Cambridge Audio 650R user manual Video connection type, Surround sound modes

4. Source setup continued

Video connection type

The 650R provides transcoding or up/down conversion between Composite, S-Video and Component video and up only to HDMI format. This function is very useful in that it allows for a single video connection type to be made to the TV/Monitor even if different input video connection types are used for different source inputs. As with the video inputs, the best output connection type to make to the TV/Monitor is (in declining order of quality) HDMI then Component, then S-Video then Composite.

When you set the Input Video type the 650R also automatically selects a transcoding mode as shown in the table below:

			ACTIVE MONITOR/TV OUTPUTS
		Composite		S-Video	Component	HDMI
TYPE
	Composite
INPUT		Direct		Transcode	Transcode	Transcode
VIDEO	S-Video
		Transcode		Direct	Transcode	Transcode
SELECTED	Component
		Transcode**		Transcode**	Direct	Transcode
	HDMI *
		Direct		Direct	Direct	Direct

This setting is remembered input by input.

* Only available where a HDMI input has been assigned to the source.

**Component video above standard definition (576i or 480i) cannot be converted to Composite or S-Video.

Note: The 650R is unable to down-convert HDMI so if a HDMI source connection is made to the 650R you must make a HDMI output connection to the TV as you might expect to view this source.

In all cases input by input, you need to tell the 650R which video type you are using for the source.

Select the ‘Video Input Setup’ menu. highlight each source in turn and select either Video, S-Video, YPbPr (Component) or HDMI (if that source has been assigned on HDMI input).

Video Input Setup

BD/DVD:HDMI1

VIDEO1:HDMI2

VIDEO2:HDMI3

VIDEO3:Video

REC1:Video

Return : [OSD]

As well as for the main outputs the 650R also transcodes analogue video for the Incognito Ready Zone 2/3 composite outputs (requires Incognito keypads and PSU to be added see later section) so you are free to use any analogue video input variant for sources you wish to see in Zone2/3.

Note: As the 650R is unable to downwards convert HDMI video to analogue video if you wish to make an HDMI connection to the unit for the main outputs and then watch the same source in Zones 2 and/or 3 you should make an additional parallel analogue video connection from the same source for use by Zone2/3.

Nearly all BD/DVD player etc. feature analogue video outputs independent of their HDMI outputs making this a simple connection to make.

This setting can also be changed at any time without using the OSD by pressing the Video Input Type button.

This cycles round the types of analogue video connections that can be made on the 650R:

1.Composite Video (CVBS)

2.S-Video (S-VHS, Y/C)

3.Component Video (YCbCr / YPbPr, YUV)

4.HDMI (if assigned)

Surround sound modes

The 650R supports several music and home-cinema listening modes. The output the 650R can provide, depends both on the source signal present, the speaker setup selected and the decode mode selected. Before we describe how to operate the 650R, below is a brief guide to the Surround Sound formats that the 650R is compatible with for reference:

Dolby True HD

Dolby’s lossless audio technology developed primarily for high capacity Blu- ray discs/players. Dolby True HD delivers theoretically bit-for-bit sound identical to the studio master by the use of 100% lossless encoding. Previous formats such as Dolby Digital 5.1 or EX have used lossy encoding where some data (that is theoretically less audible) is always lost in the encoding process to reduce the storage capacity needed on the disc. This is a new format that supports up to eight (usually used as 7.1) full-range channels of 24-bit/96 kHz audio or two channels of 24/192 kHz via Blu-ray discs and is not backwards compatible with earlier schemes. The format can either be transmitted as a ‘bitstream’ to the 650R for internal decoding (recommended) or can be decoded by some Blu-ray players internally and sent to the 650R as multi-channel PCM. In both cases an HDMI connection is required to the 650R and a suitable Blu-ray player as Dolby True HD is only ever transmitted over HDMI.

Dolby Digital Plus

A new encoding scheme based on the original Dolby Digital CODEC, but with enhancements to improve coding efficiency and improve audio quality. Dolby Digital Plus supports 7.1 fully discrete channels compared to Dolby Digitals

5.1(or 6.1 in its EX variant where the 6th channel is matrix encoded). These Dolby Digital Plus bitstreams are not backward compatible with legacy Dolby Digital decoders but require an AV Receiver developed to decode them (such as the 650R) and an HDMI connection as Dolby Digital Plus is currently only transmitted over HDMI. It is however a requirement that any Dolby Digital Plus enabled Blu-ray player must also be able transform the Dolby Digital Plus into a backwards compatible Dolby Digital 5.1 output for playback on legacy Dolby Digital systems. The 650R is however fully compatible with Dolby Digital Plus.

DTS-HD Master Audio

A new lossless audio CODEC from DTS, rather than being incompatible with earlier versions, DTS-HD Master Audio is transmitted as an extension to a normal DTS bitstream. A second embedded stream is sent which contains the "difference" between the original studio master and the lossy compressed DTS, plus the two extra channels. DTS-HD Master Audio enabled devices (such as the 650R) are able to use this difference information to recreate a bit for bit lossless version of the original 7.1 data. Devices which do not support the Master Audio extension simply decode the original 5.1 DTS stream and ignore the Master Audio extension providing backwards compatibility.

DTS-HD High Resolution Audio

Known also as DTS-HR an extension to the original DTS audio format. DTS-HD High Resolution Audio supports 7.1 fully discrete channels compared to DTS’s 5.1 (or 6.1 in its DTS ES Matrix or DTS ES Discrete variants). As with DTS-HD Master Audio a second embedded stream is sent which contains the "difference" between the original studio master and the lossy compressed DTS, plus the two extra channels, however in this case the extra stream is also formed by lossy compression. Effectively this is a 7.1 version of DTS which can be decoded by devices (such as the 650R) which are able to decode DTS-HD High Resolution Audio. Devices which do not support the High Resolution extension simply decode the original 5.1 DTS stream and ignore the High Resolution extension providing backwards compatibility

Dolby Digital

Known also as DD (3/2) or DD 5.1, provides (up to) 5.1 output from suitable encoded Dolby Digital material, with 5 main channels (Front Left, Front Right, Centre, Surround Left, Surround Right) and a Low Frequency Effects Channel for the subwoofer, all discretely encoded. Decoding Dolby Digital requires a Dolby Digital encoded DVD disc and a digital connection from the source equipment (Such as a DVD player) to the 650R.

Note: Dolby Digital and DTS formats can sometimes carry less channels than their maximum such as Dolby Digital (2/0) which means a Dolby Digital encoded signal which is actually only carrying a two channel stereo signal (other channels inactive).

DTS

Known also as DTS (3/2) or DTS 5.1, DTS provides (up to) 5.1 output from suitable encoded DTS material, with 5 main channels (Front Left, Front Right, Centre, Surround Left, Surround Right) and a Low Frequency Effects Channel for the subwoofer, all discretely encoded. Decoding DTS requires a suitably encoded DTS disc and a digital connection from the source equipment to the 650R.

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