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Arcam AV8 Handbook

Av8 preamp processor
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Summary of Contents for Arcam AV8

  • Page 1 AV8 Preamp Processor...

  • Page 3: Table Of Contents

    Safety compliance...................4 It may be that the AV8 has been installed and set up as part of your Getting started with your AV8 ........... 5 Hi-Fi installation by a qualified Arcam dealer. In this case, you may Introduction ....................5...

  • Page 4: Safety Guidelines

    Safety guidelines 12. Power lines SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS Affix any outdoor antenna/aerial away from power lines. 13. Non-use periods This product is designed and manufactured to meet strict quality and safety standards. However, you should be aware of the following In standby mode, a small amount of current will continue to flow into installation and operation precautions: the equipment in this mode.

  • Page 5: Getting Started With Your Av8

    VCR, as well as a digital output. DVD-Audio and SACD can be connected via the multichannel input. Control of the AV8 is either by front panel control buttons, IR remote control or an RS232 port (which can be used to upload future software enhancements).

  • Page 6: Installation

    For example, if you are watching a composite input from a VCR you must view it from the composite output of the AV8, as there will be  Do not place the unit on top of a power amplifier or other no picture on the other outputs.

  • Page 7: Cables

    SPEAKER INSTALLATION be installed approximately one metre higher than the listener’s ears. The AV8 allows you to connect up to seven channels of amplification SURROUND BACK LEFT AND RIGHT and three active subwoofers in the main system.The output channels...

  • Page 8: Audio Connections

    DVD-A and SACD sources. Please note that if the AV8 is set to ‘MM’ and the record deck has a cn cp cr ct ct ‘MC’ cartridge fitted, testing these together will not cause any damage to either the AV8 or the record deck.

  • Page 9: Zone 2 Connections

    DSP processing available for zone 2 signals. As the AV8 does not convert video formats a composite signal must MONITOR OUT 1. Connect this output to the composite video also be connected from the source.

  • Page 10: Control Connections

    Initially, the high quality video inputs are all disabled. Before any HQ video input can be selected it must be allocated to an input. There are three trigger output sockets on the AV8, each of which is a RGB 4-wire connection 3.5mm stereo jack with two contacts, ‘tip’...

  • Page 11: Connecting To A Power Supply

    Support on +44 (0)1223 203203. If a high quality video source in RGB+Composite Syncs mode is allocated to an input, the AV8 will assume an RGB signal is present MAINS LEAD when syncs are detected on the composite input. In this case if only a...

  • Page 12: Configuring The Av8

    AV8 will change to the PAL video standard. As soon as a video signal is input to the AV8, it Navigate up and down the menu lines using the keys.

  • Page 13: Basic Setup

    Sync On Green: This applies only if RGB video is used. Yes makes BASIC SETUP the AV8 feed the video sync signal out with the green signal. Some RGB-driven display devices require a sync signal on the green input to lock on to the video signal coming in, while others need the video synchronisation on a separate lead.
  • Page 14 THX Surr.EX automatically sets the speaker selections for a THX ™ 4 – LEVEL SETTINGS Surround EX setup with a pair of surround speakers, a pair of surround back speakers and all filters set to 80Hz. This configuration 4 - Level Settings ™...
  • Page 15 We recommend this setting for as speakers, the types and styles of music to be played and personal smaller rooms. taste. When set to Off, the subwoofer output from the AV8 will remain flat to 20Hz.

  • Page 16: Advanced Setup

    If you choose to ‘Exit Setup’ without first saving the changes, then these Video Input Aux: None new settings will be used by the AV8 until you recall a preset or press Video Input CD: None on the remote control, when the last used preset will be recalled.
  • Page 17 DVD input: DVD button NOTE: The setting for ‘Zone 1 Standby’ only applies for putting AV input: AV button the AV8 into standby mode. Re-activating zone 1 is always a local Tape input: Tape button Tuner input: Tuner button function.
  • Page 18 Reference 2V. Find some loud music or use a 0dB reference signal from each source. If the source activates the ‘Analogue CLIP’ The presets store the complete setup of the AV8, including the modes indication at the bottom of the screen, then adjust its level upwards used for each of the inputs and if they are in direct mode or not.

