Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Home Theater Sound and Vision disc opinion [for CAV]

The S&V disc was VERY helpful.
It walks the beginning user through the basic video and audio tweaks which is great (couple of things i hadn't seen before) but the best parts are the test patterns for audio and video as well as the extra samples coded for DTS, Dolby surround, etc.
It makes it nice an easy to know if your dvd and receiver settings are all working properly. My dvd player was having some issues playing DTS and Dolby surround consistently which had to do with some options in the receiver but mostly with the options in the dvd audio section. The Panasonic manual was useless in its descriptions (my conclusion as of late) and i went through everything bit by bit until i sorted out the combinations that were really required.

Having the S&V disk then was useful in helping me determine if a DTS signal was actually being received and played or not, and if my 5.1 system was being properly recognized with the Dolby surround coding as well. The video tweaks were quite basic but at least a step up from trying to adjust a new tv by eye and helpful if you cannot afford to have a pro come and calibrate your big screen tv.

Chesseroo - Nice piece...but is it the best of the two set ups discs.

I see Avia has the Guide to Home Theater and S&V has the Home Theatre Tune-Up. Is there a stand out performer in the this small group. I have yet to calibrate or do any such set up with my Axiom speakers, DVD and receiver.

How essential are these Guides/Tune-ups?

I've heard that the Avia dvd has more calibrations for video screens but that the S&V dvd had more for audio testing specifically in the way of the coded tracks.
But this is just what i've read from other forums. I haven't used the Avia dvd myself.

The test patterns they give you are really quite helpful in getting your system up and balanced more accurately than by ear alone but unless you are gunned up for big bass, high treble or have alot of ear wax, you can still calibrate your settings orally and come close to a sound meter measurement.
After i used the sound meter, none of my speakers were more than 1dB off from an average and my Axioms were only previously calibrated by ear alone.The sub calibration is alot tougher to do without a sound meter though.

I would definitely recommend the test discs to anyone who wants to be semi-serious about setting up their system as precisely as possible. Considering the dvd cost me $33 Cdn and can be used time and time again with new speakers, components or moving locations, i'm pretty satisfied.

Thanks for the reply. I might just buy the disc tonight..if it's in stock.