Questions from the UMC-1 Video Overview 1?

[maseline98]

I have a few questions about the UMC demo:

1. I noticed that you can't set the the 'tuner' input to invisible when you click the input button on the remote, is this true?

2. Has there been a solution to direct selection of inputs? I saw that they might be making a new remote with direct input selections, but there wasn't a definite word on that.

3. Can you display and select the input selection on screen? They didn't show this.

4. Is there a default volume for each input(or a global default for that matter)? I couldn't tell from the demo.

5. Are the crossover settings global or for each input?

6. Is there a tone test for the subwoofer?

7. They mention about global 'video adjustment'. Does that mean that each input can't be adjusted? I always have different video settings based on the source(i.e. the contrast/brightness are always set lower much when viewing blu-ray movies when compared to video games and cable).

8. Can somebody explain to me 'xover slopes'? I couldn't see what the options were.

9. LFE Level: Can it be increased? They only seem show it go negative.

[DYohn]

Feb 10, 2010 13:11:30 GMT -5 maseline98 said:

I have a few questions about the UMC demo:

1. I noticed that you can't set the the 'tuner' input to invisible when you click the input button on the remote, is this true?

2. Has there been a solution to direct selection of inputs? I saw that they might be making a new remote with direct input selections, but there wasn't a definite word on that.

3. Can you display and select the input selection on screen? They didn't show this.

4. Is there a default volume for each input(or a global default for that matter)? I couldn't tell from the demo.

5. Are the crossover settings global or for each input?

6. Is there a tone test for the subwoofer?

7. They mention about global 'video adjustment'. Does that mean that each input can't be adjusted? I always have different video settings based on the source(i.e. the contrast/brightness are always set lower much when viewing blu-ray movies when compared to video games and cable).

8. Can somebody explain to me 'xover slopes'? I couldn't see what the options were.

9. LFE Level: Can it be increased? They only seem show it go negative.

1) Yes. Lonnie explained it's so at least one input will be available at all times.
2) The code was part of the recent software update, but as of yet there has not been information made available about how to program them into your universal remote. It should be published soon.
3) Yes
4) No. The volume defaults to the last set value, although there are input gain settings for each input.
5) Global
6) Yes
7) Video output setting is global.
8) The slope can be set to 12db/oct, 18db/oct or 24db/oct (as I recall. I'll have to double check this.)
9) Yes it can be increased or decreased just like any other audio output.

[pynchon]

In terms of issue #7 - couldn't you have 2 modes on your tv - e.g., movie mode then standard mode where contrast is set higher.
So for blu ray = movie mode; for cable, etc. = standard?

That's how my TV is currently set up - would going through the umc-1 alter this?

[DYohn]

Feb 10, 2010 13:35:16 GMT -5 pynchon said:

In terms of issue #7 - couldn't you have 2 modes on your tv - e.g., movie mode then standard mode where contrast is set higher.
So for blu ray = movie mode; for cable, etc. = standard?

That's how my TV is currently set up - would going through the umc-1 alter this?

Well, whatever adjustments you make in your display will not affect what the UMC-1 is doing, so sure you can do whatever it is capable of... you cannot set automatic contrast differences inside the UMC-1 depending on what input you use, although it is very easy and quick to pop on the video adjustment screen and make changes on the fly if that's what you like doing. The UMC-1 has a single video output that is independent of what input you use.

[pynchon]

I can see how it could alter in that now I have 2 hdmi cables to tv - -ps3 and cable
so when on input 4 (cable) tv defaults to standard mode (high contrast)
when set to input 5 tv defaults to movie mode
input 7 (side hdmi for laptop) - standard

but once I have my umc-1, cable and blu-ray will be going thru the processor with only 1 cable out - so I suppose it would default always to say film mode no matter if I have my tv on output 4 (cable) or 5 (blu ray)

but if that is the case, I could simply switch mode (from movie to standard in my case) on my tv and change nothing on umc-1 - correct?

[ratmice]

Feb 10, 2010 13:11:30 GMT -5 maseline98 said:

8. Can somebody explain to me 'xover slopes'? I couldn't see what the options were.

9. LFE Level: Can it be increased? They only seem show it go negative.

8. only 2 choices 12 dB and 24 dB (24, is considered by most to be "brick wall")

Crossover rolloff (or slope) describes the rate which the audio level increases/decreases per octave as the frequency increases/decreases. It is usually given as a number (6, 12, 18, 24...) of dB per octave. Electronic crossovers commonly have a 12dB/octave slope. This means that every time the frequency of the audio signal is changed by a factor of 2 (one octave), the level of the audio signal will change by 12dB.

9. LFE seems to only be able to be lowered.

[Nemesis.ie]

Maybe that is why folks say their sub is "hot" (assuming in movies and not music here) so you can then drop it down with the LFE adjust? I always found the LFE control useless on the Yamaha as the sub was already pretty low so only being able to lower it made it worse. But if the UMC has it a little high, then it would be of use.

[maseline98]

Feb 10, 2010 13:35:16 GMT -5 pynchon said:

In terms of issue #7 - couldn't you have 2 modes on your tv - e.g., movie mode then standard mode where contrast is set higher.
So for blu ray = movie mode; for cable, etc. = standard?

That's how my TV is currently set up - would going through the umc-1 alter this?

I'm actually not sure. My TV has about 50 settings. I'm sure that it does have it(can't check...at work right now), but it's just another thing I have to do before watching something).

[maseline98]

Crossover rolloff (or slope) describes the rate which the audio level increases/decreases per octave as the frequency increases/decreases. It is usually given as a number (6, 12, 18, 24...) of dB per octave. Electronic crossovers commonly have a 12dB/octave slope. This means that every time the frequency of the audio signal is changed by a factor of 2 (one octave), the level of the audio signal will change by 12dB.

Just as confused now as I was when I read it google....wouldn't a person just want to select the highest available then?

[ratmice]

Feb 10, 2010 14:16:58 GMT -5 maseline98 said:

Crossover rolloff (or slope) describes the rate which the audio level increases/decreases per octave as the frequency increases/decreases. It is usually given as a number (6, 12, 18, 24...) of dB per octave. Electronic crossovers commonly have a 12dB/octave slope. This means that every time the frequency of the audio signal is changed by a factor of 2 (one octave), the level of the audio signal will change by 12dB.

Just as confused now as I was when I read it google....wouldn't a person just want to select the highest available then?

The higher the number the steeper the slope of the freq curve. With 12 dB/octave you get a gradual drop off from the crossover point, with 24 it's basically cutting off at the crossover with nothing gradual about it. You may find that 12 dB/octave "blends" the sound, among your speakers, better to your ears. Try them both ways and see what sounds better to you.

[DYohn]

The subwoofer level on the UMC-1 goes from -10 to +10. The crossover has two settings, 12db/oct and 24 db/oct.