# Arcam FMJ AV888 Processor: Official Thread



## recruit

*In Detail
*
Since the early 1990’s, Arcam has been dedicated to bringing high fidelity sound to the world of home cinema. Using audio technology usually reserved for audiophile stereo equipment, Arcam have pushed the boundaries for combined music and movie reproduction. The AV8 and AV9 AV processors have won numerous awards for sound and video quality around the world while Arcam’s audiophile AV receivers have gained wide critical acclaim in the more affordable sector.

Wolfson 8741 Digital to Analogue converters are deployed across all eight channels bringing ultra linear conversion of digital audio signals. Individual, multi-regulated power supplies feed all critical audio stages with studio grade Burr Brown DRV134 balanced line drivers used for balanced audio outputs to drive longer cable runs or active speaker configurations with extreme fidelity

To help eliminate the large volume jumps often found in broadcast TV sound user selectable Dolby Volume* processing is included, a world’s first for an AV processor. In addition Dolby Volume includes programme dependant tonal correction to deliver a richer, more realistic sound experience at low listening levels.

The AV888s internal video processing delivers sublime video using broadcast quality scaling and frame rate conversion from Pixelworks. Up-conversion of all video inputs to HDMI output at all commonly used standard or high definition resolutions is possible making system integration a simple affair. Full RS232 and IR connectivity are deployed along with IP control and dedicated interface for control and audiophile playback of iPods using the rDock or rLead.

Arcam’s world wide reputation for sound quality has come from over thirty years of experience and legendary attention to detail. All of this experience has been brought to bear in the development of the AV888 and as a result its sound quality is simply world-class. No matter what the program material, from the most explosive block blockbuster action to the most subtle musical detail, the AV888 will delivers simply breathtaking performance




























*Analogue Audio*

* Audiophile quality components for best sound quality
* Multi-channel 7.1 analogue input for DVD-A or SACD sources
* Stereo direct mode bypasses and disables all digital processing for 2 channel analogue sources
* 9 stereo analogue inputs (including one MM phono input & front 3.5mm AUX input)
* Zone 2 stereo audio, from analogue inputs (Source and volume control independent from main zone)
* Zone 3 stereo audio, from analogue inputs, linked to Zone 2, volume control independent
* Support for iPod via Arcam rLead / rDock (independent of RS232 connection)


*Digital Audio*

* State of the art Analog Devices ADSP-21366 & ADSP-21367 DSPs for surround decoding
* Wolfson 8471 high end 24bit 192kHz audio DACs
* Crystal Semiconductor stereo ADC and precision electronic volume controls
* Burr Brown DRV134 Balanced line drivers
* Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Digital+, Dolby Digital EX, Dolby Pro Logic IIx, DTS HD Master Audio*
* DTS High Resolution Audio, DTS-ES Discrete, DTS-ES Matrix, DTS96/24, DTS Neo:6**
* Dolby Volume gain management and Tonal correction processing*
* Dolby Volume processing for balancing of program material gain and tonal balance
* Adjustable crossover switching 40Hz, 60Hz, 80Hz, 100Hz, 120Hz, 150Hz
* 8 digital inputs 4 rear optical, 3 co-axial, 1 front 3.5mm optical AUX input
* Global audio delay, adjustable from 0-1000 milliseconds, to compensate for video processing delays in digital displays and sources with auto lip-sync for compatible displays


*Video*

* 5 HDMI inputs (up to 1080p, Deep Colour)
* 2 HDMI outputs (up to 1080p, Deep Colour)
* 5 Component inputs, one monitor output (up to 1080i)
* 5 S-video inputs, one monitor output, 2 tape outputs
* 5 Composite video inputs, one monitor output, 2 tape outputs
* Full video up/down conversion & frame rate conversion of all inputs where technically allowed
* Video enhancements (per input): Edge enhancement, Mosquito noise reduction, Random noise reduction, Block noise reduction


*Custom Install Features*

* Independent Zone 2 (audio & video), with fixed/variable volume
* Zone 3 audio with fixed/variable volume (follows Zone 2)
* Balanced audio outputs (XLR) for long cables or active speakers
* RC-5 remote input jacks for all three zones
* IP control over Ethernet
* IR pass through for source components
* Full suite of discrete IR RC-5 codes, including separate on / off etc
* 12Volt triggers, on / off for zones 1, 2 and 3
* Full duplex RS232 control input for more complex control systems
* Audio streaming and Internet radio via Ethernet port

*
General*

* Supplied with back-lit CR102 learning remote
* control with support for up to 7 other components and a huge on-board code library
* Large, high contrast dimmable VFD front panel display
* User switchable between 120 & 230 volt
* mains supplies
* Size – 435mm (17.1in) wide, 415mm (16.3in)
* deep, 185mm (7.3in) high
* Weight 12kg (26.5lbs) nett, 17kg (37.5lbs) packed


 *Arcam FMJ AV888 Owners Manual* 

 *Arcam FMJ AV888 Processor Review at the Shack*


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## recruit

Please could owners and members use this as the Official Arcam AV888 thread for discussion and questions


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## Ilya13

*Re: Arcam FMJ AV888 Processor*

Hello everyone, have found this forum looking for reviews on the 888 and I would like to ask a question. I am looking to upgrade my amp (which is Harman Kardon atm), and reading all the great reviews of the AVR600 and 888 I feel pretty strongly locked on Arcam . My listening is about 50/50 music/movies and my budget is not very high. Could you guys give me an advance what path would be better to go purely for sound quality, get a used power amp like the P7 and add something like the 888 or just go for one box solution like 600 or 500 (again purely for sound quality, I'm mostly listening to classical).

Thanks in advance!


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## Lordoftherings

*Re: Arcam FMJ AV888 Processor*

Hi Ilya, and Welcome to The Shack, 

John is the Arcam expert. And from what I know and learn myself, the Pre/Pro FMJ AV888 is even better sounding than it's cousin the FMJ AVR600. That's why John did the switch I believe.
The amp P7 is a very nice amp, it will be the perfect match with the AV888.

I'm sure John can tell you more about it. He should be back soon. His hours are different than mine and yours (near London, UK).

* Again, if you're after that last drop in sound quality, the AV888 is it.
But the FMJ AVR600 HD Surround Receiver is no slouch either, it is in fact what I believe to be even better sounding than many expensive separates, and of all A/V receivers of course.
There is one very positive review from Home Theater Mag., by Mark Fleischmann, in the June 2009 issue.
And another one from Widescreen Review, by Peter Moncrieff, in the May/June 2009 issue.
-> You can read that last one here for now: http://www.arcam.co.uk/_ugc/file/avr600wsr-web.pdf

))) But wait for John to learn more about the FMJ AV888 though...

Cheers mate,
Bob


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## recruit

*Re: Arcam FMJ AV888 Processor*

Hi Ilya13 and welcome to the Shack :T you have certainly found the right place for everything you need to know about AV!

I think you are taking the right approach by looking at a power amp such as the Arcam P7 and I know of a few people who have gone for the AV888 and matched it with the P7 rather than the P777 which is a more a cost effective solution, but you are still keeping SQ at it's best, I have actually matched mine with a Rotel RMB1575 with very good results, the rotel being very a neutral sounding amp and allowing the AV888 SQ to shine through.

The AVR600 is also an amazing receiver and I had one for approx 1 month before changing over to the pre/pro, it is easily the best sounding Integrated AV amp on the market IMO and strikes an excellent balance between movies and music, the amplifier section of the AVR600 is very strong and will power almost nearly all speakers with relative ease but it is also quite efficient being class G so runs fairly cool to the touch even when listening at extreme levels.

