The only difference between in-laws and outlaws is that outlaws are wanted. - Unknown

20.04.24 0513 [PST] Home Articles    EAC & MP3s    UberNet    Recipes    Life of Myden    Ramblings    Technology Best MP3 Guide Gallery Good Movies Links Contact -- --    Home >> Articles >> Recipes Building The Ultimate Home Theatre Materials: BenQ W1070 projector Elite Screens ER135WH1 Sable Fixed Frame Projection Screen (135") Choosing Screen Size & Location - you want a viewing angle of somewhere between 30 and 36 degrees. Went with about a 34 degree angle for my primary seating position. - from eye level to the top of your screen should not exceed 15 degrees (THX). Mine is 12.5 - having your eyes level with approximately 1/3rd of the way up from the bottom of your screen is generally considered a good screen height. Although anywhere from 1/3 to 1/2 way up the screen from the bottom is usually fine. My eye level is just above 1/3 of the way up from the bottom. Screen Installation - assembled screen - mounted on to wall - made sure screen was level, in all directions: top, sides, and front to back Setting Up The Projector - set the distance from the projector to the screen to 14 feet, 4 inches to get close to the ideal brightness of about 16 fl, based on the calculator at eliteprojectorcalculator.com Projector Height From Floor The W1070 needs to be 3.3" above the top of my screen (height of screen 66" X 5% = 3.3"). -------- 2.5" to 7.5" per 100 inch diagonal screen (with 5" being the default no shift position). My calculator in that field is telling you the default diagonal offset, not how much lens shift it has. How much lens shift it has is based on the VSHIFT UP and VSHIFT DOWN in my calc. I prefer speaking in diagonal offsets because it makes it simpler, let me show you. Whatever your screen size is, simply multiple it by the diagonal offset. So the minimum for 120" screen is 2.5" * 1.2 = 3" above the screen The maximum for 120" screen is 7.5" * 1.2 = 9" above the screen The OPTIMAL / no lens shift position (using none) = 5" * 1.2 = 6" above You can do the same thing for any 16:9 screen size (95" screen is * 0.95). The closer you can get it to the optimal position of 6" from the center of the lens above the screen viewable area, the better. ------- The truth appears to be this: when ceiling mounting, the top of the projected image is always below the lens. How much below depends on the lens shift: the vertical distance from the lens to the top of the image can be between 5% and 15% of the total image height. For a 135" diag screen, the image height is 66", therefore the vertical distance from the lens to the top of the projected image can be anywhere from 3.3" to 10". -------- BenQ Calculator: http://www.benq.com/microsite/projector/throwratiocalculator/ results: Zoom ratio of 1.27 14'4" (172") from screen to projector Projector should be 5" to 6" from ceiling Lens should be 3.3" above projected image - I assume you're using the BenQ throw calculator? If so it tells you the distance from the ceiling your projector needs to be based on what you input (in the lower right hand corner) and that measurement is from the middle of the lens. Projector Zoom Range The zoom range isn't that large, optimal I would say mount it 3" in front of the farthest throw. Why 3" instead of at exact farthest throw, well 3" so the zoom still has some play in case you created a fudge factor accidentally. 14 feet 4 inches or thereabouts sounds good for a 135" 16:9 screen, just wait until you get the projector to figure it out. Projector Alignment - set the focus - used the built in test pattern to align the projector with the screen - If you want to do a fussy setup get a tape measure, some string and some tape; measure half way up the screen each side and tape a piece of string across the screen as a horizon reference, and drop some weighted string from the top midpoint straight down; you now have a grid to align your projectors' test grid to. Level the machine to the horizon and set bow, skew, whatever it needs. - Use the test patterns from AVS Rec709 to test alignment and focus (hooked up to laptop) - I found that the projected grid image would be trapezoidal if the PJ was not perfectly perpendicular to the screen. In fact, making the length of the sides the same length is the easiest way to adjust the PJ in the horizontal plane and making the top and bottom sides the same length is the best way to adjust for tilt in the vertical plane. - Vertical lens shift: min 3.375" x 1.35 (4.55" or 11.6 cm) to max 10.125" (13.69" or 34.8 cm) min 2.5" x 1.35 (3.375") to max (10.125") optimal 6.75" or 17cm above top of screen min: 11.6 cm above screen top max: 34.8 cm above screen top optimal 6.75" x 1.35 = 9.11" or 23.14 cm above screen top screen top = 201.5 cm from ground. Projector Test Patterns - downloaded from http://xeitoptics.com/test-patterns/ - instructions for use are on that page as well Projector Settings - changed lamp setting to 'smart eco mode', and turned off 'brilliant color' as recommended in the avsforum thread (some debate over whether brilliant color setting is better or not). Ordered Cables For Component Rack, and Speaker Wire - made sure HDMI cables supported 4k, 3D, and ethernet (HDMI 1.4 spec) - cat 6 for networking - 12 AWG speaker wire. Ran cables - ran speaker wire from speaker locations to component stand area, keeping the wire away from electrical cables - ran HDMI 1.4 (high speed with ethernet) cable from projector to component stand - ran component video cable from projector to component stand - ran Cat 6 network cable from electrical panel (where Shaw modem is, for strongest signal) to router location at component stand) - ran all cables through monoprice low voltage wall plates so it looks nice coming out of the wall - painted backing of component stand to match wall. Drilled all holes to match up with cables coming out of the wall, and from the various devices in the component stand. - labeled cables coming out of the wall - approximated 5.1 rear surround speaker wire length, and roughed in the wiring. Not set in stone though, so I can move the speakers around before deciding on placement. Installed plugs, lighting - changed light fixtures to recessed lighting, using Halo 6" recessed lighting cans - added receptacle plug about 1 foot behind projector, on the ceiling - ordered shorter power cable for projector from Monoprice - attached speaker wire on receiver end to some banana plugs (strip 3/4" of bare copper, twist, and push firmly into unscrewed banana plug, then tighten banana plug screw) - attached banana plugs to appropriate speaker terminals - positioned front-right and front-left speakers appropriate distance from back wall and side walls according to the 'rule of odds' http://www.lbaileyht.com/ht_speakers.html - attached bare wire speaker wire to front speakers and center channel - replaced long projector power cord with short monoprice power cord Setup ATSC tuner (Homeworx HW150PVR) Picture: Aspect Ratio 16:9 Wide Screen Resolution 1080P(60HZ) Channel Search: Manual Search Added the 6 channels found at: http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29&q=id%3d5b946cafa11830 21 CBC 29 CTV 32 CTS 38 Omni 41 Global 49 City TV - Used Channel 38 (weakest signal) to position antenna Option Digital Audio RAW HDMI On System SW Version V8 HW Version 7816-ATSC-03 Setup DVD Player Screen Setup TV Type: 16:9 HDMI Resolution: Auto (1920x1080i, 1280x720p, 720x480p) YCbCR/RGB(HDMI) YCbCr (RGB) Black Level Off (On) 4:3 Output: FULL (Normal) Audio Setup Audio ATT: Off Audio DRC: Wide Range (TV Mode, Standard) Audio Filter: Sharp (Slow) Downmix: Dolby Surround (Normal) Digital Out: On Dolby Digital: Dolby Digital (D-PCM) DTS: On 48kHz/96kHZ PCM 96kHz/24bit (48kHz/16bit) Progressive P AUTO (P VIDEO) (button on front) Setup Yamaha RX-V673 Setup XBOX 360 - laptop cooling fan to USB - cat 6 network cable to router port 4 - optical audio cable to AV1 of receiver SYSTEM -> CONSOLE SETTINGS - set display to 1080p widescreen standard <<< 3D Glasses - The consensus from Zombies shoot-out thread seems to be the optima zd201 are the best - SainSonic 144Hz for BenQ 3D Ready DLP-Link Projector TV Active Shutter Glasses" in combination with NVIDIA 3D TV Play and all was fine - 3DTV Corp DLP-LINK 3D Glasses 2 Pairs for ALL 3D Ready DLP Projectors and ALL Samsung and Mitsubishi DLP TV's - I have tried several brands and I agree that the TrueDepth are the best so far. I suggest that if you are into to 3D get one or two pairs of the TrueDepth and get the SanSonic for guests if price is a factor. The True-Depth costs about twice as much as the SanSonic. I find the TrueDepth more comfortable and better made they also cost more than twice the price. The color and 3D is the same with both brands but the TrueDepth being larger seems to block the red flash better. I aslo would not worry about waiting for the Benq glasses. some reviews felt that they were not the best. They are also very expensive. - I have the Saisonics, 3dtvcorp battery versions and the latest True Depths. 1) Sainsonics: They are very light. They don't block the dlp flash well. Reverse sync a lot. Not recommended. $25 2) 3dtvcorp battery version: blocks flash best (even better than the True Depths), no sync issues, comfortable. The only negative is the green tint, which reduces the image brightness and alters color slightly. Turning brilliant color on helps. Overall very good glasses, especially for the price. $35 3) True Depth: Very well made, flexible arms. No issues with sync. No color change or dimming of brightness due to tint color. Image looks vibrant and accurate. Only slight issue is that on an all black screen, it looks like screen uniformity issues. There is black with some red mixed in on the edges. However overall I'd say that these provide the most pleasing image due to neutral colored lenses. $60 - well its been pretty much declared the the Saisonics are the worse tested thus far and the best being the BenQ followed in a tie by TrueDepth and MonoPrice followed by 3D Corp and then the Saisonics in last. - Benq D3 is the best followed by TrueDepths, then 3dTV Corp followed by Monoprice <<< Notes from Avsforums Thread Smart eco seems to enable the dynamic lamp and its horrible! The brightness increases and decreases in steps instead of smoothly. Its very distracting. I couldn't get smooth playback of 23.976 content by setting my HTPC display to 23(.976)hz. There was noticeable judder, and I had to set the refresh rate to 24hz and use reclock to get smooth playback. 