"Anthem D2 Processor"

[tsd2005]

Anthem were the FIRST manufacturer to put a pre/pro with HDMI switching and a Gennum scaler on the market. It didn't took them a long time to upgrade the D1... they were the first! Lexicon, Theta, IR, Parasound... Not a single one of them was ready for those new HD-DVD players... except Anthem.

What does Anthem pay you to put this nonsense everywhere?

How exactly is the Anthem Pre-Pro ready for HD-DVD or Blu-Ray over the competition? Wait, they AREN'T. The D2 in no way shape or form deals with the new high end audio in any way better than their competition. As a Video Processor it has its competition too.

If you mean upgrade via a software upgrade, no the D1 wasn't slow, it had an upgrade available within weeks of it being released. The D1 is REPLACABLE with a D2 for a COST.

Why you are defending the D2 for its ability to outdue a VP30 for HD stuff is beyond me. For the most part DVDO makes processors to make the most out of DVDs and does an exceptional job. It is definately on par with the D2 with SD product. That is what the majority of people will use it for.

Lumagen has an extremely affordable HDQ offering with the Realta chip... $1999 I think.

Calibre has the top of the line unit the Vantage HD.

Bottom line Anthem just released a product with a great video scaler in it with about to be obsolete HDMI inputs.

Before Christmas the competition will have out HDMI 1.3 systems with in-processor processing of the new high end audio standards. Anthem has a D3 planned, but what does that mean for the D2?

Another replacement?

That isn't an upgrade. An upgrade is Theta sending me a card and within 24 hours I have it all working. No sending my unit in, waiting on a replacement.

I won't even mention how a great Blu-Ray player connected to a TRUE 1080p projector might not even need a video processor. However you don't want to hear that do you?

 

[tsd2005]

Well, I'm the first to say when I was wrong...
Their is a Anthem P5 on Audiogon for $3799.00 (USD):

http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?ampsmult&1153540958

It would be a steal at $3500.00, if it is in the condition the owner says it is...

You don't see them much because they make great amps...

people keep amps...

amps don't really go obsolete. you don't get a bug to replace your amp with a shiny new one with new power designs!

 

[Reverb2009]

Joe, have you noticed their is never any P5's for sale on Audiogon.... We both know why that is...

I think everyone heard you Robin, there are 3 P5’s on Audiogon right now.

 

[Robin]

Anthem P5...

I think everyone heard you Robin, there are 3 P5’s on Audiogon right now.

Joe,

Yes, and the prices seem pretty resonable as well.

 

[Munster]

Here's what Kris Deering from Secrets was saying on AVS (it's the guy doing the DVD and scalers shout-out...).

"The Anthem D2 is far better than any high end Faroudja unit right now and will be more in line with the Radience (but at a far lower cost!). The Gennum VXP does a superb job with both SD and HD sources and is one of the few HD processors that does true inverse telecine and motion adaptive processing of 1080i, and it does it quite well. Add to that the fact that the audio is handled properly and the fact that most video processors won't pass through high resolution PCM multi-channel audio, and you will see how stand-alone processors either don't offer the video performance prowess of the D2, or create an issue for the new sound formats that Blu-Ray and HD DVD bring to the table. Not the case with the D2.

Lumagen's and DVDO's (VP30...) current offerings can not compete with the D2 in terms of HD video processing right now. DVDO is the only one that compete for SD de-interlacing with their new ABT board. Lumagen has an outstanding video processor with the Vision HDP, but they aren't in the same league anymore"

"As for new processors, I can test them now as well. And I have run them through very intensive cadence testing already. Lumagen is using a solution that just won't match the D2 right now. My comments are strictly on the current Lumagen line, which is outstanding, but different than what the D2 is offering.

The D2 offers almost the same amount of flexibility in design and features as most standalone scalers. The Lumagen line has some pretty cool features like their calibration stuff, but the D2 is not just some video processing chip thrown in a case that upscales like most receivers/SSPs out there. It has A LOT of features including firmware upgradeability, frame rate conversions, full support of HD, chroma bug correction, test patterns, picture adjustments, picture re-size and more. And there are NO compromises when it comes to the audio part of the HDMI signal coming in, which is something we will have to see with future video processors from Lumagen and DVDO and anyone else. "

I have been reading about a few serious glitches in the D2 at AVS and

thought it worth mentioning that Kris Deering has held up his review because

of them.
Apparrantly the video chip does not scale to some TV's native resolutions

causing mucho frustration.

 

[Robin]

Glitches...?

