Harman Kardon Stereo Receiver AVR 8500 User Manual

AVR 8500 Audio/VideoReceiver

OWNER’S MANUAL

™

Power for the Digital Revolution

Introduction

Thank you for choosing Harman Kardon!

With the purchase of a Harman Kardon

AVR 8500 you are about to begin many years of

listening enjoyment. Designed to provide all the

excitement and detail of movie soundtracks and

every nuance of musical selections, the

AVR 8500 is truly a multichannel receiver for the

new millennium. In addition to the traditional

5.1 digital decoding modes such as Dolby Digital

and DTS, it offers the latest advancements in

surround technology such as Dolby Pro Logic II,

the full suite of DTS-ES 6.1 modes, DTS Neo:6

and the latest 7.1 channel versions of Harman's

own Logic 7 technology.

The AVR 8500 is also featuring HDCD^®decoding

to provide the most realistic playback of CDs

when a digital connection is used, even with a

normal non-HDCD-compatible CD or DVD player.

I THX Ulta processing, THX Surround-EX,

Dolby* Digital and Dolby Pro Logic II*

Decoding, and the full suite of DTS^®

modes, including DTS-ES^®6.1 Discrete

& Matrix and Neo:6^®using the latest

24-bit, twin-core Crystal^®DSP engine

I Harman Kardon’s exclusive Logic 7^®

processing, available for the first time

with both 7.1 and 5.1 processing in

a variety of modes and two modes

of VMAx^®

In addition to providing a wide range of listening

options, the AVR 8500 is easy to configure so

that it provides the best results with your speak-

ers and specific listening-room environment. On-

screen menus make it simple to enter settings

for speaker configurations and bass manage-

ment, and the EzSet remote measures

a system’s sound levels and automatically cali-

brates them for perfectly balanced sound field

presentation.

I MP3 decoding for use with compatible

computers and digital audio players

remote automatically sets

The AVR 8500 has been engineered so that it is

easy to take advantage of all the power of its

digital technology. On-screen menus, fully color

coded connection jacks and terminals and our

exclusive EzSet^™remote make installation fast

and simple. However, to obtain the maximum

enjoyment from your new receiver, we urge you

to read this manual. A few minutes spent learn-

ing the functions of the various controls will

enable you to take advantage of all the power

the AVR 8500 is able to deliver.

For the ultimate in flexibility, the AVR 8500 fea-

tures connections for six video devices, all with

both composite and S-Video inputs. Two addi-

tional audio inputs are available, and a total of

eight digital inputs and four outputs make the

AVR 8500 capable of handling all the latest digi-

tal audio sources.

For compatibility with the latest HDTV video

sources and progressive scan DVD players, the

AVR 8500 also features wide-bandwidth, low-

crosstalk component video switching.

output levels for optimum performance

I High-bandwidth, HDTV-compatible

component video switching

I Front panel analog A/V inputs, switch-

able to outputs

I Front panel digital inputs and outputs

for easy connection to portable digital

devices and the latest video game con-

soles

I Multiple digital inputs and outputs

I On-screen menu and display system

If you have any questions about this product, its

installation or its operation, please contact your

retailer or custom installer. They are your best

local sources of information.

Behind a front panel door are coax and optical

digital inputs and outputs for direct connection

to digital recorders, along with analog

I Complete multizone system with

separate “Zone II” remote included

audio/video connections that may be switched

to outputs for use with portable recorders – a

Harman Kardon exclusive. Two video recording

outputs, preamp-out and main amp-in jacks, and

a color-coded eight-channel input make the

AVR 8500 virtually future-proof, with everything

needed to accommodate tomorrow’s new for-

mats right on board.

Description and Features

I 6-Channel/8-Channel Direct Input and

Preamp Outputs and Main Amp Inputs

for Easy Expansion and Use with

Future Audio Formats

The AVR 8500 is among the most versatile and

multifeatured A/V receivers available, incorporat-

ing a wide range of listening options. In addition

to the benefits of world famous THX Ultra^®pro-

cessing, as well as Dolby Digital and DTS decod-

ing for digital sources, a broad choice of sur-

round modes for Matrix surround-encoded or

Stereo recordings are available for use with

sources such as CD, VCR, TV broadcasts and the

AVR 8500’s own FM/AM tuner. Along with THX

Surround EX, Dolby ProLogic II, DTS Neo:6,

Dolby 3 Stereo, 5 Channel or 7 Channel Stereo

and Hall and Theater modes, the AVR 8500

offers Harman International’s exclusive Logic 7

process in both 5.1 and 7.1 versions to create a

wider, more enveloping field environment and

more defined fly-overs and pans. Another

Harman Kardon exclusive is VMAx, which uses

proprietary processing to create an open, spa-

cious sound field even when only two front

speakers are available. Finally, the AVR 8500 is

among the very few A/V receivers that offer

decoding of MP3 data, so that you may listen to

the latest music selections directly from compati-

ble computers or playback devices with the

power and fidelity you expect from Harman

Kardon.

I Main Backlit Remote with Internal

Codes and Learning Capability

I HDCD Decoding for Superb CD Playback

The AVR 8500’s flexibility and power extend

beyond your main home theater or listening

room. The AVR 8500 includes a sophisticated

multizone control system that allows you to

select one source for use in the main room and a

different source for audio and video distribution

to a second zone. Complete control over volume

is possible with a separate infrared control link.

To make it easy to operate the AVR 8500 from a

remote zone, a separate “Zone II” remote is

included.

The AVR 8500’s powerful amplifier uses

traditional Harman Kardon high-current design

technologies to meet the wide dynamic range of

any program selection.

Harman Kardon invented the high-fidelity receiv-

er more than forty-seven years ago. With state-

of-the-art circuitry and time-honored circuit

designs, the AVR 8500 is the perfect combination

of the latest in digital audio technology, a quiet

yet powerful analog amplifier in an elegant, easy-

to-use package.

INTRODUCTION 3

Safety Information

Installation Location

Important Safety Information

Unpacking

I To assure proper operation and to avoid the

potential for safety hazards, place the unit on

a firm and level surface. When placing the

unit on a shelf, be certain that the shelf and

any mounting hardware can support the

weight of the product.

Verify Line Voltage Before Use

Your AVR has been designed for use with

220-240-Volt AC current. Connection to a line

voltage other than that for which it is intended

can create a safety and fire hazard and may

damage the unit.

The carton and shipping materials used to

protect your new receiver during shipment were

specially designed to cushion it from shock and

vibration. We suggest that you save the carton

and packing materials for use in shipping if you

move, or should the unit ever need repair.

I Make certain that proper space is provided

both above and below the unit for ventilation.

If this product will be installed in a cabinet or

other enclosed area, make certain that there

is sufficient air movement within the cabinet.

Under some circumstances a fan may be

required.

If you have any questions about the voltage

requirements for your specific model, or about

the line voltage in your area, contact your dealer

before plugging the unit into a wall outlet.

To minimize the size of the carton in storage,

you may wish to flatten it. This is done by

carefully slitting the tape seams on the bottom

and collapsing the carton. Other cardboard

inserts may be stored in the same manner.

Packing materials that cannot be collapsed

should be saved along with the carton in a

plastic bag.

Do Not Use Extension Cords

To avoid safety hazards, use only the power cord

attached to your unit. We do not recommend

that extension cords be used with this product.

As with all electrical devices, do not run power

cords under rugs or carpets or place heavy

objects on them. Damaged power cords should

be replaced immediately by an authorized

service depot with a cord meeting factory

specifications.

I Do not place the unit directly on a carpeted

surface.

If you do not wish to save the packaging

materials, please note that the carton and other

sections of the shipping protection are

recyclable. Please respect the environment and

discard those materials at a local recycling

center.

I Avoid installation in extremely hot or cold

locations, or an area that is exposed to direct

sunlight or heating equipment.

I Avoid moist or humid locations.

I Do not obstruct the ventilation slots on the

top of the unit, or place objects directly over

them.

Handle the AC Power Cord Gently

When disconnecting the power cord from an AC

outlet, always pull the plug, never pull the cord.

If you do not intend to use the unit for any con-

siderable length of time, disconnect the plug

from the AC outlet.

Cleaning

When the unit gets dirty, wipe it with a clean,

soft, dry cloth. If necessary, wipe it with a soft

cloth dampened with mild soapy water, then a

fresh cloth with clean water. Wipe dry

immediately with a dry cloth. NEVER use

benzene, aerosol cleaners, thinner, alcohol or any

other volatile cleaning agent. Do not use

abrasive cleaners, as they may damage the finish

of metal parts. Avoid spraying insecticide near

the unit.

Do Not Open the Cabinet

There are no user-serviceable components inside

this product. Opening the cabinet may present a

shock hazard, and any modification to the

product will void your guarantee. If water or any

metal object such as a paper clip, wire or a

staple accidentally falls inside the unit,

disconnect it from the AC power source

immediately, and consult an authorized service

station.

Moving the Unit

Before moving the unit, be certain to disconnect

any interconnection cords with other

components, and make certain that you

disconnect the unit from the AC outlet.

4 SAFETY INFORMATION

Front Panel Controls



% *

(

6 8

)

Main Power Switch

System Power Control

Power Indicator

Headphone Jack

Dolby Mode Selector

Home THX Mode Selector

Logic 7 Mode Selector / Button

Tone Mode

DSP Surround Mode Selector

Tuning Selector

Tuner Band Selector

6Ch/8Ch Direct Button

Preset Station Selector

Stereo Mode Selector / Button

Input Source Selector

RDS Selector

DTS Neo:6 Mode Selector

Optical Digital 4 Input

Optical Digital 4 Output

Coaxial Digital 4 Input

Coaxial Digital 4 Output

Input/Output Status Indicators

Video 5 Input/Output Jacks

DTS Surround Mode Selector

Digital Select Button

Volume Control

Input Indicators

Main Information Display

Remote Sensor Window

Surround Mode Indicators

)



(

›

‹

Main Power Switch: Press this button to

Headphone Jack: This jack may be used to

Home THX Mode Selector: Press this

apply power to the AVR. When the switch is

pressed in, the unit is placed in a Standby mode, phones. Be certain that the headphones have a

listen to the AVR’s output through a pair of head-

button to select Home THX processing. The AVR

will automatically select Home THX 5.1 pro-

cessing, named "THX CINEMA" with Dolby

Digital sources and "THX" with all others, when

no Surround back speakers are installed or when

an analog source is playing. When Surround Back

speakers are installed and any digital multi-

channel signal with independent surround

channels (any Dolby Digital x/2 or DTS source) is

playing the AVR will automatically select the THX

Surround EX (7.1) mode, when the button is

pressed once. It will keep a 5.1 signal or down-

mix any 6.1 signal to 5.1 and select Home THX

5.1 when the button is pressed a second time.

as indicated by the orange LED

the System Power Control

surrounding

standard 6.3 mm stereo phone plug. Note that

the main room speakers and all Preamp

2. This button

MUST be pressed in to operate the unit. To turn

the unit off completely and prevent the use of

the remote control, this switch should be

pressed until it pops out from the front panel so

that the word “OFF” may be read at the top of

the switch.

Outputs

will automatically be turned off

when the headphone jack is in use.

Dolby Mode Selector: Pressing this selector

button cycles the AVR through the various Dolby

surround modes. The first press of the button

switches the surround mode to the last Dolby sur-

round mode that was in use.

Each subsequent press selects the next mode in

the following order:

NOTE: This switch is normally left in the “ON”

position.

System Power Control: When the Main

DOLBY

Power Switch is “ON,” press this button to

DOLBY PRO LOGIC II MOVIE

DIGITAL

To escape from the THX processing and return to

the "Non-THX" mode the button for the

surround mode selected previously must be

pressed again.

turn on the AVR; press it again to turn the unit off

(to Standby). Note that the Power Indicator

DOLBY PRO LOGIC II

EMULATION

DOLBY PRO LOGIC II

MUSIC

surrounding the switch

the unit is on.

will turn green when

DOLBY 3 STEREO

‹

Logic 7 Mode Selector / Button: This

Note that DOLBY DIGITAL mode is available only

with digital input selected and the other modes

only when a Dolby Digital source is not playing.

Power Indicator: This LED will be illuminat-

button has two functions: In normal use, press it

to select one of the Logic 7 modes. When an

adjustment is being made using the Digital

ed in orange when the unit is in the Standby

mode to signal that the unit is ready to be turned

on. When the unit is in operation, the indicator

will turn green.

Select

or the Tone Mode

button, this

button may be pressed to scroll through the

available options.

FRONT PANEL CONTROLS 5

Front Panel Controls

Tone Mode: Pressing this button enables or

^RDS Select Button: Press this button to dis-

play the various messages that are part of the RDS

data system of the AVR’s tuner. (See page 43 for

more information on RDS).

DTS Surround Mode Selector: When a

disables the Bass and Treble tone controls. When

the button is pressed so that the words TONE

INappear in the Main Information Display

DTS source is in use the AVR will select the

appropriate mode automatically and no other

mode will be available, except THX or Logic 7

processing. In that case, pressing that button will

display the mode currently selected by the AVR´s

decoder. Depending on the surround material

played and the speaker setting, one of the

following modes will be selected by the unit:

• DTS-ES 6.1 DISCRETE

the Bass and Treble controls will be enabled.

&DTS Neo:6 Mode Selector: Pressing this

selector button cycles the AVR through the vari-

ous DTS Neo:6 modes, which extract a five- or

seven-channel surround field from two-channel

program material (from PCM source or analog

input signal). The first press selects the last DTS

Neo:6 surround mode that was in use, and each

subsequent press selects the next mode in the

following order:

When the button is pressed so that the words

TONEOUTappear in the Main Information

Display

ˆ, the output signal will be “flat,”

without any bass or treble alteration.

DSP Surround Mode Selector: Press this

• DTS-ES 6.1 MATRIX

• DTS + NEO:6

• DTS 5.1

button to select the following DSP Surround

Modes: VMAx Near/Far, Hall 1, Hall 2 or Theater.

(See page 30 for more information about sur-

round modes.)

Both DTS ES 6.1 Modes and DTS+NEO:6 will be

selected only when surround back speakers have

been configured with your system: DISCRETE with

appropriate source material, MATRIX with 6.1

Matrix recordings and DTS+NEO:6 with normal

DTS 5.1 channel recordings. The DTS 5.1 mode

will be selected with any DTS source, when no

surround back speakers are configured (see also

pages 25 and 33-36). When the THX mode was

selected by pressing the HOME THX button

DTS Neo:6 MUSIC

)

Tuning Selector: Press the left side of the

DTS Neo:6

CINE

button to tune lower frequency stations and the

right side of the button to tune higher frequency

stations. When a station with a strong signal is

reached, the TUNED indicator Iwill illuminate

in the Main Information Display

page 43 for more information on tuning

stations).

NOTE: The front panel digital audio, video and

analog audio input and output jacks are normally

concealed behind a drop-down door in the lower

right corner of the front panel. To access these

jacks, open the panel door by gently pulling

down the upper right corner of the door as

indicated by ”PULL/OPEN”.

(see

pressing this button will escape from the

Tuner Band Selector: Pressing this button

THX processing mode.

will automatically switch the AVR to the Tuner

mode. Pressing it again will switch between the

AM and FM frequency bands. Holding it pressed

for 3 seconds will switch between stereo or mono

receiving and automatic or manual tuning mode.

When the button is pressed so that the AUTO

Indicator

next station with an acceptable signal when the

Tuning Selector is pressed. When

the button is pressed so that the AUTO Indicator

Digital Select Button: When playing a

Optical Digital 4 Input Jack: Connect the

source that has a digital output, press this button

to select between the Optical *U and

Coaxial ÓV Digital inputs (See page

35 for more information).

optical digital audio output of an audio or video

product to this jack.

(

Optical Digital 4 Output Jack: Connect

lights, the tuner will search for the

this jack to the optical digital input of a digital

recorder to send a feed of the digitial output

when a PCM digital input source is in use by the

AVR.

Volume Control: Turn this knob clockwise

to increase the volume, counterclockwise to

decrease the volume. If the AVR is muted, adjust-

ing volume control will automatically release the

unit from the silenced condition.

)

is not lit, each press of the Tuning Selector

will increase the frequency. (See page

Coaxial Digital 4 Input Jack: Connect the

output of a digital audio source to this jack.

42 for more information on using the tuner.)

Input indicators: A green LED will light in

Coaxial Digital 4 Output Jack: Connect

6CH/8CH Direct Button: Press this button

front of the input that is currently being used as

the source for the AVR.

this jack to the coaxial digital input of a digital

recorder to send a feed of the digitial output

when a PCM digital input source is in use by the

AVR.

to select the 6 Channel Direct or 8 Channel

DIrect inputs as the AVR's source.

Main Information Display: This display

Preset Stations Selector: Press this button

delivers messages and status indications to help

you operate the receiver. (See pages 7–8 for a

complete explanation of the Information Display.)

to scroll up or down through the list of stations

that have been entered into the preset memory.

(See page 42 for more information on tuner pro-

gramming.)



Input/Output Status Indicators: This LED

indicator will normally light green to show that

the front panel Video 5 A/V jacks are

Remote Sensor Window: The sensor

behind this window receives infrared signals from

the remote control. Aim the remote at this area

and do not block or cover it unless an external

remote sensor is installed.

operating as an input. When these jacks are con-

figured for use as an output, the indicator will

turn red to show that the jack may be used for

recording. (See page 21 for more information on

configuring the front panel jacks as outputs,

rather than inputs.)

›

Stereo Mode Selector / Button: This

button has two functions: In normal use, pressing

this selector button cycles through the stereo

modes, and it is also used to turn off all surround

processing and place the unit in a traditional

two-channel Stereo mode. The first press selects

5-Channel Stereo or 7-Channel Stereo, depend-

ing on the selection (5.1 or 6.1/7.1) made in the

surround mode setting, see page 24, and the sec-

ond selects “SURROUND OFF,” which is true

Stereo.

Surround Mode Indicators: A green LED

will light in front of the surround mode or digital

bitstream format (HDCD, MP3 or PCM) that is

currently in use.

Video 5 Input/Output Jacks: These

audio/video jacks may be used for temporary

connection to video games or portable audio/

video products such as camcorders and portable

audio players. They may also be configured as

output jacks (also S-Video) to feed a signal to any

recording Audio or Video device (see page 37 for

more information).

Note that depending of specific combination of

input sources and surround mode selected, more

than one indicator may light.

Input Source Selector: Press this button to

change the input by scrolling through the list of

input sources.

6 FRONT PANEL CONTROLS

Front Panel Information Display

L K

J I H

C D

Upper Display Line

Lower Display Line

OSD Indicator

Multi Indicator

Speaker/Channel Input Indicator

Preset Indicator

Memory Indicator

Traffic Indicator

Stereo Indicator

Tuned Indicator

Auto Indicator

192 kHz Indicator

96 kHz Indicator

Radiotext Indicator

Clock Time Indicator

Program Type Indicator

RDS Indicator

Upper Display Line: Depending on the

Speaker/Channel Input Indicators: These

HStereo Indicator: This indicator illuminates

unit's status, a variety of messages will appear

here. In normal operation, the current input

source name will appear on this line.

indicators are multipurpose, indicating either the

speaker type selected for each channel or the

incoming data-signal configuration. The left, cen-

ter, right, right surround, left surround, right back

surround and left back surround speaker indica-

tors are composed of three boxes, while the sub-

woofer is a single box. The center box lights when

a “Small” speaker is selected, and the two outer

boxes light when “Large” speakers are selected.

When none of the boxes are lit for the center, sur-

round or subwoofer channels, no speaker has

been selected for that position. (See page 22 for

more information on configuring speakers.) The

letters inside each of the center boxes display

active input channels. For standard analog inputs,

only the L and R will light, indicating a stereo

input. When a digital source is playing, the indica-

tors will light to display the channels begin

received at the digital input. When the letters

flash, the digital input has been interrupted. (See

pages 24 and 36 for more information on the

Channel Indicators).

when an FM station is being tuned in stereo.

Tuned Indicator: This indicator illuminates

when a station is being received with sufficient sig-

nal strength to provide acceptable listening quality.

Lower Display Line: Depending on the

unit's status, a variety of messages will appear

here. In normal operation, the current surround

mode name will appear on this line.

JAuto Indicator: This indicator illuminates

when the tuner’s Auto mode is in use.

K192 kHz Indicator: This indicator lights

when the input source has a 192 kHz bit rate.

OSD Indicator: When the OSD system is in

use, this indicator lights to remind you that the

other indicators in this display do not function

when the On Screen Display is being used.

L96 kHz Indicator: This indicator lights when

the input source has a 96 kHz bit rate.

Multiroom Indicator: This indicator lights

TA Traffic Announcement Indicator: This

when the multiroom system is active. Note that it

will remain lit when the multiroom system is in

use even though the main room system is in the

Standby mode and all other indicators are dark.

(See page 41 for more information on the

Multiroom system.)

indicator illuminates if the RDS station tuned

somtimes transmits traffic information (see page

43 for more information on RDS).

RT Text Indicator: This indicator illuminates

when the RDS station tuned is transmitting

radiotext (RT) data.

Clock Time Indicator: This indicator illumi-

nates when the RDS station tuned is transmitting

the CT (clock time) code, indicating the current

time of day.

Preset Indicator: This indicator lights when

the tuner is in use to show that the present num-

ber for the current station being listened to

appears in the Upper Display Line. (See page 42

for more information on tuner presets.)

PTY Indicator: This indicator illuminates

when the RDS station tuned is transmitting pro-

gram type data, or during a PTY search.

Memory Indicator: This indicator flashes

RDS Indicator: This indicator illuminates

when entering presets and other information into

the tuner’s memory.

when the station tuned is transmitting RDS data.

FRONT PANEL INFORMATION DISPLAY 7

Rear Panel Connections

23 25

™

230V/50Hz

AM Antenna

FM Antenna

Tape Inputs

Tape Outputs

Subwoofer Output

Amplifier Inputs

CD Inputs

Surround Back Preamp Outputs

Front Speaker Outputs

Multiroom IR Input

Coaxial Digital Audio Output

Optical Digital Audio Output

DVD Inputs

Amplifier Trigger Jack

Video 1/Video 2 Inputs

Optical Digital Inputs

Coaxial Digital Inputs

Video 3/Video 4 Inputs

Video 1/Video 2 Outputs

Center Speaker Outputs

Surround Speaker Outputs

Switched AC Accessory Outlet

Unswitched AC Accessory Outlet

AC Power Cord

Video 1/Video 2 Component Video Inputs

Monitor Component Video Outputs

DVD Component Video Inputs

Remote IR Output

Multiroom Outputs

6-Channel Direct Inputs

8-Channel Direct Inputs

Preamp Outputs

Video Monitor Outputs

Remote IR Input

NOTE: To assist in making the correct connec-

tions for multichannel input/output and speaker

connections, all connection jacks and terminals

have been color coded in conformance with the

latest CEA standards as follows:

FM Antenna: Connect the supplied indoor or

CD Inputs: Connect these jacks to the ana-

an optional external FM antenna to this terminal.

log output of a compact disc player or CD chang-

er or any other audio source.

Tape Inputs: Connect these jacks to the

PLAY/OUT jacks of an audio recorder.

Multiroom Outputs: Connect these jacks

to an optional audio power amplifier and moni-

tor to listen and watch to the source selected by

the multiroom system in a remote room.

Front Left:

Front Right:

White

Red

Tape Outputs: Connect these jacks to the

RECORD/INPUT jacks of an audio recorder.

Center:

Green

Blue

Gray

Brown

Tan

Purple

Orange

Yellow

Subwoofer Output: Connect this jack to

Surround Left:

Surround Right:

Surround Back Left:

Surround Back Right:

Subwoofer (LFE):

Digital Audio:

Composite Video:

6-Channel Direct Inputs: If an external

the line-level input of a powered subwoofer. If an

external subwoofer amplifier is used, connect this

jack to the subwoofer amplifier input.

digital audio decoder (DVD Audio, SACD) is used,

connect the outputs of that decoder to these

jacks.

Amplifier Inputs: When the jumper pins

8-Channel Direct Inputs: When an op-

that link the Preamp Outputs with these

tional, external processor or playback device with

6.1 or 7.1 audio capability (DVD Audio, SACD) is

in use, connect the Surround Back Left and

Surround Back Right channel outputs of the play-

er to these input jacks and all other 6.1/7.1 out-

puts to the appropriate 6-Channel Direct

inputs are removed, these jacks may be used to

connect an external source or the AVR’s multi-

room system to the internal amplifiers.

Component Video “Y”: Green

Component Video “Pr”: Red

Component Video “Pb”: Blue

AM Antenna: Connect the AM loop antenna

supplied with the receiver to these terminals. If an

external AM antenna is used, make connections to

the AM and GND terminals in accordance with

the instructions supplied with the antenna.

Inputs

8 REAR PANEL CONNECTIONS

Rear Panel Connections

Preamp Outputs: When the jumper pins

Switched AC Accessory Outlet: This out-

Coaxial Digital Audio Output: Connect

that link the Amplifier Inputs with these

outputs are removed, these jacks may be con-

nected to an external power amplifier.

let may be used to power any device that you

wish to have turn on when the AVR is turned on

this jack to the coaxial digital input connector on

a CD-R/RW, MiniDisc or other digital recorder.

with the System Power Control switch

Optical Digital Audio Output: Connect

Video Monitor Outputs: Connect this jack

Unswitched AC Accessory Outlet: This

this jack to the optical digital input connector on

a CD-R/RW, MiniDisc or other digital recorder.

to the composite and/or S-Video input of a TV

monitor or video projector to view the on-screen

menus and the output of any standard Video or

S-Video source selected by the receiver’s video

switcher.

outlet may be used to power any AC device. The

power will remain on at this outlet regardless of

whether the AVR is on or off (in Standby), pro-

DVD Inputs: Connect the analog left/right

audio and composite or S-Video output of a

DVD player or other video source to these jacks.

vided that the Main Power switch

is on.

Note: The total power consumption of all

devices connected to the accessory outlets

should not exceed 100 watts from the

Unswitched Outlet

Switched Outlet

Amplifier Trigger Jack: Connect this jack

Surround Back Preamp Outputs: When

to the compatible input trigger jack on a power

amplifier or other relay controlled device. The

connected product will turn on when the AVR is

turned on.

the AVR is used in the 6.1 or 7.1 configuration,

connect these jacks to an optional, external

power amplifier to power the Surround Back

Channels.

H and 50 W from the

AC Power Cord: Connect the AC plug to an

Video 1/Video 2 Inputs: Connect these

Front Speaker Outputs: Connect these

unswitched AC wall output.

jacks to the PLAY/OUT composite or S-Video

outputs to the matching + or – terminals on

your left and right speakers. In conformance with

the new CEA color code specification, the White

terminal is the positive, or ”+” terminal that

should be connected to the red (+) terminal on

Front Left speaker with the older color coding,

while the Red terminal is the positive, or ”+”

terminal that should be connected to the red (+)

terminal on Front Right speaker. Connect the

black (–) terminals on the AVR to the black (–)

terminals on the speakers. See page 15 for more

information on speaker polarity.

jacks on a VCR or other video source.

Video 1/Video 2 Component Video

Inputs: Connect the Y/Pr/Pb component video

outputs of an HDTV Set-top convertor, satellite

receiver, or other video source device with com-

ponent video outputs to these jacks.

