This Harman Kardon
®
software upgrade will
improve the performance of your AVR 254
or AVR 354 by updating its internal
operating system, DSP (digital signal
processing) firmware and video-processing
software. Unlike many consumer products,
which are designed with “fixed” memory,
this Harman Kardon product features flash
memory that is upgradeable through a
standard RS-232 serial port. To install the
software, please follow these instructions.
If you have any questions, consult
the Harman Kardon Web site at
www.harmankardon.com.
Important Note:
We have specially designed this software for
use with Harman Kardon AVR 254 and AVR 354
receivers. Use with any other models or brands
may cause damage to the product.
DO NOT USE THIS SOFTWARE WITH
ANY OTHER PRODUCTS.
System Requirements
To install the software upgrade, you will need to
purchase a standard RS-232 connection cable. Do
not use a “null modem” cable, as it uses connection
links that are not compatible with your AVR. If your
computer is not equipped with a serial port, you may
use one of the USB-to-serial-port adapters listed
below that have been tested for interoperability with
the AVRs.
• Gigaware
™
model 26-949
• StarTech.com model ICUSB232
• IOGEAR model Z-GUC232A
Most other brand-name adapters will also work, but
due to the wide variety of computers, operating sys-
tems and adapters, we cannot guarantee that other
adapters will work in all situations. You will also need
to have access to a computer that is close enough to
be connected to the AVR that you are upgrading. The
minimum system requirements for the computer are:
• Processor: Intel
®
Pentium
®
II processor
or equivalent or higher
• Operating system: Windows
®
2000 SP4 or higher
(for Windows 2000 or Windows XP, your system
may require you to have “administrator” user rights)
• Hard-drive space: 10MB available
• System RAM: 128MB
• CD-ROM drive (when using the CD-ROM version
of the program)
• RS-232 serial port
Installation Instructions
Upgrading your receiver is easy; but for the upgrade
to work properly, it is important to follow the instruc-
tions below precisely. The upgrade will take about
45 minutes. Once it begins, you must complete
the entire process in one session. Please allow
sufficient time to run through all the steps.
PLEASE
READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY BEFORE
PROCEEDING
.
• Upgrading your unit will erase all system memories.
You will lose any configuration settings or tuner pre-
sets that you have entered. To reestablish the set-
tings after completing the upgrade, you may wish
to write down your current system configurations in
the sections provided in your AVR’s user manual.
• Press in the
Main Power
button on your AVR, but
leave the AVR in the Standby mode.
• If you are using files downloaded from the
Harman Kardon Web site to upgrade the AVR,
use Windows Explorer, or any other file-manage-
ment program, to locate the folder where you have
downloaded the upgrade file. Click on the file
named
HKAVRupgrade.exe
. The file will then
automatically unpack all of the files needed to
upgrade your AVR.
• If you are loading the upgrade from a CD-ROM,
insert the disc in your computer’s drive.
• Locate the directory for the CD-ROM or the
downloaded files and click on the file named
HK_Upgrader.exe.
It is easy to recognize;
depending on the display mode for your file
manager, the icon should be a stylized version
of the volume-control knob on your AVR.
• A new window with the “Welcome” screen will open
when the loader program starts. Click
“Continue”
to proceed.
• You will be reminded to record your receiver’s
settings if you have not already done so. Click
“Continue”
to proceed.
• The next screen contains the End-User License
Agreement for this software upgrade. Please read
this important document, using the scroll bar on the
right side of the window to move down through the
copy. If you agree to the terms of the agreement,
click
“I accept this license agreement”
and
then click
“Continue”
to proceed. Otherwise, click
on
“I do not accept this license agreement”
to
cancel the upgrade and exit the loader program.
• When the screen changes, you will be prompted to
enter the location where the files for this upgrade are
located. Click
“Browse”
to open a file-finder win-
dow, and then navigate to the correct folder. Click
on that folder and then click
“Open.”
Note that the
file names will automatically appear in the “Current
Selections” window. Click
“Continue”
to proceed.
• Following the instructions on the next screen,
connect the serial cable to both the AVR and your
computer (or to the USB-to-serial-port adapter, if
you are using one). Next, use the pulldown tab on
your screen to select the serial port for the connec-
tion between your computer and the AVR. If there
is only one serial port, the most common setting is
“COM 1,”
but if there are multiple ports or if you
are using a USB-to-serial-port adapter, you may
have to select a different COM port. When you
have selected a COM port, click
“Continue”
to
proceed. You may have to return to this screen and
choose a different port if the one that you originally
selected does not connect properly.
• If your AVR is not already in Standby mode with
amber-colored lighting around the
Standby/On
and
Main Power
buttons, press the
Standby/On
button.
Click
“Continue”
when you are ready to proceed.
• The final step before the system upgrade begins
is to place your AVR in Download mode and reset
it. Using the tip of a pen or an unbent paper clip,
press in on the
Operate/Download
button behind
the small hole to the right of the RS-232 connec-
tor on the rear panel of the AVR. The button does
not protrude from the panel; if you are in doubt as
to whether the button is in the correct position, try
pressing it two or three times until you get the feel
for whether it is “in” or “out.” After placing the AVR
in Download mode, press the
Reset
button on the
left side of the RS-232 connector. The
Reset
but-
ton is deeply recessed. Press it by “feel,” using the
pen or paper clip. When both of these steps have
been completed, click
“Continue”
to proceed.
• When the next screen appears, click
“Upgrade”
to
start the process.
Important Note:
Once the upgrade starts, do not interrupt it by
turning your AVR off or exiting the upgrade
program on your computer. Doing so may cause
the upgrade to fail and possibly damage your AVR.
HARmAN KARDON
®
AVR 254/AVR 354
SOFTWARE UPGRADE INSTRUCTIONS