48hz seems to render incorrectly, the image is over contrasted with VERY crushed blacks. The picture out of the box was a green tinted, but looks good after some quick adjustment. Blacks are crushed at 50 brightness. 51 brightness is perfect. - Anyone who thinks the w1070 is a light cannon with bad blacks, go ahead and move the gamma off default and let me know what you think. - I am planning to fine tune the settings with the help of a calibration dvd <<< Tips from Avsforums Thread - Did you use Smart Eco mode and turn off Brilliant color as suggested by Trusted Reviews? See review and suggestions below: http://www.trustedreviews.com/benq-w1070_Projector_review - I HIGHLY recommend using Smart Eco and Brilliant Color, makes the picture look outstanding. For the best 3D set brightness to 47, sharpness to 15 and gamma to 1.6. Make sure brilliant color and smart eco are on. For games use same settings except change gamma to 2.0 - Since I have a dark room I am using the SmartEco mode and I have turned brilliant color off. I am also using the film setting with gamma set at 2.4 - Without BC, it would be more accurate from a saturation and color standpoint (though you could calibrate it with BC on and have a very accurate grayscale), but not everyone cares about color accuracy and many like over saturation. With BC on, the image will be about 35% brighter. Comes down to whether you want the extra brightness, or if it's too bright in a dark room, and if you want more or less saturated colors and a little more color accuracy. If you are doing a calibration, I would think it would just come down to brightness, because BC pushes the image a little cool out of the box, if I'm not mistaken. Then again, a lot of people like that, so... Really up to you, but me personally, I'll be calibrating with BC on and off and seeing when one or the other is more appropriate. Plus, I just like to do calibrations so it gives me another mode to play with lol. - I like BC off, but it is personal preference. I feel you get less noise and a more accurate picture. I find smart eco and brilliant color off to be the most accurate. If you watch a lot of films and have a totally dark room I would suggest trying gamma 2.4. This projector is unusually accurate out of the box and requires only minor tweaks compared to other units I have had. Calibration using Chromapure is really good. - +1 I am running Cinema, Smart Eco, and BC OFF. I don't like too much processing in my picture. I am trying to put a few more hours on the projector until I bring out the colorimeter to play. - I am using the same settings and agree that B.C. has too much processing. - leave smart Eco on all the time, it's for optimal white/black performance not just to save $$$ in electricity. - Just some things to try... Turn down sharpness from default (15 is too high, 12 is about as high as sharpness should be set) Turn the clarity control to 0 since it actually decreases fine detail (it's like DNR and causes clay face) Drop contrast a couple clicks Try a 2.4 gamma if viewing in a dark, light controlled room Run in Eco lamp Do not set brightness above 50 as (0 IRE) black will dither Turn off Brilliant Color - Art at PJ reviews was right. You could just increase the Red Gain a bit and be close to perfection - As for out of box settings: Use Cinema, User1 or User2. They are all the same. Use Normal color temp. Download the free AVCHD test disc from AVS and adjust your Brightness and Contrast properly. Taking a guess, your Contrast will be around 55-60 and Brightness at 50. Turn down Clarity noise reduction to zero and sharpness to 6 or 7. Go into the CMS and increase saturation for each color to 55 or 56. (all six colors, not just primaries). Put lamp on SmartEco. I prefer 2.2 Gamma, as 2.4 doesn't do anything about improving black floor, but adversely affects shadow detail, but you may like 2.4. Try it out and see what you like best. - I am calibrating multiple modes for different color space and levels. One for 2D blu ray 1080p24 YCbCr (16-235), one for 2D pc gaming 1080p60 RGB (0-255) and two for 3D (one for 720p60 gaming and one for 1080p24 blu ray). <<< Research Best Media Players Nvidia video player, Totalmedia Theatre, Powerdvd, or Windvd - The 3D support in Totalmedia Theatre sucks. I had issues with it on my old projector and on the W1070 it doesn't work at all. PowerDVD works although I had some configuration issues, and Windvd worked without any issues what-so-ever. <<< Calibration Settings from users in Avsforums Mishari84, post #721 ==================== Low Lamp Brightness 52 Sharpness 0 picture processor ( forgot its name ) 0 Gamma 2.4 (Not sure yet) Brilliant color Off Temperature fine tuning: 97 85 86 256 256 259 I will work on CMS later You may compare them to Cinema mode and choose what works better for your screen and environment. ^^ Just tried this : color temps on mine make white look pink, but the rest are okay. Worf, post # ? ============== Voici mes valeurs RVB calibrées GR : 105 GV : 100 GB : 104 DR : 255 DV : 256 DB : 254 choix de gamma 2.2 luminosité : 48 contraste : 47 Brilliant color : off Mode lampe bas Singh007, post 1711 ===================== I myself have Brilliant Color ON, Smart Eco, Sharpness at 0, 2.4 gamma, noise reduction 7 (default) Roel Asaraf, post 6322 ====================== Professional calibration results: http://cdn.avsforum.com/1/18/1801d0f8_Screenshot_2013-09-20-00-37-21.png TangledCable, post 6734 ======================= Here are my newly calibrated settings for those who might be interested. They may or may not look good on your projector and they aren't perfect by any means and are something of a work in progress, but I'm happy for now. I was using the Withers settings which are excellent, but as you put more hours on the bulb, gain settings slowly start to dim, and compared to my new settings, the Withers now look positively anemic. YMMV. User 1 Brightness 51 Contrast 50 Bulb: Economic Gamma: 2.2 Brilliant Color: On RGB high end 105 99 99 RGB low end 233 232 234 Color gamut Red 52, 66, 50 Green 47, 61, 50 Blue 50, 58, 50 Cyan 54, 50, 50 Magenta all 50 Yellow all 50 If you do try them let me know how they look, and if anyone else wants to share their calibration, feel free. I never believed in using someone else's configuration until I tried the Withers settings and was shocked at how good they looked. <<< Calibration Settings from ProjectorReviews.com http://www.projectorreviews.com/benq/benq-w1070-projector-calibration-and-settings/ <<< Calibration Settings from ProjectorCentral.com http://www.projectorcentral.com/benq_w1070_3d_home_video_projector_review.htm?page=Performance <<< Calibration Settings from Steve Withers http://www.avforums.com/forums/projectors/1761516-benq-w1070-reviewer-s-recommended-best-settings.html I've gone back and forth between the two of them and find Wither's settings to have even better shadow detail without compromising black level, which is my personal holy grail, so I would encourage everyone to try both. Steve lists "User 1" as the base preset to start with but I accidentally used "Cinema" and I like the end results even more. He also says to turn Brilliant Color off but I left it on and it really punches up the image without messing up color accuracy or grayscale. Very much like the Sound and Vision settings except for the aforementioned shadow detail. Oh man. I mentioned my holy grail above, well now I'm on a crusade: I keep testing them and you HAVE to try the Withers's settings--it's not just black level, but skin tones, white detail, everything. I've never seen this projector look this good. <<< Calibration Discs - pick up a copy of a calibration disc like Disney’s WOW, which is easy to use and offers clear explanations to help you adjust controls like brightness, contrast, and sharpness for best effect. - I highly recommend downloading the FREE AVS Rec709 test disk from this forum and burning it with a regular DVD burner, and even in doing so it will play in MOST bluray players and help you get a slightly better image out of your PJ. http://www.avsforum.com/t/948496/avs-hd-709-blu-ray-mp4-calibration How to use AVS Rec709 to calibrate http://missingremote.com/guide/display-calibration-part-i - Spears & Munsil 2nd Edition 2013 - Digital Video Essentials (HD Basics or Optimize Your Home Entertainment System) - Avia Guide To Home Theater <<< Calibration Software That Requires A Colorimeter - Chromapure DVD download: http://www.chromapure.com/products_dvd.asp Software: http://kickass.to/usearch/chromapure/ - CalMAN <<< W1070 Firmware Updating - It seems that it is unnecessary to use the service tool if one writes down one's settings and is not afraid to spend a few minutes imputing them again. I think this is the reason why they have included the USB method since it is much easier for most people. A word of warning. If you are planning to do the update be sure to read and re-read how to do it. Make sure you choose USB in the DLP composer setting and most important be sure you point to the 105 firmware in the folder you saved it in. I would also write down your settings before you start. I would only suggest doing this update if you are familiar with firmware and bios updates. - I just updated mine from 1.02, its a pretty simple install. Just download and install the dlp composer software then follow the instructions starting on page 60 for the usb method. My only caution would be and its a pretty obvious one make sure if your using a laptop that your battery is good and it should only take a few minutes. - Firmware available below: https://docs.google.com/folder/d/0B_xTFybwtlbvU1oxdHRNcWd3LTQ/edit?pli=1&docId=0B_xTFybwtlbvTHFqclRLU3pBNlk. https://docs.google.com/folder/d/0B_xTFybwtlbvU1oxdHRNcWd3LTQ/edit If one wants to do the update I suggest doing it using a standard to min B cable. 1. Write down all your settings before starting a. 2. I suggest that you create a new folder on your desktop called 1070 firmware in the new folder. 3. Download the download tool and unzip in new folder. 4. Download the 105 img file to the same folder. 5. .Install the download tool. It is called DLP composer. 5A Copy the Flash Device Parameters. txt file to the DLP composer program file (It is under programs x86 DLP Composer) Just copy and paste the file. 6. Open the DLP Composer tool and go to edit, preferences. 