My personal opinion is that if you can stretch that bit extra then the AV888 & P7 would be the one to go for as it steps up in SQ by quite a bit being more refined and detailed at the top end of the frequency spectrum but also having more impact in the lower regions/bass, both music and movies are a pleasure to watch and listen to and it never fails to amaze me with it's quality even now after a good few months of owning it.

Saying this and if I could not stretch the extra I would be more than happy with the AVR600 as it is just so good, a refined and well rounded AV amp and highly recommended by many.

Any other questions then please ask?


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## Ilya13

*Re: Arcam FMJ AV888 Processor*

Thank you very much guys for the reply, as I understand any of the 2 solutions would be great for me, so I will probably have to see how much of my budget I can squeeze out and then decide on it... Will keep you informed


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## recruit

*Re: Arcam FMJ AV888 Processor*



Ilya13 said:


> Thank you very much guys for the reply, as I understand any of the 2 solutions would be great for me, so I will probably have to see how much of my budget I can squeeze out and then decide on it... Will keep you informed


Yes, definitely let us know how you get on, one thing I will point out that while the AVR500 has excellent SQ it really is a cut down version of it's bigger brother the AVR600, you lose pre outs/Network card and also slightly less power which certainly need to be taken into consideration, losing pre outs does not give you the flexibility of using a power amp for upgrading which to some is a big loss.

Here is the AVR500 thread I started just in case you were also considering that option  Arcam FMJ AVR500 7.1 Receiver: Pre-Release Thread


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## sailcappy

*Re: Arcam FMJ AV888 Processor*

Would this be the place to ask question on the FMJ888? I just got my unit and I have some operational questions. 
1. How do you find out what firmware is installed on the unit?
2. I have unit set to Use DHCP to connect to the internet and it will not connect? I have a cable modem going to a router.

Thanking you in advance for your help!


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## recruit

*Re: Arcam FMJ AV888 Processor*



sailcappy said:


> Would this be the place to ask question on the FMJ888? I just got my unit and I have some operational questions.
> 1. How do you find out what firmware is installed on the unit?
> 2. I have unit set to Use DHCP to connect to the internet and it will not connect? I have a cable modem going to a router.
> 
> Thanking you in advance for your help!


I do not see why not.

1/ on the front of the AV888 hold down the menu button until it brings up the engineering menu, you will see what firmware versions are loaded.

2/ You have it set correctly for the Network connection with DHCP set to on as it will then auto assign the IP details, I would try a different cable, I am sure it is a straight CAT5 cable you need.

Also for Internet Radio you need to log in to the following website and you can add favourite stations to your AV888 listings as it is specific to your unit http://www.arcamradio.co.uk/setupapp/arc/asp/AuthLogin/SignIn.asp go to the part where it says "*Please enter the ID # for your unit (more info about the ID #):*"


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## sailcappy

*Re: Arcam FMJ AV888 Processor*

Thank you I will purchase a CAT 5 cable right away.

My system locks up when I power up my cable box, TV and 888 from standby. I have programed my universal remote to power up the Cable Box first, TV Second then pause before powering up the 888. The 888 freezes and I have to power it completly off and back on again and it clears up the problem. I have Software version V1.9. and DSP Firmware V0.11. 

Suggestions?
Thanks again!

BTW - This pre/pro is killer on Music, TV and Blueray and I am so happy with the results!


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## recruit

*Re: Arcam FMJ AV888 Processor*

It certainly is a beautiful sound that the AV888 produces for sure :T

It can be quirky in some ways but mine has been fine for sometime now until the other day when I bought my new Cyrus CD player, when playing CD's I like to have Sky TV on in the background while the music is playing and this you can set in the menu, but when I used the Cyrus remote to turn off the player for some reason it cut the video signal in the AV888 and made it lock up, so to solve this I programmed the CR102 remote to control my Cyrus and no problems everything is ok.

What I would suggest that if you do get problems then just send off a quick email [email protected] ref to any issues and they will forward them on to the senior software engineers for them to look at and possibly resolve with the next firmware update.


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## recruit

I have moved some posts actually over to the Official AV888 thread where questions will probably be best kept


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## sailcappy

Cat 5 didnt help. I will contact Arcam. The Arcam Radio site does not recognize my Arcam number. Sigh.


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## recruit

sailcappy said:


> Cat 5 didnt help. I will contact Arcam. The Arcam Radio site does not recognize my Arcam number. Sigh.


Ok, that seems like a good Idea, but also speak to your dealer seeing it is such a premium product, one other thing have you tried a factory reset and re-configure?

Edit: It does seem as if you are not getting access to the internet though via your connection, can you see the relevant IP addresses being generated in the Network screen?


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## recruit

sailcappy said:


> Cat 5 didnt help. I will contact Arcam. The Arcam Radio site does not recognize my Arcam number. Sigh.


Do let us know how you get on David and if you resolve the issue?


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## sailcappy

So far no response from Arcam or my dealer. I will do a master reset of the unit and let you know how that goes. Thanks!


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## sailcappy

Just performed a master reset. it did not fix the networking problem. 

The 888 is no longer locking up on start up. By adjusting the universal remote to delay the start of the 888 by a few seconds gave the TV and Box more time to put out a stable signal. This seems to make the 888 happy and all seems to be well. 

I will let you know about the Networking issue when Arcam writes me back.


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## recruit

That is some good news David, when Arcam do contact you they may ask you to reload the Network card firmware, which was part of version 1.8 which could help, but stick with it.

I actually stream quite a bit of music from my PC also, can your PC see the Arcam and you have set permissions correctly for it to recognise and allow full access to music files...but if you are not seeing IP details on the Network screen then it is no no anyway...but just trying to think of different ways of testing.


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## sailcappy

How do you update firmware? Is there a specific cable I need to purchase? Also, not quite sure how to connect my PC. Little confused on that one.


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## recruit

sailcappy said:


> How do you update firmware? Is there a specific cable I need to purchase? Also, not quite sure how to connect my PC. Little confused on that one.


This I would get advice direct from your dealer or Arcam as it is fairly straight forward but must be done correctly, you will need a null modem cable to RS232 connection to a USB converter and the software updater via Arcam, they will/can send you the links for down loading and also for instructions of how to do it...

I went from 1.9 back down to 1.8 and then back to 1.9 to help a lock up issue I had when first bought it but it was my Oppo causing the issue, well that is all I can put it down to, but when I done the MR hardware MOD on the Oppo it cleared when I updated to the latest firmware


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## sailcappy

Currently my dealer is away. But I finally got an email from Arcam about my first issue. I will post it for others to see:

"We have found that the most reliable order to turn on a system is to turn on the AV888 first, followed by the display device. Turn on the HDMI cable box last, after waiting a few seconds for the TV to boot up.

Please be aware that an updated software release for the AV888 is due in the next week or so. Please contact your dealer for assistance with the update."

Arcam Tech Support


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## recruit

Atleast it gives advice and worth trying to see if this works, version 2.0 is due any day now so not too long to wait for an updated and improved firmware...here is the PDF for the version 2.0 software.


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## sailcappy

More info from Arcam about connecting to the web. I will try these options and let you know how it goes.

"Do you have your computer connected to the router? If so, can you connect to the internet using the computer? Your computer needs to be connected to the router as well as the AV888 if you want to stream audio from the computer to the AV888.



If your computer cannot connect to the internet via the router then there is a problem with your network setup. I suggest that you contact your internet service provider or other IT support contact for support with your network.



If your computer can connect to the internet via the router then there are some diagnostic steps you can take. Go into the AV888 setup menu and navigate to the Network option. If the MAC address is 12:34:56:78:90:AB then there is a fault with the network card in the AV888. If a different number is listed then the card is OK.



The IP address listed in the Network settings of the AV888 should correspond to your local network subnet, it will probably start with 192.168. If it doesn’t then this suggests that your DHCP server is not working properly.



