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Emotiva MC-1 Review (Home Theater Processor)

Rate this AV Processor

  • 1. Poor (headless panther)

    Votes: 92 36.8%
  • 2. Not terrible (postman panther)

    Votes: 126 50.4%
  • 3. Fine (happy panther)

    Votes: 25 10.0%
  • 4. Great (golfing panther)

    Votes: 7 2.8%

  • Total voters
    250

Soundmixer

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Reports of the Nvidia Shield Pro are that it can do well over 100 mbps so that should be able to handle KS files were such files made available. Which of course they won't be. It has USB 3 ports which can be used to attach hard drives with your files on them or use ethernet or wifi. $199 for the Shield Pro.
I have the Nvidia Shield Pro, and I have to see those reports. I wonder what content it streamed at 100+ Mbps, any images created from it, who created it, and how was it transmitted.

I am not interested in unsubstantiated reports. I am interested in confirmed data that supports that report.
 

Blumlein 88

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I have the Nvidia Shield Pro, and I have to see those reports. I wonder what content it streamed at 100+ Mbps, any images created from it, who created it, and how was it transmitted.

I am not interested in unsubstantiated reports. I am interested in confirmed data that supports that report.
I'll have to go find those again, they were on an AV forum. Some people had ripped blurays to a hard disc. I think those were over ethernet. Didn't have any images posted.
 

Soundmixer

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I'll have to go find those again, they were on an AV forum. Some people had ripped blurays to a hard disc. I think those were over ethernet. Didn't have any images posted.
I would love to see which Blurays had a data rate of 100+ Mbps. The maximum bitrate of Bluray is 48 Mbps.
 

Blumlein 88

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I would love to see which Blurays had a data rate of 100+ Mbps. The maximum bitrate of Bluray is 48 Mbps.
They were reporting 58 mbps to 120 mbps. Those I assume were some sort of peak number.


This says larger UHD bluray discs can be up to 144 Mbps. I don't have any first hand data on it.
 

Blumlein 88

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I put a 4k HDR 60 fps file on my laptop that serves as my Plex server. Over my home wifi network feeding my Roku stick it does indeed run along at a steady 35-39 Mbps and now and again will go up to around 55 Mbps for a few seconds. So the info indicating the Roku could do 40 Mbps with bursts to 60 Mbps seem to be about accurate. This was with H265 encoding. A really nice picture quality versus the normal issues seen with highly compressed streaming.

Streaming movies from HBO Max initially saw 40 or so Mbps with a little ramp up to 58 Mbps before it settled down to 6-12 Mbps once it was buffered.
 

Soundmixer

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They were reporting 58 mbps to 120 mbps. Those I assume were some sort of peak number.


This says larger UHD bluray discs can be up to 144 Mbps. I don't have any first hand data on it.
There is a difference between the UHD format, and the Bluray format even though both share the same disc technology. "They" are reporting means nothing to me. The devil is the in detail, so we need to know who is reporting, and where are they getting the content that supports these bitrates.

The Bluray format has a maximum peak bitrate of 48Mbps, and the UHD format has a maximum bitrate of 144Mpbs. Reality check, the 66GB disc is the most commonly used with 100GB being used for very long movies. The highest peak bitrate I have seen on both is 95Mbps on one movie, and I cannot remember the title. The average bitrate I have seen when comparing multiple discs is between 40-60Mbps, which no streaming platform (other than Sony's) comes anywhere near.
I put a 4k HDR 60 fps file on my laptop that serves as my Plex server. Over my home wifi network feeding my Roku stick it does indeed run along at a steady 35-39 Mbps and now and again will go up to around 55 Mbps for a few seconds.
File from where? A streaming platform, or the disc? This is vague in detail.
Streaming movies from HBO Max initially saw 40 or so Mbps with a little ramp up to 58 Mbps before it settled down to 6-12 Mbps once it was buffered.
Of course the bitrate during buffering is higher than the movie itself! I am interested in the bitrate of the actual movie, not the buffering process which is artificially inflated.
 

Blumlein 88

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There is a difference between the UHD format, and the Bluray format even though both share the same disc technology. "They" are reporting means nothing to me. The devil is the in detail, so we need to know who is reporting, and where are they getting the content that supports these bitrates.

The Bluray format has a maximum peak bitrate of 48Mbps, and the UHD format has a maximum bitrate of 144Mpbs. Reality check, the 66GB disc is the most commonly used with 100GB being used for very long movies. The highest peak bitrate I have seen on both is 95Mbps on one movie, and I cannot remember the title. The average bitrate I have seen when comparing multiple discs is between 40-60Mbps, which no streaming platform (other than Sony's) comes anywhere near.

File from where? A streaming platform, or the disc? This is vague in detail.

Of course the bitrate during buffering is higher than the movie itself! I am interested in the bitrate of the actual movie, not the buffering process which is artificially inflated.
Files ripped from a 4k hdr bluray disc. Also demo files from https://4kmedia.org/. You seem awfully intent on denying such things. Why is that?

