How to recover from configuration errors

If an SP3 unit was recently firmware-upgraded, from a very old firmware, then some internal configuration parameters stored in EEPROM may became invalid due to the change in software. In such cases, one of the symptoms may be an unexplained loss of play when some sources are selected, while playing OK through some other. Some surround modes may also stop functioning, and some error may be visible in the top screen of SYSTEM SETUP-->TESTS-->SYSTEM STATUS .

To rectify this, (1) execute SYSTEM SETUP-->MISCELLANEOUS-->DEFAULT EEPROM and/or (2) go to SYSTEM SETUP-->DIGITAL SOURCES , change DVD SPD1 or any other digital input assignment to something else, for example to OPT3, exit and save by pressing left arrow, until you get to the main screen. Toggle power button to repower the unit, then go back to SYSTEM SETUP-->DIGITAL SOURCES and restore manually the original digital input assignment. Verify in the top screen of the SYSTEM SETUP-->TESTS-->SYSTEM STATUS that there are no error messages.

Stan Bleszynski

More notes:

Change the following settings: SOURCE SETUP-->OTHER-->SRC PAR: INDIVIDUAL (not Global!). Global setting is buggy and may cause parameter corruption during firmware upgrade! Before it is changed, you need to read from the menus the existing settings and write them down, especially the speaker settings so that you can then re-enter them as appropriate for your system, for all sources individually.

If you absolutely need to use GLOBAL, then set it to INDIVIDUAL before upgrade, do the upgrade, perform DEFAULT EEPROM and then reset to GLOBAL if everything works as expected. Do not use EEPROM BKP SAVE TO/RESTORE option in MISCELLANEOUS menu to restore the settings through the firmware upgrade because that may restore corrupt parameters!

This applies usually in cases when the firmware upgrade concerns very old to very new firmware upgrades when some parameter structures, range and parameter numbers may have changed.