AppleTV X - I am playing with something new

[Davidny]

This should be very interesting

https://dejitterit.com/Docs/SwitchX.pdf

Chirs I hope you do a video, like you did for your AppleTV X, that describes what you’ve discovered what creates noise in the audio signal and how you’ve minimized it

 

[Low325]

Please tell me your hot rodding UniFi switches lol!

this good be a good option too… Hans B just shared some of his impressions but he only focused on the audio aspect of things…

muon pro Streaming System – Network Acoustics

www.networkacoustics.com

 

[Xymox]

I am not a ubiquiti fan. They are way behind in technology and do not have truly high end devices. I also don't like the build quality.

I should point out that I have been doing mods on switches, router and modems going back a decade for private clients. Where all these new people are new to the game, I have been quietly perfecting networking devices for audio use for a LONG time. I have threads on here discussing this.

What I do on the AppleTV X is REALLLY hard. HDMI is HARD. The modulation and signal is really kinda the same thing used on ethernet, optical, USB and even DOCSIS cable modems. BUT.. HDMI is THE hardest because its so damn fast and there are now 4 lanes of it that get all put back together. So what I learned doing the ATVX makes 10G Ethernet , SFP+ look easy. Everything I learned on the ATVX applies directly to a switch/router. The R-Core transformer magic, the 4 pin sensing linear, all the insanity of cleaning up the switching regulators that feed the chips and SFP ports. Dejittering the switch chip and the SFP+ ports is fun. To me doing the switch was easy.

I have not seen anyone doing what I am doing with a switch. No one would, its crazy. Dropping the noise on the SFP+ power 40db ? Any engineer would tell you thats just stupid. Regualtion in the parts per million level ? I am clearly out of my mind. BUT,,, welllll,, it sounds/looks better

I do not have a fancy case. Sorry. Its all about performance.

I am ordering up everything for my first production run this week and expect to do the first batch of units the week of 4/8..

While the Switch X is fun for sure. I am still in love with the ATVX. Just tonight I discovered it has another cool aspect. The sound is quite the step up, but, I had no idea how much till tonight. My mom is 85 and has some hearing loss. She has been having trouble hearing various new TV series and she has just a flat panel with its built in speakers. I swapped in a ATVX tonight for her. HUGE difference for her. She said its the first time in forever she could hear dialog clearly again. We did A/B. SO. The sound is a big enough jump that even someone hearing impaired can hear a difference using crappy TV speakers. That was a pretty cool test to me. While picture is a awesome upgrade, the sound is just crazy too.

After using it for more then a year, I STILL am caught off guard and go wow. Tonight it was some of the music in the series Yellowstone. Thursday it was the sound in Picard. The pic is amazing. Outdoor scene have this dead accurate gamma feel to them. These pantone like accurate color. Its like your standing on set. Just drop dead stunning at times. Color can get me. The wonder color of the color. Like the ship doors in Star Trek Brave New Worlds. Its this wonderful kinda deep red.

 

[Xymox]

This should be very interesting

https://dejitterit.com/Docs/SwitchX.pdf

Chirs I hope you do a video, like you did for your AppleTV X, that describes what you’ve discovered what creates noise in the audio signal and how you’ve minimized it

Yes.. Once I get this new batch underway, I will do a full web page with measurements and tech detail along with pics and vids..

 

[Xymox]

Maybe I’m old school, but I would expect a review to include at least some description of the personal experience from the reviewer with the product. I couldn’t find this in the article. The author of the article himself has also categorized this in the news section of his website instead of the review section, which makes sense to me.

I have no comments regarding the product itself and landed here because of the interesting tear up of the latest Apple TV model.

It was just a surprize to find that "review". Its fun to find these kinds of things for me. I was googling it and discovered somethign i did not know about.

Like just after Axpona, I got a bunch of hits from a twitter post. I can't find the post. But it must have been in Japan as most of the hits were japanese on the web site.

I have now shipped ATVXs all over the world. Pretty cool having them in so many countries. I have a 100V/50, the US version and a 220-250 50/60 version.