Optical Digital Inputs: Connect the opti-

cal digital output from a DVD player, HDTV

receiver, the S/PDIF output of a compatible com-

puter sound card playing MP3 files or streams,

LD player, MD player or CD player to these jacks.

The signal may be either a Dolby Digital signal, a

DTS signal, a 2 channel MPEG 1 signal, an MP3

or HDCD data stream or a standard PCM digital

source.

Monitor Component Video Outputs:

Connect these outputs to the component video

inputs of a video projector or monitor. When a

source connected to one of the Component

Video Inputs JL is selected the signal will

be sent to these jacks.

Coaxial Digital Inputs: Connect the coax

Center Speaker Outputs: Connect these

digital output from a DVD player, HDTV receiver,

the S/PDIF output of a compatible computer

sound card playing MP3 files or streams, LD

player, MD player or CD player to these jacks.

The signal may be either a Dolby Digital signal,

DTS signal, a 2 channel MPEG 1 signal, an MP3

or HDCD data stream or a standard PCM digital

source. Do not connect the RF digital output of

an LD player to these jacks.

DVD Component Video Inputs: Connect

outputs to the matching + and – terminals on

your center channel speaker. In conformance

with the new CEA color code specification, the

Green Terminal is the positive, or ”+” terminal

that should be connected to the red (+) terminal

on speakers with the older color coding. Connect

the black (–) terminal on the AVR to the black

negative (–) terminal on your speaker. (See page

15 for more information on speaker polarity.)

the Y/Pr/Pb component video outputs of a DVD

player to these jacks.

Note: All component inputs/outputs can be

used for RGB signals too, in the same way as

described for the Y/Pr/Pb signals, then connected

to the jacks with the corresponding color.

RGB connection is not possible if the source out-

puts a separate sync signal (see page 16).

Video 3/Video 4 Inputs: Connect the

Remote IR Output: This connection permits

Surround Speaker Outputs: Connect

left/right audio and composite or S Video out-

puts of a video source such as a VCR, satellite

receiver, hard drive video recorder or other

device to these jacks.

the IR sensor in the receiver to serve other

remote controlled devices. Connect this jack to

the “IR IN” jack on Harman Kardon or other

compatible equipment.

these outputs to the matching + and – terminals

on your surround channel speakers. In confor-

mance with the new CEA color code specifica-

tion, the Blue terminal is the positive, or ”+” ter-

minal that should be connected to the red (+)

terminal on the Surround Left speaker with older

color coding, while the Gray terminal should be

connected to the red (+) terminal on the

Surround Right speaker with the older color cod-

ing. Connect the black (–) terminal on the AVR

to the matching black negative (–) terminals for

each surround speaker. (See page 15 for more

information on speaker polarity.)

Video 1/Video 2 Outputs: Connect the

Remote IR Input: If the AVR’s front-panel

left/right audio and composite or S-Video

Record/Input jacks on a VCR or camcorder to

these jacks.

IR sensor is blocked due to cabinet doors or

other obstructions, an external IR sensor may

be used. Connect the output of the sensor to

this jack.

Note: Either the Video or S-Video output of any

S-Video source must be connected to the

AVR, not both in parallel, otherwise the video

may be disturbed or its performance be adverse-

ly effected.

Multiroom IR Input: Connect the output of

an IR sensor in a remote room to this jack to

operate the AVR’s multiroom control system.

REAR PANEL CONNECTIONS 9

Main Remote Control Functions

Power Off Button

IR Transmitter Window

Program/SPL Indicator

Power On Button

Input Selectors

c b a

AVR Selector

AM/FM Tuner Select

6-Channel/8-Channel Direct Input

Test Button

Sleep Button

Surround Mode Selector

Night Mode

Channel Select Button

⁄ ¤

Buttons

‹

Button

Set Button

Digital Select

Numeric Keys

Tuner Mode

Direct Button

Tuning Up/Down

OSD Button

Dolby Mode Select Button

DTS Digital Mode Selector

Logic 7 Mode Select Button

Transport Controls

Light Button

Skip Up/Down Buttons

Stereo Mode Select Button

DTS Neo:6 Mode Select

Macro Buttons

RDS Selector Button

Preset Up/Down

Clear Button

Memory Button

Delay/Prev. Ch.

›

Button

Speaker Select

Multiroom

Volume Up/Down

SPL Indicator Select

Learn Button

Mute

EzSet Sensor Microphone

Tone Mode Button

THX Mode Select Button

NOTE: The function names shown here are each

button’s feature when used with the AVR 8500.

Most buttons have additional functions when

used with other devices. See page 50-51 for a

list of these functions.

10 MAIN REMOTE CONTROL FUNCTIONS

Main Remote Control Functions

IMPORTANT NOTE: The AVR 8500’s remote

may be programmed to control up to seven

devices, including the AVR 8500. Before using

the remote, it is important to remember to press

Input Selectors: Pressing one of these

buttons will perform three actions at the same

time. First, if the AVR is not turned on, this will

power up the unit. Next, it will select the source

shown on the button as the input to the AVR.

Finally, it will change the remote control so that

it controls the device selected. After pressing one

of these buttons you must press the

Night Mode: Press this button to activate

the Night mode. This mode is available only with

Dolby Digital encoded sources, and it preserves

dialog (center channel) intelligibilty at low vol-

ume levels (See page 26 for more information).

the Input Selector button

that corre-

sponds to the unit you wish to operate. In addi-

tion, the AVR’s remote is shipped from the factory

to operate the AVR 8500 and most Harman

Kardon CD or DVD players and cassette decks.

The remote is also capable of operating a wide

variety of other products using the control codes

that are part of the remote or by learning com-

mands from other remotes. Before using the

remote with other products, follow the instruc-

tions on pages 44-45 to program the proper

codes for the products in your system.

Channel Select Button: This button is

used to start the process of setting the AVR’s

output levels with an external source. Once this

⁄ ¤

AVR Selector button

AVR’s functions with the remote.

again to operate the

button is pressed, use the

buttons

select the channel being adjusted, then press the

Set button

⁄ ¤

AVR Selector: Pressing this button will

, followed by the

buttons

switch the remote so that it will operate the AVR’s

functions. If the AVR is in the Standby mode, it will

also turn the AVR on.

again, to change the level setting. (See

page 37 for more information.)

⁄ ¤

Buttons:These multipurpose buttons

AM/FM Tuner Select: Press this button to

are used to change or scroll through items in the

on-screen menus or on the front panel or to

make configuration settings such as digital

inputs or delay timing. When changing a setting,

first press the button for the function or setting

to be changed (e.g., press the Digital Select

select the AVR’s tuner as the listening choice.

Pressing this button when the tuner is in use will

select between the AM and FM bands.

It is also important to remember that many of

the buttons on the remote take on different

functions, depending on the product selected

using the Input Selector Button

4. The

6-Channel/8 Channel Direct Input:

Press this button to select the device connected

to the 6-Channel Direct Inputs or the

8-Channel Direct Inputs (the input avail-

descriptions shown here primarily detail the

functions of the remote when it is used to oper-

ate the AVR 8500. (See page 47 for information

about alternate functions for the remote’s but-

tons.)

Button

to change a digital input) and then

press one of these buttons to scroll through the

list of options or to increase or decrease a set-

ting. The sections in this manual describing the

individual features and functions contain specific

informa-tion on using these buttons for each

application.

able will depend on the selection 5.1 or 6.1/7.1

made in the surround mode setting, see page 24

for more information).

Power Off Button: Press this button to

place the AVR or a selected device unit in the

Standby mode. Note that when the AVR is

switched off this will turn off the main room func-

tions, but if the Multiroom system is activated, it

will continue to function.

Test Tone: Press this button to begin the

sequence used to calibrate the AVR’s output lev-

els. (See page 26 for more information on

calibrating the AVR.)

When the AVR remote is being programmed for

the codes of another device, these buttons are

also used in the “Auto Search” process (See page

44 for more information on programming the

remote.)

Sleep Button: Press this button to place

IR Transmitter Window: Point this window

the unit in the Sleep mode. After the time shown

in the display, the AVR will automatically go into

the Standby mode. Each press of the button

changes the time until turn-off in the following

order:

towards the AVR when pressing buttons on the

remote to make certain that infrared commands

are properly received.

E^‹Button: This button is used to change

the menu selection or setting during some of the

setup procedures for the AVR.

Program/SPL Indicator: This three-color

Set Button: This button is used to enter

indicator is used to guide you through the

process of programming the remote or learning

commands from a remote into the AVR’s remote

code memory and it is also used as a level indica-

tor when using the remote’s EzSet capabilities.

(See page 26 for more information on setting

output levels, and see page 44 for information on

programming the remote.)

min

settings into the AVR 8500´s memory, to select a

submenu from the main menu or to return from

submenus. It is also used in the setup proce-

dures (without the use of the on screen menus)

for delay, speaker configuration and channel

output level adjustment.

OFF

min

Hold the button pressed for two seconds to turn

off the Sleep mode setting.

Note that this button is also used to change

channels on your TV, VCR and Sat receiver when

the appropriate source is selected, using the

Digital Select: Press this button to assign

one of the digital inputs UV*Óto a

source. (See page 35 for more information on

using digital inputs.)

device Input Selectors

Power On Button: Press this button to

turn on the power to a device selected by pressing

one of the Input Selectors (except Tape).

Surround Mode Selector: Press this but-

ton to select any of the HALL, THEATER or VMAx

surround modes. Note that depending on the

type of input, some modes are not always avail-

able. (See page 30 for more information about

surround modes.) Note that this button is also

used to tune channels on your TV, VCR and Sat

receiver when the appropriate source is selected

using the device Input Selector

MAIN REMOTE CONTROL FUNCTIONS 11

Main Remote Control Functions

Numeric Keys: These buttons serve as a

DTS Digital Mode Selector: When a DTS

DTS Neo:6 Mode Selector: Pressing this

ten-button numeric keypad to enter tuner preset

positions. They are also used to select channel

numbers when TV, VCR or Sat receiver has

been selected on the remote, or to select track

numbers on a CD, DVD or LD player, depending

on how the remote has been programmed.

source is in use the AVR will select the appropri-

ate mode automatically.

Pressing this button will display the mode cur-

rently selected by the AVR´s decoder, depending

on the surround material played and the speaker

selector button cycles the AVR through the vari-

ous DTS Neo:6 modes, which extract a five- or

seven-channel surround field from two-channel

program material (from PCM source or analog

input signal). The first press selects the last DTS

Neo:6 surround mode that was in use, and each

subsequent press selects the next mode in the

following order:

setting (see item

Ú, page 5). When a DTS

source is not in use, this button has no function.

(See page 25, 30 for the available DTS options.)

Tuner Mode: Press this button when the

tuner is in use to select between automatic tun-

ing and manual tuning. When the button is

Logic 7 Selector: Press this button to

DTS Neo:6 MUSIC

pressed so that the AUTO indicator

out, pressing the Tuning buttons

will move the frequency up or down in single-

step increments. When the FM band is in use

K)≠

goes

select one of the available Logic 7 surround

modes. (See page 30 for the available Logic 7

options.)

DTS Neo:6

CINE

Transport Control Buttons: These but-

Macro Buttons: Press these buttons to

and the AUTO indicator

is on, pressing this

tons do not have any functions for the AVR, but

they may be programmed for the forward/

reverse play operation of a wide variety of CD or

DVD players, and audio or video- cassette

recorders. (See page 44 for more information on

programming the remote.)

store or recall a “Macro”, which is a pre-pro-

grammed sequence of commands stored in the

remote. (See page 46 for more information on

storing and recalling macros.)

button will change to monaural reception mak-

ing even weak stations audible or improving the

audio performance with noisy stereo stations.

(See page 42 for more information.)

RDS Select Button: Press this button to

Direct Button: Press this button when the

display the various messages that are part of the

RDS data system of the AVR’s tuner. (See page 43

for more information on RDS).

tuner is in use to start the sequence for direct

entry of a station’s frequency. After pressing the

button simply press the proper Numeric Keys

Light Button: Press this button to activate

the remote’s built-in backlight for better legibility

of the buttons in a darkened room.

to select a station (See page 42 for more

Preset Up/Down: When the tuner is in

information on the tuner).

Skip Up/Down Buttons: These buttons

use, press these buttons to scroll through the

stations programmed into the AVR’s memory.

When CD or DVD is selected using the Input

do not have a direct function with the AVR, but

when used with a compatibly programmed CD

or DVD player/changer they will change the

tracks on the disc currently being played.

Tuning Up/Down: When the tuner is in

use, these buttons will tune up or down through

the selected frequency band. If the Tuner Mode

Selector button

4, these buttons may func-

tion as Slow Fwd/Rev (DVD) or ”+10” (CD,

CDR).

button

ton

that the AUTO indicator

has been pressed or the Band but-

on the front panel was held pressed so

is illuminated,

Stereo Mode Select Button: Pressing

this selector button cycles through the stereo

modes, and it is also used to turn off all sur-

round processing and place the unit in a tradi-

tional two-channel Stereo mode. The first press

selects 5-Channel Stereo or 7-Channel Stereo,

depending on the selection (5.1 or 6.1/7.1)

made in the surround mode setting, see page

24, and the second selects “SURROUND OFF,”

which is true Stereo.

Clear Button: Press this button to clear

incorrect entries when using the remote to

directly enter a radio station’s frequency.

pressing either of the buttons will cause the

tuner to seek the next station with acceptable

signal strength for quality reception. When the

Memory Button: Press this button to enter

a radio station into the AVR’s preset memory. After

pressing the button the MEMORY indicator

will flash; you then have five seconds to enter a

preset memory location using the Numeric

AUTO indicator

is NOT illuminated, pressing

these buttons will tune stations in single-step

increments. (See page 42 for more information.)

OSD Button: Press this button to activate

the On Screen Display (OSD) system used to set

up or adjust the AVR’s parameters.

Keys

H. (See page 42 for more information.)

Delay/Prev Ch.: Press this button to begin

Dolby Mode Selector: This button is used

the process for setting the delay times used by

the AVR when processing surround sound. After

pressing this button, the delay times are entered

to select one of the available Dolby Surround

processing modes. Each press of this button will

select one of the Dolby Pro Logic II modes, Dolby

3 Stereo or Dolby Digital. Note that the Dolby

Digital mode is only available with a digital input

selected and the other modes only as long as a

Dolby Digital source is not playing (except Pro

Logic II with Dolby Digital 2.0 recordings, see

"Dolby Digital" on page 35). See page 30 for

the available Dolby surround mode options.

by pressing the Set button

and then using

to change the setting.

⁄ ¤

the

buttons

Press the Set button again to complete the

process. (See page 25 for more information.)

12 MAIN REMOTE CONTROL FUNCTIONS

Main Remote Control Functions

a^›Button: Press this button to change a set-

ting or selection when configuring many of the

AVR’s settings.

EzSetSensor Microphone: The sensor

microphone for the EzSet microphone is behind

these slots. When using the remote to calibrate

speaker output levels using EzSet, be sure that

you do not hold the remote in a way that covers

these slots. (See page 27 for more information

on using EzSet).

Speaker Select: Press this button to

begin the process of configuring the AVR’s Bass

Management System for use with the type of

speakers used in your system. Once the button

⁄ ¤

has been pressed, use the

buttons

NOTE: With the press of any remote button the

Input Selector button 45associated

with the botton pressed will briefly flash red to

confirm the transmission of the command, as

long as there is a function for that button with

the device selected (see function list on pages

50, 51).

select the channel you wish to set up.

Press the Set Button and then select the

speaker type (Large, Small or None) appropriate

with the speaker in use. (See page 22 for more

information.)

Multi-Room: Press this button to activate

the Multiroom system or to begin the process of

changing the input or volume level for the sec-

ond zone. (See page 41 for more information on

the Multiroom system.)

Tone Mode Button: Press this button to

turn the controls off so that the output is ”flat”,

or to boost or lower the tone modification.

The first press of this button shows if the tone

controls are active or not. Subsequent presses

enable you to select the treble or bass for

⁄ ¤

Volume Up/Down: Press these buttons to

raise or lower the system volume.

change by pressing the

buttons

D. Note

that the tone controls only change the output

for the front left/right speakers. (See page 32 for

more information on the tone controls.)

SPL Indicator Select: This button acti-

vates the AVR’s EzSet function to quickly and

accurately calibrate the AVR’s output levels.

During this sequence, EzSet will automatically

adjust the output levels for all channels until

they are equal, as shown by the Program

THX Mode Select Button: Press this but-

ton to select Home THX processing. The AVR will

automatically select Home THX 5.1 processing,

named "THX CINEMA" with Dolby Digital

sources and "THX" with all others, when no

Surround back speakers are installed or when an

analog source is playing. When Surround Back

speakers are installed and any digital multichan-

nel signal with independent surround channels

(any Dolby Digital x/2 or DTS source) is playing

the AVR will automatically select the THX

Indicator

lighting green for each channel.

(See page 27 for more information on EzSet.)

Learn Button: Press this button to begin

the process of “learning” the codes from another

product’s remote into the AVR’s remote. (See page

45 for more information on using the remote’s

learning function.)

Mute: Press this button to momentarily

Surround EX (7.1) mode, when the button is

pressed once. It will keep a 5.1 signal or down-

mix any 6.1 signal to 5.1 and select Home THX

5.1 when the button is pressed a second time.

silence the AVR or TV set being controlled,

depending on which device has been selected.

When the AVR remote is being programmed to

operate another device, this button is pressed

To escape from the THX processing and return to

the "Non-THX" mode the button for the sur-

round mode selected previously must be pressed

again.

with the Input Selector button

the programming process. (See page 44 for more

information on programming the remote.)

to begin

MAIN REMOTE CONTROL FUNCTIONS 13

Zone II Remote Control Functions

The Zone II remote may be used in either the

Preset Up/Down – Track Skip: When the

same room where the AVR 8500 is located, or it

may be used in a separate room with an option-

al infrared sensor that is connected to the

AVR’s tuner is selected as the input source, these

buttons will move up or down through the list of

stations that have been stored in the preset

memory. When a CD or DVD player is selected,

these buttons activate the forward or reverse

track or chapter skip functions.

POWER

OFF

MUTE

VID2

AVR

VID1

AVR’s Multi IR input jack

AM/FM

DVD

VID3

VID4

TAPE

Power Off: When used in the room where

Disc Skip: Press this button to change

the AVR is located, press this button to place the

unit in Standby. When it is used in a remote

room with a sensor that is connected to the

discs on compatible Harman Kardon CD or DVD

changers.

TUNING

Multi IR jack

O, this button turns the Multi-

PRESET

Volume Up/Down: When used in the

Room system off.

room where the AVR is located, press this button

to raise or lower the volume in that room. When

it is used in a remote room with a sensor that is

DISC SKIP

∫

AVR Selector: Press this button to turn on

the AVR. The input in use when the unit was last

on will be selected.

connected to the Multi IR Jack

O, this button

will raise or lower the volume in the remote

room.

AM/FM Tuner Select: Press this button to

VOLUME

select the Tuner as the input to the Multiroom

system. Press it again to change between the

AM and FM bands.

∆

Play Forward/Reverse/Stop: Press these

buttons to control compatible Harman Kardon

CD, DVD or cassette players.

∂

Input Selectors: When the AVR is off,

Mute: When used in the room where the

press one of these buttons to turn the unit on

and to select a specific input. When the unit is

already in use, pressing one of these buttons will

change the input.

AVR is located, press this button to temporarily

silence the unit. When it is used in a remote

room with a sensor that is connected to the

Multi IR Jack

O, this button will temporarily

≠

Tuning Up/Down – Fast Play: These but-

silence the feed to the remote room only. Press

the button again to return to the previous vol-

ume level.

tons may be used to change the frequency of

the tuner. These buttons may also control the

Fast Play or Fast Reverse functions of compatible

Harman Kardon CD, DVD or cassette decks in

the same room, or from a remote room when an

IR link is connected to the AVR.

Important Note: No matter in which room the

Zone II remote is used, as with the main remote

it is important to remember to press the Input

Selector button

∂

that corresponds to the

Record/Pause: Press this button to acti-

unit you wish to operate befor you change the

device to be controlled.

vate the Record or Pause function on compatible

Harman Kardon CD, DVD or Cassette Deck prod-

ucts.

NOTE: The Zone II remote may be used in either

the same room where the AVR is located, or it

may be used in a separate room with an option-

al infrared sensor that is connected to the AVR’s

Multi IR input jack b. When it is used in the

same room as the AVR, it will control the func-

tions of the AVR or any compatible Harman

Kardon products in that room. When it is used in

a separate room via a sensor connected to the

Multi IR Jack b, the buttons for power, input

source, volume and mute will control the source

and volume for the second zone, as connected

to the Multi Out Jacks ‚. (See page 41 for

complete information on using the Multiroom

system.)

∫

∂

≠

∆

Power Off

AVR Selector

AM/FM Tuner Select

Input Selectors

Tuning Up/Down – Fast Play

Record/Pause

Preset/Track Skip

Disc Skip

Volume Up/Down

Play Forward/Reverse/Stop

Mute

14 ZONE II REMOTE CONTROL FUNCTIONS

Installation and Connections

After unpacking the unit, and placing it on a solid

surface capable of supporting its weight, you will

need to make the connections to your audio and

video equipment.

7. Connect the front, center and surround speak-

er outputs DEF to the respective speakers.

passive subwoofer is used, the connection first

goes to a power amplifier, which will be connect-

ed to one or more subwoofer speakers. If you are

using a powered subwoofer that does not have

line-level input connections, follow the instruc-

tions furnished with the speaker for connection

information.

To assure that all the audio signals are carried to

your speakers without loss of clarity or resolu-

tion, we suggest that you use high-quality speak-

er cable. Many brands of cable are available and

the choice of cable may be influenced by the dis-

tance between your speakers and the receiver,

the type of speakers you use, personal prefer-

ences and other factors. Your dealer or installer is

a valuable resource to consult in selecting the

proper cable.

Audio Equipment Connections

We recommend that you use high-quality inter-

connect cables when making connections to

source equipment and recorders to preserve the

integrity of the signals.

9. If an external multi-channel audio source with

5.1 outputs such as an external digital proces-

sor/decoder, DVD-Audio or SACD player is used,

connect the outputs of that device to the

When making connections to audio source

equipment or speakers it is always a good prac-

tice to unplug the unit from the AC wall outlet.

This prevents any possibility of accidentally send-

ing audio or transient signals to the speakers

that may damage them.

6-Channel Direct Inputs

Regardless of the brand of cable selected, we rec-

ommend that you use a cable constructed of fine,

multistrand copper with an area greater than

2 mm².

10. If an external multi-channel audio source

with 7.1 outputs such as an external digital

processor/decoder, DVD-Audio or SACD player is

used, first connect the outputs of that device to

the 6 Channel Direct Inputs as noted above, and

then connect the Surround Back Left and

Cable with an area of 1.5 mm²may be used for

short runs of less than 4 m. We do not recom-

mend that you use cables with an area less than

1mm²due to the power loss and degradation in

performance that will occur.

1. Connect the analog output of a CD player to

the CD inputs

Surround Back Right output channels of the

source device to the 8-Channel Direct Inputs

NOTE: When the CD player has both fixed and

variable audio outputs it is best to use the fixed

output unless you find that the input to the

receiver is so low that the sound is noisy, or so

high that the signal is distorted.

11. If you plan to use a 7.1 channel source or

wish to take advantage of the 6.1/7.1 channel

processing modes such as THX Surround EX or

DTS-ES, you must use an optional audio power

stereo amplifier for the Surround Back channels.

Connect the SBL and SBR Preamp Outputs

Cables that are run inside walls should have the

appropriate markings to indicate listing with any

appropriate testing agency standards. Questions

about running cables inside walls should be

referred to your installer or a licensed electrician

who is familiar with the applicable local building

codes in your area.

2. Connect the analog Play/Out jacks of a cas-

sette deck, MD, CD-R or other audio recorder to

the Tape Input jacks

Record/In jacks on the recorder to the Tape

Output jacks on the AVR.

2. Connect the analog

to the inputs of the amplifier feeding those

channels' speakers.

When connecting wires to the speakers, be cer-

tain to observe proper polarity. Note that the

positive (+) terminal of each speaker connection

now carries a specific color code as noted on

page 8. However, most speakers will still use a

red terminal for the postive (+) connection.

Connect the “negative” or “black” wire to the

same terminal on both the receiver and the

speaker.

3. Connect the digital output of any digital

sources such as a CD or DVD changer or player,

advanced video game, a digital satellite receiver,

HDTV tuner or digital cable set-top box or the

output of a compatible computer sound card to

the Optical and Coaxial Digital Inputs

Video Equipment Connections

Video equipment is connected in the same manner

as audio components. Again, the use of high-qual-

ity interconnect cables is recommended to pre-

serve signal quality. To ensure best video perform-

ance S-Video sources should be connected to the

AVR only with their S-Video In/Outputs, not with

their composite video connectors too.

U V *Ó

4. Connect the Coaxial or Optical Digital

Outputs PQ on the rear panel of the AVR to the

matching digital input connections on a CD-R or

MiniDisc recorder.

NOTE: While most speaker manufacturers

1. Connect a VCR’s audio and video Play/Out

jacks to the Video 1/ Video 2 Input Jacks

on the rear panel. The Audio and Video Record/In

jacks on the VCR should be connected to the

adhere to an industry convention of using black

terminals for negative and red ones for positive,

some manufacturers may vary from this configu-

ration. To assure proper phase and optimal per-

formance, consult the identification plate on your

speaker or the speaker’s manual to verify polarity.

If you do not know the polarity of your speaker,

ask your dealer for advice before proceeding, or

consult the speaker’s manufacturer.

5. Assemble the AM Loop Antenna supplied with

the unit as shown below. Connect it to the AM

Video 1/ Video 2 Output Jacks

on the

and GND screw terminals

AVR.

2. Connect the analog audio and video outputs

of a satellite receiver, cable TV converter or

television set or any other video source to the

Video 3/ Video 4 Input Jacks

jacks.

We also recommend that the length of cable

used to connect speaker pairs be identical. For

example, use the same length piece of cable to

connect the front-left and front-right or sur-

round-left and surround-right speakers, even if

the speakers are a different distance from the

AVR.

3. Connect the analog audio and video outputs

of a DVD or laser disc player to the DVD

6. Connect the supplied FM antenna to the FM

(75 ohm) connection . The FM antenna may

Inputs

be an external roof antenna, an inside powered

or wire lead antenna or a connection from a

cable system. Note that if the antenna or connec-

tion uses 300-ohm twin-lead cable, you should

use a 300-ohm-to-75-ohm adapter to make the

connection.

4. Connect the digital audio outputs of a CD, MD

or DVD player, satellite receiver, cable box or

HDTV converter to the appropriate Optical or

Coaxial Digital Inputs UV*Ó

8. Connections to a subwoofer are normally

made via a line level audio connection from the

Subwoofer Output

to the line-level input

of a subwoofer with a built-in amplifier. When a

INSTALLATION AND CONNECTIONS 15

Installation and Connections

5. Connect the Composite and S-Video (if

Important Note for Adapter Cables:

SCART A/V Connections

S-Video device is in use) Monitor Output

If the cinch connectors of the adapter you’ll use

are labeled, connect the Audio and Video ”In”

plugs with the corresponding Audio and Video

”In” jacks on the AVR (and with a VCR connect

the ”Out” plugs to the ”Out” jacks on the AVR).

