Harman Kardon Harman/kardon AVR 154 Owner's Manual

Harman Kardon Harman/kardon AVR 154 Owner's Manual

5.1-channel audio/video receiver
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AVR 154
AUDIO/VIDEO RECEIVER
OWNER'S MANUAL

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Summary of Contents for Harman Kardon Harman/kardon AVR 154

  • Page 1 AVR 154 AUDIO/VIDEO RECEIVER OWNER’S MANUAL...
  • Page 2: Safety Information

    SAFETY INFORMATION Important Safety Instructions 1. Read these instructions. 2. Keep these instructions. 3. Heed all warnings. 4. Follow all instructions. 5. Do not use this apparatus near water. 6. The A/V receiver’s cabinet may be cleaned by gently wiping with a soft cotton or microfiber cloth.
  • Page 3: Important Safety Information

    Important Safety Information Verify Line Voltage Before Use Your AVR 154 has been designed for use with 120-volt AC current. Connection to a line voltage other than that for which it is intended can create a safety and fire hazard and may damage the unit. If you have any questions about the voltage requirements for your specific model, or about the line voltage in your area, contact your selling dealer before plugging the unit into a wall outlet.
  • Page 4 STAPLE INVOICE HERE...
  • Page 5: Table Of Contents

    SAFETY INFORMATION INTRODUCTION FRONT-PANEL CONTROLS REAR-PANEL CONNECTIONS REMOTE CONTROL FUNCTIONS INTRODUCTION TO HOME THEATER CONNECTIONS Speaker Connections Subwoofer Connecting Source Devices to the AVR Audio Connections Digital Audio Analog Audio Video Connections Digital Video Analog Video Antennas SPEAKER PLACEMENT INSTALLATION Step One –...
  • Page 6: Introduction

    INTRODUCTION Please register your product on our Web site at www.harmankardon.com. Note: You’ll need the product’s serial number. At the same time, you can choose to be notified about our new products and/or special promotions. Thank you for choosing Harman Kardon! In the years since Harman Kardon invented the high-fidelity receiver, we have taken to heart the philosophy of bringing the joy of home entertainment to as many people as possible, adding performance and...
  • Page 7: Audio Inputs

    Audio Inputs • AM/FM tuner • CD • Tape • 6-Channel direct • Auxiliary mini-jack Audio/Video Inputs (With S-Video) • Video 1 • Video 2 • Video 3 • DVD • Two 100MHz assignable component video inputs ™ • HDMI 1, 2 and 3 (switching only), version 1.3a Digital Audio Inputs •...
  • Page 8: Front-Panel Controls

    FRONT-PANEL CONTROLS Main Power Switch: This mechanical switch turns the power supply on or off. It is usually left pressed in (On position), and cannot be turned on using the remote control. Standby/On Switch: This electrical switch turns the receiver on for playback, or leaves it in Standby mode for quick turn-on using this switch or the remote control.
  • Page 10: Rear-Panel Connections

    REAR-PANEL CONNECTIONS AM and FM Antenna Terminals: FM antennas to their respective terminals for radio reception. Front, Center and Surround Speaker Outputs: conductor speaker wire to connect each set of terminals to the correct speaker. Remember to observe the correct polarity (positive and negative connections).
  • Page 12: Remote Control Functions

    REMOTE CONTROL FUNCTIONS The AVR 154 remote is capable of controlling up to 11 devices, including the AVR itself and a device connected to the Auxiliary Input. During the installation process, you may program the codes for each of your source components into the remote.
  • Page 13 IR Transmitter Lens Power On Program Indicator AVR Selector AM/FM Test Tone Sleep DSP Surround On-Screen Display Channel Level Digital Input Tuning Mode Direct Station Entry Tuning Tone Mode Night Mode Track Skip Transport Controls Mute Power Off Input Selectors 6-Channel Input Selector Volume Controls TV/Video...
  • Page 14 REMOTE CONTROL FUNCTIONS Tuning Mode: This button toggles between manual (one frequency step at a time) and automatic (seeks frequencies with acceptable signal strength) tuning mode. It also toggles between stereo and mono modes when an FM station is tuned. Memory: After you have tuned a particular radio station, press this button, then the numeric keys, to save that station as a radio preset.
  • Page 15: Introduction To Home Theater

