Harman Kardon AVR8500 Owner'S Manual Download Page 37

Page: 37 / 54

OPERATION

Operation

Tape Recording

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

Video 1

Outputs

in the record mode.

When a digital audio recorder is connected to
any of the

Digital Audio Outputs

(Ô

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 digital outputs are active only when a digital
signal is present, and they do not convert an ana-
log input to a digital signal, or change the format
of the digital signal (e.g. Dolby Digital to PCM or
vice versa, but coaxial digital signals are converted
to optical signals and vice versa). In additon, the
digital recorder must be compatible with the out-
put signal. For example, the PCM digital 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 from any digital
source is not possible, if the source is connected
to a digital input of the AVR only. But the analog
two channel signal of that source can be record-
ed (see ”Important Notes on Digital Playback”
above).

Front Panel In/Outputs

In addition to the rear panel digital outputs, the
AVR 8500 offers Harman Kardon’s exclusive con-
figurable front panel output jack feature. For easy
connection of portable devices, you may switch
the front panel

Video 5 jacks

from an input

to an output by following these steps:

1. Press the

OSD

button

to view the

MASTER M E N U

(Figure 1).

2. Press the

Set

button

to enter the

I N / O U T S E T U P

menu (Figure 2).

3. Press the

button

so that the on-screen

›

cursor is next to

V I D E O 5

jacks

4. Press either of the

‹

›

buttons

that the word

O U T

is highlighted.

5. Press the

OSD

button

to exit the menus

and return to normal operation.

Note that once the setting is made, the

Input/Output Status Indicator



will turn

red, indicating that the jacks are now an output,
instead of in the default setting as an input.
Once changed to an output, the setting will
remain as long as the AVR is turned on, unless
the setting is changed in the OSD menu system,
as described above. Note, however, that once the
AVR is turned off, the setting is cancelled. When
the unit is turned on again, the front panel jacks
will return to their normal default setting as an
input. If you wish to use the jacks as an output at
a future time, the setting must be changed again
using the OSD menu system, as described above.

Output Level Adjustment
With Source Signals

Normal output level adjustment for the
AVR 8500 is established using the test tone, as
outlined on page 26. 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. Note that all
adjustments made with any input will be effec-
tive with all inputs selected, just as it is the case
with the adjustment using the test tone.

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), start
your program material source and set the refer-
ence 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

and note that

FRONT L LEV

will appear in the

Main

Information Display

and on-screen dis-

play. To change the level, first press the

Set

but-

ton

, and then use the

⁄

buttons

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

and then press the

⁄

buttons

to select the next output channel location

that you wish to adjust. To adjust the subwoofer
level, press the

⁄

buttons

until

WOOFER LEV

appears in the

Main

Information Display

or on-screen display

(only available if the subwoofer is turned on).

Press the

Set

button

when the name of the

desired channel appears in the

Main

Information Display

and on-screen dis-

play, and follow the instructions shown above to
adjust the level.

Repeat the procedure as needed until all chan-
nels requiring adjustment have been set. When
all adjustments have been made and no further
adjustments are made for five seconds, the AVR
will return to normal operation.

If you are using a disc with noise test signals or
an external signal generator as the source from
which to trim the output levels, you may use the
EzSet feature of the remote to guide you to the
correct SPL level. To use the remote for this pur-
pose, start the test tone from the source and
press

and quickly release

the

SPL Indicator

Select

to activate the sensor.

While the test tone is played, the

Program/SPL

Indicator

will change color to indicate the

level. When it is red, the level is too high; when it
is orange, the level is too low. To set the refer-
ence level, open the

Volume Control

until

the SPL Indicator´s LED lights green when the
test signal is fed to the left front speaker. Then
adjust the level of all other speakers, while they
are receiving the test signal, until the LED lights
green for all channels. After the output levels for
all channels are aligned, press the

SPL

Indicator Select

to turn the sensor and

indicator off.

The channel output may also be adjusted using
the full-OSD on-screen menu system. First, set
the volume to a comfortable listening level using
the

Volume Control

. Then, press

the

OSD

button

to bring up the

M A S-