Note that with some adapter types it may be

just turned around: If no signal is audible/ visible

when the VCR is playing connect the “Out”

plugs to the ”In” jacks on the AVR and turned

around. If the adapter plugs are not labeled in

that way, pay attention to the signal flow direc-

tions as shown in the diagrams above and in the

instruction attached to the adapter. If uncertain,

don’t hesitate to consult your dealer.

For the connections described above your video

device needs RCA (cinch) connectors or/and S-

Video connectors for all Audio and Video signals:

Any normal video device (Not SVHS or High 8)

for only playback needs 3 RCA jacks, VCRs for

record and playback even 6 RCA jacks. Any S-

Video device (SVHS, High 8) needs 2 RCA

(Audio) and 1 S-Video jack (Video), if it´s a

playback unit, or 4 RCA (Audio In/Out) and

2 S-Video (Video In/Out) jacks, if it´s a recording

VCR.

jacks on the receiver to the composite and

S-Video input of your television monitor or video

projector.

6. If your DVD player and monitor both have

component video connections, connect the com-

ponent outputs of the DVD player to the DVD

Component Video Inputs

L. Note that even

when component video connections are used the

audio connections must still be made to either

the analog DVD Inputs

or any of the

Coaxial or Optical Digital Input jacks UV

Many european video devices are equipped with

RCA (Cinch) or S-Video jacks only partially, not

for all audio and video in/outputs needed as

described above, but with a so called Scart or

Euro-AV connector (almost rectangular jack with

21 pins, see drawings on next page).

7. If another component video device is available,

connect it to the Video1/ Video 2 Component

Important Notes for S-Video connections:

1. Only the S-Video In/Out of S-Video devices

must be connected to the AVR, NOT both, nor-

mal video and S-Video In/Outputs (except the TV,

see item below).

Video Inputs

device should be made to either the Video 1/

Video 2 Inputs or any of the Coaxial or

Optical Digital Input jacks UV

J. The audio connections for this

In that case the following Scart to Cinch

adapters or cables are needed:

When both connections are made, only the

S-Video signal will be viewed on the screen.

8. If the component video inputs are used, con-

nect the Monitor Component Video Output

• Units for playback, such as satellite receivers,

camcorders, DVD or LD players, need an

adapter from Scart to 3 RCA plugs, see fig. 1

(normal video devices) or from Scart to 2

RCA+1 S-Video plugs, see fig. 4 (S-Video

devices).

to the component video inputs of your TV,

2. Like most common AV units the AVR does not

convert the Video signal to S-Video or vice versa.

Thus both connections must be made from the

AVR to the TV if both, Video and S-Video

sources, are used, and the appropriate input on

the TV must be selected.

projector or display device.

9. If you have a camcorder, video game or other

audio/video device that is connected to the AVR

on a temporary, rather than permanent basis,

connect the audio, video and digital audio out-

puts of that device to the Front Panel Inputs

*ÓÒ. A device connected to the Video 5

• HiFi VCRs need an adapter from Scart to 6

RCA plugs, see fig. 2 (normal video), or from

Scart to 4 Audio+2S-Video jacks, see fig. 5

(S-Video VCR). Read carefully the instruction

attached to the adapter to find which of the

six plugs is used for the record signal to the

VCR (connect with the AVR´s Out jacks) and

for the playback signal from the VCR (connect

with the AVR´s In jacks). Do not misconnect

Audio and Video signals. Don´t hesitate to

consult your dealer, if you are uncertain.

jacks

is selected as the Video 5 input, and

connected to the digital jacks *Óit is selected

as ”Optical 4” or ”Coaxial 4” input. (See page

21 for more information on input configuration.)

Video Connection Notes:

• Y/Pr/Pb Component, RGB (see page 17),

S-Video or Composite video signals may only

be viewed in their native formats and will not

be converted to the other formats.

• If you use only normal video devices the TV

monitor needs an adapter from 3 RCA plugs

to Scart (fig. 3) only. If also S-Video devices are

used an adapter from 2 RCA+1S-Video plugs

to Scart is needed additionally (fig. 6),

connected to the SCART input on your TV that

is provided for S-Video.

• When the component video jacks are used, the

on-screen menus will not be visible. You must

switch to the standard composite or S-Video

input on your TV to view those menus.

• All component inputs/outputs can be used for

RGB signals too, in the same way as described

for the Y/Pr/Pb signals, then connected to the

jacks with the corresponding color.

But this is only correct as long as only the three

RGB video signals are output by the video

source, with a sync signal in the ”G” signal

only, without any sync signal output separately

by the source.

Note that only the video plugs (the ”yellow”

cinch plug in fig. 3 and the S-Video plug in fig.

6) must be connected to the TV Monitor

Output

B, and the volume on the TV must be

reduced to minimum.

16 INSTALLATION AND CONNECTIONS

Installation and Connections

Important Note for the Use of

SCART-Cinch Adapters:

Black

Figure 1:

SCART/Cinch-Adapter for

playback;

Yellow

When video sources are connected to the TV

directly with a SCART cable, specific control sig-

nals apart from Audio/Video signals will be fed

to the TV. These specific signals are: With all

video sources, the signal for automatic input

selection that switches the TV automatically to

the appropriate input as soon as the video

source is started. And with DVD players, the sig-

nals automatically turning the TV to 4:3/16:9

format (with 16:9 TVs or with 4:3 TVs with

selectable 16:9 format) and turning the RGB

video decoder of the TV on or off, depending on

the DVD player´s setting. With any adapter cable,

these control signals will be lost and the appro-

priate setting of the TV must be made manually.

Red

signal flow:

SCART ¡ Cinch

Black

Red

Blue¹

Blue

Yellow

Figure 2:

SCART/Cinch-Adapter for

record and playback;

signal flow:

Green

White

SCART ↔ Cinch

Black

Figure 3:

Cinch/SCART-Adapter for

Yellow

Red

Note for RGB signal with SCART:

If you use a unit providing RGB signals on a

SCART output (as e.g. most DVD players do) and

you want to use that RGB signal, this SCART

output must be connected directly to your TV.

Although the AVR can switch three-way video

signals (like component signals Y/Pb/Pr), most

TVs need separate sync signals for RGB (also

with SCART) that cannot be switched and pro-

vided by the AVR.

playback;

signal flow:

Cinch ¡ SCART

Rot

Red

Figure 4:

SCART/S-Video Adapter

for playback;

Schwarz

Black

S-Video In

signal flow:

SCART ¡ Cinch

Schwarz

Black

RGB signals can be pathed through

Rot

Red

the AVR only when no separate sync

signal is needed (see last ”Video Connection

Note” on page 16).

Blau¹

Blue

Gelb

Yellow

Figure 5:

SCART/S-Video Adapter

for record and playback;

signal flow:

S-Video In

SS--VViiddeeooOOuut t

SCART ↔ Cinch

Rot

Red

Schwarz

Black

Figure 6:

SCART/S-Video Adapter

for playback;

S-Video Out

signal flow:

Cinch ¡ SCART

¹Also other colours possible, e.g. brown and grey.

INSTALLATION AND CONNECTIONS 17

Installation and Connections

Amplifier Trigger Connections

NOTE: In both options, you may connect an

optional IR sensor in the remote room to the

AVR via an appropriate cable. Connect the sen-

System and Power Connections

If an optional, external audio power amplifier is

used, this jack will provide the connection

needed to automate the amplifier's turn-on.

Connect this jack to the Trigger Input on a

compatible amplifer. When this connection is

made, the amplifier or any other trigger

controlled device such as a projection screen or

automatic blinds will be tuned on when the

AVR is on, and off when the AVR is off.

The AVR 8500 is designed for flexible use with

multiroom systems, external control components

and power amplifiers.

sor’s cable to the Multiroom IR Input

the AVR and use the Zone II remote to control

the room volume. Alternatively, you may install

an optional volume control between the output

of the amplifiers and the speakers.

Main Room Remote Control Extension

If the receiver is placed behind a solid or smoked

glass cabinet door, the obstruction may prevent

the remote sensor from receiving commands. In

this event, the remote sensor of any Harman

Kardon or other compatible device, not covered

by the door, or an optional remote sensor may

be used. Connect the Remote IR Output of

that device or the output of the remote sensor to

External Audio Power Amplifier

Connections

NOTE: When connecting any device to this jack,

make certain that proper connection polarity is

maintained and that the total current draw of

any device connected does not exceed 500

milliamps. If you are not familiar with this type

of connection, we recommend that you consult

your dealer or installer for more information.

If desired, the AVR may be connected to option-

al, external audio power amplifiers or used with

equalizers or speaker systems that require con-

nection between the preamp and amplifier sec-

tions of a receiver.

the Remote IR Input jack

If other components are also prevented from

receiving remote commands, only one sensor is

needed. Simply use this unit’s sensor or a remote

eye by running a connection from the Remote

To make these connections, remove the jumpers

that connect the Preamp Out jacks

and

Multiroom Connections

Amplifier In jacks for the channels to be

The AVR is equipped with complete multi-zone

capabilities that allow it to send a separate

audio/video source to the remote zone from the

one selected for use in the main room.

used with external devices. Store the jumpers in

a safe place so that the AVR may be used in its

normal mode at a future date, if desired.

IR Output jack

to the Remote IR Input

jack on Harman Kardon or other compatible

equipment.

Multiroom IR Link

When an external amplifier is used, connect the

To view the video output of the source selected

for multizone operation at the remote location,

connect the wires connecting to the remote

video monitor to the Multizone output

The key to remote room operation is to link the

remote room to the AVR 8500’s location with

wire for an infrared receiver, Video signals and

speakers or an amplifier. The remote room IR

receiver (this can be an optional IR receiver or

any other remotable Harman Kardon device in

the remote room with IR sensor integrated)

should be connected to the AVR via standard

coaxial cable. Connect the Remote IR Output

of the device or of the optional sensor with the

Preamp Out jacks

amplifier. When an equalizer or speaker proces-

sor is used, connect the Preamp Out jacks

to the inputs on the

to the inputs of the processor, and connect the

outputs of the processor back to the Amplifier

jacks

Depending on the distance from the AVR to

the remote room, two options are available for

audio connection:

In jacks

on the AVR. Note that when external

amplifiers or devices are used, volume is still

controlled by the AVR, although additional vol-

ume controls on the external device may affect

volume and output levels from the AVR.

Option 1: Use high-quality, shielded audio

interconnect phono cable from the AVR’s loca-

tion to the remote room. In the remote room,

connect the interconnect cable to a stereo

power amplifier. The amplifier will be connected

to the room’s speakers. At the AVR, plug the

audio interconnect cables into the Multiroom

Multiroom IR Input jack

panel.

on the AVR’s rear

AC Power Outputs

This unit is equipped with two accessory AC out-

lets. They may be used to power accessory

devices, but they should not be used with high-

current draw equipment such as power ampli-

fiers. The total power draw to the Unswitched

If other Harman Kardon compatible source

equipment is part of the main room installation,

the Remote IR Output jack

panel should be connected to the IR IN jack on

that source device. This will enable the remote

room location to control source equipment func-

tions.

on the rear

Output Jacks

on the AVR’s rear panel.

Outlet

the Switched Outlet

must not exceed 100 watts, that to

50 watts.

Option 2: Place the amplifier that will provide

power to the remote location speakers in the

same room as the AVR, and connect the

The Switched outlet will receive power only

NOTE: All remotely controlled components must

be linked together in a “daisy chain”. Connect

the IR OUT jack of one unit to the IR IN of the

next to establish this chain.

Multiroom Output jacks

on the rear panel

when the unit is on completely. This is recom-

mended for devices that have no power switch

or a mechanical power switch that may be left in

the “ON” position.

of the AVR to the audio input of the remote

room amplifier. Use the appropriate speaker wire

to connect the optional power amplifier to the

remote speakers. High-quality wire of at least

2.5 mm²is recommended for long multiroom

connections.

NOTE: Many audio and video products go into a

Standby mode when they are used with

switched outlets, and cannot be fully turned on

using the outlet alone without a remote control

command.

The Unswitched

as long as the unit is plugged into a powered AC

outlet and the Main Power Switch is on.

outlet will receive power

18 INSTALLATION AND CONNECTIONS

Installation and Connections

Center Front Speaker

AC Power Connection

Depending on the specifics of your room

acoustics and the type of speakers in use, you

may find that imaging is improved by moving the

front-left and front-right speakers slightly

forward of the center-channel speaker. If

possible, adjust all front loudspeakers so that

they are aimed at ear height when you are

seated in the listening position.

The AVR 8500 features a removable power cord

that allows wires to be run to a complex installa-

tion so that the unit, itself, need not be installed

until it is ready for connection. When all connec-

tions described above had been made, connect

the AC Power cord to the AC Power Cord Jack

No more than

60cm

Left Front

Speaker

Right Front

Speaker

Note that the AVR 8500 draws sigificantly more

current than other household devices such as

computers that use removable power cords. For

that reason, it is important that only the cord

supplied with the unit or a direct replacement of

identical capacity.

Using these guidelines, you’ll find that it takes

some experimentation to find the correct

location for the front speakers in your particular

installation. Don’t be afraid to move things

around until the system sounds correct. Optimize

your speakers so that audio transitions across

the front of the room sound smooth.

A) Front Channel Speaker Installation with

Direct-View TV Sets or Rear-Screen Projectors

TV or Projection Screen

Once the power cord is connected, you are

almost ready to enjoy the AVR 8500's incredible

power and fidelity!

Center Front

Speaker

Left Front

Speaker

Right Front

Speaker

When the AVR is used in 5.1-channel operation,

the preferred location for surround speakers is

on the side walls of the room, at or slightly

behind the listening position. In a 7.1-channel

system, both side surround and back surround

speakers are required. The center of the speaker

should face you (see below).

Speaker Selection

No matter which type or brand of speakers is

used, the same model or brand of speaker

should be used for the front-left, center and

front-right speakers. This creates a seamless

front soundstage and eliminates the possibility

of distracting sonic disturbances that occur when

a sound moves across mismatched front-channel

speakers.

Rear surround speakers are required when a full

7.1-channel system is installed, and they may

also be used in 5.1 channel mode as an alterna-

tive mounting position when it is not practical to

place the main surround speakers at the sides of

the room. Speakers may be placed on a rear

wall, behind the listening position. As with the

side speakers, the center of the rear surrounds

should face you. The speakers should be no more

than 2 meters behind the rear of the seating

area.

Speaker Placement

Rear-Wall Mounting

The placement of speakers in a multichannel

home-theater system can have a noticeable

impact on the quality of sound reproduced.

B) The distance between the left and right

speakers should be equal to the distance from

the seating position to the viewing screen.

You may also experiment with placing the left

and right speakers slightly forward of the center

speaker.

Depending on the type of center-channel

speaker in use and your viewing device, place

the center speaker either directly above or below

your TV, or in the center behind a perforated

front-projection screen.

If dipole type speakers are used on either the

side or rear walls of the room, please note that if

there are arrows on the speakers they should

face towards the front of the room for the side

speakers, or towards the center of the wall for

the rear speakers. (see drawing on the right).

Rear speaker mounting is an alternate location

for 5.1 systems. It is required for 7.1 operation.

Once the center-channel speaker is installed,

position the left-front and right-front speakers so

that they are as far away from one another as

the center-channel speaker is from the preferred

listening position. Ideally, the front-channel

speakers should be placed so that their tweeters

are no more than 60cm above or below the

tweeter in the center-channel speaker.

Subwoofers produce largely nondirectional

sound, so they may be placed almost anywhere

in a room. Actual placement should be based on

room size and shape and the type of subwoofer

used. One method of finding the optimal

location for a subwoofer is to begin by placing it

in the front of the room, about 15cm from a

wall, or near the front corner of the room.

Another method is to temporarily place the

subwoofer in the spot where you will normally

sit, and then walk around the room until you

find a spot where the subwoofer sounds best.

Place the subwoofer in that spot. You should

also follow the instructions of the subwoofer’s

manufacturer, or you may wish to experiment

with the best location for a subwoofer in your

listening room.

They should also be at least 0.5 meter from your

TV set unless the speakers are magnetically

shielded to avoid colourings on the TV screen.

Note that most speakers are not shielded, even

with complete surround sets only the Center

speaker may be.

INSTALLATION AND CONNECTIONS 19

System Configuration

Once the speakers have been placed in the

room and connected, the remaining steps are to

program the system configuration memories.

With the AVR 8500 two kind of memories are

used, those associated individually with the

input selected, e.g. surround modes, and others

working independently from any input selected

like speaker output levels, crossover frequencies

or delay times used by the surround sound

processor.

The full OSD system is always available by press-

ing the OSD button . When this button is

Using the On-Screen Display

When making the following adjustments, you

may find them easier to make via the unit’s on-

screen display system. These easy-to-read dis-

plays give you a clear picture of the current sta-

tus of the unit and facilitate speaker, delay, input

or digital selection you are making.

pressed the MASTERMENU(Figure 1)

will appear, and adjustments are made from the

individual menus. Note that the menus will

remain on the screen for 20 seconds after the

latest action was made on the screen menu,

then they will “time-out” and disappear from

the screen. The time-out may be increased to as

much as 50 seconds by going to the

To view the on-screen displays, make certain you

have made a connection from the Video

ADVANCEDSELECTmenu, and

changing the item titled FULLOSD

TIMEOUT.

Monitor Out jack

on the rear panel to the

First Turn On

composite or S-Video input of your TV or projec-

tor. In order to view the AVR’s displays, the cor-

rect video input must be selected on your video

display. Note that the on-screen menus are not

available when a component video display is in

use.

You are now ready to power up the AVR 8500 to

begin these final adjustments.

The semi-OSD system is also available as a sys-

tem default, although it may be turned off by

using the ADVANCEDSELECTmenu.

(See page 39). With the semi-OSD system, you

may make adjustments directly, by pressing the

buttons on the front panel or remote control for

the specific parameter to be adjusted. For exam-

ple, to change the digital input for any of the

1. Make certain that the AC power cord is firmly

inserted in to the AC Power cord

Recepticle

and plug the cord into an

IMPORTANT NOTE: When viewing the on-screen

menus using a CRT-based projector, plasma display

or any direct-view CRT monitor or television, it is

important that they not be left on the screen for

an extended period of time. As with any video dis-

play, but particularly with projectors, constant dis-

play of a static image such as these menus or

video game images may cause the image to be

permanently “burned into” the CRT. This type of

damage is not covered by the AVR 8500 warranty

and may not be covered by the projector TV set’s

warranty.

unswitched AC outlet. To maintian the unit's

safety rating, DO NOT substitute the power

cord for one with lower current capacity.

sources, press the Digital Select Button

2. Press the Main Power Switch

latches and the word “OFF” on the top of the

switch disappears inside the front panel. Note

that the Power Indicator

orange, indicating that the unit is in the

Standby mode.

in until it

⁄

and then press the or Buttons

scroll through the list of options as they appear

in the on-screen display or the Upper Display

will turn

Line

MASTER

3. Remove the protective plastic film from the

main front-panel lens. If left in place, the film

may affect the performance of your remote

control.

IN/OUT

SETUP

SPEAKER

SURROUND

SETUP

SELECT

The AVR has two on-screen display modes,

“Semi-OSD” and “Full-OSD.” When making con-

figuration adjustments, it is recommended that

the Full-OSD mode be used. This will place a

complete status report or option listing on the

screen, making it easier to view the available

options and make the settings on the screen. The

Semi-OSD mode uses one-line displays only.

DELAY

ADJUST

CHANNEL

BASS

ADJUST

PEAK

LEVEL

MULTI-ROOM

ADVANCED

4. Install the three supplied AAA batteries in the

remote as shown. Be certain to follow the (+)

and (–) polarity indicators that are on the top

of the battery compartment.

Figure 1

Note that when the full OSD system is in use,

the menu selections are not shown in the Infor-

Settings to be Made Individually

for Each Input in Use

mation Display

system is used, OSD ON will appear in the

Upper Display Line and the OSD

Indicator will illuminate to remind you that

ˆ. When the full OSD menu

The AVR 8500 features an advanced memory

system that enables you to establish different

setting for the speaker configuration, digital

input and surround mode for each input source.

This flexibility enables you to custom tailor the

way in which you listen to each source and have

the AVR memorize them. This means, for exam-

ple, that you may associate different surround

modes and analog or digital inputs with

different sources, or set different speaker config-

urations with the resultant changes to the bass

management system or the use of the center

speaker and/or the Subwoofer. Once these set-

tings are made, they will automatically be

recalled whenever you select that input.

a video display must be used.

5. Turn the AVR 8500 on either by pressing the

System Power Control

Source Selector on the front panel, or

via the remote by pressing the Power On

Button , AVR Selector or any of the

Input Selectors 46on the remote. The

Power Indicator will turn green to con-

firm that the unit is on, and the Main

Information Display will also light up.

or the Input

When the semi-OSD system is used in conjunc-

tion with the discrete configuration buttons, the

on screen display will show a single line of text

with the current menu selection. That selection

will also be shown in the Upper or Lower

Display Line AB

NOTE: After pressing one of the Input Selector

buttons to turn the unit on, press the AVR

to have the remote control the AVR

Selector

functions.

20 SYSTEM CONFIGURATION

System Configuration

The factory default settings for the AVR 8500

have all inputs configured for an analog audio

input except for the DVD input, where the

When using the full-OSD system to make the

switched to an output for connection to portable

audio/video recorders. To temporarily switch

them to outputs, select the IN/OUT

setup adjustments, press the OSD button

once so that the MASTERMENU(Figure

1) appears. Note that the ^›cursor will be next

to the IN/OUTSETUPline. Press the Set

Coaxial Digital Input

is the default. Once

SETUPmenu. Press the button

until

›

the DSP processing system is used for the first

time for any input, the speaker settings will

automatically default to “Small” at all positions

with the subwoofer set to “LFE.”The default set-

ting for the surround modes is “Surround Off,”or

two-channel stereo, although Dolby Digital or

DTS will automatically be selected as appropri-

ate when a source with digital encoding is in

use.

the on-screen cursor is pointing to the

›

button

to enter the menu and the

VIDEO5line. Press the button

IN/OUTSETUPmenu (Figure 2) will

appear on the screen. Press the ^‹/› buttons

Eauntil the desired input name appears in

the highlighted video, as well as being indicated

that the word OUTis highlighted. Note that

the Input/Output Status Indicator



between the S and Composite video jacks will

turn red, indicating that the analog Video 5

in the front panel Input Indicators

by the

Jacks

are now record outputs.

green LED next to the desired input name. If the

input will use the standard left/right analog

inputs, no further adjustment is needed (except

with DVD).

Selection of the jacks as an output will remain

effective as long as the AVR is on. However, once

the unit is turned off, the jack will revert to its

normal use as an input when the unit is turned

on again.

Before using the unit, you will probably want to

change the settings for most inputs so that they

are properly configured to reflect the use of digi-

tal or analog inputs, the type of speakers

installed and the surround mode associated with

the input. Remember that since the AVR memo-

rizes the settings for each input individually, you

will need to make these adjustments for each

input used. However, once they are made, fur-

ther adjustment is only required when system

components are changed.

IN/OUT

SETUP

The AVR 8500 features electronic bass and

treble adjustments for the front left and right

channels for stereo and all surround modes,

except THX. Accessable either through the on

screen menu or directly from the remote control,

the electronic adjustments provide greater

accuracy than traditonal front panel knobs.

INPUT

:VIDEO

DIGITAL

:OPTICAL

VIDEO

TONE

BASS

:IN

OUT

MODE

:IN

:0dB

TREBLE

BACK TO

MASTER

Figure 2

To adjust the tone controls through the on-

screen menu system you must first go to the

IN/OUTSETUPmenu. If that menu is not

already on the screen, press the OSD Button

To make this process as quick and as easy as

possible, we suggest that you use the full-OSD

system with the on-screen menus, and step

through each input. Once you have completed

the settings for the first input, many settings

may be duplicated for the remaining inputs.

If you wish to associate one of the digital inputs

with the selected input source, press the

Button

on the remote while the

so that the MASTERMENUappears. As

›

IN/OUTSETUPmenu (Figure 2) is on the

screen, and note that the on-screen cursor will

drop down to the DIGITALINline.

‹ ›

the cursor will already be at the IN/OUT

menu line, press the Set Button

the IN/OUTmenu. Next, press the Button

to enter

The items that follow will describe the individual

settings required for each input. Remember that

once the settings are made for one input, they

must be made for all other input sources in your

system.

›

Press the

Buttons Eauntil the name

until the cursor is next to the TONE

of the desired digital input appears. To return to

the Analog input, press the buttons until the

word ANALOGappears. When the correct

MODEline.

‹ ›

At the TONEMODEline press the

Buttons Eato select OUTif you wish to

disable any settings for the tone controls. When

OUTis highlighted the unit is in the ”flat”

mode and the tone controls have no effect. The

normal setting is IN, which activates the tone

controls.

Input Setup

input source appears, press the button

to continue with the In/Out settings.

The first step in configuring the AVR is to select

an input, i.e. to associate an analog or digital

input with each input source in use, e.g. CD or

DVD. Note that once an input is selected, all

settings for the Digital Input, Speaker

Configuration and Surround Mode will ”attach”

themselves to that input and be stored in a non-

volatile memory. This means that once made, the

selection of an input will automatically recall

those settings. For that reason, the procedures

described below must be repeated for each

input source so that you have the opportunity to

custom tailor each source to your specific listne-

ing requirements. However, once made they

need not be changed again unless you need to

alter a setting.

To associate an analog or digital input with the

input source currently selected at any time using

the discrete function buttons, press the Digital

Input Select Button

while the full-OSD is not in use. Within five sec-

onds, make your input selection using the

7$buttons on the front or the

Buttons on the remote until the desired digital

or analog input is shown in the Upper Display

ÛG

on the remote

To adjust either the bass or treble settings for

⁄ ¤

the front left and right speakers, press the

‹ ›

›

buttons

until the cursor is to the left of

⁄ ¤

the setting you wish to adjust. At the line for the

‹ ›

desired option, press the

Buttons Ea

to increase or decrease the bass or treble

output.

Line

and in the upper line of the on-screen

display. Press the Set Button

new input assignment.

to enter the

When adjustments have been made, press the

›

Button

unil the cursor is next to

An exclusive Harman Kardon feature is the abili-

ty to switch front panel Audio/Video jacks from

their normal use as inputs to output connections

so that portable recording devices may easily be

connected. The front panel analog Video 5

BACKTOMASTERMENUto continue

with the system configuration.

Jacks

are normally set as an input for use

with camcorders, video games and other

portable audio/video products, but they may be

SYSTEM CONFIGURATION 21

System Configuration

The tone controls may also be adjusted at any

• With the currently selected input all speaker

settings will be copied to all other surround

modes (as far as speakers are used with them)

and need not be repeated when another sur-

round mode is selected with that input.

Making this selection will set the surround mode

options for the AVR so that only the correct

modes for the number of speakers in your specif-

ic system will be available. Should you change

your system and add Surround Back speakers at

a later date, it is important to change this setting

so that advanced surround modes such as THX

Surround EX, 7 Channel Stereo, Logic 7/7.1,

DTS-ES 6.1 Discrete and Matrix, DTS+NEO:6,

and DTS NEO:6 will be available.

time by pressing the Tone Mode Button

on the front panel or on the remote control.

