Anthem AVM 50, right for this application?

[KristenH]

I've read the rules, searched the archives and I hope I do this right! Apologies in advance if I am yet another dumb newbie clogging the list

I am buying a new video/audio, pre-pro and amp primarily b/c the non-HD signals look really bad on our recently purchased 56" Samsung DLP. I know HDTV’s have their own upscaling processor and have used the Aviva Guide to Home Theater and the Sound & Vision Home Theater Set up but the picture still stinks when viewing anything less than 720. This is for a system that is only used for daily T.V. and movies—no music, no radio. We don’t play it loud—unfortunately, the home theater is right under the nursery.

After checking out lots of products I’ve bitten the price bullet and upped my budget to $7K and think I've settled on the Anthem AVM 50 and a PVA 7 amp. (system info in my signature)

After searching the archives here, I see that many of you are of the opinion that one should not bother purchasing a processor for this purpose, except for the Anthem D2 (processor alone eats my entire budget) and maybe the AVM 50.

I've tried to educate myself on the subject and think I have basic idea, but WOW, this stuff is very complicated and before I make this, very large, purchase would like the opinion of you A/V saavy folks. Anyone have any experience with the Anthem AVM 50 or want to recommend something else?

Thanks,
Kristen

 

[LEVESQUE]

You should read the gigantic Anthem D2 thread I did start on AVS. Over 200 pages and 1000 posts long.

Alot of D2/AVM50 owners made the switch from the Lexion MC12-HD or MC12-B + DVDO VP50 and PREFER the D2/AVM50 for sound quality (over HDMI) AND video processing.

I was able to compare the high-end Crystalio II and DVDO VP50 to my D2, and the D2 was on the SAME level for picture qulaity and video processing.

People will tell you that any serious videophile will prefer an outbaord scaler... but they are wrong. because they didn,t try the Anthem D2. If you read the gigantic thread on AVS, alot of people made the switch form the high-end DVDO VP50 and PREFER the video processing and picture quality of the integrated Gennum VXP chip in the D2/AVM50. Kris Deering, the guy behind the Secrets DVD shout-out is using the D2 and not one of those external scalers for a reason...

I made all my comparisons with a Sony Ruby VPL-VW100, new JVC RS-1, Pioneer Elite BDP-HD1 Blu-ray player (at 1080p24 to the D2) and the Toshiba HD-XA2 HD DVD player.

I'm a really serious videophile, and the Anthem D2/AVM50was on the same level with the DVDO VP50 and Crystalio II in my video chain.

People will tell you that those extenral scalers have more features... Wrong again. With the latest firmware for D2/AVM50, you have multiple per-input memory banks, custom resolutions, custom gamma curves, frame-locking for 1080p24!, it can accept, process and ouptut 1080p24, test patterns, one of the industry best CUE filtering (per Kris Deering at Secrets)...

And the room-eq should be ready this summer.

The only competitors are the Lexicon MC12-HD: can't accept or process 1080p for 2X the price (unbelievable!)!!! and the Halcro SSP100: can't do LPCM multi-channels over HDMi and limited to 2 channels only over HDMI (again pretty stupid omission...) and the Faroudja video processing is not even worth talking about and pretty lame... And both cost 2X the price of the AVM50... The D2/AVM50 can fully accept and process 1080p (and 1080p24) with the Gennum VXP chip, and do proper LPCM multi-channels over HDMI...

 

[KristenH]

Thanks for wealth of info

Thanks, I found the AVS thread--almost 7k posts --what a wealth of info must be in there, I only got through the first page now but plan to read through it over the next week or so.

Another quick Q--which will likely be answered somewhere in that book of a thread you started is the D2 really so much superior to the AVM 50 that I should stretch the budget a bit? All those glowing reports of the D2 have piqued my interest...

Thanks again,
Kristen

p.s. love the pics of your home theater, the kids room is too cute!

 

[mdrew]

If your main objective is to improve SD satellite feed, don’t waste your money on any video processor. To be honest about it, I don’t know what you can do for that. Some folks claim to see some benefits using noise reduction electronics, like the Mosquito, but I’m skeptical about that too.

I use the VP-50 and it did improve SD feed slightly, but I most definitely would not recommend that you buy it for that reason. And to spend an additional several thousand dollars for this would be foolish.

I don’t doubt the D2 is one hell of a magic box, but I suppose I’m on the other side of the fence that our French friend sits on. I just don’t like having video and audio processing in the same case. Especially with the rapidly changing technology and HDMI progression. Levesque will undoubtedly counter that with some more Anthem praise and mention upgradeability options. What he won’t tell you about is how long that will take, or how much it will cost. Yes, there are some advantages to having an all in one box, like one less HMDI handshake, and a better on screen display but again, what are you to do in a year when HDMI 1.3 is lulling you into another upgrade?? Shut your HT down for a couple months while you wait for your processor to get upgraded?

With a separate VP, you just unplug it and replace it with a new one. Same thing with the audio processor, unplug it and slide in a new one. Amps stay put indefinitely. Audio and Video processor technology is just changing too quickly nowadays.

And getting back to the audio piece, right now folks are using the LPCM function to hear “HD audio” off BR and HD disks. And right now that is being supported by the majority of BR / HD disk manufactures, but I am very doubtful they will continue with this support for much longer as HDMI 1.3 is incorporated into more devices. Pretty soon, I believe, BR and HD disks will only have the DD-HD and DTS-M formats on them which will force us to upgrade to HDMI 1.3 audio processors to decode it.

All that crystal ball rubbing and speculation aside, the point I’m trying to make is why go with an audio processor that incorporates the video processor when you are looking at separates? Hell, might as well just get yourself a receiver that has it all, VP, AP, and amps.

And NO, I am not selling or trying to persuade you into buying a stand alone VP. If anything, I’d try to convince you to save some money and get one of HDMI 1.3 receivers coming out this summer and wait until more pre pros hit the streets with HDMI audio processing. The driving factor for me to buy the VP 50 when I did, was so I could vertically stretch an HD image for my constant image height set up. At that time, the VP50 was the best choice.

You also might want to read all the Anthem AMV threads before you buy one. The D2 owners are happy at the expense and frustration of the rest of the Anthem line owners. I had a credit card in hand ready to buy an AMV 40 until I started reading these threads……

 

[jcPanny]

Local TV stations

To me, it doen't make since to spend $7k on A/V gear to watch SD material. If you daily TV viewing includes the major networks, hook up an antenna to the OTA tunner in your set to pick them up in HD for free. I am using an indoor intenna in a non-metro area and can pick up all the major networks in 720p or 1080i including one broadcast from >70 miles away.

There is only so much a scaler can do with a low res SD satellite feed on a large screen. I would recommend a demo of the Anthem or a video scaller before making a major purchase.

 

[MTNbike]

AVM 30 versus Statement D1

Hello forum...

I have been going back and forth over this for weeks now. I just wrote a check for an essentially new D1 this morning, and since I only paid 400 over the retail of an AVM 30 I figured I couldn't go wrong.

I am replacing a VERY annoying Sherwood processor that has the most anoying clicks between DVD chapter changes. These come across as SNAPS on my innersound speakers.

I assume everyone would agree that $400 between the two makes it a quick decision. I don't use video switching, and am confident in my warenty coverage.

So my lesson to the conflicted buyer. See if your dealer will put you into contact with someone that is upgrading to a D2 and see what options come out of the woodwork. Just make sure your amp is up to the quality level you want in the long run. Then wade through the processor debate and narrow down the frustration.

Enjoy