Harman-Kardon AVR4500 owner manual Operation, PCM Audio Playback, MP3 Audio Playback, Notes

Operation

DTS

DTS is another digital audio system that is capa- ble of delivering 5.1, 6.1 or 7.1 audio. Although both DTS and Dolby Digital are digital, they use different methods of encoding the signals, and thus they require different decoding circuits to convert the digital signals back to analog.

DTS-encoded sound tracks are available on select DVD and LD discs, as well as on special audio- only DTS CDs. You may use any LD, DVD or CD player equipped with a digital output to play DTS-encoded special audio-only CDs with the AVR 4500, but DTS-LDs can be played on LD players and DTS-DVDs on DVD players only. All that is required is to connect the player’s digital output to either the Optical or Coaxial input on the rear panel %$ or front panel *Ó.

In order to listen to DVDs encoded with DTS sound tracks, the DVD player must be compatible with the DTS signal as indicated by a DTS logo on the player’s front panel. Note that early DVD players may not be able to play DTS- encoded DVDs. This does not indicate a problem with the AVR 4500, as some players cannot pass the DTS signal through to the digital outputs. If you are in doubt as to the capability of your DVD player to handle DTS DVDs, consult the player’s owner’s manual.

Please note that some DVD players are shipped with their output set for Dolby Digital only. To insure that DTS data is being sent to the AVR, please check the setup menu system on your DVD player to make certain that DTS data output is enabled.

PCM Audio Playback

PCM (Pulse Code Modulation) is the non- com- pressed digital audio system used for compact discs, Non-Dolby Digital/DTS Laserdiscs and some special PCM encoded DVDs. The digital circuits in the AVR 4500 are capable of high quality digital- to-analog decoding, and they may be connected directly to the digital audio output of your CD/DVD or LD player (LD only for PCM or DTS programs, for Dolby Digital laser discs an RF adapter is needed, see ”Dolby Digital” above).

Connections may be made to either the Optical or Coaxial inputs %$ on the rear panel or the front panel Digital Inputs *Ó.

To listen to a PCM digital source, first select the input for the desired source (e.g., CD) to feed its video signal (if any) to the TV monitor and to provide its analog audio signal for recording. Next press the Digital Select button ÛG and then use the ⁄/ ¤ buttons Don the remote, or the Selector buttons 7$on the front panel, until the desired choice appears in the Main Information Display Y, then press the Set button @Fto confirm the choice.

When a PCM source is playing, the PCM indica- tor A will light. During PCM playback you may select any surround mode except Dolby Digital or DTS.

MP3 Audio Playback

The AVR 4500 is one of the few 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 4500 is able to deliver more precise conversion of the digital signals to an analog output, along with the ben- efits of listening to MP3 audio through the AVR 4500’s high current amplifier and the speakers from your surround system, rather than the smaller speakers and low powered amplifiers typ- ically used with computers.

To take advantage of the AVR 4500’s MP3 capa- bilities, simply connect the digital (SPDIF) output of a computer sound card able to feed the MP3 format to its digital output, or the digital (SPDIF) 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 *Ó. When the digital MP3 signal is received, the MP3 Bitstream Indicator A will light, and the audio will begin playing.

NOTES:

•The AVR 4500 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 4500 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 MP3 SPDIF format. Direct connection of USB or serial data outputs is not possible, even though the signals are in the MP3 format. If you have any questions 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.

•If your computer or sound card’s digital output is not capable of direct connection to the AVR or if the output is not capable of delivering MP3 data stream, you may use an optional, external transcoder, such as those available from Harman Kardon to convert the USB output of a computer to a format compatible with the AVR. Contact your Harman Kardon dealer for additional details.

Selecting a Digital Source

To utilize either digital mode you must have properly connected a digital source to the

AVR 4500. 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 %$*Ó. 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 4500 rear panel (e.g., connect the analog stereo audio output from a DVD to the DVD Audio inputs

￿on the rear panel when you connect the source’s digital outputs).

OPERATION 33