/AVM50/AVM50v/ARC1 tweaking guide - Page 213

randman,
The Tivo S3 has some peculiarities in the way it deals with HDMI.

Anthem has worked around many of them. The V1.11e test software is reported here to work much better with the S3 -- although there are still occasional problems reported. Some posters have just resigned themselves to the S3 being too quirky and have switched to using Component video and optical audio cabling from it.

Note however, that some users have reported problems with the PS3 and the Anthem V1.11e software. I'm not sure where Anthem is in addressing that, and it is not universal -- some PS3 users have V1.11e and have no problems.

I'll add that my Comcast/Motorola HD-DVR problems virtually vanished when I upgraded the HDMI cable between the Comcast and my D2. There is no good reason why this should happen, but I figure the HDMI output drivers in the Comcast were so shoddy that it took a perfect cable to give them a fighting chance of working.

I doubt the S3 HDMI driver circuits are that bad, but as part of addressing your problem, you should consider upgrading to a better/shorter HDMI cable.
--Bob

Thanks for all the suggestions, but I have tried everything my little brain can think to try and cannot get the slider down to a value where the image is streched completely to fill the panel... it actually errors out on a different value every time but I have never been able to get the value down past 860. I have tried with the scale out set to "anamorphic" and "letter/pillar box", etc. but to no avail.

The only two things that I haven't tried:

1) 1.11X software... 1.11 from the web site does not load for me (using my htpc with a true serial port). All previous versions have. I emailed a while ago for the latest beta but no response. Perhaps I'll email again.

2) I do use a gefen 2x2 hdmi switch between the D2 and the Sharp 20k and a Sony 34xs955. I have the HTPC running through the other input on the Gefen and it appears as if the Gefen reports the display capabilities based on the display device first powered up after power is applied to the Gefen switch (judging from the resolutions reported available by the htpc... when the sony is powered up first, the HTPC allows only up to 1080i for hdtv compatible resolutions, whereas if the pj is powered up first, the HTPC allows up to 1080p). I will remove the Gefen from the chain and see what happens.

Thanks again.

I got connection now. But if I change sources and go back to the computer input I have a green screen and loose picture connection. That is the main reason I bought the detective.My AVM 50 still shows the correct input resolution the DVI dectective was programed too but I have a green screen. Do you think I should upgrade to 1.11e. I was so happy that all my HDMI was working without upgrading to a new version. Anyone else have any ideas of what could cause this. I have tried messing around with the HDMI repeater and that makes no difference.

There was a cryptic note in passing from Nick with one of the test software releases that it included a fix for CIH stuff. It's in this thread somewhere -- a search might find it. But since we've had absolutely no reports of problems with CIH until yours I didn't really pay attention.

I think you should give Anthem tech support a call and see what they say. This CIH stuff *DOES* work so it could be some simple operator error on your part, but I can't think what you might have done to make this happen. So maybe it really is a specific bug that Anthem actually fixed in a test software release.

While waiting, review those "Fun with Custom Cropping/Scaling" threads linked in the first post here and try some of the other experiments discussed in them. This may help you find the setting that's giving your grief (if there is one) or it may help you collect more info for Anthem so that they can better understand what's working and what's not working in this for you.
--Bob

Thanks for the info, Bob. I haven't tried v1.11e yet. I also sent email to Anthem to see what they would suggest. What's the latest beta version? 1.11g?

I use the Ultralink HD Pro HDMI Platinum cable, which others have recommended (I believe by Levesque as well). I use short (about 6") extension HDMI cables out of the D2 to protect the D2 HDMI inputs. I doubt changing the cables will help, although I've read interesting results in this thread when folks have replaced their cables.

I'm not quite ready to give up on HDMI yet.... but component would be my plan B (and would have the advantage of allowing me to also connect my Tivo S3 to my Slingbox via Slingbox's HD cable, in case it provides a better picture than my S2 Tivo... but, that's another story).

Thanks,

Randy

Randy,
We've had one report here of software up to V1.11j. But so far, V1.11e seems to be the best of the "test software" versions.
--Bob

Now that you mention it Bob, I recall that before buying the D2 I had asked my dealer specifically about CIH scaling, and (after a call to Anthem) he told me that it works fine, but I would need to get beta firmware from Nick. That was in late January, so he must have been referring to an 11.something version.

