The Official: Denon 3808ci & 4308ci HDMI 1.3 thread. - Page 68

-> 1.) I started one of those "Owners" threads, and listed my equipment in there.
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=881446

-> 2.) I have the unit all integrated now, so I probably don't want to take it out and crack it opens as yet. I thought that someone had posted a pic of the inside from a Japanese website. I'll look around for it.

-> 3.) I haven't setup the streaming music feature yet. I have the 4308 connect to my network and have connected to the Web interface. I believe that steraming music requires WMP 11.0, and I am running 10.0. I will get that setup later today and post a screen scrape of it over in the owners thread.

-> Sounds good - I'll pour you a cold one

Okay, thats it... No cold one for you!

Thanks! I had thought about a different arrangement, but it might not pass the WAF test. I might still dabble with the layout though.

Believe it or not... I find the Onkyo and the font used on the Onkyo butt ugly. I really dislike the look for some reason. i guess I could put a paper sack over it... solves other similar issues.

I'm guessing the ethernet is more for streaming music off your PC rather for software updates although that could be another use of it.

OK, I need some serious advise quick. I have the option to return my SONY 5200ES for the DENON 4308Ci but now I'm not sure if I should get the 4308CI or return the 5200ES and wait for the SONY 5300ES? I like that the DENON has HD radio that no others offer. As far as video processing, I wonder what Faruodja chips both units are using and how they compare to one another. As far as my use for a receiver, I use it 50/50 for listening to radio and watching movies.

If you have a CC with a decent limit buy them both, test them out and figure out which one you like better. Then take the other back! Make sure you keep your recepts!

You can also do basic receiver setup, and probably a few things that I have not discovered yet. I added a new post in the "Owners" thread with a few images of the interface.

I check yesterday at a local shop and the 4308 is in the warehouse already in va.

The way it sits right now you're robbing yourself of some serious sound quality and imaging. Get her involved - I don't know what it is about women (who does?) but they seem to be more sensitive to acoustical changes than guys.

Also remember it's more likely you'll get your way by doing it and apologizing after than by asking first. (23 yrs of marriage speaking here.)

Seriously though, that current set-up is doing damage and you spent big bucks that you should gain maximum enjoyment from.

Just called J&R to get an update on a pre-order for the 4308i and the salesperson had no clue. He said he had heard early and late August. When I told him that other retailers were already getting theirs he said, oh, should be any day then... we are a huge Denon store.

I really hope it turns out better than the Onkyo folks who pre-ordered from J&R.

Don't put a paper sack on that thing or you'll be meeting the fire marshall.

I've got you beat - 26 years for me

I appreciate your suggestions. I will take a look at my setup when I finish going through everything on the receiver. I'm spending a bunch of time on AVS Forum right now , so I will move things around some next week.

Okay, off to get the streaming stuff working now.

The Onkyo 905 also has HD radio.

I am humbled in your presence!

The most critical issue I see in your pics is the early first reflection point of your right speaker with it's proximity to the audio stand, ideally both mains should be in as similar an environment as possible. At the very least, pull them both out so the right speaker is a few inches in front of the stand - then re-run the Audyssey. Let me know what that does for the suggested x-over.

Should the soon-to-be-released Denon iPod docks ASD-3N and ASD-3W be used with these receivers or is that overkill? Will the current iPod docks work just as well?

I will have my 4308ci tomorrow morning....

Congrats, I guess I know what you will be doing over the weekend
Make sure you post your findings, please

____
Axel

I am going from a 1803 and I have never owned such a nice amp. I know this is over kill, but I want to start building a home system that I can be proud to come home too.

Axel: I will post all of my findings. I think I might be OCD and will not sleep for days while I get this thing set up. WooHoo.

A lot of people are curious about the deinterlacing of 1080i to 1080p. The only 1080i source I will have is my satellite DVR (HR-20). Is 1080i that bad?
Movies will be BluRay at 1080p, so I'm not concerned about that. Sports would be the only thing that I can think of that 1080i might "expose". Am I correct? Can someone please explain why the deinterlacing is so critical?

Thanks.

I'm sure you have seen what a progressive scan DVD player does to SD DVD haven't you? Going from an interlaced signal to a progressive signal gives a boost in PQ.

ListenUp is now showing that preorders for the 4308 will ship Aug 1 or 2 and Aug 3-6 for the 3808.

My local guy has a 3808 for me on the way but I am still torn between that and the 4308. HELP! I'd love some input on what value the differences in the units has (how the differences would be used/benefited).