  • Page 19: Remote Control

    Remote control The CR80 remote control is a multi-function unit that controls the AV8 and up to seven other devices.The instructions on this page only refer to the control of the Arcam FMJ AV8. For information on using the remote control for other devices, and...

  • Page 20: Front Panel Controls

    Bright. processor.When first turned on, the LED is yellow, to indicate that the AV8 is ‘initialising’.This changes to green when the AV8 is fully powered Menu. Selects the ‘Main Menu’ on the OSD. Also accesses the and ready. Red indicates that the AV8 is in standby mode.

  • Page 21: Operating Your Av8

    TV/screen whenever possible. However all key information is also the front panel or on the remote control. There are nine inputs duplicated one line at a time on the front panel display of the AV8. available: DVD, Sat, AV, VCR, Phono/Aux, CD, Tuner, Tape and DVD-A (multichannel).

  • Page 22: Stereo Direct

    Normal 0–72:The volume range covers 0 to 72dB in 1dB steps. Fine 0–72:The volume range covers 0 to 72dB in 0.5dB steps. The AV8 has a fully independent VCR loop for audio and video (Composite and S-video only). This can be configured to record the 0dB THX Ref.:The volume range will cover -53dB to +18dB in 1dB...

  • Page 23: Using The Main Menu Screen

    USING THE MAIN MENU SCREEN This button cycles through the available THX modes. The available THX modes change depending on what mode the AV8 is in and what Three Main Menu screens allow day-to-day changes to be made to the source material is being played.
  • Page 24 Compression is only available on Dolby Digital recordings and on some DTS recordings. If stereo direct is On, the AV8 uses the analogue input signal for the source, bypassing the digital circuitry. In this mode, the AV8 functions Lip Sync: Allows the introduction and adjustment of a time delay...

  • Page 25: Using Zone 2

    Zone 2 Status:Turns zone 2 output On or Off.This should be set to feedback through the VCR. Off if no equipment is connected to the zone 2 outputs on the AV8. Off if no equipment is connected to the zone 2 outputs on the AV8.

  • Page 26: Surround Modes

    2.0 or 2.1 bitstream is played the Surround mix mode INTRODUCTION is recalled and the AV8 enters Dolby Pro Logic II Movie mode to try to recreate the surround environment from what may be a Pro Logic encoded source.

  • Page 27: Multichannel Sources

    Digital 5.1 sources deliver surround sound with five discrete full-range The AV8 allows both Pro Logic and Pro Logic II decoding. Generally, channels; left, centre, right, surround left, and surround right, plus a low you will find Pro Logic II performs better and gives a livelier, more frequency effects (LFE) channel.

  • Page 28: Dsp Effects Modes

    ™ ASA is a proprietary THX technology which processes the sound The AV8 has a number of effects modes that can be used to enhance fed to two surround and two surround back speakers to provide the a stereo signal and to make use of the surround loudspeakers. DSP optimal surround sound experience.

  • Page 29: Troubleshooting

    Settings’ or ‘Zone 2 Settings’ pages (for zone 1 and zone 2 the power button is pressed in. respectively) in the Setup Menu. If a red LED is present, the AV8 is in standby mode. Press any source button on the front panel or on the remote control. ...
  • Page 30 Component Video connection to AV8 only: Hum on an analogue input: It is possible to configure the AV8 by using the front panel as the Check that: selected line of the menu is displayed on the front panel, however it is ...
  • Page 31 AV8 to the NTSC video standard. Feedback when making digital recording: As the AV8 has only one analogue-to-digital converter (ADC), it is not possible to use a tape monitor loop when making a digital recording. If you try to do this, the tape analogue input is directed to the ADC (so that the tape input can have DSP processing ), converting it to digital and feeding it to the digital output.This creates a loop through...

  • Page 32: Technical Specifications

    E&OE RADIO INTERFERENCE NOTE:All specification values are typical unless otherwise stated. The AV8 is a digital audio device which have been designed to very CONTINUAL IMPROVEMENT POLICY high standards of electromagnetic compatibility. Arcam has a policy of continual improvement for its products. This The unit can radiate RF (radio frequency) energy.