I have a recent request from a guy I have known forever who does reviews in some key places who will get one in about a week. That might spread the word even further.

YES.. I agree a review should have depth and detail. Also I believe a reviewer should live with one for a WHILE to fully grasp it. This is true of any device. I have reviewers right now that have had the ATVX for 6 months.

One thing I run into is that many top tier press have a policy of not reviewing modded devices. The ATVX has spread by people telling others. Owners telling other people. I think this is the best as you are hearing it from a actual owner.

Also. Lets face it. While a retail of $2500 seems like a lot, its the same kind of price for a TV or surround processor, OR, as much as a good interconnect. Its cheap for what you get. Its a source component that is reference grade and provides just tons of enjoyment. I use mine almost every night. I keep finding new ways to use it. There are SO MANY apps..

 

[Xymox]

Thanks! Went ahead and contacted Bill!

Thank you Frank. Its a fun device. I spent months going back thru movies, TV shows, Youtube material and experencing them all again. It was like when you get a new turntable or speaker and suddenly everything is so much clearer and you realize you had no idea how things sounded and you get to go back and listen to all your fav music all over again. This is why I decided to sell them is it was just so much fun.

 

[Low325]

On the subject of increased PQ with ATVX, if any of you folks watch Schmigadoon on appletv+, it’s ear candy with music (though may not be to your tastes) and the color grading can be so much appreciated.
The color saturation is so rich with so much depth.

This might come with a downside cause I get lost on the message of the movie and might just want to watch for the technical aspect of things….I’m saying this in the best possible way that the “truer” (lack of a better word) signal is not a distraction but just sort of wandering moments thinking you’re getting more of that cinematic experience with a familiar, off the shelf device with its core functionality intact. No worries that a future update will break the performance. Well that’s if apple decides to put in self validation hardware/signal checks lol! Glad I have one nonetheless.

 

[Xymox]

This might come with a downside cause I get lost on the message of the movie and might just want to watch for the technical aspect of things…

Having sat in front of the ATVX for over a year,,, this can be a true issue. While the picture and sound can produce involuntary emotional involvement,, it can also be really distracting. You go "WOW" outloud a lot. At least I do.. The Pantone like accuracy and the gamma rendering can just take your breath away if you know your stuff technically. Outdoor scenes TRULY look outdoor. Just crazy correct gamma. Colors suddenly have what seem like trillions of shades, each.. Sometimes that uncanny feeling that it produces that your standing on set can be jarring.

Then there is the sound.. OMFG.. Like listening to a high end DAC with really good files. Layering, imaging, depth, nuance, emotion, texture, fantastic detail, ambiance, space.. Switching from a show thru commercials is insane. Each commercial has its own soundscape. Its the sound that still gets me, even after a year, at times I go "OMFG".. SOmetimes its the little things. Like a single french horn off in the far background. Never even heard it before, but now,,, OMG,,, its hanging in 3D space emoting a feel to the scene that causes immd emotions.

Its completly distracting.. BUT.. It also seriously adds to the experence too. You go back thru everything likes its all new again.

AND THEN... People all have said,,, it burns in.. And yea,, it does.. Just when you think its insane,, you go wait... Hold on... and you realize 2 weeks later, its a bunch better.. Then it happens again at about a month.. LOTS of people have reported this. I also saw/heard it.. It makes technical sense as the WIMA Poly caps I use in a key part do have that type of burn in period. Plus the silver wire with its Teflon insulation.

I am in touch with tons of owners, they all have the same experence. Its fairly jaw dropping. Its really even more jaw dropping if you know what your doing and have lots of experence with pic & sound.

This is why I decided to make them. Making them is hard. But this amazing experence was somethign I needed to share. Its just so much fun. The world gave up on AV streaming and wrote it off as junk and blamed low bit rates. Well.. No... Its stunning at the current bitrate. Its HDMI and the decoding chips that suck and that can be addressed.