If there is a valid IP address listed you can test the connection from a computer connected to the router. Open a web browser and type in the IP address of the AV888. You should see an information page. If no page is found, then there is a communication problem between the computer and the AV888."

Arcam Tech Support


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## recruit

Yeah, let us know how you get on and I do hope you get it sorted


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## recruit

I have just upgraded firmware to v2.2 and all seems fine, but you have to recalibrate the Component inputs if using them, which was a little tricky but got there in the end :whistling:

Here is the latest version attached...


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## sailcappy

Thanks, I still have not heard from my dealer so I don't know how to hook my computer up to my 888.


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## recruit

sailcappy said:


> Thanks, I still have not heard from my dealer so I don't know how to hook my computer up to my 888.


Hi David, yes I would wait until you have heard from your dealer considering the issues with the Network card, he should be the one sorting any problems out for you as this is a premium product.


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## sailcappy

Got the AV888 to connect to the Internet using DHCP. Switched ports on the router and booted up the Modem first, then the router and the AV888 connected using DHCP. Listening to an Alternative Liverpool radio station as we speak. Who needs a tuner!!!! What a relief to find a solution so simple.

Now I am waiting for the arrival of a Null modem RS232 cable and a RS232 to USP cable so I can upgrade my software. My next questions will be about the AV888 auto set up when all these components finally arrive. Thanks!

I just ordered the new Arcam irDock for my daughters iPod touch. I hate unused ports on my unit so I will wait and see what this new unit has to offer. 

Now all I have to do is wait for my center channel speaker, newly mod 3 channel HT amp and my newly mod OPPO to arrive and ill be really rocking! 

Sorry to get off track solving little problems like this gets me excited!


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## recruit

That is brilliant news David :T and let me know if you need any help for upgrading the software, to check what version you are running you need to hold down the menu button on the front of the AV888 (it then brings up the engineering menu on screen) and then you can decide whether you can go straight to v2.2, the MCU needs loading first and then DSP and a recalibration of the component inputs if using any.


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## sailcappy

Couple of updates. Good news and very bad news.

I got my null modem cable and USB to RS232 adaptor cable. I could not connect to the AV888. I then downloaded some free software that enabled my USB port to connect to 232. The update then worked like a charm.

Everything has been working fine for a few days and now the AV888 is freezing on start up and shutting down on start up as well. I have reset the unit 3 times now with some success only to have the problem repeat itself. I have another email in to ARCAM but support has been non existent this week.

Should I go back to the old firmware and do you have it?

My internet connection was lost and no matter what I do I can not get it back. The problem is between my Belkin Router and the AV888. When I bypass the router and go directly to the cable modem all is fine. Belkin support told me to ask ARCAM if they require an “Open Port” and if they do to supply the numbers. Again ARCAM support has not returned my emails this week. My Oppo just came back from a MOD from ASi Tech and it connected to the internet with the router in place with no problems.

Also when playing back a Dolby True HD DVD I could not get any audio out of the AV888. After about an hour I accidentally selected Dolby Volume to the ON position for the DVD input and music began to play out of the system. Why does Dolby Volume have to be on for Dolby True HD to decode? It does not say anything about this in the manual. 

Too many buttons sometimes!


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## recruit

Hello David,

Sorry to hear you are having problems but it does sound like the software is corrupted, I would re install the software both the MCU and DSP again, remember to do a factory reset after each firmware is installed, then you must recalibrate the component output via the PDF instructions.

If all else fails then you MUST get your dealership to sort the problem and sharpish as they should be giving you support.

Regards

John

BTW - Dolby Volume has nothing to do with Dolby True HD so software corruption.



sailcappy said:


> Couple of updates. Good news and very bad news.
> 
> I got my null modem cable and USB to RS232 adaptor cable. I could not connect to the AV888. I then downloaded some free software that enabled my USB port to connect to 232. The update then worked like a charm.
> 
> Everything has been working fine for a few days and now the AV888 is freezing on start up and shutting down on start up as well. I have reset the unit 3 times now with some success only to have the problem repeat itself. I have another email in to ARCAM but support has been non existent this week.
> 
> Should I go back to the old firmware and do you have it?
> 
> My internet connection was lost and no matter what I do I can not get it back. The problem is between my Belkin Router and the AV888. When I bypass the router and go directly to the cable modem all is fine. Belkin support told me to ask ARCAM if they require an “Open Port” and if they do to supply the numbers. Again ARCAM support has not returned my emails this week. My Oppo just came back from a MOD from ASi Tech and it connected to the internet with the router in place with no problems.
> 
> Also when playing back a Dolby True HD DVD I could not get any audio out of the AV888. After about an hour I accidentally selected Dolby Volume to the ON position for the DVD input and music began to play out of the system. Why does Dolby Volume have to be on for Dolby True HD to decode? It does not say anything about this in the manual.
> 
> Too many buttons sometimes!


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## sailcappy

Do you have the older software so I can try to back and then foward again?

Thanks!


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## recruit

sailcappy said:


> Do you have the older software so I can try to back and then foward again?
> 
> Thanks!


Yes, here is v1.9


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## sailcappy

New unit on it's way and it should be here by early next week. 

Do you know the pinout of the XLR outputs?

As always I really appreciate your help.


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## recruit

Hope the new unit turns out ok...

Here is a link to give you the pin outs you require for XLR connectors... HERE


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## sailcappy

New system arrived and all is well. No more software issues. I have given up on getting the internet working as both Belkin and Arcam are scratching their heads on this one.

Operational set up question for you if you don't mind? On the speaker type menu you can select Surr. L/R and Surr Back L/R. I only have a 5.1 system so Arcam is telling me to select the Surr. L/R which grays out the Back L/R. This then sends the Back L/R signal to all speakers. My question is on a typical 5.1 disc how is this decoded into this speaker arrangement? Would the signal for Back L/R get sent to all speakers or is it being sent to the Surr L/R speakers which are in my understanding used only in a 7.1 set up? In other words I would hope the as dolby deconds a 5.1 system the Arcam would send the signal for the rears to the Surr L/R instead of sending it to all of the speakers as Arcam does not let me select between Surr Back L/R and Surr. L/R.

Hope this makes sense!


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## recruit

Glad your new unit is all working well David :T

As far as I am aware if you are just using a 5.1 set up then all that will be sent to the surrounds is the SL/SR signal and not anything else, if you connect up for 7.1 then the auto set up will detect the extra speakers and if you have a 7.1 soundtrack then they will used.


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## recruit

Software version 2.3 now released !

http://www.gaia-technology.com/sites/arcam/extranet/downloads/av888_sw_v2-3.zip


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## recruit

recruit said:


> Software version 2.3 now released !
> 
> http://www.gaia-technology.com/sites/arcam/extranet/downloads/av888_sw_v2-3.zip


Not so great news on this software revision, I updated and all was fine and factory reset as normal then loaded secure backup memory and went to listen or watch a SACD/DVD via my Oppo 83 and great picture but NO sound  I rebooted a couple of times player and AV888 but no joy, so I have reverted back to v2.2 and all seems fine now :sweat:

Will send an email to Arcam to let them know.


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## Ashmanuk

Why cant things be simple AArrgghhhhhh

Hope it works out John


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## recruit

Ashmanuk said:


> Why cant things be simple AArrgghhhhhh
> 
> Hope it works out John


It looks as if there are several issues with the new v2.3 and all relate to HDMI handshaking issues, they have removed the auto sensing function and some how screwed up the synching of the hardware, v2.2 works fine on mine so am sticking with it and have no problems really just like to keep the software up to date but it certainly does not like v2.3, have sent the email so will see what they come back with Paul...


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## recruit

Just an update on this thread, I have been in contact with Arcam and specifically Matt who has been brilliant and emailed me as soon as he got my mail.

