ADP 303 (serv.man3) - Harman Kardon Audio User Guide / Operation Manual

Owner’s Manual

ADP303 Dolby

®

Digital Decoder

Table of Contents

Introduction and Safety Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1–3 

Front Panel Controls. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Rear Panel Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Installation & Set Up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6–7

Connections with AVR80 or AVI250 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Connections with an External Surround Sound Processor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Connections with AV Receiver through Pre-out/Main-In Loop . . . . . . . . . . 10

ADP303 Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Troubleshooting Guide. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

©1996 Harman Kardon, Incorporated

80 Crossways Park West
Woodbury, NY 11797

CAUTION:

 

TO REDUCE THE RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT REMOVE 

COVER (OR BACK). NO USER-SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE. REFER 

SERVICING TO QUALIFIED SERVICE PERSONNEL.

WARNING:

 

TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE OR ELECTRIC SHOCK, 

DO NOT EXPOSE THIS APPLIANCE TO RAIN OR MOISTURE.

CAUTION:

 

TO PREVENT ELECTRIC SHOCK, MATCH WIDE 

BLADE OF PLUG TO WIDE SLOT, FULLY INSERT.

ATTENTION:

 

POUR EVITER LES CHOCS ELECTRIQUES, INRODUIRE LA 

LAME LA PLUS LARGE DE LA FICHE DANS LA BORNE CORRESPONDANTE DE 

LA PRISE ET POUSSER JUSQU'AU FOND.

The lightning flash with arrowhead 
symbol, within an equalateral triangle, 
is intended to alert the user to the 

presence of uninsulated “dangerous voltage” 
within the product’s enclosure that may be of 
sufficient magnitude to consittute a risk of 
electric shock to persons.

The exclamation point within an 
equalateral triangle is intended 
to alert the user to the presence 

of important operating and maintenance 
(servicing) instructions in the literature 
accompanying the appliance.

24093_ADP 303 Eng.  27/02/1998 10:34  Side 1

Introduction and Safety Information

Congratulations! Your purchase of an
ADP303 places you in the vanguard of
home theater listeners. The ADP303’s
advanced circuitry decodes the Dolby
Digital (AC-3) signals from standard
laser discs, the latest DVD players and
other future digital audio sources to
deliver six separate, discrete audio
channels. The realism of AC-3 finally
allows you to hear motion picture
soundtracks and music videos with the
digital clarity of the best first run movie
theater. 

While complex systems are hard at work
within the ADP303 to decode the digital
audio, hook-up and operation are
simple. However, to obtain the
maximum enjoyment from your new
decoder we urge you to take a few
minutes to read through this manual.
This will ensure that connections to
source playback units, receivers or
amplifiers and other external devices are
made properly. In addition, a few
minutes spent learning the functions of
the various controls will enable you to
take advantage of all the processing
power the ADP303 is able to deliver.

If you have any questions about this
product, it’s installation or operation,
please contact the retailer or custom
installer who sold you the product. They
are your best source of local information.

Verify Line Voltage Before Use
Your ADP303 has been designed for use
with 230 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 decoder. 

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.

Do Not Use Extension Cords
To avoid safety hazards, use only the
power cord supplied with your unit. If a
replacement cord is used, make certain
that it is of similar gauge. We do not
recommend that extension cords be used
with this product. As with all electrical
devices, do not run power cords under
rugs or carpets or place heavy objects on
them. Damaged power cords should be
replaced immediately with cords meeting
factory specifications.

Handle the AC Power Cord Gently
When disconnecting the power cord from
an AC outlet, always pull the plug, never
pull the cord. If you do not intend to use
the decoder for any considerable length
of time, disconnect the plug from the AC
outlet.

Do Not Open The Cabinet
There are no user serviceable
components inside this product. Opening
the cabinet may present a shock hazard,
and any modification to the product will
void your warranty. If water or any metal
object such as a paper clip, wire or a
staple accidentally falls inside the unit,
disconnect it from the AC power source
immediately, and consult an authorized
service station. 

Installation Location
• To assure proper operation, and to
avoid the potential for safety hazards,
place the unit on a firm and level

surface. When placing the unit on a
shelf, be certain that the shelf and any
mounting hardware can support the
weight of the product.

• Make certain that proper space is
provided both above and below the unit
for ventilation. If this product will be
installed in a cabinet or other enclosed
area, make certain that there is sufficient
air movement within the cabinet.

• Do not place the unit directly on a
carpeted surface. 

• Avoid installation in extremely hot or
cold locations, or an area that is exposed
to direct sunlight or heating equipment.

• Avoid moist or humid locations.

• Do not obstruct the ventilation slots on
the top of the unit, or place objects
directly over them.

Cleaning
When the unit gets dirty, wipe it with a
clean, soft dry cloth. If necessary, wipe it
with a soft cloth dampened with mild
soapy water, then a fresh cloth with clean
water. Wipe dry immediately with a dry
cloth. NEVER use benzene, thinner,
alcohol or any other volatile cleaning
agent. Do not use abrasive cleaners, as
they may damage the finish of metal
parts. Avoid spraying insecticide near the
unit.

Moving The Unit
Before moving the unit, be certain to
disconnect any interconnection cords
with other components, and make
certain that you disconnect the unit from
the AC outlet. 

1

24093_ADP 303 Eng.  27/02/1998 10:34  Side 2

Introduction and Safety Information

The carton and shipping materials used
to protect your new ADP303 during
shipment were specially designed to
cushion it from shock and vibration. We
suggest that you save the carton and
packing materials for use in shipping if
you move or should the unit ever need
repair.