Well... Back to work.. I have another bacth of ATVXs to make and a batch of the new SwitchX to make. Each one is hand made by yours truly, so, be patient with me .. BTW.. I wont ever let anyone else make this stuff. There are some aspects that I seriously consider my art. I actually believe my doing each one by hand imparts something hard to define.

 

[msimanyi]

I know Apple tends to support computer and phone hardware for a lengthy period of time after they were initially released. I don't know if they have any similar commitment to the AppleTV product line, but does anyone have any insights into a likely reasonable lifetime for the underlying version of the AppleTVX?

I'm quite tempted to order one if it's not likely to be phased out in two years. (That said, unless video/audio codecs change or 8k becomes a necessity, I don't see anything in the near future that suggests it'll become obsolete due to the hardware.)

 

[Xymox]

I know Apple tends to support computer and phone hardware for a lengthy period of time after they were initially released. I don't know if they have any similar commitment to the AppleTV product line, but does anyone have any insights into a likely reasonable lifetime for the underlying version of the AppleTVX?

I'm quite tempted to order one if it's not likely to be phased out in two years. (That said, unless video/audio codecs change or 8k becomes a necessity, I don't see anything in the near future that suggests it'll become obsolete due to the hardware.)

Hi Mike. You also sent me a PM and asked more questions and I will also answer those here as they are quite valid and important.

WHO KNOWS what Apple may do ! No one knows that. No illusions. In fact Apple *might* come out with a better ATV. This last one was ****, but, who knows. If they come out with one that I can mod and produce a better pic then the A2169, well, I might go that route. However, my guess is the A2169 is going to be the best one they ever make. I think they may leave the market, just a guess.

Will the A2169 work in 3-4 years, they still support the ATV that does HD and that is 5 years old. Will some app come along that requres a newer ATV ? Hmmm, doubtful, but who knows. The first gen 4K box from 3 years is still fully supported it appears. I don't need better picture or sound, speaking for myself.

Who knows. To quote Yoda "Hard to see, the future is"

My plan right now is to buy up all the new A2169s I can and then transistion to refurbursing and offer full warranty. My plan is that the A2169 will become known as the best streaming platform ever made and to be the guy that makes the best ones. Like the Oppos with all the after market mods and the refurb work. I am planning on doing the A2169 for as long as they exist and are useful.

I dont need any more features as i think there are none of interest to add. If 8k ever comes out, the CDN ( content delivery networks ) used by the streaming providers have NO plans on increasing streaming speeds, so 8K would just end up more compressed then 4k as it would need to fit down the same size pipe. They don't even do good Mbps for 4K. In fact HD ( 2K ) can be really good as its less compressed.

"ATVX is better than Kaleidescape, which makes absolutely no sense to me... but if it's true, great!"

This is the #1 question I get.. But the device varies. Sometimes its the Oppo, sometimes in Nvidia, I even have post production guys question ATVX VS a post production workstation..

All these devices , and MANY more, use HDMI. HDMI >> SUCKS<< .. ALL of them use the "reference design" from the HDMI chip mfgr. So all of them suck just as bad. While bitrate, Mbps, DOES matter,, it turns out that the weak link was never the bit rate. It was HDMI. So sure a post production workstation can chew thru 500Mbps of 4:4:4 but then it dumps thru a horrendous HDMI pipe and what emerges is sad. This is doubly true for sound. Sound is just jittered into submission by HDMI so whatever you start with is nearly meaningless. It like looking thru frosted glass. You can sorta tell the quality of a picture on the other side is better but it all kinda looks the same and fuzzy.. BUT remove the frosted glass and OMG. So bitrate improves the quality of the picture but its limited/obscured by the frosted glass. I removed the frosted glass.

Its also not just HDMI it turns out. The HDMI chip is fed from the CPU. The CPU is tied timing wise to RAM, buss and its SSD. So all that can jitter and stammer and stagger around during decoding. So what gets fed to the HDMI chip is already a mess before it leaves the CPU.

Getting the data from the Ethernet produces interrupts in the CPU to get data and buffed it in. Cleaning up the Ethernet chip then also somehow matters.

