New firmware does not seem very solid

[bones]

Here are my bugs:

-Emo-q will sometimes lock up part way through the process (can only reset by power down)
-Emo-q applies settings to non existent speakers,
-manual speaker level settings set in the menu (not using the remote trims) do not work after power down.
Upon powering up the settings will still "look" right, but the settings are not having any affect.
-frequent audiio and video dropouts of HDMI sources

It seems Emotiva's stance on Emo-q is to not use it if it isn't
doing what you want or expect. The problem with that is that the manual settings need to be
reapplied every time you power on. Frustrating....to say the least.

[Dan Laufman]

bones,
If your unit is experiencing drop-outs ands other anomalies, there is something wrong; this is not how the UMC-1 behaves. It is extremely solid when handling video and audio streams.

Please call us Monday and we'll get you straightened out.
Thanks,
Big Dan

[rskarvan]

Dan,

With all due respect, your tone indicates that you believe the UMC-1 firmware is extremely solid and this is a highly unique issue. However, after reading other reviews, the issues that bones appears to be having seems to be more common than that.

Is another firmware update needed? Are there hardware quality issues?
Especially troubling to me is the issue of losing settings after power-down. That would be infuriating for sure.

Can you elaborate on Emotiva's findings?

Thanks.

Ron

[DYohn]

Feb 20, 2010 9:57:22 GMT -5 rskarvan said:

Dan,

With all due respect, your tone indicates that you believe the UMC-1 firmware is extremely solid and this is a highly unique issue. However, after reading other reviews, the issues that bones appears to be having seems to be more common than that.

Is another firmware update needed? Are there hardware quality issues?
Especially troubling to me is the issue of losing settings after power-down. That would be infuriating for sure.

Can you elaborate on Emotiva's findings?

Thanks.

Ron

In my unit the new firmware is very solid. The only issue I am still experiencing is a periodic loss of audio stream from my DirectTV DVR. I suspect this is a level or impedance issue between the DVR and the UMC-1 especially since the same issue is being reported by other DTV DVR users who are not using Emotiva's processor, and the UMC-1 is rock-solid with other HDMI inputs. I do not think this is an Emotiva issue, only that it was revealed by the UMC-1. DTV is supposedly aware of this instability and will issue a new software upgrade for their DVRs at the end of the month which will hopefully fix this.

Emo-Q works as well as it works. The microphone is I believe the real culprit with all the strange behavior some are reporting. But the software in the UMC-1 is fantastic in my opinion and does everything it is designed to do. It is surprisingly good to me.

Those people reporting their problems on this forum may indeed have units with issues, or perhaps they have issues that are being revealed by the UMC-1 like mine. Only a call to Emotiva tech support will help them figure it out, IMO.

[monkeypimp]

Feb 20, 2010 10:26:47 GMT -5 DYohn said:

Feb 20, 2010 9:57:22 GMT -5 rskarvan said:

Dan,

With all due respect, your tone indicates that you believe the UMC-1 firmware is extremely solid and this is a highly unique issue. However, after reading other reviews, the issues that bones appears to be having seems to be more common than that.

Is another firmware update needed? Are there hardware quality issues?
Especially troubling to me is the issue of losing settings after power-down. That would be infuriating for sure.

Can you elaborate on Emotiva's findings?

Thanks.

Ron

In my unit the new firmware is very solid. The only issue I am still experiencing is a periodic loss of audio stream from my DirectTV DVR. I suspect this is a level or impedance issue between the DVR and the UMC-1 especially since the same issue is being reported by other DTV DVR users who are not using Emotiva's processor, and the UMC-1 is rock-solid with other HDMI inputs. I do not think this is an Emotiva issue, only that it was revealed by the UMC-1. DTV is supposedly aware of this instability and will issue a new software upgrade for their DVRs at the end of the month which will hopefully fix this.

Emo-Q works as well as it works. The microphone is I believe the real culprit with all the strange behavior some are reporting. But the software in the UMC-1 is fantastic in my opinion and does everything it is designed to do. It is surprisingly good to me.

Those people reporting their problems on this forum may indeed have units with issues, or perhaps they have issues that are being revealed by the UMC-1 like mine. Only a call to Emotiva tech support will help them figure it out, IMO.

I have followed the HD-DVR units from Directv since the HR20 came out several years ago on DBS talk.....What I personally have noticed with all 5 units that I have had....from the HR20 to the 3 HR22 units that I currently have is that every software update that fixes an issue on one of my units causes problems on other units or in other areas of the unit.
This is why I think Emotiva is having people that had the firmware fix their problems while others it has caused more.

My Directv boxes are far far more stable than they used to be. I used to get audio dropouts hourly...today I rarely get them and usually it is only on the Local HD feeds and it is usually a channel problem where the stream appears to be being decoded improperly like send the center channels information to the left rear speaker or something like that.

I think that the UMC will end up needing multiple revisions before all the units out there are stable. I don't think Emotiva is the cause of the problem. I do think that it is Emotiva's problem to fix however. If there unit doesn't play well with all iterations of HDMI then they need to figure what it won't work and fix those issues. It is going to take awhile but that is the nature of the game these days.

