is important to note that although Dolby Digital, for example, is referred to as a “5.1” system, not all Dolby Digital DVDs or audio tracks selected on DVD or other Dolby Digital programs are encod- ed for 5.1. Thus, it is sometimes normal for a DVD with a Dolby Digital soundtrack to trigger only the “L” and “R” indicators.
NOTE: Many DVD discs are recorded with both “5.1” and “2.0” versions of the same sound- track. When playing a DVD, always be certain to check the type of material on the disc. Most discs show this information in the form of a listing or icon on the back of the disc jacket. When a disc does offer multiple soundtrack choices, you may have to make some adjustments to your DVD player (usually with the “Audio Select” button or in a menu screen on the disc) to send a full 5.1 feed to the AVR or to select the appropriate audio track and thus language. It is also possible for the type of signal feed to change during the course of a DVD playback. In some cases the pre- views of special material will only be recorded in
2.0audio, while the main feature is available in
5.1audio. As long as your DVD player is set for 6-channel output, the AVR will automatically sense changes to the bitstream and channel count and reflect them in these indicators.
The letters used by the Speaker/Channel Input Indicators $ also flash to indicate when a bit- stream has been interrupted. This will happen when a digital input source is selected before the playback starts, or when a digital source such as a DVD is put into a Pause mode. The flashing indicators remind you that the playback has stopped due to the absence of a digital signal and not through any fault of the AVR. This is normal, and the digital playback will resume once the playback is started again.
Night Mode
A special feature of Dolby Digital is the Night mode, which enables Dolby Digital input sources to be played back with full digital intelligibilty while reducing the maximum peak level and lifting the low levels by 1/4 to 1/3. This prevents abruptly loud transitions from disturbing others without reducing the impact of the digital source. The Night mode is available only when the Dolby Digital mode is selected.
The Night mode may be engaged when a Dolby Digital DVD is playing by pressing the Night Button B on the remote. Next, press the Night Button again to cycle through the options, or press the ⁄/¤ buttons D to select either the middle range or full compression versions of the Night mode. To turn the Night mode off, press the ⁄/¤ buttons D or the Night button until the message in the lower third of the video dis- play and the Main Information Display Ò reads D-RANGE OFF.
The Night mode may also be selected to always be on as soon as the Dolby Digital mode is activated at either level of compression using the options in the DOLBY menu. See page 20 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 Indicators $ will flash. This is nor- mal and does not indicate a problem with either the AVR or the source machine. The AVR 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 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.
•Note that not all digitally encoded programs and not all audio tracks on a DVD contain full 5.1 channel audio. Consult the program guide that accompanies the DVD or laser disc to deter- mine which type of audio has been recorded on the disc. The AVR will automatically sense the type of digital surround encoding used, indicate it in the Channel Input Indicators $ and adjust to accommodate it.
•When a Dolby Digital or DTS source is playing, you normally may not be able to select some of the analog surround modes such as Dolby Pro Logic II, Dolby 3 Stereo, Hall, Theater, 5CH Stereo or Logic 7, except with specific Dolby Digital 2.0 recordings that can be played with the Pro Logic II modes too (see page 30).
•When a digital source is playing, it is NOT possible to make an analog recording using the Tape or Video 1 record outputs, even if the source is connected to any digital input of the AVR only, as long as "Surround Off" mode is selected (possible with a PCM source only). But the analog two channel signal, even of a Dolby Digital (not DTS) source, the ”Downmix” to Stereo or Dolby Surround, can be recorded by connecting its analog audio outputs to the appropriate analog inputs (e.g. DVD) of the AVR. Additionally, the digital signals will be passed through to the Digital Audio Outputs .
Incoming Signal | Available Surround Modes |
Analog (2-channel), Tuner, PCM 44.1kHz or 48kHz | Dolby Pro Logic II (Movie, Music or Game), Dolby Pro Logic, Dolby 3 Stereo, Dolby Virtual Speaker |
| Reference (2 or 3 Speaker), Dolby Virtual Speaker Wide (2, 3, 4 or 5 Speaker), DTS Neo:6 (3-channel |
| Cinema, 5-channel Cinema or Music), Logic 7 (5-channel Cinema, Music or Enhance), Hall 1 |
| (5-channel), Hall 2 (5-channel), Theater (5-channel), Surround Off**, 5-Channel Stereo, |
| DSP Surround Off |
| |
PCM 96kHz | Dolby Pro Logic II (Movie or Music), Dolby Pro Logic, Logic 7 (5-channel Cinema, Music or Enhance), |
| DSP Surround Off |
| |
**The Surround Off mode is only available for ananlog sources or the tuner, and requires that the tone controls be removed from the circuitry for “flat” response. Otherwise, the DSP Surround Off mode may be selected when a two-channel presentation is desired.
