Harman-Kardon HA160-0004-A manual Surround Mode Definitions, Dolby Pro Logic

Signature 2.0

System Control Abbreviations and Control Parameters

Space limitations prevent a full explanation of the Signature Series 2.0’s Surround modes, RDS system and the Bass Boost and Treble Cut controls when they are viewed in the on-screen graphics or menus. The charts and graphs in this section provide additional details that will assist you in the selection of the Surround mode, the use of the RDS data system and adjustment of the Bass Boost and Treble Cut controls.

Surround Mode Definitions

The Signature 2.0 is among the most flexible surround sound systems available. In addition to the latest Dolby Digital and DTS systems for discrete 5.1 channel audio and conventional Dolby Pro Logic processing, it provides a wide range of surround sound options.

For your convenience, a surround mode may be per- manently attached to each input source profile, so that the same mode is used whenever source is selected. See page 28 for instructions on linking a surround mode to an input source.

Alternatively, you may change surround modes at any time by pressing one of the Surround Mode Selectors y on the remote, or by pressing the front panel Surround Selectors 4.

To make it easy to select a mode, they are divided into two groups, “Movies” and “Music,” although some modes are used with both types of program content. In addition, there is a Mono + mode and a pure Stereo mode available. The following definitions of the various modes is presented to give you a better idea of where each should be used, and which type of sources it is compatible with.

Dolby Pro Logic

Dolby Pro Logic is the home version of the system originally developed to deliver four channels of surround information within the left and right channels of a motion picture. Dolby Pro Logic uses special encoding techniques to provide a center channel, used mostly for dialog, and a surround channel, used mostly for effects, in addition to the left and right front channels. It is important to remember that in Pro Logic, the feed to the surround channels is monaural, with the same band- width-limited signal going to both the left and right surround channels.

Although Pro Logic is mostly associated with movies, it is also used to enhance an increasing number of tele- vision programs, ranging from sports broadcasts to action programs such as Xena, Warrior Princess, sci-fi programs such as Deep Space Nine and Star Trek, and dramatic pro- grams such as Law & Order. Music and variety programs such as Saturday Night Live, The Late Show with David Letterman and concert programs also benefit from sur- round encoding. A complete list of programs broadcast with Dolby Surround encoding may be found at the Dolby Labs web site at www.Dolby.com

Once a program is encoded with surround information, such as in a theatrical movie, the surround matrix stays with the program as long as the stereo tracks are properly broadcast. Thus, the surround information follows a movie from the theaters to video cassette and disc release, on cable, satellite or pay-per-view, and via traditional broadcasting. This enables you to enjoy the surround information almost any time the movie is available, not just from prerecorded playback.

The Dolby Pro Logic system is used to decode any four- channel matrix-encoded source, no matter how it is delivered. For that reason, if a film is originally recorded with a left/center/right/surround soundtrack, it will require Dolby Pro Logic even when the movie is deliv- ered with a Dolby Digital soundtrack. That is why some DVD discs, even though they utilize Dolby Digital, still require Dolby Pro Logic decoding, though it is done in the digital processor.

Appendix C

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