INTRODUCTION & TERMINOLOGY
3
Introduction & Terminology
Thank you for choosing the Harman
Kardon DVD 20.
The DVD 20 is a multipurpose
DVD player, capable of playing both DVD discs
and conventional CD audio discs with the high-
est fidelity. Along with conventional DVD and CD
audio discs, the DVD 20 is also compatible with
CD-R and CD-RW as well as VCD discs. To
enable you to get the maximum quality from
DVDs, the DVD 20 is equipped with the latest in
design techniques, including advanced 10-bit
video digital-to-analog converters (DAC) and
Video (composite), S-Video and RGB video (RGB
via SCART) outputs, to ensure that you get all
the quality inherent in today’s DVD medium. In
addition, Harman Kardon’s audio heritage con-
tinues into the digital video era with audiophile-
grade AKM output DACs to ensure that the
audio quality matches the superb video. Of
course, both coaxial and optical digital audio
outputs are available for direct connection to
A/V receivers or processors so that you may take
advantage of Dolby Digital* and DTS
®
sound-
tracks. When playing audio CDs, the playback
quality is state-of-the-art, matching that of the
finest players available.
A wide range of programming features makes it
easy to program an evening’s worth of enter-
tainment. When playing DVDs, easy-to-under-
stand on-screen menus and icons make it simple
to change languages, soundtracks, subtitles or
aspect ratio, while a parental-lock function
enables you to control which discs may be
viewed by younger members of the household.
DVD players are among the fastest growing con-
sumer electronics products ever brought to mar-
ket, but this may, nevertheless, be the first DVD
player you’ve owned. Although many of the fea-
tures of the DVD 20 resemble those of standard
CD players, there are a number of functions that
you may be unfamiliar with. To ensure that you
are able to take advantage of all the power and
flexibility the DVD 20 has to offer, we encourage
you to review this manual. That small investment
of your time will pay major dividends in the
enjoyment you will get from proper use of the
DVD 20.
If you have additional questions about this prod-
uct or its installation or operation that are not
answered in this manual, please contact your
dealer, as he is your best source of local informa-
tion.
Terminology
Since they share some of the characteristics and
technology of CD players, many of the terms and
operational concepts used in a DVD player are
similar to what you may be familiar with from
CD players and changers, or older video disc for-
mats such as Laser Disc. However, if this is your
first DVD product, some of the terms used to
describe the features of a DVD player may be
unfamiliar. The following explanations should
solve some of the mysteries of DVD, and help
you to enjoy all the power and flexibility of the
DVD format and the DVD 20.
Aspect Ratio:
This is a description of the width
of a video image in relation to its height. A con-
ventional video screen is four units wide for
every three units of height, that’s why the ratio
is called ”4.3”. Newer wide aspect ratio video
displays are 16 units wide for every nine units of
height, making them more like the screen in a
movie theater. The program material on a DVD
may be recorded in either format and, in addi-
tion, you may configure the DVD 20 to play back
in either format, depending on the features
recorded on a disc. (For details about TV Aspect
Ratio see page 18).
Title:
For a DVD, a title is defined as an entire
movie or program. There can be as many chap-
ters within a title as the producers decide to
include. Most discs include only one title, but
some may have more than one, to give you a
“Double Feature” presentation. Press the TITLE.
button on the remote to see the Menu of the
DVD where you can find all titles available on
the DVD or all chapters, if the disc has only one
title.
Chapter:
DVD programs are divided into chap-
ters and titles. Chapters are the sub-sections
programmed into a single title on a disc.
Chapters may be compared to the individual
tracks on an audio CD.
RGB Video:
This is a new form of video signal
that eliminates many of the artifacts of tradition-
al composite video signals by splitting the signal
into the three fundamental colors Red, Green
and Blue (RGB). With an RGB connection (via
SCART), you will see greater picture resolution
and eliminate many picture imperfections such
as the moiré patterns often seen on checkered
patterned cloths. However, in order to benefit
from RGB video, you must have a video display
with an RGB compatible SCART input.
Multiple Angle:
DVDs have the capability to
show up to four different views of the same
scene in a program. When a disc is encoded with
multiple-angle information, pressing the Angle
button will enable you to switch between these
different views. Note that at present, few discs
take advantage of this capability and, when they
do, the multiple-angle technology may only be
present for short periods of time within the disc.
Producers will usually insert some sort of icon or
graphic in the picture to alert you to the avail-
ability of multiple viewing angles.
Reading:
This is a message that you will see
after you´ve loaded the disc and the tray has
closed. It refers to the fact that the player must
first examine the contents of the disc to see if it
is a CD or DVD, and then extract the information
about the type of material on the disc, such as
languages, aspect ratios, subtitles, number of
titles and more. The slight delay while the con-
tents of the disc are read is normal.
Resume:
The operation of the Stop Button on
the DVD 20 works differently from what you are
used to on CD players. On a traditional CD play-
er, when you press the Stop button, the unit
does just that: it stops playback. On a CD player,
when you press the start button again, the disc
starts from the beginning. With the DVD 20,
however, you have two options when playing
DVD discs. Pressing Stop once will stop play-
back, but it actually puts the unit in the Resume
mode. This means that you can turn the machine
off and, when you press play the next time, the
disc will resume or continue from the point on
the disc where the Stop button was pressed. This
is helpful if you are watching a movie and must
interrupt your viewing session but wish to pick
up where you left off. Pressing the Stop button
twice will stop the machine in a traditional man-
ner and, when the disc is played again, it will
start from the beginning.