Cinepro now offering their Pre Amp processor (1 Viewer)

[Shawn Fogg]

John,

"Earlier, someone posted it contained "Logic 7", it does not. It has DTS Neo-7 and DTS Matrix-7, Not Logic-7. "

It said that earlier. Eric from Cinepro posted this on the Lexicon forum earlier today:

"The "alley" we will be hiding in is the Las Vegas Convention Center, South Hall booth 24335.

As a clarification, the modes I listed on our website came directly from our firmware engineers that wrote the updated code for our Motorola processor (including these new modes, they tell me). I was a little confused as well, I did not know of DTS:Neo 7 or DTS Logic 7, but I posted 'em as I heard 'em.

Now, in retrospect, he may have been describing the function rather than the official decoding name (I took him literally, but even though these guys speak English, literal communication seems surprisingly difficult). So, in the interest of world peace (or at least news group peace) I have changed it back to DTS Matrix 7 until I can reconfirm this fact.

I invite any and all to come see us at our booth. We will have a working DTC-10 on display, along with a connected PC to demonstrate the rather detailed and powerful tuning modes of the processor.

Eric Abraham

President

Cinepro"

Like you mentioned Logic 7 is available in the Crystal DSPs but only for Harmon International companies that have licensed the code from Lexicon. To date that has only been in Harmon/Kardon receivers. Thats why things like Onkyo's and Pioneers (which also use Crystal DSPs) don't have Logic 7. The Logic 7 that will be in the ML #40 runs on SHARC(s) like in the MC-12. The only other DSP platform it has been on in a processor is in the LexiChip.

Shawn

 

[John Kotches]

Shawn,
Thanks, you usually are a little more up on things in the Lexicon world.
Poor me has to struggle through with things in the rest o' the world
Regards,

 

[Will]

I have a couple more questions. What type of bass

management options are available? And does it come with

an AM/FM tuner?

 

[Frank Frandsen]

John,

I know the Cinepro is in no way related to the MC-12. A few months back there was a heated debate on this and I learned the hard way.

Frank

 

[Mike_A]

hmmmm 500MHz video bandwidth? seems a bit high to me - doesn't 1080i only take up 50MHz and 1080p only 100MHz?

otherwise sounds like a pretty awesome pre/pro! i love the idea of hooking it up to a PC, even if its only for setup (for now anyways, let's hope they make it upgradable via RS-232 - certainly opens up hacking possibilities if nothing else).

 

[John Kotches]

Mike:
Recommendations to handle video without visible softening is 3-5x the used bandwidth.
So 50mHz means 150mHz bandwidth, 100mHz means 300mHz bandwidth.
Extron builds to 350 - 500 mHz in their products as well. Don't hear many complaints about Extron's softening images, do we
Regards,

 

[Mike_A]

good point - sign me up!

 

[John Morris]

$3500, or more, for a pre/pro... God I wish I had your bank accounts(or your money trees)?

 

[Rob Curtis]

This looks like a killer product..quieter analog section than the Lexicon MC-12!

Bass management on DVD-A/SACD!

Broadcast Quality Video switching featuring 500mHz video switches for HDTV Component switching.

It says it's upgradeable, but I don't see any IEEE 1394 input. I don't see any place to put one in on the back of it either.

Does this bother anyone else?

Except for that I'm really psyched about this product!

 

[Will]

$3500, or more, for a pre/pro... God I wish I had your bank accounts (or your money trees)?

Hey John,
It's just a matter of priorities. Didn't you spend $3500 plus a few hundred more, on a Pioneer RPTV a few months ago?
Will

 

[John Morris]

Consequently, if you bought a new pre/pro today, you would, I think feel the need to replace it the future. Maybe in three years. No pre/pro or receiver that was made 3 years ago can compete against similarly priced equipment today.

 

[Rob Curtis]

Merc,

I'm getting torn between the 950 as a 2-3 year option or the Cinepro as a 5 year option.

The 5 years comes from that's when I expect Blue Laser to be readily available.

I suspect that the Cinepro will be able to handle the HD signals as well as the 24/192 on all channels that BL will be outputting, so it may just get an interface upgrade and be ready to go those 8 years you are talking about.

With the Cinepro I can get rid of the 2 channel pre that I'm currently using as my 2 channel and HT systems share the front R/L speakers.

The 950 (which I've been waiting on too) looks more like a disposable unit after a few years and one that I'm not sure I would want to replace my 2 channel pre.

The cost/feature/benifit ratio sure looks high on the 950 though.

