Monoprice HTP-1 Home Theater Processor Review

[ElectricKoolAid]

Dirac released a statement today that Storm Audio processors have an exclusive deal with Dirac to have ART until October, then other manufacturers are allowed to release it for their processors after that.

 

[stevenswall]

??? It was just officially announced a few day ago. LOL

Then it should already be available. Processors might as well be computers. When there's a new update or feature, that feature should be able to be updated on day one.

I don't have to wait for an entire OS update when I just want to update a single app.

DIRAC should be an "app" on a processor and get updates. You plug in the inputs, and it processes and sends things to the outputs. So long as the processor has a fast enough CPU, it runs it. If it needs more power for a one time thing, it's offloaded to the cloud and uses a billion gigs of server RAM and a million CPUs if needed, then the calculated corrections are uploaded to the device.

Hopefully someday there's a more standardized "OS" for these things or Dirac works with companies to parse out a section for their code that can be updated separately.

 

[rccarguy]

Then it should already be available. Processors might as well be computers. When there's a new update or feature, that feature should be able to be updated on day one.

I don't have to wait for an entire OS update when I just want to update a single app.

DIRAC should be an "app" on a processor and get updates. You plug in the inputs, and it processes and sends things to the outputs. So long as the processor has a fast enough CPU, it runs it. If it needs more power for a one time thing, it's offloaded to the cloud and uses a billion gigs of server RAM and a million CPUs if needed, then the calculated corrections are uploaded to the device.

Hopefully someday there's a more standardized "OS" for these things or Dirac works with companies to parse out a section for their code that can be updated separately.

One already exists it's called trinnov

 

[stevenswall]

Dirac released a statement today that Storm Audio processors have an exclusive deal with Dirac to have ART until October, then other manufacturers are allowed to release it for their processors after that.

Thanks for the info. Makes me dislike DIRAC. This makes fewer choices for consumers and it anti-competitive.

 

[ElectricKoolAid]

Thanks for the info. Makes me dislike DIRAC. This makes fewer choices for consumers and it anti-competitive.

To be honest, I'd be VERY surprised if any other manufacturers got it implemented and working before then even if they wanted to. The only other one I would think might do it would be JBL/Synthesis.

 

[stevenswall]

One already exists it's called trinnov

Yeah, I've heard about them and how great they are, but look at the Altitude 16 it costs 4x as much as a Arvus unit that has Dante and AES outputs, and with the exclusivity deal Trinnov any every other processor owner up to an infinite cost got screwed.

To be honest, I'd be VERY surprised if any other manufacturers got it implemented and working before then even if they wanted to. The only other one I would think might do it would be JBL/Synthesis.

That's the thing: Apple and Microsoft don't have to implement anything if I want to update my DAW, browser, playback apps, etc. I'm hoping the JBL SDP 55 is able to support it as that's what I'm planning on getting later this year or next. We'll see.

 

[multisport4me]

Awesome. Can you point me to a source where Hobie implies ART will be supported? I didn't see any reference to it in the above video.

He suggest the HTP-1 can run newer applications or something to that effect. Honestly, I'm not going to watch the video again to mark the exact time as you're free to disagree with my interpretation that he "implied" that it can some day run ART, because frankly, I doubt we'll ever see it even if it can run ART.

 

[rvsixer]

He suggest the HTP-1 can run newer applications or something to that effect. Honestly, I'm not going to watch the video again to mark the exact time as you're free to disagree with my interpretation that he "implied" that it can some day run ART, because frankly, I doubt we'll ever see it even if it can run ART.

Ahhh got it. I'll go with what Hobie said in the video then (no mention of ART).

 

[Vacceo]

Yeah, I've heard about them and how great they are, but look at the Altitude 16 it costs 4x as much as a Arvus unit that has Dante and AES outputs, and with the exclusivity deal Trinnov any every other processor owner up to an infinite cost got screwed.


That's the thing: Apple and Microsoft don't have to implement anything if I want to update my DAW, browser, playback apps, etc. I'm hoping the JBL SDP 55 is able to support it as that's what I'm planning on getting later this year or next. We'll see.

The day some manufacturer releases a preamp-style interface (for turntables, cd's and so on) with a USB that can offload decoding and DSP's to a computer, it will be lauded over here to no end.