The first press will bring up the Tone Mode

setting in the Semi-OSD on-screen display and in

‹ ›

the Lower Display Line

Buttons 7$on the front panel or

. Press the

• You can select four X-over frequencies: 40Hz,

60Hz, 80Hz and 100Hz. As the frequency

selected will affect all speakers which are set

to "SMALL", you should select that

frequency fitting the best with the "smallest"

speaker in your system as per the definitions

below.

⁄ ¤

on the remote to activate or disable the tone

controls as shown above.

To change the tone control settings, press the

Tone Mode Button

until the desired

Important Note: Moreover this setting is

linked with the Surround Back Speaker selection

outlined below, both settings will turn on

(”6.1/7.1”) or off (”5.1”) these speakers in the

same manner.

setting (BASS or TREBLE) appears in the semi-

OSD on-screen display and in the Lower

• The default setting for all speakers is

"SMALL" and the Sub "ON".

Display Line

name press the

B. When you see the correct

‹ ›

Buttons 7$on the front

on the remote to make the

⁄ ¤

panel or

To start with the speaker setting, first select any

of the DTS Neo:6 modes as with them all speak-

ers and all speaker modes are available. It is eas-

iest to select these modes directly, without the

When the desired selection is made, press the

adjustments. If no buttons are pressed for five

seconds the displays will return to their normal

operation and any changes will be stored in the

AVR's memory.

Button

to begin the speaker configura-

tion process.

on-screen display, so press the OSD button

to turn the on-screen display off if it is still visi-

ble. Then press the DTS Neo:6 button on

the front panel or on the remote.

3. Once the setting is made for 5.1 or 6.1/7.1

›

operation, the on-screen cursor will be at the

NOTE: Although all other settings in the

IN/OUTSETUPMenu are specific to the

input being adjusted, the Tone settings are

global and will carry through to all input

sources. There is no need to adjust these settings

when configuring subsequent inputs.

top of the list of speaker positions, pointing

toward the LEFT/RIGHTline, which sets

the configuration for the front left and right

speakers. If you wish to make a change to the

‹ ›

1. It is easiest to enter the proper settings for

the speaker setup through the SPEAKER

SETUPmenu (Figure 3). So press the OSD

front speakers’ configuration, press the

Buttons Easo that either LARGEor

SMALLappears, matching the appropriate

description from the definitions shown above.

Button

to bring up the MASTER

Speaker Setup

MENU(Figure 1), and then press the

Button

SPEAKERSETUPline. At this point,

press the Set Button to bring up the

SPEAKERSETUPmenu (Figure 3).

This menu tells the AVR which type of speakers

are in use. This is important as it adjusts the

settings that determine which speakers receive

low-frequency (bass) information. For each of

these settings use the LARGEsetting if the

speakers for a particular position are traditional

full-range loudspeakers that are capable of

reproducing sounds below 80Hz. Use the

SMALLsetting for smaller, frequency-limited

satellite speakers that do not reproduce sounds

below 80Hz or 100Hz or mid-size speakers that

cannot reproduce frequencies below 40 or 60 Hz

(selectable). Note that when “small” front

speakers are used, a subwoofer is required to

reproduce low-frequency sounds. Remember

that the “large” and “small” descriptions do not

refer to the actual physical size of the speakers,

but to their ability to reproduce low-frequency

sounds. If you are in doubt as to which category

describes your speakers, consult the

once so that the cursor is on the

When SMALLis selected, low-frequency front

channel sounds below the x-over frequency

selected (see above and item 9 below) will be

sent only to the subwoofer output. If you choose

this option and there is no subwoofer connected,

you will not hear any low-frequency sounds with

front channel signals.

SPEAKER

SETUP

CONFIG

5.1 6.1/7.1

SMALL

SUB

LEFT/RIGHT:

CENTER

SURROUND

SURR

BACK

When LARGEis selected, a full-range output

will be sent to the front left and front right

outputs. Depending on the choice made in

the SUBWOOFERline in this menu (see

below), the front left and right bass information

may also be directed to the subwoofer.

SUBWOOFER

X-OVER FREQ:

BACK TO MASTER

Figure 3

2. The first line on the SPEAKERSETUP

menu allows you to configure the AVR for either

standard 5.1 or advanced 6.1/7.1 operation.

Important Note: When a speaker set with a

subwoofer and two front satellites connected to

the Sub´s speaker outputs is used, the Sub´s

inputs must be connected to the Front speaker

›

With the on-screen cursor at the CH

CONFIGline, press the Set Button

and

outputs

and LARGEmust be selected for

‹

›

then press the or Buttons Easo that

5.1 is highlighted if you have no surround

back speakers installed, or 6.1/7.1 if you

have one or two speakers connected to the

specifications in the speakers’ owner’s manual,

or ask your dealer.

the front speakers.

4. When you have completed your selection for

Notes:

the front channel, press the Button

• As the speaker settings need to be made for

each input individually, you can determine

which speaker should be used depending on

the input source selected. So it´s possible e.g.

to turn off the Center and/or the Sub with any

music source selected and to use them with

any movie input source.

Surround Back Preamp Outputs

through

the remote to move the cursor to CENTER.

optional, external power amplifiers.

22 SYSTEM CONFIGURATION

System Configuration

‹ ›

5. Press the

Buttons Eaon the

When NONEis selected, surround-sound infor-

mation will be split between the front left and

front right outputs. For optimal performance

when no surround speakers are in use, the Dolby

3 Stereo mode should be used.

• If a subwoofer is connected and you wish to

use it for bass reproduction in conjunction

with the main front left/right speakers, regard-

less of the type of program source or Surround

‹ ›

remote to select the option that best describes your

center speaker, based on the speaker definitions

shown below.

mode you are listening to, press the

When SMALLis selected, low-frequency

Buttons Eaon the remote so that

SUB L/R+LFEappears in the on-

screen menu. When this option is selected, a

full-range signal will be sent to the front

left/right “main” speakers, and also to the LFE

soundtrack. The subwoofer will receive the

front left and right bass frequencies under the

crossover frequency selected in the next option

setting on this menu, as described below.

center channel sounds will be sent to the Fronts,

if they are set to LARGEand Sub is turned off

(see below). When Sub is on, low frequency cen-

When you are using surround back speakers

with your system, press the Button

the remote to move the cursor to SURR

ter channel sounds will be sent to the subwoofer BACKand set the speaker type for the speak-

only.

ers connected to the Surround Back Preamp

Outputs through an optional, external

When LARGEis selected, a full-range output

will be sent to the center speaker output, and NO

center channel signal will be sent to the sub-

woofer output (except when the Pro Logic II

Music mode is in use).

power amplifier. The choices and procedure for

configuring these speakers are identical to those

shown above for the main surround speakers.

10.When you have completed your selection for

8. When you have completed your selection for

the subwoofer, press the Button

on the

the surround channels, press the Button

on the remote to move the cursor to

SUBWOOFER.

remote to change the cursor to X-OVER

FREQ. The crossover setting may only be

adjusted using the on-screen display system.

NOTE: If you choose Logic 7 as the surround

mode for the particular input source for which

you are configuring your speakers, the AVR will

not make the LARGE option available for the

center speaker. This is due to the requirements of

Logic 7 processing, and does not indicate a

problem with your receiver.

‹ ›

9. Press the

Buttons Eaon the

At this line, you will select the frequency under

which bass information is directed to the

Subwoofer Output ∞ and above which the

remaining signal is directed to all speakers that

are set to SMALL. When making these selec-

tions, choose the crossover frequency that is

closest to the lower frequency limit of your

smallest speaker in use. This figure is normally

printed in the owner’s manual or data sheet for

the speakers; or consult the speaker’s manufac-

turer.

remote to select the option that best describes

your system.

The choices available for the subwoofer position

will depend on the settings for the other speak-

ers, particularly the front left/right positions.

When NONEis selected, no signals will be sent

to the center-channel output. The receiver will

operate in a “phantom” center channel mode.

Center-channel information will be sent to the

left and right front channel outputs and the cen-

ter channel bass will be sent to the subwoofer

output when SUBL/R+LFEis selected in

the SUBWOOFERline in this menu (see

below). This mode is needed if no Center speak-

er is used. Note that when the Logic 7 Cinema

surround mode is selected a Center speaker

must be used, the Logic 7 modes Music and

Enhance work well without a Center too.

If the front left/right speakers are set to

SMALL, the subwoofer will automatically be

set to SUB, which is the “on” position.

If the front left/right speakers are set to

LARGE, three options are available:

• When you use large full range speakers for all

channels, able to reproduce bass below 40Hz

with sufficient power, choose 40Hz, and

LARGEfor all speakers. In this case the sub-

woofer will support the front speakers with all

frequencies below 40Hz.

• If no subwoofer is connected to the AVR, press

‹ ›

the

Buttons Eaon the remote so

that NONEappears in the on-screen menu.

When this option is selected, all bass informa-

tion will be routed to the front left/right

“main” speakers.

6. When you have completed your selection for

• When any of your speakers has been set to

SMALL, the crossover frequencies 40Hz or

60Hz should be selected to match typical mid-

size speakers, that cannot handle lower fre-

quencies with sufficient level. Or select the fre-

quencies 80Hzor 100Hzto match

the typical crossover points of the smaller

speakers used in satellite speaker systems.

Choose the option that is closest to your

speakers’ design. If you are using THX certified

speakers throughout your system, the

the center channel, press the Button

on the remote to move the cursor to

SURROUND.

• If a subwoofer is connected to the AVR, you

have the option to have the front left/right

“main” speakers reproduce bass frequencies

at all times, and have the subwoofer operate

only when the AVR is being used with a digital

source that contains a dedicated Low

Frequency Effects, or LFE soundtrack. This

allows you to use both your main and sub-

woofer speakers to take advantage of the spe-

cial bass created for certain movies. To select

‹ ›

7. Press the

Buttons Eaon the remote

to select the option that best describes the sur-

round speakers in your system based on the

speaker definitions shown above.

When SMALLis selected, with all digital sur-

round modes low-frequency surround channel

sounds will be sent to the Fronts when Sub is

turned off or to the subwoofer output when Sub

is on. With any analog surround mode the rear

bass feed depends on the mode selected and

the setting of the Sub and front speakers.

crossover should be set to 80Hz, all speakers

set to SMALLand the Subwoofer(s) must be

connected.

that option press the

Buttons Ea

on the remote so that SUB(LFE)

appears in the on-screen menu.

11. When the crossover frequency selection has

been made, press the Button

and then

When LARGEis selected, a full-range output

will be sent to the surround channel outputs

(with all analog and digital surround modes),

and, except with Hall and Theater modes, NO

surround channel bass will be sent to the sub-

woofer output.

the Set Button

to return to the Main

menu.

SYSTEM CONFIGURATION 23

System Configuration

12. The Speaker Configuration may also be

changed at any time without using the full-OSD

on-screen menu system by pressing the

As an example, in the Figure below, all speakers

are set for “large,”and a subwoofer is set.

After the SURROUNDSELECTMENU

appeared the cursor will be next to the THX

line. Note that THXis no separate surround

mode selectable but a post processing for any

surround mode selected previously (except the

Logic 7 and Stereo modes).

Speaker Select button on the remote

Once the button is pressed, FNTSPEAKER

will appear in both the lower third of the video

display and in the Main Information Display

To set the THX processing in combination with

the surround mode for the input selected at first

select the surround mode as outlined below,

then move the cursor to the THXline and press

Within five seconds, either press ⁄/¤ buttons

on the remote to select a different speaker

position, or press the Set Button to begin

the Set Button

F. Each of the remaining five

the adjustment process for the front left and

right speakers.

lines on the menu (Figure 4) contains the various

surround mode categories, and within those

menus you may choose one of the sub-modes.

Note that the list of specific sub-modes in some

categories will vary according to whether 5.1 or

6.1/7.1 operation is chosen and Dolby Digital

will appear only when a digital input is selected.

In addition, the DTS modes (except NEO:6) avail-

able in the AVR will not appear unless a digital

source is selected and playing the correct bit-

stream.

Surround Setup

Once the speaker setup has been completed, the

next step for configuration of the input selected

is to set the surround mode you wish to use with

that input. Since surround modes are a matter of

personal taste, feel free to select any mode you

wish – you may change it later. The Surround

Mode chart on page 30 may help you select the

mode best suited to the input source selected.

For example you may select Dolby Pro Logic II or

Logic 7 for most analog inputs and Dolby Digital

for inputs connected to digital sources. In the

case of inputs such as a CD Player, Tape Deck or

Tuner, you may wish to set the mode to Stereo, if

that is your preferred listening mode for stan-

dard stereo sources, where it is unlikely that sur-

round encoded material will be used.

When the Set button

has been pressed and

the system is ready for a change to the front

speaker setting, the on-screen display and Main

Information Display

will read FRONT

LARGEor FRONTSMALLdepending

on the current setting. Press the ⁄/¤ buttons

on the remote until the desired setting is

shown, using the instructions for “large” or

“small” shown earlier, then press the Set button

Note: When a Dolby Digital or DTS source is

selected and playing, the AVR will select the

appropriate surround mode automatically, no

matter which surround or Logic 7 mode was

selected for that input as default. Then no other

surround modes will be available, except VMAx

with Dolby Digital recordings and all Pro Logic II

modes with Dolby Digital 2 channel (2.0) record-

ings (see page 35). Also THX or Logic 7 process-

ing can be added (see above).

If another speaker position needs to be changed,

press the ⁄/¤ buttons on the remote to

select a different speaker position, press the Set

button and then the ⁄/¤ buttons

on the remote until the correct speaker setting is

shown and press the Set button

again to

Alternatively, the 5 Channel Stereo or Logic 7

Music mode may also be a good choice for

stereo-only source material.

confirm the selection.

To assist in making these settings, the icons in

the Speaker/Channel Input Indicators

When selecting surround modes, please remem-

ber that in the case of digital surround program

material, the AVR will always examine the data

stream and automatically switch to the correct

surround mode (Dolby Digital or DTS) regardless

of any setting made in the menu system. You

may then add the THX processing by pressing

To select the mode that will be used as the ini-

will change as the speaker type is selected at

each position. When only the inner icon box is

lit, the speaker is set for “small.” When the inner

box and the two outer boxes with circles inside

them are lit, the speaker is set for “large.” When

no indicator appears at a speaker location, that

position is set for “none” or “no” speaker. When

6.1/7.1 system configuration has been selected

the Surround Back icons SBL/SBR will only turn

on when the surround mode selected provides

for surround back signals, i.e. with DTS Neo:6

without THX, Dolby Digital with THX

⁄ ¤

tial default for an input, first press the

buttons

until the on-screen cursor is next to

the desired mode’s master category name, such

as Dolby, DTS, DSP (SURR), etc. Next, press the

Set Button

to view the sub-menu. Press

‹ ›

the

Buttons Eato scroll through the

any of the Home THX Buttons

front panel or remote.

available choices, and then press the

Button

so that the cursor is next to BACK TO

SURRSELECTto return to the surround

select menu.

It is easiest to complete the surround setup

using the full-OSD on-screen menus. From the

⁄ ¤

MASTER menu (Figure 1), press the

The THX sub-menu will only have one choice

when the mode is selected, as there may only be

a single option once the 5.1 or 6.1/7.1 version

of the mode is selected. In the case of other

modes, such as Dolby, DTS, Logic 7, DSP and

STEREO there will be multiple options or choices.

›

buttons

until the cursor is next to the

(THX Surround EX) and DTS.

SURROUNDSELECTmenu. Press the Set

Button so that the SURROUND

SELECTmenu (Figure 4) is on the screen.

Note: These icons are available only when

making setup changes without the use of the

full OSD mode.

SURROUND

SELECT

To set the THX processing for the current input

after the surround mode was selected as

described above, move the cursor to the THX

THX

DOLBY

DTS

LOGIC

DSP

(SURR)

line and press the Set Button

STEREO

BACK

MASTER

Figure 4

24 SYSTEM CONFIGURATION

System Configuration

The THX menu appearing will show the current

surround mode processed, see figure 5 below,

and no other selection is available. Note that the

same messages will also appear in the Lower

Display Line on the front panel or the semi on

screen display when the full on screen display

system is not in use.

On the DTSmenu, the selection choices made

31 for a complete explanation of the DSP sur-

round modes. Note that the Hall and Theater

modes are not available when a Dolby Digital or

DTS soundtrack is played.

‹ ›

with the

Buttons Eaon the remote

are determined by a combination of the type of

DTS program material in use and whether the

5.1 or 6.1/7.1 speaker output configuration is in

use. When either of the speaker configurations is

in use, you may select either the Neo:6 Music or

Neo:6 Cinema mode when an analog source is

playing to deliver an enhanced 5.1-channel or

even 7.1 channel sound field.

On the STEREO menu, the selection choices

‹ ›

made with the

Buttons Eaon the

remote may either turn the surround processing

off for a traditional two-channel stereo presenta-

tion, or select 5 Stereo or 7 Stereo

depending on whether the 5.1 or 6.1/7.1 output

is in use. The latter modes feed the stereophonic

input signal to both front speakers, to the rear

speakers and to both surround back speakers (if

in use), while the monophonic signal parts are

spread over all speakers, also the Center. See

page 31 for a complete explanation of the 5

Stereo and 7 Stereo modes.

The THX menu will vary according to the speaker

configuration for your system and the surround

mode selected:

When the 5.1 configuration is in use the AVR

will automatically select the 5.1 version of DTS

processing when a DTS data stream is received.

When the 6.1/7.1 mode is selected, the DTS-ES

Discrete mode will automatically be activated

when a DTS source with the ES Discrete “flag” is

in use. When a non-ES DTS disc is in use, when

the 6.1/7.1 mode is chosen the unit automati-

cally will select the DTS + NEO:6 mode to create

a full eight-speaker surround mode. See page

30, 34 for a complete explanation of the DTS

modes.

When the system is configured for 5.1 channel,

the MODEline on the THXmenu will read

THXCINEMAwhen Dolby Digital mode is

selected. When the 6.1/7.1 channel system is

configured, the menu will read THXSURR

EXwhen the Dolby Digital or DTS mode is

selected. In all other cases, no matter if with 5.1

or 6.1/7.1 configuration, the current surround

mode will be shown with the term +THX

added behind.

After the selections are made in the Dolby, DTS,

Logic 7, DSP (Surround) or Stereo menus, press

⁄ ¤

the

buttons

so that the cursor moves

to the BACK TO MASTERMENUline and

press the Set Button

When the selection of the surround mode and

the THX processing is completed, press the

⁄ ¤

On the Logic 7 menu, the selection choices

buttons

until the cursor is next to

Adjustments for Other Inputs

‹ ›

made with the

Buttons Eaon the

BACKTOMASTERMENUand press the

Set Button to continue the setup process.

After one input has been adjusted for analog or

digital input, speaker type and surround mode,

return to the IN/OUTSETUPline on the

MASTERmenu and enter the settings for each

input that you will use. In most cases, only the

digital input and surround mode may be differ-

ent from one input to the next, while the speak-

er type will usually be the same and may easily

be entered by copying the speaker settings from

the first input adjusted. But if prefered you can

also select different speaker types or turn speak-

ers on or off individually for each input in use.

remote are determined by whether the 5.1 or

6.1/7.1 speaker output configuration is in use. In

either case, the selection of a Logic 7 mode

enables Harman Kardon’s exclusive Logic 7 pro-

cessing to create fully enveloping, multichannel

surround from either two-channel Stereo or

Matrix-encoded programming such as VHS cas-

settes, laserdiscs or television broadcasts pro-

duced with Dolby surround.

The following few paragraphs detail the

instructions needed for modes with multiple

choices.

On the Dolby menu (Figure 5), the selection

choices include Dolby Digital, Dolby Pro Logic II

Music, Dolby Pro Logic II Cinema, Dolby Pro

Logic II Emulation and Dolby 3 Stereo. A com-

plete explanation of these modes is found on

Page 30. Note that when the Dolby Digital mode

is selected there are additional settings available

for the Night mode that are associated with the

surround mode only, not with the input. That´s

why these settings must be made only once, not

with each input in use. They are described later

in the next main chapter (see below).

In the 5.1 configuration you may select the Logic

7/5.1 Music, Cinema or Enhanced modes. They

work best with two-channel music, surround-

encoded programs or standard two-channel pro-

gramming of any type, respectively. When the

6.1/7.1 mode is selected, the Logic 7/7.1 Music

or Cinema modes are available, then the output

will be in a full eight-channel sound field, with

pure stereo or surround encoded programs. Note

that the Logic 7 modes are not available when

either Dolby Digital or DTS Digital soundtracks

are in use.

Settings Independent of

the Input Selected

After the settings described above have been

made for all input sources in your system, the

following settings, made with any input, will

remain in effect independent of the input select-

ed. In order to make these settings as easy as

possible, the OSD menu system should be used.

THX

TO SURR

THX

SURR

SELECT

MODE:

BACK

Delay Settings

On the DSP (SURR) menu, the selection

Due the different distances between the listen-

ing position for the front channel speakers and

the surround speakers, the amount of time it

takes for sound to reach your ears from the front

or surround speakers is different. You may com-

pensate for this difference through the use of

the delay settings to adjust the timing for the

specific speaker placement and acoustic condi-

tions in your listening room or home theater.

‹ ›

choices made with the

Buttons Ea

on the remote select one of the DSP surround

modes that are designed for use with two-chan-

nel stereo programs to create a variety of sound

field presentations. The choices available are Hall

1, Hall 2, Theater, VMAx Near and VMAx Far. The

Hall and Theater modes are designed for multi-

channel installations, while the two VMAx

modes are optimized for use in delivering a full

surround field when only the front left and front

right speakers are installed. See pages 30 and

Figure 5

SYSTEM CONFIGURATION 25

System Configuration

⁄ ¤

Only for any Dolby or DTS surround mode using

all speakers you´ve configured (see below), you

will need to adjust the delay setting. The delay

settings for all other Dolby and DTS modes will

be made automatically. Note that the delay time

is not adjustable for any other modes.

Now press the

buttons

to move the

To adjust the Night mode setting, make certain

that the ^›cursor is on the NIGHTline of the

‹ ›

cursor subsequently through each speaker and

‹ ›

press the

Buttons Eato adjust the

distance measured previously with each speaker

position.

DOLBYmenu. Next, press

Buttons

Eato choose between the following set-

tings.

Continue with the setting until the distance for

the subwoofer is adjusted. Next press the

twice, then Set button

return to the Master Menu.

OFF: When OFF is highlighted, the Night mode

will not function.

Important Note: Once the delay setting has

been made with any input it will be effective

with all other inputs too.

buttons

MID: When MID is in the highlighted video, a

mild compression will be applied.

To re-synchronize the front, center and surround

channels at first measure and note the distance

from the listening/viewing position to the front,

center, surround and surround back (if any)

speakers in meters.

Now you´ve adjusted the delay for all speakers

installed and all surround modes.

MAX: When MAX is in the highlighted video, a

more severe compression algorithm will be

applied.

Note that the delay settings may also be

adjusted when any Dolby or DTS mode is in use

at any time (when the full on screen display is

When you want to use the Night mode feature,

we recommend that you select the MID setting

as a starting point and change to the MAX set-

ting later, if desired.

The Delay setting for all speakers configured for

your system will be available only (with 5.1 or

with 6.1/7.1 configuration) when any Dolby or

DTS surround mode is selected using all speak-

ers you´ve configured. The speakers used by any

surround mode will be shown by the Speaker/

not in use) by pressing the Delay Button

⁄ ¤

on the remote. Then press the

buttons

on the remote to select the appropriate

channels for adjustment, followed by a press of

When the setting has been made, press the

⁄ ¤

the Set button

buttons

figure appears in the Main Information

Display or the semi OSD and press the Set

button twice to confirm the setting and

. Next, press the

buttons

so that the › cursor is next

on the remote until the desired

to BACKTOSURRSELECT, and press

the Set button to return to the SUR-

Channel Input Indicator

on the front

display.

ROUNDSELECTmenu.

To start with the delay settings at first select any

input associated with such a Dolby or DTS mode.

Next, continue within the MASTER

Note that the Night mode may be adjusted

directly any time that Dolby Digital surround

mode is selected (without THX processing and

with the OSD not in use) by pressing the Night

return to the normal display.

Night Mode Settings

MENU(Figure 1). If the system is not already

The Night mode is a feature of Dolby Digital that

uses special processing to preserve the dynamic

range and full intelligibility of a movie sound

track while reducing the peak level. This prevents

abruptly loud transitions from disturbing others,

without reducing the sonic impact of a digital

source. Note that the Night mode is only

available when the Dolby Digital surround mode

is selected.

at that point, press the OSD button

bring up the master menu. Press the Button

Lto

button

B. When the button is pressed, the

words D-RANGEfollowed by the current set-

ting (MID, MAX, OFF) will appear in the

lower third of the video screen and in the Main

⁄ ¤

›

three times or until the on-screen cursor

is pointing at the DELAYADJUSTline.

Press the Set Button to call up the menu.

Information Display

ˆ. Press the

but-

tons

within five seconds to select the

desired setting, then press Set

to confirm

DELAY

ADJUST

the setting.

:10

SBR :10

SBL :10

CEN

To adjust the Night mode setting from the menu

Output Level Adjustment

Output level adjustment is a key part of the

SUB :12

METER

press the OSD Button

MASTERmenu appears. Then press the

button twice and press Set to select

so that the

UNIT :FEET

configuration of any surround-sound product. It

is particularly important for a digital receiver

such as the AVR, as correct outputs ensure that

you hear sound tracks with the proper

directionality and intensity.

BACK TO

MASTER

the SURROUNDSELECTmenu. Again

press the button

once and press Set

Figure 6

to select the DOLBYmenu (see fig. 7).

NOTE: Listeners are often confused about the

operation of the surround channels. While some

assume that sound should always be coming

from each speaker, most of the time there will

be little or no sound in the surround channels.

This is because they are only used when a

movie director or sound mixer specifically places

sound there to create ambience, a special effect

or to continue action from the front of the room

to the rear. When the output levels are properly

set, it is normal for surround speakers to oper-

ate only occasionally. Artificially increasing the

volume to the rear speakers may destroy the

illusion of an enveloping sound field that dupli-

cates the way you hear sound in a movie theater

or concert hall.

The menu will show all speakers installed in the

following way: FL/R (Front Left/Right), CEN

(Center), SR/L (Surround Left/Right) and SBR/SBL

(Surround Back Left/Right) and the Sub. Behind

each speaker´s term you will find the default

setting for the distance between speaker and

listener.

MODE:

DOLBY

DIGITAL

OFF MID

SURR

NIGHT:

BACK TO

MAX

SELECT

⁄

Press the button

cursor to the UNITline and press the

twice to move the

‹ ›

Figure 7

Buttons Eato select the unit for distances

approriate for your country, feet or meter.

26 SYSTEM CONFIGURATION

System Configuration

IMPORTANT NOTE: The output level can be

adjusted for each digital and analog surround

mode individually. This allows you to compen-

sate for level differences between speakers, that

may also vary with the surround mode selected,

or to increase or decrease the level of certain

speakers intentionally, depending on the sur-

round mode selected. Note that adjustments

made for any surround mode are effective with

all inputs associated with the same surround

mode.