I have been reading about a few serious glitches in the D2 at AVS and

thought it worth mentioning that Kris Deering has held up his review because

of them.
Apparrantly the video chip does not scale to some TV's native resolutions

causing mucho frustration.

Munster,

What's this you say, "a few serious glitches"? Do you know if Anthem is addressing these problems? I wonder if they have a fix for the problem?

Anthem is supposed to have excellent customer service. They stand behind their products from what I've read... I'm going to have to look at AVS forum to see what's come-up with the D2...

 

[Reverb2009]

There are a few glitches that AVS members have found work a rounds for, and yes anthem will fix them in a firmware update along with adding more supported resolutions. A lot of customers have been upset with the lack of 1366 x 768 support on the D2.

ETA for this firmware update is 6 months.

 

[tsd2005]

There are a few glitches that AVS members have found work a rounds for, and yes anthem will fix them in a firmware update along with adding more supported resolutions. A lot of customers have been upset with the lack of 1366 x 768 support on the D2.

ETA for this firmware update is 6 months.

That isn't a "little," glitch, that is a pretty big one. 70% of the flatpanel HDTVs on the market currently have a 1366 x 768 ratio. That makes up about 40% of all HDTVs.

6 months might be a little generous as well. My counterpart at another location told me that the D2 had problems (without going into them) and that they'd be lucky to have the fix out by Spring.

I'm hearing/seeing it at work for 3 days this week. I'll let you guys know my impressions.

 

[Reverb2009]

That isn't a "little," glitch, that is a pretty big one. 70% of the flatpanel HDTVs on the market currently have a 1366 x 768 ratio. That makes up about 40% of all HDTVs.

6 months might be a little generous as well. My counterpart at another location told me that the D2 had problems (without going into them) and that they'd be lucky to have the fix out by Spring.

I'm hearing/seeing it at work for 3 days this week. I'll let you guys know my impressions.

Sorry but I don’t consider a non supported resolution as a glitch, only an inconvenience. Most odd resolution TV’s wont give you a 1:1 pixel match even if you send it a 1366X768 single so what the point of using a external scalier if you can’t bypass most of the TV’s scaling ability’s? Last I talked to Kris Deering of Secrets, he had tried his DVDO VP30 on a number of odd resolution TV’s and all of them reprocessed the pixel perfect resolution. Unless you have a TV that will pass a pixel perfect image it’s a waste of money to have a scalier.

Some of the color space and HDMI errors are glitches that will be fixed soon.

 

[tsd2005]

Sorry but I don’t consider a non supported resolution as a glitch, only an inconvenience. Most odd resolution TV’s wont give you a 1:1 pixel match even if you send it a 1366X768 single so what the point of using a external scalier if you can’t bypass most of the TV’s scaling ability’s? Last I talked to Kris Deering of Secrets, he had tried his DVDO VP30 on a number of odd resolution TV’s and all of them reprocessed the pixel perfect resolution. Unless you have a TV that will pass a pixel perfect image it’s a waste of money to have a scalier.

Some of the color space and HDMI errors are glitches that will be fixed soon.

Well picture on my new Samsung 1080p capable TV:

Is pretty much the same straight from the Blu-Ray DVD player than going thru the D2.

Is WORSE straight from the HD-DVD player than thru the D2.

DVDs look much better going thru the D2.

Sound is noticably different from the D1 which we've been comparing it to all day. I prefer the D1's sound, but thats my opinion. The others here seem to agree.

I've got a few people here from a magazine I'm sure many people read. They are split as far as sound comparisons to the D1.

Compared to a Calibre which we also hooked up the D2 isn't close to the PQ, but its better than the DVDO we did hookup.

A Calibre is EXPENSIVE, so I don't really think comparing a $6,700 Pre-Pro with a $5,000 Video Processor is exactly fair.

The D2 is a solid piece of gear that has a as of now almost top of the line quality Video Processor in a Pre-Pro, but the sound quality has taken a change (some qualities seem better, sound floor worse for instance). The D1 was a really great sounding Pre-Pro...

NextGen lower end Video Processors which are made for 1080p signals may very well be the better choice for those concerned about price teamed up with a D1 or whatever Pre-Pro they have an itch for.

Right now its not comparible to the Arcam AV9 for sound quality, but has it beat in ease of use and features. However despite that it sounds better than the D2. Which everyone here is in agreement on.

It IS imho a pretty good solid choice for those who want the combo of Video Processor and Pre-Pro. However for less money those who are seeking a better sound might do better by looking elsewhere. Videophiles however have no place else to look.