OPERATION
Now that you have installed your components and completed a basic configuration, you are ready to begin enjoying your home theater system.
reminder. To restore normal audio, press the Mute Button again, or adjust the volume. Turning off the AVR will also end muting.
Turning On the AVR 3550HD
Flip the Main Power Switch on the rear panel up to the “ On” position. The Power Indicator on the front panel will turn amber, indicating that the AVR is in Standby mode and is ready to be turned on. The Main Power Switch is normally left on. See Figure 46.
There are several ways to trun on the AVR 3550HD:
a)Press the Standby/On Switch on the front panel. See Figure 46.
b)Using the remote, press the AVR Power On Button or any of the Source Selectors. See Figure 47.
To turn the receiver off, press either the Standby/On Switch on the front panel or the AVR Power Off Button on the remote. Unless the receiver will not be used for an extended period of time, leave the Main Power Switch on. When the Main Power Switch is turned off, any settings you have programmed will be preserved for up to four weeks.
IMPORTANT NOTE: If the PROTECT message ever appears in the Message Display, turn off the AVR and unplug it. Check all speaker wires for a short. If none is found, bring the unit to an authorized Harman Kardon service center for inspection and repair before using it again.
Volume Control
Adjust the volume either by turning the knob on the front panel (clock- wise to increase volume or counterclockwise to decrease volume), or by pressing the Volume Control on the remote. See Figure 57. The volume is displayed as a negative number of decibels (dB) below the 0dB reference point.
0dB is the maximum volume for the AVR 3550HD. Although it’s possible to turn the volume to a higher level, doing so may damage your hearing and your speakers. For certain more dynamic audio materials, even 0dB may be too high, allowing for damage to equipment. Use caution with regard to volume levels.
To change the volume level display from the default decibel scale to a
Figure 57 – Volume Controls
Mute Function
To temporarily mute all speakers and the headphones, press the Mute Button on the remote. See Figure 57. Any recording in progress will not be affected. The MUTE message will appear in the display as a
Sleep Timer
The sleep timer sets the AVR to play for up to 90 minutes and then turn off automatically.
Press the Sleep Settings Button on the remote, and the time until
Figure 58 – Sleep Settings Button
When the sleep timer has been set, the front-panel display will automati- cally dim to half-brightness. If you press any button on the remote or front panel, the display will return to full-brightness. The display will dim again several seconds after your last command.
If you press the Sleep Button after the timer has been set, the remaining play time will be displayed. Press the Sleep Button again to change the play time.
Audio Effects
Adjust the tone controls, subwoofer level or Night Mode to improve performance. Access these settings from the Audio Effects submenu, as described in the Advanced Functions section.
It is recommend that you leave the settings at their default values until you are more familiar with your system.
Video Modes
The settings in the Video Modes menu are used to
Headphones
Plug the 1/4" plug on a pair of headphones into the jack on the front of the receiver for private listening. See Figure 59. The default Dolby Headphone bypass mode delivers a conventional
Figure 59 – Headphone Jack
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