[jerrym303]

I run two DirectV HR21's and have had zero problems going to a Yammy RX-v3800 or a DVDO Edge. I am hoping to replace the Yammy with the UMC if Emotiva can get the video processing challenges straightened out.

I agree that the HR21's are far more stable these days. The upgrades can catch one by surprise, though.

[tbrown7777]

I'll be calling you too.... i lose audio switching channels on directv, particularly on the hd channels and when i switch to a dvd, i also SOMETIMES lose audio. sometimes i feel like i could say the entire alphabet before my system re-syncs (i'm exaggerating, but it feels like a long time).

not all off my stuff can be set to default to a black screen when it loses a signal, so everytime i switch something my tv screen flashes different colors before it syncs up. not quite what i was hoping for.

perhaps i have a setting messed up. i'm hopeful you can get me straightened out. i'm a few time zones behind you and sometimes it's difficult to get home in time to give your tech support a phone call (during your normal business hours) while i'm at home in front of my unit.

[roadrunner]

I have had DirecTV for over 15 years now and have had the HR21s for a couple of years now. Every few months they upgrade their firm ware. Since the latest firm ware update, I have been experiencing a lot of audio drop outs and major lip synch problems on several of the HD channels. All of this is happening on a older, pre-HDMI, receiver using component video connector and digital audio connection.

Nearly all of the reported DVR DirecTV issues that have been attributed to the UMC-1 have been seen on my old receiver using component video/digital audio hook ups. I am sure there will be some problems that will need firm ware updates to solve. The big question is whether the reported issues are caused by the UMC-1 or by the satellite receivers/cable company receivers.

As other users have reported, DirecTV is aware they have problems with their HD receivers. Over time, as DirecTV makes improvements to their FW and Emotiva updates it's FW these issues will become less and less of an issue. Emotiva admits that they still have a few areas that they need to address with their current FW; and, they have posted that another FW upgrade will be issued in the coming weeks.

Anyone still having problems really needs to be in communication with Emotiva's tech support so that they can ensure your problem is addressed, one way or another. They can't resolve issues that they don't know about... whether it be hardware problems or software problems. Emotiva's reputation is built upon the fact that they bend over backward to make their customers happy with their purchase. Every issue that I have reported to Emotiva has been quickly taken care of... to my total satisfaction. I only wish the other brands of gear I owned would be as responsive.

[broncsrule21]

I hope the two companies figure out how to make their products play well together before the XMC-1 comes out. My HR21 gets more use than any piece of gear in my house. I can't spend the money on the XMC-1 and have to try to expalin to my wife why my latest and greatest toy wont let here watch TV w/o problems. She will want to know why we changed from our Denon that has given us no issues to a product that has dropouts. Oh well I still have time. lets all pray...

[johnnyg]

I have DirecTV and am experiencing audio dropouts too. I know the source of the dropout is probably DirecTV, but that isn't the my problem. It is how the UMC-1 responds when the dropout is encountered that is my problem.

Here's what happens...
1. DirecTV audio dropout occurs while viewing Dolby 3/2/1 source (not UMC-1 fault).
2. UMC-1 drops signal momentarily (as expected) but regains signal and claims it is now Dolby 2/0 signal (incorrect). This rarely happens on DVR/channel change induced audio disruptions, but practically every time when the problem is in the stream. I know the source has not dropped to Dolby 2/0 because I can resolve the problem with a quick pause/play to induce another dropout and the UMC-1 detects Dolby 3/2/1 properly. Otherwise, it will stay Dolby 2/0 until the next dropout forces it to re-sync.
3. Once in a while, the audio locks back in but is missing one or more channels. Usually either the center channel or all channels. Changing inputs seems to be the only way to restore lost channels.

I'm not expecting the UMC-1 to magically correct audio dropouts in the original signal, but I would like it to recover quickly without losing channels or misidentifying the stream.

[Mischief]

I have started to have this problem with my HR21's with all of my receivers. I did figure out that if I channel up and then go back the sound comes right back.

[ackbar]

As far as I'm concerned, the audio drop-out issue is small compared to the UMC complete system lock-up when input resolutions change. The only way to get the UMC to respond is holding the power button in until it turns off. And this isn't with DTV.

[jerrym303]

I had no idea how lucky I was to not have HR21 problems with my set-up.

The lonly problem I have is latency due to the fact that I fill the drive up with drivel. And that's a 1TB drive!

[DYohn]

Feb 20, 2010 16:11:41 GMT -5 ackbar said:

As far as I'm concerned, the audio drop-out issue is small compared to the UMC complete system lock-up when input resolutions change. The only way to get the UMC to respond is holding the power button in until it turns off. And this isn't with DTV.

Wow, no that is not normal. There is something wrong with your unit ans mine does not behave like that at all. You need to call Emotiva on Monday.

[Dan Laufman]

Please, call us and let us help you solve the problem.

Many, many, other systems are working just fine. Let us help you get to the bottom your your particular systems problem. It'll be the quickest and most painless way to get you back in the "enjoyment" mode! .
Thx,
Big Dan