4k tv next but... (1 Viewer)

[edee_em]

Bit of a confusing bit of information from the Yamaha Canada site about the ability of the RX-V577 AVR (my receiver) being able to pass through 4K data to a 4k TV. Early on the page it states this:

"This model will support HDMI 2.0 connectivity*.
It will support 4K Ultra HD 50 Hz/60 Hz signal pass-through to output motion-smooth high definition videos.
*Firmware update to support this feature has been available since 2014 Jul.
*This model doesn't support HDCP2.2. HDCP2.2 compatible equipments are needed to see 4K contents which are encypted with HDCP2.2."

Later it states this:

"4K Ultra HD pass-through for super high resolution images
This AV receiver provides advanced HDMI features including pass-through of 4K Ultra HD, which is gaining popularity. 4K Ultra HD refers to four times the resolution of a 1080p display. This receiver is capable of passing the 4K Ultra HD data from the source to the monitor, for image clarity far beyond present standards."

I know my ignorance is showing, but will this receiver be able to be used if I buy a 4K TV? Thanks

 

[JohnRice]

The answer is... "Sort of."

That's a 2014 model with hdmi 1.4, so it is minimally 4K compliant. A little more compliant after the firmware update you mentioned. I think you can expect 4K handshake problems and I'm 99% certain you won't get HDR.

 

[edee_em]

The answer is... "Sort of."

That's a 2014 model with hdmi 1.4, so it is minimally 4K compliant. A little more compliant after the firmware update you mentioned. I think you can expect 4K handshake problems and I'm 99% certain you won't get HDR.

I found this information at https://www.audioholics.com/av-receiver-reviews/yamaha-rx-v577-av-receiver-review, which I believe is saying what you said John and kind of sets the table for me needing a new AVR.

"Connectivity includes six HDMI 1.4 inputs and one HDMI output (with ARC-Audio Return Channel) with support for UltraHD (UHD/4K) pass-through. It’s important to note that even though this unit says it supports UHD/4K pass-through, there was a caveat during the time of writing this review at least. Our review sample of the RX-V577 could only pass UHD signals at a maximum of 30fps (frames per second). Supporting UHD signals up to 30fps has always been part of the HDMI 1.4 spec. For movies recorded at 24fps, this isn’t an issue. However, most broadcast signals in the USA are recorded and sent at 60fps and when UHD programming is available to the mainstream you won’t be able to support those signals with HDMI 1.4 pass-through. My point is that users shouldn’t be confused by the term “UHD/4K pass-through” and think that they are somehow future-proofed. That being said, Yamaha is supporting 4K Ultra HD 50Hz/60Hz 4:2:0 signals pass-through transmission with a firmware upgrade available on their website. So, all it will take is connecting up your after RX-V577 to the internet and initiating the update and you’re good to go."

 

[ManW_TheUncool]

*This model doesn't support HDCP2.2. HDCP2.2 compatible equipments are needed to see 4K contents which are encypted with HDCP2.2."

The clearest issue will be the lack of HDCP 2.2 support me thinks...

_Man_

 

[Lord Dalek]

RX-V577 was the last one that didn't support HDCP 2.2. Sorry pal, planned obsolescence.

Anything from RX-V#81 will work though.

 

[edee_em]

OK, then. If I could just get you two to email what you just told me to my wife at wife.com (made up address for humor)...

So, on top of new speakers (Fronts, center, rears and sub), I need a 4k TV, new AVR, 4K tv box, new 4K firetv stick and change subscriptions to 4K where available. Cool. Cool. Now can anyone direct me to a bank that is really easy to rob?

Related to this, a few questions, if I may:

1. I have received recommendations from here about Elac and SVS speakers. I know a lot of people like the Elacs but there is this nagging issue in the back of my mind. Practically, in every review I read about them, reviewers invariably include the phrase, "great speaker for the money" or similar. This of course can mean lots of things like "he's got a great personality". Guess the question is, are Elacs a good speaker or are they a good speaker because of the price? Is there a better speaker close to that price, if we eliminate that "for the price" proviso?

2. Does anyone make a really solid 5.1 AVR any longer? I've seen some that are 13.2.4, or similar, and I don't know if I even have room for 20 speakers in my house!! Is 7.1 essentially the minimum now?

3. In the speaker/AVR vein, anyone have any recommendations on combinations that work really well together? DEnon and SVS or Yamaha and Elacs or, etc.

