[Electronics-talk] on screen menues

Tue Aug 16 01:22:03 UTC 2011

Evelyn,

Got it.  Yes, the round 75 ohm cable will reduce interference between your antenna and your tuner greatly.  I ha ve an 
outdoor FM antenna here with my tuner and stereo in a small alcove next to my computer stuff and there isn't much in 
terms of wireless or digital device interference at all.  AM reception is problematic, though, but that is a separate issue 
from the FM cable choice.  I suspect that the best answer for me is one of those C Crane antennas that lets you have 
a tuned loop away from your equipment but a box near at hand to tune the loop remotely.  Besides my computer 
equipment, our furnace is a real generator of interference, of course it contains a computer control system.

I have an old Carver TX11 tuner that was capable of receiving AM Stereo, and I've been happy with it but am looking 
to replace it.  All of the controls are apparently suffering from corosion, and contact cleaner doesn't help any more.  It 
is almost 30 years old, though.  I have a feeling that your tuner is a little out of my price range, though.  <smile>

Good luck with all that.

Best regards,

Steve

On Mon, 15 Aug 2011 17:36:04 -0400, Evelyn Weckerly wrote:

>Hi, Steve,

>I believe you are correct. I also believe that it and the older flat 
>cable are picking up all kinds of disturbance from wireless devices 
>and networks. My old tuner needed this stuff but was also being 
>disturbed by my DSL connection. The engineer who takes care of Blue 
>Lake Radio's transmitter, among other things, says that that older 
>flat cable picks up interference like crazy. So it has to go along 
>with the antenna amp. I've gotten the names of two businesses who may 
>be able to do the work. In addition, the person who sold me the tuner 
>will set aside time for a session on on screen menues. The tuner is 
>fairly new (manual copywright date being 2009), and he had not 
>realized that the mono button had a string of on screen menues as you 
>push tr past the mono setting. The FM section of the tuner is quieter 
>than my old one for technical reasons that I cannot put into my own words.

