WTF who designs UI and manual? / Rant (1 Viewer)

[Eric_L]

I own a Pioneer VSX1122, Supposedly a good receiver in it's day.

When I host a party I want to be able to play a stereo signal through my rear speakers at the same volume as my front, with the sub pushing the bass. You'd think that'd be easy, right?

In 10 year I have gotten close, but never could get the bass to activate, and frankly each time I must rotate through all the settings as I cannot remember which setting gets the rear speakers engaged.

Here - have a look at this clip from the 107 page manual and tell me if it is clear to you how to do it. Which of these 21 possible settings would you select - and best of all - what combinations of buttons will it take to select that one?

FFS Pioneer - the UI is atrocious and the manual was written by someone who could give three shits about effectively communicating how to use the device. And then the industry wonders why consumers are migrating to sound bars and low end equipment. HINT - it has nothing to do with the consumers and everything to do with feature creep/poor design.

It reminds me alot of the Detroit in the early 70s; "they will buy whatever damn car we tell them to" - and we know how THAT worked out...
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Standard surround sound
The following modes provide basic surround sound for stereo and multi channel sources

While listening to a source, press STANDARD (STANDARD SURROUND).
If necessary, press repeatedly to select a listening mode.

• If the source is DolbyDigital, DTS, or Dolby Surround encoded, the proper decoding format
will automatically be selected and shows in the display.
• If the surround back speakers are not connected, Pro Logic fix becomes Pro Logic II
(5.1 channel sound).

With two channel sources, you can select from:
Pro Logic llx MOVIE - Up to 7.1 channel sound (surround back), especially suited to movie sources
Pro Logic llx MUSIC - Up to 7.1 channel sound (surround back), especially suited to music sources
Pro Logic llx GAME - Up to 7.1 channel sound (surround back), especially suited to video games
PRO LOGIC- 4.1 channel surround sound (sound from the surround speakers is mono)
Pro Logic ll HEIGHT - Up to 7.1 channel sound (front height)
WIDE SURROUND MOVIE - Up to 7.1 channel sound (front wide), especially suited to movie sources
WIDE SURROUND MUSIC- Up to 7.1 channel sound (front wide), especially suited to music sources
Neo:6 CINEMA- 7.1 channel sound (surround back), especially suited to movie sources
Neo:6 MUSIC- 7.1 channel sound (surround back), especially suited to music sources
STEREO - The audio is heard with your sound settings and you can still use the audio options.
With multi channel sources, i f you have connected surround back, front height or front wide speakers, you can select (according to format):
Pro Logic llx MOVIE - See above
Pro Logic llx MUSIC - See above
• Dolby Digital EX - Creates surround back channel sound for 5.1 channel sources and provides pure decoding for 6.1 channel sources (like Dolby Digital Surround EX)
• DTS-ES Matrix or DTS-ES Discrete - Allows you to hear 6.1 channel playback with DTS-ES encoded sources
• DTS Neo:6 - Allows you to hear 6.1 ch annel playback with DTS encoded sources
• Neo:6 - Allows you to hear 6.1 channel playback
Pro Logic llz HEIGHT - See above
• WIDE SURROUND MOVIE - See above
• WIDE SURROUND MUSIC - See above
• STEREO - See above
• Straight Decode - Plays back without the effects above.

Note
• When listening sources in Pro Logic llz HEIGHT mode, you can also adjust the H.GAIN effect (see Setting the Audio options on page 58).
• When listening to 2-channel sources in Dolby Pro Logic llx Music mode, there are three further parameters you can adjust: C.WIDTH ,DIMENSION and PANORAMA. See Setting the Audio options on page 58 to adjust them.
• When listening to 2-channel sources in Neo:6 Cinema or Neo:6 Music mode, you can also adjust the center image effect (see Setting the Audio options on page 58).
• When listening through headphones, you can select STEREO mode only.

 

[Dave Upton]

I own a Pioneer VSX1122, Supposedly a good receiver in it's day.

When I host a party I want to be able to play a stereo signal through my rear speakers at the same volume as my front, with the sub pushing the bass. You'd think that'd be easy, right?

In 10 year I have gotten close, but never could get the bass to activate, and frankly each time I must rotate through all the settings as I cannot remember which setting gets the rear speakers engaged.

Here - have a look at this clip from the 107 page manual and tell me if it is clear to you how to do it. Which of these 21 possible settings would you select - and best of all - what combinations of buttons will it take to select that one?

