[esimms86]

How did you find out your claim was approved? I haven’t heard anything since I sent them my TransferWise info a few weeks back...

I received an email accompanied by a formal letter as a PDF attachment.

 

[Got the Shakes]

I received an email accompanied by a formal letter as a PDF attachment.

Hmm. Good to know. They seem to have stopped responding to anything I’ve asked or sent them via email. Sounds like I may need to follow up, again.

Glad to know you’re getting your import fees back and that we somehow navigated this crazy process correctly lol.

 

[VandyMan]

Sure, i have the 4K subscription. 4K and HDR work fine and the app does show the Atmos logo, but the A16 shows only Dolby Audio instead of Dolby Atmos...

I never got Atmos working from my Mac. Apparently it is a hardware limitation of older Macs. Perhaps something similar for you on Windows? (I did get multichannel working from my Mac eventually, but only via HDMI, not USB.)

 

[esimms86]

Hmm. Good to know. They seem to have stopped responding to anything I’ve asked or sent them via email. Sounds like I may need to follow up, again.

Glad to know you’re getting your import fees back and that we somehow navigated this crazy process correctly lol.

As you know, there’s no rhyme or reason when it comes to submitting paperwork to government agencies. It often comes down to the luck of the draw in terms of who’s desk your paperwork lands on, how deep their workload already was when your application showed up, how diligent that particular government agent is, how much backup support that individual has, when they go on holiday, etc.

 

[Got the Shakes]

As you know, there’s no rhyme or reason when it comes to submitting paperwork to government agencies. It often comes down to the luck of the draw in terms of who’s desk your paperwork lands on, how deep their workload already was when your application showed up, how diligent that particular government agent is, how much backup support that individual has, when they go on holiday, etc.

Yeah, I know timing of things is all over the place when dealing with the government. The were quite quick to respond to my emails a few weeks ago, getting back to me in minutes or hours. I haven't received a response to anything that I've sent since the banking info though. I've gone a few weeks without anything but an auto reply to any of my follow ups. Your claim getting approved is great though since that should mean I was on the right path as well. For all I know I'm going to just have the money show up in my account without any prior notice.

 

[esimms86]

Yeah, I know timing of things is all over the place when dealing with the government. The were quite quick to respond to my emails a few weeks ago, getting back to me in minutes or hours. I haven't received a response to anything that I've sent since the banking info though. I've gone a few weeks without anything but an auto reply to any of my follow ups. Your claim getting approved is great though since that should mean I was on the right path as well. For all I know I'm going to just have the money show up in my account without any prior notice.

And then, you know those Europeans with their extended summer holidays . Anyway, I expect that you’ll get an email/letter. Everything with the government has got to be documented!

 

[thunder 99]

So I just got the Smyth Realiser - How do I go about connecting it to my PC? I have an internal sound card: Creative AE9 with optical out, or should I do USB out from the PC? ORRR.... should the Smyth Realiser input into the sound card? It sounded cool ... but I had no idea it would be this complex.

Is it also possible to connect it to the DAVE which I also happen to own? IF so how? There are more connections at the back than the moon lander im sure and mine didnt come with any sort of manual

 

[NigelJ]

I am backer #225 and have received no deliver related email from Smyth Research, not even in the spam folder. Only saw the update today so have emailed James; hopefully, I will get a reply on Monday.

I am in the UK so delivery should not be an issue, although some of the courier companies seem to use very strange routings.

No reply from James; however, this morning I received a shipment notification from DHL stating that they were picking up a 4.6 kg parcel from Smyth Reseach today, for delivery to me. I assume that as I confirmed my order details and shipping address in my email to James he decided that a pre-shipment email was not necessary. Once the shipment is picked up I should get an estimated delivery date from DHL.

Edit. Must start re-reading the manual, updates and guidance posts in this thread, and also rewatch the Realiser videos.

 

[NigelJ]

...mine didnt come with any sort of manual

The manual can be downloaded from https://smyth-research.com/downloads/ note that the manual is for firmware version 0.91 so you will also need to download the release notes for ALL of the later firmware versions (available on the same download page) as they include updates to the instructions. Hopefully, Smyth Research will issue a revised manual incorporating the updates, but I'm not holding my breath while waiting.