>Regards,

>Evelyn

>At 04:41 PM 8/15/2011, you wrote:
>>Evelyn,
>>
>>What is the antenna preamp doing to this tuner, is it overloading 
>>it?  It is conceiveable that you wouldn't need an
>>antenna amplifier with this tuner if it is sensitive and if it is 
>>quieter than what you had.  While it is true that a small signal
>>at an antenna can be lost with the loss within the antenna lead-in, 
>>but amplifying signals too much can cause noise to
>>be added to moderately good signals in my experience.  This sounds 
>>like an interesting tuner and I hope you can get it
>>to work for you.
>>
>>Best regards,
>>
>>Steve Jacobson
>>
>>On Mon, 15 Aug 2011 10:08:08 -0400, Evelyn Weckerly wrote:
>>
>> >Hi, Steve,
>>
>> >Thank you for a sound advice reply. Actually, I'm thinking that I may
>> >be able to get what I need out of this. When I was read all the
>> >controls, I was not told that the mono button was only the first
>> >setting in what is a menu section on the front panel. I've since read
>> >the manual and know more now. This tune is complex, and some of it I
>> >won't use, but traditionally, McIntosh Labs has not been much into
>> >on-screen menues. Much of the tuner is operational, and I have
>> >learned that I can do key entry from the remote for finding stations,
>> >and I think I may be able to use the presets.
>>
>> >I'm going to have to spend a lot more time with the person from Audio
>> >Classics in New York state by phone to get some of this right. I
>> >think that that menu button does revert back to the stereo setting
>> >for the tuner itself and that there is an exit setting at the end of
>> >the menu set. After reading the manual yesterday, I have some
>> >questions to ask. For example, if one holds the on'off button in for
>> >five seconds, all processors are reset. I'm assuming this is a return
>> >to factory defaults.
>>
>> >This is a major audio component. I may be able to read the screen
>> >with the KNFB Reader Mobile, but I have not tried that yet. Also, all
>> >this is complicated by a need to make major changes in my antenna set
>> >up. My old tuner needed an antenna amplifier, but the new one is
>> >totally incompatible with it. I can't really do much without an
>> >antenna expert at this juncture.
>>
>> >I want to keep this tuner if I can--because of its adbvanced features
>> >and improved peerformance and because I'm getting it at a very
>> >advantageous price.
>>
>> >Cordially,
>>
>> >Evelyn
>>
>> >                 At 09:46 AM 8/15/2011, you wrote:
>> >>Evelyn,
>> >>
>> >>There are no magic answers to this problem yet, and it frustrates
>> >>the heck out of me being one who has always
>> >>enjoyed stereo equipment.  I have had to access some menus as a
>> >>result and here are a couple of thoughts.
>> >>
>> >>First, you will need some time with someone who can read the
>> >>display.  With a little luck, though, that time can be
>> >>turned into making the device mostly useable.  Get a sense of how
>> >>the menus work.  If there is a menu button, does it
>> >>start in the same place?  How do you leave the menus without making
>> >>a change, in other words, what is the
>> >>EXCCAPE key.  This is sometimes done by pressing the Menu button a
>> >>second time, for example.  If it doesn't start at
>> >>the same place every time, see if it starts at the same place if you
>> >>turn the tuner off and then on.  If it always
>> >>remembers where you were rather than starting at the same place,
>> >>this can be a blessing and a curse, but finding out
>> >>how to get back to a known place is an important part of the process.
>> >>
>> >>See if menus work any differently with the remote rather than with
>> >>the buttons on the tuner, assuming you can use
>> >>menus in more than one way.  Whether or not the manual says this, on
>> >>occasion, you can jump to a menu item on a
>> >>remote by using numbers on the keypad of the remote rather than the
>> >>arrow keys.  It is possible that this could get you
>> >>to a known starting position or that it might get you where you need
>> >>to know more quickly.
>> >>
>> >>I would recomment making a braill list of the menu items.  It is
>> >>possible there might be menu sections you won't need,
>> >>but I usually find it helpful to at least no what they are.
>> >>
>> >>While this all sounds complicated, and it can be, you are likely
>> >>going to find that there are only certain things that you
>> >>access regularly, and you may get to feeling pretty comfortable
>> >>about getting to them.  I have found that some things
>> >>like setting memories is possible, but I do it only often enough to
>> >>require that I read my notes.
>> >>
>> >>Finally, some equipment equipment can be connected to computers
>> >>now.  It might be worth seeing if that buys you
>> >>anything.  I hope you can get it to work, as it sounds like a fun
>> >>piece of equipment.
>> >>
>> >>Best regards,
>> >>
>> >>Steve Jacobson
>> >>
>> >>On Sun, 14 Aug 2011 18:46:36 -0400, Evelyn Weckerly wrote:
>> >>
>> >> >Hi,
>> >>
>> >> >This is not home theater although you can control a bunch of other
>> >> >stuff through the remote. I have owned high end audio equipment for
>> >> >years, mostly accessible. Parts of this piece are accessible too.
>> >>
>> >> >Evelyn
>> >>
>> >> >At 05:12 PM 8/14/2011, you wrote:
>> >>
>> >> >>If you want to avoid onscreen menus, then I suggest sticking with a
>> >> >>basic, low-end two-channel stereo receiver.  Otherwise, you will
>> >> >>need sighted help to navigate the menu in most higher-end home
>> >> >>theater receivers and components.
>> >> >>
>> >> >>Gerald
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >>----- Original Message ----- From: "Evelyn Weckerly" <weckerly at i2k.com>
>> >> >>To: <electronics-talk at nfbnet.org>
>> >> >>Sent: Sunday, August 14, 2011 4:05 PM
>> >> >>Subject: [Electronics-talk] on screen menues
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >>>Hi, all,
>> >> >>>
>> >> >>>I am trying to evaluate a new tuner as part of a high-quality audio
>> >> >>>system. It appears that some of its important functions are
>> >> >>>accessed and set through an on screen menu. I'm wondering how
>> >> >>>people deal with this kind of stuff. The tuner has AM, FM/FMstereo,
>> >> >>>HD (three bands, and is XM ready, needing only the home kit and
>> >> >>>antenna from XM itself. It is a McIntosh Labs MR8088. I know this
>> >> >>>is an expensive piece of equipment, but if perchance anyone on this
>> >> >>>list has looked at this, I'd like to hear from you. I'd also like
>> >> >>>to know if anyone has dealt successfully with onscreen menues and
>> >> >>>how you do it. At this point, I don't know if the choice wrap
>> >> >>>around or not. If they don't, things will be somewhat easier.
>> >> >>>
>> >> >>>Thanks in advance.
>> >> >>>
>> >> >>>Evelyn
>> >> >>>
>> >> >>>
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>> >> >>
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>> >>
>> >>
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