Harman-Kardon HA160-0004-A manual Dolby Digital Late Night, Dolby Digital Mono

Signature 2.0

Appendix C

Dolby Pro Logic is your best choice when listening to a movie or television program through an analog input. When Dolby Pro Logic is required by a digital input, the 2.0 will automatically select it for you.

Dolby Pro Logic is also an appropriate mode to use when listening to music programming that is played back in any format when the packaging shows a “Dolby System,” “Dolby Stereo” or other surround logo. You may also wish to experiment with using Pro Logic on standard two-channel stereo recordings. Although it is not intentional, many recordings contain ambient infor- mation that produce a pleasing surround effect when used with Pro Logic.

Applicable Mode Groups: Dolby Pro Logic may be accessed in either the Movie or Music mode groups, and it will work with analog and PCM digital sources. Pro Logic is also available with certain Dolby Digital programs.

Dolby Digital

Dolby Digital is a major improvement over Dolby

Pro Logic in that it delivers up to five surround channels along with a special, dedicated Low-Frequency Effects (LFE) channel for bass information. Unlike the bandwith limited, monaural surround of Dolby Pro Logic, Dolby Digital features two discrete, full-bandwidth surround channels in comparison to Pro Logic’s single, bandwidth- limited, mono-surround channel. All channels are digital, with high signal-to-noise ratios and wide dynamic range. With Dolby Digital you are now able to have an exact recreation of the theatrical sound experience in a home environment.

The digital data stream that delivers the Dolby Digital information may be sent to the 2.0 via either electrical connection using coax cables, or optically, using fiber connections. Sources such as DVD, HDTV, satellite delivery systems and cable will all take advantage of Dolby Digital. The first consumer implementation

of Dolby Digital, laser discs, used the intermediary step of converting the digital information to an RF modulated signal so that it would fit within the capacity of the LV format. Since the Signature Series 2.0 does not accept RF signals, an optional outboard RF-to-data demodulator is required for use with laser disc players.

Applicable Mode Groups: Also known as AC-3, as it is the third version of Dolby Laboratory’s Audio Coding system for digital audio, Dolby Digital will initially be used most often with movies, but it is also available in the Music mode grouping, for applications where musical programs are recorded in Dolby Digital. Note that the mode is the same in both groups, but it is presented twice for your convenience.

Dolby Digital Late Night

The “Late Night” mode is a special version of Dolby Digital which enables you to experience the same discrete full-bandwidth, multichannel audio as the standard Dolby Digital mode, but it is designed to reduce peak levels by 1⁄4 to 1⁄3 of normal. This prevents abruptly loud audio transition such as explosions or symphonic crescendos from causing disturbance to others in the household without reducing the impact or quality of the digital source. A good way to characterize Late Night is as the “good neighbor” mode.

Applicable Mode Groups: Dolby Digital Late Night is also available in both the Music and Movie mode groups. It may only be used with a Dolby Digital source.

Dolby Digital Mono

When a Dolby Digital input source is playing, you may occasionally wish to listen to it in mono, even when the input source is multichannel. To have all audio appear in the center channel speaker only, press the Mono + button y so that Dolby Dig Mono is shown as the mode in both the on-screen displays and the front panel Information Display.

Applicable Mode Groups: Dolby Digital Mono is available only in the Mono + group, and only when a Dolby Digital source is playing.

NOTE: The Dolby Digital modes are only available when a Dolby Digital source is selected. If a Digital mode is selected when an analog source is playing, the

2.0will automatically select the proper analog surround mode, and the front panel Information Display will flash (Figure FPD-12) to remind you of the mismatch.

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