Here is what I know/think. Please add anything I have missed and give me your opinion on the value of the extras.

1) 130 vs 140 watts per channel - not sure 10 watts would make that much of a difference. Any difference in amp construction, etc?

2) AL24+ vs Advanced AL24 processing - a little better processing, but how noticeable?

3) HD Radio (4308) - nice to have better clarity radio

4) 1 vs 2 HDMI outputs - Parallel so same source on both. Nice if you have an HD in the bathroom so you don't miss any of the big game, but how might one really use this?

5) Discrete video out on component to Zone 2 (4308) - makes zone 2 also have independent video as well as audio sourcing. Nice so you don't have to have separate stuff in another room. But how far can you really run component cables?

5b) 3808 can do discrete video out on Zone 2, but only composite...

6) WiFi capability - nice if you don't have a wire run, but wouldn't think it would be that great for streaming large files

7) Streaming - some specs say 3808 can't do JPEG. Not sure if there is any difference in the streaming capabilities of the two units. Can they ONLY do WMP or is iTunes supported? (I'm a Mac user...)

Right now I have a 3300 for my main theater and a Russound setup that runs the rest of the house (audio only - 6 zone 4 source). It would be nice to have video ability in another location based on the main equipment, but not sure of the feasibility based on length of wire runs, etc. and the Denon won't replace the Russound as it can't handle the same zones/sources.

I know this is subjective, but I would appreciate any input you can give on the 4308 over the 3808 (or vice versa).

I know this is off-topic, but would you mind explaining what is wrong with that setup? Are the mains too close together?

I suppose my setup is similar, but then my system sits on a short wall, and there is no way to move it to a longer wall. In fact, my right main is almost in a corner, although both mains are a few inches forward of the furniture holding my other equipment, and angled toward the center of the room. I do have my television and my AV stand between both speakers, though.

I also have my sub close to my right main, along the *other* wall. Probably not an ideal configuration, but I'm not sure how I could improve it.

I would have thought this one was fairly obvious. Two displays in the same room, ie, a "regular" TV and a front projector for movies in the dark.

That's my rig, anyway. I also need the 4 HDMI inputs. Just being able to get rid of both a splitter and a switch for HDMI justified the price difference between the 3808 and 4308 for me. Also, I'm replacing a 4306 so I didn't want to step down .

ATTN: 4308CI Manual Readers!

I am trying to determine how on the 4308 the video output is selected.

I would like to take my Cable TV (component in) to the AVR with component out to my HDTV component in. I will have picture adjustments for color level in the HDTV in this manner. No concern about scaling as my SA8300HD will passthru all signals as is to the HDTV (Panny 65" 1080p Pro), which does very well with scaling/deinterlacing...as far as the HQV tests show anyway.

I will also connect my Tosh XA2 (HDMI 1080p) to the AVR for HDMI out passthru to the DVI port on the HDTV. No color adjustment via DVI on the HDTV, but the XA2 has picture adjustments in its menu, so I am fine.

I have looked at page 30 of the 4308 manual and see "Monitor Out". This is under the HDMI Setup, so it appears it only applies to HDMI. But I see on the back of the 4308 Monitor 1 and 2 for HDMI, but also for Component Out! So, if this is set to "auto" should I expect to have my Component In from the Cable STB go directly to the Component Out?

And will then the XA2 HDMI in go out to the HDMI out?

OR is there another way to select the OUTPUT for a given input?

A quick glance at his setup and unless he's sitting very close I would say the speakers are too close together. The main problem I see though is his right speaker being so close and behind his audio stand. This puts it in a completely different environment than the left main. Also, the first reflections are going to bounce off the audio stand and intersect with the original signal about a foot in front of the right speaker. I can't see this doing anything but damaging the imaging. Also I think his mains are too close to the back wall.

Go to the "Audio Set Up and Theory" forums here and do a search on speaker placement and you'll get some great advice that you can apply to your set-up and I also strongly reccommend to anyone to do some reading on room acoustical treatments - you can throw all the money you want at a system and nothing will make as much of a difference as some attention to detail with room/speaker interaction - which includes acoustical treatments.

I have the 4308 and am setting it up now. The video and the sound are awesome.

Just ordered a 3808 from 6ave for a better price (think % off retail) than J&R and got free shipping. Had to call and ask.
Frank at ext 8620.
Told to expect shipping in 1-2 weeks. Not in stock yet.

I searched and saw this question asked a few pages ago but didnt see a reply. Is there a manual available for the 3808?