[slinkelist] Just received Sony DVP-CX850D DVD chngr and STR-DA555ES rcvr

[Taylor Gautier]

[I originally sent this message to colby directly, because I was afraid of
asking a question that might already have been answered or was not relevant
to this list, but I think it is, so I am reposting here]

Well, I've jumped in with both feet (almost, I guess, still trying to figure
out if I want the slink-e, I think I do), and got the above two sony models.

What did you [colby] find out about the DVP-CX850D?  I got mine two days
ago, and I
am now trying to figure this whole A1, A1-II, slink and control-s mess out,
my what a nightmare.

So if I remember correctly I have one A1-II control port on the STR-DA555ES.
I
believe the changer has an slink port and something they term the
"megastorage" control port -- is this just an A1 or A1-II port?  (sorry if I
get my terms messed up here, I've been trying to learn them today...)

I'm mainly interested in getting my DVD/CD titles downloaded to my remote
(it's the big touchscreen lcd one).  The receiver says it supports it for
megastorage devices, (not sure if the 850D qualifies)  -- and indeed the
remote has an option for downloading cd memo's, but the operation always
fails with 3 short beeps.  The receiver manual (for what it's worth) also
says it requires a seperate A1-II cable.  Is this any different than an
slink cable (which I have now found out is a pretty simple mono cable with
1/8" jack on it)?

I tried to use the slink connector that came with the 850D to the receiver,
no luck.

Finally, if all else fails, have you been able to read titles from the
changer to your computer via the slink-e?  This would go a long way in
convincing me to get one, not that I need a lot of convincing or anything
since I already have about 6GB of mp3's on my computer next to my stereo
that play with winamp by controlling it with a MouseRemote from X-10 (I also
used to use the Creative DXR2 for DVD's, but as you can see I have upgraded
:)

I think slink-e would be a much more elegant way to do that (it has x-10 too
right, so I should in theory be able to completely get rid of the
mouseremote, at a minimum I could write something that would turn my ir
remote commands into slink commands to the computer, and then back out
through the x-10 firecracker kit which I'm not currently using)

Ok, that's a lot, got any ideas??  I'm a software developer too, if you
haven't noticed, so if I get really into this I'll probably end up putting
something back into the PD.

-taylor gautier