[Robster1958]

how do you shut off the unused video outputs?


there is mention of it in the manual, that a marginal benefit can be gained, but then doesn't say how to do it.

 

[HighEndWire]

Rob, if you have the PVP upgrade, I don't believe there is a way to shut them off and prior to the PVP upgrade there was a place in the menu that allowed you to shut off any of the three (composite, 'S' or component) outs and the manual recommended you do this. When I first got the PMDT, I inadvertently shut off all and had no video and had to get the proper sequence of remote buttons to fix it. Madrigal told me to leave them on and that those instructions should not have been written like that. If you are reading the instructions to the last software upgrade, they tell you to turn on the the video outputs, but as I indicated there is as far as I have been able to tell with the PVP, no way of shutting them off. I would just test them to make sure they all produce a picture before proceeding if you are doing the software upgrade.

 

[Geof]

I don't think the capability exists with the latest software to shut off unused video outputs even without a PVP. I believe this "feature" was disabled awhile back in a previous software release.


Oh, and now that I think about it they had the menu screwed up in one of the earlier software releases. Composite and component were swapped (i.e., the composite Video Output had to be turned ON for the PMDT to output a Component Video Signal).

 

[mfb]

Madrigal has disabled this. I had the same experience as highendwire with one of the older SW loads. If you have an older load and turn off the outputs use this:


OVERVIEW

While using the video menu of the PMDT ALL video outs can be mistakenly turned OFF. Should this occur the following steps should be taken to restore video output to the PMDT.

RESTORING VIDEO

To restore VIDEO to the PMDT follow the steps below.

1. Make sure there is no disc in the unit.

2. Press MENU on the PMDT remote. PLAYER MENU will appear on the units display.

3. Press ENTER on the remote. Display will read NO DISC

4. Press the DOWN ARROW on the remote 5 times. A YELLOW LED on the PMDT display will blink each time the down arrow is pressed.

5. Press ENTER on the remote.

6. Press the DOWN ARROW on the remote 2 times.

7. Press ENTER on the remote 2 times.

8. Press MENU on the remote 3 times.

9. Turn HARD POWER to the PMDT OFF and then back ON.



mfb

 

[Robster1958]

i do not have the PVP....i'm using component interlaced into my runco scaler.


thanks....it's seems they discontinued this feature even though the manual now says that you can NOT turn off all 3 inadvertantly. the manual still talks about the slight desirability of turning off unused outputs, but does not provide instructions for doing so. plus there is no menu option that references it.


i guess i may as well run the s-video into my processor now....in the odd case that i might want to record a dvd onto my vcr....yeah right.

 

[jlm]

using the s-video out from the pmdt is useful as you can send avia dvd test patterns through an s-video path, thus allowing the ability to calibrate other s-video devices using that path, like sat and s-vhs (which typically cannot produce those test patterns,)

 

[Robster1958]

thanks John......


just finished the calibration routine with my runco scaler inputs. i ran all 3 outputs of the pmdt simultaneously to the runco with the test patterns. in addtion i ran the dish6000 hdtv feed directly into the runco. i was going to send the runco a vga signal from my laptop to better calibrate/position the image, but i haven't yet.


as an aside, it was quite interesting to see immediate a/b comparisons of component vs. S vs. (ugh!!) composite.


i did the direct hookup of pmdt to runco for simplicity......but now that you have made me think about it, i wonder if the avp introduces any anything (color shift, image shift.....) in its video switching.


btw...did you decide to get the ayre?

 

[jlm]

ayre is on order!


re the avp: i had an annoying textural overlay on any s-video feed sent through the avp, sort of like a very faint cheesecloth over the display, very subtle. but there nonetheless i could avoid it by bypassing the avp. tried many permutations of cables and devices, but finally isolated the avp as the problem. consequently, i only used the avp for audio switching. given that the money shot is usually an rgb or component feed and the avp can't deal wtith them anyway, i considered it a minor inconvenience. now that i am using a lexicon which does have component switching, i am still routing my video feeds more directly: duh! some habits are hard to break. (don't think the lex will switch rgb anyway)