Harman Kardon AVR 8000 Owners Manual - Page 33

Operation Mode Button k on the remote. Next, press the ⁄/¤ Buttons mp to select either the middle range or full compression versions of the Night mode. To turn the Night mode off, press the ⁄/¤ Buttons mp until the message in the lower third of the video display and in the Lower Display Line B reads DRANGE OFF. The Night mode may also be selected to always be on at either level of compression using the options in the DOLBY menu. See page 23 for information on using the menus to set this option. IMPORTANT NOTES ON DIGITAL PLAYBACK: • When the digital playback source is stopped, or in a pause, fast forward or chapter search mode, the digital audio data will momentarily stop, and the channel position letters inside the Speaker/Channel Input Indicators E will flash. This is normal and does not indicate a problem with either the AVR 8000 or the source machine. The AVR 8000 will return to digital playback as soon as the data is available and when the machine is in a standard play mode. • Although the AVR 8000 will decode virtually all DVD movies, CDs and HDTV sources, it is possible that some future digital sources may not be compatible with the AVR 8000. • Note that not all digitally encoded programs contain full 5.1 or 6.1 channel audio. Consult the program guide that accompanies the DVD or laser disc to determine which type of audio has been recorded on the disc. The AVR 8000 will automatically sense the type of digital surround encoding used and adjust to accommodate it. • When a digital source is playing, you may not be able to select some of the analog surround modes such as Dolby Pro Logic II, Dolby 3, Stereo, Hall, Theater or Logic 7. • When a Dolby Digital or DTS source is playing, it is not possible to make an analog recording using the Tape £ and Video 1 or Video 2 Outputs 33 . However, the digital signals will be passed through to the Digital Audio Outputs ad*Ó. PCM Audio Playback PCM (Pulse Code Modulation) is the noncompressed digital audio system used for compact discs and laser discs. It is also the format used as an output by audio transcoders such as the Harman Kardon DAL 150. The digital circuits in the AVR 8000 are capable of high-quality digital-to-analog decoding, and they may be connected directly to the digital audio output of your CD or LD player. Connections may be made to either the rear panel Optical or Coaxial Inputs eb or the front panel Digital Inputs &(. To listen to a PCM digital source, first select the input for the desired source (e.g., CD). Next press the Digital Select Button Ú q and then use the ⁄/¤ Buttons mp on the remote, or the Selector Buttons 7$ on the front panel, until the desired choice appears in the Main Information Display ˆ. During PCM playback, you may select any Surround mode except Dolby Digital or DTS. When an HDCD-encoded disc is being played and the DVD or CD player is connected to the AVR 8000 via a digital connection, select Surround Off as the Surround mode to enjoy the benefits of the HDCD process. MP3 Audio Playback The AVR 8000 is one of the few receivers equipped for onboard decoding for the MP3 audio format used by computers and portable audio devices. Also, some new CD players are capable of playing back optical discs that are recorded with MP3, rather than standard CD audio information. By offering MP3 decoding, the AVR 8000 is able to deliver precise conversion of the digital signals to an analog output, along with the benefits of listening to the MP3 audio through the AVR 8000's high-current amplifier and the speakers from your surround system, rather than the smaller speakers and low-powered amplifiers typically used with computers. To take advantage of the AVR 8000's MP3 capabilities, simply connect the PCM output of a computer's sound card or the PCM output of a portable digital audio device to either the rear panel Digital Inputs be or the front panel Digital Inputs &(. When the digital signal is available, the green LED next to the MP3 indication in the Surround Mode Indicators ¯ will light, and the audio will begin playing. NOTES: • The AVR 8000 is only capable of playing signals in the MP3 (MPEG 1/Layer 3) format. It is not compatible with other computer audio codecs. • The digital audio input signal may be either optical or coaxial, but the signal must be in the PCM format. Direct connection of USB or serial data outputs is not possible, even though the signals are in the MP3 format. If you have any questions about the data output format from your computer or a sound card, check with the device's owner's manual or contact the manufacturer's technical support area. • If your computer or sound card's digital output is not capable of direct connection to the AVR 8000, you may use an optional, external transcoder, such as those available from Harman Kardon, to convert the USB output of a computer to a format compatible with the AVR. Contact your Harman Kardon dealer for additional details. • Due to the wide variation in MP3 formats and encoding speeds, it is possible that the AVR 8000 may not be compatible with all MP3 input signals. Some may produce unacceptable results and some may not be decoded. This is not a fault of either the computer or the AVR 8000, but rather a by-product of the unpredictable nature of MP3 playback. Tuner Operation The AVR 8000's tuner is capable of tuning AM, FM and FM Stereo broadcast stations. Stations may be tuned manually, or they may be stored as favorite station presets and recalled from a 30-position memory. Station Selection 1. Press the AM/FM Tuner Select Button gç on the remote to select the tuner as an input. The tuner may be selected from the front panel by either pressing the Input Source Selector % until the tuner is active or by pressing the Tuner Band Selector ! at any time. 2. Press the AM/FM Tuner Select Button gç or Tuner Band Selector ! again to switch between AM and FM so that the desired frequency band is selected. 33 OPERATION