MP3 Audio Playback

Operation

or a PCM audio track from DVD, use the Logic 7 C or Cinema mode. For stereo or surround encod- ed pure music recordings use the Logic 7 M or Music mode for a wider front sound stage (see Surround Mode Chart page 26).

The AVR 3000 is one of the first A/V receivers to provide on-board decoding for the MP3 audio format used on specific computer audio files and by portable MP3 players/recorders. In addition, some new CD and DVD 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 3000 is able to deliver more precise conversion of the digital signals to an analog output, along with the ben- efits of listening to the MP3 audio through the AVR 3000’s high current amplifier and the speak- ers from your surround system, rather than the smaller speakers and low powered amplifiers typ- ically used with computers.

To take advantage of the AVR 3000’s MP3 capa- bilities, simply connect the PCM output of a com- puter sound card able to feed the MP3 format to its digital output, or the PCM output of MP3 compatible CD or DVD players or of a portable MP3 player with a digital output, to either the

rear panel Digital Inputs or the front panel Digital Inputs #$. When the digital MP3 signal is selected, the MP3 Bitstream Indicator Awill light, and the audio will begin playing.

NOTES:

•The AVR 3000 is only capable of playing sig- nals in the MP3 (MPEG 1/Layer 3) format. It is not compatible with other computer audio codecs.

•The MP 3 DSP mode found in the new

AVR 3000 requires an MP3 SPDIF stream. Presently, only a few units provide this but in the coming generations of motherboards and operat- ing system updates this will follow, since SPDIF is the standard for audio & video hardware.

•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 sig- nals are in the MP3 format. If you have any ques- tions about the data output format from your computer or a sound card, check with the device’s Owner’s Manual or contact the manu- facturer’s technical support area.

Selecting a Digital Source

To utilize either digital mode you must have properly connected a digital source to the AVR 3000. Connect the digital outputs from DVD players, HDTV receivers, satellite systems or CD players to the Optical or Coaxial inputs on the

rear or front panel

#$. In order to pro-

vide a backup signal and a source for analog stereo recording, the analog outputs provided on digital source equipment should also be connect- ed to their appropriate inputs on the AVR 3000 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 its input using the remote or front panel controls as outlined in this manual in order to feed its video signal (if any) to the TV monitor and to provide its analog audio signal for record- ing. When the digital input appropriate with the DVD player is not selected automatically (due to the input settings made earlier during the system configuration, see page 19), select the digital source by pressing the Digital Input Selector button GÒand then using the ⁄/¤ buttons

Don the remote or the Selector buttons 5 on the front panel to choose any of the OPTICAL or COAXIAL inputs, as they appear in the Main Information Display Y, Display Indicator BEor on-screen display. When the digital source is playing, the AVR 3000 will automatically detect whether it is a multi- channel Dolby Digital, DTS source, MP3 or a con- ventional PCM signal, which is the standard out- put from CD players. A Bitstream Indicator A will light in the Main Information Display Ú to confirm that the digital signal is Dolby Digital, DTS, MP3 or PCM.

Note that a digital input (e.g. coaxial) remains associated with any analog input (e.g. DVD) as soon as it is selected, thus the digital input need not be re-selected each time the appropriate input choice (e.g. DVD) is made.

Digital Status Indicators

When a digital source is playing, the AVR 3000 senses the type of bitstream data that is present. Using this information, the correct surround mode will automatically be selected. For example, DTS bitstreams will cause the unit to switch to DTS decoding, and Dolby Digital bitstreams will enable Dolby Digital decoding. When the unit senses PCM data, from CDs and LDs and some music DVDs or certain tracks on normal DVDs, it will allow the appropriate surround mode to be selected manually. Since the range of available surround modes depends on the type of digital data that is present, the AVR 3000 uses a variety of indicators to let you know what type of signal is present. This will help you to understand the choice of modes and the input channels recorded on the disc.

When a digital source is playing, a Bitstream Indicator Awill light to show which type of signal is playing:

DOLBY D: When the DOLBY D indicator lights, a Dolby Digital bitstream is being received.

Depending on the audio track selected on the source player and number of channels on the disc, different surround modes are possible. Note that only one channel without subwoofer, called ”1.0” audio, or all five channels with subwoofer (”5.1” audio) or all steps between can be record- ed on digitally surround encoded audio tracks (see NOTE below). With all those tracks, except ”2.0” audio, only the Dolby Digital and VMAx modes are available. When the Dolby Digital sig- nal is only two channel (”2.0”) these two chan- nels (l and r) often contain Pro Logic surround informations. With those tracks the AVR3000 automatically switches to the Pro Logic mode, but you may also select the Vmax mode.

DTS: When the DTS indicator lights, a DTS bit- stream is being received. When the unit senses this type of data, only the DTS mode may be used.

PCM: When the PCM indicator lights, a standard Pulse Code Modulation, or PCM, signal is being received. This is the type of digital audio used by conventional compact disc and laser disc record- ings. When a PCM bitstream is present, all modes except Dolby Digital and DTS are available. Note that the PCM signal format can be selected on the DVD player with any audio track, even with Dolby Digital tracks (but not with Dolby Digital decod- ing). So, if selected, even ”2.0” D.D. audio tracks can be played with all surround modes, also with the most effective Logic 7.

MP3: When the MP3 indicator lights, a compat- ible MPEG 1/Layer 3 digital signal is being received. This is the popular audio format used by many computer programs for recording com- pressed audio files. When an MP3 bitstream is present, the sound will automatically be played in the stereo (surround off) mode. The surround modes are not available during MP3 playback.

In addition to the Bitstream Indicators, the AVR 3000 features a set of unique channel input indicators that tell you how many channels of digital information are being received and if the digital signal is interrupted.

These indicators are the L/C/R/LS/RS/LFE letters that are inside the center boxes of the Speaker/Channel Input Indicators Qin the front panel Main Information Display Ú. When a standard analog stereo or matrix sur- round signal is in use, only the “L” and “R” indi- cators will light, as analog signals have only left and right channels, respectively, even surround recordings, carry surround information on the left and right channels only.

Digital signals, however, may have one to six sep- arate channels, depending on the program mate- rial, the method of transmission and the way in which it was encoded. When a digital signal is playing, the letters in these indicators will light in response to the specific signal being received. It

28OPERATION