[sander99]

The stereo mixdown worked

I suddenly thought about the following: I am not sure if the HPEQ is also bypassed in this mode. I expect it will be bypassed but if not you should try to create a neutral HPEQ and use that.
(I guess you could use what is described in '9.1.2 FlatEQ filter generation for IEM-type headphones')
But audiohobbit is right it is not ideal that the A16 should stay on all the time while listening to your stereo speakers.

 

[Eich1eeF]

I don't see how a Logitech Harmony will help in selecting inputs on the Realiser. I doubt that Logitech does have the remote codes by now. Anyone checked their database?

The Harmony remotes can learn IR codes from existing remote controls. I've just contacted the Smyths via the web form to enquire whether they have any documentation regarding the codes the A16 supports (which may be a superset of what is available on the remote control).

 

[audiohobbit]

I know that the Harmony can learn the codes and I have it on the list that Smyth send the codes to Logitech.
But even then when you have the codes in the harmony, you still have to go to the top menu, to the Input source entry, and click adj + or - many times to get to the input source you want.

Do you expect that there exist discrete codes for every input source? I don't.

 

[Eich1eeF]

I know that the Harmony can learn the codes and I have it on the list that Smyth send the codes to Logitech.
But even then when you have the codes in the harmony, you still have to go to the top menu, to the Input source entry, and click adj + or - many times to get to the input source you want.

I've never had to work around such issues with any of my devices, but you can still assemble a macro that does all that for you automatically, assuming there's one button (combination) that reliably leads to the top menu no matter what page is shown at the beginning.

Do you expect that there exist discrete codes for every input source? I don't.

I'm cautiously optimistic on this at best, but it should be a trivial addition.

 

[audiohobbit]

Actually, since shipping started, the french preorders who went through Gilles Gérin have been receiving there units little by little. I don't know exactly how many got theirs, but i'd day roughly 10-12.

Did they pre-order via Smyth website or via Gilles?

 

[audiohobbit]

but you can still assemble a macro that does all that for you automatically, assuming there's one button (combination) that reliably leads to the top menu no matter what page is shown at the beginning.

The Harmonys don't really support macros afaik. Only so called sequence with max. 5 commands I think. Maybe that's different with the newer Harmonys? I still have a 900.
But anyway, you may get to the top menu by clicking back 2 or 3 times and then down a few times to the input entry. But then you (or the remote) has to know which input is active at the moment and how many adj clicks you need to get to another specific input. There are 9 inputs I think so you'd need 9x9=81 different macros. No 9x8 I think but still 72. Good luck...

I'm cautiously optimistic on this at best, but it should be a trivial addition

I'm not and I don't see how this can be a trivial addition. Do you know how the Realiser is programmed internally?

 

[odib]

Backer no. 68 here. I received my A16 with the extra headtracker I've ordered. Just been playing around with the default user settings and rooms. I was able to watch an atmos movie on my Panasonic UB420 with no problems. Just wondering for those located in Sydney, if they know any places to get a nice PRIR from?

 

[arnaud]

I did buy and try a lightning to HDMI converter cable to redirect the audio out from my 2017 iPad pro to the A16 but it failed miserably:
- Amazon video would somewhere show 1 out of thousand frames (like a fast forward) or so and I never get any signal pickup on the A16
- TV app would simply go silent with the A16 saying it can't pickup any signal
- In either case, the A16 was recognized as a "Screen capture" device

We're just a bunch of guinea pigs at this stage...

arnaud

 

[bcwang]

I did buy and try a lightning to HDMI converter cable to redirect the audio out from my 2017 iPad pro to the A16 but it failed miserably:
- Amazon video would somewhere show 1 out of thousand frames (like a fast forward) or so and I never get any signal pickup on the A16
- TV app would simply go silent with the A16 saying it can't pickup any signal
- In either case, the A16 was recognized as a "Screen capture" device

We're just a bunch of guinea pigs at this stage...

arnaud

Mine works fine with the usb-c based hdmi converter officially from Apple with my iPad Pro 2018 version. Is yours an official apple converter?

Before you blame the a16, try and route it direct to tv to make sure your converter isn’t just defective, or the hdmi cable you’re using. It’s hdmi, these things should just work.

 

[audiohobbit]

@arnaud and Fox1977: Could you please report any problems ocurring on the french forum hcfr so I can add them to my list and/or to see what problems ocurred there?

My french is really bad (had french in school, but that's more than 20 years ago...) but I'd love to read what our french speaking friends had to say about the A16. unfortunately online translators are no real solution either

 

[Rene Lou]

The Harmony remotes can learn IR codes from existing remote controls. I've just contacted the Smyths via the web form to enquire whether they have any documentation regarding the codes the A16 supports (which may be a superset of what is available on the remote control).

