Info and forum posts by 'Mark H'
This user hasn't used our main site yet, so has no main account at present.
Joined on: Thursday, 26th October 2000, 13:37, Last used: Thursday, 26th October 2000, 13:37
Access Level: Harmless
About this user: A former hardware engineer....
This user has posted a total of 7 messages. On average, since joining, this user has posted 0 messages a day, or 0.01 messages a week. In the last 30 days, this user has posted 0 messages, which is on average 0 messages a day.
Recent Messages Posted:
RE: CD playback problems of Wharfedale 750s
Sadly, this is what the Wharfey does. I had the same experiences and was gobsmacked that it behaved this way. I even had it confirmed by Wharfedale.
More here on the older thread "Whafedale 750s - CD audio hiccups" at -
http://www.dvd.reviewer.co.uk/forums/thread.asp?Forum=211&Thread=6442
I couldn`t live with this and now have a Pioneer......
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news!
Mark
RE: Pioneer DV535
The Pioneer is DTS (&DD) cvompatible in so far as it`ll read the audio data streams from the DVDs and present it to an external decoder. If you have a decoder/amp which can handle DD/DTS then you simply make a single cable connection between the boxes and the decoder/amp will do the decode and give you the surround sound.
IF you are using external amps (no decoder), then you`ll need something to decode the DD/DTS streams. The Pioneer doesn`t have this built in. All it does is feed you a stereo output (presumably Pro Logic compatible - i.e. the older analog surround sound standard).
So you have to decide. If you want full 5.1 audio (in full digital glory), you`ll need something external to the Pioneer to create all the channels. If you only want stereo, or already have a DD/DTS decoder/amp then the Pioneer will do everything you need, and it`s excellent picture quality will make this a good choice.
If you are unsure about any of this stuff then talk to your local supplier. They`ll not only talk you through it, but show you all the boxes/connections.
Good luck,
Mark
p.s. I was also keen on the cheap Toshiba, but didn`t need the internal decoder that it provides. The Pioneer is reckoned to have a better picture quality.
RE: Pioneer DV535
Martin - I just bought one after briefly owning a Mico and a Wharfedale (which both had unacceptable features).
So far I am very happy with this Pioneer. I have only found one thing which has bugged me - the RGB output timing isn`t quite compatible with my Philips TV. I *suspect* that the timings are a little tighter than my TV can cope with, and I get wide area flicker on certain scenes (I assume that the black-level clamping isn`t working quite right). The RGB output is fine with a friend`s Sony TV though. On my own TV I am now using S-Video, and it works just fine.
The machine is quick, and the picture quality is excellent. I am using the digital audio out with an ARCAM decoder/amp, and it sounds fine (so I can`t comment on the analogue). I suppose you know that it doesn`t have a built in DD or DTS - obviously not an issue for me.
The remote is a little fiddly, but sensibly laid out and works well. It is better than most remotes, but still not perfect.
All things considered, I am extremely happy with this Pioneer, but I recommend you try out the TV compatibility and "feel" the remote - those are the only areas of (potential) weakness that I`ve found.
I was able to get mine at £240 from a local Hi-Fi shop (in Cambridge). It was an ex-display unit, but a boxed one would have been £250. It was multi-region at this price, but I don`t know which chip it uses. All I know is that it plays R1 (as PAL-60) and R2 just fine - though I haven`t tried it with anything too nasty yet.
I`ve not seen any reviews of this yet, but the two or three shops I talked to rated it extremely highly on picture quality - the said it was the best they`d seen at the price (but they would say that wouldn`t they!) I`m certainly happy.
I bought the Pioneer in preference to the Sony (bacuse I don`t believe the Sony can do R1 in PAL). Hitachi was on my list of possibles, but I never found one to look over.
Hope this helps. Good luck.
Mark
RE: Whafedale 750s - CD audio hiccups
Mathew - Thanks for the independent confirmation.