7. When the window opens go to communication and set it to USB 8. Close this window and click on flash loader on the opening screen. A window will open. 8. Change the mark to Complete Image Download Put check in Skip Boot loader area Change 59 32Kb 9. On the top of the flash loader hit the browse button and go to your folder 105 img file. 10. Insert the USB cable in the min plug on the projector and into your computer. (Wait for the drivers to load. This should take a minute with windows 7 or 8 11. Unplug the projector and push the power and auto buttons at the same time. Plug in the projector while holding the buttons. The LED on the projector will turn red if you are in download mode. (If it turns orange do this again until you only get the red led) This is very important. 12 Hit the Reset Bus and Start Download. The upgrade process should take about 5 minutes. A timer will start telling you how long it will take. 13. Do not unplug anything during the process. When everything completes the LED on the projector will turn to standby orange. 14. Unplug the USB cable and turn the projector on 15 You will have to put all your settings back in and turn source select to auto 16. Instructions are also available in the service manual PDF you downloaded to your folder. 17. Only do this upgrade at your own risk and if you are familiar with doing firmware updates.. 18. You do not need the service tool to do the firmware update the firmware and write down your settings. One More Thing: Be sure to copy the FlashDeviceParameters.txt file into the newly installed TI Composer directory. Just spent some time discovering that. - I think I found the link for firmware updates. Page 107 of thread. ftp://62.141.76.120/driver/projectors/w1070 username 1070 password--password. You might also want to try using password under both user name and password. https://docs.google.com/folder/d/0B_xTFybwtlbvU1oxdHRNcWd3LTQ/edit - You followed these instructions exactly? I added a bit of clarification into a couple points myself, in bold. 0.5 - The projector needs to be turned ON before you start. 1. Write down all your settings before starting an update. (If you do not you will loose all your settings) 2. I suggest that you create a new folder on your desktop called 1070 firmware in the new folder. 3. Download the download tool and unzip it to the new folder. 4. Download the new separate 106 img file to the same folder from the link above. 5. .Install the download tool. It is called DLP composer. Also download the Flash Device Parameters file (It was included in the download already). 5A Copy the Flash Device Parameters.txt file to the DLP composer program file (It is under programs x86 DLP Composer on your C drive.) Use Copy and paste. The folder you want to paste this file to will be on the c drive after you install DLP composer. 6. Open the DLP Composer tool and go to edit-->preferences. 7. When the window opens go to communication and set it to USB 8. Close this window and click on flash loader on the opening screen. A window will open. 8. Put a check beside "Complete Image Download" Also check "Skip Boot loader" Change from default 16kb to 32Kb 9. On the top of the flash loader hit the browse button and go to your folder 106 img file (the actual firmware file in your desktop folder). 10. Insert the USB cable in the min plug on the projector and into your computer. (Wait for the drivers to load. This should take a minute with windows 7 or 8 11. Unplug the projector. Now, push the "power" and "auto" buttons at the same time. Plug in the projector while holding the buttons. The LED on the projector will turn red if you are in download mode (It must turn red to install the firmware. If it turns orange do this again until you only get the red led) This is very important. 12 Click the Reset Bus and Start Download in the DLP Composer program. The upgrade process should take a few minutes. A timer will start telling you how long it will take. 13. Do not unplug anything during the process. When everything completes the LED on the projector will turn to standby orange. 14. Unplug the USB cable and turn the projector on 15 You will have to put all your settings back in and turn source select to auto 16. Instructions are also available in the service manual PDF you downloaded to your folder. 17. Only do this upgrade at your own risk and if you are familiar with doing firmware updates.. 18. You do not need the service tool to do the firmware update the firmware and write down your settings. The only thing I would add, is that you need to hold the power & auto button down about 15 seconds after you plug it in. - I have a few questions but first, is this the complete upgrade guide? 0.5 - The projector needs to be turned ON before you start. 1. Write down all your settings before starting an update. (If you do not you will loose all your settings) 2. I suggest that you create a new folder on your desktop called 1070 firmware in the new folder. 3. Download the download tool and unzip it to the new folder. 4. Download the new separate 106 img file to the same folder from the link above. 5. .Install the download tool. It is called DLP composer. Also download the Flash Device Parameters file (It was included in the download already). 5A ! Copy the Flash Device Parameters.txt file to the DLP composer program file (It is under programs x86 DLP Composer on your C drive.) Use Copy and paste. The folder you want to paste this file to will be on the c drive after you install DLP composer. ADDED: 5A. The txt file mentioned comes packaged with the download tool installer file. After Download tool was installed you have to copy the file to the installation directory of the download tool software. 6. Open the DLP Composer tool and go to edit-->preferences. 7. When the window opens go to communication and set it to USB 8. Close this window and click on flash loader on the opening screen. A window will open. 8. Put a check beside "Complete Image Download" Also check "Skip Boot loader" Change from default 16kb to 32Kb 9. On the top of the flash loader hit the browse button and go to your folder 106 img file (the actual firmware file in your desktop folder). 10. ! Insert the USB cable in the min plug on the projector and into your computer. (Wait for the drivers to load. This should take a minute with windows 7 or 8 ADDED 10. For Windows being able to detect the projector and install the driver it must be switched on before connecting usb. After driver was installed, keep the USB connected and switch off the projector using the power button. 11. ! Unplug the projector by removing the power cord. Now, push the "power" and "auto" buttons at the same time. Plug in the projector power cord while holding the buttons. The LED on the projector will turn red if you are in download mode (It must turn red to install the firmware. If it turns orange do this again until you only get the red led) This is very important. ADDED 1: 11. Before pressing and holding the power and auto buttons you need to unplug the projectors power cord and wait for the LEDs to turn off. Then press and hold the two buttons while plugging the power cord back in. This should bring the projector to download mode indicated by the red LED. 2: You unplug the projector from the AC and leave the USB connected when putting the projector in the download 3: you need to hold the power & auto button down about 15 seconds after you plug it in 12 Click the Reset Bus and Start Download in the DLP Composer program. The upgrade process should take a few minutes. A timer will start telling you how long it will take. 13. Do not unplug anything during the process. When everything completes the LED on the projector will turn to standby orange. 14. Unplug the USB cable and turn the projector on 15 You will have to put all your settings back in and turn source select to auto 16. Instructions are also available in the service manual PDF you downloaded to your folder. 17. Only do this upgrade at your own risk and if you are familiar with doing firmware updates.. 18. You do not need the service tool to do the firmware update the firmware and write down your settings I already downloaded Projector_cdr_20130123_085245_DDP442X Download_Tool_Ver1.0, unrared it, installed it ^^^ Yes, if you follow the above line for line you should have zero problems. - Firmware 1.07 is out: ISF Night setting can’t be keep after 2D->3D timing changed To keep lamp hour after “reset all setting in USE OSD” To improve the 32 gray level via PS3 HDMI Modify picture mode of “power off” icon Modify HSG setting in No signal condition <<< W1070 Service Reports ftp://210.65.248.224/Projector/ServiceECNReport/W1070/ <<< W1070 Focus Issues And it has been mentioned by other posters, myself included, that the max zoom (my term, where you get the biggest picture) is the best for focus uniformity. I'm currently as max zoom and it is reasonably sharp across the entire screen. I did try some mid level zoom and one corner gets bad. <<< Audio Calibration Discs AIX Records - Blu-Ray Audio Calibration Disc and HD Music Sampler <<< Tips For Playing 3D - tip from another thread here on AVS Forum, for those of you who use HTPCs and want to see what the latest interpolation filters can achieve on their new Projector (to boost framerate of your videos from 24p/30p -> 60p). It seems higher def to me now, not just smoother. Everything looks better now (to me). Direct link to try it out (trust me you won't regret it): http://www.svp-team.com/wiki/Download I haven't tried it with Blurays yet but I have with a rip of the Avengers in 1080p/24 upped to 60. It is INCREDIBLE. What a sight to behold. The final battle scenes. man, I can't believe how I tolerated 24hz for so long. I hate it. Their control panel also supports upping 3D too. I'll try 1080p/24 frame packed to 1080i/60 SBS or 1080p/30 frame packed and see if it works / makes a difference. I think the diff between 24p and 30p will be pretty big. Every frame counts. Fast paced action, (esp adult material), is waaaaaay better with this filter on. Smoothness is sexy. Fluid motion = win. I suspect even Disney / Pixar movies will be better off with it. - 1. one needs to change video resolution in the player's menu (from 1080p or HDMI AUTO to 1080i/50 or /60) 2. the player must be set to 2D playback so w/o 3D added features .... 