In regards to the A16 IR codes:

Philips Pronto Professional remotes can learn and reprogram IR codes as well - and give you the hex codes of any learned IR signal.

I have still my A8 remote control and received the A16 last week, used a Pronto TSU9600 remote control to learn all of the A16 IR codes and compared them with the A8 IR hex codes.

Tuns out that the A16 remote control does not have any IR payload in it's repeating IR sequence. This is the reason that - when you are holding down a key on the A16 remote - nothing happens after the first command has been executed.

The A8 IR remote sends no 'send one time' part, just the 'repeating' part for any given command - see the following picture of a decoded A8 IR code (the example is for Vol +):

The A16 IR remote sends a 'send one time' part with a payload with the same device code (3) and command number (48) for Vol A+ as the A8 remote, but for all A16 remote control keys an empty (!) repeating part (just the Lead In which is directly followed by the Lead Out hex code - with no payload in the repeating part of the IR signal):

FYI just as a quick summary how most IR remote controls do work:

• On NEC and Sony devices (SMYTH is using a NEC device) there are two payload parts of the IR code: a 'send one time' part and a 'repeating' part of the IR signal (see pictures above) - both parts are optional
• In front of the IR signal, there is a header describing the frequency of the pulsed IR signal and how many bytes are following in total for part 1 + part 2
  
• each part (send once & repeating part) do have a Lead In and a Lead Out code
• between the Lead In and the Lead Out codes there is a device code and a command code (the actual 'payload' of the two parts, describing what the receiving device should do)
• a complete IR package looks like this: frequency descriptor, byte count, [first optional part with the "send one time" command with a Lead In, it's payload and the Lead Out], [second optional part with the "repeating" command with it's Lead In, it's payload and it's Lead Out]

The A16 reacts to the A8 remote since the A16 is using the same device number, the same command numbers and the same IR frequency as the A8 does, but since the A8 remote sends the commands quickly repeating, the A16 quickly increases or lowers e.g. the volume, moves through the items on the menus with adj+ or adj- etc. - but just a little bit to fast with the A8 IR codes. E.g. pressing the 'down' key on the A8 remote just briefly moves the A16 cursor two lines down at once on a menu (so we can't use the A8 remote codes for up/down or adj+/- etc. since you will not be able to select a specific entry/line).

Using the A8 codes will allow for quick Volume adjustments. Since the A8 and A16 do share the same command numbers for a given function, I made two additional IR codes for quick Volume B +/- changes as well (based on the A16 Volume B IR command number, but with the A8 "repeating part" only). Speed with A8 remote codes is like this (used hex codes will follow below):

The Philips Pronto remote allows for creating as many macros/keys, key sequences as you like. So I made a somewhat slower macro to be able to increase/decrease the volume just by one increment, move the menu cursor just one line at a time and use the adj+/-. I used a delay of 275ms between IR commands and the speed of changing values is like this:

Following are the hex codes I used for the quick volume increase/decrease (Vol A+/- are A8 codes and Vol B+/- I created myself as explained above):

• Vol A+ = 0000 006E 0000 0022 0156 00AA 0016 0040 0016 0040 0016 0016 0016 0016 0016 0016 0016 0016 0016 0016 0016 0016 0016 0016 0016 0016 0016 0040 0016 0040 0016 0040 0016 0040 0016 0040 0016 0040 0016 0016 0016 0016 0016 0016 0016 0016 0016 0040 0016 0040 0016 0016 0016 0016 0016 0040 0016 0040 0016 0040 0016 0040 0016 0016 0016 0016 0016 0040 0016 0040 0016 05E9
• Vol A- = 0000 006E 0000 0022 0156 00AA 0016 0040 0016 0040 0016 0016 0016 0016 0016 0016 0016 0016 0016 0016 0016 0016 0016 0016 0016 0016 0016 0040 0016 0040 0016 0040 0016 0040 0016 0040 0016 0040 0016 0040 0016 0016 0016 0016 0016 0016 0016 0040 0016 0040 0016 0016 0016 0016 0016 0016 0016 0040 0016 0040 0016 0040 0016 0016 0016 0016 0016 0040 0016 0040 0016 05E9
• Vol B+ = 0000 006E 0000 0022 0156 00AA 0016 0040 0016 0040 0016 0016 0016 0016 0016 0016 0016 0016 0016 0016 0016 0016 0016 0016 0016 0016 0016 0040 0016 0040 0016 0040 0016 0040 0016 0040 0016 0040 0016 0040 0016 0040 0016 0016 0016 0016 0016 0040 0016 0040 0016 0016 0016 0016 0016 0016 0016 0016 0016 0040 0016 0040 0016 0016 0016 0016 0016 0040 0016 0040 0016 05E9
• Vol B- = 0000 006E 0000 0022 0156 00AA 0016 0040 0016 0040 0016 0016 0016 0016 0016 0016 0016 0016 0016 0016 0016 0016 0016 0016 0016 0016 0016 0040 0016 0040 0016 0040 0016 0040 0016 0040 0016 0040 0016 0016 0016 0016 0016 0040 0016 0016 0016 0040 0016 0040 0016 0016 0016 0016 0016 0040 0016 0040 0016 0016 0016 0040 0016 0016 0016 0016 0016 0040 0016 0040 0016 05E9

