Update assistance

[rkburton]

Sorry that my last (and first) post violated the rules. ops:
Just wanted to say Hi to all now that I'm in the Parasound Club.

So, my question has to do with updating the Halo 2. I've downloaded all the possible updates from Parasound. Which one(s) do I need to use to do a full update of Halo 2 and remote?
Do I need just 1 cable or more than one? I have USB/USB2 on my desktop.
Exactly which RadioShack cable is working for people?
If I want to start with factory presets - I haven't calibrated yet - how do I clear everything prior to updating?
Sorry if these seem dumb - I admit my newbieism.

[rkburton]

OK, Halo 2 done, what about remote?

OK, well I actually followed the instructions and was able to update the Halo 2.
Dumb questions before, now an even dumber one:

How do I update the remote and do I even need to?

I think I am attempting to prove to this thread that I am a complete moron.

[Chris D]

Hi, rkburton! :later: No worries on the cable thing, it's just a quirk that we have to learn here.

As for the update, follow the instructions on the Parasound website and that come packaged with the update .zip file EXPLICITLY. Look at the update information discussion thread that I posted here in the Club too. As for as a cable, if you have a desktop with a serial port, any serial cable should work for you just fine. (don't bother with USB) If you're going to go get one from Radio Shack, they sell a standard serial cable that works great. I think they only have one serial cable model they sell, but again, any serial cable will be fine.

As far as which file to use, again look in the update thread I started here which will give pointers. You don't need to do more than one update with the C2, just the one update file procedure they use for the DPLIIx update will give you the most current and comprehensive configuration. The update of the remote control is OPTIONAL, if you'd like discrete codes for Zone 2 instead of having to press the "Zone" button every time you want to change one if its parameters. Again, just follow the instructions.

If you haven't done any changes or calibration yet, don't worry, when you update to the new firmware, you'll have a fresh starting point to start tweaking your system.

Don't worry, we all started somewhere, this is a fun learning process!

[bhuskins]

Here's Chris' :banana: that he forgot. I already posted it once for him, but maybe he didn't see it. Maybe he's actually switching to the waving hand guy...I doubt it...the dancing banana is almost infamous. :B

Welcome to the forum.

Brent Huskins
Media Design
HTGuide Sponsor

[rkburton]

Thanks for the kind words

Thanks guys, I am happy to see that no one regards me as a moron - yet...
Saw all the bananas and greetings and appreciate them.

So, there is no advantage to updating the remote unless you want to use it in a different zone?

I did let the update of the C2 clear all previous settings as I have yet to hook it to the amps and speakers.
I did use the Parasound recommended RadioShack cable - took about 20 min to do the update.

On a separate note, I wish someone from the B&W forum would weigh in on my questions about surrounds and rears.
I'll ask here, is the C2 "powerful" enough to compensate for different types of amps and speakers in the surround? In my old pseudo-HT it was really hard to calibrate a smooth surround with B&W up front and Paridigm surrounds.

[Peter Nielsen]

I'll ask here, is the C2 "powerful" enough to compensate for different types of amps and speakers in the surround?

Yes and no. The "problem" would be that the C2 does not let you use the full capability of your different speakers. This is because the C2 software does not currently let you select separate crossovers for different speaker groups.

For instance my main speakers are linear (+/-3dB) down to 25Hz. My surrounds go down to 34Hz. The center and rears go down to 80Hz. My subwoofer goes down to 18Hz. Consequently, to avoid any "gaps" with the lesser speakers, I need to set the C2 subwoofer crossover to 80Hz. This means that my fronts and/or surrounds are never fully used, or that there is a gap in the frequency spectrum.

Currently I have my fronts set to LARGE, which means I am using the full frequency range of the fronts, which leaves me with a hole in the 18-25Hz bass spectrum for the left and right channel. My surrounds are set to SMALL, which means that the 34Hz-80Hz spectrum is never used in these speakers. (I could set the fronts to SMALL, and that would close the gap but leave "most" of the speaker unused which would be a bad thing. Likewise I could set the surrounds to LARGE in order to use all of the speakers, but then again I would have created a new hole where bass aimed for the surrounds isn't covered in the 18Hz-34Hz range, which probably would be noticable in certain situations).

Hopefully Parasound will improve the C2 software and let us select separate crossovers for separate speaker groups.