I radically clean all that up. No one else I am aware of does this. Interestingly, the brain and perceive jitter in all these systems. Who knew.

Then there are the evil PWM voltage regulators feeding everything. Truly awful devices that spew RF and have all manner of weirdness and noise spectra. No one does these even remotely correctly. SURE they work in std designs, but, again, the reference design for these devices falls way short.

So.. The K-Scape, Oppo, Roku, Nvidia, post workstations ALL suffer from a list of issues that degrade picture and sound. While bit rate can matter, fixing all the above is FAR more impactful then bitrate. In fact, then bitrate can REALLY matter. You can then see bitrate really have impact. The adobe app Frames.IO doing post production material at high bit rates is shocking thru a ATVX.

So YES, a large number of my clients have all the devices above. Usually more then 2 of the above. I have post production clients too. They ABCD. the ATVX is almost always the winner on every movie/show/clip despite the vast differences in bitrate because i fix HDMI and all the decoding jitter.

So while it seems insane that 10-20 Mbps streaming can look, and sound, stunning, it does indeed look and sound jaw dropping and I have 170+ units in the field now and lots of experience myself all confirming it. Its also not subtle. Its more shock and awe.

I FULLY understand tho that this seems insane. A streaming service looking/sounding reference level ? I would have laughed 2 years ago at the suggestion. But, I was shocked to find i was wrong. This is the whole reason I am making them. The entire industry needs a wake up call. HDMI SUCKS

 

[Xymox]

I am finishing up the first production run of the Switch X. It has a lot of things not found on anything else.

It also uses the same R-Core based sensing noise cancelation 4 pin linear I use on tyhe ATVX.

It is not a normal switch to deploy if you want the full benefits of the isolated networking. I am working on a document that will be required reading before purchase. It will require its own wifi access point and a iPad if your using it for a audio streaming application.

For ATVX use its easy as long as your using the AppleTV remote.

The document Switch X

The top of the board. Most of the fun stuff is on the bottom. Some areas are blured to hide some key magic.




Orange and blue are fun changes. You can really see the other surface mount parts changed. The blured area is hiding some alchemy.

 

[Low325]

looks interesting. Keep us posted for sure.

im a wannabe networking engineer when i get bored and have time. Which is why I chose unifi - as cmd line configs are just not for me. The hardware, sure isnt highend nor was it in their target audience…but the UI I like and appreciate the cloud service which is why I’m into their ecosystem.

It makes sense why you’re making ports 5-8 an island of its self. Does this mean the dedicated Ipad will also only operate to the AP? Are there already built in routing rules to streaming online services like roon, etc? However, the case - good to see you’re using an SFP mikrotik switch.

 

[Steve Bruzonsky]

OMG! I just had to demo the Appletvx and I'm ending up buying it.

Some background. My dedicated home theater is still under renovation/construction - when its done with a 14' screen, Sony GTZ-380 with Isco x 1.25 anamorphic lens, 11.7.12, the Appletvx will have its permanent home - but my basement system with it now will have to keep one, too! Its that good!

My basement system is five on wall Totem Audio Tribe III speakers, 4 Dynaudio Atmos in ceiling speakers, some REL subwoofers, Marantz AV7705 SSP, NAD M28 7 channel amp and NAD C298 stereo amp, Kaleidescape Strato C and Alto players, 2021 Apple TV 4k. The latter is still in the system to compare to the Appletvx. I also have an outdoor OTA antenna with a Silicondust HDHomerun OTA 4k/HD tuner using Channels DVR in my Appletv4k/Appletvx for local OTA stuff. Oh - a 2019 LG C2 OLED 65".

I've compared OTA shows like The Flash, NCIS, Superman and Lois. I've compared Paramound Plus shows like 1883 and Star Trek: Picard. I've compared on Youtube the Appletvx Test Clips. Also, I watched a movie on Amazon Prime the other nite, "Ticket To Paradise", set in Hawaii!

