Dts; Pcm Audio Playback; Hdcd; Mp3 Audio Playback - Harman Kardon AVR 635 Owner's Manual

Operation
Digital sound tracks available on laser discs.
Connect the RF output of the LD player to the
demodulator and then connect the digital output
of the demodulator to the Optical or Coaxial
inputs 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 635 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

, HDCD

® , High Definition Compatible Digital
States and/or other countries. HDCD System manufactured under license from Pacific Microsonics, Inc.
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
front panel Digital Inputs
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
use the buttons
/
Selector buttons
the desired choice appears in the Lower Display
Line , then press the Set button
confirm the choice.
In most cases this will be
the case of specially mastered, high-resolution
audio discs you will see a
The
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
mode but you also may select any
surround mode except Dolby Digital or DTS.
When an HDCD encoded disc is being played (see
below) and the CD player is connected to the
AVR via a digital connection, select Surround Off
.
® and Pacific Microsonics ™
as the Surround mode to enjoy the benefits of the
HDCD process.
HDCD
HDCD, which stands for High Definition Com-
patible Digital
enables the AVR to deliver outstanding digital-to-
analog decoding of PCM signals from any DVD or
CD player, connected to a digital input on the
AVR even when normal, non-HDCD-compatible
players are used (only a digital output is needed).
When a CD with the HDCD recording is played,
the AVR is able to take advantage of the special
recording process that is used in the creation of
HDCD disc. The special circuitry enables audio
with extraordinary fidelity, stunning resolution
and the highest possible overall quality.
As long as a digital input and the pure Stereo
mode (Surround Off) are selected, the AVR will
automatically sense that it is an HDCD recording.
It is important to note that the HDCD process is
completely compatible with standard recordings.
Indeed, the high-quality digital-to-analog
circuitry that is part of HDCD and the HDCD
decoder chip, replacing the monolithic digital
filters used in conventional DACs, will enable
enhanced performance also with normal,
non-HDCD encoded program material.
on the rear panel or the

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
and then back optical discs that are recorded with MP3,
on the remote, or the rather than standard CD audio information. By
on the front panel, until offering MP3 decoding, the AVR is able to deliver
more precise conversion of the digital signals to
to an analog output, along with the
benefits of listening to MP3 audio through the
AVR's high current amplifier and the speakers
, though in
from your surround system, rather than the small-
er speakers and low powered amplifiers typically
indication.
used with computers.
indication will also appear
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
the front panel Digital Inputs
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.
are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Pacific Microsonics, Inc., in the United
® , is a sophisticated process that
or
.
OPERATION 37