3. BENQ does the conversion job (image merge) 4. one needs to MANUALLY turn the 3D SBS in BENQ's menu - 3D SBS only works when your video output is set to 1080i/50/60HZ - 3D TV Formats Explained: http://www.practical-home-theater-guide.com/3d-tv-formats.html -,I did a test yesterday using the Import "Sammy's Adventure--A Turtles Tale." This film is a torture test for 3d and has the best pop-outs of any disk out there. - Let me add a little to the mix about the 3D glasses. The color from the True-Depth and Sansonc is really close. I tried them changing pairs in rapid succession. The big difference is the red flash that some will see with the Sansonic. The problem for me with the 3D corp glasses is the green tinge and the fact they are not rechargeable. I know 3D Active should have some available soon and probably others will also come. As I said in a previous post I like the True-Depth best so far and the Sansonic might be fine for those who find that the more expensive ones are not in their budget. I also agree it is subjective regarding 3D glasses. - dimensional optics 3d link dlp 144hz are great but $40 a piece. comfortable and sync easily. folks I have had over are simply amazed at the pq and depth. ^^^ Agree, These are the best glasses available. I have tried them all. Very comfortable and the work great. The case they come with is also nice. - If you're going to try and get a HTPC to work right with 3D there are many things that have to be PERFECT. The systems's output resolution needs to be set correctly (SBS on the w1070 requires 1080i from what I've read), the MKV or file you're playing has to be encoded properly (something you don't know for sure all the time if you download it from the net). The video player and codec have to support what you're trying to do. And obviously all the hardware (down to the cables) have to be up to the task at hand to. - The W1070 3D options, for me, only come up when my HTPC graphics card is set to 1080p/24hz (or lower). This setting will allow you to play frame packed 3D (bluray) and top-bottom/over-under 3D 1080p. To play SBS 3D you need to set it to 1080i, which my graphics card will not do, so I have to use 720p for SBS 3D. Some people have claimed that when switching their video player over to 3D that the options on the W1070 for 3D come up, I have had no such luck and I've tried just about every player. For me it is totally dependent on what my graphic card settings are — 3D options won't even come up if I have the graphic's properties higher than 1080/24Hz. Very annoying. . . - For everyone with HTPCs and having issues with 3D .mkv files... Give Stereoscopic Player a try. Works perfectly for me. I keep my desktop at 1920x1080@60p and movies play at 1080/24 with frame packing 3D. Keep in mind that ALL my 3D mkv movies are 1080 while some are SBS and others are OU. When you first run the movie through Stereoscopic Player, the program will ask you what type of movie is it and give you options to choose from. Once you select the correct format (sbs, ou, etc), you MUST close the program and restart it for the change to take effect. This is a one time thing for each movie. Like I said, ALL my mkvs play at 1080/24 doing the above. The pj will play them in frame packing regardless whether they are sbs or ou. Don't ask me why it does that, I'm not complaining. Hahaha 3D looks TERRIFIC! - No, it's probably not the same. I have 24Hz, 25Hz, 30Hz, 50Hz, and 60Hz settings. Only 24Hz works for over-under and frame-packing. and SBS *must* be 50Hz or 60Hz @ 1080i, according to the manual. The BenQ W1070 is very picky, if it isn't being sent the correct resolution at the correct Hz then it won't even bring up the 3D options. - For frame packing and over under 3D you have to input into the W1070 @ 1080p/24Hz or less. SBS requires 1080i/50 or 60 Hz or less. - put the glasses on and then calibrate the 3d setting to adjust for the tint and brightness and then you will have an amazing 3d picture. - Here's is a quick fix for those that feel the w1070 3D image is dull... While in 3D mode... Make sure your Lamp is set to Smart-Eco (versus the default of Normal which has less contrast). Go into your Advanced options and set the Gamma to BenQ, turn off Brilliant Color and under Color Management set each of the six colors to 58 for Saturation only (default is 50 for each) leave Hue and Gain alone. * If red seems too much then set it to 56 versus 58. Please keep in mind this is not about accuracy as there is no way for those without the proper gear to do it correctly (unless you buy calibration gear or hire a pro) but this should at least bring those feeling that the 3D image is dull some joy - These are some of the best 3D experiences on bluray in my opinion: Avatar Titanic Journey to the Center of the Earth Sammy's Adventures a Turtle's Tale Hugo Most Imax 3D releases Madagascar 3 Resident Evil Retribution Open Season Monster House The Avengers Immortals Cloudy w/Meatballs Captain America Men in Black Fright Night Meet the Robinsons How to Train Your Dragon thread about the best 3D movies: http://www.avsforum.com/t/1278112/best-3d-bluray-movie-so-far-3d-effects I'd have to say the new Samsung IMAX demo disc. The Galapagos movie is even better than Grand Canyon is. <<< Ceiling Mount Ceiling mount screws for W1070: M4 (Max L = 25 mm; Min L= 20 mm) - here is some pics of my mount, a universal mount that sells for below 20$ on ebay (seller lcd-mount) and it work very well with that projector, it include a 4" drop and 8 inch drop adapter in the same box, they can be cut and drill in less than 2 minutes if you need less drop, as low as 2" I would say. - Everyone, here's a tip for making those final adjustments to the image; instead of tweaking with the mount, try tightening or loosening the screws that attach the mount to the projector. I've been doing this for years as necessary and it gives you extremely fine adjustment capability. I'm talking no more than a turn or so - any more than that and you are too far off with the mount adjustment settings. - have a dropped ceiling with tiles. So I mounted a board between the floor joists. Then installed a flange to the board with a 1+1/2 threaded opening. Then attached a threaded 1+1/2" 8"L pipe to it. In turn attaching the Peerless to the pipe. Got the flange and pipe cheap at Lowes. Spray painted the pipe black. Presto. - In my case - - I needed a short distance from my low ceiling - - and I ended up using a Chief Mount RSAUW Mini Universal RPA Projector Mount (white - to match my ceiling) - - which provided a five inch distance from the ceiling to the middle of my lens. It has worked out perfectly since I have some leeway with the mount - - pitch, roll & yaw wise. (Up down (vertical), left to right horizontal adjustment (up/down) & side to side.) - Mustang MV-PROJSP-FLAT installation video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrtURIUbRAc - Pulled my box back out and it appears bag "E" was what I used for the Mustang mount. <<< Remote Control I have a few tips if you have harmony or other advanced remotes. 1) I created a screen button called "Away". This consists of a sequence of 2 commands: to pause the media source device and to set the PJ to Echo Blank. I often need to be away during the movie session for various reasons (answering phone, grab a drink, loo duty, etc), so set the PJ to blank can maximize the lamp life, as this is the lowest power setting which consumes 90W of power compared to 160W in eco mode. 2) I also created 4 screen sequence buttons to enter and exit 3D modes (for SBS and OU). For example, to enter SBS 3D, the sequence is 3D-Select-DirectionUp-Select. To enter OU, just add another DirectionUp command. Works a treat, just a single button clicks away to switch 3D modes. 3) You can also create other sequences to one-click change lamp mode, eg EcoSmart-Up-Select. I mapped the remote's up and down arrow button to perform LampUp and LampDown command. <<< BenQ W1070 Official Thread http://www.avsforum.com/t/1435626/benq-w1070-dlp-full-hd-3d-ready-with-lens-shift-for-1000/7200 ^^^ start on page 241 Receiver & Speakers <<< Yamaha RX-V767 official thread http://www.avsforum.com/t/1258247/official-yamaha-rx-v667-rx-v767-thread/3810 ^^^ start on page 128 Figuring out what gauge speaker wire to buy - Look at charts found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speaker_wire and http://www.roger-russell.com/wire/wire.htm#wiretable - Most home theater speakers these days use 8 ohms. High end speakers might use 4 ohms. - There's no such thing as a 4 or 8 ohm amplifier. Amplifiers output power to speakers as expressed in watts and ohms are units of resistance. Only the resistance a speaker imposes on an amplifier can be expressed as ohms. - Many of the lower end receivers may have problems adequately driving a 4 ohm load. However, many of the better receivers today have a large enough power supply, heat sink area, and current capability in the amp sections to handle 4 ohm loads. You are usually safe running these speakers on the higher end models. - Some receivers have an impedance selector switch. In most cases it is recommend that the 8 ohm or more setting be used regardless of the actual impedance of the speakers the receiver is powering. The manufacturer puts them there for UL/CSA approvals (in the USA) as well as easing consumer concerns about driving low impedance loads. - Typical speakers have impedance ratings of 4, 8, 10 or 16 ohms. Although a particular loudspeaker may be rated for 4 ohms, it may actually provide a more stable load for an amp to drive than another speaker rated at 8 ohms. This has to do with the inductive reactance nature of loudspeaker systems. - After saying this, there's no gurantee that 4 ohm speakers are any better designed than 8 ohm speakers. You usually get what you pay for. Typically the best option is to go for high efficiency (>89dB @ 1 watt/meter) 8 ohm loudspeakers or speakers that approximate to those ratings. Running speaker wire, HDMI cables, etc Q: Would be ok running speakers wire in parallel to other speakers wires inside pvc electrical conduit or smurf tubes inside the walls/ceilings? or would create any issues (noise)? A: No problem. It's done all the time. Q: Also, can you run Cat 6 or HDMI cable in parallel with speakers wires or each other? If so, would be best to run the cables and wires in parallel at a specific distance from each other? A: It is definitely a good idea to keep speaker wires away from other much lower-voltage signals like audio, HDMI, ethernet, phone, etc. You should treat speaker