Denon AVR4310CI 7.1-Channel Multi-Zone Home Theater Receiver with Networking Capability and 1080p HDMI Connectivity Review

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(More customer reviews)I got this only 2 weeks ago, so this is a preliminary report:
From my testing so far:
Pros:
1. Great sound; drastic (positive) improvement over previous Denon 1508 I had in this setup.
2. Video: The upconversion from any source to HDMI is good and works without a hassle. (The worst case testing of standard cable to 1080p doesn't look good and is more grainy than I would have liked; but standard DVD looks fantastic on my Panasonic 1080p plasma with this receiver).
3. Audussey setup: was quite easy (just took some 10 minutes) and once done, had done a good job of measuring distances and capacities of speakers I have (Martin Logan Aeons for the front, Vignette for the center, ML Grotto for the sub, but a low end polk audio for surrounds in my 5.1 setup), and correctly set the relative power etc for the speakers. I can see the difference in one of the side chairs in my listening setup.
4. On screen GUI: Great improvement over my previous Denon/Marantz etc. Again this works flawlessly, and the GUI, while it can be improved, is good enough for most people.
5. The remote: the primary remote, after you get used to it, is great. Now I could dispose of my Panasonic TV remote as well as my DVD player's remotes and just use one remote effortlessly. I also have a Harmony remote that I stopped using long time ago, and this remote is better than the harmony remote in my experience (one simple reason is that harmony remembers the state of the equipment and expects you to use only the remote always; so if you do manual change, for e.g, walk up to the TV and switch it on, harmony gets confused!). Again a great improvement over previous/lower end Denon models.
5. Network access/firmware upgrade: just having these features is a plus (BUT...I had lot of issues with this - that I am covering below)
6. Ipod direct connectivity using front USB input: great again. (I was able to connect both iphone first gen and a ipod video 5th gen as well as a ipod nano 3rd gen and use them correctly using the onscreen menu). There is an audio improvement mode that improves the compressed mp3 music ("Restorer" - has 4 modes - off or no processing, 64, 96bit and HQ - high quality?)
7. Several inputs - 6 HDMI inputs there is even a set of front inputs - hdmi, composite,USB inputs for convenience.
8. Doesn't get too hot! I tried pushing this - a higher volume on my sub-4 ohm Martin Logans and no sweat! Receiver does get hot but not too hot that you will burn your fingers! This is one big reason I bought this receiver - my experience with other brand rececivers was quite bad - at 75-90 watt/channel, these receivers trip my house fuses frequently; Denon (both my old 1508 at 75 watts and 4310 now at 130 watts) does admirably well in this regard and I have no complaints - only superlative praises for the efficiency and power handling of Denon.
Now for the CONS and the problems I encountered:
1. Poor, unfinished, mediocre web access - while it does allow you to change the source, do the setup of components, control multi zones, volume control etc using [...] (browser) access), it looks very primitive - not one that you expect in a 2000$ receiver.
2. NET/USB and other network Modes: Several bugs here - let me try a few,, but I am not finished finding them yet!
a. Doesn't recognize any NAS drives in the home network; only sees Windows media servers in the network! So to play music in a NAS drive, I have to first add it to a WMP library and then I can play that from Denon. This is more a feature request than a bug.
b. While navigating through list of songs/albums etc, there is no page up/page down keys and so going down one entry at a time and lack of search is a pain when you have thousands of songs.
c. There is a minor bug in playing media server/USB files: while the display goes to sleep after a minute or so, the album art stays in the screen in the same place - this will be bad for plasma TVs!
d. Ipod troubles: I have a first generation iphone and so when I connect that, there is a warning on iphone that says this device is not compatible and so I should put the phone in airplane mode. Say no to this screen and it continues to work normally! Not sure if it is apple's bug or denon's bug! But Denon is recognizing older ipods to current generation.
Quite a few problems I saw with NET/USB/Media server/internet radio have been solved with the firmware updates over the last month..
I want to give 4.5 stars, only because most of the problems I saw can be fixed by software updates (I hope Denon will act fast), and the rest, the most important thing for me - audio quality, video quality, power handling - are worth 6 stars.
