User manual ARCAM AV9

AV9 Pre-amp. processor Préamplificateur-processeur AV9 Vorverstärker/Prozessor AV9 AV9 Voorversterker Processor Safety guidelines CAUTION RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK DO NOT OPEN ATTENTION RISQUE DE CHOC ELECTRIQUE NE PAS OUVRIR CAUTION: To reduce the risk of electric shock, do not remove cover (or back). No user serviceable parts inside. Refer servicing to qualified service personnel. WARNING: To reduce the risk of fire or electric shock, do not expose this apparatus to rain or moisture. The lightning flash with an arrowhead symbol within an equilateral triangle, is intended to alert the user to the presence of uninsulated `dangerous voltage' within the product's enclosure that may be of sufficient magnitude to constitute a risk of electric shock to persons. The exclamation point within an equilateral triangle is intended to alert the user to the presence of important operating and maintenance (servicing) instructions in the literature accompanying the product. CAUTION: In Canada and the USA, to prevent electric shock, match the wide blade of the plug to the wide slot in the socket and insert the plug fully into the socket. Important safety instructions This product is designed and manufactured to meet strict quality and safety standards. However, you should be aware of the following installation and operation precautions: 1. Take heed of warnings and instructions You should read all the safety and operating instructions before operating this appliance. Retain this handbook for future reference and adhere to all warnings in the handbook or on the appliance. 2. Water and moisture The presence of electricity near water can be dangerous. Do not use the appliance near water ­ for example next to a bathtub, washbowl, kitchen sink, in a wet basement or near a swimming pool, etc. 3. Object or liquid entry Take care that objects do not fall and liquids are not spilled into the enclosure through any openings. Liquid filled objects such as vases should not be placed on the equipment. 4. Ventilation Do not place the equipment on a bed, sofa, rug or similar soft surface, or in an enclosed bookcase or cabinet, since ventilation may be impeded. We recommend a minimum distance of 50mm (2 inches) around the sides and top of the appliance to provide adequate ventilation. 5. Heat Locate the appliance away from naked flames or heat producing equipment such as radiators, stoves or other appliances (including other amplifiers) that produce heat. 6. Climate The appliance has been designed for use in moderate climates. 7. Racks and stands Only use a rack or stand that is recommended for use with audio equipment. If the equipment is on a portable rack it should be moved with great care, to avoid overturning the combination. 8. Cleaning Unplug the unit from the mains supply before cleaning. The case should normally only require a wipe with a soft, damp, lint-free cloth. Do not use paint thinners or other chemical solvents for cleaning. We do not advise the use of furniture cleaning sprays or polishes as they can cause indelible white marks if the unit is subsequently wiped with a damp cloth. 9. Power sources Only connect the appliance to a power supply of the type described in the operating instructions or as marked on the appliance. AV9 E-2 10. Power-cord protection Power supply cords should be routed so that they are not likely to be walked on or pinched by items placed upon or against them, paying particular attention to cords and plugs, and the point where they exit from the appliance. 11. Grounding This is a class 1 product and requires an earth connection. Ensure that the grounding means of the appliance is not defeated. 12. Power lines Locate any outdoor antenna/aerial away from power lines. 13. Non-use periods If the unit has a stand-by function, a small amount of current will continue to flow into the equipment in this mode. Unplug the power cord of the appliance from the outlet if left unused for a long period of time. 14. Abnormal smell If an abnormal smell or smoke is detected from the appliance, turn the power off immediately and unplug the unit from the wall outlet. Contact your dealer immediately. 15. Servicing You should not attempt to service the appliance beyond that described in this handbook. All other servicing should be referred to qualified service personnel. 16. Damage requiring service The appliance should be serviced by qualified service personnel when: A. the power-supply cord or the plug has been damaged, or B. objects have fallen, or liquid has spilled into the appliance, or C. the appliance has been exposed to rain, or D. the appliance does not appear to operate normally or exhibits a marked change in performance, or E. the appliance has been dropped or the enclosure damaged. Safety compliance This product has been designed to meet the IEC 60065 international electrical safety standard. Safety guidelines ........................................ E-2 Important safety instructions ......................E-2 Safety compliance .....................................E-2 Before you start! ......................................... E-4 Introduction..............................................E-4 Using this handbook ..................................E-4 What's in the box? .....................................E-4 Before making connections .........................E-5 Inserting batteries into the remote control ....E-6 Installation ................................................. E-7 Positioning the unit ....................................E-7 Cables......................................................E-7 Audio connections......................................E-8 Zone 2 connections....................................E-9 Video connections.................................... E-10 Control connections ................................. E-11 Trigger outputs........................................ E-11 Connecting to a power supply ................... E-11 Configuring the AV9 .................................. E-12 Basic Setup ............................................ E-13 Advanced Setup ...................................... E-17 Saving Settings, User Presets and Exiting the Setup Menu ............................................ E-20 Front panel controls .................................. E-21 Remote control ......................................... E-22 Operating your AV9................................... E-23 Using the controls.................................... E-23 Using the Main menu screens .................... E-26 Using Zone 2 .......................................... E-28 Surround modes........................................ E-29 Introduction............................................ E-29 Digital multi-channel sources .................... E-29 Two-channel source modes ....................... E-30 Multi-channel source modes ...................... E-31 THX® Modes............................................ E-31 DSP Effects Modes ................................... E-33 About THX® cinema processing.................. E-33 Speaker Installation ................................. E-33 Troubleshooting ........................................ E-34 Technical specifications ............................ E-37 Utility software ........................................ E-38 Additional technical information ............... E-38 SCART connections ................................... E-39 IR remote codes........................................ E-40 Guarantee ................................................. E-41 Worldwide Guarantee ............................... E-41 On line registration .................................. E-41 Appendix: AV9 serial programming interfaceE-42 Data transfer format ................................ E-42 Setting values ......................................... E-42 Query commands .................................... E-42 Command processing ............................... E-42 Command descriptions ............................. E-43 Environmental matters: This handbook is printed in the U.K. on recycled paper, and is itself fully recyclable and biodegradeable. The paper used is from the `Revive' range of papers, manufactured in the U.K. by Robert Horne. In Revive, 75% of the paper is de-inked post-consumer waste, with the remaining 25% being mill broke and virgin fibre. The recycled pulps used in the production of this paper are a combination of Totally Chlorine Free (TCF) giving zero AOX and Elemental Chlorine Free (ECF) giving a resultant AOX level of less than 0.5Kg per 1000Kg of pulp. The small print: < Manufactured under licence from Dolby Laboratories, Inc. `Dolby', `Pro Logic', `Surround EX' and the double-D symbol are trademarks of Dolby Laboratories. Copyright © 1992­1999 Dolby Laboratories, Inc. All rights reserved. < Manufactured under license from Digital Theater Systems, Inc. US Pat. No. 5,451,942, 5,956,674, 5,974,380, 5,978,762 and other world-wide patents issued and pending. `DTS', `DTS-ES Extended Surround' and `Neo:6' are trademarks of Digital Theater Systems, Inc. Copyright © 1996, 2000 Digital Theater Systems, Inc. All Rights Reserved. < Lucasfilm and THX are trademarks or registered trademarks of Lucasfilm, Ltd. Copyright © Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. Surround EX is a jointly developed technology of THX and Dolby Laboratories, Inc. and is a trademark of Dolby Laboratories, Inc. All AV9 rights reserved. Used under authorization. E-3 English Contents Before you start! Introduction Thank you for purchasing the Arcam AV9 Preamp processor. The AV9 is a high-quality and high-performance