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Mode Selection & Dolby Digital Mode Descriptions
The Cinema Reference provides 22 modes for film, television, and
music playback. This section will detail these modes and their func-
tions. Because the Cinema Reference
can also automatically detect the en-
coding method of the selected source,
it will automatically engage the best
possible decoding mode for the se-
lected components output. While the
Cinema Reference can automatically
switch between Dolby Digital, DTS, and
Dolby Pro Logic, enhancement fea-
tures such as THX, Re-EQ, and other
Dolby Digital options will need to be en-
gaged using the Mode Selector.
1.
Dial In New Mode
Turn the Mode Selector knob
until the second line of the
LCD display reads the mode
you wish to select. As you
turn the knob, you will notice
that the top line of the display
indicates the current source in
play and the second line
indicates the modes available.
The Cinema Reference will not
engage the new mode until
Step 2 is accessed.
2.
Engage New Mode
Once the second line of the
display indicates the next
mode you wish to access,
press the Mode Selector knob
to engage this mode.
AC3 ULTRA Mode
This is the most dynamic or
all Dolby Digital AC-3 modes.
In the AC-3 Ultra mode, the
dialogue normalization takes
place in the Cinema
Reference’s analog domain
and not in the digital domain.
Other AC-3 modes provide
dialogue normalization in the
digital domain by discarding
bits of data.
Tu
rn
To Select Mod
e
MODE
Side View
Press Knob
To Activate
The New
Mode
Selection
Chassis Side
Front Plate
LASER/DVD 1
AC3 ULTRA
Dolby Digital Modes (AC-3)
Line Mode & RF Mod Mode - Dolby Digital AC-3 applies dynamic
range compression in one of two forms, Line Mode or RF Mod Mode.
Only AC-3 Night mode utilizes the RF Mod Mode for dynamic range
compression. Both AC-3 Standard and AC-3 Max modes utilize the
Line Mode for dynamic range compression. The difference between
these two modes the preset HDR and LDR scaling factors. The AC-
3 Ultra mode does not use either the RF Mod or Line modes for
dynamic range compression.
HDR & LDR Scale Factors - Dolby Digital AC-3 decoding has the
option to engage a high level dynamic range (HDR) and low level
dynamic range (LDR). The range of the scale is from “0” or Full Off
to “1” or Full On in increments of “.05”. As the LDR (low level scale)
setting is increased, the softer sounds (lower) are raised, such as
whispers. As the HDR (high level scale) is increased the louder
sounds (higher) are lowered. Thus, setting these scales up or to
Full On (settings of “1”), will narrow the volume range such that the
explosions are not too loud and the whispers are not too soft.
Ultra Maximum Dynamic Range
- This is the most dynamic of all
the AC-3 modes in that dialogue
normalization takes place in the
Cinema Reference’s analog do-
main rather than the digital domain. When dialogue normalization
takes place in the digital domain, it is processed by discarding bits
of data which may not be optimal. AC-3 Ultra mode reads informa-
tion flags contained in the DVD or laser disc and uses these soft-
ware specific parameters to set the dialogue normalization after digital
processing takes place. The HDR and LDR scales are preset at “0”
(Full Off) but can be scaled individually.
