[Sanctuary]

I am not sure (maybe an A8 owner can correct me if i am wrong) but I think it is not so much the fact that you used the ALL method, but the way you used it.
On page 32 of the A8 manual they show the following menu:

As I understand it with the ALL method you can measure all speakers in one go if you select them all in above menu. Or select 6 of them to measure 5.1 channels and afterwards select one or both of the others to be measured in a seperate measurement step. My guess would be that for each group of selected speakers all of those speakers would be measured while looking center, then all while looking left, etc.(?) So maybe you selected them all one by one instead of first selecting 6 channels together? Just guessing here. Otherwise I don't know, I just don't know the A8 that well.

Nah, you actually have to have them set to ON in the first place or they won't be recorded. It is even reflected with each light on the front panel that represents each speaker. Even when having six ON (and lit) for a 5.1 PRIR, when using the ALL mode, you still had to turn your head each time, for each speaker individually. The ALL mode can't be the same mode that was being used in the demonstration though.

What ALL does, is it creates virtual speakers for every channel, but then the actual speakers you are using overwrite any virtual speaker. This allows you to do multiple sweep takes using separate speakers without it erasing your previous speaker recordings (unless you specifically want to do them again). It keeps this information until you finalize and then save at the end. It then takes all of your previous speaker recordings for that particular session, then saves them all as a single PRIR with no virtuals left, aside from what you might have intentionally left.

I knew that things had changed with the A16, but until I actually get mine...whenever that might be, all I have to go on in the meantime is what the A8 can do, and I was wanting to get a great 7.1 PRIR and simply add the heights later on after the A16 arrives.

Hmm...

In the basic ALL procedure as described earlier, a system is captured exactly as it is, with a full set of real speakers being emulated as virtual speakers. All the channels are switched on at the start, all are switched on for saving at the end, and SAVE AT END is set to YES at the outset.

In addition, a very useful aspect of the ALL procedure is that one can create additional channels and speaker placements by measuring one or more speakers in certain positions and then moving the speaker or speakers to other positions for additional measurements. A real stereo pair can become a virtual set of five or seven; a single subwoofer can become a pair, etc.

The measurements are made in stages. Set SAVE AT END to NO at the outset. Press CAL and turn on only the channel or channels to be measured in the first round, which must always include Channel 1. Run the level calibration. Press SPK and verify that the same channel or channels are turned on, and run the sweeps.

Next move the speaker or speakers to the next desired locations and repeat the CAL and SPK procedures. There can be as many stages as you wish; run both CAL and SPK each time.

Before the final stage, set SAVE AT END to YES. (If you forget to set SAVE AT END to YES before the final round, simply set it to YES and run one of the sweeps again, but not
channel 1.

I primarily focused on getting a good 7.1 PRIR, which absolutely required us to look left and right for every speaker individually, and the dedicated 5.1 PRIR was given less attention, but I swear we had to do the exact same procedure even when recording all of those at the same time. Mainly because when I would actually go for a 7.1 PRIR, I only had the five speakers to work with anyway and the recording process for 5.1 and 5.1 for 7.1 ended up being identical aside from "save at end". It would make sense if there's actually a discrepancy when needing to add speakers compared to recording them all in one go, and it's quite possible I'm just misremembering the 5.1 PRIR process, but I don't believe I am. I'll know soon enough though.

 

[pervysage]

Is there any benefit to using headtracking for a gamer who is just always looking straight forward at a monitor in front of them?

 

[Litlgi74]

Is there any benefit to using headtracking for a gamer who is just always looking straight forward at a monitor in front of them?

Yes... Unless you have your head in a vice... Even small movements without head tracking subtract from the illusion.

That being said... the wires are a pain in the butt... hopefully the wireless version comes soon.

 

[Sanctuary]

Yes... Unless you have your head in a vice... Even small movements without head tracking subtract from the illusion.

That being said... the wires are a pain in the butt... hopefully the wireless version comes soon.

The wires are a pain, and it also just depends on the individual. I personally never use it, and it doesn't "break" the illusion for me, because I'm generally stationary. Extremely slight shifts every now and then, or the occasional stretch are irrelevant compared to the comfort of not having to deal with a cordgy. Pretty much everyone else I've had demo my A8 think the feature is "neat", but don't want to use it either when actually watching a film.

In the end, it's just up to whomever is using it to decide for themselves.

 

[Litlgi74]

Pretty much everyone else I've had demo my A8 think the feature is "neat", but don't want to use it either when actually watching a film.

My wife will NEVER use it... and makes fun of me for doing so!

 

[Sanctuary]

My wife will NEVER use it... and makes fun of me for doing so!

You have to admit that it does look pretty silly, and even in a dark room you still know you look silly.