wire more like you would high-voltage line, you want to keep all the rest of your signals away from it if possible, don't run them all together for long distances, etc. "Be sure to keep the high voltage (110V) electrical wires at least 16 inches away from all the other wires (video wires, speaker wires, CAT-5, infrared control cable, etc.). If you must cross a 110V line with something like a speaker wire, do it at a 90-degree angle. Never run a speaker or video cable parallel to high-voltage lines unless they're at least 16 inches away from each other." Audio tips - Always set your sub's crossover to the highest value, or when possible, turn it off. You don't want the sub's xover to interfere with the receiver's. - Adapative DRC = 'night listening' mode - To use the subwoofer with the speakers as large you need to turn on "Extra Bass" (you may have already known that) My sub had a similar switch which I turned off so the receiver handles my bass management. So far I'm very happy with the results - You should try speakers as small as well. When I have tried that extra bass setting, or whatever it's called, it never sounded right. Tastes differ though. - The other day I engaged the "Front" PEQ setting, where YPAO configures EQ for all your speakers other than your fronts based on the response of the front speakers, which it suggests you might do if your front speakers are superior quality to the rest of your speakers - which they are. This gives all your other speakers a similar balance to the fronts and of course factors in room characteristics. I know most people reading are saying "duh!" So I engaged the "FRONT" PEQ setting, WOW, big difference! Holy crap. I'm amazed at how more balanced, seamless and enveloping the sound is now!!! The sound is much more of a one-piece "whole" now. It's incredible the difference. I clearly have been missing out on how incredible the 667 can sound. Anyhow, good luck with it, it made a world of difference for me. Make sure you read the manual about which PEQ best fits your situation. You don't need to set the PEQ before you run YPAO, the YPAO creates the different PEQ options (FLAT, FRONT, NATURAL, etc.) as a result of the YPAO auto set up. You then choose which best fits your situation (or taste). - 'on screen' on the remote, go to 'information', then 'audio'. It will show exactly what you are getting. There are no info lights on the receivers display for what type of signal you are receiving. - Besides using the remote, you can press the info button on the front panel which will cycle the display showing the 'input source', 'sound program' and 'surround decoder'. The last will show DTS-HD Master, Dolby TrueHD, etc. on the display (and keep it on there). The GUI will display more info including bitrate (on some signals). - In "Straight" mode it's 2.1 - the front right and left speakers AND the subwoofer are active. Same for the "2-Channel Stereo" mode, same thing. You are right about Pure Direct and there being no subwoofer, but once again, just to be clear, if you listen to "Straight" or "2 Channel Stereo" the subwoofer IS active. Regarding Straight and 2-Channel Stereo, they are essentially the same thing, virtually identical, other than Straight does not allow the use of any Sound Field Processing. Either mode uses bass management, Speaker Configuration, YPAO and any Tone, EQ or Level adjustments. They have the separate 2-Channel Stereo option so that if your system is only a 2-channel system you can still use the Soundfield Processing features. - I can't certify how tainted it is/isn't, but you can disable upconversion of analog signals on the V867 with OSD, Setup, Video. Then make the needed adjustments. I just used a 480i source and made it come out the HDMI as 480i or 1080p. I only tested composite, not component. - A tip I learned on this thread is to set all the parameters for an input, then hold down the scene button you want to assign for a few seconds. That will make your changes permanent for that button. - Whenever I've done a firmware update via VD on a Yamaha, I used Windows Media player to burn the disc. Make an audio CD, but be sure to disable "Apply volume leveling across tracks..." (in Burn Options) or it will modify the data and the update will fail. - Problem: As a safety precaution, when the protection circuitry operates 3 times consequently, the capability to turn on the power is disabled. Solution (according to Yamaha service): Plug the power cord out. Plug it back in. Press the following three buttons at the same time for 5 seconds: Main Zone + Info + Tone Control The receiver will open. He suggested also to set the device back in the factory defaults by picking "S3-Factory Preset" and changing "PRESET INH" to "RSRV". I actually didnt set it back to factory defaults. - PLIIx is for expanding 5.1 (or lower) audio tracks to use 7.1 speakers. With a 5.1 system you can't even turn it on, although you can use PLII (without the "x") to expand stereo to 5.1 if you want. Unlike the various DSP modes that add reverb and other effects to the sound, PLIIx leaves the front 3 channels unchanged and just redistrubutes the two surround channels to four surround speakers. Yamaha Automatic Audio Calibration (YPAO) - This happens because you have the sub's level too high when you run YPAO. To get the best balance of settings, lower the sub's level and re-run YPAO until you get a sub channel result at or near to 0db. YPAO tries to balance ALL channels and is effected if the sub is too high or too low. - based on my own experience with YAPO, feel free to experiment... I run YPAO I change all speakers to small Optionally - re-run YPAO IF you can tell it NOT to check speaker size Done... - Yamaha don't say exactly what YPAO is doing, but since they don't give you the chance to make changes before running YPAO your only choice is to change it afterwards. The EQ chosen by YPAO will still be in effect. But I would compare all the different EQ modes, and EQ off, to see which you like best. Most auto-setup systems still like to set speakers to LARGE when they shouldn't be. Lots of articles will tell you always to use SMALL, here's one. YPAO is certainly not infallible. You may have to experiment a bit to see which crossover value you prefer, and whether you want to turn the sub level up or down compared to the YPAO value. - As long as YPAO is showing all channels within a few db of 0, you're fine. If one or more channels are a lot different, it's signaling some other issue like an obstruction or reflection that should be dealt with. The channel levels adjustment is a balancing adjustment, not a volume adjustment. If the sub is near 0, and all others are +/- 2-3 db, you are getting an excellent result. - The sub should be set to bypass it's internal crossover, or set the crossover at max. Speaker crossovers can be anywhere that works best. Above 80Hz you may be able to audibly locate the source of the bass in the room, which is not ideal. Try it at 80, 100, 120 and 160 and use whatever seems to sound right. It also depends on your sub's capabilities in the >80Hz range. - I had to decrease the volume of the sub, as auto had it too loud for my preference; increase volume of the center channel, as I find it easier to hear and understand dialog, and reduced the distance of the center to as to delay the sound to make it appear to come from behind the screen instead of in front of it (something I learned from a footnote in an old Sony manual). - Sub phase is irrelevant, use whatever setting gives the best level. If you're asking about master volume level, here's a method to help ensure the most accurate levels: Set the gain on the sub itself so that after running YPAO you see a sub channel level near to "0". this will also result in the other channels being close to "0" which is ideal. If any channels have a level that widely differs, look for a reason - like some placement or furniture issue blocking the sound. Keep fiddling and re-running YPAO till most channels are as close to "0" as possible. Generally the speakers closest to the mic will have the levels reduced by YPAO. Master volume levels of -10 to -25 are typical for most listening in most rooms. - To listen to an alternate music source while watching video content via HDMI input do the following: Power up tv, HDMI video source, audio source (for purposes of example, cd player connected to audio 1 inputs), and receiver; on the receiver remote, press hdmi 1 (you should have video on your screen); then, press "on screen" button on receiver remote; scroll to "input" and select it; scroll to the HDMI video input you want to alter (for purposes of the example, HDMI 1); press the arrow up button that's right above the "enter" button; pick from the audio source listed audio 1; turn down volume on television; make sure you have a cd in the tray and play it; you should have music from receiver while watching video content on screen. To get back to audio from video source: on screen; input; hdmi 1; arrow up button; audio in; select; arrow up button; scroll to hmdi 1; select; on screen button to exit menu. - Biggest tip: when a configuration option is displayed, check for an up arrow. Not all options are displayed by the enter button. Agreed. If you can remember to check the up arrow, your life will be a lot easier. Also, setting up speakers seems to go smoother if you run the automatic program first and then tweak manually. If I recall correctly, JoeKustra feels this way, too. - For newer folks, here's some info on the information displays. FPD = front panel display of the AVR. There are 3 displays available (you can only display one at a time, and you must press a button to cycle between the 3) If you press the "info" button on the remote or the one on the front of the unit, the display will cycle between the 3 available display options which are: 1) Input - doesn't actually show "input" information so mutch as "connection". i.e. doesn't tell you anything about the incloming signal, just on which physical cable it is arriving. For example, Shows a small "HDMI" in the upper left, and the name you may have renamed HDMI 1 to. In my case, it says HDMI 1 and "TV". 