 

[JRiggs]

Yeah, I've heard about them and how great they are, but look at the Altitude 16 it costs 4x as much as a Arvus unit that has Dante and AES outputs, and with the exclusivity deal Trinnov any every other processor owner up to an infinite cost got screwed.


That's the thing: Apple and Microsoft don't have to implement anything if I want to update my DAW, browser, playback apps, etc. I'm hoping the JBL SDP 55 is able to support it as that's what I'm planning on getting later this year or next. We'll see.

JBL has stated that all future upgrades to Dirac would be available for no additional cost. We’ll see.

 

[JRiggs]

JBL has stated that all future upgrades to Dirac would be available for no additional cost. We’ll see.

There’s a beta tester on AVS that has been testing ART on the JBL SPDP-55. No firmware upgrades to the AVP needed.

 

[Jdunk54nl]

There’s a beta tester on AVS that has been testing ART on the JBL SPDP-55. No firmware upgrades to the AVP needed.

Was it tested on the jbl 55 or through an external PC that may have then been routed into a the JBL 55? The user doesn't really specify, but I am guessing it was through a PC, since that is how a lot of beta testers were testing it from what I have heard.

 

[JRiggs]

Was it tested on the jbl 55 or through an external PC that may have then been routed into a the JBL 55? The user doesn't really specify, but I am guessing it was through a PC, since that is how a lot of beta testers were testing it from what I have heard.

I have a JBL 55, and the calibration is not done through the unit. Calibration is done on a PC/laptop, and results are then sent to the JBL. You can store up to 3 files (calibration results) at a time. Not sure though if that answers your question.

 

[Jdunk54nl]

I have a JBL 55, and the calibration is not done through the unit. Calibration is done on a PC/laptop, and results are then sent to the JBL. You can store up to 3 files (calibration results) at a time. Not sure though if that answers your question.

It does not. I have the htp-1 and that is how normal Dirac works, but that doesn’t mean beta testers were doing it that way. Dirac also can work solely with a computer. I know joe n tell was using a computer and a 8 channel dac that Dirac sent him. He said that on the latest daily hifi podcast.

Since storm is the only hardware officially supporting it, I’m doubtful jbl has implemented the necessary stuff to get it to work properly on the 55. It would take jbl to get it to work right. I don’t think Dirac would have access to jbl’s dsp chips to program custom stuff to get it to work, nor the resources.

 

[Billy Budapest]

I can’t stand it when when people mispronounce “Denon” as “Denin.” That’s as silly as pronouncing a “Walkman” as a “Walkmin.”

 

[RichB]

I can’t stand it when when people mispronounce “Denon” as “Denin.” That’s as silly as pronouncing a “Walkman” as a “Walkmin.”

Is the time index in this obsequious video, where the HTP-2 is discussed.

- Rich

 

[Billy Budapest]

Is the time index in this obsequious video, where the HTP-2 is discussed.

- Rich

At 0:03, 0:41, 0:43, maybe others. LOL!

 

[apgood]

It does not. I have the htp-1 and that is how normal Dirac works, but that doesn’t mean beta testers were doing it that way. Dirac also can work solely with a computer. I know joe n tell was using a computer and a 8 channel dac that Dirac sent him. He said that on the latest daily hifi podcast.

Since storm is the only hardware officially supporting it, I’m doubtful jbl has implemented the necessary stuff to get it to work properly on the 55. It would take jbl to get it to work right. I don’t think Dirac would have access to jbl’s dsp chips to program custom stuff to get it to work, nor the resources.

JBL and others could already have done much of the work to integrate DL ART but they can't submit it to Dirac for certification yet. If I remember the announcement that someone posted over at AVS it implied that they could submit for certification in October which means they need to have done their integration work and testing before that.

 

[RichB]

At 0:03, 0:41, 0:43, maybe others. LOL!

There may not be a follow on HTP-2. First mentioned at 7:15 ish.

- Rich

 

[Billy Budapest]

There may not be a follow on HTP-2. First mentioned at 7:15 ish.

- Rich

I had thought you were talking about when “Denin” was mentioned! Watching the video, they said that running changes in the HTP-1 would be introduced to fix bugs and add features, but that an HTP-2 was not on the horizon.