To minimize the size of the carton in
storage, you may wish to flatten it. This
is done by carefully slitting the tape
seams on the bottom and collapsing the
carton down to a more two dimensional
appearance. Other cardboard inserts may
be stored in the same manner. Packing
materials that cannot be collapsed
should be saved along with the carton in
a plastic bag. 

If you do not wish to save the packaging
materials, please note that the carton
and other sections of the shipping
protection are recyclable. Please respect
the environment and discard those
materials at a local recycling center.

When positioning your ADP303 in its
final location, make certain that any
shelf or stand is capable of supporting its
weight, and that there is adequate
ventilation on all sides, as well as on the
top and bottom. Do not place CD’s,
record jackets, owner’s manuals, or other
paper on top of, or beneath the unit. This
will block air flow and create a potential
fire hazard. If the unit is to be enclosed
in a cabinet or rack, make certain that
there is adequate air circulation, with a
means provided for hot air to exit, and
for cool air to be brought in.

Dolby Digital, or AC-3 as it is often
referred to, is a totally new generation of
multi-channel digital audio technology.
Using advanced circuit designs and
specially developed compression
techniques, AC-3 delivers significant
advances over previous multi-channel
systems: it delivers noise free, wide
bandwidth sound and it includes six
separate audio channels. 

AC-3 evolves from Dolby Laboratories’
constant research into new ways to
deliver high quality audio for theatrical
motion picture presentation and
transmission via satellite and
telecommunications links. In fact, the
“AC” in AC-3 stands for “Audio Coding,”
the technique used in Dolby Digital for
data compression. 

The ADP303 digital demodulator/
decoder brings that same 5.1 channel
high quality sound that accompanies
many major motion pictures into your
home when used with a compatible laser
disc player, as well as from future Dolby
Digital sources such as DSS, Digital Video
Disc (DVD) and High Definition
Television (HDTV).

For today’s Laser Disc systems the digital
audio signal is recorded as a modulated
RF signal, similar to the signals used for
FM and TV broadcasts. That is why
connections to a laser disc are made
through an “RF” input. New technology
products such as DVD will feature direct
data outputs, and they are connected
directly to the ADP303’s decoding
circuitry, without the need for the
demodulator stage. Both Coaxial and
Optical data inputs are available. 

Traditional “stereo” recordings consist of
two channels, left and right, even though
the original intent of sound engineers
was to have a multitude of channels
available to present a realistic audio
soundfield. Unfortunately, early
recording techniques for vinyl records

and optical movie soundtracks  were
limited to two channels. Dolby Surround
was the technology that broke the two
channel barrier, by placing two
additional channels within the left and
right signals.

Those two additional channels  presented
center channel information, primarily
for movie dialog, and a single, mono
rear channel for effects. The
combination of these two channels with
the existing left and right signals and low
frequency information derived via filters
or an electronic crossover gave home
theater and musical presentations a
realism never before possible.

Dolby Digital takes surround sound to a
new and even higher level. The use of
digital recording techniques enables all
surround channels to be full range,
where the surround channel in older
matrix surround systems is frequency
limited. Dolby Digital also delivers six
separate, discrete channels, including
highly defined left and right surround
channels. With two rear channels instead
of the single, mono channel of Dolby
ProLogic there is a greater feeling of
reality and presence for surround effects
such as “flyovers” of planes and
spaceships. Discrete digital sound also
enables complete separation between the
left front, center, right front, right rear
and left rear channels. The matrix
system used in conventional surround
recordings was often plagued with cross
talk between the channels. That is now
gone with Dolby Digital.

2

24093_ADP 303 Eng.  27/02/1998 10:34  Side 3

Introduction and Safety Information

So far we have mentioned five channels,
yet Dolby Digital is a six channel system.
You may have also heard this system
referred to as “5.1” channel audio.
Where, you may ask, is the sixth
channel, and what is the “.1” channel? 

The answer is simple. The sixth channel
is a special low frequency effects channel,
or “LFE”. This is the bass channel that
sends the thunder of explosions and
other effects to your subwoofer.

It is separate from the other five
channels, brining the total channel
count to six. This is true even though the
“sixth” channel is non-directional, as
opposed to the highly directional nature
of the other signals. The reason for the
“.1” designation is that the LFE channel
is bandwidth limited. By definition, the
LFE channel has a restricted bandwidth,
while the others are full range. Thus, the
system’s inventors decided that although
they could call Dolby Digital a six
channel system, since there are six
separate channels, it is more properly five
“full” channels plus one separate, but
limited channel. 

In this case, “5.1” equals six!

■

High quality Dolby Digital decoding
chip, manufactured by Zoran.

■

AC-3 RF input, for connection to
compatible laser disc players with AC-3
RF output.

■

Coax and Optical Digital AC-3 inputs,
for connection to other sources, such
as DVD and/or DSS.

■

Individual channel level controls and
internal test tone generator, for precise
system setup. 

■

Master volume control and mute
function.

■

Adjustable delay time.

■

Bypass feature.

■

Rear panel speaker configuration
switches to match the ADP303 to a
wide range of speaker types and sizes. 

■

6 discrete channel inputs and outputs,
for connection between existing
surround sound pre-amp/processors
and power amplifiers, featuring RCA
jacks for full compatibility with high
quality A/V cables.

■

Dolby Digital AC-3 indicator light,
shows the presence of AC-3 coding.

3

In order to help you use this manual and
make the proper system connections,
certain conventions appear throughout
the manual.

å

– (letter in a circle) indicates a

specific front panel control

¡

– (number in a circle) indicates a

rear panel connection

– (number in a triangle) 

indicates a specific step in the
installation instructions

24093_ADP 303 Eng.  27/02/1998 10:34  Side 4