Another kick in the groin for Pioneer 563A owners

800-421-1404

KW

 

Thanks!

Joe

 

I am pretty sure this is a labeling issue. I seem to recall that there are several titles that list 192/24 tracks that are really 96/24.

Not that I expect there to be any audible difference, but it would be nice for the labels to get their labeling in order.

BGL

 

oh Dude!!!! I SO agree!!!!

standardized labels would be the way to go. Not just for the ultimate format, but for the recording and mastering processes as well.

As I tried to post in another thread up here, there are SACDs that are recorded 48/16 (obviously on ADATs or DA88s) floating around out there.

you need to know that when you are buying. We need something like the old A/D/D label that lists ALL the bit rates and sampling rates along the process.


-s

 

I agree with you Steve on the need for a clearer explanation of what is recorded both on DVD-Audios and SACDs.

As to the link, the guy seems to be pointing out not a labeling mistake, but a DAC clocking limitation. It seems strange to me, but that is what I understand from his post.

 

Well, he is pointing out that what he is measuring disagrees with what the labelling calls for.

I still see that as a labelling error, but I guess one would need to get confirmation from someone at Warner as to what is really on the DVD-A.

BGL

 

Just put my Steely Dan "Everything Must Go" DVD-A in my Pioneer and chose stereo. As far as what is displayed when I hit the "display" button it is 192/24. So there must be something wrong with the Eagles DVD-A or else his player needs to visit the repair shop.

 

The only thing wrong with the disc is its mis-labeled. And there is nothing wrong with your player.

BGL

 

.....or maybe not.

Re-reading the original link, I appear to have misunderstood what the guy was saying.

I pulled out my copy of HC, and I don't find any labels on it indicating the resolution. When I play the stereo tracks in my Pioneer 45a, the display does say 24/192, but I have no means to measure it, so whats really going on inside the player is unknown to me. Nor can I comment on the player mentioned in the link.

So, does the display reflect the truth, or is the display simply due to flagging or some other method to identify what is on the disc?

But, to add some weight to my mislabeling argument, I looked at a few other discs, and here's what I find:

Chicago II - Label says 24/192, but display shows 24/96
ELP - Label says High Resolution Stereo....no stereo tracks that I can find
Yes Fragile - Label says 24/192, but display shows 24/96

So, I would be very interested to see some additional follow-up on the issue. I know that some players will pass a digital signal out the optical or coax with 2 CH material, but the manual of my player says that it will be downcoverted, depending on the disc. Perhaps some sort of downconversion is at play?

BGL

 

Well, I can understand the down conversion through the digital output as an anti-piracy method, but I would not understand it if what we are listening through the analog outputs when the players says 19/24 is not that resolution. And this is the reason why I first posted the link. It seemed the guy was saying that somehow he had measured the clock's performance and wasn't getting 192/24.

Is there anyone in this forum who could maybe measure that and tell us what he/she gets?

 

Have any of you who have sent their machines to be updated and gotten them back noticed any clicks at the beginning of the "Gaucho" DVD-A. The DVD-A now plays on my 565 (the European version of the 563), but I hear a click upon selecting 'Babylon Sisters' and it skips the sound of the first snare drum hit.

Is this happening to anyone?

 

Well, I wish I had visited this thread before I found the TOMMY dvd-a at Best Buy yesterday. Given the low price of this player, the length of time I would be without it if I sent it in for the upgrade, and my otherwise complete satisfaction with this player, I am considering simply replacing it with a new player (CC has one for $30 less than I paid in Spetember. Sheesh!) if some one can confirm for me that it would solve this problem. Can anyone help me out here?

 

It seems the 'problem' started sometime in March. I experienced no problem with the "Sacred Love" DVD-A, which was launched at the end of February. I did have problems with "Gaucho", though, which came out later, as well as other users.

It makes sense that more recently manufactured players already include the firmware update.

 

Well, I am going to try it and see what happens. Good thing I've got a gig this weekend that will bring in some extra $$$.

 

Fred,

Just make sure that the manufacturing date on the new player is not 2003 or before March 2004.

 

And here are the results of the experiment: picked up a new player dated 3/25/04, plugged it in, tried it, and then called Pioneer Customer Service because it didn't play the hi-rez. All is well, though. I'll send the new one in for the upgrade, then sell the old one cheap to a friend of mine who really wants a SACD player. This way I don't have to do without completely while the upgrade is happening.

 

So Fred let me get this straight

Even a Pioneer 563A manufactured 3/25/04 STILL needs a firmware update?

TIM

 

To be totally truthful, I mention the manufacturing date as a guideline. My player was manufactured in December of 2003. it read well all DVD-As I had bought until mid-March. The last DVD-A it read well was Sting's "Sacred Love". That DVD-A was launched at the end of January in the US. Suddenly all titles that were in the March and April launch lists (as far as I remember) started experiencing the incompatibility. The first one I bought that had this problem was Steely Dan's "Gaucho". It came out in late March.

Given that the High Fidelity Review article talking about this came out on 02/04/04 and it took Pioneer some time to react, it is logical that any machines manufactured after the problem was identified and solved have the solution implemented. As far as I know all players are made in Japan.

I live in Spain and Pioneer Spain, which acknowledged the incompatibility about 2 months after the article, has told me that all new machines in stores now should not experience the problem. So it makes sense that any newly-manufactured players here in Europe as well as in North America should have no problem, especially if the problem was addressed there before here.

I hope this makes easier for you to understand my previous posts.

 

Yes, sad but true. The more I dwell on the situation, the better I feel about buying the second player. I'll send each in separately for the upgrade, then sell or give the second player to a friend of mine.

Pioneer directed me to Electra-Sound, INC in Parma, Ohio for the upgrade. The guy on the phone from Electra-Sound said a one to two week turn-around on the upgrade. Anyone else sent their player to these guys? Do they do good work? Is that a good estimate for the turn-around? Just curious.

 

Thanks, Fred for spelling it out.

A bit of a hassle for sure... but the low price at Circuit City sure is tempting. I guess I can hope I'll get a later manufacture date, but I'll be extra careful unpacking so I can pack it all up again to ship off to Pioneer if need be.

sigh....

TIM

 

Would the the new Tommy DVD-Audio also be one of the new breed of DVD-audio discs that can't be played in the 563 without the firmware upgrade?

I bought both over the weekend and I'm sending the player for it to be upgraded today.

TIM

 

Yep! That's the one that did it for me.

 

Anyone heard of problems playing Disturbed's "Believe" DVD-A disc on the 563A? I just picked this one up, and while it will play when I press play, I have trouble doing anything with any of the other features. The menu buttons flicker when I try to move through them, and the music that's supposed to be playing when you're on the menu page sounds like a broken record. Looks like I may have to send my player in...

 

I received my player via ups on Tuesday 5/25, after having sent it off on 5/14. Quick turn-around and it plays great.

 

Well you can't best me, Fred. They turned mine around in one day here in L.A. Of course, I had to brave the L.A. freeways and give up two lunch hours---but it was well worth it!

Thank you Fred for all your input on this forum.

Tim