'Dynamic Full' vs '2/8' means what?

Okay, I know what 'Dynamic Range Compression' means in my DVD player's
setup menus, but the slider that I can set is ambiguous in its
meaning, and the manual is no help at all.

With the slider I can set the 'Dynamic Range Compression' to 'FULL' or
in fractions of eight, including '6/8' or '4/8' or '2/8' ... so when I
set it to FULL am I setting the 'Dynamic' option to FULL and 2/8 means
squeeze into 2/8 of its normal range, or am I setting the Dynamic
Range COMPRESSION to FULL (meaning fully compressed) and 2/8 means
only 2/8 of the FULL level of compression.

This is confused even more by the fact that the slider itself is
labelled simply 'DYNAMIC', whereas the information 'tag' that appears
at the bottom when you select it says 'Dynamic Range Compression'.
Literally minded I might interpret this to mean the slider sets the
amount of compression ... but then why does the player default to FULL
out of the box? That makes no sense since extreme dynamic compression
should be an option not a default.

Anyway, I have a crappy sound system and I can't seem be certain of
the results just by listening.

The player is a ClairTone CLDVD105T but I didn't mention it in the
subject header because although it's a rare player I was hoping that
it shared this menu setting with other models.

The manual confuses the issue further, contradicting its own title:

"DYNAMIC RANGE COMPRESSION: The DYNAMIC setting will increase or
decrease the surround effect and sound quality in relation to room
size, speaker placement, speaker quality, and listening style."

This makes it sound like I am increasing and decreasing the dynamic
range, not the COMPRESSION ... so why the title? How friggin'
annoying.

Does anyone know what this slider REALLY means?

DB.

Dogger the Filmgoblin

"Dogger the Filmgoblin" <> wrote in message
news: om...
> Okay, I know what 'Dynamic Range Compression' means in my DVD player's
> setup menus, but the slider that I can set is ambiguous in its
> meaning, and the manual is no help at all.
>
> With the slider I can set the 'Dynamic Range Compression' to 'FULL' or
> in fractions of eight, including '6/8' or '4/8' or '2/8' ... so when I
> set it to FULL am I setting the 'Dynamic' option to FULL and 2/8 means
> squeeze into 2/8 of its normal range, or am I setting the Dynamic
> Range COMPRESSION to FULL (meaning fully compressed) and 2/8 means
> only 2/8 of the FULL level of compression.
>
> This is confused even more by the fact that the slider itself is
> labelled simply 'DYNAMIC', whereas the information 'tag' that appears
> at the bottom when you select it says 'Dynamic Range Compression'.
> Literally minded I might interpret this to mean the slider sets the
> amount of compression ... but then why does the player default to FULL
> out of the box? That makes no sense since extreme dynamic compression
> should be an option not a default.
>
> Anyway, I have a crappy sound system and I can't seem be certain of
> the results just by listening.
>
> The player is a ClairTone CLDVD105T but I didn't mention it in the
> subject header because although it's a rare player I was hoping that
> it shared this menu setting with other models.
>
> The manual confuses the issue further, contradicting its own title:
>
> "DYNAMIC RANGE COMPRESSION: The DYNAMIC setting will increase or
> decrease the surround effect and sound quality in relation to room
> size, speaker placement, speaker quality, and listening style."
>
> This makes it sound like I am increasing and decreasing the dynamic
> range, not the COMPRESSION ... so why the title? How friggin'
> annoying.
>
> Does anyone know what this slider REALLY means?
>
> DB.

Well, you are the one who bought some off brand model instead of a known
entity. It was cheap and you couldn't pass up on the great deal right?

Anyway, FULL is probably no dynamic range compression, and whatever is at
the other end is probably as compressed as you can make it. Of course it
could be exactly opposite that. If you have tried the two extremes and
cannot hear any difference in the dynamic range, then it really is useless
on your setup.

It is intended for late night dvd viewing, or other instances when you can't
have it cranked up to normal playback levels(apt dwelling/etc.)

Biz

"Biz" <> wrote in message news:<81hEc.160290$>...
> "Dogger the Filmgoblin" <> wrote in message
> news: om...
> > Okay, I know what 'Dynamic Range Compression' means in my DVD player's
> > setup menus, but the slider that I can set is ambiguous in its
> > meaning, and the manual is no help at all.
> >
> > With the slider I can set the 'Dynamic Range Compression' to 'FULL' or
> > in fractions of eight, including '6/8' or '4/8' or '2/8' ... so when I
> > set it to FULL am I setting the 'Dynamic' option to FULL and 2/8 means
> > squeeze into 2/8 of its normal range, or am I setting the Dynamic
> > Range COMPRESSION to FULL (meaning fully compressed) and 2/8 means
> > only 2/8 of the FULL level of compression.
> >
> > This is confused even more by the fact that the slider itself is
> > labelled simply 'DYNAMIC', whereas the information 'tag' that appears
> > at the bottom when you select it says 'Dynamic Range Compression'.
> > Literally minded I might interpret this to mean the slider sets the
> > amount of compression ... but then why does the player default to FULL
> > out of the box? That makes no sense since extreme dynamic compression
> > should be an option not a default.
> >
> > Anyway, I have a crappy sound system and I can't seem be certain of
> > the results just by listening.
> >
> > The player is a ClairTone CLDVD105T but I didn't mention it in the
> > subject header because although it's a rare player I was hoping that
> > it shared this menu setting with other models.
> >
> > The manual confuses the issue further, contradicting its own title:
> >
> > "DYNAMIC RANGE COMPRESSION: The DYNAMIC setting will increase or
> > decrease the surround effect and sound quality in relation to room
> > size, speaker placement, speaker quality, and listening style."
> >
> > This makes it sound like I am increasing and decreasing the dynamic
> > range, not the COMPRESSION ... so why the title? How friggin'
> > annoying.
> >
> > Does anyone know what this slider REALLY means?
> >
> > DB.
>
> Well, you are the one who bought some off brand model instead of a known
> entity. It was cheap and you couldn't pass up on the great deal right?

Yes it was absolutely the cheapest DVD player that could be found on
the face of the planet at the time I bought it. So what's your point?
I wasn't exactly ranting or demanding superior quality or threatening
the company. I'm just asking a question. I *could* cart the player
over to friends house and just test the setting on his stereo to
satisfy my curiosity, but I thought someone around here might just
already know the answer.

BTW this super-cheapo player is more compatible with more commercial
DVDs than my uncle's fancy Panasonic or my pal's Sony. Mine's the one
they come and test their discs on to make sure that there's nothing
actually wrong with them when their players hiccup eating them. I
still would rather have their players than mine, but it's something I
always have to mention when the cheapness of my purchase is maligned.
I have seen the 'cheaper is more compatible' effect before, in
computer CD drives. It's not that big a deal; it's a minor effect. I'm
not sure why but my theory is that by the time a drive mechanism or
chipset becomes so mass-produced that it finds its way into the very
cheapest equipment, it has already spent a lot of time in the testing
rooms of discs producers in various machines.

DB.

>
> Anyway, FULL is probably no dynamic range compression, and whatever is at
> the other end is probably as compressed as you can make it. Of course it
> could be exactly opposite that. If you have tried the two extremes and
> cannot hear any difference in the dynamic range, then it really is useless
> on your setup.
>
> It is intended for late night dvd viewing, or other instances when you can't
> have it cranked up to normal playback levels(apt dwelling/etc.)

Dogger the Filmgoblin