    INTRODUCTION TO HOME THEATER The AVR 154 may be the first multichannel surround sound receiver you have owned. Although it has more connections and features than 2-channel receivers, many of the principles are similar and the new con- cepts are easy to understand. This introductory section will help you to familiarize yourself with the basic concepts, which will make setup and operation smoother.
  • Page 16: Connections

    CONNECTIONS There are different types of audio and video connections used to connect the receiver to the speakers and video display, and to connect the source devices to the receiver. To make it easier to keep them all straight, the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) has established a color-coding standard.
  • Page 17: Audio Connections

    Audio Connections There are two formats for audio connections: digital and analog. Digital audio signals are required for listening to sources encoded with digital surround modes, such as Dolby Digital and DTS. The AVR 154 uses two types of digital audio connections: coaxial and optical. Either type of digital audio connection may be used for each source device, but never both simultaneously for the same source.
  • Page 18: Analog Video

    CONNECTIONS The AVR 154 will not convert analog video signals to the HDMI format, and the on-screen displays are not visible when using an HDMI source. Connect the composite or S-video monitor output (or both, depending on which video connections your sources use) to your video display to view the on-screen menus.
  • Page 19: Speaker Placement

    Before you begin to connect cables, it is important to place your speakers in their correct locations in the room. Optimally, the speakers should be placed in a circle with the listening position at its center. The distance from the listening position to the video display forms the radius of the circle.
  • Page 20: Installation

    INSTALLATION You are now ready to connect your various components to your receiver. Before beginning, turn off all components, including the AVR 154, and unplug their power cords. Don’t plug any of the power cords back in until you have finished making all of your connections. Remember that your receiver generates heat while it is on.
  • Page 21 Video Connections: (choose only one, and make sure that type is available on your TV) • HDMI • S-video • Component video • Composite video NOTES: • Digital audio, HDMI and component video connections are not dedicated to any source input. When any of these physical connections are used, they must be assigned to the desired source input as described in the Initial Setup section.
  • Page 22 INSTALLATION AVR 154 Figure 21 – Connecting a Component-Video-Equipped Disc Player If the player is capable of playing multichannel discs, including DVD-Audio, SACD, HD-DVD and Blu-ray Disc, make the following additional connection (see Figure 20): • Connect the DVD player’s 6-channel analog audio outputs to the 6-Channel Analog Audio Inputs on the AVR.
  • Page 23 • Connect the recorder’s optical digital audio output to the Optical 2 Input on the AVR (if available). • Then go to “Composite/S-Video” below to make recordings, as the AVR 154 cannot make recordings from copy-protected component video sources or digital audio (except 2-channel) sources. AVR 154 Figure 24 –...
  • Page 24 INSTALLATION Composite/S-Video: If the best video connection common to both the set-top box and the TV is either S-video or composite video, follow these steps (see Figure 28): • Connect the set-top’s S-video or composite video output (use one connection only) to the corresponding Video 2 Input on the AVR. •...
  • Page 25: Step Five - Connect The Video Display

    AVR 154 Figure 32 – Connecting a Device to the Front-Panel Inputs Audio Components: Connect audio-only devices, such as CD players, to either the Coaxial 3 or Optical 3 Digital Audio Inputs, or the Video 3 Analog Audio Inputs (see Figure 32). If you obtain your broadcast programming from the TV, connect its audio outputs to the front-panel inputs and program the AVR remote to operate the TV, as described in Step Eight.
  • Page 26: Step Eight - Program Sources Into The Remote