Specs for the streaming stick I have seem born out by demo files. So while no streaming services offer such files for general movies the technology is there for it to happen. So it isn't a tech problem so much as a copyright issue.

Your Nvidia Pro is said to be even more capable. A shame no service let's you make use of it. If the KS people let you buy one of their drives and skip the player using the Nvidia instead it would be quite the savings.
 
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abdo123

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I have the Nvidia Shield Pro, and I have to see those reports. I wonder what content it streamed at 100+ Mbps, any images created from it, who created it, and how was it transmitted.

I am not interested in unsubstantiated reports. I am interested in confirmed data that supports that report.
You can definitely do that via Plex, i watch remuxes with 100mbps peaks just fine.
 

Soundmixer

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Files ripped from a 4k hdr bluray disc. Also demo files from https://4kmedia.org/. You seem awfully intent on denying such things. Why is that?
Because files ripped from UHD disc is not how people use streaming sticks. Streaming sticks are used to stream video from content providers, not from ripped UHD discs
Specs for the streaming stick I have seem born out by demo files. So while no streaming services offer such files for general movies the technology is there for it to happen. So it isn't a tech problem so much as a copyright issue.
My contention is not about the spec of streaming sticks. It is about the notion that streaming sticks equal the same product as KS. Streaming sticks were not created to pass UHD disc rips, it was made to pass streaming content - and that is how most folks use it.
Your Nvidia Pro is said to be even more capable. A shame no service let's you make use of it. If the KS people let you buy one of their drives and skip the player using the Nvidia instead it would be quite the savings.
It would, but the KS folks would not get access to the uncompressed unprocessed files from the studios, would not get the licensing agreements for more content, and would probably get sued for not locking the files down as they had before.

If you don't like the concept of KS, fine, I am okay with that. Because I have access to equipment that can get the best of it, and love the fact I can store all of my movies in a central place, and have them backed up off-site - this is MY choice. We are different in our choices, and I am not interested in your critique of mine when you have absolutely no experience using the system I use. When you have that experience, I am all ears. Until then, you have your opinion, and I have my experience.


.
 

Soundmixer

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You can definitely do that via Plex, i watch remuxes with 100mbps peaks just fine.
Plex is not a streaming stick, and most people don't mux their movies via plex. They stream them or watch them via a disc.
 

abdo123

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Plex is not a streaming stick, and most people don't mux their movies via plex. They stream them or watch them via a disc.
I meant via the Plex app on an Nvidia shield…

The discussion wasn’t really about how legal or common all of this is but rather whether it’s possible.

By the way there is two ways you can use Plex, either as an indexed NAS for shows and movies where the end device does all the decoding.

Or as an actual media server where the Plex server decodes upscales or downscales or does dynamic tone mapping. In the case of the Shield you don’t need these functions to be done by the server because the shield is capable of doing them.
 

Blumlein 88

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Because files ripped from UHD disc is not how people use streaming sticks. Streaming sticks are used to stream video from content providers, not from ripped UHD discs

My contention is not about the spec of streaming sticks. It is about the notion that streaming sticks equal the same product as KS. Streaming sticks were not created to pass UHD disc rips, it was made to pass streaming content - and that is how most folks use it.

It would, but the KS folks would not get access to the uncompressed unprocessed files from the studios, would not get the licensing agreements for more content, and would probably get sued for not locking the files down as they had before.

If you don't like the concept of KS, fine, I am okay with that. Because I have access to equipment that can get the best of it, and love the fact I can store all of my movies in a central place, and have them backed up off-site - this is MY choice. We are different in our choices, and I am not interested in your critique of mine when you have absolutely no experience using the system I use. When you have that experience, I am all ears. Until then, you have your opinion, and I have my experience.


.
I love the concept of KS. I'd like for it to be done where more people could make use of it. I hate the artifacts inherent with highly compressed streaming. I've never critiqued your choices, I've wondered if the tech couldn't accomplish the same thing for less money. You seem to take that as some criticism of you. I'm fine with KS pricing except for the need to put forth more than $10k in upfront hardware costs. There is no technical reason it couldn't be done with less expensive hardware though I understand the touchiness about copyright issues. Perhaps some sort of encryption could satisfy those needs perhaps not. None of it is a criticism of you choosing to use the service. As abdo 123 said it was about whether doing it another way is possible.

As for Plex and streaming sticks people can and do use them for more than just real time streaming. Probably not a majority, but it isn't exactly unheard of either.
 

Soundmixer

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The discussion wasn’t really about how legal or common all of this is but rather whether it’s possible.
The discussion devolved into stick versus KS, not plex, hex, dex, or anything else. I never referred to what was possible, but how it is actually used.
 