The Appletvx is clearly some picture quality improvement - I really have only had it a week now and haven't got to the audio stage yet, though it certainly sounds as good if not better but I've been focusing on video. People in particular look more focused, as if the image is say 4k compared to HD. Black level and background just may seem more black though I don't know how that happens with an OLED. On the Appletvx Test Clips you can see better clarity and brightness, black level, detail compared to the Appletv4k. Star Trekicard and The Flash simply get me more involved with the better picture. Hawaii in the movie looks somewhat - more Hawaii!

Is the improvement worth the money???? Depends on how much you're willing to spend I guess, if anything. But there is an improvement.

Oh - but lets go to the icing on the cake that makes the Appletvx a total no brainer for me!

I have a DJM Electronics Gigafoil v4 which is a small industrial box with a wall wart power supply which intakes and outputs ethernet cables but inside the box it converts ethernet to optical and back to ethernet. GigaFOILv4-INLINE - EMI/RFI Filter for 10/100 and Gigabit Ethernet (djmelectronics.com)

I've been using it with my Kaleidescape downstairs recently, and clear improvement in picture and sound, as Kaleidescape gets its signal not via HDMI but via hard wired ethernet. Audio is clearly even better. I 'd say the better the picture to begin with, the better the video improvement.
Watching all the same stuff as above was clearly better - now 4k Ultra HD and HDR program material actually looks so much more like that as opposed to trying to catch up to a blu ray disc. Star Trek Picard is - amazing! Its like a picture with better brightness, black level, color, detail and resolution.

I also used my standard Appletv4k with the Gigafoil. Definitely a video improvement, but can't say it looked quite as good as just using the plain ol Appletvx. So using the optical Gigafoil v4 with the Appletvx really gets the best video quality at its best.

 

[msimanyi]

I've only had a few hours on my new ATVX. Haven't formed any well-sorted opinions yet. I'm viewing in 4K SDR per Chris' recommendation on his site, and I think that's echoed in the instructions provided with the unit.

The details in dark scenes are a massive improvement over the ATV, probably due to the noise reduction. Man-made lighting seems to glow much more naturally, and colors stand out more clearly against the rest of the scene, but not in a hyped manner. Gradation of light on objects is incredibly smooth, lending a more lifelike image to the feed. This opinion is based on HBO's Succession, Apple's Ted Lasso, and for kicks I brought up Deadpool 2 - far from a reference bit of movie making, but with lots of night scenes - which is one of a number of movies I bought on my Apple TV account. Oh - and The Gentlemen as well. Again... not exactly reference filmmaking, but fun, with a variety of indoor and outdoor scenes.

Other hardware is my (calibrated) Sony A90J 83", and the ethernet feed to the ATVX is a basic Shunyata Venom ethernet cable, while the HDMI output is over a Wireworld HDMI cable (the wire casing is gray or silver.) I'm currently using the power cable provided with the ATVX, but I have a spare Shunyata Alpha NR v2 that I might try. It's total overkill, but Bill Parrish at GTT Audio said it's responsive to good power cables and it's an easy test to see if there's meaningful improvement.

I plan to compare it directly against my ATV as well as my Kaleidescape system to see how it fares in comparison. If I didn't already have the Kaleidescape and had the other gear I own - or something of similar or better quality - I'd say the best money is on the ATVX... but that's just a guess on my part for now. I want to see if Kaleidescape's audio is vastly better.

The ATVX certainly seems quite impressive in my limited exposure.

 

[Xymox]

looks interesting. Keep us posted for sure.

im a wannabe networking engineer when i get bored and have time. Which is why I chose unifi - as cmd line configs are just not for me. The hardware, sure isnt highend nor was it in their target audience…but the UI I like and appreciate the cloud service which is why I’m into their ecosystem.

It makes sense why you’re making ports 5-8 an island of its self. Does this mean the dedicated Ipad will also only operate to the AP? Are there already built in routing rules to streaming online services like roon, etc? However, the case - good to see you’re using an SFP mikrotik switch.

Its just NATing. Yes the dedicated ipad will hook to the dedicated AP with its own SSID.