    INSTALLATION Figure 36 – Remote Control Battery Compartment When using the remote, remember to point the lens toward the front panel of the AVR 154. Make sure no objects, such as furniture, are blocking the remote’s path to the receiver. Bright lights, fluorescent lights and plasma video displays may interfere with the remote’s functioning.
  • Page 27: Step Nine - Turn On The Avr 154

    the Remote Control Function List, Table A9 in the Appendix, for each button’s functions with the various product types. You may program Macros, which are preprogrammed code sequences that execute many code commands with a single button press. You may also program “punch-through”...
  • Page 28: Initial Setup

    INITIAL SETUP Before you begin enjoying your new receiver, a few adjustments should be made to configure the AVR 154 to match your actual system. Make sure that you have connected a video display to either the S-video or composite video monitor output on the receiver. When you turn on your display and the AVR, you should see a blue screen.
  • Page 29: Step Two - Measure Speaker Distances

    With proper bass management, the AVR 154 divides the source signal at a crossover point. All information above the crossover point is played through the satellite speaker (front left/right, center or surround left/right), and all information below the crossover point is played through the subwoofer.
  • Page 30: Speaker Crossover Menu

    INITIAL SETUP LEFT/RIGHT: This line tells the AVR 154 the capabilities of your front left and right speakers. Use the ‹ › Buttons to select either SMALL or LARGE for these speakers. CENTER: Move the cursor to the line for the center speaker, and use the ‹...
  • Page 31: Delay Adjust Menu

    Setting the Speaker Crossover menu correctly ensures that your speakers sound their best. Although you could skip this step the first time you use the receiver, we recommend that you take the few extra minutes to enter the correct crossover settings. Select from seven possible settings: 40Hz, 60Hz, 80Hz, 100Hz, 120Hz, 150Hz or 200Hz.
  • Page 32 INITIAL SETUP sound equally loud at the listening position is a critical step in the setup process. Sit in the listening position, and eliminate external noises for the few minutes needed to calibrate the output levels. You may use a handheld SPL meter (available at most electronics stores) set to the C-Weighting, Slow scale, or you may calibrate the levels by ear.
  • Page 33: Step Five - Configure Sources

    NOTE: Setting the channel levels while one surround mode is active does not carry over to other modes. After you have set the levels satisfactorily in one mode, note the results and change to other surround modes. For those modes that don’t reflect your level settings, either copy the settings you obtained as a short cut, or re-do the procedure to determine the correct settings for those surround modes.
  • Page 34: Operation

    OPERATION Now that you have installed your system components and completed at least a basic configuration of your receiver, you are ready to begin enjoying your home theater system. Turning On the AVR 154 Gently press the Master Power Switch until the word OFF is no longer visible.
  • Page 35: Headphones

    If you wish to return the tone controls to 0, or “flat” response, press the ⁄ ¤ Buttons, until the TONE OUT message appears, which preserves any changes you have made to the bass or treble settings for later use. To reactivate your changes, the tone control must again be set to TONE IN.
  • Page 36: Channel Direct Inputs

    OPERATION The COMPONENT IN line of the Input Setup menu indicates which of the two component video inputs on the AVR 154 is assigned to each source. The default assignments are indicated in Table A2 in the Appendix. As shown, various sources share the component video input assignments, but only one source may be physically connected at a time.
  • Page 37: Recording

    3. Press the Tuner Input Selector (marked AM/FM) on the remote. Press this button again to switch bands. Figure 58 – Tuner Input Selection Radio stations may be selected in one of four ways (see Figure 59): 1. If you know the frequency number, enter it directly by first pressing the Direct Button on the remote, and then using the Numeric Keys.
  • Page 38: Selecting A Surround Mode

    OPERATION Selecting a Surround Mode Surround mode selection can be as simple or sophisticated as your individual system and tastes. Feel free to experiment with the many available surround modes on the AVR 154, and you may find a few that become your favorites for certain sources or program types.
  • Page 39: Advanced Functions