Basically v2.3 works fine when doing a fresh install and running through all the auto set up routine but the problem only arises when I do a secure restore of all my settings, it is something in that config that it does not like.

I could do a whole new set up but I have all my inputs renamed and cannot be bothered tbh, I do not have any problems running v2.2 so am sticking with that as all seems good anyway :T


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## recruit

Update: Arcams release of firmware v2.3 seemed to introduce more problems than resolve any for some users (and have removed it from the download site)so they are working on a new firmware to correct bugs found in v2.3 and will be released very shortly, after they have fully tested it.

v2.2 has been very solid for me but I will try v2.4 when it is released.


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## recruit

Firmware version 2.4 has been released by Arcam today officially and here is a link, I will try it on my unit but probably not today, but here is the link for others to download if required 

http://www.arcam.co.uk/_ugc/file/tor_files/fmj/av888/av888_sw_2-4.zip


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## recruit

I updated to v2.4 today but had similar results/issues as I did with v2.3 so once again have had to roll back to v2.2 which seems to be the most solid and stable firmware for AV888.

Notified Arcam about the similar results, it may be that if I did a fresh install rather than restoring my secure back up that it will not cause any issues but I just have too many settings and naming that will have to be done all over again, and 2.2 does not give me issues so the upgrade for me is just no good 

If there were new features added for me to use then I would be willing to start a fresh and install v2.4 but there is not, so until then I will stay with v2.2

This in no way has an affect on the SQ which is still stunning and I love the sound that Arcam gives.


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## Ashmanuk

Thankyou for letting us know recruit.


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## sailcappy

I updated to 2.4 today as I had time to re-do all of my setting. So far so good as all is working as expected. As I explore more I will keep you updated but so far so good.


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## recruit

sailcappy said:


> I updated to 2.4 today as I had time to re-do all of my setting. So far so good as all is working as expected. As I explore more I will keep you updated but so far so good.


Thanks David


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## recruit

Here is the  Table of resources  for all Arcam FMJ products..


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## recruit

sailcappy said:


> I updated to 2.4 today as I had time to re-do all of my setting. So far so good as all is working as expected. As I explore more I will keep you updated but so far so good.


Well today I thought I might as well do the upgrade to keep my AV888 up to date and reset all my settings and re ran the Auto Calibration and have to say so far firmware v2.4 seems to be the best to date and is running all fine on my system, how is yours now David?


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## sailcappy

The only issue I seem to have now is a slight popping sound when I switch channels. It seems that the every time you switch channel the HDMI signal has to find its settings again. Little annoying but I have gotten used to it. I am going to purchase an RF booster to see if that fixes the problem as I have a very long cable run into my apartment and I might have a weak signal. I’ll let you know.

No issues switching between DVD/ Blu Ray (HDMI), CD,, Wii, irdock or playing my computer through the system. I play CD’s analogue through the system and I am just blown away by the presence of the sound. I find the digital signal lacking in every way compared to the analogue. So much for purchasing a high end digital cable. 

I still am having internet radio problems but to be honest I am so frustrated with that I have given up. My new problem is I can't select "Net" from the menu even after a full system reset. This happened prior to the upgrade as well. I sent Arcam a request about it a week ago and still no response. I think they are sick of me as well with this issue. 

I have yet to run the auto calibration as my 3 channel amp is out for repair. It should be back next week and I will try the calibration and let you know how that goes. 

Still wondering why upgrades have to be made by an outdated Null Modem cable instead of a USB port but it works so no complaints.

I am still extremely pleased with the unit and the sound quality is amazing and I love the switching features and flexibility this unit provides. Now if I can just tweak………..


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## recruit

sailcappy said:


> The only issue I seem to have now is a slight popping sound when I switch channels. It seems that the every time you switch channel the HDMI signal has to find its settings again. Little annoying but I have gotten used to it. I am going to purchase an RF booster to see if that fixes the problem as I have a very long cable run into my apartment and I might have a weak signal. I’ll let you know.
> 
> No issues switching between DVD/ Blu Ray (HDMI), CD,, Wii, irdock or playing my computer through the system. I play CD’s analogue through the system and I am just blown away by the presence of the sound. I find the digital signal lacking in every way compared to the analogue. So much for purchasing a high end digital cable.
> 
> I still am having internet radio problems but to be honest I am so frustrated with that I have given up. My new problem is I can't select "Net" from the menu even after a full system reset. This happened prior to the upgrade as well. I sent Arcam a request about it a week ago and still no response. I think they are sick of me as well with this issue.
> 
> I have yet to run the auto calibration as my 3 channel amp is out for repair. It should be back next week and I will try the calibration and let you know how that goes.
> 
> Still wondering why upgrades have to be made by an outdated Null Modem cable instead of a USB port but it works so no complaints.
> 
> I am still extremely pleased with the unit and the sound quality is amazing and I love the switching features and flexibility this unit provides. Now if I can just tweak………..


Thanks for the Feedback David it is always good to hear another persons opinion on the Sound Quality that the AV888 produces which is why I like it so much, even after the few annoying problems which seemed to be rectified now you really do fall in love with the sound that it gives and can forgive them.

It has taken Arcam a while to get the firmware right but these units are so complex and the code that is written is just like software for a computer so to speak and they seemed to have ironed out all the bugs, the null modem connection is similar to the way Meridian processors are configured and it does work so all is fine, my unit has been quite well behaved since purchasing back in September of last year and have gone from v1.9 to v2.4 now.

The Auto calibration seems to be quite accurate with the distance settings but once done the SPL needs to be set by an SPL meter to get the correct 75db output, and then a manual setting of 80hz xover instead of the 60hz that it reads, this has been the same way Audyssey has worked and a little tweaking is certainly required and then it is all sorted, I like the EQ on for movies as it seems to give more impact but for music I have it set to off which is my preference


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## iconwill

I am new to the forum. I purchased the AV888 and P777 last December. Up until 2.3 was released I have had many problems. 2-channel music has always sound superb. The problem was decoding of DVD material. The sound was muted and intolerable. My dealer swapped out my unit and I still had the same problem. 2.3 is a savior.
Thanks for listening.

Will


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## recruit

Hello Will and welcome to the Home Theatre Shack :T

For starters it is a multichannel AV amp and Processor and not just meant for stereo :rolleyesno:, YOU must get your dealer to sort out this problem, you have paid enough for a premium product and therefore you should get premium service from him.

v2.3 was riddled with problems and that is why Arcam quickly removed it from there site, but there is an official release which is v2.4 and so far it is very stable and the best firmware to date, either you can update the unit or get you dealer to.

Let us know how you get on?


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## iconwill

Thanks, John.
I had my dealer install 2.4 and noticed the sound quality decrease dramatically while playing DVD or Blu-Ray. Two channel music still sounded great. 2.4 fixed the digital processing on the CD output. 
I have reverted back to 2.3 and not that it's without problems, the sound BluRay and DVD sound is quite good. However, this is a flawed product and I am considering taking it back. My dealer is as fed up as I. This is my first new system since I purchased a Procede AVP back in 1998. Any recommendations?


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## recruit

That is a shame Will and it does seem to be too many dissatisfied customers out there because I keep on reading similar thoughts and opinions of the av888 &AVR600, I do hope Arcam are reading all these testimonies from people and trying to do something about it because it is just not good enough for such premium products to fail like this, the one thing that is special though is the sound they create and it would be a shame if Arcam went under because of these mistakes


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## sailcappy

If I may make a suggestion. Having done many upgrades (and downgrades) this is the absolute perfect way to perfrom a software upgrade on the FMJ888. Make sure you follow every step. Also i'd re-do all of your user custom settings and not rely on saving them and retrieving them. Bummer I know but this has worked for me. Good luck!