It creates a island where the things on the island are separate. So if you put a roon server on the island, you can only use it with gear on the island.

This will restrict use for using a roon server elsewhere on the home network. The idea is to keep things really isolated so this is required. I suppose its possible to create rules to bypass the NATing for specific uses. BUT each rule then needs to be checked for each packet and this creates some jitter. The isolated section is, well, hardcore. Its meant to be super isolated and clean and so some restrictions are needed.

If your IT savvy, its Mikrotik and has a nice GUI program ( winbox ) I like using. It also has a web based interface, but, i prefer using the winbox. Its possible to do, well, anything networking wise with it. Its VERY feature rich.

The bridged switch ports have all the goodness like hardware dejittering and noise reduction, so, just using it as a std switch is really awesome. The isolated network is just that one step beyond.

 

[Xymox]

OMG! I just had to demo the Appletvx and I'm ending up buying it.

Some background. My dedicated home theater is still under renovation/construction - when its done with a 14' screen, Sony GTZ-380 with Isco x 1.25 anamorphic lens, 11.7.12, the Appletvx will have its permanent home - but my basement system with it now will have to keep one, too! Its that good!

My basement system is five on wall Totem Audio Tribe III speakers, 4 Dynaudio Atmos in ceiling speakers, some REL subwoofers, Marantz AV7705 SSP, NAD M28 7 channel amp and NAD C298 stereo amp, Kaleidescape Strato C and Alto players, 2021 Apple TV 4k. The latter is still in the system to compare to the Appletvx. I also have an outdoor OTA antenna with a Silicondust HDHomerun OTA 4k/HD tuner using Channels DVR in my Appletv4k/Appletvx for local OTA stuff. Oh - a 2019 LG C2 OLED 65".

I've compared OTA shows like The Flash, NCIS, Superman and Lois. I've compared Paramound Plus shows like 1883 and Star Trek: Picard. I've compared on Youtube the Appletvx Test Clips. Also, I watched a movie on Amazon Prime the other nite, "Ticket To Paradise", set in Hawaii!

The Appletvx is clearly some picture quality improvement - I really have only had it a week now and haven't got to the audio stage yet, though it certainly sounds as good if not better but I've been focusing on video. People in particular look more focused, as if the image is say 4k compared to HD. Black level and background just may seem more black though I don't know how that happens with an OLED. On the Appletvx Test Clips you can see better clarity and brightness, black level, detail compared to the Appletv4k. Star Trekicard and The Flash simply get me more involved with the better picture. Hawaii in the movie looks somewhat - more Hawaii!

Is the improvement worth the money???? Depends on how much you're willing to spend I guess, if anything. But there is an improvement.

Oh - but lets go to the icing on the cake that makes the Appletvx a total no brainer for me!

I have a DJM Electronics Gigafoil v4 which is a small industrial box with a wall wart power supply which intakes and outputs ethernet cables but inside the box it converts ethernet to optical and back to ethernet. GigaFOILv4-INLINE - EMI/RFI Filter for 10/100 and Gigabit Ethernet (djmelectronics.com)

I've been using it with my Kaleidescape downstairs recently, and clear improvement in picture and sound, as Kaleidescape gets its signal not via HDMI but via hard wired ethernet. Audio is clearly even better. I 'd say the better the picture to begin with, the better the video improvement.
Watching all the same stuff as above was clearly better - now 4k Ultra HD and HDR program material actually looks so much more like that as opposed to trying to catch up to a blu ray disc. Star Trek Picard is - amazing! Its like a picture with better brightness, black level, color, detail and resolution.

I also used my standard Appletv4k with the Gigafoil. Definitely a video improvement, but can't say it looked quite as good as just using the plain ol Appletvx. So using the optical Gigafoil v4 with the Appletvx really gets the best video quality at its best.

Awesome Steve

Yep, its a fun ride. Its amazing what it does. Its hard to imagine streaming can be as good as it is.

