Denon AVR-3808CI: An Overview - Page 3

Robert Crawford · 11-26-2007, 06:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TonyD

hmm

i still use a 3803, but would love to upgrade to this one.

i can get it for about 940 after employee discount
now, to come up with the 940.

Tony,
That's a great price and one you should jump all over with if you can afford to.

Crawdaddy

Dave Moritz · 11-27-2007, 11:55 AM

I have been researching receivers for the past few weeks and I think I am ready to make the leap.

I have made the choice to save up for a nice new Denon AVR-3808ci to replace my current Yamaha RX-V995. Once I have that bad boy in my ht the Yamaha will get deligated to my PC. Same thing will happen with my current HDTV. My PC will have a 50" monitor with a 100 x 5 surround receiver.

One of the things that helped push my decision was all the positive input from HTF on the new Denon AVR-3808ci. I am very excited about my up coming purchase and will add my feedback once I actually have the receiver.

Chiiinese Spareribs · 11-27-2007, 07:56 PM

Was doing research on the AVR 3808, wanted feedback and came across this website. From what I've read so far, everyone seems pretty cool in answering questions that others may have. Not like IMDB.com where someone will rip you a new one no matter what you have to say. I've been searching all over the forums looking for an answer to my question and couldn't find one. Hopefully someone can answer my simple question.

I need help in understanding what the best setup is for a TV with 2 HDMI inputs, a receiver with 4 and a Blu Ray player with 1. I'm thinking about updating my AVR-3300 to the 3808. I just bought a 60" HD TV in Feb that has 2 HDMI inputs. 1 of those inputs is currently being used by my HD cable box. I have an older Xbox 360 with the HD DVD add on, which has components going to the TV and fiber optic to the receiver. I'm also thinking about adding a Blu Ray player but not sure about getting a PS3 or the Samsung BD-P1400. Let’s say I go with the PS3, which has one HDMI slot, would you use that to plug into the receiver or the TV? If I plug into the receiver and use components to plug into the TV, I get HD audio but not HD video. If I plug into the TV, I would get HD video but not HD audio, right? Am I missing something here? Also, let’s say for S&G’s that I hook up the PS3 and Samsung. There’s only 1 HDMI slot on the TV, which one gets it? What do people, whose TV has only 1 HDMI slot, do if they have multiple HDMI components? I’ve had the AVR-3300 with 0 HDMI inputs for close to 10 years and now gonna upgrade to the 3808 that has 4. I’m used to having one set of cables going to the TV and one to the receiver. HDMI is an all encompassing cable but it seems to me that you would still need two? HELP!

"You mean you…..you don't know what Chinese spare ribs are?"

Dave Moritz · 11-27-2007, 08:32 PM

Quote:

I need help in understanding what the best setup is for a TV with 2 HDMI inputs, a receiver with 4 and a Blu Ray player with 1. I'm thinking about updating my AVR-3300 to the 3808. I just bought a 60" HD TV in Feb that has 2 HDMI inputs. 1 of those inputs is currently being used by my HD cable box. I have an older Xbox 360 with the HD DVD add on, which has components going to the TV and fiber optic to the receiver. I'm also thinking about adding a Blu Ray player but not sure about getting a PS3 or the Samsung BD-P1400. Let’s say I go with the PS3, which has one HDMI slot, would you use that to plug into the receiver or the TV?

I would plug all HDMI sources into the receiver and run a single HDMI from the receiver to the HDTV. When choosing a receiver you just need to know how many inputs you need.

Quote:

If I plug into the receiver and use components to plug into the TV, I get HD audio but not HD video. If I plug into the TV, I would get HD video but not HD audio, right?

You should get both audio and video via the HDMI cable to the receiver and the TV. This is the way I understand it, if this is not correct I hope someone here can correct me.

Quote:

There’s only 1 HDMI slot on the TV, which one gets it? What do people, whose TV has only 1 HDMI slot, do if they have multiple HDMI components?

Everything gets routed through the receiver so it does not mater if you have 1, 2 or 3 HDMI connections on the HDTV. All you need is one HDMI on the TV, if you have 2 then in most cases its just an extra input. Now if your receiver had two HDMI outputs you could run a HDMI to another HT setup if it was in a room close enough. So you would not have to buy a second set of source equipment if you wanted to run dual home theaters.

Chiiinese Spareribs · 11-27-2007, 10:15 PM

So Dave, if I had all my HDMI components into the receiver and an HDMI out going from the receiver into the TV, the TV will pick up the HD video too? This is where I get confused with HDMI. So you're saying video can get routed through the receiver to the TV? I'm so used to two sets of cables with audio going to the receiver and video going to the TV.

Dave Moritz · 11-28-2007, 10:05 PM

Thats correct you should only need to run one HDMI to your tv. Even if you have something connected to the receiver using component video and a seperate digital input. The newer receiver will upconver everything to HDMI and send it out to your HDTV. So no you do not have to run multiple cables to your TV anymore.

I would like someone here that has a brand new receiver to verify this but I feel that I am correct on this.

Ben-S · 11-29-2007, 07:19 PM

You are correct sir.

MatthewA · 11-29-2007, 10:47 PM

I finally made the jump into this receiver. So far so good, but...

I want to know how to get firmware updates without having to connect it to the internet. And are there any yet?

Jeff O. · 11-30-2007, 09:31 AM

Yes, there are updates available. I got mine and updated it right away. I don't know exactly what the updates were for though. I have not heard of any way to get the updates other than the internet. If you have an internet connection just hook it up, do the updates and then unhook it, you don't need to leave it hooked up.

TonyTone · 12-03-2007, 03:49 PM

Sorry if this is old news, but Cnet review of the 3808CI is up:

http://reviews.cnet.com/av-receivers...?tag=pdtl-list

It got favorable marks in almost all areas except for the less-than-stellar deinterlacing of 1080i signals if using HDMI to HDMI; not a deal-breaker if you configure the specific input on the 3808 to just pass the 1080i signal straight to the 1080p display (IOW--either let your source or display do the 1080p deinterlacing). Dunno if the 3808 allows you to turn off its built-in deinterlacer on an input-by-input basis--if it doesn't, then it might be an issue if you have HD/HD DVR satellite/cable devices that output 1080i, "entry-level" HD DVD players like the Toshiba A2/A3, or upconverting 1080i SD DVD players (all if using HDMI out)...if you choose to let the 3808 deinterlace all incoming 1080i to 1080p.