2) DSP Program - shows the current DSP program, or lack of, currently in use. For example, will say "Straight" (which is more properly an absence of any DSP rather than a DSP Program, but I nitpick. Similarly, if you are playing a 2ch source and have a SUR DECODE erngaged, it will display "Sur Decoder" (even though, technically, a sur decoder isn't really a DSP either). To see which sur decoder is in use, press "sur decode" on the remote and it will display the suround decoder in use both on-screen and on the FPD. Note - subsequent presses of sur decode on the remote will select different sur decoders. Finally, if you have an actual Cinema DSP engaged, the FPD displays a little "Cinema DSP" logo, and beneth it, the name of the one in use (e.g "Standard" for Cinema DSP Movie: Standard, or "Sci-Fi" for Cinema DSP Movie: Sci-Fi. 3) Audio decoder - displays the incoming audio format, followed by any additional decoder in use. For example, if I am playing a 5.1 ch dts-HD MA source in "straight" but with "EXTD Surround" selected to "PLIIx Movie" this diaply will automaticaly alternate between displaying and . On-screen display: If you press on-screen, scroll to and select "Information", and then select "Audio Signal" the on-screen audio display comes up (frustratingly huge, and without any selectable level of transparency - but that's another story). The first line says "Format" and displays the incoming audio format (e.g. "PCM" or "DTS HD Mstr". (this is redundant with the third FPD). The more interesting line is the third, labelled "channel" that shows the source discreet channels (e.g. 3/2/0.1) which can be useful for comparing with the number of illuminated speakers on the FPD to be sure that matrixing, if any, is going on. - Have a read of it but I'll tell you now; long story short, turn off extra bass and leave the fronts as large, your speakers will play any sounds thrown at them ( they ignore the sub crossover when set to large ) extra bass means that they play the full range of sound ( like I said ignoring the crossover ) AND they play the LFE signal as well as the sub, you do not want this. You want them playing below 60hz ( well I do on mine ) but playing the LFE over the top makes the sound much less clear. Here it is " You have to distinguish between the LFE (.1) bass and the bass that goes to the other speakers. Theoretically, all 5 channels receive full range signals. What comes out of the subwoofer is the LFE (.1) channel (put there by sound engineers) plus the redirected bass below the high pass filters (crossovers) from the speakers that are set to SMALL. It is also important to remember that the LFE (.1) channel has signals up to 120Hz. That is why the Low Pass Filter (LPF) of the LFE channel should be set to 120Hz in the receiver's menu. Unfortunately, receivers do bass management differently, depending on the age of the receiver and/or the manufacturer. In general, we can make the following conclusions. Case 1. Set all speakers to LARGE Subwoofer: NO There will be not any sound through the LFE channel. The LFE (.1) bass will be redirected to the front speakers. Case 2. Set all speakers to LARGE Subwoofer: YES (if the receiver allows this) The subwoofer receives the LFE (.1) information. All other speakers receive their full range frequencies. Case 3. Set the front speakers to LARGE. All other speakers to SMALL. Subwoofer: NO The front speakers receive the redirected LFE (.1) channel plus the redirected bass from the other speakers. Case 4. Set front speakers to LARGE. All other speakers to SMALL. Subwoofer: YES The front speakers receive their full range signals. The subwoofer receives the LFE (.1) channel plus the redirected bass below the high pass filters (crossovers) of the speakers that are set to SMALL. Case 5. Set the front and all other speakers to SMALL. In this case, the subwoofer has to be set to YES. Most, if not all, receivers will set it to YES by default. The speakers receive the signals above the high pass filters (crossovers). The subwoofer receives the LFE (.1) channel plus the redirected bass from all the speakers, including the front speakers. - Reading through the whole thread, I see a couple of places where folks who are very new to the game asked for recommended settings but didn't get much of a reply. I suspect the reason for that is: some could argue that providing such recommendations would be all but useless since there are some many variables including source material, room acoustics, speakers and placement, the listeners ears, taste, preference, etc. That's quite true, but still leaves the newbie, especially non-tech newbie, pretty bewildered. After having done some extensive testing, I drew up some recommendations for other members of my family to use, and am happy to share in case they are useful. Of course the caveat is: these are based on my system, setup, and preferences so you may not find them suitable. But it might be a place to start: _____________________ Settings Based on BITSREAMING to the AVR and a 7.1 Speaker setup using 2 back surround speakers: 1) OSD -> SETUP -> SPEAKER -> MANUAL SETUP -> POWER AMP ASSIGN = < 7ch Normal > 2) OSD -> INPUT -> HDMI 1 -> DECODER MODE = 3) OSD -> SOUND PROGRAM ->STANDARD -> DECODE TYPE = . Make this setting for all other Cinema DSP Movie modes (Spectacle, Sci-Fi, Adventure, etc.) 4) OPTION -> SURROUND DECODE = Playback Options (select at time of playback) Source Type 2 ch Sources: Movie Select STRAIGHT to hear the 2.0 source in 2.1 Select SUR DECODE: or One of the Cinema DSP Movie modes if you like DSP (I find these tend to work well with 2ch sources) Music Select STRAIGHT to hear the 2.0 source in 2.1 Select SUR DECODE: if you want the music matrixed to different channels (single listening position) Select Cinema DSP Music: <7 Ch stereo> if you want the same music from all 7 speakers (party mode(many listeners) or if you are moving around while listening)) Select Cinema DSP Music: or one of the other locations if you want to simulate listening in that environment. Note: ** When the input source is 2ch, selecting Cinema DSP Music: <2 Ch stereo> provides the same output as STRAIGHT ** Game Select STRAIGHT to hear the 2.0 source in 2.1 Select SUR DECODE: if you want the game soundtrack matrixed to all 7 speakers Select Cinema DSP Movie: if it's an action game and you want the DSP effects. Select Cinema DSP Movie: if it's a roleplaying game and you want the DSP effects. 5.1 ch Sources: Movie Select STRAIGHT to hear the 5.1 source in 7.1 One of the Cinema DSP Movie modes if you like DSP. (I normally don’t use DSP if the movie is known for a great soundtrack (e.g. Master & Commander), but if the soundtrack is weak, DSP can add to the experience) Music Select STRAIGHT and change OPTION -> SURROUND DECODE = to hear the 5.1 source in 7.1 Select Cinema DSP Music: <7 Ch stereo> if you want the same music from all 7 speakers (party mode(many listeners) or if you are moving around while listening)) Select Cinema DSP Music: or one of the other locations if you want to simulate listening in that environment. Select Cinema DSP Music: <2 Ch stereo> if you want multi-channel music downmixed to 2.1 channels and only output through the front speakers and sub. Game Select STRAIGHT and change OPTION -> SURROUND DECODE = to hear the 5.1 source in 7.1 Select Cinema DSP Movie: if it's an action game and you want the DSP effects. Select Cinema DSP Movie: if it's a roleplaying game and you want the DSP effects. 7.1 ch Sources: Movie Select STRAIGHT to hear the source in 7.1 One of the Cinema DSP Movie modes if you like DSP. (I normally don’t use DSP for 7.1 sources). If the source is dts HD MA 71, and you select a DSP mode, you lose some quality. Music Select STRAIGHT to hear the source in 7.1 Select Cinema DSP Music: or one of the other locations if you want to simulate listening in that environment. Select Cinema DSP Music: <2 Ch stereo> if you want multi-channel music downmixed to 2.1 channels and only output through the front speakers and sub. Game Select STRAIGHT to hear the source in 7.1 Select Cinema DSP Movie: if it's an action game and you want the DSP effects. Select Cinema DSP Movie: if it's a roleplaying game and you want the DSP effects. - It's really not complicated. You have three choices; 1.low bass only through your mains(speakers set to large,extra bass off) 2.low bass through mains and sub(speakers set to large,extra bass on) 3.low bass only through sub(speakers set to small) p.s. when your sub is optimally placed and integrated with your front speakers,the bass WILL sound like it's coming from your front speakers! Keep playing with location,level and xover freq.,you'll get there. - Problem: As a safety precaution, when the protection circuitry operates 3 times consequently, the capability to turn on the power is disabled. Solution (according to Yamaha service): Plug the power cord out. Plug it back in. Press the following three buttons at the same time for 5 seconds: Main Zone + Info + Tone Control The receiver will open. He suggested also to set the device back in the factory defaults by picking "S3-Factory Preset" and changing "PRESET INH" to "RSRV". I actually didnt set it back to factory defaults. Also, don't try to push the three buttons at exactly the same time, press Info and Tone Control first and keep them held, then press and hold the main power button last and keep all three held for 5 seconds until it turns on. - Dynamic range should be Max, and Adaptive DRC should be OFF. Check these, because sometimes Adaptive DRC seems to get turned on for no obvious reason. I wouldn't bother with Pure Direct, because you no longer have any control over what it sounds like (EQ, tone controls etc. don't work in Pure Direct). - EXTRA BASS is available as an option (default is OFF) only when your system is configured with *BOTH* a SUB and front main speakers set to LARGE. I currently have three systems based around Yamaha RX-V6xx AVRs, and each has a LARGE L+R Mains pair and (at least) one SUB. From experience: I have in the past run the same speaker pair as SMALL, LARGE, and LARGE with EXTRA BASS in different room geometry and room treatment situations. One of the three configurations will usually be clearly better than the other two . . . which means that turning on EXTRA BASS will either improve or degrade your results [so it's hardly surprising that a lot of people find using it to be disadvantageous!] My suggestion is always to do a careful setup and some testing in each of the three configurations before deciding on the 'permanent' configuration - Use of the "extra bass" setting is generally not recommended due to potential issues with room modes, standing waves and such resulting from LF content being sent to multiple