    Much of the AVR 154’s performance is handled automatically, with little intervention required on your part. However, the AVR 154 is a sophisticated component, and is capable of being customized to suit your particular system and your tastes. In this section we describe some of the more advanced adjustments available on the AVR 154.
  • Page 40: Surround Modes

    ADVANCED FUNCTIONS NOTE: The 6.1-channel signals – Dolby Digital EX and DTS-ES Matrix and Discrete – each include a flag meant to signal the receiver to decode the surround back channel. Since the AVR 154 is only capable of processing and playing 5.1 channels, the indications EX-OFF or ES-OFF, as appropriate, will always appear for 6.1-channel bitstreams.
  • Page 41: Default Modes

    Figure 65 – Dolby Surround Menu Screen CENTER WIDTH: This setting affects how vocals sound through the three front speakers. A higher number (up to 7) focuses the vocal information tightly on the center channel. Lower numbers broaden the vocal soundstage across the three speakers. DIMENSION: This setting affects the depth of the surround presentation, allowing you to “move”...
  • Page 42 ADVANCED FUNCTIONS Table 2 – Surround Modes Surround Mode Description Dolby Digital Provides up to five separate main audio channels and a dedicated low-frequency effects (LFE) channel. May be encoded for Night mode, which allows the user to apply a compression setting that maintains intelligibility of softer passages while reducing the loudness of dynamic passages to avoid disturbing others.
  • Page 43 Table 2 – continued Surround Mode Description DTS Stereo Delivers a 2-channel downmix of DTS Digital materials, or presents a matrix-encoded surround presentation. DTS Neo:6 DTS Neo:6 analog processing is available with DTS-ES (Matrix or Discrete) Mode Group signals and 2-channel analog or PCM signals to create a 3- or 5-channel presentation.
  • Page 44: Dim Function

    ADVANCED FUNCTIONS up only when a button is pressed or a remote command is received, and going dark again 5 seconds after the last command. The VFD FADE TIME OUT feature also causes the display to light up only when a button is pressed or a change in the incoming signal is detected, but the display immediately begins to fade to dark.
  • Page 45: Macros

    For example, if you wish to watch your TV (programmed into the Video 3 Button) while changing channels using your cable box (Video 2), first press and hold the Video 3 Button until the LED flashes. Then press the Volume Down Button, followed by the Video 2 Button. To undo punch-through programming, follow the same steps as above, but press the same Input (or AVR) Selector in Steps 1 and 3.
  • Page 46: Troubleshooting Guide

    TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE SYMPTOM Unit does not function when Main Power Switch is pushed Display lights, but no sound or picture No sound from any speaker; light around power switch is red No sound from surround or center speakers Unit does not respond to remote commands Intermittent buzzing in tuner Letters flash in the channel indicator...
  • Page 47: Appendix

