[audiohobbit]

Hm, I just had a look at the spec sheet that is on their page at the moment (actually it's from Jan. 2017) and there's no mentioning of HDMI bitstream OUT, neither in the text on the first page, nor in the block daigram further down: https://smyth-research.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/RealiserA16datasheet.pdf
Compare this to the first block diagram that's been posted with the KS campaign: https://ksr-ugc.imgix.net/assets/01...-q=50&q=92&s=c25a2058dc46606eb91b2cb5eeb10f59

That clearly stated 36.8 Mbps bitstream OUT.
So it seems (maybe with the updated HDMI board?) the bitstream output has been lost somewhere on the way and we'll never get Atmos measuring signals out of the HDMI output!

The only hope left is the measuring disc with Atmos for the asynchronous measuring mode. But I doubt that this will become reality in the near future.

 

[Got the Shakes]

Hm, I just had a look at the spec sheet that is on their page at the moment (actually it's from Jan. 2017) and there's no mentioning of HDMI bitstream OUT, neither in the text on the first page, nor in the block daigram further down: https://smyth-research.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/RealiserA16datasheet.pdf
Compare this to the first block diagram that's been posted with the KS campaign: https://ksr-ugc.imgix.net/assets/01...-q=50&q=92&s=c25a2058dc46606eb91b2cb5eeb10f59

That clearly stated 36.8 Mbps bitstream OUT.
So it seems (maybe with the updated HDMI board?) the bitstream output has been lost somewhere on the way and we'll never get Atmos measuring signals out of the HDMI output!

The only hope left is the measuring disc with Atmos for the asynchronous measuring mode. But I doubt that this will become reality in the near future.

Well I can confirm from testing last night that it will pass video out, but it won’t passthrough any audio to my tv which is really annoying. I either need a convoluted setup using splitters, or be resigned to the fact that I need to wear headphones every time I use a device connected to the A16

 

[VerloK]

My most wanted question, is the A16 good enough to kick my dac+HPAmp away.
Lks-mh d004 + AudioValve RKV3.

Regards

 

[teacher1000]

Well I can confirm from testing last night that it will pass video out, but it won’t passthrough any audio to my tv which is really annoying. I either need a convoluted setup using splitters, or be resigned to the fact that I need to wear headphones every time I use a device

Wow. I really hope there's some kind of obscure setting somewhere that needs to be toggled.
I find it difficult to believe audio pass-through is missing. My understanding is that for Dolby certification the A16 had to be able to function as a home theatre pre-amp, however basic (Stephen told me this a couple of years back). If the only way is by using the analog outs that's going to screw most users

 

[audiohobbit]

Furthermore the FAQ states:

. Can the PRIR measurement sweeps be output over HDMI ?


Yes. The A16 can output PRIR sweeps over the 8-ch PCM HDMI bus. Hence up to 8 down-stream speakers can be measured. Sweeps can also be directed to the 16-ch analog outputs, the SPDIF or the mono speaker/tactile output. More importantly, the A16 also implements a new asynchronous measurement method that allows sweeps to be played from a DVD player using either a DVD disc, an SD card or a USB drive. This allows measurements to be made in a completely closed system like in-car. It also makes it considerably easier to persuade , for example, Hi-Fi showroom, studio and cinema owners to offer Realiser owners measurement facilities since no connection/disruption to their audio chain occurs – they simply have to insert the DVD sweep disc and hit play.

They talk about a DVD, so probably no Atmos measuring signal, even with the disc.

What theoretically could work is if you can assign 8 ch out of up to 16 to the HDMI PCM out and then to an AVR (with the speakers to be measured connected to the corresponding channels) for a first PRIR of e.g. the 7.1 setup and then reassign and reconnect 4 (or 6) height speakers.
If this would work then at least people with AVRs that have no 8ch analog inputs will have a better chance to measure up to 16 speakers with two measurement runs.

 

[Richter Di]

Just got my email from the Smyth’s
I was Kickstarter Backer #10

Would you mind to put your Backer number in the signature?

Long time lurker, first time poster. It's nice to hear reports from people ahead of the line since the Smyths aren't that good in reporting the situation. I was supposed to be one of the first backers but for some reason I was an hour late to the party back in 2016. I had to wake up in the middle of the night to make sure I got the early bird price. I'm backer #36.