home-cinema processor and audio pre-amplifier built to Arcam's quality design and manufacturing standards. It combines digital processing with high performance audio and video components to bring you an unrivalled home-entertainment centre. The AV9 allows switching and volume control of eight analogue and seven digital sources making it an ideal companion for both home cinema and two-channel stereo systems. Since many of these source components are also capable of putting video signals out, the AV9 includes broadcast-quality video switching for composite-, S-video-, component-, RGB- and HDMI-video signals. There are inputs and outputs for both tape and VCR, as well as a digital output; DVD-Audio and SACD can be connected via the multichannel input. Control of the AV9 is either by front panel control buttons, IR remote control or an RS232 port (which can also be used to upload future software enhancements). The AV9 can be integrated with various types of power amplifiers and loudspeakers, including those that are THX certified. The AV9 is itself THX certified, meaning it has passed the rigorous THX Ultra2 specification enabling it to reproduce THX Surround EX signals from Dolby Digital soundtracks. The installation of the AV9 in a listening room is an important process which requires care at every stage. For this reason, the installation information is very comprehensive and should be followed carefully. Using this handbook This handbook has been designed to give you all the information you need to install, connect, set-up and use the Arcam AV9. The remote control handset supplied with the equipment is also described. It may be that the AV9 has been installed and set-up as part of your Hi-Fi installation by a qualified Arcam dealer. In this case, you may wish to skip the sections of this handbook dealing with installation and setting up the unit, and move directly to the sections dealing with using the player. Use the contents list on page 3 to guide you to these sections. Safety Safety guidelines are set out on page 2 of this handbook. Many of these items are common sense precautions, but for your own safety, and to ensure that you do not damage the unit, we recommend that you read them. This is a class 1 product and requires an earth connection. Inserting batteries into the remote control The remote control requires two `AA' batteries to operate. To insert the batteries into the remote control, please follow these instructions: 1. 2. 3. Open the battery compartment cover on the back of the remote control. Insert two AA batteries into the battery compartment, following the polarity indications given inside the compartment itself. Close the cover. Notes on inserting the remote control batteries < < < < < < Incorrect use of batteries can result in hazards such as leakage and bursting. Do not mix old and new batteries together. Do not use different kinds of battery together--although they may look similar, different batteries may have different voltages. Ensure that the plus (+) and minus (--) ends of each battery match the indications in the battery compartment. Remove batteries from equipment that is not going to be used for a month or more. When disposing of used batteries, please comply with governmental (or other) regulations that apply in your country or area. 1. Opening the cover of the remote control battery compartment. 2. Inserting batteries into the remote control. Using the remote control Please keep in mind the following when using the remote control: < Ensure that there are no obstacles between the remote control and the remote sensor on the AV9. The remote has a range of about 7 metres. (If the remote sensor is obscured, the remote control input jack on the rear panel is available. Please contact your dealer for further information.) Remote operation may become unreliable if strong sunlight or fluorescent light is shining on the remote sensor of the AV9. Replace the batteries when you notice a reduction in the operating range of the remote control. < < 3. Closing the cover of the remote control battery compartment. AV9 E-4 Before making connections Before connecting your equipment it is important to think about the following points, as these will affect your choice of connections and subsequent use of the system. Audio Wherever possible, connect both analogue and digital outputs of digital sources. This enables use of a digital input for the main zone with the corresponding analogue input used for recording onto an analogue tape deck or VCR, or for the Zone 2 output. Analogue video The AV9 does not provide conversion between different video formats as this would result in degradation of the video signal. This means simply that the AV9 does not convert between composite, S-video or component video signals. For example, if you are watching a