If the Harmony remotes will allow reusing Philips Pronto hex codes, you could try to generate all codes for the given device number (3) and frequency (37.683kHz) and try if some undocumented codes do select a specific input.

Rene

 

[arnaud]

Was regretting not getting in early on the kickstarter for the A16, but after seeing all the issues, glad to be still using the A8 trouble free for so many years. Everyday it still blows my mind, awesome audio quality.

Conversely, I can’t be too harsh given the deal I got being a backer.

I suddenly thought about the following: I am not sure if the HPEQ is also bypassed in this mode. I expect it will be bypassed but if not you should try to create a neutral HPEQ and use that.
(I guess you could use what is described in '9.1.2 FlatEQ filter generation for IEM-type headphones')
But audiohobbit is right it is not ideal that the A16 should stay on all the time while listening to your stereo speakers.

Nope, I think the convolution engine is bypassed alltogether, no PRIR nor HPEQ filtering going, simple downmixing to stereo.
I still think it should simply redirect the multi-channel stream out of decoder to the digital outs when in speaker mode but I agree with your comment that it’s probably not a wise idea to us the A16 as an AV preamp.

Mine works fine with the usb-c based hdmi converter officially from Apple with my iPad Pro 2018 version. Is yours an official apple converter?

Before you blame the a16, try and route it direct to tv to make sure your converter isn’t just defective, or the hdmi cable you’re using. It’s hdmi, these things should just work.

I checked the official adapter thread on apple store and I don’t think I have ever seen worse feedback for an apple product, and it’s not just from initial release 3 years back or so, it’s ongoing each and every week it appears with the same recurring feedback that it breaks after few weeks of usage. I’ll probably try at the apple store instead.

@arnaud and Fox1977: Could you please report any problems ocurring on the french forum hcfr so I can add them to my list and/or to see what problems ocurred there?

My french is really bad (had french in school, but that's more than 20 years ago...) but I'd love to read what our french speaking friends had to say about the A16. unfortunately online translators are no real solution either

I started to look at the thread but I suspect the french backers mostly ordered through the distributor (gilles gerin I think, forgive my spelling if not quite right) and he’s taking care of them through private mailing list or such and dealing with smyth directly. I’d then argue it’s almost better to keep your and his communication separate for the sake of smyth brothers sanity but still:
- p67, 2 sep., falcon666 (1st backer to receive his unit i think): no batteries for the remote, nasty clips for the tracker cable (i feel the same: you will simply risk breaking the wire when trying to clip it, the channel being either too small or too rigid)
- p68, 4 sep., falcon666: some A8 prirs don’t play on A16 (probably fixed by firmware update since)
- p69, 6 sep., falcon666: some issues with dolby upmixing (option 1 bugs, option 2 only works for atmos). I myself haven’t tried this so not sure what he’s referring too.
- p74, 25 sep., gearnet (maybe 3-4 people received it by now): deafening buzz in the middle of uhd playback of a dts-hd soundtrack (fixed upon reboot, supposedly fixed in FW 1.70)
- p75, 2 oct., gearnet: buzz is back in FW1.7, less loud but very frequent which makes it impossible to watch a movie (same uhd playback between pana ub9000 and lg 55c8). “This A16 is a total pos” is his harsh comment
- p75, 2 oct., gearnet: same buzz using in analog in vs bitstream from the pana player but no issue with a marantz ub400. It turns out the pana was a brand new unit and arrived defective...
- p77, 10 oct., You Gene (also reported a few pages back): display unreadable from a practical distance
- p78, 12 oct., You Gene: he’s reporting very familiar experience. Wait, this is a translation in french of what I wrote in english here lol
- the end

cheers,
Arnaud













For what it

 

[Dixter]

new firmware out... https://smyth-research.com/downloads/

 

[sander99]

new firmware out... https://smyth-research.com/downloads/

New features looking good!

 

[Got the Shakes]

new firmware out... https://smyth-research.com/downloads/

Am I seeing that they implemented audio passthrough?

Edit: I updated and can confirm that audio passthrough is now working. It's a bit of a convoluted way to get to the setting as it buried a few menus deep, but this makes my life so much easier and I can now get everything wired the way I want.