I haven't got to testing Audussey DSX - the height and wider channel features presented by this receiver. I will update this review as I test more features...
Update: July 2010: After almost a year and several firmware upgrades later, I still haven't tested the Audissey DSX feature. But the problems I noted with media server/Net are still there - in particular, the media server is still sooooo slow, I can't really use it. In fact, my Denon is wired to the wireless router. Sharing music between my systems using wireless on Windows 7 pcs/notebooks is reasonably (much) faster but Denon is quite slow - literally takes several seconds for each key press. Internet radio, napster, usb drives etc are quite useable (no issues there).
The http screens for this receiver are still primitive - no changes there. You will still need the on-screen menus if you want to make changes. The best you can do with http access is to change the input, change volume/mute (more like a simple remote).
Ultimately, the sound quality is great and audio performance of this receiver rocks - the sole reason for my buying this receiver. In spite of all the other small issues I mentioned, the sound quality and power performance (runs quite cool for the power it handles) is one of the best I have seen at this price range.
UPDATE: 11/26/2010: With the latest firmware updates, the network access and Ipod/USB access etc seem to have improved several fold. Now access to media on my NAS box in the home network is quite snappy, and I can play a song in a couple of seconds after selecting the song.


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The new AVR-4310CI is a technological tour de force, designed for consumers wanting to network their AV system. Ethernet connectivity opens up your AV system to host of exciting capabilities like audio and jpeg photo streaming and Internet radio. Additionally, subscription music services like Rhapsody and Napster are supported. The AVR4310CI packs a punch with 7-channels of onboard amplification producing 910-watts of total power (130 per channel). The amplifiers can be assigned for 7.1 channel surround sound, or a 5.1 channel system in the 'main" room and power a pair of speakers in a second 'zone". This only scratches the surface of the AVR4310CI Multi-zone (3) / multi-source (3) capability. Enhanced power amp assign features, second and third zone programming feature allow the AVR4310 to be the hub of a sophisticated whole house system. For video connectivity, the AVR4310CI is equipped with 1080p compatible HDMI 1.3a Repeating technology, delivering both audio and video to your HDTV with single HDMI cable. This HDMI connectivity supports the latest generation surround sound formats available on Blu-ray disc, including Dolby TrueHD and DD+, dts-HD and dts-HR. Also included is Dolby Laboratories new Pro Logic IIz Matrix decoding featuring front height effects channels that expands front soundstage. The AVR4310CI boasts a number of Audyssey technologies, and is the first to offer Audyssey DXS processing. DSX (Dynamic Surround Expansion adds front height and/or width channels to expand the soundstage. Advanced Audyssey MultEQ XT analyzes a speaker systems interaction with room acoustics at 8 positions, and then delivers custom tailored correction processing to optimize clarity and tonal balance throughout the listening space. Audyssey Dynamic Volume is an automatic volume-leveling system that tracks audio dynamics to eliminate the irritating volume swings between TV shows and commercials.

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CyberPower CP850AVRLCD Intelligent LCD Green UPS - 850VA/510W AVR 9-Outlet RJ11/45/Coax Review

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(More customer reviews)My home and home office contain many sensitive electronic devices. We have several personal computers, a PC server, NAS drives, routers, switches, printers, cordless phones, security system, etc. All of these things (and more) plug into the AC mains and are therefore vulnerable to voltage sags or spikes and the occasional power outage. When a person invests a lot of money in electronic hardware, it only makes sense to do everything you can to protect it. That is why I always discourage people from plugging these sensitive devices directly into the wall. I currently have a total of 10 UPS systems and two line conditioners in my home, which protect my most valuable computer, security and A/V equipment.
Over the years the cost of power conditioners and Uninterrupted Power Supplies has dropped drastically, and yet the overall reliability and performance of these have improved a great deal. A typical UPS used to be thought of as a simple battery backup device. But today the majority of UPS systems also help to condition the power, to a degree, using technologies such as AVR (Automatic Voltage Regulation). There are several different types of UPS systems available, offering a wide range of output capacities and power conditioning capabilities. Of course the price goes up as your need of greater output and more sensitive voltage protection increases. But for some devices you can get by with a modest UPS system, to simply provide a moderate amount of power protection and battery backup time. This "modest" category is where the CyberPower CP850AVRLCD UPS fits in.