6. Press and hold the SPL Indicator Select

Button for three seconds. Release it

when the Program/SPL Indicator

stops flashing and remains lit. Press the 5

Button on the remote if your system is

configured for 5.1 operation with standard

speakers or when it is configured for 7.1 oper-

ation but the surround back speakers are not

in use with the surround mode currently

level is too low. When the indicator is green,

the level is correct, and the test noise will

move to the next channel.

• While adjustments are being made, the red

LED under the AVR Selector fwill flash.

This is normal, and indicates that EzSet is

operating.

9. After the test noise has circulated once

through each channel, it will send the tone

to each channel once again, to verify the set-

tings.

selected. Press the 7 Button

on the

remote only if your system is configured for

6.1/7.1 operation with a full speaker comple-

ment including rear surround speakers and

the surround back speakers are in use with

the surround mode selected. Note that all

speakers currently in use always are indicated

Before beginning the output level adjustment

process, make certain that all speaker connec-

tions have been properly made. The system

volume should be turned down at first. While the

AVR 8500 allows you to set output levels manu-

ally, we recommend that EzSet system be used

when the AVR is first installed to establish the

initial level settings.

10. After two complete circulations of the tone,

the levels are set. The Program/SPL

Indicator

channel. Upon completion of the second cir-

culation, the Program/SPL Indicator

will remain green at each

by the Speaker/Channel Indicators

the front panel display. Once the correct chan-

nel configuration button has been pressed the

test noise will be heard from the front left

speaker.

will flash green twice and then go out. The

tone will stop and the AVR will return to nor-

mal operation.

Using EzSet

Harman Kardon’s exclusive EzSet remote makes

it possible to quickly and accurately set the

AVR’s output levels without the use of a sound

pressure meter, although manual adjustment is

also available. However, for the easiest set-up,

follow these steps while seated in the listening

position that will be used most often:

Manual Output Level Adjustment

7. At this point, EzSet will take over, adjusting

the output level of each channel so that when

the process is complete all levels will be equal

and at the set reference point. This process

may take a few minutes, depending on the

extent of adjustment required.

Output levels may also be adjusted manually,

either to set them to a specific level with an SPL

meter, or to make fine tuning adjustments to the

levels obtained using the EzSet remote.

Manual output level adjustment is most easily

done through the CHANNELADJUST

menu (Figure 8). If you are already at the main

8. During the adjustment, you will see the loca-

tion of the channel position being adjusted

appear in the on-screen display (if connected)

1. Make certain that all speaker positions have

been properly configured for their “large” or

“small” settings (as outlined above).

menu, press the Button

until the on-

›

screen cursor is next to the CHANNEL

ADJUSTline. If you are not at the main

menu, press the OSD Button vto bring up

the MASTERMENU(Figure 1), and then

and in the Main Information Display

ˆ,

alternating with a readout of the output set-

ting, relative to the reference volume level. As

the adjustment proceeds, a few things will

happen simultaneously:

2. Turn off the OSD system if it is in use.

3. Select any input associated with the surround

mode for which you want to adjust the output

levels. Remember that the same adjustments

must be made with all other surround modes

you´ve in use.

press the Button

on-screen cursor is next to the CHANNEL

four times so that the

›

• The channel position being adjusted will flash

in the Speaker/Channel Input Indicators

ADJUSTline. Press the Set Button

bring the CHANNELADJUSTmenu (Figure

. If the test noise is heard from a channel

8) to the screen.

4. The AVR 8500 features a specific Test Tone

generator for the Subwoofer, that should be

switched off for a proper level alignment by

other than the one shown in the Indicator, the

on-screen display or the front panel display,

there is an error in the speaker connections. If

CHANNEL

ADJUST

0dB

SBR

SBL

0dB

the EzSet system. Press the OSD Button

CEN

this is the case, press the Test Button

to open the MASTERMENU, select the

CHANNELADJUSTline and press Set

TWICE to stop the adjustment. Then, turn the

unit off and verify that all speakers are con-

nected to the proper Outputs DEF and

that any connections made to rear surround

speakers powered by optional amplifiers

through the Surround Back Preamp

SUB

CHANNEL

RESET:OFF

:OFF

TEST

SUB

TONE

button

to open that menu. Make sure

TEST

TONE:OFF

that OFFis highlighted in the SUBTEST

TONEline; if not, select that line and press

‹ ›

BACK

MASTER

Buttons Eaonce to turn the Tone

off. Then return to the MASTERMENU.

Outputs

are correct. Afterwards start the

Figure 8

adjusting process again from the beginning.

5. Hold the remote in front of you, being sure

not to cover the EzSet Sensor Microphone

Once the menu appears on your video screen,

⁄

• As the individual channels are set, the channel

name and the adjustment offset will appear in

the on-screen display (if connected) and the

first use the Button

screen cursor so that it is next to the TEST

to move the on-

at the top of the remote and aim it at the

›

AVR, don´t hold it vertically (like a micro-

phone).

‹ ›

TONE line. Press the

Buttons Ea

Main Information Display

level is changing, the Program/SPL

Indicator will change colors to reflect

ˆ. While the

so that ON is highlighted.

the output level in relation to the reference. A

red indication shows that the level is too high,

while an orange indication shows that the

SYSTEM CONFIGURATION 27

System Configuration

You will hear a test noise circulate from speaker

to speaker in a clockwise direction around the

room. The test noise will play for two seconds in

each speaker before circulating, and a blinking

on-screen cursor will appear next to the name of

each speaker location when the sound is at that

speaker.

You may also adjust the output levels manually

while using the level indication feature of the

EzSet remote. To activate the sensor and indica-

tor, simply press and release the SPL Indicator

The output levels may also be adjusted at any

time using the remote control and semi-OSD sys-

tem. To adjust the output levels in this fashion,

press the Test Button

8. As soon as the but-

Select Button

on the remote while the

ton is pressed, the test tone will begin to circu-

late as indicated earlier. The correct channel from

which the test noise should be heard will be

shown in the lower third of the video screen and

test tone is circulating.

The Program/SPL Indicator

will change

color to indicate the level. Adjust the level using

NOTE: Remember to verify that the speakers

have been properly connected. As the test noise

circulates, listen to make certain that the sound

comes from the speaker position shown in the

‹ ›

the

Buttons Eaon the remote until

in the Main Information Display

ˆ. While

the LED lights green for all channels. When it is

red, the level is too high; when it is orange, the

level is too low. Press the SPL Indicator Select

the test noise is circulating, the proper channel

position will also be indicated in the Speaker/

Channel Input Indicators

by a blinking

Main Information Display

ˆ. If the sound

button when you are finished to turn the

letter within the correct channel.

comes from a speaker location that does NOT

match the position indicated in the display, turn

sensor and Indicator off.

⁄ ¤

To adjust the output level, press the

but-

the AVR off using the Main Power Switch

NOTE: The Subwoofer level is not adjustable

when the normal test tone is in use as proper

subwoofer adjustment requires a different test

tone. With the AVR 8500 a specific THX

Subwoofer-Test tone can be activated in the

Channel Adjust Menu. This tone can be used to

set your subwoofer´s gain in the following way:

tons until the desired level is shown in the

and check the speaker wiring or connections to

external power amplifiers to make certain that

each speaker is connected to the correct output

terminal.

display or on screen. Once the buttons are

released, the test noise will begin to circulate

again in five seconds.

When all channels have the same output level,

After checking for speaker placement, let the

test noise circulate again, and listen to see

which channels sound louder than the others.

Using the front left speaker as a reference, press

‹ ›

turn the Volume

down to about -40dB,

otherwise the listening level may be too high as

soon as the source’s music starts to play. After-

When the Channel Adjust Menu is on the

screen, move the cursor to the line SUB

‹ ›

wards press the Test Tone Selector

but-

the

Buttons Eaon the remote to

TESTTONE, then press the

Buttons

ton again to turn the test tone off and complete

the process.

bring all speakers to the same volume level.

Eato turn the Sub Test Tone on (or off).

When done, the Sub Test Tone will not be turned

on at once but it will be included into the

"normal" test tone loop through speakers as

described above for the Manual Output Level

Adjustment. Note that this specific Sub Test

Tone should not be used with the automatic or

manual level alignment while using the EzSet

system of the remote (see page 27 and above).

The Subwoofer output level may also be adjust-

ed when the channel levels are being trimmed to

a program source rather than the test tone, as

shown on page 37.

‹ ›

When one of the

buttons is pushed, the test

IMPORTANT NOTE: The Output level adjust-

ment made will be effective for all inputs, but

only for the actual surround mode selected. To

be effective for any other mode select that mode

(with any input) and repeat the level adjustment

described above. This will also allow you to com-

pensate level differences between speakers, that

may be different with each surround mode, or to

increase or decrease the level of certain speakers

intentionally, depending on the surround mode

selected.

noise circulation will pause on the channel being

adjusted to give you time to make the adjust-

ment. When you release the button, the circula-

tion will resume after five seconds. The on-screen

›

cursor and the test noise can also be moved

directly to the speaker to be adjusted by press-

⁄ ¤

ing the

buttons

on the remote.

Continue to adjust the individual channels until

the volume level sounds the same from each

speaker. Note that adjustments should be made

‹ ›

with the

Buttons Eaon the remote

Note: Output level adjustment is also available

for the VMAx or Surround Off mode, allowing to

compensate level differences between left and

right channels (Balance control) with all modes

selected.

only, NOT the main volume controls.

When all channels have an equal volume level,

the adjustment is complete. Now turn the

Volume

down to about -40dB, otherwise

the listening level may be too high as soon as

the source’s music starts to play. To exit this

⁄ ¤

menu, press the

screen cursor is next to the BACKTO

MASTER MENUline, and then press the

buttons

until the on-

›

Set Button

to return to the MASTER

MENU.

28 SYSTEM CONFIGURATION

System Configuration

Bass Peak Limiter

As indicated in the menu, when you start the

process a special test tone will be heard through

the subwoofer or front/left right speakers,

depending on your system's configuration. Press

The AVR 8500 includes a bass peak level limiter

as part of the THX Ultra program to protect your

subwoofer from being damaged by excessive

levels. Note that if you are using full range front

left/right speakers instead of a conventional

subwoofer, the settings for the Bass Peak Limiter

will apply to those speakers.

the Volume Up Button

until the sound

from the subwoofer or front speakers' low

frequency drivers sounds distorted or crackly.

At that point IMMEDIATELY press the Set

Button

To set the Bass Peak Limiter you must be at the

BASSPEAKLEVELMENU(figure 9). If

that menu is not on the screen, press the OSD

At this point the maximum setting will be

entered, the test noise will stop and the unit will

return to the MASTERMENU.

Button

and then press the Button

›

until the on-screen cursor is next to BASS

When all settings and adjustments have been

made, press the OSD Button

normal operation of the AVR.

PEAKLEVEL. Press the Set Button

Fto

to return to

display that menu.

BASS

PEAK

LEVEL

:OFF

Once the settings outlined on the previous

pages have been made, the AVR is ready for

operation. While there are some additional

settings to be made, these are best done after

you have had an opportunity to listen to a

variety of sources and different kinds of program

material. These advanced settings are described

on pages 39 to 40 of this manual. In addition,

any of the settings made in the initial

configuration of the unit may be changed at any

time. As you add new or different sources or

speakers, or if you wish to change a setting to

better reflect your listening taste, simply follow

the instructions for changing the settings for

that parameter as shown in this section.

PEAK

LIMITER

YES

dB)

SETTING

START:NO

(PEAK

LIMIT :--

BACK

MASTER

Figure 9

‹ ›

If you wish to use the Limiter, press the

Buttons Easo that ONis highlighted while

the on-screen cursor is at the PEAK

LIMITERline. Next, press the Button

›

once so that the cursor is on the

‹ ›

SETTING STARTline. Press the

Note that any settings changed at any time, also

when the discrete buttons are used only, will be

stored in memory in the AVR, also if it´s turned

off completely, unless it will be reset (see page

52). The settings will either depend on the input

(Speaker configuration, analog/digital input

selection, surround mode) or on the surround

mode selected (speaker output level) or be

independent from any input or surround mode

(crossover, only depending on the front speaker

configuration), as described on previous pages.

Buttons Easo that YESis highlighted to

start the processing of setting the peak level.

Note that the menu will change to provide

additional instructions as show in figure 10.

BASS

PEAK

LEVEL

PEAK

LIMITER

OFF

SETTING

START:NO

YES

dB)

(PEAK

BACK

LIMIT

:-30

TO MASTER

Turn up the volume with

master =VOL UP= button.

When distortion is aud-

ible push =SET= button.

Having completed the setup and configuration

process for your AVR, you are about to

experience the finest in music and home-

theater listening. Enjoy!

Figure 10

SYSTEM CONFIGURATION 29

Operation

Surround Mode Chart

MODE

FEATURES

DELAY RANGE

DOLBY DIGITAL

Surround EX,

THX Surround EX

Dolby Digital Surround EX™ was developed jointly by Lucasfilm THX and Dolby Laboratories.

Dolby Digital Surround EX describes the encoding system and is a trademark of Dolby Laboratories.

Dolby Digital Surround EX encoding was developed to provide the sound mixer greater

opportunities for the placement of sounds to the rear as well as the sides of the listener.

THX Surround EX processing is the decoding scheme to correctly decode a Dolby Digital Surround EX

encoded movie soundtrack for use in consumer applications. It decodes the previously encoded third

surround channel (“Surround Back”) from the traditional two surround channels (Surround Left and

Surround Right) which act as a carrier. This decoding is performed by a dematrixing circuit similar to

Dolby 3 Stereo. In addition, products with THX Surround EX will include appropriate THX post

processing and a defined Bass Management System. But with the AVR8500 the THX Surround EX

decoding is available also with many other surround formats, see "THX Processing" below.

see Dolby Digital;

Surround Back like

Surround

THX Processing

THX processing may be selected with an analog source to enhance the presentation of matrix surround- delay adjust the

encoded programs with either Dolby Pro Logic II or DTS Neo:6 as the basic surround processor by use of same as with

the THX processing (Re-EQ, Timbre Matching). When a digital source is in use, the proper THX 5.1 or

7.1 mode will be selected, depending on the speaker configuration in your system. For 5.1 systems

THX Cinema is available for Dolby Digital sources and THX 5.1 for DTS sources. For 7.1 systems,

THX Surround EX is available with Dolby Digital (5.1 or 5.1EX) and with DTS (5.1) sources to create rear

surround channels using specially encoded information within a movie´s soundtrack. With DTS 6.1 Discrete

or Matrix recordings THX Surround is available too to enhance the presentation with help of the

THX processing (Re-EQ, Timbre Matching).

surround modes

that will be

THX processed

DOLBY DIGITAL

Available only with digital input sources encoded with Dolby Digital data. It provides

up to five separate main audio channels and a special dedicated Low Frequency Effects

channel.

Fronts/Center: 0 m - 9 m

Initial Setting – 3.6 m

Surround: 0 m - 9 m

Initial Setting – 3 m

Subwoofer: 0 m - 9 m

Initial Setting: 3.6 m

DTS 5.1

When the speaker configuration is set for 5.1-channel operation, the DTS 5.1 mode is

available when DVD, audio-only music or laserdiscs encoded with DTS data are played.

DTS 5.1 provides up to five separate main audio channels and a special dedicated

low-frequency channel.

see Dolby Digital

DTS-ES 6.1 Matrix

When the speaker configuration is set for 6.1/7.1 operation, playback of a DTS-encoded program

see Dolby Digital;

Surround Back like

Surround

DTS-ES 6.1 Discrete source will automatically trigger the selection of one of the two DTS-ES modes. Newer discs with

special DTS-ES discrete encoding will be decoded to provide six discrete, full-bandwidth channels

plus a separate low-frequency channel. All other DTS discs will be decoded using the DTS-ES Matrix

mode, which creates a 6.1-channel sound field from the original 5.1-channel soundtrack.

DOLBY PRO LOGIC II Dolby Pro Logic II is the latest version of Dolby Laboratory’s benchmark surround technology

see Dolby Digital

MOVIE

MUSIC

EMULATION

that decodes full-range, discrete left, center right, right surround and left surround channels

from matrix surround encoded programs and conventional stereo sources when

an analog input or a digital input with PCM or Dolby Digital 2.0 recordings is in use. The

Dolby Pro Logic II Movie mode is optimized for movie soundtracks that are recorded with matrix

surround, by creating separate center, rear left and rear right signals. while the Pro Logic II Music

mode should be used with musical selections that are recorded with matrix surround or even with

normal stereo mode, creating separate rear left and rear right signals

in any case. The Pro Logic II Emulation mode creates compelling five-channel surround sound from

conventional stereo recordings.

30 OPERATION

Operation

Surround Mode Chart

MODE

FEATURES

DELAY RANGE

Logic 7 Cinema

Logic 7 Music

Logic 7 Enhance

Exclusive to Harman Kardon for AV receivers, Logic 7 is an advanced mode that extracts the

maximum surround information from either surround-encoded programs or conventional stereo

material. Depending on the number of speakers in use and the selection made in the SURROUND

SELECT menu, the “5.1” versions of Logic 7 modes are available when the 5.1 option is chosen,

while the “7.1” versions of Logic 7 produce a full sound field presentation, including back surround

speakers when the “6.1/7.1” option is chosen. The Logic 7 C (or Cinema) mode should be used

with any source that contains Dolby Surround or similar matrix encoding. Logic 7 C delivers

increased center-channel intelligibility, and more accurate placement of sounds with fades and pans

that are much smoother and more realistic than with former decoding techniques. The Logic 7 M or

Music mode should be used with analog or PCM stereo sources. Logic 7 M enhances the listening

experience by presenting a wider front soundstage and greater rear ambience. Both Logic 7 modes

also direct low-frequency information to the subwoofer (if installed and configured) to deliver

maximum bass impact. The Logic 7 E (or Enhance) mode is an extension of the Logic 7 modes that is

primarily used with musical programs and is available with the 5.1 surround mode option selected

only. Logic 7 E adds additional bass enhancement that circulates low frequencies in the 40Hz to 120Hz

range to the front and surround speakers to deliver a less localized soundstage that appears broader

and wider than when the subwoofer is the sole source of bass energy.

Delay not adjustable

DTS Neo:6 Cinema

DTS Neo:6 Music

These two modes are available when any analog source is playing to create a six-channel

surround presentation from conventional Matrix-encoded and traditional Stereo sources. Select

the Cinema version of Neo:6 when a program with any type of analog Matrix surround encoding

is present. Select the Music version of Neo:6 for optimal processing when a nonencoded,

two-channel stereo program is being played.

see Dolby Digital

DOLBY 3 STEREO

Uses the information contained in a surround-encoded or two-channel stereo program to

create center-channel information. In addition, the information that is normally sent to the

rear-channel surround speakers is carefully mixed in with the front-left and front-right

channels for increased realism. Use this mode when you have a center-channel speaker

but no surround speakers.

Delay not adjustable

THEATER

The THEATER mode creates a sound field that resembles the acoustic feeling of a

standard live performance theater, with stereo and even pure mono sources.

Delay not adjustable

HALL 1

HALL 2

The two Hall modes create sound fields that resemble a small (HALL1) or

medium sized (HALL 2) concert hall, with stereo and even pure mono sources.

VMAx Near

VMAx Far

When only the two front-channel loudspeakers are used, Harman’s patented VMAx mode

delivers a three-dimensional sound space with the illusion of “phantom speakers” at the

center and surround positions. The VMAx N, or “Near Field” mode should be selected when

your listening position is less than 1,5 m from the speakers. The VMAx F, or “Far Field” mode

may be selected when your listening position is greater than 1,5 m from the speakers.

The VMAx modes are also available using the Headphones Output 4. When headphones

are being used, the Far Field mode will push the sound field away from your ears,

reducing the “inside the head” sensation often experienced when using headphones.

5-Channel Stereo

7-Channel Stereo

This mode takes advantage of multiple speakers to place a stereo signal at both the front and

back of a room. Depending on whether the AVR has been configured for either 5.1 or 6.1/7.1

operation, one of these modes, but not both, is available at any time. Ideal for playing music in

situations such as a party, this mode places the same signal at the front-left and surround-left,

and at the front-right and surround-right speakers. The center channel is fed a summed mono

mix of the in-phase material of the left and right channels.

No delay available in

these modes

SURROUND

OFF (STEREO)

This mode turns off all surround processing and presents the pure left- and right-

channel presentation of two-channel stereo programs.

Delay not adjustable

OPERATION 31

Operation

When the programmed sleep time has elapsed,

the unit will automatically turn off (to Standby

mode). Note that the front panel display will dim

to one half brightness when the Sleep function is

programmed. To cancel the Sleep function, press

• When a composite or S-Video source is selected,

its audio signal will be fed to the speakers and

the video signal for that input will be routed to the

Basic Operation

Once you have completed the setup and configu-

ration of the AVR 8500, it is simple to operate

and enjoy. The following instructions should be

followed for you to maximize your enjoyment of

your new receiver:

appropriate Monitor Output Jack

and will be

viewable on a TV monitor connected to the AVR.

If a component video source is connected to the

and hold the Sleep Button

until the infor-

mation display returns to normal brightness and

the Sleep indicator numbers disappear and the

words SLEEPOFFappear in the Lower

DVD

will be routed to the Component Video

Outputs . Make certain that your TV is set to

or Video 2

Component Inputs, it

Turning the AVR On or Off

• When using the AVR 8500 for the first time, you

must press the Main Power Switch

front panel to turn the unit on. This places the unit

in a Standby mode, as indicated by the amber color

Display Line

the proper input to view the appropriate video sig-

nal (composite, S-Video or component video, see

Notes for S-Video on page 16).

on the

Source Selection

• To select a source, press any of the Source

Selector buttons on the remote 467

of the Power Indicator

Standby, you may begin a listening session by

pressing the System Power Control or the

Source button on the front panel or the AVR

Selector . Note that the Power

Indicator will turn green. This will turn the

unit on and return it to the input source that was

last used. The unit may also be turned on from

Standby by pressing any of the Source Selector

3. Once the unit is in

Controls and Use of Headphones

ç∂

• Adjust the volume to a comfortable level using

∫

NOTE: After pressing one of the Input Selector

buttons to turn the unit on, press the AVR

Selector to have the remote control the

AVR functions.

the front panel Volume Control

or remote

∂

Volume Up/Down dîbuttons.

∫

• To temporarily silence all speaker outputs press

the Mute button . This will interrupt the

• The input source may also be changed by

pressing the front-panel Input Source Selector

output to all speakers and the headphone jack,

but it will not affect any recording or dubbing

that may be in progress. When the system is

muted, the word MUTEwill appear in the Main

buttons on the remote 4567

∫

button

%. Each press of the button will move

ç∂or the Source button

on the front

the input selection through the list of available

inputs.

panel.

Information Display

ton again to return to normal opera-

tion.

ˆ. Press the Mute but-

NOTE: After pressing one of the Input Selector

buttons 67(except VID5) to turn the unit on,

• As the input is changed, the AVR will automati-

cally switch to the digital input (if selected), sur-

round mode and speaker configuration that were

entered during the configuration process for that

source.

press the AVR Selector

5∫to have the

remote control the AVR functions.

• During a listening session you may turn the

tone controls for the left front/right speakers off

or adjust the bass and treble settings using

remote control, rather than the front panel knobs

used on many audio products. To adjust the tone

settings, first press the Tone Mode Button

To turn the unit off at the end of a listening ses-

sion, simply press the System Power Control

• The front-panel Video 5 Inputs

Digital 4 Input or the Coaxial Digital 4

Input may be used to connect a device such

Ò, Optical

on the front panel or the Power Off Button

on the remote. Power will be shut off to

any equipment plugged into the rear panel

Switched AC Outlets and the Power

Indicator will turn orange.

. The first press of this button shows if the

as a video game or camcorder to your home

entertainment system on a temporary basis.

tone controls are active or not. When the default

setting of TONE IN appears, all tone controls will

be active. When you want to bypass any tone

⁄ ¤

When the Video 5 Inputs

are configured as

When the remote is used to turn the unit “off” it

is actually placing the system in a Standby mode,

as indicated by the orange color of the Power

outputs (see page 37) you can also connect an

audio or video recorder (composite or S-Video)

for recording the source selected.

controls, press the

Buttons

so that

TONEOUTappears on the Lower Display

Line and in the semi-OSD display. To adjust

the Bass or Treble settings, press the Tone Mode

Button until the current Bass or Treble sta-

Indicator

• As the input source is changed, the new input

name will appear momentarily as an on-screen

display in the lower third of the video display. The

input name will also appear in the Main

When you will be away from home for an

extended period of time it is always a good idea

to completely turn the unit off with the front

tus appears in the Lower Display Line

and

⁄ ¤

then press the

Buttons

to raise or

panel Main Power Switch

Information Display

light next to the selected input’s name in the

front-panel Input Indicators

and a green LED will

lower the settings. When all tone mode adjust-

ments are complete, simply wait a few seconds

until the display returns to normal operation as

your indication that the settings have been

accepted by the AVR's memory. Note that the

tone controls only change the output for the

front left/right speakers.

NOTE: All preset memories may be lost if the

unit is left turned off with the Main Power

Switch

for more than two weeks.

• When a pure audio input (CD, Tuner, Tape, 6/8

Channel Input) is selected, the last video input

used remains routed to the Video 1/Video 2

Using the Sleep Timer

• To program the AVR for automatic turn-off, press

(except from its own Video 1/2 source) and

the Sleep Button

on the remote. Each press

Video Monitor Output

B. This permits simul-

of the button will increase the time before shut

down in the following sequence:

• For private listening, plug the 6.3 mm stereo

phone plug from a pair of stereo headphones

taneous viewing and listening to different

sources.

into the front panel Headphone Jack

4. Note

min

that when the headphone’s plug is connected,

the word HEADPHONEwill scroll once

OFF

min

across the Lower Display Line

and all

The sleep time will be displayed in the Lower

Display Line and it will count down until

the time has elapsed.

speakers will be silenced. When the headphone

plug is removed, the audio feed to the speakers

will be restored.

32 OPERATION

Operation

Even when a program is not listed as carrying

intentional surround information, you may find

that the Dolby Pro Logic II Music, DTS NEO:6

Music or Logic 7 Music or Enhanced modes often

deliver enveloping surround presentations through

the use of the natural surround information pres-

ent in all stereo recordings.

Note that the Dolby Digital or DTS modes (except

DTS Neo:6) may only be selected when a digital

input is in use. In addition, when a digital source

is present, the AVR will automatically select and

switch to the correct mode (Dolby Digital or

DTS), regardless of the mode that has been pre-

viously selected. For more information on selecting

digital sources, see the following section of this

manual.

Surround Mode Selection

One of the most important features of the

AVR 8500 is its ability to reproduce a full multi-

channel surround sound field from digital

sources, analog matrix surround encoded pro-

grams and standard stereo or even mono pro-

grams.

However, for stereo programs without any sur-

round information the Theater, Hall and 5/7CH

Stereo modes should be tried (effective particularly

with old ”extreme” stereo recordings) and for

mono programs, we suggest that you try the

Theater or Hall modes. And when you use only

two front channel speakers you should select

Harman’s patented VMAx mode, delivering a virtu-

ally three dimensional sound space with two

speakers only.