locations, plus it duplicates the LF audio. Although at lower listening levels it might be preferred, much like the old "loudness" settings were. - I found that YPAO did an excellent job on my 7.1 system. As for it setting your rear speakers to large go in to the menu and set them to small. See if you like it better. If your sub is in the front of the room depending on where the 667 has your sub crossover setting you may hear the bass in the wrong place with them set as small. As for hearing them all the time, you wont especially the rear channel. Go in to the speaker settings and use a test tone, see if they sound balanced using that, if not you can tweak them to your liking. I turned up my center just a hair. - Based on my own experiences running a 667 in a 6.1 configuration, you should 'experiment': Depending on the (in)accuracies of your room geometry/treatments and speakers, it's possible you might find an Extended Surround setting of DPLIIx Music to be a [perceptually] preferential alternative to EX/ES (even for DTS6.1-ES movies) - That function in the AVR would be called "HDMI Control" and needs to be enabled. By and large HDMI-CEC is troublesome at best and causes more issues than it solves. I recommend leaving it off in ALL components and using a programmable remote if you want to accomplish several things with one button push. - After owning the 667, and now the 867, I'd like to be able to say I was knowledgeable enough on these receivers that I know my way around Zone 2... but that would be a lie. I as well got bit by that darn Zone 2 switch (as reported in this thread.) NET: To control Zone 2 Locate the Zone 2 switch located in the upper left corner of the receivers remote. Set the switch to the Zone 2 position. Then... providing you have completed the Manual Speaker setup, and have your Zone 2 speakers connected to the ZONE2/PRESENCE speaker connectors on the receiver... using the remote you should be able to: > Select the input source for Zone 2 > Tuning of AM or FM (when TUNER is selected as input of Zone 2) > Tuning of SIRUS Radio (when SIRUS is selected as input of Zone 2)[/i] > Selecting the iPhone YDS-11/12 Dock for play in Zone 2 > Selecting Net Radio (on network capable receivers) > Adjusting Volume of whatever Zone 2 input device you have selected Small vs Large link: http://www.audyssey.com/blog/small-vs-large Redirecting the bass to the subwoofer relieves the receiver amplifiers from having to work on reproducing the low frequencies and this greatly improves the headroom. If you happen to be using Audyssey MultEQ for room correction, you will achieve much better low frequency performance because the MultEQ subwoofer filters have 8x higher resolution than the filters in the other channels. Here is a better rule: All speakers are Small. In today’s complicated AVR lingo that just means: If you have a subwoofer you should always turn bass management on. Always. Even if your receiver clings to the past and automatically sets your speakers to Large. Yamaha Firmware finding your version: OnScreen->Information->System or Turn unit off. How to check your firmware version: Press and hold the [STRAIGHT] button on the front panel and keep it pressed while you press the [STANDBY/ON] button. Once the front panel displays "ADVANCED SETUP", release the [STRAIGHT] button. Then, press and hold the [TONE CONTROL] button for about 3 seconds until front panel display shows the firmware version. - NOTE: Conventional CD burning software is recommended. An audio CD burned by Windows Media Player may not work. and.... Some DVD players use digital filters, which affects the output signal of the devices. The firmware update will not work with DVD players which use these digital filters. CD players usually do not use these filters, so using a CD player is preferred. TIPS: - Make sure that you are creating an audio CD from the downloaded file not a data disc. - Verify that you have an optical or digital coax connection between the player and receiver. - Then make sure that the audio output of the DVD/CD player is set to PCM. - Latest version is 2.11 it was just emailed to me by Yamaha and suits the 767. - Got the new firmware downloaded. Its on Yamahas ftp site now ftp://216.154.248.26 User name: yecrecvr Password: Yamaha1 - if anyone wants to use their computer directly for a firmware update over spdif here you go: Download media player classic -hc - http://mpc-hc.org/ Right click on your sound icon in lower right system tray. Go to playback devices. Right click on your spdif output. Go to supported formats tab. Uncheck everything in here but 44.1 kHz and 48.0 kHz. In enhancements tab check disable all sound effects. In advanced tab put it on 2 channel, 24 bit 44100 Hz studio quality. (not sure why this last one was needed but it wouldn't work in 16 bit mode) In media player classic go to view --> Options. Under internal filters ---> audio switcher. Uncheck enable built-in audio switcher. Then go to internal filters and click on audio decoder button. uncheck everything but 16 bit integer. You should now be able to play the .wav file correctly as it worked fine for me. To get the 667 into the mode to accept firmware, hold down straight and then power it on with standby button. Then hold down info for about 3 seconds until cdda upgrade shows. You are now ready to play the wave file and start firmware upgrade process. Once the process is complete, it will ask you to power off. Hold straight and power it back on after turning it off then hold tone control for three seconds to see what version of firmware you have <<< Yamaha RX-V673 http://www.avsforum.com/t/1408245/the-official-yamaha-rx-v673-thread-7-2-channel-network-avr/1470 ^^^ start on page 50 - Thanks for the tip about Favorites on vTuner. Here is the link for others. Once you put in your MAC it gives you the option to create an account with your email address. I was trying to set this up first but couldn't find it. I put in the MAC ID and then got the option. http://yradio.vtuner.com/setupapp/yamaha/asp/AuthLogin/SignIn.asp - Alright, this is what I can tell you. It has 7.1 plus Zone 2. Once you turn zone 2 on, it will switch to 5.1 mode. You will not be able to run zone 2 with 7.1 simultaneously. For me that is not an issue. When I'm watching a movie i leave zone 2 off and my back surrounds play (7.1). Than when I'm outside I use Zone 2 with (5.1). The back surround channels can also be used for presence speakers which might be your best option for the kitchen. Another nice feature is you can wire it to bi-amped speakers for more power. The Zone 2 option really works great. However, keep in mind on the 673 it will only play from an analog source. You would need the 773 to get the ability for zone 2 to play from a digital source. Hope that helps. - **NO SOUND FROM SUBWOOFER ANSWERED** It seems that answering my own questions is becoming a habit. Sorry to be such an idiot. I'm very new at this HT stuff. My understanding of this now is that the subwoofer, when hooked up through the LFE input, works only when stuff is encoded with LFE, such as in movies or HD radio. What you want to do, Kainan, is turn on the Extra-Bass option and turn up the crossover on the back of the subwoofer. I did this and now it works great. To do this, press the ON SCREEN button on the V673's remote and select setup, then select CONFIGURATION. I assumed you already turned the subwoofer on in this menu. Below the subwoofer is an EXTRA BASS option. Turn this on. Now my subwoofer works fine and the music is much fuller. I hope this helps others. - YPAO is a nice starting point, but it definitely requires tweaking once you've run the initial setup. It's nice for setting the distances of the speakers and correcting for asymmetries in your room and speaker setup, but it didn't do as good a job with setting the crossover for example, setting it about 20hz too high. - Get an ASIO compatible sound card (OxygenHD based card abound, a second hand B-Enspirer will do) and Foobar, or Winamp with plugin, then enjoy PCM out to your receiver like it was meant to sound, - The built in EQ is the best I have ever seen. Not only can you change the gain of each of 7 bands like most EQs but you can also change the frequency of the bands. You can do this for each individual speaker. This is very helpful if you have different kinds of speakers and know their frequency response. For example I have 2 towers and a large center with 4 satellites (surround and prescence). The towers have a much wider usable frequency range than the satellites which really are best for midrange. The YPAO setup was severely limiting my towers (esp for bass it wasnt sending anything lower than 100Hz to my towers and nothing higher than 8KHz and they are rated at 37Hz to 20KHz) It was sending 78Hz to my satellites and there is no way they can handle that efficiently so I raised it to 100Hz. It was terrible. I put the Yam on 7 channel stereo and a Jazz station. Turned it up to -30 and spent about 30 minutes fine tuning the EQ and it sounds way better than any of the YPAO settings. - Firmware 1.64 http://download.yamaha.com/search/detail/?language=en&site=usa.yamaha.com&asset_id=57809&category_id=16446&product_id=1645667&1351618767 - I HIGHLY recommend updating via USB. I got most of the way through a network update and got an "ERROR! 2000" message (complete with exclamation point). I then pressed power to try to do a do-over and got a "ROM ERROR" message. Oh. Crap. The Yamaha site has a download for the update file and USB install instructions, which include troubleshooting for this situation. Luckily, I was able to force update from USB and all is well. Update completed and now pandora and other services are in the input menu. Good stuff - At the bottom of the page, click on "Yes, I agree" and save the file to your desktop. It will unzip into a ".bin" file. Find a blank USB thumb drive and copy the .bin file to the root folder of the drive. I downloaded the file on a mac and copied it to a PC formatted thumb drive, for what it's worth. I'd use a FAT32 formatted USB drive just to be safe. [UPDATE: some users report the method only working with a FAT16 formatted USB stick] There is a link to a PDF for "RX-V673 Firmware Update Version 1.64_Installation_Manual." If your AVR is borked from the network update, go to page 6 of the PDF, under "Troubleshooting, Case 2." The procedure is: 1-Unplug the AVR from the wall. 2-Plug in the USB drive with the update file into the USB port 3-Press and hold the "PURE DIRECT" button on the front of the AVR and plug the AVR back in. 4-Keep holding PURE DIRECT until the front display shows USB UPDATE. (This happened for me right away after I plugged it in) 5-Let the AVR update. This will take a while, especially the "5-1" portion. My guestimate is about 15 minutes. 