 

[edee_em]

RX-V577 was the last one that didn't support HDCP 2.2. Sorry pal, planned obsolescence.

Anything from RX-V#81 will work though.

Thank you, me Lord. It has served me well and could do for many more years if it wasn't for the 4K thing.

 

[ManW_TheUncool]

Here's the thing. Do you really have your heart definitely set on going 4K/HDR (and actually, it's the HDR that probably matters most unless you're talking front projection w/ a very large screen)?

IF not, save yourself (and your marriage) and just turn back, LOL...

Even if you do go 4K/HDR, depending on what you're actually going to do audio-wise, eg. Atmos(?), you might still be able to get by w/out upgrading everything... although it's not ideal of course...

_Man_

 

[Lord Dalek]

Thank you, me Lord. It has served me well and could do for many more years if it wasn't for the 4K thing.

On the plus side, the receiver is easily the cheapest component of your home theater to upgrade.

 

[ManW_TheUncool]

FWIW, I did just buy the ELAC Uni-Fi 2.0 LCR (w/ the floorstanders) plus a pair of Debut 2.0 B52s for surrounds -- and I already had a pair of their on-wall units (still NiB) that I may end up using as rear surrounds. They will probably be mated w/ my couple-yo Hsu VTF-3 Mk5 for sub and driven by my new-ish Emotiva XPA-5 Gen 3 (and a few-yo Anthem AVM-60 prepro I bought used not long ago) -- the amp and the used prepro actually each cost equal-or-more than the set of ELAC (5.0) speakers I just bought.

I have no review to offer (yet anyway), but my impression is you won't go wrong w/ them w/in their ballpark, especially if you care about audio fidelity, and yeah, I'm putting my $$$ where my mouth (and belief/thinking) is on this. Also, they're very slim, which is part of the consideration for me, but I wouldn't go w/ them if I didn't believe the reviews -- well, they do offer 30-day return if they unexpectedly bomb...

IF you can afford 2x as much and bigger speakers, I'm sure there are other options, but in their ballpark? Either way, they deserve very strong consideration in their ballpark, and I'm not sure how you can really compare to choose w/out listening to them (properly set up) for yourself...

_Man_

 

[ManW_TheUncool]

FWIW, since you've waited so long, you might as well wait some more for ELAC's next sale on their Uni-Fi series though. You just missed their last sale from first couple weeks of July -- I saved ~$500 off their list price on the set I just bought (w/ help from an extra 10%-off they offered directly to me after I created an account and did a little "windowshopping").

IF you're going w/ all bookshelves, you might wanna check out their new Uni-Fi Reference UBR62s at least for the front/mains -- the new floorstanders, OTOH, don't seem likely to be significantly better than the standard 2.0 series to be worth 2x the price.

And they seem very responsive and good w/ customer support (so far anyway)...

_Man_

 

[Lord Dalek]

You don't need new speakers unless you feel the wattage isn't good enough on what you got or are planning to make the leap to Atmos. Satellites haven't changed much in the last 10 or so years whereas decoders have changed A LOT in the Atmos era.

Really you're probably ok with an RX-V385 and two extra pairs of banana plugs for the rears.

 

[edee_em]

Here's the thing. Do you really have your heart definitely set on going 4K/HDR (and actually, it's the HDR that probably matters most unless you're talking front projection w/ a very large screen)?

IF not, save yourself (and your marriage) and just turn back, LOL...

Even if you do go 4K/HDR, depending on what you're actually going to do audio-wise, eg. Atmos(?), you might still be able to get by w/out upgrading everything... although it's not ideal of course...

_Man_

Fair question. I've done without 4k for what, 10 years now, and haven't missed what I don't know but the future is nearer and equipment that has grown old will only get older and need replacement at some point. In all honesty I could probably skip right over 4k and be none the worse off.

I know I've brought up the wife, in jest here, more than once, but she is actually the one pushing for a bigger TV. Apparently, size does matter to her (who knew)?? Our 2013 Samsung 65" is too small. It seems that staring at it over quarantines and lockdowns has diminished its worth to us! Plus there's a white blob in the lower right edge that indicates things are falling apart. So, the chain is falling apart and replacing one link means replacing all links. No sense getting 4k tv and not 4k receiver, etc.

 

[edee_em]

On the plus side, the receiver is easily the cheapest component of your home theater to upgrade.

