Need help in setup for a Denon AVR-3805 (1 Viewer)

[LarryR]

Purchased my surround sound system, with Polk speakers, 5.1, a Denon DVD player (Denon DVD-2910) and a Velodyne Subwoofer, SPL-800R.
I finally was able to get sound with the TV (Samsung HDMI DLP) without using set-up on the AVR. I am using a HiDef cable box. I tried afterwards to do a setup per the instructions. One problem is that Denon does not supply a mic. for the Auto setup program. Velodyne did include a mic to for their equalizer setup, which worked perfectly. Since the mic connections are the same I tried to use the Velodyne mic., with the Denon AVR, but to no avail. Is there a problem with impedence or is it that only a Denon mic. will work? Of course, I think for the price, Denon should include a mic. I tried set up again, several times, and now I cannot even get the TV sound to come over all the speakers (as all 5 speakers did before). My remote only works for certain inputs. I am at a loss what to do to get the setup correctly and get all the components to work. The DVD player did play a CD, but only through the RF speaker. A DVD did not show, at all, even using different TV inputs. I am using a HDMI to DVI connection from the DVD player to the AVR. Wow, am I frustrated!

 

[LarryR]

Error in my above post. The HDMI goes from my Denon DVD to my Samsung DVI input; not my Denon AVR. Sorry for the mistake. I am now thinking maybe I should just get a sound meter, per Avia setup instructions and try to do a manual setup; but still I just cannot seem to make the right moves in the setup. Still frustrated.

 

[Tom C]

Get the sound meter. Along with AVIA and/or DVE, it is a good investment.

 

[John Garcia]

Get the mic for the 3805 and run the auto setup. I would still get an SPL meter though...

 

[Paul Padilla]

Ditto John & Tom.

The Denon mic runs about $60 but you might find it for less. It really makes setup a breeze on my 3805. That's not to say that I haven't done some additional tweaking with Avia, but it will get you very much in the ballpark.

I'm guessing the mic that came with your Velodyne isn't full range. Even if it did pick up the test patterns it's most likely specialized for low end response so I wouldn't trust it for the overall setup.

Now, the mic will get your levels and EQ in line, but you still need to go through the System Setup one step at a time to make sure your inputs are correct, speaker size, sub, all those little details are in place. That reminds me...there is a setting to choose where the mic input comes in. It might have gotten switched accidentally.

Once you get it sorted out, you'll love the 3805. I do.

 

[LarryR]

Thanks Tom, John and Paul.
I finally got things to work correctly, but, as yet, have not done the set-up. I will do that after I mount my rear speakers. I don't understand why Denon does not include the mic with it's AVR. It was expensive enough that, in my opinion, the mic should have been included. I was going to only go with an SPL meter from RadioShack, but from your posts, having the mic makes it easier to final tune with the meter. Than I will go through the setup one step at a time to make sure it is correct. Does this sound like I got things correct?