composite input from a VCR you must view it from the composite output of the AV9, as there will be no picture on the other outputs. Connect as follows: < < < < < VCR (composite) input and Monitor out (composite) DVD (S-video) input and Monitor out (S-video) Component/RGB ­ highest S-video ­ middle Composite ­ lowest or, for a device with an S-video output, such as a DVD player, connect: The video quality hierarchy is as follows: If all the video inputs are connected simultaneously from one device, e.g., a DVD player, the AV9 will select automatically the best format available. Digital video (HDMI) The AV9 is fitted with five HDMI inputs and one HDMI output, allowing switching of HDMI signals. In most cases, HDMI provides the highest quality video connection between your source and your display. The AV9 does not perform conversion between analogue audio/video and HDMI. HDMI signals cannot be routed to Zone 2. If you are using an HDMI connection and you wish to have the same audio and video in Zone 2, then you will need additionally to provide analogue audio and video connections (as described above). HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface) supports both video and audio on a single digital connection for use with DVD players, digital TV, set-top boxes, etc. HDMI was developed to combine the technologies of High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP) and the Digital Visual Interface (DVI) in one specification, with the addition of transmission of digital audio information; HDCP is used to protect digital content transmitted to DVI-compliant displays. Zone 2 A line-level signal from the stereo analogue audio together with the composite video inputs are available for Zone 2. The analogue inputs from source components are required because the AV9 provides no analogue-to-digital, DSP processing or digital-to-analogue conversion; the composite video connections are required since the AV9 does not convert video formats. For these reasons, we recommend that source devices that have a digital connection are also connected to the analogue inputs. High quality YUV/RGB and S-video sources should also have their composite outputs connected to the AV9 for use in Zone 2. General The inputs are named to make it easier to reference when connecting (e.g., `DVD' or `VCR'). They all have the same input circuit, however, so there is no reason why you should not connect a different device to any of the inputs. For example, if you had two DVD players and the AV input was not being used, then the second DVD player could be connected to the AV input. AV9 E-5 English Installation Serial Control control connections Digital output REMOTE OUT IN LOCAL Digital audio inputs Component video connections Composite & S-video connections DIGITAL INPUTS DVD AV TAPE Y/G U/B 1 HIGH QUALITY VIDEO 2 V/R Y/G U/B V/R VIDEO ZONE 2 RS232 CONTROL VIDEO TRIGGERS 2 1 MONITOR OUT TAPE VCR OUT VCR IN AV SAT DVD GND MM 50/60Hz 100­240VAC~ MAX 40VA 12V IN TRIGGER ZONE 2 LEFT OUT TUNER CD VCR SAT Y/G U/B OUT V/R Y/G 3 U/B V/R 1/RGB 2/S-VIDEO PROG OUT TAPE MC CENTRE SUB 2 L SURR LS BACK LEFT CENTRE L SURR LS BACK TUNER CD IN OUT VCR IN AV SAT DVD AUDIO GROUND LIFT (IN) L L R RIGHT R AUX/ PHONO SUB 1 SUB 3 R SURR RS BACK RIGHT SUB R SURR RS BACK ZONE 2 OUT OUTPUTS DVD-A/SACD IN Ground lift Power supply connector Multichannel outputs Multichannel Zone 2 DVD-A/SACD output inputs Analogue audio inputs and record outputs Positioning the unit < < < < < < Place the processor on a level, firm surface. Avoid placing the unit in direct sunlight or near sources of heat or damp. Do not place the unit on top of a power amplifier or other source of heat. Ensure adequate ventilation. Do not place the unit in an enclosed space such as a bookcase or closed cabinet unless there is good provision for ventilation. The processor is designed to run warm during normal operation. Make sure the IR receiver on the front panel is unobstructed, otherwise this will impair the use of the remote control. If line-of-sight is impractical, an infrared remote repeater can be used with the rear panel IR connector. Do not place your record deck on top of this unit or any other unit which is mains supplied. Record decks are very sensitive to the noise generated by mains power supplies which will be heard as `hum' if the record deck is too close. Cables We recommend the use of high quality screened analogue, digital and video cables, as inferior quality cables will degrade the overall quality of your system. Use only cables that are designed for the particular application as other cables will have different impedance characteristics that will degrade the performance of your system. < < < Video and digital connections must be made with cables that are designed for this purpose, i.e., coaxial cable with a 75 