Model numbers of these UPS systems can be a little confusing, as many people think that the model reflects the output level of the device in watts. The model number of most UPS systems actually reflects the volt-amp rating, whereas the continuous watt load the unit can handle is usually a fraction of that VA rating, in terms of AC output. Calculating the exact watt output the UPS can sustain, strictly based on the VA rating, can be a little tricky since the AC load is not usually in precise phase. However, if you look up the specs of a given UPS system, the manufacturer usually indicates the maximum watts that the device is meant to sustain. In the case of the CyberPower CP850AVRLCD, the VA rating is 850 but the watt output rating is 510. That is a 60% difference between the VA and Watt rating.
This CyberPower UPS provides Automatic Voltage Regulation, shown by the letters "AVR" in the model number. This means that the UPS is capable of decreasing (Buck) or increasing (Boost) output voltage, slightly, in order to "clean" the power it is passing through to your electronic equipment. This is, or course, while the UPS is receiving AC power through your mains. If the voltage exceeds the minimum or maximum voltage tolerance, the system will automatically switch over to battery power, in order to protect your electronic equipment. The included PowerPanel Personal Edition software allows you a modest adjustment to these minimum and maximum voltage tolerance levels. The software also clearly displays the current status of the UPS, including voltage supplied, voltage condition, remaining battery capacity, battery status, remaining battery runtime and the current battery backed up load on the system. PowerPanel Personal Edition allows you to adjust the amount of time that your computer will remain running on battery power before shutting down. Of course you can choose to set the UPS to allow your computer to run as long as possible, but the UPS will still shut down your computer when it is down to only 5 minutes of remaining time. Therefore you will need to consider how much of a load your current equipment will put on the UPS, as too much load could cause the UPS to shutdown your computer almost immediately after an AC power failure. There is also a configuration screen for alert sounds, which allows you to enable or disable the beeping sounds this UPS would normally make during power events. There is not much more you can do with this software, which really limits its overall usefulness.
Some of the most important technical specifications of this device are as follows:
* UPS Topology: Line-Interactive
*Voltage Input: 90Vac - 140Vac
*Plug Style: Right Angle
*Cord Length: 6 feet
*Output: 850VA / 510 Watts
*AVR: Yes
*On Battery Voltage: 120Vac +/- 5%
*On Battery Frequency: 60Hz
*On Battery Waveform: Simulated Sine Wave
*Battery & Surge Outlets: 5
*Surge-Only Outlets: 4
*Overload Protection: Internal Circuitry Limiting/Circuit Breaker
*Transfers Time: 4ms
*Runtime at Half Load: 7 min
*Runtime at Full Load: 1 min
*Battery Type: Sealed Lead Acid - 12V/8.5Ah
*Typical Recharge Time: 8 Hours
*Surge Suppression: 1,080 Joules
*Phone/Ethernet RJ11/RJ45: 1-In, 1-Out (combo plug)
*Coax Protection (RG6): 1-In, 1-Out
*Computer Interface: USB x1 - Serial x1
*Dimensions (in): 10 1/4" x 4 3/8" x 8 7/8"
*Weight: 16 lbs.