Install instructions for the AV888:

Step 1: Place the unit in Standby

Step 2: shut off the unit using the main power button

Step 3: install Main unit software first using a Null Modem cable

Step 4: After the Main unit has finished to install with its power cycle, DO A FACTORY RESET.

Step 5: Place the unit in Standby

Step 6: shut off the unit using the main power button

Step 7: install the DSP software 

Step 8: after the DSP software has finished to install with its power cycle, DO A FACTORY RESET.

Step 9: go back to the engineering menu and make sure the Tuner is set to USA (I know that the AV888 doesn’t have a tuner but set it up anyway).

Step 10: exit Menu

Step 11: place the unit in Standby

Step 12: Shut off the unit using the main power and wait 2 Minutes

Step 13: Turn on and QC the unit

Step 14: Make sure you try the speaker level adjustment has part of your QC; if the DSP was not install correctly, the test tone will be on a different speaker that it showing on screen, plus you will have some very nasty digital noise.


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## recruit

That is more or less the same way in which I run through my saetup and as long as you do this correctly the AV888 behaves in the way it should do giving glorious sound, I am currently running in new speakers and the music is rather special indeed, the best I have ever heard.


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## Ashmanuk

Sorry to hear you are having such troubles with your AV888 Will,
I went through some up's and down's too but for the past three month's i have never been so happy with my 888 it is AMAZING now i feel all run in.

I am now on V2.4 so far so good and now i have done the Arcam EQ set up and yes recruit does sound very good :hsd:

It may be an idea to do the DSP and main ini files and then do a full system re-set

It would be such a shame to lose out on what this AV888 can give.


----------



## recruit

Ashmanuk said:


> Sorry to hear you are having such troubles with your AV888 Will,
> I went through some up's and down's too but for the past three month's i have never been so happy with my 888 it is AMAZING now i feel all run in.
> 
> I am now on V2.4 so far so good and now i have done the Arcam EQ set up and yes recruit does sound very good :hsd:
> 
> It may be an idea to do the DSP and main ini files and then do a full system re-set
> 
> It would be such a shame to lose out on what this AV888 can give.


Hi Paul, yes my AV888 is rocking and especially with my new speakers, I'm also running v2.4 :T


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## iconwill

David, I shared your suggestion with my dealer, whom in turn talked to Arcam. They stated that this would have no effect on the installation. This makes me even less supportive of Arcam. If they can't take feedback as to how installation could be performed successfully, then they are in this to protect their reputation and not support their customers.:wits-end:
I sound very negative, so I apologize. On the entire system, cables and setup, I'm in over $20k and disappointed with this entire experience. I am looking at Primare SP22. A local dealer is requesting a demo unit. I hope this sounds as good as I have heard the AV888 sound.
Thanks for all the help. :T


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## recruit

iconwill said:


> David, I shared your suggestion with my dealer, whom in turn talked to Arcam. They stated that this would have no effect on the installation. This makes me even less supportive of Arcam. If they can't take feedback as to how installation could be performed successfully, then they are in this to protect their reputation and not support their customers.:wits-end:
> I sound very negative, so I apologize. On the entire system, cables and setup, I'm in over $20k and disappointed with this entire experience. I am looking at Primare SP22. A local dealer is requesting a demo unit. I hope this sounds as good as I have heard the AV888 sound.
> Thanks for all the help. :T


Sorry to hear you have had such a bad experience Will


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## Ashmanuk

Wow recruit :unbelievable: your M&K's have gone.

I think speakers are one of the hardest things to buy so many to choose and so many different sounds.
Would i take it that music is more of a deciding factor when you was looking for speakers ? how does films sound any losses or gains ??

What would be great John is to have a day at each others house and have a blast :devil: We are not too far from each other.

Great looking speakers John, ProAc have always been on my wish list i wish speakers like these spent more time in the press :huh:


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## recruit

Yep, but they have gone to good homes!

The D28's have everything I love in a speaker great dynamics loads of detail and nice bass too, in fact I am amazed at how much bass these 2 way speakers have and they go very low <30hz.

I just need to get another good sub and am looking at the JL Audio F113's as they seem to tick all the right boxes so at the minute I am running 5.0.

You would always be welcome to come and have a listen


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## 777

*HDCP nightmare - 888 and DVDO*

HDCP nightmare

Why can’t I get any dvdo scaler to work with my Arcam 888?

I have the following setup:

Sources: Oppo BD 83

Pre: Arcam 888 (both a pre amp and a video scaler - silicon optix)

Scaler: DVDO VP 50 pro and Duo

PJ: Infocus 777 (upgrade later) - 720p

Other: A suite of Martin Logans speakers all monoblocked with Arcam P1's.

The 888 plays fine if I feed either of these sources straight into the 888 (v. 2.4).

However, I need to use an external scaler with 'underscan’ (lacking on the 888's video features) to compensate for my anamorphic lens/ 2.35:1 setup which crops about 10% at the top and bottom of the screen.

I started out with a DVDO vp 50 pro in the chain but hdmi issues foiled all my attempts to use it with the 888 (would have to turn everything off and on 10+ times to get a sustainable picture/sound). So I decided to swap the vp out for the new duo as it seemed to offer a more elegant overall solution (suggested by anchor bay support). Couldn't do the trade in they currently offer as I do not live in the USA. So I bought it as an extra and kept the vp.

My plan was to set the oppo to source direct and run hdmi straight into the duo. The duo has the ability to split this hdmi stream so that the 888 would receive a pure hdmi audio feed while the pj received a video feed which had only been altered by the duo.

However, with the duo in the chain I now get sustained video (without sound) from either the oppo or ps3 with the 888 off but long periodic audio dropouts with the 888 turned on. Additionally, every 30 seconds or so you lose everything for a few seconds. The oppo is set to bitsream. The duo led cycles through red-green-blue at these times (loss of signal). The duo is running the latest version 2.0 beta 200_055.abt (didn’t work with 1.01 either) firmware. Anchor Bay support has been in close touch with me on this issue. I have enabled the hotplug feature on the duo.

So far Arcam has not responded to my request for help.

This seems to be a handshaking issue between the 888 and the dvdo products. 

I now own both a vp 50 pro and a duo that are useless to me! I took a bath swapping out my previous 777 to get the XLRs and new codecs of the 888. I don't want to have to swap out the 888. But I also have $17000 invested in my anamorphic setup - I need underscan.

Can you offer me any advice on how I can get the 888 and duo talking?

Has anyone got their vp 50 pro or duo stable with the 888?

Thanks

Mike


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## recruit

Hello Mike, sorry to hear your woes and problems with HDMI, HDMI certainly seems to be the route of all evils and it is not just Arcam that has problems with it, many other companies do as well.

Ref to your problem, you really need to get in touch with your dealer where you bought your it from, it should not be down to you to sort out these problems although I must admit emailing Arcam sometimes when I do find a bug or issue, but in your case I would most certainly insist that your dealer talks to the relevant parties and discuss the issues you are having then Arcam and DVDO can probably talk to together to try and find a resolution, I know they have been doing the same with some Denon products so it is possible, there is a fix coming shortly to fix to the 23.967hz issue.

Please don't give up the Arcam has an amazing sound and I'm sure there must be a way around your problems.

oh and btw - welcome to the Shack


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## 777

Thanks for the welcome!

I have asked both Anchor Bay and Arcam to do just that - talk. Anchor Bay has sent me firmware that is not publicly available and has made suggestions such as enabling the hot plug option. Though this has not solved my issues I have found their responses quick and helpful so far.

As I mentioned, Arcam has not yet replied. In all fairness they may just be busy.

My dealer is a great guy and he is certainly very concerned. So far his inquiries up the ladder have not produced particularly relevant or helpful information and focussed on potential shortcomings in every other piece of equipment in my chain - which I put down to due diligence . It may be noteworthy that I purchased the dvdo products directly from amazon.