 

[John Morris]

Rob: First, I really like Cinepro's amps. I almost bought one but the fan sound was noticable from my seating position 4 feet away. Since then, apparently they have made the fan almost noiseless so I may need to re-try their new amps. As for their announced pre/pro, I have no doubt it will be fantastic. If you think you will keep it for many years, it could be a good value. Still, I'd try to listen to a 950 first... just in case it is as good as I think it is gonna be. According to the folks at Outlaw, they placed a priority on a transparent, noise free, analog bypass for music. IMO, almost all receivers and pre/pros will do a competent job on movie playback, but what really seperates superior A/V receivers and pre/pros from the also rans is the ability to cleanly pass music from your sources to your amps. For me, that will be the litmus test on the Outlaw.

Oh yeah, and I don't like using any pre/pro as a component video switcher. Even if they are designed to pass a true HD signal, I've found that there are major RPTV setting variations between my progressive DVD output and my HD STB output. By using two seperate RPTV inputs, I can adjust each input for the correct settings and then let it be. YMMV.

 

[Scott-C]

I'm in that boat too of deciding on a more "disposable" pre/pro vs. one that may last longer due to upgradeability, and I think I'm leaning towards the latter. It means more money upfront, but for that money I'm hoping to find a piece with top-notch performance and to get assurance that it can be upgraded (somehow!) to reflect future surround formats, etc.

The 5 years comes from that's when I expect Blue Laser to be readily available.

OK, I'll bite...what's blue laser?

Last question: is an IEEE 1394 interface the same thing as what is being called DVI? I know this seems to be becoming important in terms of front projectors if one is interested in watching HDTV (I know this issue is in limbo right now WRT the interface and copyright issues). If I did want to use the pre/pro for video switching, and ran an HDTV signal through it, then I might want to wait until DVI interfaces are more common on pre/pros.

 

[Will]

Personally, I wouldn't pay alot of money to get a pre/pro

just because it can be upgraded. First, you pay more now for

the "privilege" of upgradability. Then chances are, you pay

again for the actual upgrades. And then, after it's been

upgraded in a few years, I'm betting the resultant upgraded

pre/pro still probably won't be as good as pre/pro's built

new from scratch in a few years. In general, I'd prefer

a brand new pre/pro to a 3 year old pre/pro even with

it's upgrades, even if the 3 year old pre/pro costs at

the time, 3 times what the brand new pre/pro costs today.

I'd buy a pre/pro I like today, for today, but I won't pay

a hefty premium just for a claim of upgradability.

Maybe John Morris would also agree?

 

[Rob Curtis]

Scott,
Blue Laser can hold over 2 hours of HD content AND at least 6 channels of 26/192 UNCOMPRESSED audio content.
Here is a good article:
http://www.idg.net/ic_701009_1773_1-3921.html
There's more over at Philips site.
I believe it will be the next big thing, blowing away SACD and DVD-A.
They are talking about 2003 in the article, but that sounds VERY optimistic to me.

 

[John Morris]

Maybe John Morris would also agree?

Will: Yup, I'm with you all the way on this one!

 

[Bhagi Katbamna]

HD movies will not happen for a while from Hollywood. They are paranoid about copy protection. But, if it can pass HD signal(like a number of pre-pros, the Integra Research for example) why would it be obsolete?

 

[Rob Curtis]

The Cinepro currently does not have a way to get the hi-rez audio formats except for the analog hookups. This means that all the processing has to be done outide it, except for the bass management, and I'm not sure how they do this in the analog realm without applying some A/d D/A to the signal.
This wouldn't bother me except that there are no cutputs on the back to put any future digital inputs, like a IEEE1394 port (which is very small).
If I just saw a couple of knockouts so they could easily upgrade the back panel to included future ports for the next generation of digital processing IN the pre/pro I would be a happy guy.
Cinepro claims it is easy to upgrade the hardware and the software, but if it doesn't include a way do get the proper signal to the new hardware/software it won't matter.
It does look like a killer product for today, but when do you guys think that DVD-A will be sent to the pre/pro for decoding? I think we are only about 12 months out for products. Many receivers have the firewire port built in because they know it's coming. These ports are very cheap, why can't the pre/pro guys add it to their offerings as well?
The code can be upgraded with the RS232 port from a computer.
So far this is the only weakness I see in this pro.
I do not know much about this subject, I'm no engineer, just a consumer that would like to get more than I pay for

 

[Will]

If I was to buy an RPTV as often as I buy a new pre/pro...

I see your point. But a new RPTV and a new pre/pro will both seem pretty dated 3 years from now, unlike a new speaker or a new amplifier. That being the case, I also spend more on a pre/pro than on a RPTV because I too expect to replace my pre/pro more frequently over the years, than my RPTV. Not sure why I don't buy a cheap RPTV and plan on replacing it every few years, like I plan with my pre/pro's. I'll have to think about why I do that. Maybe it's because RPTV's are so darn big they're difficult to move in and out. But disconnecting and reconnecting a pre/pro into a Home Theater is as you know, no cakewalk either.