You should also view their instructional videos at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0yePwI_x1q8oACTVHpYxkw, again not reflecting the latest firmware updates.

Finally a number of people who have received their A16s earlier have posted guidance for initial setup in this thread, sorry that I don't have specific links.

Edit.
PS What was your Kickstarter backer number thunder 99, as many followers of this thread like to keep track of the deliveries, in order to get some understanding of when they might receive their Realisers.

 

[sander99]

So I just got the Smyth Realiser - How do I go about connecting it to my PC? I have an internal sound card: Creative AE9 with optical out, or should I do USB out from the PC?

If your PC has an HDMI output that would be the best to at the moment.
I don't think anyone has USB from PC to A16 fully working including Dolby Atmos(?)
Optical out only supports stereo and lossy Dolby Digital.

should the Smyth Realiser input into the sound card?

No. (Unless you want the processed headphone signal back into your PC for some reason).

Is it also possible to connect it to the DAVE which I also happen to own? IF so how?

Yes. Just use one of the spdiff outputs of the A16. Either from user A or user B. Optical or coaxial to your liking.

 

[Thomasphoenix98]

Netflix Atmos doesn’t sound as good as Tru-HD Atmos , I tested a bunch of movies, for lack of a better description it sounds thinner. This difference is pronounced in the Realiser because the Tru-HD Atmos is so rich . I never noticed so much difference in my 7.2.4 (Atmos) home theater or on Mobius ( not Atmos but 7.1 so Netflix could only render 5.1 and Blu rays 7.1) .

 

[thunder 99]

If your PC has an HDMI output that would be the best to at the moment.
I don't think anyone has USB from PC to A16 fully working including Dolby Atmos(?)
Optical out only supports stereo and lossy Dolby Digital.

No. (Unless you want the processed headphone signal back into your PC for some reason).

Yes. Just use one of the spdiff outputs of the A16. Either from user A or user B. Optical or coaxial to your liking.

Is this the HDMI from the motherboard or from the graphics card? I have both. But video comes out from DVI port into my monitor.
Would there be any reason to go from PC to DAVE (connected via USB to SPIDF converter) to the Smyth
Thanks

 

[dsperber]

Is this the HDMI from the motherboard or from the graphics card? I have both. But video comes out from DVI port into my monitor.

DVI doesn't support audio, so that isn't relevant.

Normally HDMI audio is provided out of the graphics card, which normally displaces any audio/video out of the motherboard. But it depends on your hardware. Lenovo laptops often provide a "hybrid" mode using both built-in Intel graphics for low-power video needs and nVidia-graphics for high-power video needs. But it's still the nVidia graphics driver HDMI audio component which supports audio output via HDMI.

If you look at your audio "device settings" you will see the HDMI outputs available to you. And when you actually connect an HDMI port on the graphics card to a TV or monitor-with-speakers or A16 or AVR-HDMI-input, etc., you will then be able to experiment and see what further results happen by default, or which are facilitated through additional configuration options which might be availble.

In the end, the ability to send digital audio (be it lossy Dolby+ 5.1/7.1 or Dolby Atmos) depends on your graphics card and its driver capabilities via its HDMI output, further complicated perhaps by any program software you might be using. Don't hold me to it, but I doubt that an HDMI output of the motherboard is functioning if you are using a discrete graphics card in your desktop machine.

 

[pervysage]

Backer #254 here. Got a DHL shipment notification today... estimated delivery on the 25th! Woohoo!

Pledge date was September 9 2016 so this is definitely the longest I've waited for a product, LOL.

 

[VandyMan]

There are more connections at the back than the moon lander im sure and mine didnt come with any sort of manual

I had to read parts of the manual three times while getting my A-16 setup. Unfortunately, this is not a product where you can get good results just hooking it up and winging it.

Would there be any reason to go from PC to DAVE (connected via USB to SPIDF converter) to the Smyth

No. Think of it like this: The computer is the source of the digital multi-channel audio, the A-16 processes the digital multi-channel audio and outputs it as digital two-channel audio, and then your DAC (DAVE) will do the digital to analog conversion. The A-16 already has a built-in DAC, so using your DAVE is optional, but will probably get you better sound and more power for your headphones.