In the end it is really Arcam that needs to respond here as they have the technical expertise. I have been a very good customer to Arcam and hope this issue will garner their interest.

My main purpose in posting here was to see if the Duo - 888 setup is working for anyone else. If many others were successful then I could check my settings against theirs, swap out my cables, etc or make a warranty claim.


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## recruit

I do hope you get is sorted Mike and keep is informed of your progress please?

Matthew Neighbour <[email protected]> is a very helpful chap and has always helped me in the past so give him a try


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## Ashmanuk

Sorry for change of subject,
Hi recruit I met the guy that bought your subs last Saturday and he was one happy bunny 
he could not wait to get back home, also Alan is a nice guy too i am sure he will do well in selling M&K.

I had a friend round last night who has the big Denon AVP-A1HD and Kef reference and i think he was very impressed with the sound he heard, he loved the Bass and this guy has 8 X 15" in the ceiling 
Though i love my sound it is nice to have someone else comment how good it is 

I often speak to Matt at Arcam and he always give's good service and i am very surprised that they are bad at replying to e-mail "is this an overseas issue ??


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## recruit

Ashmanuk said:


> Sorry for change of subject,
> Hi recruit I met the guy that bought your subs last Saturday and he was one happy bunny
> he could not wait to get back home, also Alan is a nice guy too i am sure he will do well in selling M&K.
> 
> I had a friend round last night who has the big Denon AVP-A1HD and Kef reference and i think he was very impressed with the sound he heard, he loved the Bass and this guy has 8 X 15" in the ceiling
> Though i love my sound it is nice to have someone else comment how good it is
> 
> I often speak to Matt at Arcam and he always give's good service and i am very surprised that they are bad at replying to e-mail "is this an overseas issue ??


Yeah Asif walked away a very happy chappy, it was hard to let it go but I wanted a change and had other reasons also.

The ProAcs I have atm are amazing speakers and it just proves to me that the Arcam is in that exclusive club of being able to do Hi-Fi and HC so well, I have been listening to so many music discs whether that be in 2 channel or Multichannel but the sound is just sooooo good and overall I am very happy at making the change although a costly one :spend: but recouped some of the money with the sale of my M&K's, just need that JL Audio F113 to go with them :yikes:


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## sailcappy

I am looking for a solution that will allow me to use a remote to adjust ZONE 2 only on my FMJ888 from an outside location. I spoke with Xantech and they want to sell me a 4 part IR receiver kit which does not connect to the IR jack on the back of the unit. Their solution is to put a sensor covering the IR window on the front of the unit.



What exactly do I need to purchase to plug into the back of the FMJ888 to control zone 2?

Thanks very much!


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## recruit

Hi David, you will just need an IR Extender to turn Z2 on and it is the same sort of connection as used for the Z1 trigger to turn power amps on, these can be bought from a local electronic supplier and need not cost the earth, it just turns the Z2 on from another room allowing control from another room.


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## sailcappy

Should this repeater plug into the Z2 IR 3.5mm jack on the back? 

Also does the remote have a Z2 volume control?

Thanks!


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## recruit

Yes the repeater plugs into Z2 IR on the back of the AV888.

Zone changes need to be done on the front of the processor, but there is also settings in the menu that may need to be changed, refer to the manual for full info.


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## sailcappy

Sorry to be a pain but every repeater I have found online has a sensor that fits over the front window of the unit. Cant fine one that pluges into the back. Any other suggestions?


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## recruit

sailcappy said:


> Sorry to be a pain but every repeater I have found online has a sensor that fits over the front window of the unit. Cant fine one that pluges into the back. Any other suggestions?


Have a look at this place as I am UK based not too familiar with any trusted US sites, but they do exist with 3.5mm jacks also.

http://www.hometech.com/hts/product...key=A29&gclid=CKa_g6rvu6ICFd1r4wodAUyZ6Q#long


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## sailcappy

Yup that is the one i just returned. The system works by placing a large receiver in the area of your remote and then connect that to a powered junction box which then connects to a cable (via3.5mm) that then fits over the window of the 888. My OPPO has a stereo 3.5mm connector that plugs directly into the IR 3.5mm port on the rear and you place the sensor anywhere you like. For $25 bucks it works perfectly. As OPPO uses stereo and Arcam uses mono this solution will not work on the Arcam. Arcam says in the manual that they dont provide power to the cable so not sure if there is a 3.5mm solution that will work. But then why would they have an input?????

Guess I will wait for them to reply. I'll let you know.

I have two emails in to ARCAM and they have not as of yet gotten back to me.


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## recruit

What a bout your dealer supplying one and fitting it?


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## sailcappy

I will ask.


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## recruit

sailcappy said:


> I will ask.


Let us know how you get on David and it will be useful info for others who read this thread and could possibly help them too


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## sailcappy

Okay Xantech was more helpful this time. Arcam support is ignoring my emails again. I find their support hit or miss at best, very frustrating. This is Xantech’s response:

I am not sure who you spoke to here in support, but they were correct in what solution they offered to you. Let me explain a little bit why an entire kit is needed. Our IR receivers require a 12V regulated supply to operate. In addition, they feature three conductors terminated on a stereo 3.5mm as 12V, a ground and the IR signal line are all running to the receiver. The connector on the FMJ888 is a mono 3.5mm connector, not stereo and is only looking for an IR signal and ground conductor. This is fairly common with these types of connections. Since this unit only is looking for IR, and cannot power an IR receiver of any type, you would have to take an emitter output from the connecting block into the back input jack of the FMJ888 using a standard male to male 3.5mm cable. You will still require a connecting block, IR receiver and regulated power supply, so purchasing a kit would still be the most economical approach.

The Arcam remote then can control the volume using this new system in another room as the same signal for Z1 is used for Z2.

I am currently purchasing a Xantech CB12 Single connecting powered block and a Xantech 480w00 Dinky Link receiver along with a generic 3.5mm male to male cable. I will let you know how this works after it arrives.


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## recruit

Ok this is sort of good news for you and the solution offered is very valuable info for this thread so thanks David going to the trouble of updating us and look forward to your end result, its a shame about Arcam support though as with a high end product like the AV888 they should answer quickly instead of NO reply at all, at least if another member is looking for info on getting Z2 up and running the info is here :T


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## recruit

v2.5 software has been released please download the relevant software for your hardware i.e AVR500 / AVR600 / AV888...

http://www.arcam.co.uk/extranethome/tor

Version 2.5

Major Bugs Fixed
1. EDID rewritten for compatibility with BD sources which incorrectly read AVR EDID
2. NET source digital input selection fixed
3. Network source causing reboot fixed

Minor Bugs Fixed
1. Tuner preset selection from Zone 2


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## sailcappy

It works!!!!!!! Any Xantech powered product will work as did mine. I found some parts that I put together to save some cash and in the end all worked well. I purchased Xantech 480w00 Dinky Link and a Xantech CB12 total cost approx $50. Now turning on Z2 is a different story. I pressed the ZONE button and it says Z2 Muted. I pressed the mute button and nothing happened. I checked the manual and it does not say anything about getting Z2 to get off of Mute. Hmmmmmmm... I called the US rep and he told me that I need to toggle the zone button to Z2 and then press the power on button on the Arcam remote! Well that took the unit out of standby and Z2 came on! You have to be quick as you only get a few seconds to activate or change anything on Z2 before it changes back to Z1. Nothing in the manual about this btw and I sure wish there was a way to switch between Z1 and Z2 on the remote.

2.5 seems to work very well. The only very intermittent issue I get is a handshake problem between my OPPO and the Arcam. (This has happened since I have owned the unit and its replacement. Sometimes I have to power on both units a few times to get it to read Audio from the HDMI input.

