Harman Kardon AVR100 Owners Manual - Page 21

Operation 3. Within five seconds the AVR will return to normal operation and the unit will now turn on at the same volume level that was in effect when the unit was turned off. Surround-Mode Selection One of the most important features of the AVR 100 is its ability to reproduce a full multichannel surround-sound field from digital sources, analog matrix surround-encoded programs and standard stereo programs. In all, a total of six listening modes is available on the AVR 100. Selection of a surround mode is based on personal taste, as well as the type of program source material being used. For example, motion pictures or TV programs bearing the logo of one of the major surround-encoding processes, such as Dolby Surround, DTS Stereo or UltraStereo†, may be played in either the Dolby Digital or Dolby Pro Logic modes, depending on the source material. NOTE: Once a program has been encoded with surround information, it retains the surround matrix as long as the program is broadcast in stereo. Thus, movies with surround sound will carry surround information when they are broadcast via conventional TV stations, cable, pay TV and satellite transmission. In addition, a growing number of made-for-television programs, sports broadcasts, radio dramas and music CDs are also recorded in surround sound. You may view a list of these programs at the Dolby Laboratories Web site at www.dolby.com. When a program is not listed as carrying intentional surround information, you may find that the Pro Logic or Dolby 3 Stereo modes often deliver enveloping surround presentations through the use of the natural information present in all stereo recordings. However, for stereo but non-surround programs, we suggest that you try the Hall or Theater modes. Surround modes are selected using either the front-panel controls or the remote. To select a surround mode from the front panel, simply press the button that corresponds to the desired mode To select a surround mode using the remote, press the Surround Mode Selectors 33 . As you press the buttons, the Surround mode name will appear in the Main Information Display N, and an individual mode indicator will also light up A B C D E. Note that Dolby Digital may only be selected when a digital input is in use. For more information on selecting digital sources, see the following section of this manual. To listen to a program in traditional two-channel stereo, using the front-left and front-right speakers only (plus the subwoofer if installed and configured), press the Surround Off button Ù on the front panel until SURR OFF appears in the Main Information Display N or the surround mode buttons on the remote 33 . Dolby Digital Playback Digital audio is a major advancement over past systems. It delivers five discrete channels: left front, center, right front, left surround and right surround. Each channel is full range and offers dramatically improved dynamic range and significant improvements to signal-to-noise ratios. In addition, both of the digital systems have the capability to deliver an additional channel that is specifically devoted to low-frequency information. This is the ".1" channel referred to when you see these systems described as "5.1". The bass channel is totally separate but since it is intentionally bandwidth limited, sound designers have given it that unique designation. Dolby Digital (originally known as AC-3®) is available on DVD and LD discs and is also a part of the new high-definition television (HDTV) system. Note that an optional, external RF demodulator is required to use the AVR 100 to listen to the Dolby Digital sound tracks available on laser discs. Connect the RF output of the LD player to the demodulator and then connect the digital output of the demodulator to the the Optical or Coaxial inputs fi› of the AVR 100. Selecting a Digital Source To utilize either digital mode you must have a digital source properly connected to the AVR 100. Connect the digital outputs from DVD players, HDTV receivers and CD players to the Optical or Coaxial inputs on the rear panel fi›. In order to provide a backup signal and a source for analog stereo recording, the analog outputs provided on digital source equipment should also be connected to their appropriate inputs on the AVR 100 rear panel (e.g., connect the analog stereo audio output from a DVD to the DVD inputs § on the rear panel when you connect the source's digital outputs). When playing a digital source such as DVD, first select the input using the remote or front-panel controls as outlined in this manual. Next, select the digital source by pressing the appropriate Digital Input Selector button u ¯ and then using the ‹/› buttons r on the remote or the Selector buttons 34 on the front panel to choose either of the OPTICAL or COAXIAL inputs, as they appear in the Main Information Display N or on-screen display. Press the Set button t ˘ to enter the desired choice. When the digital source is playing, the AVR 100 will automatically detect whether it is a multichannel Dolby Digital source or a conventional PCM signal, which is the standard output from CD players. Digital Status When a digital source is playing, the AVR 100 will automatically switch to the proper surround mode. It is important to note, however, that not all Dolby Digital sources are encoded with the full complement of five channels plus LFE. When a digital source is playing, the Main Information Display N will change to show the input source and digital type (OPTICAL or COAX). When a source with digital encoding is playing, the input source name will appear in the Information Display or on-screen display, followed by a numeric key indicating the type and number of channels being decoded, as follows: 3/2.1: This message appears when a full complement of Dolby Digital signals is present: 3 front channels (left, center and right), 2 surround channels (surround left and surround right) and "1" channel, which is the dedicated Low Frequency Effects (LFE) channel. 3/1: This message indicates the system is decoding a standard Dolby Pro Logic signal with left-front, center and right-front channels and a single mono surround channel. 2/0: This message indicates that the system is decoding a traditional two-channel stereo signal and that no center, surround or LFE signals are present. 1/0: This is a monaural signal that plays through the center-channel speaker only. There is no sound at the front-left, front-right or surround speakers. 20 OPERATION