Pioneer VSX-AX2AV-S, VSX-AX4AVi-S manual Minute guide Chapter, Introduction to home theater

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5 minute guide

Chapter 2:

5 minute guide

Introduction to home theater

Home theater refers to the use of multiple audio tracks to create a surround sound effect, making you feel like you're in the middle of the action or concert. The surround sound you get from a home theater system depends not only on your speaker setup, but also on the source and the sound settings of the receiver.

This receiver will automatically decode multichannel Dolby Digital, DTS, or Dolby Surround sources according to your speaker setup. In most cases, you won’t have to make changes for realistic surround sound, but other possibilities (like listening to a CD with multichannel surround sound) are explained in Listening to your system on page 26.

Listening to Surround Sound

This receiver was designed with the easiest possible setup in mind, so with the following quick setup guide, you should have your system hooked up for surround sound in no time at all. In most cases, you can simply leave the receiver in the default settings.

Be sure to complete all connections before connecting this unit to an AC power source.

1 Connect your TV and DVD player.

See Connecting your TV and DVD player on page 12 to do this. For surround sound, you’ll want to hook up using a digital connection from the DVD player to the receiver.

2Connect your speakers and place them for optimal surround sound.

Connect your speakers as shown in Installing your speaker system on page 17.

Where you place the speakers will have a big effect on the sound. Place your speakers as shown below for the best surround sound effect. Also see Placing the speakers on page 18 for more on this.

Center (C)

Front

 

 

Right (R)

 

Front

 

 

Left (L)

Subwoofer (SW)

Surround

 

 

Right (SR)

 

Surround

Listening

Back

Right (SBR)

position

 

 

Surround

 

Left (SL)

 

Surround

 

Back Left (SBL)

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3Plug in the receiver and switch it on, followed by your DVD player, your subwoofer and the TV.

Make sure you’ve set the video input on your TV to this receiver. Check the manual that came with the TV if you don’t know how to do this.

Set the subwoofer volume to a comfortable level.

4Use the on-screen automatic MCACC setup to set up your system.

See Automatically setting up for surround sound (MCACC) below for more on this.

5Play a DVD, and adjust the volume to your liking. Make sure that DVD/LD is showing in the receiver’s display, indicating that the DVD input is selected. If it isn’t, press DVD/LD on the remote control to set the receiver to the DVD input.

In addition to the basic playback explained in Playing a source on page 9, there are several other sound options you can select. See Listening to your system on page 26 for more on this.

See also Making receiver settings from the System Setup menu on page 33 for more setup options.

Automatically setting up for surround sound (MCACC)

The Auto MCACC Setup measures the acoustic characteristics of your listening area, taking into account ambient noise, speaker size and distance, and tests for both channel delay and channel level. After you have set up the microphone provided with your system, the receiver uses the information from a series of test tones to optimize the speaker settings and equalization for your particular room.

Make sure you do this before moving on to Playing a source on page 9.

Important

Make sure the microphone and speakers are not moved during the Auto MCACC Setup.

Using the Auto MCACC Setup will overwrite any existing settings for the MCACC preset you select.

Before using the Auto MCACC Setup the headphones should be disconnected.

Caution

The test tones used in the Auto MCACC Setup are output at high volume.