I called Wharfedale, and even managed to get past their "call Tesco" defences! The guy I spoke to confirmed that this was "normal" for the 750s, but that the machine was "good value" so I shouldn`t be upset(!)
I did point out that the machine had the CDAudio logo on the front, and that it would therefore be reasonable to expect it to obey the CDAudio standard (which certainly DOES NOT expect you to pause at track index points!) He said that he`d pass the feedback to their product folks, but there was nothing that they could do.
So, my Wharfey went back to Tescos, and I am now the proud owner of a Pioneer DV-535. (Third time lucky - Mico, Wharfey, Pioneer).
The Pioneer cost me £240 and is multi-region. The picture is superb and the machine is really quick. So far I`ve had absolutely no problems with R1 or R2, and it even plays Audio CDs without pauses! So I consider this a result. It`ll be interesting to see how the machine reviews in the mags (I couldn`t find any when I bought). However, all the shops I spoke to rated it highly on picture quality, and I agree.
So it`s a shame about the Wharfey coz I otherwise liked it as a machine. It`s a bit slow and doesn`t feel as well made as some other budget decks, but otherwise seemed like a capable performer with good features.
Mark
RE: Whafedale 750s - CD audio hiccups
Thanks for the info. I was suspicious that this was the case.
I`d still appreciate confirmation from any 750s owners as I can`t believe that Wharfedale can have intended this behaviour. It`s crazy - and a pretty basic mistake.
If anyone wants to check this on another 750s machines, you don`t actually need a CD with continuous music - just any old CD Audio disk will do. If you watch the time counter carefully at the point where one track ends and the next starts, the machine will stall for a couple of seconds at the point just before the end of a track. The next track will start after this stall (which is a break of about 2-3seconds). My time counter just stalls at this point.......
If this happens with all 750s, I am not sure how Wharfedale can legitimately put the CDAudio decal on the front panel. This cannot be CD Audio standard. I recall that the CD Audio standard length of around 74mins was defined by the head of Sony because he had a favourite Beethoven symphony which was this length! I can`t imagine that this guy would be happy listening to his favourite symphony with periodic 3 second gaps! Doh!
Does anyone have any further confirmation? This sucks!
If this is "how it is" then it`ll be going back. OK, so that`ll be a Mico and a Wharfedale crossed off the list. I *might* try the Scan next...... gulp! (Either that or go crazy and buy the new Arcam!)
Mark
RE: Whafedale 750s - CD audio hiccups
Presumably that "requirement" is not a part of the original CD audio standard? And, it is diametrically opposite to what an Audio CD should do. i.e. many pieces of music play continuosly through the track index. I wouldn`t expect to go to a concert and have brief pauses at those points!
Can anyone confirm that this is how other 750s behave? Is there a number I can call at Wharfedale to check?
Is the 750s capable of firmware field upgrades? I am worried that this is a firmware bug, and it would be nice to be able to fix it. (I otherwise like this Wharfedale - the Mico is nicer in many ways, but the lack of a Standby function was a showstopper for me).
Thanx
Mark
Whafedale 750s - CD audio hiccups
Help! I`ve just got a 750s which I am generally happy with. (And can confirm that the new region hack works - though the old one doesn`t! - and the R1 plays well when the unit is set to PAL-60)
However, I have a new problem which I`m suspicious is a design defect.
When I play audio CDs, the player "stalls" for about 3 seconds between audio tracks. In other words, if I play classical music, or Pink Floyd, where the music is continuous, but with multiple index points, the music just stops for about three seconds at each index point! THIS IS VERY ANNOYING and sounds like a firmware bug.....
Has anyone experienced else experienced this? Tesco`s local support representative suggests the machine is faulty, but, since I am a hardware engineer, I am deeply suspicious this is just how the firmware is - and I don`t want to go through the hassle of changing it only to find that the next one is just the same......
Any ideas?
Thanx
Mark