Selection of a surround mode is based on personal

taste, as well as the type of program source mate-

rial being used. For example, CDs, motion pictures

or TV programs bearing the logo of one of the

major surround-encoding processes, such as Dolby

Surround should be played in either the Dolby Pro

Logic II Movie (with movies) or Music (with

music) surround mode, with any DTS NEO:6

mode or with Harman Kardon´s exclusive Logic 7

Movie Mode, to create a full range 5.1 channel

or (with Logic 7 and DTS NEO:6) even 7.1 chan-

nel surround signal from surround encoded pro-

grams, with a stereophonic left and right rear sig-

nal, just as it was recorded (e.g. sound being

recorded from left rear side will be heard from

that side only, for more details see chart on page

30). In addition the THX Mode may be used with

both analog and digital soundtracks to provide

optimal reproduction.

To listen to a program in traditional two-channel

stereo, using the front left and front right

speakers only (plus the subwoofer, if installed and

configured), press the Stereo Button

until SURROFFappears in the Main

Information Display ˆ.

Depending on the number of speakers selected for

your system configuration, you may also select a

”five channel stereo” or ”seven channel stereo”

mode which places the two-channel stereo signal

in all speakers, rather than just those at the front

of the room. To select this mode, simply press the

Surround modes are selected using either the

front panel controls or the remote. First deter-

mine which of the surround mode categories you

wish to choose from and press the button corre-

sponding to that category: Dolby modes

or DTS Surround from digital sources,

DTS Neo:6 from analog sources, Logic

y, DSP modes or Stereo

Stereo Button

until the desired mode

ÚN

name appears in the Main Information Display ˆ

and in the semi-OSD display.

$S.

Note that no surround mode is available when an

HDCD or MP3 source is being decoded.

As you press any of the Mode Select Buttons

AMN ST579$&Ú

the surround mode name will appear in the Main

When no rear speakers are in use, the Dolby 3

Stereo mode should be selected with all surround

recordings.

Digital Audio Playback

Information Display

ˆ. and in the on-screen

Digital audio is a major advancement over older

analog surround processing systems such as Dolby

Pro Logic. It delivers five or six discrete channels:

left front, center, right front, left surround and right

surround and with DTS ES (see below) even sur-

round back (with identical signals for left and

right). Each channel reproduces full frequency

range (20Hz to 20kHz) and offers dramatically

improved dynamic range and significant improve-

ments to signal-to-noise ratios. In addition, digital

systems have the capability to deliver an additional

channel that is specifically devoted to low-frequen-

cy information. This is the “.1” channel referred to

when you see these systems described as “5.1”,

“6.1” or “7.1”. The bass channel is separate from

the other channels, but since it is intentionally

bandwidth-limited, sound designers have given it

that unique designation.

display.

Note that when Dolby Digital 2.0 signals (e.g.

”D.D. 2.0” tracks from DVD), that are encoded

with Dolby Pro Logic information, are received

via any digital input, the Dolby Pro Logic II Movie

mode will be selected automatically (in addition

to the Dolby Digital mode) and will decode a full

range 5.1 channel surround sound even from

those recordings (see also ”Dolby Digital” on

page 35).

The THX modes involve specialized postprocess-

ing techniques that optimize the audio signals

after they have been decoded. Thus, when select-

ing a THX mode, the AVR will automatically

examine the signal to see whether it is analog or

digital and apply Dolby Digital or DTS decoding if

needed. The special THX circuits will then be acti-

vated. To select a THX mode, press the Home

THX button

on the front or remote and

To create wide, enveloping sound field environ-

ments and defined pans and flyovers with all

analog stereo recordings select the Dolby Pro

Logic II Music or Emulation mode or Harman

Kardon’s exclusive Logic 7 Music mode for a dra-

matic improvement in comparison to the Dolby

Pro Logic (I) mode of former times.

the proper THX mode for the active input will be

activated. For further information on THX pro-

cessing see surround mode table on page 30.

When the 6-Channel/8-Channel direct inputs are

in use there is no surround processing, as these

inputs take the analog output signals from an

optional, external DVD-Audio or SACD player or

another source device and carry them straight to

the volume control without any further digital

processing.

NOTE: Once a program has been encoded with

matrix surround information, it retains the sur-

round information as long as the program is

broadcast in stereo. Thus, movies with surround

sound may be decoded via any of the analog sur-

round modes such as Pro Logic II Cinema, Logic 7

Cinema or DTS Neo:6 Cinema, when they are

broadcast via conventional TV stations, cable, pay-

TV and satellite transmission. In addition, a grow-

ing number of made-for-television programs,

sports broadcasts, radio dramas and music CDs

are also recorded in surround sound. You may

view a list of these programs at the Dolby

As the surround modes change, one or two green

LEDs will light next to the current mode in the

Surround Mode Indicators

list on the

front panel.

Laboratories Web site at www.dolby.com.

OPERATION 33

Operation

Dolby Digital

Please note that some DVD players are shipped

with their output set for Dolby Digital only. To

insure that DTS data is being sent to the AVR,

please check the setup menu system on your

DVD player to make certain that DTS data output

is enabled.

When a CD with the HDCD recording is played,

the AVR is able to take advantage of the special

recording process that is used in the creation of

HDCD disc. The special circuitry enables audio

with extraordinary fidelity, stunning resolution

and the highest possible overall quality.

Dolby Digital (originally known as AC-3^®) is

a standard part of DVD, and is available on

specially encoded LD discs and satellite broadcasts

and it is a part of the new high-definition television

(HDTV) system.

Dolby Digital Surround EX

PCM Audio Playback

As long as a digital input and the pure Stereo

mode (Surround Off) are selected, the AVR will

automatically sense that it is an HDCD recording

and the green LED next to the letters HDCD will

light on the front panel to remind you that an

HDCD disc is playing.

Dolby Digital Surround EX is an enhanced encod-

ing that was developed to provide the sound

mixer greater opportunities for the placement of

sounds to the rear as well as the sides of the lis-

tener, while THX Surround EX processing is the

decoding scheme to correctly decode a Dolby

Digital Surround EX encoded movie. For more

info on Dolby Digital and Surround EX formats

see table on page 30.

PCM (Pulse Code Modulation) is the non- com-

pressed digital audio system used for compact

discs, Non-Dolby Digital/DTS Laserdiscs and some

special PCM encoded DVDs. It is also the format

used as an output by audio transcoders such as

the Harman Kardon DAL 150. The digital circuits

in the AVR are capable of high quality digital-to-

analog decoding, and they may be connected

directly to the digital audio output of your

CD/DVD or LD player (LD only for PCM or DTS

programs, for Dolby Digital laser discs an RF

adapter is needed, see ”Dolby Digital” above).

It is important to note that the HDCD process is

completely compatible with standard recordings.

Indeed, the high-quality digital-to-analog

circuitry that is part of HDCD and the HDCD

decoder chip, replacing the monolithic digital

filters used in conventional DACs, will enable

enhanced performance also with normal,

non-HDCD encoded program material.

Note that an optional, external RF demodulator

is required to use the AVR to listen to the Dolby

Digital sound tracks available on laser discs.

Connect the RF output of the LD player to the

demodulator and then connect the digital output

of the demodulator to the Optical or Coaxial

inputs UV*Óof the AVR. No demodulator

is required for use with DVD players or DTS-

encoded laser discs.

Connections may be made to either the Optical

or Coaxial inputs UV on the rear panel or the

front panel Digital Inputs *Ó

MP3 Audio Playback

The AVR 8500 is one of the few A/V receivers to

provide on-board decoding for the MP3 audio

format used on specific computer audio files. By

offering MP3 decoding, the AVR is able to deliver

more precise conversion of the digital signals to

an analog output, along with the benefits of lis-

tening to MP3 audio through the AVR’s high cur-

rent amplifier and the speakers from your sur-

round system, rather than the smaller speakers

and low powered amplifiers typically used with

computers.

To listen to a PCM digital source, first select the

input for the desired source (e.g., CD) to feed its

video signal (if any) to the TV monitor and to

provide its analog audio signal for recording.

DTS

Next press the Digital Select button

on the

⁄ ¤

DTS is another digital audio system that is capa-

ble of delivering 5.1 channel audio or 6.1 matrix

or discrete channel sound (DTS ES, for more info

see table page 30). Although both DTS and

Dolby Digital are digital, they use different meth-

ods of encoding the signals, and thus they

require different decoding circuits to convert the

digital signals back to analog.

and then use the

buttons

remote, or the Selector buttons7$on the

front panel, until the desired choice appears in the

Main Information Display

Set button Fto confirm the choice.

ˆ, then press the

When a PCM source is playing, the green LED

will light next to the DIGITAL indication in the

Surround Mode/Bitstream Indicators

To take advantage of the AVR’s MP3 capabilities,

simply connect the digital (SPDIF) output of a

computer sound card able to feed the MP3 for-

mat to its digital output, to either the rear panel

Digital Inputs UV or the front panel Digital

Inputs *Ó. When the digital MP3 signal is

received, the green LED next to the MP3 indica-

¯.

DTS-encoded sound tracks are available on select

DVD and LD discs, as well as on special audio-

only DTS CDs. You may use any LD, DVD or CD

player equipped with a digital output to play

DTS-encoded special audio-only CDs with the

AVR, but DTS-LDs can be played on LD players

and DTS-DVDs on DVD players only. All that is

required is to connect the player’s digital output

to either the Optical or Coaxial input on the

During PCM playback you may select any sur-

round mode except Dolby Digital or DTS. When

an HDCD encoded disc is being played (see

below) and the CD player is connected to the

AVR via a digital connection, select Surround Off

as the Surround mode to enjoy the benefits of

the HDCD process.

tion in the Surround Mode Indicators

¯,

will light and the audio will begin playing.

NOTES:

HDCD

• The AVR is only capable of playing signals in

the MP3 (MPEG 1/Layer 3) format. It is not com-

patible with other computer audio codecs.

HDCD, which stands for High Definition

Compatible Digital^®, is a sophisticated process

that enables the AVR to deliver outstanding digi-

tal-to-analog decoding of PCM signals from any

DVD or CD player, connected to a digital input on

the AVR even when normal, non-HDCD-compati-

ble players are used (only a digital output is

needed).

rear panel UV or front panel *Ó

In order to listen to DVDs encoded with DTS

sound tracks, the DVD player must be compatible

with the DTS signal as indicated by a DTS logo

on the player’s front panel. Note that early DVD

players may not be able to play DTS- encoded

DVDs. This does not indicate a problem with the

AVR, as some players cannot pass the DTS signal

through to the digital outputs. If you are in doubt

as to the capability of your DVD player to handle

DTS DVDs, consult the player’s owner’s manual.

• The MP 3 DSP mode found in the new

AVR requires an MP3 SPDIF stream. Presently,

only a few units provide this but in the coming

generations of motherboards and operating sys-

tem updates this will follow, since SPDIF is the

standard for audio & video hardware.

, HDCD^®, High Definition Compatible Digital^®and Pacific Microsonics^™are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Pacific Microsonics, Inc., in the United

States and/or other countries. HDCD System manufactured under license from Pacific Microsonics, Inc.

34 OPERATION

Operation

• The digital audio input signal may be either

optical or coaxial, but the signal must be in the

MP3 SPDIF format. Direct connection of USB or

serial data outputs is not possible, even though

the signals are in the MP3 format. If you have

any questions about the data output format from

your computer or a sound card, check with the

device’s Owner’s Manual or contact the manufac-

turer’s technical support area.

When the digital source is playing, the AVR will

automatically detect which type of digital data

stream is being decoded and display that infor-

mation in the Main Information Display ˆ

and/or with the Surround Mode/Bitstream

Indicators ¯(see below).

When the Dolby Digital signal is only two channel

(”2.0”) these two channels (l and r) often con-

tain Pro Logic surround informations. With those

tracks the AVR automatically switches to the

Dolby Pro Logic II Movie mode (in addition to the

Dolby Digital mode), but you may also select the

Vmax mode. When the D.D. 2.0 signal contains

no Pro Logic information, the pure Dolby Digital

mode will be selected automatically, but you may

also select any Pro Logic II mode (only Music or

Emulation should be used then) or any Vmax

mode. When the Pro Logic II Mode was selected

with Dolby Digital tracks (automatically or manu-

ally) the green LED next to the Dolby Pro Logic II

Indicator ¯will light (together with the Dolby

Digital LED).

Note that a digital input (e.g. coaxial) remains

associated with any analog input (e.g. DVD) as

soon as it is selected, thus the digital input needs

not be re-selected each time the appropriate

input choice (e.g. DVD) is made.

• If your computer or sound card’s digital output

is not capable of direct connection to the AVR or

if the output is not capable of delivering MP3

data stream, you may use an optional, external

transcoder, such as those available from Harman

Kardon (DAL 150) to convert the USB output of a

computer to a format compatible with the AVR.

Contact your Harman Kardon dealer for addition-

al details.

Digital Bitstream Indicators

When a digital source is playing, the AVR senses

the type of bitstream data that is present. Using

this information, the correct surround mode will

automatically be selected. For example, DTS bit-

streams will cause the unit to switch to DTS

decoding, and Dolby Digital bitstreams will enable

Dolby Digital decoding. When the unit senses

PCM data, from CDs and LDs and some music

DVDs or certain tracks on normal DVDs, it will

allow the appropriate surround mode to be select-

ed manually. Since the range of available surround

modes depends on the type of digital data that is

present, the AVR uses a variety of indicators to let

you know what type of signal is present. This will

help you to understand the choice of modes and

the input channels recorded on the disc.

DTS: When the green LED next to the DTS logo

lights, a DTS bitstream is being received. When the

unit senses this type of data, only the applicable

DTS mode may be used. But you may add the THX

processing as described on page 33, than the LED

next to the THX or THX Surr EX logo (depending on

5.1 or 6.1/7.1 configuration) will light as well.

• Due to the wide variation in MP3 formats and

encoding speeds, it is possible that the AVR may

not be compatible with all MP3 input signals.

Some may produce unacceptable results and

some may not be decoded. This is not a fault of

either the computer or the AVR, but rather a

by-product of the unpredictable nature of MP3

playback.

PCM: When the green LED next to the word DIGI-

TAL is lit, a standard Pulse Code Modulation, or

PCM, signal is being received. This is the type of

digital audio used by conventional compact disc

and laser disc recordings. When a PCM bitstream

is present, all modes except Dolby Digital and DTS

are available.

Selecting a Digital Source

To utilize either digital mode you must have prop-

erly connected a digital source to the AVR.

Connect the digital outputs from DVD players,

HDTV receivers, satellite systems or CD players to

the Optical or Coaxial inputs on the rear or

front panel UV*Ó. In order to provide a

backup signal and a source for analog stereo

recording, the analog outputs provided on digital

source equipment should also be connected to

their appropriate inputs on the AVR rear panel

(e.g., connect the analog stereo audio output

To help you see which type of digital source is

playing, the Surround Mode Indicators

also serve as bitstream indications to show which

type of bitstream present, as well as the surround

mode in use, if applicable.

HDCD: When the green LED next to the letters

HDCD is lit the CD that is playing is encoded

using the special High Definition Compatible

Digital^®process. HDCD^®discs use 20-bit encod-

ing and other proprietary processing to provide

the ultimate in CD listening. Note that HDCD pro-

cessing is only available in the Stereo (Surround

Off) mode.

Dolby Digital: When the green LED next to the

Dolby Digital logo is lit, a Dolby Digital bitstream

is being received. Depending on the audio track

selected on the source player and number of

channels on the disc, different surround modes

are possible. Note that only one channel without

subwoofer, called ”1.0” audio, or all five chan-

nels with subwoofer (”5.1” audio) or all steps

between can be encoded on Dolby Digital audio

tracks.. With all those tracks, except ”2.0” audio,

from a DVD to the DVD Audio inputs

on the

MP3: When the green LED next to MP3 is lit, a

compatible MPEG 1/Layer 3 digital signal is being

received. This is the popular audio format used by

many computer programs for recording com-

pressed audio files. When an MP3 bitstream is

rear panel when you connect the source’s digital

outputs).

To select a digital source such as DVD, first select

its input using the remote or front panel Input

Selector

as outlined in this manual in

only the Dolby Digital and VMAx modes are avail- present, the sound will automatically be played in

able. With all Dolby Digital tracks you can add the the stereo (Surround Off) mode. The surround

order to feed its video signal (if any) to the TV

monitor and to provide its analog audio signal for THX processing as described on page 33, than

modes are not available during MP3 playback.

recording. When the digital input associated with

the input selected (e.g. “DVD”) is not selected

automatically (due to the input settings made

earlier during the system configuration, see page

21), select the digital source by pressing the

the LED next to the THX or THX Surr EX logo

(depending on 5.1 or 6.1/7.1 setup and on chan-

nels encoded) will light as well.

Note that there are many different forms of MP3

encoding available and the format is used at a

number of different bit rates. The AVR 8500 may

not be compatible with all forms of MP3,

particularly when the data file is encoded above

128 kb/s.

Digital Input Selector button

and

⁄ ¤

then using the

buttons

on the remote

or the Selector buttons 7$on the front panel

to choose any of the OPTICALor

COAXIALinputs, as they appear in the

Main Information Display ˆ, or on-screen

display. To confirm the selection press the Set

Button

on the remote.

OPERATION 35

Operation

Speaker/Channel Indicators

views 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 output, the AVR will automatically

sense changes to the bitstream and channel

count and reflect them in these indicators.

The Night mode may also be selected to always

be on as soon as the Dolby Digital mode is acti-

vated at either level of compression using the

options in the DOLBYmenu. See page 26 for

information on using the menus to set this

option.

In addition to the Bitstream Indicators, the

AVR features a set of unique channel-input indi-

cators that tell you how many channels of digital

information are being received and/or whether

the digital signal is interrupted. (See Figure 9.)

Important Note: When a digital surround

source (Dolby Digital, DTS) is played, the letters

SBL/SBR for the Surround Back channels will

appear only when a DTS ES DISCRETE 6.1 source

is played. Then this surround mode will be indi-

IMPORTANT NOTES ON DIGITAL PLAYBACK:

• 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/

cated in the Lower Display Line

on the

Channel Indicators

will flash. This is normal

front panel. With all other recordings the icons

for the surround back speakers may light (when

those speakers have been configured) to indicate

that a signal will be fed to them but no letters

inside will light as the unit will not receive an

input signal for the surround back channels.

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 avail-

able and when the machine is in a standard play

mode.

Figure 9

• 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.

The letters used by the Speaker/Channel Input

Indicators

also flash to indicate when a bit-

These indicators are the L/C/R/LFE/SL/SR/SBL/SBR

letters that are inside the center boxes of the

Speaker/Channel Input Indicators

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.

in the

• Note that not all digitally encoded programs

and not all audio tracks on a DVD contain full

5.1 or 6.1 channel audio. Consult the program

guide that accompanies the DVD or laser disc to

determine which type of audio has been record-

ed on the disc. The AVR will automatically sense

the type of digital surround encoding used, indi-

cate it in the Surround Mode/Bitstream

front panel Main Information Display

When a standard analog stereo or matrix sur-

round signal is in use, only the “L” and “R” indi-

cators will light, as analog signals have only left

and right channels.

Dolby Digital signals, however, may have one,

two, five, six or seven separate channels, depend-

ing on the program material, the method of

transmission and the way in which it was encod-

ed. When a digital signal is playing, the letters in

these indicators will light in response to the spe-

cific signal being received. It is important to note

that although Dolby Digital, for example, is

referred to as a “5.1” system, not all Dolby

Digital DVDs or audio tracks selected on DVD or

other Dolby Digital programs are encoded for

5.1. Thus, it is sometimes normal for a DVD with

a Dolby Digital soundtrack to trigger only the “L”

and “R” indicators.

Night Mode

Indicators

and Channel Input Indicators

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

lifting 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 the Dolby

Digital mode is selected.

and adjust to accommodate it.

• 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/7CH

Stereo or Logic 7, except with specific Dolby

Digital 2.0 recordings that can be played with

the Pro Logic II modes too (see page 35).

The Night mode may be engaged when the

Dolby Digital Surround mode is selected by press-

• When a digital source is playing, it is not possi-

ble to make an analog recording using the Tape

ing the Night Button

press the ⁄/¤ buttons

middle range or full compression versions of the

Night mode. To turn the Night mode off, press

on the remote. Next,

to select either the

or Video 1 or Video 2

record outputs, if

NOTE: Many DVD discs are recorded with both

“5.1” and “2.0” versions of the same sound-

track. When playing a DVD, always be certain 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. It is also possible

for the type of signal feed to change during the

course of a DVD playback. In some cases the pre-

the source is connected to any digital input of

the AVR only. But the analog two channel signal

of that source, the ”Downmix” to Stereo or

Dolby Surround, can be recorded by connecting

its analog audio outputs to the appropriate ana-

log 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

the ⁄/¤ buttons

until the message in the

lower third of the video display and in the

Lower Display Line

OFF.

reads D-RANGE

PQ(Ô

36 OPERATION

Operation

Note that once the setting is made, the

Press the Set button

desired channel appears in the Main

Information Display and on-screen dis-

play, and follow the instructions shown above to

adjust the level.

when the name of the

Tape Recording

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.

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-

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.

puts for Tape Outputs

or Video 1 or 2

Outputs in the record mode.

When a digital audio recorder is connected to

any of the Digital Audio Outputs PQ(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.

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

Output Level Adjustment

With Source Signals

Normal output level adjustment for the

NOTES:

Select

While the test tone is played, the Program/SPL

Indicator will change color to indicate the

to activate the sensor.

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.

• 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.

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

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

• 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).

Indicator Select

to turn the sensor and

indicator off.

channels using the Volume Control

dî.

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

Once the reference level has been set, press the

Channel Select button and note that

FRONT L LEVwill 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 to

the Volume Control

the OSD button to bring up the MAS-

TER MENU(Figure 1). Press the Button

four times until the on-screen › cursor is

next to the CHANNELADJUSTline.

Press the Set Button to activate the

CHANNELADJUSTmenu (Figure 10).

Ùdî. Then, press

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

to an output by following these steps:

⁄

raise or lower the level. DO NOT use the volume

control, as this will alter the reference setting.

from an input

Once the change has been made, press the Set

button

to select the next output channel location

that you wish to adjust. To adjust the subwoofer

level, press the ⁄/¤ buttons until

WOOFER LEVappears in the Main

Information Display or on-screen display

(only available if the subwoofer is turned on).

and then press the ⁄/¤ buttons

CHANNEL

ADJUST

1. Press the OSD button

MASTERMENU(Figure 1).

to view the

0dB

SBR

SBL

0dB

CEN

SUB

2. Press the Set button Fto enter the

IN/OUTSETUPmenu (Figure 2).

CHANNEL

RESET:OFF

:OFF

TEST

SUB

TONE

TEST

TONE:OFF

3. Press the button

so that the on-screen

BACK

MASTER

›

cursor is next to VIDEO5jacks Ò.

‹ ›

Figure 10

4. Press either of the

buttons

that the word OUTis highlighted.

5. Press the OSD button Lto exit the menus

and return to normal operation.

OPERATION 37

Operation

When the menu appears, the internal test tone

will be turned off. This will allow you to use your

external test disc or other source material as the

⁄ ¤

6-Channel/8-Channel Direct Input

Memory Backup

The AVR 8500 is equipped for future expansion

through the use of optional, external adapters

for formats that the AVR may not be capable of

processing or to allow connection to the output

of high-resolution optical audio playback systems

such as DVD-Audio or SACD. When a device with

six-channel outputs (5.1 audio) is used, connect

the source device to the 6-Channel Direct

This product is equipped with a memory backup

system that preserves tuner presets and system

configuration information if the unit is turned off

completely, accidentally unplugged or subjected

to a power outage. This memory will last for

approximately two weeks, after which time all

information must be reentered.

test signal. Then, use the

Buttons

select the channels to be adjusted. At each

‹ ›

channel position use the

Buttons Ea

to change the output level.

Remember, when you are using a disc with test

signal (e.g. pink noise) or an external signal gen-

erator as the source, the goal is to have the out-

put level at each channel be equal when heard

at the listening position, with any surround

mode selected. When your test source is a nor-

mal disc with music signals, you may adjust the

level for each channel and surround mode as

you prefer, e.g. you may lower the center chan-

nel level when you find it to be too high or

increase the level of the rears when you find it

to be too low with specific surround modes.

Inputs

8. When a device with eight-channel

outputs (7.1) audio is used, connect the addition-

al Surround Back Left (SBL) and Surround Back

Right (SBR) outputs to the 8-Channel Direct

Inputs

press the 6-Channel/8-Channel Direct

Button on the front panel or remote or

the Input Source Selector on the front

on the AVR. To select these inputs,

panel until the desired input configuration

appears in the Main Information Display

ˆ.

If you wish to reset all the levels to their original

Note that when the 6-Channel or 8-Channel

Direct Input is in use, you may not select a sur-

⁄

factory default of 0dB offset, press the

Buttons so that the on-screen cursor is

round mode, as the external decoder determines

the processing in use. In addition, there is no

signal at the record outputs or bass manage-

ment when the 6-Channel or 8-Channel Direct

Input is in use and the Tone Mode buttons

next to the CHANNEL RESET line and

‹ ›

press the

Buttons Easo that the

word ON is highlighted. After the levels are

reset, resume the procedure outlined above to

reset the levels to the desired settings. When all

⁄ ¤

will not function.

adjustments are done, press the

Buttons

›

to move the on-screen cursor so that it is

next to BACKTOMASTERMENU

and then press the Set Button if you wish

to go back to the main menu to make other

adjustments. If you have no other adjustments to

make, press the OSD Button

to exit the

menu system.

NOTE: The output levels may be separately

trimmed for each digital and analog surround

mode. If you wish to have different trim levels for a

specific mode, select that mode and then follow

the instructions in the steps shown above.

38 OPERATION

Advanced Features

The AVR 8500 is equipped with a number of

advanced features that add extra flexibility to

the unit’s operation. While it is not necessary to

use these features to operate the unit, they pro-

vide additional options that you may wish to

use.

To change the brightness setting, at the

At the ADVANCEDmenu make certain that

the on-screen cursor is next to the VOLUME

›

ADVANCEDmenu, make certain that the

›

⁄ ¤

on-screen cursor is next to the VFDline,

DEFAULTline by pressing the

buttons

›

and press the Button

until the desired

as needed. Next, press the button

brightness level is highlighted in the video dis-

play. When FULLis highlighted, the display is

at its normal brightness. When HALFis high-

lighted, the display is at half the normal bright-

ness level. When OFFis highlighted, all of the

indicators in the Main Information Display

that the word ONis highlighted in the video

display. Next, press the button

once so

›

that the on-screen cursor is next to the

DEFAULTVOLSETline. To set the

‹ ›

Speaker Reset

desired turn-on volume, press the

buttons

In some cases you may wish to reset the speaker

configuration to the factory settings. To restore

those settings you will need to make an adjust-

ment in the ADVANCEDmenu. To start the

Eaor hold them pressed until the desired

volume level is shown on the DEFAULT

VOLSETline. Note that this setting may

NOT be made with the regular volume controls.

will go dark. Note, however, that the green

LEDs for the Input Indicators and the

Surround Mode Indicators , as well as for

the Power Indicator , will always remain lit

adjustment, press the OSD button

to bring

the MASTER MENUto the screen. Press the

NOTE: Since the setting for the turn-on volume

cannot be heard while the setting is being made,

you may wish to determine the setting before

making the adjustment. To do this, listen to any

source and adjust the volume to the desired

to remind you that the unit is turned on.

