AVR 505 - Harman Kardon Audio User Guide / Operation Manual. Page 24

24 OPERATION

NOTE: Many DVD discs are recorded with both
“5.1” and “2.0” versions of the same sound-
track, the ”2.0” version often is used with other
languages. When playing a DVD, always be cer-
tain to check the type of material on the disc.
Most discs show this information in the form of a
listing or icon on the back of the disc jacket.
When a disc does offer multiple soundtrack
choices you may have to make some adjustments
to your DVD player (usually with the “Audio
Select” button or in a menu screen on the disc)
to send a full 5.1 feed to the AVR or to select the
appropriate audio track and thus language
(”2.0” audio tracks can be played with all Pro
Logic II or Vmax modes, see "Dolby Digital" on
page 26). It is also possible for the type of signal
feed to change during the course of a DVD play-
back. In some cases the previews of special
material will only be recorded in 2.0 audio, while
the main feature is available in 5.1 audio. As
long as your DVD player is set for 6-channel out-
put, the AVR will automatically sense changes to
the bitstream and channel count and reflect
them in these indicators.

The letters used by the Speaker/Channel Input
Indicators ¯ also flash to indicate when a bit-
stream has been interrupted. This will happen
when a digital input source is selected before the
playback starts, or when a digital source such as
a DVD is put into a Pause mode. The flashing
indicators remind you that the playback has
stopped due to the absence of a digital signal
and not through any fault of the AVR. This is nor-
mal, and the digital playback will resume once
the playback is started again.

A special feature of Dolby Digital is the Night
mode, which enables Dolby Digital input sources
to be played back with full digital intelligibilty
while reducing the maximum peak level and lift-
ing the low levels by 

1

/

4

to 

1

/

3

. This prevents

abruptly loud transitions from disturbing others
without reducing the impact of the digital source.
The Night mode is available only when Dolby
Digital mode is selected.

The Night mode may be engaged when a Dolby
Digital DVD is playing by pressing the Night
Button 

A on the remote. Next, press the 

⁄

/

¤

buttons 

C to select either the middle range or

full compression versions of the Night mode. To
turn the Night mode off, press the 

⁄

/

¤

buttons

C until the message in the lower third of the
video display and the Main Information
Display Ú reads 

D-RANGE OFF

.

The Night mode may also be selected to always be
on at either level of compression as soon as the
Dolby Digital mode is turned on using the options
in the Night Mode settings. See page 18 for infor-
mation on using this option.

IMPORTANT NOTES ON DIGITAL PLAYBACK:
1. When the digital playback source is stopped,
or in a pause, fast forward or chapter search
mode, the digital audio data will momentarily
stop, and the channel position letters inside the
Speaker/Channel Indicators ¯ will flash.
This is normal and does not indicate a problem
with either the AVR or the source machine. The
AVR will return to digital playback as soon as the
data is available and when the machine is in a
standard play mode.

2. Although the AVR will decode virtually all DVD
movies, CDs and HDTV sources, it is possible that
some future digital sources may not be compatible
with the AVR.

3. Note that not all digitally encoded programs
and not all audio tracks on a DVD contain full
5.1-channel audio. Consult the program guide
that accompanies the DVD or laser disc to deter-
mine which type of audio has been recorded on
the disc. The AVR will automatically sense the
type of digital surround encoding used and
adjust to accommodate it.

4. When a Dolby Digital or DTS source is playing,
you normally may not be able to select some of
the analog surround modes such as Dolby Pro
Logic II, Dolby 3 Stereo, Hall, Theater, 5CH Stereo
or Logic 7, except with special audio tracks 
(see indication ”Dolby Digital” on previous page)
or data format selected (see ”PCM” on previous
page).

5. When a Dolby Digital or DTS source is playing,
it is not possible to make an analog recording
using the Tape

 or Video 1  record out-

puts, if the source is connected to any digital
input of the AVR only. But the analog two chan-
nel signal of that source, the ”Downmix” to
Stereo or Dolby Surround, can be recorded by
connecting its analog audio outputs to the
appropriate analog inputs (e.g. DVD) of the AVR,
even if the digital input of the AVR remains
selected. Additionally, the digital signals will be
passed through to the Digital Audio Outputs
.

In normal operation, the audio or video source
selected for listening through the AVR is sent to
the record outputs. This means that any program
you are watching or listening to may be recorded
simply by placing machines connected to the out-
puts for Tape Outputs

 or Video 1 Outputs

 in the record mode.

When a digital audio recorder is connected to
any of the Digital Audio Outputs

, you are

able to record the digital signal using a CD-R,
MiniDisc or other digital recording system.
Note that all digital signals will be passed
through to both, coaxial and optical, digital out-
puts simultanously, no matter which kind of digi-
tal input was selected.

NOTES:
• The AVR can convert an analog input to a digi-
tal signal. This way the analog or digital 
signals can be recorded on a CD-R via the digital
output. Note that the change of format (eg from
Dolby Digital to PCM or vice versa) is not 
possible.
In additon, the digital recorder must be compatible
with the output signal. For example, the PCM digi-
tal output from a CD player may be recorded on a
CD-R or MiniDisc, but Dolby Digital or DTS signals
may not.

• To make an analog recording of a Dolby Digital
or DTS source is not possible, if the source is con-
nected to a digital input of the AVR only. But the
analog two channel signal of that source can be
recorded (see item 5, ”Important Notes on
Digital Playback” above).

Normal output level adjustment for the 
AVR is established using the test tone, as out-
lined on page 19. In some cases, however, it may
be desirable to adjust the output levels using
program material such as a test disc, or a
selection you are familiar with. Additionally, the
output level for the subwoofer can only be
adjusted using this procedure.

To adjust the output levels using program materi-
al, first select the surround mode for which you
want to trim the speakers (see NOTE below) by
selecting the appropriate input, associated with
the desired surround mode, start your program
material source and set the reference volume for
the front left and front right channels using the
Volume Control (

#.

Once the reference level has been set, press the
Channel Select button 

CÛ and note that

FRONT L LEVEL

will appear in the Main

Information Display Ú for five seconds. To
change the level, first press the Set button 

E

Ó, and then use the Selector buttons 5 or
the 

⁄

¤

buttons 

C to raise or lower the

level. DO NOT use the volume control, as this
will alter the reference setting.

Once the change has been made, press the Set
button 

E Ó and then press the Selector but-

tons 5 or the 

⁄

¤

buttons 

C to select the

next output channel location that you wish to
adjust. To adjust the subwoofer level, press the
Selector buttons 5 or the 

⁄

¤

buttons 

C

until 

WOOFER LEVEL

appears in the Main

Information Display Ú (only available if the
subwoofer was selected during the speaker
configuration, see page 15).