Soundmixer

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I love the concept of KS. I'd like for it to be done where more people could make use of it. I hate the artifacts inherent with highly compressed streaming. I've never critiqued your choices, I've wondered if the tech couldn't accomplish the same thing for less money.
My answer to this question is a no - you could not do it for less money. You would need custom video mastering software, licensing agreements with the studios for content, secure storage and transfer system, encryption and decryption software and the keys to support it, and the infrastructure to tie it all together.

There is no technical reason it couldn't be done with less expensive hardware though I understand the touchiness about copyright issues. Perhaps some sort of encryption could satisfy those needs perhaps not.
An encryption/decryption system would be mandatory. There is no way the studio would grant the license to the content without it.

As for Plex and streaming sticks people can and do use them for more than just real time streaming. Probably not a majority, but it isn't exactly unheard of either.
The amount of people who do this is so small, that it would be silly to even mention it. Christie projectors are not exactly unheard of, but how many consumers actually own one?
 
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Let me correct you here. I never said differences will always be ascertained, but clearly, on some movies, there is a noticeable difference. I have never heard anyone claim there is a "vast" difference between UHD disc and KS, and neither have I. Lastly, I have never heard of anyone who owns a KS system claiming there is a magical quality to it. I would also want to know were those (cough cough) comparisons done on a calibrated projector, or on a panel.

Here is my suggestion to you. If you don't actually own a KS system, hyperbolic criticisms based on somebody else's comparison (which was likely not blind or controlled in any way) is nothing more than a herd mentality being propagated - and that should be taken with a bit of dog poop.
:facepalm:..Dude you have serious issues.A couple of us spent an afternoon doing KS/UHD comparisons .No we didn't make a presentation about it for your benefit,sorry.There were sometimes some very slight edge to the KS but not always and a few times advantage to the UHD.Anyway,these differences were infinitesimal.The rest of your unhinged rant I'll politely ignore.
 

Soundmixer

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:facepalm:..Dude you have serious issues.A couple of us spent an afternoon doing KS/UHD comparisons .No we didn't make a presentation about it for your benefit,sorry.There were sometimes some very slight edge to the KS but not always and a few times advantage to the UHD.Anyway,these differences were infinitesimal.The rest of your unhinged rant I'll politely ignore.
I have serious issues because I don't agree with your subjective opinion??? Now that is arrogance right there!!!!.

If you did a sighted test and knew which you were watching, that is not a legitimate comparison. It is a subjective opinion....nothing more. You are welcome to that, but please don't present that here as something credible. Without evidence to support a claim, it can also be an unhinged rant!
 

Blumlein 88

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I have serious issues because I don't agree with your subjective opinion??? Now that is arrogance right there!!!!.

If you did a sighted test and knew which you were watching, that is not a legitimate comparison. It is a subjective opinion....nothing more. You are welcome to that, but please don't present that here as something credible. Without evidence to support a claim, it can also be an unhinged rant!
Since you seem to be on the high and mighty horse what evidence have you presented? None.

You have some sort of problem where you think people are critical when they aren't. And when they are you act as if only you have the right to discuss it. For what it's worth no one has disagreed with you other than perhaps KS vs uhd is a minor difference. An idea that makes plenty of sense.
 
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Soundmixer

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Since you seem to be on the high and mighty horse what evidence have you presented? None.
Neither have you, so what is your point?
You have some sort of problem where you think people are critical when they aren't.
Actually, I don't think they are being critical at all. Just ignorant. You have commented on the system, but don't own it or have ANY experience with it. You have another who compared it to the disc, but there are no details of the equipment used, whether it was sighted (likely) or blind. This is not criticism, it is a lack of exposure and ignorance.
For what it's worth no one has disagreed with you other than perhaps KS vs uhd is a minor difference. An idea that makes plenty of sense.
You cannot disagree about something you don't own or have limited to no experience with. Stevie Wonder can see that. Whether you see VERY noticeable differences or just subtle differences depends on whether you used a panel or projector. With panels, you cannot see fine artifacts like you can see with a calibrated projector on a large screen. When you do not include details of your comparisons no matter what you are comparing, one has to take your results with a pound of poop.

See me stepping down from my high and mighty place.......(cue eye roll....).:rolleyes:
 

Blumlein 88

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Neither have you, so what is your point?
[/QUOTE]
Actually my only claims have been about bit rates which I confirmed.
You cannot disagree about something you don't own or have limited to no experience with.
[/QUOTE]
Depends upon what the topic is. Once again you seem to confuse a different opinion with disagreement with you. I never disagreed that the larger KS files are better. It is reasonable all without owning the gear to conclude the difference isn't huge. And I've not discounted it might be larger than I think just that one could reach that quality in some other way in principal. You even said it wasn't a large difference at one point.
See me stepping down from my high and mighty place.......(cue eye roll....).:rolleyes:
However, you have earned a distinction I very rarely give to someone. The ignore list.

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