›

⁄

Button

twice, until the on-screen cur-

sor is next to the ADVANCEDline. Press

the Set Button to enter the

ADVANCEDmenu (Figure 11).

Once the desired brightness level is selected, it

will remain in effect until it is changed again or

until the unit is turned off.

level using the regular volume controls

When the desired volume level to be used at

turn-on is reached, make a note of the setting as

it appears in the lower third of the video screen

or in the Main Information Display

dî.

If you wish to make other adjustments in the

ADVANCED

⁄ ¤

menu, press the

screen cursor is next to the desired setting or

Buttons

until the on-

VFD

:FULL

HALF

OFF

SET:ꢀ25dB

VOLUME

DEFAULT:OFF

VOL

:OFF

TIME

›

DEFAULT

the BACKTOMASTERMENUline

SEMI

FULL

BACK

OSD

ˆ.

OSD

OUT:

and press the Set button

other adjustments to make, press the OSD

Button to exit the menu system.

F. If you have no

TIME

OUT:205

A typical volume level will appear as a negative

number such as -25dB. When making the adjust-

‹ ›

MASTER

ment, use the

setting.

buttons Eato enter this

Turn On Volume Level

Figure 11

Unlike some of the other adjustments in this

menu, the turn-on volume default will remain in

effect even when the unit is turned off

completely, unless it is changed or turned off in

this menu.

As is the case with most audio/video receivers,

when the AVR 8500 is turned on, it will always

return to the volume setting in effect when the

unit was turned off. However, you may prefer to

always have the AVR turn on at a specific set-

ting, regardless of what was last in use when

the unit was turned off. To change the default

condition so that the same volume level is

always used at turn-on, you will need to make

an adjustment in the ADVANCEDmenu. To

To reset the speaker configuration to the factory

default, press the Button

›

so that the

word ONis highlighted and then press the Set

Button

If you wish to make other adjustments in the

Once the speaker settings are reset you may

⁄ ¤

menu, press the

Buttons

until the on-

press the Buttons

to continue with

›

screen cursor is next to the desired setting or

adjustments on this menu. If no other

adjustments are needed, press the OSD Button

the BACKTOMASTERMENUline

and press the Set button

other adjustments to make, press the OSD

Button to exit the menu system.

F. If you have no

to exit the menu system.

start the adjustment, press the OSD button

to bring the MASTER MENU(Figure 1) to

Display Brightness

⁄

the screen. Press the button

twice, until

›

the on-screen cursor is next to the

The AVR 8500’s front panel Main Information

ADVANCEDline. Press the Set button

Display

is set at a default brightness level

to enter the ADVANCEDmenu (Figure 11).

that is sufficient for viewing in a normally lit

room. However, in some home theater installa-

tions, you may wish to occasionally lower the

brightness of the display, or turn it off completely.

ADVANCED FEATURES 39

Advanced Features

Note that this setting is temporary and will

remain active only until it is changed or until the

AVR is turned off. Once the unit is turned off, the

semi-OSD displays will remain activated, even if

they were switched off for the previous listening

session.

Semi-OSD Settings

Full-OSD Time Out Adjustment

The semi-OSD system places one line messages

at the lower third of the video display screen

whenever the Volume, Input Source, Surround

mode or tuner frequency of any of the configura-

tion settings are changed. The semi-OSD system

is helpful in that enables you to have feedback

on any control changes or remote commands

using the video display when it is difficult to

view the front-panel displays. However, you may

occasionally prefer to turn these displays off for

a particular listening session. You may also want

to adjust the length of time the displays remain

on the screen. Both of those options are possible

with the AVR.

The FULLOSDmenu system is used to sim-

plify the setup and adjustment of the AVR using

a series of on-screen menus. The factory default

setting for these menus leaves them on the

screen for 20 seconds after a period of inactivity

before they disappear from the screen or Time

Out. This Time Out is a safety measure to prevent

the menu text from burning into the CRTs in

your monitor or projector, which might happen if

they were left on indefinitely. However, some

viewers may prefer a slightly longer or shorter

period before the Time Out display.

To change the length of time that the semi-OSD

displays remain on the screen, go to the

ADVANCEDMenu as outlined earlier, and

⁄ ¤

press the

›

buttons

as needed, until the

on-screen cursor is next to the SEMI-

OSDTIMEOUTline. Next, press the

‹›

Buttons Eauntil the desired time in sec-

onds is displayed. Note that unlike most of the

other options in this menu, this is a permanent

setting change, and the time-out entry will

remain in effect until it is changed, even when

the unit is turned off.

To change the Full-OSD Time Out, you will need

to make an adjustment in the ADVANCED

Menu (Figure 1). To start the adjustment, press

To turn off the semi-OSD system, you will need

to make an adjustment in the ADVANCED

menu (Figure 11). To start the adjustment, press

the OSD button

MENUto the screen. Press the button

to bring the MASTER

⁄

the OSD button

to bring the MASTER

twice, until the on-screen

cursor is next to the

If you wish to make other adjustments in the

⁄

MENUto the screen. Press the Button

ADVANCEDline. Press the Set Button

to enter the ADVANCEDMenu (Figure 11).

⁄ ¤

menu, press the

Buttons

until the on-

twice, until the on-screen cursor is next to the

›

screen cursor is next to the desired setting or

ADVANCEDline. Press the Set Button

to enter the ADVANCEDmenu.

the BACKTOMASTERMENUline

At the ADVANCEDmenu make certain that

the on-screen ^›cursor is next to the FULL

OSDTIMEOUTline by pressing the

⁄ ¤

and press the Set button

other adjustments to make, press the OSD

Button to exit the menu system.

F. If you have no

At the ADVANCEDmenu make certain that

the on-screen ^›cursor is next to the SEMI

⁄ ¤

Buttons

as needed. Next, press the

OSDline by pressing the

buttons

‹›

buttons Eauntil the desired time is

›

needed. Next, press the button

so that

displayed in seconds. Note that unlike most of

the other options in this menu, this is a perma-

nent setting change, and the time-out entry will

remain in effect until it is changed, even when

the unit is turned off.

the word OFFis highlighted in the video

display.

If you wish to make other adjustments in the

⁄ ¤

menu, press the

Buttons

until the on-

›

screen cursor is next to the desired setting or

the BACKTOMASTERMENUline

and press the Set button

other adjustments to make, press the OSD

Button to exit the menu system.

F. If you have no

40 ADVANCED FEATURES

Multiroom Operation

‹›

The AVR 8500 is fully equipped to operate as the

control center for a multiroom system with

optional external remote Infrared (IR) sensors,

video device, speakers and power amplifiers.

Although some multi-room installations will

require the services of a specially trained

installer, it is possible for the average do-it-your-

self hobbyist to install a simple remote room sys-

tem.

At the MULTIINline, press the

but-

As long as an IR feed to the AVR has been

established from the remote room, using any of

the buttons on either remote will control the

tons Eauntil the desired Audio/Video input

to the multi-room system appears in the high-

lighted video. Note that the tuner and all

sources connected with any analog input of the

AVR (except the 6-channel/8-channel input) can

be configured as source for the multiroom sys-

tem. When the selection has been made, press

remote location volume

tuner frequency

preset or mute the output

, change the

Kè, change the tuner

g˚.

If the Remote IR Output jack

on the AVR is

connected to an IR Input jack on compatible

Harman Kardon audio components such as CD,

DVD or cassette players, the transport functions

of those machines may also be controlled using

the Transport Controls PRÉƒ

›

the button

once so that the on-screen

cursor is next to the MULTIVOLline.

Installation

‹›

The key to remote room operation is to link the

remote room to the AVR’s location with wire for

an infrared receiver, Video signals and speakers

or an amplifier. For complete installation instruc-

tions for Multiroom use, see page 18.

At the MULTIVOLline, press the

buttons Eaor hold them pressed until the

desired volume level for the multi-room system

is entered. DO NOT use the regular volume con-

trol knobs for this setting. When all settings for

the multiroom setup have been made, press the

To turn the system off from the remote room,

press the Power-Off button

0å.

Multiroom Setup

Remember that the AVR may be turned on or off

from the remote room regardless of the

system’s operation or status in the main room.

›

buttons

once so that the on-screen

Once the audio, video and IR link connections

have been made, the AVR needs to be configured

for multiroom operation using the steps below.

cursor is next to the BACKTOMASTER

MENUline and press the Set button . If

you have no other adjustments to make, press

the OSD button to exit the menu system.

NOTE: When the tuner is selected as the source

for the remote zone, any change to the frequen-

cy or preset will also change the station being

listened to in the main room, if the tuner is in

use there. Similarly, if someone in the main room

changes the station, the change will also impact

the remote room.

Press the OSD button

to bring the MAS-

TERMENU(Figure 1) to the screen. Press the

›

⁄

button

twice, until the on-screen cur-

All configurations for the multiroom system as

described above can be made without the use of

the full on-screen display too: At first, press the

on the remote. Next,

to select the

parameter to be changed until the desired mes-

sage, Multi On/Off, Multi Input or Multi Level

appears on the front panel and on screen dis-

F. Press the

to change the selected

parameter as desired, for example to turn the

multiroom feed on or off. When the multiroom

sor is next to the MULTI-ROOMline.

Press the Set button to enter the

MULTI-ROOMmenu (Figure 12).

Multiroom button

⁄ ¤

press the

buttons

MULTI-ROOM

When the multiroom system is turned on, the

input selected using the Multiroom Menu will be

MULTI-ROOM:OFF ON

MULTI IN

:FM PRESET 01

fed to the Multiroom Output jacks

on the

MULTI VOL :ꢀ25dB

BACK TO MASTER MENU

play. Next press the Set button

rear panel. The volume will be as set in the same

menu, although it may also be adjusted using an

optional IR sensor and the Zone II remote in the

remote location or on the optional audio power

amplifier connected to the Multiroom Output

⁄ ¤

buttons

system is on, the Multi indicator

the Main Information Display

will light in

, and the

jacks

Figure 12

Main Information Display

display MULTION. Press the Set button

once to enter the setting or twice to leave

or OSD will

Once the multiroom system is turned on, it will

remain on even if the AVR is placed in the

Standby mode in the main room by pressing the

When the MULTI-ROOMmenu appears,

the on-screen ^›cursor will be at the

MULTI-ROOMline. Since this line is used

to turn the system on and off, do not make an

adjustment here unless you wish to turn the sys-

tem on at this time. To turn the system on, press

the multiroom setup system.

Power Off Button

0or the System Power

Multiroom Operation

Control on the front panel. To turn off the

When operating the AVR from a remote room

location where an IR sensor link has been con-

nected to the AVR’s rear panel Multiroom IR

multiroom system from the main listening room,

when the AVR is on press the Multiroom but-

the ^›button

so that ONis highlighted. If

ton

the

tor

⁄ ¤

and then the Set button

. Press

you do not wish to turn the system on at this

time or to proceed to the next step, press the

Input

O, you may use either the Main remote

buttons

so that the Multi indica-

control or the Zone II remote. To turn on the

multiroom feed, press any of the Input

Selector buttons on the Zone II remote

∫ç∂or the Main remote 456

in the Main Information Display

Button

once so that the › on-screen cursor

goes out, and the Main Information Display

or OSD will display MULTIOFF.

is next to the MULTIINline.

Even when the AVR is turned off (to Standby

mode) and the multiroom system is turned off

too, the multiroom system may be turned on at

any time by pressing the Multiroom button

Press the AVR Selector

∫

to turn the

unit on to the last source, or any of the other

Selector buttons to turn on to a specific source.

, or any of the Selector buttons

∫ç∂in the remote room.

MULTIROOM OPERATION 41

Tuner Operation

5. Stations may also be tuned directly by pressing

the Direct button , and then pressing the

Numeric Keys that correspond to the sta-

tion’s frequency. Note that for entering numbers

higher than 100 you need to enter only the ”1”

rather than ”10”, the first ”0” will be added

automatically. The desired station will automati-

cally be tuned after the latest number is entered.

If you press an incorrect button while entering a

Preset Tuning

Basic Tuner Operation

Using the remote, up to 30 stations may be

stored in the AVR’s memory for easy recall using

the front panel controls or the remote.

The AVR 8500’s tuner is capable of tuning AM,

FM and FM Stereo broadcast stations and receiv-

ing RDS data. Stations may be tuned manually, or

they may be stored as favorite station presets and

recalled from a 30 position memory.

To enter a station into the memory, first tune the

station using the steps outlined above. Then:

1. Press the Memory button

Note that MEMORYindicator

nate and flash in the Main Information

Display

on the remote.

will illumi-

Station Selection

1. Press the AM/FM Tuner Select button

on the remote to select the tuner as an input. The

tuner may be selected from the front panel by

direct frequency, press the Clear button

start over.

NOTE: When the FM reception of a stereo

station is weak, audio quality will be increased

by switching to Mono mode by pressing the

2. Within five seconds, press the Numeric Keys

corresponding to the location where you

either pressing the Input Source Selector

until the tuner is active or by pressing the Tuner

Band Selector at any time.

wish to store this station’s frequency. Once

entered, the preset number will appear in the

Main Information Display

Tuner Mode button

ing the Band Selector

pressed for 3 seconds until the STEREO

and AUTO indicators go out.

on the remote or hold-

on the front panel

2. Press the AM/FM Tuner Select button

ˆ.

or Tuner Band Selector again to switch

3. Repeat the process after tuning any additional

stations to be preset.

between AM and FM so that the desired frequen-

cy band is selected.

Recalling Preset Stations

• To manually select a station previously entered

in the preset memory, press the Numeric Keys

3. Press the Tuner Mode button

remote or hold the Band Selector

front panel pressed for 3 seconds to select manu-

al or automatic tuning.

on the

that correspond to the desired station’s

memory location.

When the AUTO indicator

Main Information Display

is illuminated in the

the tuner will

• To manually tune through the list of stored pre-

set stations one by one, press the Preset

only stop at those stations that have a strong

enough signal to be received with acceptable

quality.

Stations Selector buttons

on the front

panel or remote.

When the AUTO indicator

is not illuminated,

the tuner is in a manual mode and will stop at

each frequency increment in the selected band.

4. To select stations press any Tuning button

. When the AUTO indicator is illumin-

)

ated, press the button to cause the tuner to

search for the next highest or lowest frequency

station that has an acceptable signal or hold the

button pressed to tune fastly and release it to

start the auto search. In the Auto mode the tuner

will play each station in stereo or mono mode,

just as the program is transmitted. If the AUTO

indicator

button

ment at a time, or press and hold it to locate a

is not illuminated, tap the Tuning

)

to advance one frequency incre-

specific station. When the TUNED indicator

illuminates, the station is properly tuned and

should be heard with clarity.

42 TUNER OPERATION

Tuner Operation

accuracy of the time data is dependent on the

radio station, not the AVR.

• TRAVEL: Travel and Touring

• LEISURE: Leisure and Hobby

• JAZZ: Jazz Music

RDS Operation

The AVR 8500 is equipped with RDS (Radio Data

System), which brings a wide range of

Some RDS stations may not include some of

these additional features. If the data required for

the selected mode is not being transmitted, the

information to FM radio. Now in use in many

countries, RDS is a system for transmitting station

call signs or network information, a description

of station program type, text messages about the

station or specifics of a musical selection, and

the correct time.

• COUNTRY: Country Music

• NATIONAL: National Music

• OLDIES: Oldies Music

Main Information Display

will show a

NOTYPE, NOTEXTor NOTIME

message after the individual time out.

In any FM mode the RDS function requires a

strong enough signal for proper operation. If you

receive a partial message, or any of the RDS,

PTY, CT or RT Indicators QPONgoing

on and off, try slowly adjusting the antenna or

tune to another stronger RDS station.

As more FM stations become equipped with RDS

capabilities, the AVR will serve as an easy-to-use

center for both information and entertainment.

This section will help you take maximum

advantage of the RDS system.

• FOLKM: Folk Music

• DOCUMENT: Documentary Programs

• TEST: Emergency Test

Program Search (PTY)

RDS Tuning

When an FM station is tuned in and it contains

RDS data, the RDS Indicator

after some time also the indicators for all other

RDS services received (see below), and the AVR

will automatically display the station’s call sign or

other program service in the Main Information

• ALARM: Emergency Broadcast Information

An important feature of RDS is its capability of

encoding broadcasts with Program Type (PTY)

codes that indicate the type of material being

broadcast. The following list shows the

abbreviations used to indicate each PTY, along

with an explanation of the PTY:

will illuminate,

You may search for a specific Program Type (PTY)

by following these steps:

1. Press the RDS button

rent PTY is shown in the Main Information

Display

until the cur-

Display

ˆ.

• (RDS ONLY)

2. While the PTY is shown, press the Preset

Up/Down button or hold them pressed

RDS Display Options

• (TRAFFIC)

The RDS system is capable of transmitting a

wide variety of information in addition to the ini-

tial station call sign that appears when a station

is first tuned. In normal RDS operation the dis-

play will indicate the station name, broadcast

network or call letters. Pressing the RDS button

to scroll through the list of available PTY types,

as shown above starting with the PTY currently

received. To simply search for the next station

transmitting any RDS data, use the Preset

• NEWS: News

• AFFAIRS: Current Affairs

• INFO: Infomation

Up/Down button

until RDSONLY

appears in the display.

enables you to cycle through the various

• SPORT: Sports

3. Press any of the Tuning Up/Down buttons

, the tuner begins to scan the FM band

upwards or downwards for the first station that

has RDS data that matches the desired selec-

tion, and acceptable signal strength for quality

reception.

data types in the following sequence:

• EDUCATE: Educational

• DRAMA: Drama

• The station’s call letters (with some private

stations other information too).

• The station’s frequency.

• CULTURE: Culture

• The Program Type (PTY) as shown in the list

4. While the PTY Indicator

flashes in the

• SCIENCE: Sciencek

below. The PTY Indicator

will illuminate

display, the tuner will make up to one complete

scan of the entire FM band for the next station

that matches the desired PTY type and has

acceptable reception quality. If no such station is

found, the display will read NONEfor some

seconds and the tuner will return to the last FM

station in use before the search.

when this data is being received.

• VARIED: Varied Speech Programs

• POPM: Popular Music

NOTE: Many stations do not transmit a specific

PTY. The display will show NONE, when such a

station is selected and PTY is active.

• ROCKM: Rock Music

• A “text” message (Radiotext, RT) containing

special information from the broadcast station.

Note that this message may scroll across the

display to permit messages longer than the eight

positions in the display. Depending on signal

quality, it may take up to 30 seconds for the text

message to appear; in that time, the word

• M.O.R.M.: Middle-of-the-Road Music

• LIGHTM: Classical Music

• CLASSICS: Serious Classical Music

• OTHERM: Other Music

NOTE: Some stations transmit constant traffic

information. To identify as traffic station, they

transmit a specific traffic code constantly, which

causes the TA Indicator

to light in the dis-

play. These stations can be found by selecting

TRAFFIC, the option in front of NEWSin

the list. The AVR RDS will find the next appropri-

ate station, even if it is not broadcasting traffic

information when the search is made.

TEXTwill flash in the Information Display when

• WEATHER: Weather Information

• FINANCE: Financial Programs

• CHILDREN: Children’s Programs

• SOCIAL A: Social Affairs Programs

• RELIGION: Religious Broadcasts

• PHONE IN: Phone-In Programs

RT is selected. The RT Indicator

will

illuminate when text data is being received and

ready to be displayed.

• The current time of day (CT). Note that it may

take up to two minutes for the time to appear, in

that time the word TIMEwill flash in the

information display when CT is selected. The

CTIndicator

will illuminate when time

data is being received. Please note that the

OPERATION 43

Programming the Remote

The AVR 8500 is equipped with a powerful

remote control that will control not only the

receiver’s functions, but also most popular brands

of audio and video equipment, including CD

players, TV sets, cable boxes, VCRs, satellite

receivers and other home-theater equipment.

Once the AVR’s remote is programmed with the

codes for the products you own, it is possible to

eliminate most other remotes and replace them

with the convenience of a single backlit universal

remote control.

b. If the product to be programmed does NOT

turn off, continue to enter the three-digit code

numbers until the equipment turns off. At this

point, the correct code has been entered. Press

Auto-Search Method

If the unit you wish to include in the AVR’s

remote is not listed in the code tables in the

booklet or if the code does not seem to operate

properly, you may wish to program the correct

code using the Auto Search method that follows.

Note that the Auto Search method works only

with units whose Power functions can be

remoted:

the Input Selector

again and note that

the red light under the Input Selector will

flash three times before going dark to confirm

the entry.

5. If the Power function of the unit to be pro-

grammed cannot be remoted, follow these steps

(max. 20 seconds after step 3 above, or else step

3 must be repeated first):

1. Turn on the product that you wish to include in

the AVR remote.

Programming the Remote

with Codes

2. Press and hold both the Input Selector

for the type of product to be entered (e.g., VCR,

TV) and the Mute button at the same

time. When the Program/SPL Indicator

turns amber and begins flashing, release the but-

tons. It is important that you begin the next step

within 20 seconds.

a. Enter the first three-digit code number using

the Numeric buttons

and press the

As shipped from the factory, the remote is fully

programmed for all AVR functions, as well as those

of most Harman Kardon CD changers, DVD play-

ers, CD players and cassette decks. In addition, by

following one of the methods below, you may pro-

gram the remote to operate a wide range of

devices from other manufacturers.

Input Selector again. Press the remote

button of any transport function remotable

ﬂ

with the unit, e.g. Pause or Play

P. If

the unit being programmed starts that func-

tion, the correct code has been entered.

3. To find out if the code for your unit is pre-pro-

grammed, point the AVR remote towards the unit

to be programmed, and press and hold the but-

b. If the unit does not start the function whose

button was pressed, repeat steps 3 and 5a

above with the next three-digit code number

listed in the setup code table for that brand

and product type, until the unit reacts properly

on the transport function transmitted.

⁄

Direct Code Entry

This method is the easiest way to program your

remote to work with different products.

ton

the remote’s built-in data base, with each flash of

the red light under the Input Selector indi-

D. This will send out a series of codes from

1. Use the tables in the separate booklet to

determine the three-digit code or codes that

match both the product type (e.g., VCR, TV), and

the specific brand name. If there is more than

one number for a brand, make note of the differ-

ent choices.

cating that a code has been sent. When the device

to be programmed turns off,immediately release

⁄

the button

D. Note that it may take one

6. Try all of the functions on the remote to make

certain that the product operates properly. Keep

in mind that many manufacturers use a number

of different combinations of codes, so it is a good

idea to make certain that not only does the

Power control work, but that the volume, channel

and transport controls work as they should. If

functions do not work properly, you may need to

use a different remote code.

minute or more until the right code is found and

the unit turns off.

⁄

4. When the button was not released in time

2. Turn on the unit you wish to program into the

AVR remote.

after the unit turned off, the proper code will be

”overrun”. That’s why a function test should be

made: Turn the unit on again and, while the

⁄

3. Press and hold both the Input Selector

for the type of product to be entered (e.g., VCR,

TV) and the Mute button at the same

time. When the Program/SPL Indicator

Input Selector

button

still lights red, press the

once, than the button

once

too. When the unit turns off, the right code was

found, when not, the code was ”overrun”. To

re-find the correct, while the Input Selector

7. If the unit does not react to any code en-

tered, if the code for your product does not

appear in the tables in the booklet, or if not all

functions operate properly, try programming the

remote with the Auto Search Method.

turns amber and begins flashing, release the but-

tons. It is important that you begin the next step

within 20 seconds.

still lights red, press (not hold pressed) the

repeatedly to step backwards

button

4. If the unit you wish to program into the

AVR remote has a remotable Power on/off func-

tion, follow these steps:

through the codes available and observe the

reaction of the unit at each press. As soon as the

unit turns off the correct code is found.

Note on Using the AVR 8500 remote with

a Harman Kardon CD Recorder.

As shipped from the factory. the remote is pro-

grammed for controlling Harman Kardon CD

players. It can also control most functions of the

Harman Kardon CD-Recorders (see function list

on page 50) too after the code ”002” is

a. Point the AVR’s remote towards the unit to be

programmed, and enter the first three-digit

5. Press the Input Selector

note that the red light will flash three times

before going dark to confirm the entry.

again, and

code number using the Numeric buttons

If the unit being programmed turns off, the cor-

rect code has been entered. Press the Input

entered on the CD Selector button

6. Try all of the functions on the remote to make

certain that the product operates. Keep in mind

that many manufacturers use a number of differ-

ent combinations of codes, and it is a good idea

to make certain that not only the Power control

works, but the volume, channel and transport

controls, as appropriate. If all functions do not

work properly, you may need to Auto-Search for

a different code, or enter a code via the Direct

Code Entry method.

Selector

again, and note that the red

described above. For returning to the CD player

control commands the code ”001” must be

entered.

light under the Input Selector will flash three

times before going dark to confirm the entry.

44 PROGRAMMING THE REMOTE

Programming the Remote

NOTE: If the Program/SPL Indicator

turns

Code Readout

Learning Codes from a Remote

red steadily during Step 5, the programming was

not successful. Repeat the steps to see if the

code will “take.”If the indicator keeps flashing

red in step 5, this code cannot be taught.

When the code has been entered using the Auto

Search method, it is always a good idea to find

out the exact code so that it may be easily

reentered if necessary. You may also read the

codes to verify which device has been

programmed to a specific Control Selector

button.

In addition to using codes from the remote’s

internal code library, the AVR’s remote is able to

“learn” codes from remotes that may not be in

the code library. In addition, you may use this

function to “learn over” the codes from a prepro-

grammed device to add functions not included in

the preprogrammed codes. To learn or transfer

codes from an IR remote to the AVR’s remote,

follow these steps:

6. Repeat steps 4 though 5 for each button on

the source remote that you wish to transfer to

the AVR remote.

7. Once all codes have been transferred from the

original source remote to the AVR remote, press

1. Press and hold both the Input Selector

for the device you wish to find the code for and

the Mute button at the same time. Note

that the Program/SPL Indicator will ini-

the Learn button

f. This will turn off all LEDs

1. Place the front of the original remote with the

code being sent so that it is facing the IR

and turn off the learning mode.

tally turn amber and begin flashing. Release the

buttons and begin the next step within 20 sec-

onds.

Transmitter Window

“head-to-head.”The remotes should be between

2 and 4cm apart.

on the AVR remote

8. Repeat Steps 1 through 7 for any additional

remotes you wish to “teach” into the AVR

Remote.

2. Press the Set button

. The Program/SPL

2. Select the button on the remote that you wish

to use as the device selector for the codes about

to be entered. This must be any of the Input

Erasing Learned Codes

Indicator will then blink green in a sequence

that corresponds to the three-digit code, with a

one-second pause between each digit. Count the

number of blinks between each pause to deter-

mine the digit of the code. One blink is the number

1, two blinks is the number 2, and so forth. Note

that a rapid sequence of three blinks is used to

indicate a “0.”