  • Page 33: Additional Technical Information

    Additional technical information PROCESSING COMPONENT SPECIFICATIONS LOCKING THE SETUP MENU The following list of chipsets used in the AV8 is provided for the With the facility for up to five preset setups, and the ability to interest of technical enthusiasts: temporarily trim many settings, there should little need to use the Setup Menus once the system is fully installed.

  • Page 34: Scart Connections

    SCART CONNECTIONS These pinouts describe the signal connections between the AV8 and your display device input. SCART RGB cable with audio back to processor Signal Connector type Connector Pin Cable Type Label Audio output B (right) From TV Tuner RCA Phono (1)

  • Page 35: Ir Remote Codes

    Mono mode the device. Stereo mode The coding system for the AV8 is based on the Philips RC-5 standard. Dolby PL 2 Movie mode The main system control uses RC-5 system code ‘16’, so for example, to program in a ‘Standby’ command, use the command ‘16-124’.

  • Page 36: Av8 Serial Programming Interface

    2, use: INTRODUCTION ?Z2MUT<lf> This section of the document details the serial command set of the If zone 2 mute is ON, the AV8 responds with the message: AV8 software.The serial port is set as follows: Z2MUT1<lf> baud rate...

  • Page 37: Query Commands

    QUERY COMMANDS Command Parameters Description Response Query Power State zPWRx, where z is the zone parameter you supply. ?zPWR Query Mute State zMUTx, where z is the zone parameter you supply. ?zMUT Query Effect Mode EFFy, where y may have the values 0 to 7, as follows: ?EFF 0 = off, 1 = music, 2 = party, 3 = club, 4 = hall, 5 = sport, 6 = church, 7 = next effect.
  • Page 38 GENERAL OPERATION COMMANDS Command Parameters Description Parameter values Power on/off ?zPWRx Mute on/off ?zMUTx Force Analogue zFANx Effect Mode Selection y may have the values 0 to 7, as follows: ?EFFy 0 = off, 1 = music, 2 = party, 3 = club, 4 = hall, 5 = sport, 6 = church, 7 = next effect.
  • Page 39 SETUP COMMANDS – BASIC Basic General Command Parameters Description Parameter values Volume Display y may have the values 0 to 2, as follows: VDSy 0 = Normal, 1 = dB ref, 2 = Fine. Max Volume y may have a value in the range -33 to +19: zMXVy -33 = –33dB +19 = +19dB...
  • Page 40 Basic Sub Command Parameters Description Parameter values Crossover Frequency y may have a value in the range 0 to 11: CRFy 0 = 40Hz 11 = 150Hz (in 10Hz steps) Stereo Mode y may have the values 0 to 2, as follows: STMy 0 = Large+Sub, 1 = Sat+Sub, 2 = Large.
  • Page 41 SETUP COMMANDS – ADVANCED Advanced Speaker Command Parameters Description Parameter values Bass Levels y may have a value in the range -6 to +6: BASsy -6 = –6dB +6 = +6dB Treble Levels y may have a value in the range -6 to +6: TRBsy -6 = –6dB +6 = +6dB...
  • Page 42 Engineering Settings Command Parameters Description Parameter values RC5 System Code y may have the values 0 to 5, as follows: zRC5y 0 = RC5 System Code 16, 1= RC5 System Code 19. Scrolling Message SCMx Scrolling Text Select y may have a value in the range 0 to 8. If y = 0, then n can be a string of your SCTyn choice.

  • Page 43: Utility Software

    UTILITY SOFTWARE AV8 PROGRAMMER The AV8 programmer utility allows future software upgrades to be installed and allows backup and restoration of the unit’s settings via the RS232 port on the back of the AV8. The following equipment is required: ...

  • Page 44: Guarantee

    Arcam distributor in the country of residence. It should be sent carriage prepaid by a reputable carrier -– NOT by post. No responsibility can be accepted for the unit whilst in transit to the dealer or distributor and customers are therefore advised to insure the unit against loss or damage whilst in transit.

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