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Operation
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 3550 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 the Optical or
Coaxial inputs
on the rear panel.
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. Next press
the Digital Select button
the
buttons
on the remote, or the
/
Selector buttons
on the front panel, until the
desired choice appears in the Main Information
Display
, then press the Set button
to confirm the choice.
When a PCM source is playing, the PCM indica-
tor
will light. During PCM playback you may
select any surround mode as described on pages
26 and 27 except Dolby Digital or DTS.
28 OPERATION
Selecting a Digital Source
To utilize a digital mode you must have properly
connected a digital source to the AVR 3550.
Connect the digital outputs from DVD players,
HDTV receivers, satellite systems or CD players to
the Optical or Coaxial inputs on the rear
. In order to provide a backup signal and a
source for analog stereo recording, the analog
outputs provided on digital source equipment
should also be connected to their appropriate
inputs on the AVR rear panel (e.g., connect the
analog stereo audio output from a DVD to the
DVD inputs
connect the source's digital outputs).
When playing a digital source such as DVD, first
select its input using the remote or front panel
and then use
controls as outlined in this manual in order to
feed its video signal (if any) to the TV monitor
and to provide its analog audio signal for record-
ing. When the digital input appropriate with the
DVD player is not selected automatically (due to
the input settings made earlier during the system
configuration, see page 19), select the digital
source by pressing the Digital Input Selector
button
on the remote or the Selector buttons
on the front panel to choose any of the
OPTICAL or COAXIAL inputs, as they
appear in the Main Information Display
Display Indicator
When the digital source is playing, the AVR will
automatically detect whether it is a multichannel
Dolby Digital, DTS source or a conventional PCM
signal, which is the standard output from CD
players. A Bitstream Indicator
the Main Information Display
that the digital signal is Dolby Digital, DTS or
PCM.
Note that a digital input (e.g. coaxial) remains
associated with any analog input (e.g. DVD) as
soon as it is selected, thus the digital input need
not be re-selected each time the appropriate
input choice (e.g. DVD) is made.
Digital Status Indicators
When a digital source is playing, the AVR senses
the type of bitstream data that is present. Using
this information, the correct surround mode will
automatically be selected. For example, DTS bit-
streams will cause the unit to switch to DTS
decoding, and Dolby Digital bitstreams will enable
Dolby Digital decoding. When the unit senses
PCM data, from CDs and LDs and some music
DVDs or certain tracks on normal DVDs, it will
allow the appropriate surround mode to be
selected manually. Since the range of available
surround modes depends on the type of digital
data that is present, the AVR uses a variety of
indicators to let you know what type of signal is
present. This will help you to understand the
choice of modes and the input channels recorded
on the disc.
on the rear panel when you
and then using the
buttons
/
,
or on-screen display.
will light in
to confirm
When a digital source is playing, a Bitstream
Indicator
will light to show which type of
signal is playing:
: When the DOLBY D indicator lights, a
Dolby Digital bitstream is being received.
Depending on the audio track selected on the
source player and number of channels on the
disc, different surround modes are possible. Note
that only one channel without subwoofer, called
"1.0" audio, or all five channels with subwoofer
("5.1" audio) or all steps between can be record-
ed on digitally surround encoded audio tracks
(see NOTE below). With all those tracks, except
"2.0" audio, only the Dolby Digital and VMAx
modes are available. When the Dolby Digital sig-
nal is only two channel ("2.0") these two chan-
nels (l and r) often contain Pro Logic surround
informations. With those tracks the AVR auto-
matically switches to the Dolby Pro Logic II Movie
mode (in addition to the Dolby Digital mode), but
you may also select the Vmax mode. When the
D.D. 2.0 signal contains no Pro Logic informa-
tion, the pure Dolby Digital mode will be selected
automatically, but you may also select any Pro
Logic II mode (only Music or Emulation should be
used then) or any Vmax mode.
D T S: When the DTS indicator lights, a DTS bit-
stream is being received. When the unit senses
this type of data, only the DTS mode may be used.
P C M: When the PCM indicator lights, a standard
Pulse Code Modulation, or PCM, signal is being
received. This is the type of digital audio used by
conventional compact disc and laser disc record-
ings. When a PCM bitstream is present, all modes
except Dolby Digital and DTS are available. Note
that the PCM signal format can be selected on the
DVD player with any audio track, even with Dolby
Digital tracks (but not with Dolby Digital decod-
ing). So, if selected, even "2.0" D.D. audio tracks
can be played with all surround modes, also with
the most effective Logic 7.
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