Also, does anyone else feel that the DSP from the Arcam is substandard? I play 2 channel analogue and it sounds so warm, natural and open. When I switch to Digital input the sound is small and extremely bright. I have an Audioquest Hawk Eye Digital cable connecting the OPPO to the Arcam. I told my Arcam rep about this and his answer was to "trust my ears". I feel there is more going on than my ears. Thoughts?

Thanks!
David


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## recruit

sailcappy said:


> It works!!!!!!! Any Xantech powered product will work as did mine. I found some parts that I put together to save some cash and in the end all worked well. I purchased Xantech 480w00 Dinky Link and a Xantech CB12 total cost approx $50. Now turning on Z2 is a different story. I pressed the ZONE button and it says Z2 Muted. I pressed the mute button and nothing happened. I checked the manual and it does not say anything about getting Z2 to get off of Mute. Hmmmmmmm... I called the US rep and he told me that I need to toggle the zone button to Z2 and then press the power on button on the Arcam remote! Well that took the unit out of standby and Z2 came on! You have to be quick as you only get a few seconds to activate or change anything on Z2 before it changes back to Z1. Nothing in the manual about this btw and I sure wish there was a way to switch between Z1 and Z2 on the remote.
> 
> 2.5 seems to work very well. The only very intermittent issue I get is a handshake problem between my OPPO and the Arcam. (This has happened since I have owned the unit and its replacement. Sometimes I have to power on both units a few times to get it to read Audio from the HDMI input.
> 
> Also, does anyone else feel that the DSP from the Arcam is substandard? I play 2 channel analogue and it sounds so warm, natural and open. When I switch to Digital input the sound is small and extremely bright. I have an Audioquest Hawk Eye Digital cable connecting the OPPO to the Arcam. I told my Arcam rep about this and his answer was to "trust my ears". I feel there is more going on than my ears. Thoughts?
> 
> Thanks!
> David


Hi David, that is good news ref to the Xantech product but a bit of an issue when changing Zones and seems a bit messy imo and you should be able to switch via the remote without trying to scramble before the 2 seconds is up :scratch:

I have stayed with v2.4 of the Arcam firmware as everything works fine as far as I am concerned, I have an Oppo player and always switch it on before changing source and it works first time.

Not so sure about the DSP's being up to scratch comment as I have used 2 different sets of speakers and neither sounded too bright but always found the Audio to be first class with both movies and music, what speakers are you using David?


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## sailcappy

I should be clearer… my bad. This is how I use the Arcam:
1. Blue Ray, DVD or Music Blue Ray I use HDMI for Dolby True HD or 5.1 and it sounds fantastic. 
2. SACD - Analogue Multi Channel, I had the OPPO modified by ASI tech and it sounds fantastic.
3. Red Book CD's - Analogue from OPPO ASI Mod to Arcam - I went all out and bought Nordost Frey RCA's Interconnects. Got a super deal on a 6 mos old pair for $400 us. Sounds Amazing!
4. Red Book CD's - Digital Out (Coaxial) from OPPO to Digital input Arcam - Letting the DSP for Arcam do the work and this is the selection that sounds Bright and Small sounding. 

Speakers are NOLA Micro Grand Reference for L&R, Nola LCR II for center, Magnapan MC 1's for rears, always wanted a pair of Maggies. Red Dragon Leviathan mono's for L&R and an ODDESSEY Kismit 3 channel amp for center and rear's. JL -F112 subwoofer. Just bought a PS Audio Trio A100 amp to power my Monitor Audio Outdoor Speakers for Z2. You don't even want to know the tweaks and cables I have researched and installed. My GF just shakes her head when ever fed exp arrives!

Trying to sell my BDP 83 and get the newer SE and have that Modified as well. Just goes on and on....


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## recruit

Aaah I see David, I have also tried a digital connection Coax and found it ok but I preferred the DAC's in my CD player in Direct mode which to me sounds sublime, but I do not remember it sounding that bad tbh :scratch:


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## recruit

sailcappy said:


> Trying to sell my BDP 83 and get the newer SE and have that Modified as well. Just goes on and on....


There is also the  NuForce  modified player to consider David.


----------



## sailcappy

Thanks! I am married to ASI as they are working with me to sell my old unit and do the Mod for the new SE unit. I will post the specifics on the OPPO thread.


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## recruit

sailcappy said:


> Thanks! I am married to ASI as they are working with me to sell my old unit and do the Mod for the new SE unit. I will post the specifics on the OPPO thread.


Ok look forward to your findings :T


----------



## recruit

sailcappy said:


> Thanks! I am married to ASI as they are working with me to sell my old unit and do the Mod for the new SE unit. I will post the specifics on the OPPO thread.


How are things going David, any update from you ref to above and how are you getting on with the AV888?


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## sailcappy

Having trouble selling my OPPO so there has really been no movement on that front. The next "upgrade" I am looking into is I am about to add an HDMI out put from my new Dell Laptop to the Arcam to see what the quality is for watching movies directly from Netflix. I do not have high hopes but sometimes the Girlfriend just wants to watch a "feel good" movie and I guess I could care less about the quality if you get my meaning  The other thing I am looking into is hooking USB out of my computer, playing uncompressed audio files through a DAC to the Arcam. Thought this would make dinner parties easier to customize playback my music collection. So many choices for DAC that I might even go for a Tube DAC, scary. 

As far as the Arcam goes, every now and then the system just can't handle aspect ratio. It seems to get confused with the incoming signal I have to power down the system and then everything is fine. I caulk this up to HDMI or my Cable system just not working properly. I also get sparkelies (for lack of a better description) on certain scenes and again not consistently. I don't think this is an issue with the Arcam either. I purchased great quality HDMI cables so dont think they are the issue either.

Do you know anything about Fuses in the Arcam? Are upgrades worth the expense? Now that the system is running it’s time to TWEAK just for the fun of it!


----------



## recruit

Its Interesting that Oppo are now going to be selling a newer model the BDP93 and wonder what DAC's they will be using on this new unit, also if they do an SE model I would expect great things.

I use a Popcorn Hour A110 and also have a HTPC connected which I stream music and sometimes films from, I have a Dell laptop with HDMI out it is the smallest XPS model but have never tried it because of the other equipment I have.

You can plug either a USB thumb stick or HDD which can contain Lossless tracks and play it through that and don't forget you also have Internet Radio which can be used via Ethernet.

If you get sparklies with an HDMI cable it usually means that there is a fault with the cable its self, I use a 15M HDMI cable to my Projector with no problems what so ever but it is a thick cable and is fully tested to work over that distance.

I don't know anything about the Innards of the Arcam well especially when it comes to get any mods done, I will probably go for the HDMI 1.4 board when that is offered which I believe in the new year from Arcam otherwise very happy with its performance 





sailcappy said:


> Having trouble selling my OPPO so there has really been no movement on that front. The next "upgrade" I am looking into is I am about to add an HDMI out put from my new Dell Laptop to the Arcam to see what the quality is for watching movies directly from Netflix. I do not have high hopes but sometimes the Girlfriend just wants to watch a "feel good" movie and I guess I could care less about the quality if you get my meaning  The other thing I am looking into is hooking USB out of my computer, playing uncompressed audio files through a DAC to the Arcam. Thought this would make dinner parties easier to customize playback my music collection. So many choices for DAC that I might even go for a Tube DAC, scary.
> 
> As far as the Arcam goes, every now and then the system just can't handle aspect ratio. It seems to get confused with the incoming signal I have to power down the system and then everything is fine. I caulk this up to HDMI or my Cable system just not working properly. I also get sparkelies (for lack of a better description) on certain scenes and again not consistently. I don't think this is an issue with the Arcam either. I purchased great quality HDMI cables so dont think they are the issue either.
> 
> Do you know anything about Fuses in the Arcam? Are upgrades worth the expense? Now that the system is running it’s time to TWEAK just for the fun of it!


