Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk Forums Discussion Meridian - Systems HD 621 at last

Having spent the last 4 hours trying to get it to work, complete and utter failure.

Have been through Mconfig and set it all up (twice) but can't get any audio output at all.

While I can see the video, there is no switching so I have to do it by the manual override. What I can't understand is that with the 421 unit which I had before there was an option to turn on HDMI switching and then select 1 to 4. This option still exists but it still gives 1 to 4, not 1 to 6. Makes me think it needs a firmware upgrade but am told this is not the case.

The instructions are very brief and really unhelpful for a more complex setup. Sure there is a simple answer somewhere. Problem is that the more you try the more you mess up the system to the point were you have to try and get it back to where it started.

David

Interesting, just tried changing the setting to output via HDMI rather than smartlink and the audio works fine but so does the video switching!!

Any thoughts as to why this could be

David

You *have* connected the Comms cable?

When I set mine up I found I wasn't getting audio. I had to double click on the 861, then click the Sources tab then manually set each of the HD621's sources Audio Input settings to the multichannel input because for some reason they were showing "Last Valid".

Mark

Just tried the comms cable before I read your reply and it work in the HDMI video mode, my dealer was told by M that I should not use it my set up as the control was via HDMI. Strange that the 421 did not require a comms cable to work. I have a G98 and a G68, the HD621 indicates that the comms should go to the G98, is this correct?

Thanks, will try the last valid option.

David

Mark

Many thanks, worked fine, initially I couldn't change the input so deleted it and set up new input. One thing that also threw me is that the MHR2 inputs are not marked with numbers, by trial and error appears that the 1/2 input is on the right and the 2/3 in the middle and the 4/5 to the left which is a bit counter intuitive.

First impressions of true hd movie is a noticable improvement, particularly in the surround sound channels.

Another point that M misadvised the dealer was the question of whether when using the smartlink option, audio would still pass via the HDMI, ie could I use Skyhd without the full system. The answer appears to be no so will need to sort out a stereo cable directly from SkyHD to plasma.

David

The manual says that the best way to configure an output device is to have it send PCM. I will likely purchase the Oppo BR player and its instructions indicate that it should be configured to send out bitstream if you want surround processor to do all the processing. If you set the Oppo for LPCM over HDMI it will do the decoding/processing. Is this a problem?

Interesting. I'll disconnect my comms cable and see if things still work...
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Mark

That's exactly what you want... the player doing the decoding and output PCM to the HD621. It's the only way to get access to the lossless audio.

Mark

This mirrors my initial reaction. I've yet to do A/B, so my comments are subjective, but in the sequences I've listened to I feel that the surrounds have become much more coherent, particularly with panning between speakers and especially rear to front transitions sound more solid and smooth.

The low bass region also sounds more powerful and full.

I now need to find two copies of the same film that I can play simultaneously on different players, one with lossless and one lossy, so I can then flip between them and make more accurate comparisons.

Mark

Its great to hear that some of you guys are receiving your new toys It would be really great to hear what you have to say if there is significant improvement. I will place my order next week if the consensus is good.

Really? Then what is the logic in purchasing a $3k audio processor from Meridian? IIUC it is then only separating out the audio and video and allowing me to run to my G68 via coax. Or does the HD621 do other processing after it receives the six or eight channels of decoded music. Sorry maybe I'm just not getting it.

The HD621 is unable to decode hires bitstream. It does do audio processing to reduce jitter and application of apodising filtration (when upsampling is requied). At least that's how I understand it

Cliff