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Contents VSX-AX4AVi-S VSX-AX2AV-S Ventilation Caution Operating Environment Contents Additional information Other SettingsUsing other functions Controlling the rest of your systemChecking what’s in the box Installing the receiverBefore you start Before you start ChapterIntroduction to home theater Automatically setting up for surround sound McaccMinute guide Minute guide ChapterEnter 02 5 minute guidePlaying a source Better sound using Phase ControlProblems when using the Auto Mcacc Setup Minute guideConnecting your equipment Chapter Connecting your equipmentRear panel When making cable connections Connecting your equipmentAbout the video converter Connecting your equipment Connecting your TV and DVD player Use an optical cable for the connection Or other set-top box Other video sourcesDVD player Using the component video jacksFor a second recorder, use the DVR/VCR2 outputs Use a three-way component video cableAbout the WMA9 Pro decoder Connecting your equipment Connecting digital audio sourcesInput Selector dial front panel to select Connecting your equipment Connecting analog audio sourcesConnecting a component to the front panel inputs Select these inputs using Input Select remote orConnecting the speakers Connecting your equipment Installing your speaker systemPlacing the speakers Bare wire connectionsAssemble the stand as shown in the illustration Connecting antennasTHX speaker system setup AM loop antennaAC outlet FM wire antennaConnecting external antennas Plugging in the receiverSTANDBY/ON Controls and displaysControls and displays Chapter Front panelControls and displays Operating range of remote control unitControls and displays Display 6TUNE/ST /ENTER Controls and displays Remote controlReceiver Input SelectSource StatusMultiope ShiftListening in surround sound Listening to your systemListening to your system Chapter Auto playbackListening to your system Using the Home THX modesUsing the Advanced surround effects THX Games ModeListening to your system Listening in stereo Using Stream DirectSelecting Mcacc presets Choosing the input signalUsing the Virtual Surround Back mode Using surround back channel processingListening to the radio Using the tunerUsing the tuner Chapter Saving station presetsAn introduction to RDS Using the tunerNaming station presets Listening to station presetsDisplaying RDS information Using EONPress Disp for RDS information Select the setting you want to adjust System Setup menuSystem Setup menu Chapter Making receiver settings from the System Setup menuMemory System Setup menuIf necessary, confirm the speaker configuration in the OSD.1 Surround back speaker settingFine Channel Level Manual Mcacc setupStanding Wave Adjust the level of the left channelWhen youre finished, press Return Fine Speaker DistanceAcoustic Calibration EQ Select ‘Standing Wave’ from the Manual Mcacc setup menuSelect ‘EQ Adjust’ from the Manual Mcacc setup menu Select the channels you want and adjust to your likingHow to interpret the graphical output How to use Professional Acoustic Calibration EQSelect ‘EQ Professional’ then press Enter Using Professional Acoustic Calibration EQSelect an option and press Enter Copying Mcacc preset data Checking Mcacc preset dataData Management Clearing Mcacc presets Manual speaker setupSpeaker Setting Renaming Mcacc presetsConfirm your selected setup option Select ‘Speaker Setting’ from the Manual SP Setup menuSelect ‘Channel Level’ from the Manual SP Setup menu Select a setup optionBass Peak Level Speaker DistanceEnter Curve THX Audio SettingOther connections Chapter Connecting an iPodConnecting your iPod to the receiver Other connectionsButton What it does Connecting using HdmiOther connections Basic playback controlsAbout Hdmi Using the i.LINK interfaceOn a HDMI-compatible monitor.1 Checking the i.LINK inputs About i.LINKCreating an i.LINK network About Pqls rate controlUse standard RCA/phono jack cables for the connections Using the USB interfaceConnecting the multichannel analog inputs Selecting the multichannel analog inputsStart playback of a source on your computer Second Zone speaker B setupSwitching the speaker system Use the Input Select button to select USBBi-amping your front speakers Bi-wiring your speakersConnect your speakers as shown below Multi-room listening Other connections Connecting additional amplifiersMaking multi-room connections Multi-room listening options Basic multi-room setup RoomSub room Input sources available Input Connecting an IR receiverUsing the multi-room controls Multi-room remote controlsSwitching components on and off using the 12 volt trigger Using this receiver with a Pioneer plasma displayPioneer plasma display DVD player Satellite receiver, etc Using the SR+ mode with a Pioneer plasma displayPioneer plasma DisplayAdvanced Mcacc output using your PC Other connections Connecting a PC for Advanced Mcacc outputOther Settings Chapter Other SettingsInput Setup menu Select ‘Other Setup’ then press Enter Other SettingsOther Setup menu Input function default and possible settingsOSD Adjustment Multi-Room and IR receiver setupSR+ Setup for Pioneer plasma displays Setting What it does Options Using other functionsUsing other functions Chapter Setting the AV optionsRecout Source Using other functionsPlaying a different source when recording Making an audio or a video recordingDimming the display Switching the speaker impedanceUsing the sleep timer Checking your system settingsSetting Default Resetting the systemDefault system settings Display shows RESET?Controlling the rest of your system Setting the remote to control other componentsSelecting preset codes directly Programming signals from other remote controlsControlling the rest of your system Erasing one of the remote control button settingsResetting the remote control presets Confirming preset codesProgramming a multi-operation or a shutdown sequence Renaming input source namesDirect function Multi Operation and System OffUsing System off Using multi operationsFunction Components Controlling the rest of your system Controls for TVsControls for other components Buttons Function ComponentsButton s Function Components Operating other Pioneer components with this unit’s sensorDecide which component you want to use the remote sensor Additional information Chapter TroubleshootingPower Additional informationAdditional information Other audio problemsVideo SettingsProfessional Calibration EQ graphical output DisplayLink interface Remote controlUSB interface Link messagesMessage Explanation IPod messages Symptom Cause ActionDolby Additional information Surround sound formatsWindows Media Audio 9 Professional About THX THX MusicMode Listening modes with different input signal formatsStereo 2 channel signal formats THX Games ModeInput signal format Standard Multichannel signal formatsAuto Surround Surround Back speakers Input signal formatUnavailable with only one surround back speaker connected Cleaning the unit Additional information SpecificationsOur philosophy FeaturesAdditional information 05F00001 Printed ARB7335-E Pioneer Corporation