Specifications

Bob Stuart answers Questions about the Meridian 800 V3
Page 4
It provides a secure copyright protection environment and has the very important benefit of
lowering jitter and improving sound quality on all material.
MHR is an approved method to pass the highest possible sound quality from 800 to other
Meridian products like the DSP loudspeakers.
15 What is audio copy protection?
Some DVDs use encryption to protect the audio content. In some cases this carries
restrictions on the audio quality permitted on digital outputs. 800 always operates so as to
provide the highest quality possible.
If you have a Meridian playback system that supports MHR (like our DSP speakers or 861)
then the 800 is always able to put out the maximum resolution from the disc.
16 What about CD copy protection?
In an attempt to stop CDs being copied in computers, some music companies are
experimenting with ways of making CDs non-compliant so as to trip up the copying process.
Meridian fully supports legitimate copy protection, but we cannot condone ad-hoc techniques
that result in so-called CDs that do not comply with the Red Book specification and which may
interfere with legitimate playback in CD or DVD players. Meridian cannot guarantee to play
any and all such discs that violate the CD Red Book standard and whilst we will make all
efforts to support such discs we cannot be held responsible for other companies mistakes!
We make strenuous efforts to ensure that 800 is not troubled by these methods; so far we
have been successful. However if labels choose to degrade the robustness of their discs in
efforts to stop computer copying then there may be cases where the music suffers.
If you have trouble with such a disc, be outraged; send it back for full credit!
Video issues…?
17 What is video copy protection?
Meridian 800 uses Macrovision analogue video copy protection to prevent DVDs being copied
on VCRs. This is a mandatory feature of all DVD players. The copy protection will not
interfere with picture quality so long as the display device is reasonably modern. We do not
supply any option to disable Macrovision.
18 What are the options for video black-level?
Extended black is an interlaced-video output option on 800.
For historical reasons NTSC in the USA (and some other territories) uses a reduced video
dynamic range (contrast) – spanning from 7.5% to 100% (7.5 to 100IRE). In Japan, NTSC
uses the whole dynamic range (0 to 100IRE). PAL also uses the whole 0 – 100% range.
The 800 can generate NTSC in either form and selecting 0 IRE means the 800 will use the full
0 to 100% range. This is preferable if you have a display device set up for PAL and want to
switch between PAL and NTSC without adjusting the black level (brightness). It is also the
way to get the very best picture from an advanced display device, because the 800 can
squeeze in that extra resolution. However, in this case, be aware that the black level
(brightness) will be different when you switch to broadcast or VCR.
0IRE is the correct setting for Japan.