6-When it's done, the AVR will say UPDATE SUCCESS. That's it, you're done. - Go to Input Menu, then Audio In. You can specify which audio input to use for a given video input (page 82 of the 673 manual). - YPAO seems to do a poor job of setting subwoofer level, particularly with one that can go real low such as you have. Go into Setup > Speaker > Manual Setup > Level and see where it set your subwoofer level and adjust as needed. Also in Manual setup, you need to change Power Amp Assign to 7ch + 1ZONE, if you plan to use Zone 2. - Make sure the receivers video processing is off. - Maybe I missed this, but does Yamaha offer a PC application for controlling the receiver? I'd like to be able to control it using my laptop, not an Android or Apple device. EDIT: Nevermind, I seem to have found something that might work here: http://yavc.codeplex.com/ - imo Extra bass would only be for if you had some really kickin towers or a weak sub. - Does anyone know what the difference in the main level subwoofer setting and the trim subwoofer setting is? The manual doesn't really give a good explanation, just that the subwoofer trim fine tunes it and the main level setting, just adjusts the volume. I wonder if I want more bass, do I adjust the main level or the trim? A: Main level. Take it to 0 to start with. That should be pretty noticeable. - I completely understand what you are talking about when losing clarity if listening in one of the dsp modes (Cellar Club, Bottom Line, etc.). I use 7 ch Stereo all the time for Music unless it is a concert on tv that is 5.1. I have never experienced any loss or change in bass from my sub in 7ch stereo though. - For the bass, make sure all speakers are set to small, set a suitable crossover frequency, then just turn up the subwoofer to where you like it. You might have to turn up the sub's own volume if there's not enough adjustment in the receiver - I ran YPAO today. In some ways it is really superior to Audyssey (Multi EQ XT is what I'm used to) as far as its tweakability. I don't think it did as good a job out of the box. It really takes the bass away which is fine at high volume levels, but at low volumes just sounds thin (which is what Audyssey's dynamic EQ is supposed to deal with). What I did was to copy down all the parameters from YPAO flat and then input them into the manual EQ, but I left the lowest 1 or 2 bands on my main L and R channels flatter so as to not suck so much bass from 2-channel music. (I don't have a sub so my bass is routed through my mains set to large). It was a little tedious, but I'm happy with the result. My SPL meter and AVIA disc claim that the levels were set correctly within 1 dB and a low frequency sweep confirmed the EQ settings, I just like more bass I think. - It's easy to miss something when entering the settings manually. You should use PEQ Data Copy to copy all the YPAO settings to Manual. Then it should sound the same and you can make additional manual tweaks from that starting point. - The "Small/Large" setting in your AVR setup is really shorthand for "Do you have a subwoofer?" If you have a sub, you should set your other speakers to "Small" regardless how big they actually are. I just bought four used Polk towers and a HUGE Polk center, and after running YPAO I had to manually go in and reset all the speakers to "Small" so the low frequencies can get handled by the subwoofer. Then you just need to adjust the Bass Crossover frequency to whatever suits your mains best. - PEQ: Menu > Setup > Manual Setup > Parametric EQ - The 673 does not support party mode (it's in the manual, it's a 773 feature only). You can get the same sound in zone 2 with the 673, but only if you add an analog audio connection from your source (so if the source is the TV using ARC, you cannot get that in zone 2). If your TV (or cable box) can output anlog audio as well, you can do it. BUT there will likely be a delay between the two zones that could produce a slight echo effect (if you can hear both zones from the same spot). - According to the manual (p. 79), Dialog Lift is available without front presence speakers if "Virtual Presence Speaker (p. 50) is working". It looks like you have to use a Cinema DSP 3D mode to make it work. - I have a 773, and I'll tell you something I really like about the YPAO options (similar to those on the 673). As stated, you get three options in Flat, Front, and Natural. Natural really rolls off the highs on my Polk speakers, resulting in a sound that isn't overly bright. In fact, with TV source material, especially music channels, the sound feels a little lacking. Flat sounds better, but I still wanted to open it up a bit so I copied Flat to the manual settings and brought the mids and highs up a bit more. This brings that TV music sound, which seems to have less DR and muted highs, to life a bit better. With recorded material, even MP3's, the story is different. At higher volumes the Flat and my manual tweaks are much brighter sounding, possibly fatiguing. For this, the YPAO Natural settings works quite well. That's what I'd probably use at a party, where people might not like to have the tweeters screaming at them all night. I really like having these options for different sources and situations, and I like that I can tweak the YPAO settings directly, or copy them to Manual and tweak them there. I am by no means an audiophile, yet I can really tell the difference between the settings and I can appreciate the option to use different settings for different material and input sources. Getting the best picture and sound quality out of your HTPC http://www.avsforum.com/t/1477339/so-youve-built-your-htpc-now-what-is-next-how-to-get-the-ultimate-picture-and-sound-quality-from-your-htpc-madvr-svp-xbmc-mediabrowser-jriver ^^^ finished (page 9) - Popular options include using WMP/WMC native to Windows or the Integrated Player in XBMC. You can tweak the WMC player with codec packs like SHARK007 and even use stuff like SVP which can upconvert your frame rate using frame interpolation to generate additional frames to produce a very smooth and fluid image. There is a great SVP THREAD about it the specifics of SVP. Many people prefer a player like Jriver or MPC-HC instead of XBMC or WMC/Mediabrowser because they believe it offers additional benefits. - For me today- Using MPC-HC with MadVR (and sometimes SVP) as an external players seems like the best fit for me. - To me, MB2 with MPC-HC as an external player is the current "Holy Grail". You get the excellent DVR/interface of WMC for live TV, the most customization and best looking interface for stored movies (IMO) in MB2, and the highest quality A/V with MPC-HC with LAV, Madvr Jinc3 and smooth motion. - I think JRiver is excellent as well, and their options for music far surpass MB or anything else I've come across. - I agree MB2 + MPC-HC is the current holy grail. I am curious what MB3 will bring us. - The "Holy Grail" IMO would look like a Frankenstein (except better looking) of these things: XBMC = Meta and plug-in support, overall UI, ease of use MB (Media Browser) = Just like the title, media browsing, video playback, skinning WMC = Live TV Plex = Server setup, streaming to mobile devices J. River = Audio engine, multi-zone support, tagging support - J River RedOctober HQ. Install dtsdecoder.dll manually (not installed by J River Red October) - In CCC, disable all post-processors (in Video section, Color > Advanced and Quality except for dinterlacing and pulldown detection). In madVR, run "restore default settings.bat" to reset the settings. Then go to "scaling algorithms" and select what you want. Basically that's it. You can do lots more if you know what you are doing, of course. - If you select EVR (non Custom Presenter) as the video renderer, then DXVA2 is almost always used automatically. If you select madVR, then go to madVR settings, then choose DXVA2 for image up/downscaling in scaling algorithms (and Bicubic 75 for chroma upscaling, that is used when no image scalng is applied). - The settings to have the highest PQ possible on madvr would be: Chroma: Jinc3 + AR Luma scaling: Jinc3 + AR Downscaling:Catmull Rom + AR +LL 4 taps or 8 taps would be overkill in my opinion, the ringing is not worth it. Using WASAPI with Foobar http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=477184 Advanced setup of MPCHC http://www.avsforum.com/t/1357375/advanced-mpc-hc-setup-guide <<< Homeworx HW-150PVR http://www.avsforum.com/t/1482341/homeworx-hw-150pvr-support-and-discussion/930 ^^^ start on page 32 - Firmware V10 appears to be newest link: http://www.avsforum.com/attachments/71915 - Version 10 is the official supported version and 12 is the unsupported QAM verstion. - Version 12 link: http://www.avsforum.com/t/1482341/homeworx-hw-150pvr-support-and-discussion/150#post_23656245 - HW-150PVR with V8 and V13 Firmware versions , both are for new remote layout V8 firmware is same as V13, the only difference is in V13 homeworx logo was added to every menu, which factory forgot in V8 So if you just bought a HW-150PVR and it came with V8, that is the newest . DO NOT update to V10 (as is for old remote layout only) and not need to ask for V13, Since is same as V8 And if you just bought a HW-150PVR and came with V13, that is same as V8 . so no update is needed for V13 QAM would be same as V12 QAM with new remote layout but if you want to say V13 then here http://www.sendspace.com/file/dl7lbl - Firmware upgrading: You need to unzip/extract the file first on your computer and then copy the usb_upgrade_all_flash.bin file to the FAT32 formatted drive. Erase all files on the drive or reformat and then copy only the usb_upgrade_all_flash.bin file to the drive and do not place it in any folder and see if you still have a problem. - Yep, after you unzip the file, you have the firmware bin file in a folder. Just copy the bin file to the root directory of the flash drive so the firmware update utility can see it. - HDD must be 2TB or less - OTA channels that can be reached from my address: http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29&q=id%3d5b946cafa11830    --