FFS Pioneer - the UI is atrocious and the manual was written by someone who could give three shits about effectively communicating how to use the device. And then the industry wonders why consumers are migrating to sound bars and low end equipment. HINT - it has nothing to do with the consumers and everything to do with feature creep/poor design.

It reminds me alot of the Detroit in the early 70s; "they will buy whatever damn car we tell them to" - and we know how THAT worked out...
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Standard surround sound
The following modes provide basic surround sound for stereo and multi channel sources

While listening to a source, press STANDARD (STANDARD SURROUND).
If necessary, press repeatedly to select a listening mode.

• If the source is DolbyDigital, DTS, or Dolby Surround encoded, the proper decoding format
will automatically be selected and shows in the display.
• If the surround back speakers are not connected, Pro Logic fix becomes Pro Logic II
(5.1 channel sound).

With two channel sources, you can select from:
Pro Logic llx MOVIE - Up to 7.1 channel sound (surround back), especially suited to movie sources
Pro Logic llx MUSIC - Up to 7.1 channel sound (surround back), especially suited to music sources
Pro Logic llx GAME - Up to 7.1 channel sound (surround back), especially suited to video games
PRO LOGIC- 4.1 channel surround sound (sound from the surround speakers is mono)
Pro Logic ll HEIGHT - Up to 7.1 channel sound (front height)
WIDE SURROUND MOVIE - Up to 7.1 channel sound (front wide), especially suited to movie sources
WIDE SURROUND MUSIC- Up to 7.1 channel sound (front wide), especially suited to music sources
Neo:6 CINEMA- 7.1 channel sound (surround back), especially suited to movie sources
Neo:6 MUSIC- 7.1 channel sound (surround back), especially suited to music sources
STEREO - The audio is heard with your sound settings and you can still use the audio options.
With multi channel sources, i f you have connected surround back, front height or front wide speakers, you can select (according to format):
Pro Logic llx MOVIE - See above
Pro Logic llx MUSIC - See above
• Dolby Digital EX - Creates surround back channel sound for 5.1 channel sources and provides pure decoding for 6.1 channel sources (like Dolby Digital Surround EX)
• DTS-ES Matrix or DTS-ES Discrete - Allows you to hear 6.1 channel playback with DTS-ES encoded sources
• DTS Neo:6 - Allows you to hear 6.1 ch annel playback with DTS encoded sources
• Neo:6 - Allows you to hear 6.1 channel playback
Pro Logic llz HEIGHT - See above
• WIDE SURROUND MOVIE - See above
• WIDE SURROUND MUSIC - See above
• STEREO - See above
• Straight Decode - Plays back without the effects above.

Note
• When listening sources in Pro Logic llz HEIGHT mode, you can also adjust the H.GAIN effect (see Setting the Audio options on page 58).
• When listening to 2-channel sources in Dolby Pro Logic llx Music mode, there are three further parameters you can adjust: C.WIDTH ,DIMENSION and PANORAMA. See Setting the Audio options on page 58 to adjust them.
• When listening to 2-channel sources in Neo:6 Cinema or Neo:6 Music mode, you can also adjust the center image effect (see Setting the Audio options on page 58).
• When listening through headphones, you can select STEREO mode only.

That is pretty atrocious. Most receivers call it all channels stereo, but I have no idea which one would work on yours.

 

[John Dirk]

I've always assumed this was largely due to language barriers as practically everything is made in China these days. Foreign car manuals aren't all that much better.

Most of what you posted seems to deal with using various CODECS for matrixed output but you just want ALL CHANNEL STEREO if I'm understanding you correctly. I found this on page 45 of your manual. The last option should accomplish what you want.

Pages 58 and 80 deal with setting audio options. Make sure all speakers are set to SMALL to ensure the sub plays bass to your satisfaction.

Good luck.

 

[Dave Upton]

I've always assumed this was largely due to language barriers as practically everything is made in China these days. Foreign car manuals aren't all that much better.

Most of what you posted seems to deal with using various CODECS for matrixed output but you just want ALL CHANNEL STEREO if I'm understanding you correctly. I found this on page 45 of your manual. The last option should accomplish what you want.

Pages 58 and 80 deal with setting audio options. Make sure all speakers are set to SMALL to ensure the sub plays bass to your satisfaction.

Good luck.



View attachment 70862

Sounds like EXT. STEREO is what you need @Eric_L

 

[Eric_L]

Thanks mate. I will give it a try. If anyone here has a relationship with product development at these places please share this with them. Their industry is ripe for someone clever to dominate it - if they do not do it themselves APple or someone else will;

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