Harman-Kardon AVR 435 rear panel, PCM Audio Playback, MP3 Audio Playback, Notes, Operation

Operation

of the demodulator to the Optical or Coaxial inputs *Ó of the AVR. No demodulator is required for use with DVD players or DTS- encoded laser discs.

In order to provide maximum playback compati- bility with DVDs, the AVR 435 receiver will always default first to the playback mode embedded in a disc’s digital “flag” information. For Dolby Digital discs, the following playback modes are initially selected after the AVR locks to the incoming digi- tal audio data stream to identify the selected:

•When a 5.1 audio stream is detected, the Dolby Digital 5.1 format will be selected, regardless of the number of speakers in your system, in compliance with Dolby Laboratories licensing requirements.

•When a disc with the Dolby Digital EX format flag is played, your system will automatically switch to the EX mode when seven main chan- nel speakers are available.

•When a disc with Dolby Digital data, but only 2.0 audio is detected, the default mode is Dolby Digital with Pro Logic II post-processing when you have a 5.1 speaker system, or Dolby Digital with Pro Logic IIx post-processing when you have a 7.1 speaker system.

•Depending on the number of speaker channels available in your system, once the AVR locks to the digital signal, you may select any surround mode or post-processing option that is avail- able, based on the incoming data stream’s pos- sible restrictions and the number of speakers in your system. For example, when a 5.1 or 2.0 audio stream is in use, you may select alternate postprocessing such as Logic 7/7-Channel Movie Mode post-processing to create the rear surrounds in 7.1 speaker systems.

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, 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, 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 are capable of high quality digital-to-ana- log 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 pro- vide its analog audio signal for recording. Next press the Digital Select button ÛGand then use the ⁄/ ¤ buttons Eon the remote, or the Selector buttons 7$ on the front panel, until the desired choice appears in the Lower Display Line ˜, then press the Set button @Fto confirm the choice.

In most cases this will be 48 KHZ, though in the case of specially mastered, high-resolution audio discs you will see a 96 KHZ indication.

The PCM 48 KHZ indication will also appear when modes or inputs are changed for analog sources. In those cases the system is telling you the sampling frequency used internally at the output of the analog-to-digital converters that change the incoming signal from a VCR, tape deck, the tuner, or other ana-log source to digital.

During PCM playback the unit automatically will turn to the default surround mode or to the LOGIC 7 mode but you also may select any surround mode except Dolby Digital or DTS.

MP3 Audio Playback

The AVR is one of the few A/V receivers to pro- vide on-board decoding for the MP3 audio for- mat 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 is able to deliver more precise conversion of the digital signals to an analog output, along with the

benefits of listening to MP3 audio through the AVR’s high current amplifier and the speakers from your surround system, rather than the small- er speakers and low powered amplifiers typically used with computers.

To take advantage of the AVR’s MP3 capabilities, simply connect the digital (SPDIF) output of a computer sound card able to feed the MP3 for- mat 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.

NOTES:

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

•The MP 3 DSP mode found in the new AVR requires an MP3 SPDIF stream. Presently, only a few units provide this but in the coming genera- tions of motherboards and operating system updates this will follow, since SPDIF is the stan- dard 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 manufac- turer’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.

OPERATION 37