 

[Litlgi74]

You have to admit that it does look pretty silly, and even in a dark room you still know you look silly.

Teletubbyish...

 

[jk6661]

The wires are a pain, and it also just depends on the individual. I personally never use it, and it doesn't "break" the illusion for me, because I'm generally stationary. Extremely slight shifts every now and then, or the occasional stretch are irrelevant compared to the comfort of not having to deal with a cordgy. Pretty much everyone else I've had demo my A8 think the feature is "neat", but don't want to use it either when actually watching a film.

In the end, it's just up to whomever is using it to decide for themselves.

I second this. I tried the head tracker with the A8 and hated it. For me, it shifted the balance an unrealistic amount with even a slight turn of my head, and I found myself focused on keeping the green dot exactly in the middle, which distracted me from my music. I haven't even tried it with the A16. That said, some people really like it. To each their own.

 

[jk6661]

Does anyone know if the A16 video pass-through function also passes audio to your TV (when the A16 is on)? I can only get it to pass video, but I might be doing something wrong.

 

[phoenixdogfan]

Yes... Unless you have your head in a vice... Even small movements without head tracking subtract from the illusion.

That being said... the wires are a pain in the butt... hopefully the wireless version comes soon.

Amen to that. Especially true for me as I use a THX 789 as my amp which is on a table beside my listening chair while my A16 sits across the room in my equiipment cabinet/tv stand. They had wireless for the A8, I don't know what act of stupidity on their part led them to believe a strand of spaghetti wire (which anyone can trip on and damage) would be the people's choice for the A16. As far as I'm concerned it ranks right up there with the 4 sq in, micro window interface with no web interface as the absolute worst design choice.

 

[sander99]

Does anyone know if the A16 video pass-through function also passes audio to your TV (when the A16 is on)? I can only get it to pass video, but I might be doing something wrong.

I am afraid not. Also that would not be so straight forward. The source will negotiate via HDMI with the receiving end what format to send. If the A16 is on and the source can deliver Dolby True HD based Atmos but the TV can not handle that, what should happen?

 

[jk6661]

I am afraid not. Also that would not be so straight forward. The source will negotiate via HDMI with the receiving end what format to send. If the A16 is on and the source can deliver Dolby True HD based Atmos but the TV can not handle that, what should happen?

I get that, but it would be nice if Smyth had found a way to at least pass through stereo along with the video. I’m having trouble finding a splitter that will send Dolby from my Roku to the A16 and 4K plus any sound at all from the Roku to my TV (so I can hear audio for a given movie through either the TV speakers or the A16, depending on who’s watching). I know splitters have been discussed before in this thread, but I’m not having any luck. Having to reach back and manually switch HDMI cables around all the time sucks.

 

[Camano]

I get that, but it would be nice if Smyth had found a way to at least pass through stereo along with the video. I’m having trouble finding a splitter that will send Dolby from my Roku to the A16 and 4K plus any sound at all from the Roku to my TV (so I can hear audio for a given movie through either the TV speakers or the A16, depending on who’s watching). I know splitters have been discussed before in this thread, but I’m not having any luck. Having to reach back and manually switch HDMI cables around all the time sucks.

This splitter should work: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07VP37KMB
Read the questions about the settings for connecting it to a 4K TV and Atmos soundbar/AV receiver.

I was trying to use it to fake Amazon Prime into thinking my 1080 TV was a 4K TV so it would do Atmos sound. I can verify that it did pass Atmos on the secondary output. I haven't tried it with my new 4K TV since I ended up using an HDMI switch.

 

[Litlgi74]

I get that, but it would be nice if Smyth had found a way to at least pass through stereo along with the video. I’m having trouble finding a splitter that will send Dolby from my Roku to the A16 and 4K plus any sound at all from the Roku to my TV (so I can hear audio for a given movie through either the TV speakers or the A16, depending on who’s watching). I know splitters have been discussed before in this thread, but I’m not having any luck. Having to reach back and manually switch HDMI cables around all the time sucks.

Works for me... Passes HDR and Atmos... https://a.aliexpress.com/_mM22UfT

 

[phoenixdogfan]

I get that, but it would be nice if Smyth had found a way to at least pass through stereo along with the video. I’m having trouble finding a splitter that will send Dolby from my Roku to the A16 and 4K plus any sound at all from the Roku to my TV (so I can hear audio for a given movie through either the TV speakers or the A16, depending on who’s watching). I know splitters have been discussed before in this thread, but I’m not having any luck. Having to reach back and manually switch HDMI cables around all the time sucks.

It does. Go to the menu for Settings ===> System===> HDMI Settings===>and toggle on bypass for whatever input giving you
program material that you want to bypass the smyth and pass through to your selected output.