Same request. Would be extremely helpful for the conversations here.

 

[Got the Shakes]

Wow. I really hope there's some kind of obscure setting somewhere that needs to be toggled.
I find it difficult to believe audio pass-through is missing. My understanding is that for Dolby certification the A16 had to be able to function as a home theatre pre-amp, however basic (Stephen told me this a couple of years back). If the only way is by using the analog outs that's going to screw most users

I believe that the pre-amp functionality is at least for the time being is locked to the analog out. I looked for a setting that might help but couldn’t find anything. To be honest I’m not sure I know what half of the setting in the menu do without the manual.

 

[Richter Di]

As someone who updated over 300 technical manuals for Eaton (formerly Cutler-Hammer) electrical breakers as part of my college internship, I’m not surprised they ditched the paper manual and are going with digital delivery. So much is going to change and evolve over time, and maybe (hopefully) they’ll have someone take a second (or fifth) pass through it and offer readability suggestions.

Maybe the firmware update changed enough to merit them re-writing significant portions. I know I can’t write a whole manual in less than a handful of days.

I guess you misunderstood me. I fully agree to the use of a digital version. I still think with delivery you have to have a manual even if you have to change it for next firmware version.

 

[Richter Di]

The A16 manual was ready to be placed on the site but the firmware update caused a few screens to change on the A16 so they are adding the changes and will then upload it...

I asked you already, where do you get your infos from?

 

[audiohobbit]

My understanding is that for Dolby certification the A16 had to be able to function as a home theatre pre-amp, however basic (Stephen told me this a couple of years back). If the only way is by using the analog outs that's going to screw most users

Which AV-preamp has multichannel (more than 8) DIGITAL pre-outs?
Serving as a complete AV preamp would be ideal. You have to have either active speakers or power amps connected to the analogue preouts of the A16 (up to 16 channels) and you can use it as Atmos-decoding preamp or Atmos decoding SVS processing unit. And measuring all your loudspeakers would also be no problem.
That is just how the Smyths done it at the demos.

 

[Eich1eeF]

Hm, I just had a look at the spec sheet that is on their page at the moment (actually it's from Jan. 2017) and there's no mentioning of HDMI bitstream OUT, neither in the text on the first page, nor in the block daigram further down: [...]
That clearly stated 36.8 Mbps bitstream OUT.
So it seems (maybe with the updated HDMI board?) the bitstream output has been lost somewhere on the way and we'll never get Atmos measuring signals out of the HDMI output!

There was indeed a change as part of the HDMI board upgrade. See the bottom left of the third page of http://www.mds.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/HSR-5th_rev2b.pdf Only one I2S line (i.e. stereo) is available for audio output with the Lattice part, versus 4 I2S in the prior generation boards. [...] Internally to the HDMI chip all audio can be passed through for a bypass mode. So this mode only has to be enabled.

The only hope left is the measuring disc with Atmos for the asynchronous measuring mode. But I doubt that this will become reality in the near future.

I still think that the test signal should fit in the bandwidth of the 2 audio output channels. I can think of two reasons why that might not work: (1) the output may be hard wired as PCM and (2) it may not be possible to direct an Atmos decoder to play back an object exclusively over one specific speaker. The latter would also be a problem for an external test signal blu ray.

 

[teacher1000]

Which AV-preamp has multichannel (more than 8) DIGITAL pre-outs?
Serving as a complete AV preamp would be ideal. You have to have either active speakers or power amps connected to the analogue preouts of the A16 (up to 16 channels) and you can use it as Atmos-decoding preamp or Atmos decoding SVS processing unit. And measuring all your loudspeakers would also be no problem.
That is just how the Smyths done it at the demos.

Ah, point taken. That makes sense

 

[audiohobbit]

(2) it may not be possible to direct an Atmos decoder to play back an object exclusively over one specific speaker.

Yes, exactly my thoughts as well.

 

[Eich1eeF]

Which AV-preamp has multichannel (more than 8) DIGITAL pre-outs?

The Trinnov Altitude or Storm Audio ISP, for example.

 

[audiohobbit]

Ok, then you need extra DACs because the amp at the end will be analogue, even if it's a "digital" amp.