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## willirl

sailcappy said:


> Now turning on Z2 is a different story. I pressed the ZONE button and it says Z2 Muted. I pressed the mute button and nothing happened. I checked the manual and it does not say anything about getting Z2 to get off of Mute. Hmmmmmmm... I called the US rep and he told me that I need to toggle the zone button to Z2 and then press the power on button on the Arcam remote! Well that took the unit out of standby and Z2 came on! You have to be quick as you only get a few seconds to activate or change anything on Z2 before it changes back to Z1. Nothing in the manual about this btw and I sure wish there was a way to switch between Z1 and Z2 on the remote.


I now have an AVR350 - having had to replace my AVR250 which sadly failed on me. The AVR250 Zone 2 worked as designed and as you would expect i.e. it stays in Zone 2 until you switch it off. My replacement AVR350 has the same problem that sailcappy describes. This is a fault, not a feature (hence not in the manual). I have written to ARCAM support and got no response. I am interested to see that this is not a problem just affecting the legacy products but the new as well.


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## recruit

willirl said:


> I now have an AVR350 - having had to replace my AVR250 which sadly failed on me. The AVR250 Zone 2 worked as designed and as you would expect i.e. it stays in Zone 2 until you switch it off. My replacement AVR350 has the same problem that sailcappy describes. This is a fault, not a feature (hence not in the manual). I have written to ARCAM support and got no response. I am interested to see that this is not a problem just affecting the legacy products but the new as well.


Thanks for the feedback willirl and welcome to the Home Theatre Shack :T

I wonder if sailcappy has any more feedback for us on this issue as it clearly is :scratch:


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## sailcappy

Sorry nothing new to report. That is the way you do it according to Arcam. Should be more intuitive IMHO.


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## sailcappy

Any word on the new HDMI 1.4 board?


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## recruit

sailcappy said:


> Sorry nothing new to report. That is the way you do it according to Arcam. Should be more intuitive IMHO.


Well I have not even tried a multizone set up, but it must be frustrating if something is handled differently, but what a gorgeous sound to compensate 



sailcappy said:


> Any word on the new HDMI 1.4 board?


No, not yet but I would of thought soon if they are going to be releasing the AVR400 at the end of the month/Febuary.


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## willirl

Re the "Zone 2 problem" I have now heard from Arcam and they have advised me that "When using Zone 2 via remote it will time out after 5 seconds whereas the front panel control will allow full access, that is the way the 350 was designed at the time and the way it will operate." and "This is the intended operation as the unit will revert to Zone 1 operation (priority)". So it appears that if you want to operate Zone 2 you have to operate it from Zone 1 standing by the Arcam. Working as designed.:hissyfit:http://www.hometheatershack.com/forums/images/smilies/hissyfit.gif


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## recruit

Luckily I have never had to use zone 2 or 3 so that is not a problem I will come up against, fortunately


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## clinton150666

Hi I have recently added an av888 to my existing setup, powered by a rotel RMB 1575 which is the same,in part, as your setup Recruit; please could you cast your personal opinions on my thought of adding an OPPO blu ray into the mix. I have no dedicated cd player, just an ipod dock with digital out and was considering the 95 for cd use as well... Is there any "relationship" issues between the two; I read on your post you have a certain power on sequence but that does not worry me as I am used to little things like that anyway... anything else?
Also do you believe that sending my digital out from the dock to an outboard dac of reasonable quality(rega dac maybe), allowing me to use the analogue stereo direct on the AV888 would benefit me.I thought maybe the Audiolab 8200cd would do two jobs here, as an alternative and then maybe stick with my sony bdpS570 for blu ray at the moment or go for another later?
Sorry, forgot to mention I require dual Hdmi's (preferable) or multi outs on BDP for separate audio and video, and for 3D...
sorry to be so taxing on my first post here...


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## sailcappy

I am extremely happy with my Oppo player working with the 888. I just love the flexibility (SACD, DVD Audio, Dolby True HD, etc) as well as the sound and picture quality. The BDP 95 has two HDMI outputs so you are set with that requirement.

I'm sure you will be extremely happy. 

Anyone else?


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## sailcappy

I just bought the Arcam rDAC with the rWave wireless connection. I have digitized my whole cd collection to FLAC files and play from my PC computer. The sound is very warm and a bit heavy on the base but I plan on tweaking that with the 888. I am upgrading the power supply of the rDAC to a custom Paul Hynes SR3-06 model. This costs more than the rDAC but I hear (no pun intended) that the sound should be noticeably better. The rDAC has multiple inputs as well if you need to decode any other device. Again I am very pleased with the performance and functionality. It is also fun to have my PC by my side when I am outside to change songs on the fly with no wires!!!! Still love my 888!!!!


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## rabagast

is there any new firmware upgrade from the 2.5 ?
is the HDMI 1.4 card released yet?

When I upgrade from my current firmwarwe I just load up the latest one (2.5?) and not each of the previous versions first?


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## recruit

sailcappy said:


> I just bought the Arcam rDAC with the rWave wireless connection. I have digitized my whole cd collection to FLAC files and play from my PC computer. The sound is very warm and a bit heavy on the base but I plan on tweaking that with the 888. I am upgrading the power supply of the rDAC to a custom Paul Hynes SR3-06 model. This costs more than the rDAC but I hear (no pun intended) that the sound should be noticeably better. The rDAC has multiple inputs as well if you need to decode any other device. Again I am very pleased with the performance and functionality. It is also fun to have my PC by my side when I am outside to change songs on the fly with no wires!!!! Still love my 888!!!!


Its good to hear your still enjoying your AV888 David, it still gives me many hours of listening pleasure, the Analogue section sounds sublime.


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## recruit

rabagast said:


> is there any new firmware upgrade from the 2.5 ?
> is the HDMI 1.4 card released yet?
> 
> When I upgrade from my current firmwarwe I just load up the latest one (2.5?) and not each of the previous versions first?


Its still on v2.5 firmware and the new HDMI card is due any time now.


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## ctmorsejr

Hello,

This thread has been idle for almost 5 years but hopefully someone is following it and can lend me a hand.

I purchased a new AV888 (with HDMI 1.4) on eBay for an incredible price and after hooking it up I noticed some odd quirks which I had read about before I got mine (occasional hisses and pops). I checked the embedded web page and it listed the firmware as 2.0.2.7458 so I assumed the firmware was out of date and I followed the instructions to upgrade to version 2.70. After the upgrade completed I reset to factory defaults and now I can't get any audio or video from any HDMI source (which was working fine before the upgrade). The HDMI out is working as I can get to the menu but no audio or video from anything connected to any of the five HDMI inputs (and I tested both outputs with the same results). I noticed on the embedded webpage that the firmware version was still listed as 2.0.2.7458 so I thought maybe the upgrade hadn't completed successfully so I tried again with the same results. I then checked through the engineering menu and discovered that the firmware was listed as follows:

Software version V2.70 AV888
DSP firmware rev. V0.11
Net. Firmware Rev. V1200903051159

I'm guessing that the firmware may have been up to date from the start since the firmware listed on the embedded webpage is still 2.0.2.7458 so that’s either inaccurate or it’s the firmware for the embedded webpage itself.

I’d like to try downgrading the firmware to 2.5, 2.61, 2.66 or 2.69 but I haven’t been able to find any of them online (I have found v1.9 and v2.2 in this thread). I’m hoping someone here has the files and would upload them for me so I can give it a try. The seller isn’t an authorized Arcam dealer so I have no warranty therefore I’m hoping a downgrade might help and save me from having to send it in for repair. I purchased the AV888 to replace my AV9 for the HDMI functionality so if that isn’t working it was a bit of a waste of time and money.

Thanks


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