The AVR’s remote allows you to remove or erase

the code learned into a single button for a single

device, to remove or erase all the codes that have

been learned for a single device, or to erase all

commands that have been learned to all devices.

Selectors

or the AVR Selector

5. Note

that when new codes are learned with the AVR

Selector, they may no longer control the

AVR.

3. Press the Input Selector 45button

chosen and the Learn Button at the same

time. Hold these buttons until the Program/SPL

Indicator flashes amber and the light

To erase a single learned code from

within a single device’s settings, follow

these steps:

1. Press and hold both the Input Selector

45within which the individual button to be

erased has been programmed and the Learn but-

Example: One blink, followed by a one-second

pause, followed by six blinks, followed by a one-

second pause, followed by four blinks indicates

that the code has been set to 164.

under the device selector button turns red.

Release the buttons. It is important that you

begin the next step within 20 seconds.

ton

For future reference enter the Setup Codes for the

equipment in your system here:

4. Press the button on the AVR remote that you

wish to program. Note that the Program/

2. When the red LED under the Input Selector

turns red and the Program/SPL Indicator

flashes amber, release the buttons.

SPL Indicator

will stop flashing.

DVD ____________ CD ________________

VID1/VCR ________ VID2/TV __________

VID3/CBL/SAT ______________________

VID4 ______________________________

TAPE ______________________________

Important Note: Codes cannot be taught to all

buttons on the remote. The buttons with the

following numbers are not learnable (for

3. Press and release the Input Selector 45

again for the device within which the individual

button to be erased has been programmed.

numbers, see drawing on page 10):

4. Press the 7 button

three times.

. In these cases the Program/SPL

5. Press and release the individual button for

which the code is to be erased. The Program/SPL

Indicator

keeps flashing after the button

was released.

Indicator

will blink green two times and

then return to amber.

5. As long as the Program/SPL Indicator

is on steadily (for five seconds), press and hold

the button on the original remote that you wish

to “teach” into the AVR remote. If you pressed

the button too late or no command was received

within five seconds, the Program/SPL

6. To erase other buttons within the same device,

press them as noted in Step 5.

7. When all buttons to be erased have been

pressed, press the Learn button

to complete

the process.

Indicator

then amber, then simply repeat step four. When

the Program/SPL Indicator turns green,

will flash red three times and

To erase all codes within a single device,

follow these steps:

1. Press and hold both the Input Selector

45for which you wish to erase the codes

release the button on the original remote. Note

that the Program Indicator will then begin to

flash amber again.

and the Learn button

2. When the red LED under the Input Selector

turns red and the Program/SPL Indicator

flashes amber, release the buttons.

PROGRAMMING THE REMOTE 45

Programming the Remote

3. Press and release the same Input Selector

45again for the device whose codes you

wish to erase.

• Press the VID 3 Input Selector button

to indicate the next command is for “Sat-

Receiver”.

Macro Programming

Macros enable you to easily repeat frequently

used combinations of commands with the press

of a single button on the AVR’s remote control.

Once programmed, a macro will send out

up to 19 different remote codes in a pre-deter-

mined sequential order enabling you to automate

the process of turning on your system, changing

devices, or other common tasks. The AVR’s

• Press the Mute

button to store the Sat-

4. Press the 8 button

three times.

Receiver Power On command.

• Press the Sleep/Channel Up button

complete the process and store the macro

sequence.

5. The Program/SPL Indicator

will turn off,

the red light under the Input Selector will flash

on and off once and the Program/SPL

Indicator

will flash green three times to

After following these steps, each time you press

the Macro 1 button , the remote will send

all Power On commands.

indicate that the codes have been erased.

remote can store up to five separate macro com-

mand sequences, one that is associated with the

To erase all codes that have been

programmed to all devices in the remote,

follow these steps:

Power On button

3, and four more that are

Erasing Macro Commands

accessed by pressing the Macro buttons

To remove the commands that have been pro-

grammed into one of the Macro buttons, follow

these steps:

1. Press any Input Selector 45and also

1. To start programming a macro, press the

Mute button and the Macro button

to be programmed or the Power-On button

at the same time. Note that the latest

selected Input Selector will light red, and the

Program/SPL Indicator will flash amber.

the Learn button

2. When the red LED under the Input Selector

1. Press the Mute button

and the Macro

turns red and the Program/SPL Indicator

button that contains the commands you

flashes amber, release the buttons.

wish to erase.

3. Press and release the same Input Selector

45again.

2. Note that the Program/SPL Indicator

will flash amber, and the red LED under the

Input Selector 45last used will turn on.

2. Enter the steps for the macro sequence by

pressing the button for the actual command

step. Although the macro may contain up to 19

steps, each button press, including those used to

change devices, counts as a step.

The Program/SPL Indicator

green twice to confirm each button press as you

enter commands.

4. Press the 9 button

three times.

3. Within ten seconds, press the Surround

Mode Selector/Channel Down button

5. The Program/SPL Indicator

will turn off,

the red light under the Input Selector will flash

on and off once and the Program/SPL

will flash

4. The red LED under the Selector will go out,

Indicator

will flash green three times after

and the Program/SPL Indicator will turn

some seconds to indicate that the codes have

been erased.

green and flash three times before it goes out.

NOTE: While entering commands for Power On

of any device during a macro sequence, press the

5. When the Program/SPL Indicator

goes

out, the Macro has been erased.

Mute button

button

g. DO NOT press the Power ON

• Remember to press the appropriate Input

Selector button before functions are

changed to another device. This is also needed

for the AVR Selector button itself, as long

as it’s not lit red and AVR functions shall be pro-

grammed.

3. When all the steps have been entered, press

the Sleep button

to enter the commands.

The red light under the Input Selector

45will blink and then turn off and the

Program/SPL Indicator

will flash green

twice to confirm the macro to be programmed.

Example: To program the Macro 1 Ubutton

so that it turns on the AVR, TV and a Sat-Receiver,

follow these steps:

• Press the Macro 1 button

and Mute

buttons at the same time and then release them.

• Note that the Program/SPL Indicator will

flash amber.

• Press the AVR Selector

• Press the Mute button to store the AVR’s

power on command.

• Press the VID 2 Input Selector button

indicate the next command is for “TV”.

• Press the Mute button to store the TV

Power On Command.

46 PROGRAMMING THE REMOTE

Programming the Remote

Notes on Using the AVR 8500

Remote With Other Devices.

Programmed Device Functions

Volume Punch-Through

Once the AVR’s remote has been programmed for

the codes of other devices, press the appropriate

The AVR 8500’s remote may be programmed to

• Manufacturers may use different code sets for

the same product category. For that reason, it is

important that you check to see if the code set

you have entered operates as many controls as

possible. If it appears that only a few functions

operate, check to see if another code set will

work with more buttons.

operate the Volume Control

and the Mute

Input Selector

to change the remote from

gfrom either the TV or the AVR in conjunction

control over the AVR to the additional product.

When you press any of these buttons, it will briefly

flash in red to indicate that you have changed the

device being controlled.

with any of the devices controlled by the remote.

For example, since the AVR will likely be used as

the sound system for TV viewing, you may wish to

have the AVR’s volume activated although the

remote is set to run the TV.

When operating a device other than the AVR, the

controls may not correspond exactly to the func-

tion printed on the remote or button. Some com-

mands, such as the volume control, are the same

as they are with the AVR. Other buttons will

change their function so that they correspond to a

secondary label on the remote. For example, the

Sleep and Surround mode selector buttons also

function as the Channel Up and Channel Down

buttons when operating most TV sets, VCRs or

Sat-Receivers.

• Depending on the brand and product type used

the functions listed in the Function List tables

may not correspond with the function the unit

reacts on the command. In these cases it’s a

good idea to edit the reaction of the unit into the

corresponding line of the table or to set up a

separate list.

Either the AVR or TV volume control may be

associated with any of the remote´s devices.

To program the remote for Volume Punch-

Through, follow these steps:

1. Press the Input Selector

wish to have associated with the volume control

and the Mute button at the same time until

the red light illuminates under the Input Selector

for the unit you

• When a button is pressed on the AVR remote,

the red light under the Input Selector

for

and note that the Program/SPL Indicator

will flash amber.

the product being operated should flash briefly. If

the Device Control Selector flashes for some but

not all buttons for a particular product, it does

NOT indicate a problem with the remote, but

rather that no function is programmed for the

button being pushed.

For some products, however, the function of a

particular button does not follow the command

printed on the remote. In order to see which

function a button controls, consult the Function

List tables printed on page 50. To use those

tables, first check the type of device being con-

trolled (e.g., TV, VCR). Next, look at the remote

control diagram on page 50. Note that each but-

ton has a number on it.

2. Press the Volume Up button

that.the Program/SPL Indicator

and note

will stop

flashing and stay amber.

3. Press either the AVR Selector

or the

• The remote was pre-programmed with codes

for units of the latest generation, but some codes

may differ from those needed for earlier units.

When your device doesn’t react as listed in the

function list (page 50/51), let the AVR 8500

remote learn the appropriate codes from the

original remote (learning codes see page 45).

Input Selector , depending on which sys-

tem’s volume control you wish to have attached

for the punch-through mode. The Program/SPL

Indicator

will blink green three times and

then go out to confirm the data entry.

To find out what function a particular button has

for a specific device, find the button number on

the Function List and then look in the column for

the device you are controlling. For example, but-

ton number 46 is the”Direct” button for the

AVR 8500, but it is the “Favorite” button for

many cable television boxes and satellite

receivers. Button number 32 is the Delay button

for the AVR 8500, but the Open/Close button for

CD players.

Example: To have the AVR’s volume control acti-

vated even though the remote is set to control

the TV, first press the Video/TV Input Selector

and the Mute button

Next, press the Volume Up button

by the AVR Input Selector

at the same time.

, followed

NOTE: Should you wish to return the remote to

the original configuration after entering a Volume

Punch-Through, you will need to repeat the steps

shown above. However, press the same Input

Selector in steps one and three.

Note that the numbers used to describe the but-

ton functions above and on page for the pur-

poses of describing how a button operates are a

different set of numbers than those used in the

rest of this manual to describe the button func-

tions for the AVR 8500.

PROGRAMMING THE REMOTE 47

Programming the Remote

1. Press the Input Selector

you wish to have the channel control associated

with and the Mute button at the same time

until the red light illuminates, under the Input

Selector and the Program/ SPL Indicator

flashes amber.

for the device

Channel Control Punch-Through

Reassigning Device-Control

Selectors

The AVR 8500’s remote may be programmed to

operate so that the channel control function,

Although any of the Input Selectors

is nor-

performed with the Sleep

and Surround

mally assigned to the category of product shown

on the remote, it is possible to reassign one of

these buttons to operate a second device of

another type. For example, if you have two VCRs

buttons, for either the TV, cable or satellite

receiver used in your system may be used in con-

junction with one of the other devices controlled

by the remote. For example, while using and

controlling the VCR, you may wish to change

channels on a cable box or satellite receiver

without having to change the device selected by

the AVR 8500 or the remote. To program the

remote for Channel Control Punch-Through, fol-

low these steps:

2. Press the Play button

P. The Program/SPL

Indicator 2will stop flashing and stay amber.

but no tape, you may program the TAPE

button to operate a second VCR. Before you can

start you must find out the three-digit code

number for your second device (your second

VCR) to operate, as outlined on page 45. Then

3. Press and release the AVR

or Input

Selector button for the device that will be

used to change the channels. The Program/SPL

Indicator will blink green three times and

reassign the TAPE

button with the following

then go out to confirm the data entry.

steps:

Example: To control the transport of a CD player

while the remote is set to control the TV, press the

1. Press the Input Selector button

device you wish to have the channel control asso-

ciated with and the Mute button at the

same time until the red light illuminates under the

Input Selector and the Program/SPL

Indicator flashes amber.

for the

1. Press the Input Selector

reassign and the Mute button

time until the red light illuminates under the

Input Selector and the Program/SPL

Indicator flashes amber.

you wish to

at the same

VID 2/TV Input Selector button

Mute button at the same time. Next,

release them and press the Play button

followed by the CD Input Selector button

and the

2. Press the Input Selector

for the device,

2. Press the Volume Down button

.The

whose function you wish to program into the

reassigned button.

NOTE: To remove the Channel Control Punch-

Through and return the remote to its original con-

figuration, repeat the steps shown in the example

above. However, press the same Input Selector

in Steps 1 and 3.

Program/SPL Indicator

will stop flashing

and stay amber.

3. Enter the three-digit code for the specific

model you wish the reassigned button to oper-

ate.

3. Press and release the AVR

Selector button for the device that will be

used to change the channels. The Program/SPL

Indicator will blink green three times and

or Input

NOTE: Before programming the remote for

Volume, Channel or Transport Punch-Through,

make certain that any programming needed for

the specific TV, CD, DVD, Cable or Satellite

Receivers has been completed.

4. Press the same Input Selector

pressed

in Step 1 once again to store the selection. The

red LED under the re-assigned Input Selector will

flash three times and then go out.

then go out to confirm the data entry.

Example: To control the channels using your TV

while the remote is set to control the VCR, first

press the VID 1/VCR Input Selector button

Example: To use the TAPE

ate a second VCR, first press the TAPE Input

Selector and the Mute button at the

same time until the red light glows under the

TAPE button. Press the VCR button,

button to oper-

and the Mute button

Next, release them and press the Volume Down

button , followed by the same Input

Selector button

at the same time.

followed by the three-digit code for the specific

NOTE: To remove the Channel Control Punch-

Through and return the remote to its original con-

figuration, repeat the steps shown in the example

above. However, press the same Input Selector

in Steps 1 and 3.

model you wish to control. Finally, press the TAPE

button again.

Important Note: Only those Input Selector

buttons can be reassigned that replace

other buttons for devices of the same kind. So

the bottons for DVD, CD, TAPE and VCR (devices

with transport functions) can replace one anoth-

er as the Selectors for TV, CBL/SAT, and VID 4.

Transport Control Punch-Through

The AVR 8500’s remote may be programmed to

operate so that the Transport Control

To remove the Reassign function and return the

remote to its original configuration, repeat steps

1, 3 and 4 above (not 2), however, press the

Functions

(Play, Stop, Fast Forward,

Rewind, Pause and Record) for a VCR, DVD or CD

will operate in conjunction with one of the other

devices controlled by the remote. For example,

while using and controlling the TV, you may wish

to start or stop your VCR or DVD without having

to change the device selected by the AVR or the

remote. To program the remote for Transport

Control Punch-Through, follow these steps:

same Input Selector button

in steps 1

and 4 (i.e. re-program the button with its origi-

nal code).

48 PROGRAMMING THE REMOTE

Programming the Remote

Resetting the Remote Memory

As you add components to your home-theater sys-

tem, occasionally you may wish to totally repro-

gram the remote control without the confusion of

any commands, macros or ”Punch-Through“ pro-

gramming that you may have done. To do this, it is

possible to reset the remote to the original factory

defaults and command codes by following these

steps. Note, however, that once the remote is

reset, all commands or codes that you have

entered will be erased and will need to be

re-entered:

1. Press any of the Input Selector buttons

and the ”O“ button at the same time until

the Program/SPL Indicator

begins to flash

amber.

2. Press the ”3“ button

three times.

3. The red LED under the Input Selector

go out and the Program/SPL Indicator

stop flashing and turn green.

will

4. The Program/SPL Indicator

will remain

green until the remote is reset. Note that this may

take a while, depending on how many commands

are in the memory and need to be erased.

5. When the Program/SPL Indicator

goes

out, the remote has been reset to the factory set-

tings.

PROGRAMMING THE REMOTE 49

Function List

No.

Button Name

AVR Function

DVD

CD/CDR

Power On

Power Off

Mute

Power On

Power Off

Mute

Power On

Power Off

Power On

Power Off

AVR

DVD

Tape

VID 1

VID 2

VID 3

VID 4

AVR Select

DVD Input Select

CD Input Select

Tape Input Select

Video 1 Select

Video 2 Select

Video 3 Select

Video 4 Select

Video 5 Select

Tuner Select

DVD Select

CD Select

VID 5

AM/FM

6/8 Ch. Select

Learn

Sleep

Test

6/8 Ch Input Select

Sleep

Test Tone

SPL

Volume Up

Surround Mode Select

Night Mode Select

Multi-Room Select

Volume Down

Channel Trim

Move/Adjust Up

Speaker Adjust

Move/Adjust Left

-/Input Select

SPL

Volume Up

Surround Select

Night

Multi Room

Volume Down

Channel/Guide

⁄

-/CDR Select

-/CDP Select

Subtitle on/off

Title

Left

Enter

Right

Open/Close

Down

Return

Speaker/Menu

ﬁ

Set

Intro/-

Set

ﬂ

Move/Adjust Right

Digital Input Select

Move/Adjust Down

Delay Adjust

Tuner Mode

Memory

Tune Up

Direct Tuner Entry

Clear

Preset Tune Up

Tune Down

OSD

Digital/Exit

Delay/Prev. Ch.

Tun-M

Memory

Tune Up

Direct

Clear

Preset Up

Tune Down

OSD

RDS

Preset Down

Open/Close

Chapter

Audio

Next Chapter

Angle

Clear

Slow Forward

Prev Chapter

Repeat

Time/CDR Display

Random

Clear

+10/-

-/Track Increment

Program

Disc Skip

RDS

Disc Skip

Slow Rev

Preset Tune Down

Dolby

Dolby Modes

DTS SURR

DTS Neo:6

Logic 7

Home THX

Stereo

Skip Down

Skip Up

Rewind

Tone Mode

Play

DTS Digital Modes

DTS Neo:6 Select

Logic 7 Select

THX Modes Select

Stereo Mode Select

Skip –

Skip +

R. Search

Skip –

Skip +

R. Search

Tone Mode Select

Play

F. Search

Play

Fast Forward

Record

Stop

F. Search

-/Record

Stop

Pause

50 FUNCTION LIST

Function List

No.

Button Name

Tape

VCR (VID 1)

TV (VID 2)

CBL (VID 3)

SAT(VID 3)

Power On

Power Off

Mute

Power On

Power Off

Power On

Power Off

Power On

Power Off

Mute

Power On

Power Off

Power On

Power Off

AVR

DVD

Tape

Tape Select

VID 1

VCR Select

VID 2

TV Select

VID 3

VID 4

VID 5

AM/FM

6/8 Ch. Select

Learn

Sleep

Test

VID 3 Select

Channel +

Channel –

Channel +

Channel –

Channel +

Channel –

SPL

Volume Up

Surround Select

Night

Multi Room

Volume Down

Channel/Guide

⁄

Volume Up

Channel –

Volume Down

Info/Guide

Left

Enter

Right

Exit

Down

Info/Guide

Left

Enter

Right

Exit

Down

Left

Enter

Right

Exit

Left

Enter

Right

Exit

Down

Prev Channel

Speaker/Menu

ﬁ

Set

ﬂ

Digital/Exit

Down

Delay/Prev. Ch.

Prev Channel

Tun-M

Memory

Tune Up

Direct

Clear

Preset Up

Tune Down

OSD

RDS

Preset Down

Sleep

Clear

FAV

Bypass

Music

FAV

Alt

Clear

OSD

Dolby

DTS SURR

DTS Neo:6

Logic 7

Home THX

Stereo

Skip Down

Skip Up

Rewind

Tone Mode

Play

Scan –

Scan +

Rewind

Play

Fast Forward

Record

Stop

Fast Fwd

Record/Rec.Pause

Stop

Fast Fwd

Record

Stop

Day +

Pause

FUNCTION LIST 51

Troubleshooting Guide

SYMPTOM

CAUSE

SOLUTION

Unit does not function when Main • No AC Power

• Make certain AC power cord is plugged into a live outlet

• Check to see if outlet is switch controlled

Power Switch

is pushed

Display lights, but no sound

or picture

• Intermittent input connections

• Mute is on

• Make certain that all input and speaker connections are secure

• Press Mute button

Units turns on, but Front-Panel

Display does not light

• Display brightness is turned off

• Follow the instructions in the Display Brightness section

on page 39 so that the display is set to VFD FULL

No sound from any speaker; light

• Amplifier is in protection mode due to possible short

• Amplifier is in protection mode due to internal problems

• Check speaker-wire connections for shorts at receiver

and speaker ends

• Contact your local Harman Kardon service depot

around Power switch

is red

No sound from surround or

center speakers

• Incorrect surround mode

• Input is mono

• Select a mode other than Stereo

• There is no surround information from mono sources

(except with Theater and Hall surround modes)

• Check speaker mode configuration

• Incorrect configuration

• Stereo or Mono program material

• Some surround modes may not create rear-channel

information from nonencoded programs

Unit does not respond to

remote commands

• Weak batteries in remote

• Wrong device selected

• Change remote batteries

• Press the AVR Selector

• Remote sensor

is obscured

• Make certain front-panel sensor is visible to remote or

connect remote sensor

Intermittent buzzing in tuner

• Local interference

• Move unit or antenna away from computers, fluorescent

lights, motors or other electrical appliances

Letters flash in the

• Digital audio feed paused

• Resume play for DVD

Channel IndicatorDisplay

and Digital Audio stops

• Check that Digital Signal is fed to the Digital Input selected

HDCD encoded disc does

not trigger HDCD indicator

• Surround mode in use

• Analog feed in use

• Select “Surround Off” mode

• Connect and select digital connection to CD player

Error message "NO SURR BACK"

appears on front display.

• You´ve pressed the Home THX button twice to activate

the 7.1 THX processing mode with a 5.1 speaker

configuration while a Dolby Digital source is played.

• THX 7.1 processing is not possible with a 5.1 speaker setup.

Error message "INCOMPATIBLE

SOURCE" is scrolled over front

display.

• You´ve pressed the Home THX button twice to activate

the 7.1 THX processing mode with a 7.1 speaker

configuration while a 2-channel Dolby Digital source

(2/0) is played.

• THX 7.1 processing is incompatible with a digital signal

without discrete left/right surround channels.

Message like "DIALNORM OFFSET • AVR activates the Auto-balance feature to compensate

• Is activated automatically after the AVR has decoded the

imbalanced signal. No failure with the unit.

+4dB" appears on front panel

display.

for any imbalance at the input of the decoder between

left/right channels with Dolby Digital signals and to

improve the dialog (center channel) intelligibilty.

To clear the AVR’s entire system memory includ-

ing tuner presets, output level settings, delay

times and speaker configuration data, first put

the unit in Standby by pressing the System

NOTE: Resetting the processor will erase any

configuration settings you have made for speak-

ers, output levels, surround modes, digital input

assignments as well as the tuner presets. After a

reset the unit will be returned to the factory

presets, and all settings for these items must be

re-entered.

Processor Reset

In the rare case where the unit’s operation or the

displays seem abnormal, the cause may involve

the erratic operation of the system’s memory or

microprocessor.

Power Control button

2. Next, press the

Tone Mode

and the RDS buttons simul-

taneously.

To correct this problem, first unplug the unit from

the AC wall outlet and wait at least three min-

utes. After the pause, reconnect the AC power

cord and check the unit’s operation. If the system

still malfunctions, a system reset may clear the

problem.

The unit will turn on automatically and display

the RESETmessage in the Main

If the system is still operating incorrectly, there

may have been an electronic discharge or severe

AC line interference that has corrupted the

memory or microprocessor.

Information Display

ˆ. Note that once you

have cleared the memory in this manner, it is nec-

essary to re-establish all system configuration

settings and tuner presets.

If these steps do not solve the problem, consult

an authorized Harman Kardon service depot.

52 TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE

Technical Specifications

Audio Section

Stereo Mode

FM Tuner Section

Frequency Range

87.5–108MHz

IHF 1.3 µV/13.2dBf

Mono/Stereo: 70/65dB (DIN)

Mono/Stereo: 0.15/0.3%

35dB @ 1kHz

300kHz: 65dB

80dB

90dB

Continuous Average Power (FTC)

Usable Sensitivity

Signal-to-Noise Ratio

Distortion

Stereo Separation

Selectivity

125 Watts per channel, 20Hz–20kHz,

@ < 0.07% THD, both channels driven into 8 ohms

Five-Channel Surround Modes

Power Per Individual Channel

Image Rejection

IF Rejection

Front L&R channels:

110 Watts per channel,

@ < 0.07% THD, 20Hz–20kHz into 8 ohms

AM Tuner Section

Frequency Range

Signal-to-Noise Ratio

Usable Sensitivity

Distortion

522–1611kHz

45dB

Loop: 500µV

1kHz, 50% Mod: 0.8%

9kHz: 30dB

Center channel:

110 Watts, @ < 0.07% THD, 20Hz–20kHz into 8 ohms

Surround channels:

110 Watts per channel,

@ < 0.07% THD, 20Hz–20kHz into 8 ohms

Selectivity

Input Sensitivity/Impedance

Video Section

Linear (High Level)

200mV/47kohms

95dB

Video Format

PAL/NTSC

1Vp-p/75 ohms

Signal-to-Noise Ratio (IHF-A)

Input Level/Impedance

Output Level/Impedance

Video Frequency Response

(Composite and S-Video) 10Hz–8MHz (–3dB)

Video Frequency

Surround System Adjacent Channel Separation

Analog Decoding

(Pro Logic, etc.)

Dolby Digital (AC-3)

DTS

40dB

55dB

Response (Component)

10Hz-35MHz (-3dB)

Frequency Response

@ 1W (+0dB, –3dB)

10Hz–100kHz

85 Amps

General

Power Requirement

Power Consumption

AC 220-240V/50Hz

119W idle, 694W maximum

(2-channel driven)

High Instantaneous

Current Capability (HCC)

Transient Intermodulation

Distortion (TIM)

Trigger Output

6V DC @ 500mA

Unmeasurable

16 µsec

Dimensions (Max)

Width

Rise Time

Slew Rate

440mm

196mm

519mm

24.1 kg

40V/µsec**

Height

Depth

Weight

Depth measurement includes knobs, buttons and terminal connections.

Height measurement includes feet and chassis.

All features and specifications are subject to change without notice.

Harman Kardon is a registered trademark, and Power for the digital revolution is a

trademark, of Harman International Industries, Inc.

is a trademark of Harman International Industries, Inc.

(Patent No. 5,386,478).

*Manufactured under license from Dolby Laboratories.

“Dolby,” “Pro Logic,” “Pro Logic II” and the Double-D symbol are

trademarks of Dolby Laboratories. Confidential Unpublished

DTS and DTS Surround, DTS-ES and DTS Neo:6 are trademarks of Digital Theater

Systems, Inc.

THX and THX Ultra are manufactured under license from Lucasfilm Ltd., Lucasfilm,

THX and THX Ultra are registered trademarks of Lucasfilm Ltd.

Surround EX is a jointly developed technology of THX and Dolby Laboratories, Inc., and

is a trademark of Dolby. Used under authorization.

VMAx is a trademark of Harman International Industries, Inc., and is an

implementation of Cooper Bauck Transaural Stereo under patent license.

Logic 7 is a registered trademark of Lexicon, Inc.

Crystal is a registered trademark of Cirrus Logic Corp.

HDCD is a registered trademark of Pacific Microsonics, Inc.

**Without input anti slewing and output isolation networks.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS 53

250 Crossways Park Drive, Woodbury, New York 11797

www.harmankardon.com

Harman Consumer International:

2, route de Tours, 72500 Château-du-Loir, France

Part No.: 5527 9750

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