Peter

[Chris D]

Sorry, rk, I thought I gave you my legendary banana on another thread when you said hi to the Guide, that's why I gave you the wave. Better than the finger! :banana: The banana's reserved for welcoming people to the Guide, saying congrats on a component purchase, or a really awesome setup. My favorite emoticon.

Peter, taking what you said and in another thread, your sub goes down to 18 Hz... your Maggies go down to 25 Hz... so you use your sub for a 7 Hz spectrum? Okay! (just kidding)

[Peter Nielsen]

Peter, taking what you said and in another thread, your sub goes down to 18 Hz... your Maggies go down to 25 Hz... so you use your sub for a 7 Hz spectrum?

Right now I have my fronts (MG20.1 maggies) set to LARGE in the C2 setup, so this means that the sub is not engaged for signals sent to the fronts. (You could say that anything below 25Hz directed to the fronts is "lost" even though that is not entirely true).

The rest of the channels are set to SMALL, and the C2 subwoofer frequency setting is at 80Hz-THX. Consequently the sub will be engaged for frequencies below 80Hz for all SMALL speakers . It's a terrible waste to cut off my surrounds (MG3.6) at 80Hz when they could go down to 34Hz.

Finally, don't forget that the sub will of course also be used for reproducing any signal on the dedicated LF channel.

I wish we could set different crossovers in the C2. That would solve the problem and let me direct anything below 25Hz for the fronts, and anything below 34Hz for the surrounds, etc.

Peter

[goldear]

Peter, I don't have my Halo to refer to any longer..but what about using a pair of the programmable channels for your surrounds? From what I recall, you can dupicate that surround channel...and pick whatever crossover point you want for those speakers, independent of the main crossover. It's been a while, so I could be wrong, but I thought this was one of the options with these programmable channels.

[netarc]

For instance my main speakers are linear (+/-3dB) down to 25Hz. My surrounds go down to 34Hz. The center and rears go down to 80Hz. My subwoofer goes down to 18Hz. Consequently, to avoid any "gaps" with the lesser speakers, I need to set the C2 subwoofer crossover to 80Hz. This means that my fronts and/or surrounds are never fully used, or that there is a gap in the frequency spectrum.

Hmmm....how about setting the front spkrs to LARGE, and enabling "Enhanced Bass" full-time ... this way you can have your cake and eat it up 2

[Peter Nielsen]

Hmmm....how about setting the front spkrs to LARGE, and enabling "Enhanced Bass" full-time ... this way you can have your cake and eat it up 2

No... Enhanced Bass does ALL that you DON'T want. It basically destroys any linearity in your system. I won't elaborate unless somebody disagrees with this short reply...

Yes, Enhanced bass may be "spectacular" at best, but it is nothing a serious audiophile would accept... Would YOU accept that in a +$50k system?!

Peter

[netarc]

No... Enhanced Bass does ALL that you DON'T want. It basically destroys any linearity in your system. I won't elaborate unless somebody disagrees with this short reply...

Yes, Enhanced bass may be "spectacular" at best, but it is nothing a serious audiophile would accept... Would YOU accept that in a +$50k system?!

Peter

Could you elaborate? My understanding of the way the C1/C2 handle "enhanced bass" was that it would route signals under the x-over point of speakers configured for LARGE to *both* the subwoofer and said speaker? Granted, this isn't ideal ... but wouldn't think it would exactly wreck your system response? But willing to be enlightened...

[Peter Nielsen]

Could you elaborate? My understanding of the way the C1/C2 handle "enhanced bass" was that it would route signals under the x-over point of speakers configured for LARGE to *both* the subwoofer and said speaker? Granted, this isn't ideal ... but wouldn't think it would exactly wreck your system response? But willing to be enlightened...

I need to set the crossover to 80Hz since my rears and center do not go lower than that.

If I set my fronts and surrounds to LARGE and enable Ehanced Bass, this means that frequencies in the 25-80Hz range are reproduced by BOTH the sub and fronts and frequencies in the 34-80Hz range are reproduced by BOTH the sub and surrounds.

The result is that the bass will be too emphasized and thus less balanced. You simply get too much bass from the channels set to LARGE. Another problem will be that the channel definition suffers. You can usually pinpoint the location of bass in the 40-80Hz range. Thus, for multi-channel music it will be very clear that everything is not right if the sub is set up to repeat bass all the way down from 80Hz...

It might be okay for movies where loud crashes and bangs are all that matters, but it's a definite no-no for multi-channel music...

Peter