*Product Warranty: 3 Years Limited
*Connected Equipment Guarantee: Lifetime
*CEG Amount: $250,000
The majority of my UPS systems are made by APC. However, I wanted to try a CyberPower unit, so I purchased this smallish 510 Watt unit to provide conditioning and battery backup for a DSL modem, an Ethernet Router, a wireless access point, and a 16-port Gigabit switch. The total load of this attached hardware is only about 45 to 50 watts, at full working load. Therefore this UPS should provide battery backup long enough for me to do some moderate Internet browsing from another UPS powered PC or wirelessly from a laptop. Setup of the CyberPower UPS was completely effortless. You don't even have to hook up cables to the internal battery, which is something that all APC units require. Upon powering up the CyberPower UPS I was greeted with a nice blue LCD display, which can be toggled to show current load level, estimated run time, input voltage, output voltage, output frequency, battery capacity, and the current status of the UPS (normal AC, battery in use, AVR in use, if system overload is detected, if audible sound is enabled or disabled, or if there is a household wire fault). I think this LCD status display is very useful. However, CyberPower has decided that the consumer does not need the LCD to remain lit, for real-time monitoring. Therefore you will find that the LCD will shut itself off after about 20 seconds, unless you push the toggle button, which lights it back up again as you switch between status screens. I find this extremely annoying, as I like to be able to monitor input voltage and current power load by just glancing at the display. All of my APC UPS systems, with LCD displays, allow me to set the backlight to remain lit at all times. I just don't understand why CyberPower would not provide this ability. I don't like it when a manufacturer makes a decision for me that I don't need something, even though I specifically paid for a UPS with an LCD display. Since I paid for it, I want to see it. I don't want to have to crawl under the desk to push the doggone toggle button, just to activate the backlight so I can see the display. The engineer that designed this shortcoming should be fired!
Overall I am quite pleased with the CyberPower CP850AVRLCD UPS. It offers a reasonable amount of useful features, has plenty of backed-up (5) and surge-only (4) outlets, includes Automatic Voltage Regulation, and has a compact footprint. The battery runtime is rather low, especially when used for a mid-level or high-end PC and monitor. But for my low wattage needs, this UPS should keep my DSL modem, router, wireless access point and Ethernet switch up and running for quite some time. The LCD display shows, under the average 45 watt load I have, it will run for approximately 94 minutes. I almost expect that it will likely last even longer than that. My biggest complaints with this UPS are the weak software that CyberPower provides, as well as the unchangeable sleep mode that the LCD display goes into. CyberPower has really dumbed down this otherwise impressive UPS device. The product itself is a worthy, full-featured UPS system, but CyberPower has restricted user configuration to the point that it just can't compete with other big players in the market, like APC. For a very basic computer user, this UPS could be a good, low cost solution. But for advanced users, who demand more control of their UPS settings and features, the CyberPower CP850AVRLCD simply falls short. I think the folks at CyberPower should consider updating their PowerPanel Personal Edition software, to allow more control of voltage tolerances, automatic computer shut down, LCD backlight mode (choices for sleep mode and always on), and the ability to setup a computer hibernation rather than simply shutting down the computer. Maybe some of their higher end (more expensive) UPS systems allow for these settings, but I definitely feel that they should consider adding these abilities to models like the CP850AVRLCD as well. I could easily give this UPS 5 stars if the software was more useful and the LCD display were user controllable, but as it stands now I can only give it 4 stars at best. Everything else about this UPS is solid and well designed, so I recommend it for basic computer users that do not require power user features and configurability.

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The Intelligent LCD Series CP850AVRLCD UPS, designed for mid- to high-end computer systems, features dynamic line conditioning and an Intelligent LCD diagnostic display.Real-time system vitals can be viewed using this Crystal-Blue display. The unit can be conveniently placed in a workstation cabinet, or directly on a desktop. The CP850AVRLCD guards against surges/spikes, and offers battery backup in the event of brownouts, or total power loss.Automatic Voltage Regulation (AVR) ensures that all your electronics are receiving clean power and maintains a safe voltage level. PowerPanel PE Management Software automatically saves and closes open files and then shuts down the computer system in an intelligent and orderly manner.The Intelligent LCD Series is also equipped with full dataline protection: RJ11/RJ45 (phone, fax, Ethernet, network, DSL) and RG-6 coax (DSS, cable modem, satellite, cable TV). Surge-Only outlets are perfect for the addition of peripherals such as monitors, printers, scanners, iPods, or CD/DVD players.The GreenPower UPS technology used in this UPS unit significantly reduces energy-usage and cooling costs associated with UPS power protection.In fact, the GreenPower UPS advanced circuitry bypass reduces energy use by up to 75% compared to a traditional UPS design. As a result, you can expect to save between $50-to-$150 annually (varies based on model, and regional kilowatt per hour costs) by using GreenPower UPS technology.

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