And? What's new and wonderful about V1.11k?
--Bob

He could tell you. But then he'd have to kill you!

Understanding humor , he should be able to tell as the feature changes are pretty well advertised.

Levesque, I know we had a bizarro world experirnce on XA2 issues back a couple of revs, so you saying k is stable may be different from us south of the border folks :O, but it would be good to get a first cut reaction on stability vs e, as Nick rolls out the updates to the usual suspects. (He was very up front about issues in latter releases and relationship to prior revs).

Tim

I finally got 1.11g downloaded. I ended up having to assign new com ports and get my usb connection to com port 3 and everything went fine. After a short test it did not solve my problem with the tivo s3. I know someone earlier said 1.11e would fix it, I will email Nick.

Bill, just to confirm you don't have the issue going direct to the display, correct?

That is correct.

Also is there any way to change modes while listening without going into setup?

Can you elaborate on the "new problems"?

LEVESQUE
According to Nick, the new firmware is 1.12k. I believe he said you are the only one using it now.

Anthem now has the Pioneer BDP HD1 and was unable to recreate the stuttering problem with the RS1. They are going to do more involved testing next week and hopefully will resolve the problem. Nick also said the 1.12k would not help with this issue.

Are you talking about audio modes? Sure. Press the Mode key on the remote once and then use the up and down arrows to scroll through and select the new mode. THX post processing can be turned on and off by pressing the THX button and then using the up and down arrows.

Be aware that the Modes that will be available to you at any given moment depend on the format of the incoming audio, whether or not you have rear speakers configured, and whether or not you have THX audio post processing turned on. For example, you can't get to Mono-Academy mode if the input audio is DD5.1 or if THX is turned on.

The audio Modes you specify in Setup / Source Select are simply the defaults for that input when receiving each type of incoming audio format.

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There are also several other "shortcuts" available under the Mode key that can be used to change the VIDEO processing. Press and hold the Mode key for a bit and you will be able to view and change the Video Source Adjust / Scale Out setting using the up and down arrows.

Briefly release and then briefly press the Mode key again and you will be able to view and change the Video Source Adjust / Crop Input setting.

Briefly press the Mode key again and you will be able to view and change the Video Source Adjust / Output / Frame Lock setting.
--Bob

Interesting.

Levesque, you have the same setup that Randall and I do: Pioneer Elite HD1-->D2-->JVC RS1 (HD1) projector.

Do you get the stuttering using 1080p/24 from the Elite through the D2 to the JVC? Randall and I certainly do.

Thanks Bob that is exactly the info I was looking for.

What a great thread.

this will be a little off topic however I have the upgraded D1HD and was using a gefen 1x4 hdmi distribution box so I could use output hdmi signal from the Anthem to run two projectors what I discovered was that with the gefen installed in the chain it seemed to introduce some blocking and other artifacts, a friend of mine who has the D2 said that he read somewhere in this thread that someone has had great success with a hdmi distribution solution that introduces no changes in the video in fact he thought he read that the user reported that it seemed to improve the video, anyone know who that was or what hdmi distributor I can use to run two projectors from one hdmi signal coming from the D2 that wont introduce any video errors? TIA

I believe that is a COMPLETE VIOLATION of the HDMI Specification.

im sure you will expand on this at some point, so are you saying distributing an hdmi signal is what,,,,illegal?

I'm using this Gefen product http://www.gefen.com/kvm/product.jsp?prod_id=2514 to feed an RPTV and a PJ at the same time from my AVM-50 and I haven't experienced any signal problems.

I talked to Gefen engineers at their BOOTH
in Las Vegas - at the CES show in January.

They are the ones who told me it was a violation
of the HDMI specifications.

But as you can see from the post from Nathan_R
-- IT WORKS for him.

So I only repeated what I was told by Gefen.

Nathan thanks for the response, yes its really strange two projectors hooked up to the gefen, signal coming from d2, the projectors were marantz 11s1 and benq w10000 my friend who owns the benq noticed it right away in material that hes familiar with, he has his machine and the d2 tweaked and he said that something was wrong it was then that we disconnected the gefen and went straight to the benq and the blocking artifact disappeared