    Table A1 – Recommended Source Component Connections Device Type AVR 154 Source Input VCR, DVR, PVR, Video 1 TiVo or other audio/video recorder Cable TV, Satellite, Video 2 HDTV or other device that delivers television programs TV, game console, Video 3 (front-panel jacks) camera or other audio/video device DVD Audio/Video,...
  • Page 48 APPENDIX Appendix – Default settings, worksheets, remote product codes Table A2 – Source Input Setting Defaults Source HDMI 1 HDMI 2 Title Component Comp V 1 Comp V 1 Comp V 2 Comp V 2 Comp V 2 Video Input Audio Input Coax 1 Coax 2 Optical 2...
  • Page 49 Table A5 – Source Input Settings Source HDMI 1 Title Video Input Component Video Input Audio Input Auto Poll Surround Mode Table A6 – Speaker/Channel Settings Source HDMI 1 Bass Manager: Global/Independent Left/Right Speaker Size Center Speaker Size Surround Speaker Size Subwoofer Left/Right Speaker Crossover Center Speaker Crossover...
  • Page 50 APPENDIX Table A7 – Remote Control Codes Source Input Product Type (circle one) Video 1 VCR, PVR, DMC Video 2 Cable, Satellite Video 3 HDMI 1 DVD, VCR/PVR/DMC, Cable/Satellite HDMI 2 DVD, VCR/PVR/DMC, Cable/Satellite HDMI 3 DVD, VCR/PVR/DMC, Cable/Satellite CD, CD-R Tape Cassette Table A8 –...
  • Page 51 Table A9 – Remote Control Function List No. Button Name AVR Function 1 Power On Power On Power On 2 Power Off Power Off Power Off 3 Mute Mute Mute 4 AVR AVR Select AVR Select 5 DVD DVD Select DVD Select 6 VID 1 (VCR) Video 1 Select...
  • Page 52 APPENDIX Table A9 – Remote Control Function List – continued No. Button Name AVR Function 44 Memory Memory Audio or Playlist Time 45 Tuning Up Tuning Up Next Chapter 46 Direct Direct Tuner Entry Angle 47 Clear Clear Clear 48 Preset Up Preset Tune Up Slow Forward 49 Tuning Down...
  • Page 53 Refer to Tables A10 through A16 when programming the codes for your components into the remote. Table A10 – Remote Control Product Codes – TV TV Manufacturer/Brand Setup Code Number AIWA A MARK 122 132 ADMIRAL AKAI 123 160 AMPRO ANAM 045 106 109 112 122 122 123 128...
  • Page 54 APPENDIX Table A10 – continued TV Manufacturer/Brand Setup Code Number TECHWOOD TEKNIKA 045 069 115 123 128 132 TELERENT TERA THOMSON 190 191 TOSHIBA 063 129 202 TOTEVISION VIDEO CONCEPTS VIDTECH WARDS 069 128 132 148 YAMAHA 123 128 YORK YUPITERU ZENITH 069 090...
  • Page 55 Table A12 – Remote Control Product Codes – CD CD Manufacturer/Brand Setup Code Number ADCOM 063 069 AIWA 072 111 118 156 170 AKAI 050 177 184 AUDIO TECHNICA AUDIOACCESS AUDIOFILE CALIFORNIA AUDIO CAPETRONIC CARRERA CARVER 136 140 141 143 144 154 185 186 CASIO 117 166 CLARINETTE...
  • Page 56 APPENDIX Table A14 – Remote Control Product Codes – SAT SAT Manufacturer/Brand Setup Code Number ALPHASTAR ALPHASTAR DBS ALPHASTAR DSR BIRDVIEW CHANNEL MASTER 320 321 325 361 CHAPARRAL 315 316 451 CITOH DRAKE 313 317 318 413 481 DX ANTENNA 331 352 379 483 ECHOSTAR 395 397 452 453 463 477 478 484 485...
  • Page 57 Table A16 – continued CBL Manufacturer/Brand Setup Code Number SIGNATURE 001 188 SPRUCER 053 081 177 189 STARCOM 002 011 163 STARGATE TANDY TELECAPATION TEXSCAN TIMELESS TOCOM 170 205 UNITED CABLE UNIVERSAL 033 034 039 042 113 VIDEOWAY 124 211 VIEWSTAR 019 025 086 089 190 ZENITH...
  • Page 58: Technical Specifications

    AVR 154 TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS Audio Section Stereo Mode Continuous Average Power (FTC) 40 Watts per channel, 20Hz–20kHz, @ <0.07% THD, both channels driven into 8 ohms Five-Channel Surround Modes Power per Individual Channel Front L&R channels: 30 Watts per channel @ <0.07% THD, 20Hz–20kHz into 8 ohms Center channel: 30 Watts @ <0.07% THD, 20Hz–20kHz into 8 ohms...
  • Page 59 NOTES...
  • Page 60 250 Crossways Park Drive, Woodbury, New York 11797 www.harmankardon.com © 2008 Harman International Industries, Incorporated. All rights reserved. Part No. CQX1A1309Z...

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