Yes, I and other clients, have all seen that how you feed it ethernet wise really matters. More so then you would think. Well,, everything matters it seems. Power cords, feet, mass loading, vibration control,,, it all seems to matter. Most clients sorta settle in over a month or 2 with trying out different stuff in their system finding the perfect combo. Suddenly you can see/hear differences easily and this allows tweaking it into kinda stunningly big jumps. It also clearly burns-in. Clients have reported burn-in jumps at like 2 weeks and then again at like 1 month. These are not subtle. Its crazy fun right away and then some weeks later i get calls going "OMG - WTH it got better, I was just watching X and it was just insane" is usually what I hear.

The biggest jump I hear from clients is about sound. So you have some fun experiences coming yet

Thank you for coming and posting about your experience. Glad to hear you liked it so much you are getting a 2nd one.

 

[Xymox]

I've only had a few hours on my new ATVX. Haven't formed any well-sorted opinions yet. I'm viewing in 4K SDR per Chris' recommendation on his site, and I think that's echoed in the instructions provided with the unit.

The details in dark scenes are a massive improvement over the ATV, probably due to the noise reduction. Man-made lighting seems to glow much more naturally, and colors stand out more clearly against the rest of the scene, but not in a hyped manner. Gradation of light on objects is incredibly smooth, lending a more lifelike image to the feed. This opinion is based on HBO's Succession, Apple's Ted Lasso, and for kicks I brought up Deadpool 2 - far from a reference bit of movie making, but with lots of night scenes - which is one of a number of movies I bought on my Apple TV account. Oh - and The Gentlemen as well. Again... not exactly reference filmmaking, but fun, with a variety of indoor and outdoor scenes.

Other hardware is my (calibrated) Sony A90J 83", and the ethernet feed to the ATVX is a basic Shunyata Venom ethernet cable, while the HDMI output is over a Wireworld HDMI cable (the wire casing is gray or silver.) I'm currently using the power cable provided with the ATVX, but I have a spare Shunyata Alpha NR v2 that I might try. It's total overkill, but Bill Parrish at GTT Audio said it's responsive to good power cables and it's an easy test to see if there's meaningful improvement.

I plan to compare it directly against my ATV as well as my Kaleidescape system to see how it fares in comparison. If I didn't already have the Kaleidescape and had the other gear I own - or something of similar or better quality - I'd say the best money is on the ATVX... but that's just a guess on my part for now. I want to see if Kaleidescape's audio is vastly better.

The ATVX certainly seems quite impressive in my limited exposure.

Great detail and description. Its all about realism. Pantone like accuracy. Gamma down into blacks that seems a magnitude more accurate. Its gripping in its involvement. You go scene to scene kinda jaw dropped.

Great description of the initial experience.

Its a big jump and requires new footing. With exposure to more material clients have all then noticed even more details. Like motion seems smoother. Outdoor scenes look, well, clearly outdoor. some scenes really make you feel like your standing on the set. The sound can be really shocking. Textures of fabrics becomes obvious. Makeup becomes obvious.

The most fun initial experence I had that was just silly and absurd, yet gripping, was Barbarella. A cleint suggested it. Big time cult B movie. Really just terrible, yet culty. OMG, it was so clear and realistic you could nearly smell the 1960's 4" shag carpet in the spaceship. The initial scene where ship gets out of her spacesuit was just shocking realistic in its rendering of the metals and fleshtones. I somehow watched the entire movie.

Even after a year, I still go "Oh wow" at things. The color of the color gets me. Like Turner Classic Movies and Technicolor stuff. The color of the fabrics and dresses. The set colors. Black and white movies can stand out and make me go, "hmmm I wonder if thats a nitrate based film".

Yes indeed. A lot of my clients have oppos and k-scape and they never use them now.

Thank you for your posting of your initial experience While it may seem impossible, it will get better in the weeks/months ahead too. Its very involving.

 

[Xymox]

Oooo...

 

[wkosmann]

Oooo...

View attachment 109242

Looks like a great Christmas present for some really deserving soul............

 

[Xymox]

Looks like a great Christmas present for some really deserving soul............

And who might that be hehehehe...