"Cheapest" being a relative term, correct?? Doing some "shopping" and there are some receivers out there that cost more than my car!! Lots to choose from in the working class peon section, though.

 

[edee_em]

FWIW, I did just buy the ELAC Uni-Fi 2.0 LCR (w/ the floorstanders) plus a pair of Debut 2.0 B52s for surrounds -- and I already had a pair of their on-wall units (still NiB) that I may end up using as rear surrounds. They will probably be mated w/ my couple-yo Hsu VTF-3 Mk5 for sub and driven by my new-ish Emotiva XPA-5 Gen 3 (and a few-yo Anthem AVM-60 prepro I bought used not long ago) -- the amp and the used prepro actually each cost equal-or-more than the set of ELAC (5.0) speakers I just bought.

I have no review to offer (yet anyway), but my impression is you won't go wrong w/ them w/in their ballpark, especially if you care about audio fidelity, and yeah, I'm putting my $$$ where my mouth (and belief/thinking) is on this. Also, they're very slim, which is part of the consideration for me, but I wouldn't go w/ them if I didn't believe the reviews -- well, they do offer 30-day return if they unexpectedly bomb...

IF you can afford 2x as much and bigger speakers, I'm sure there are other options, but in their ballpark? Either way, they deserve very strong consideration in their ballpark, and I'm not sure how you can really compare to choose w/out listening to them (properly set up) for yourself...

_Man_

Please let me/us know how they sound although I can't imagine your rig sounding off with that great amp/receiver you have supplying the juice!!

 

[Lord Dalek]

"Cheapest" being a relative term, correct?? Doing some "shopping" and there are some receivers out there that cost more than my car!! Lots to choose from in the working class peon section, though.

You must have a cheap car then!

An RX-V385 which is Yamaha's base 5.1 model and the final version of the CinemaDSP series goes for about 280 bucks on Amazon. That's 70 dollars less than what a set of Klipsch 5.1 speakers sells at.

Hell if you look on the second hand market, you can find a V383 (which is what I own) for less than 200.

 

[edee_em]

You don't need new speakers unless you feel the wattage isn't good enough on what you got or are planning to make the leap to Atmos. Satellites haven't changed much in the last 10 or so years whereas decoders have changed A LOT in the Atmos era.

Really you're probably ok with an RX-V385 and two extra pairs of banana plugs for the rears.

Of all my gear, I think my speakers are most in need of replacement. First, no sub. Second, fronts are relics from the 90's, Altec Lansing 96 floorstanders. The center and surrounds are Sound Dynamics, the surrounds being bipolar. They don't really match the Altec's timbre and their sound is a bit thin. They work but I can do/deserve better! I wore mismatched clothing throughout the 1970's. It's time for my speakers to match!

 

[edee_em]

You must have a cheap car then!

An RX-V385 which is Yamaha's base 5.1 model and the final version of the CinemaDSP series goes for about 280 bucks on Amazon. That's 70 dollars less than what a set of Klipsch 5.1 speakers sells at.

Hell if you look on the second hand market, you can find a V383 (which is what I own) for less than 200.

13 year old Sonata: you do the math!! I already own the RX-V577 but it won't do if I go 4K TV.

 

[ManW_TheUncool]

"Cheapest" being a relative term, correct?? Doing some "shopping" and there are some receivers out there that cost more than my car!! Lots to choose from in the working class peon section, though.

Don't skimp too much on the AVR though...

What's your budget for the audio upgrades again? And which 4K display are you strongly considering?

_Man_

 

[JohnRice]

1. I have received recommendations from here about Elac and SVS speakers. I know a lot of people like the Elacs but there is this nagging issue in the back of my mind. Practically, in every review I read about them, reviewers invariably include the phrase, "great speaker for the money" or similar. This of course can mean lots of things like "he's got a great personality". Guess the question is, are Elacs a good speaker or are they a good speaker because of the price? Is there a better speaker close to that price, if we eliminate that "for the price" proviso?

The ELAC Debut 2 and UniFi 2 speakers are exceptional. For my personal experience, including my own opinions, the critics are saying they are better than their price. In other words, normally the goal is to find the best speaker in the price range, but those two lines will best most speakers that cost 2-3 times as much as they do. Part of it is that they are no frills. Money isn't wasted on appearance or packaging. Everything goes into performance. If you want looks to go along with the performance, both lines have Reference versions, which have upscale cabinets as well as some performance upgrades.