impedance. If substandard cables are used you may suffer from poor picture quality such as ghost images and/or grainy picture quality (snow). Speaker cables should be kept short, and low-impedance wire should be used throughout to ensure efficient power transmission and to avoid audible distortion. All cables should be kept as short as is practically possible. It is good practice when connecting your equipment to make sure that the mains power supply cabling is kept as far away as possible from your audio and video cables, as this will provide the best sound and picture quality. Failure to do so may result in unwanted noise in the audio and video signals. AV9 E-6 Audio connections English < < Wherever possible, connect both the analogue and digital outputs of digital sources. This enables use of a digital input for the main zone and the corresponding analogue input for recording onto an analogue tape deck or VCR, and for the Zone 2 output if used. Take care to place the audio cables as far from any power supply cabling as is practically possible to reduce hum and other noise problems. Analogue audio inputs SAT, DVD. 3 TUNER, 4 CD, 6 TAPE IN, 8 VCR IN, 9 AV, bk SAT bl DVD Connect the left and right inputs to the left and right outputs of your source equipment. bm AUX/PHONO. With the optional phono card installed, this input can be connected directly to a record deck. This card caters for both moving magnet and moving coil cartridges. If the optional phono card has not been installed, this input will function identically to the other line inputs. For example it can be connected to a second CD player. TUNER CD OUT TAPE IN OUT VCR IN AV bo bn SAT DVD GND MM MC AUDIO L R AUX/ PHONO bn MM/MC switch. (This switch is available only if the optional phono card has been installed.) 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 bk bl bm The switch on the back panel marked MM/MC is used to select the correct sensitivity to match the cartridge fitted to the record deck, which is either moving magnet (MM) or moving coil (MC). If you are unsure which type of cartridge is fitted to your record deck, connect the record deck and select the `MM' setting on the switch. If, when tested, the output from the record deck is very quiet compared with the CD or DVD inputs then your cartridge is probably a moving coil type cartridge. Turn the AV9 off and select the `MC' setting on the switch and test the record deck again. Please note that if the AV9 is set to `MM' and the record deck has a `MC' cartridge fitted, testing these together will not cause any damage to either the AV9 or the record deck. bo GND. This is the phono earth or ground terminal and is used to connect to a turntable earth lead (if fitted). Note that this terminal must not be used as a safety (mains) earth. Analogue record outputs 5 TAPE OUT, 7 VCR OUT. Connect the left and right audio outputs sockets to the left and right input sockets of your cassette deck or VCR (usually labelled `RECORD'). The VCR connections may also be used for a second tape deck. Digital audio inputs bp DVD, bq AV, br TAPE, bs TUNER, bt CD, ck VCR, cl SAT. Connect these inputs to the digital ouputs of your available source equipment. Notes: < < Each of these seven digital inputs can be associated with different audio inputs (if required), by use of the `Digital Settings' page of the Setup menu. The AV9 does not contain an RF decoder for Laserdisc with RF output. bp bq br DIGITAL INPUTS DVD AV TAPE Digital output cm (Digital) OUT. Connect this coaxial digital output to your digital recording device such as a CD-R, digital VCR or minidisc player. When a digital source is selected, the digital output will send an exact copy of the incoming digital signal. For example, for a 5.1 digital source, the digital output will also be in 5.1 format. When an analogue-only source is selected, this is digitised by the AV9 and routed to the digital outputs. The exception to this is when Neo:6 or Pro Logic IIx processing modes are selected. These require extra processing power and the digital outputs will be muted when these modes are active. These outputs are also muted if a source is selected where the only connection for that source is HDMI. The digital audio from the HDMI link (if any) is not routed to these outputs. OUT TUNER CD VCR SAT cm bs bt ck cl Multi-channel DVD-A/SACD inputs The multichannel input is suitable for use with sources that decode the surround channels internally, such as DVD-A or SACD players. The AV9 switches these analogue inputs directly to the analogue outputs via its volume control circuit. This direct path maintains the best possible sound quality for DVD-A and SACD sources. cn cp cr ct LEFT CENTRE L SURR LS BACK cn LEFT, co RIGHT, cp CENTRE, cq SUB, cr L SURR, cs R SURR. Connect the equivalent audio outputs of your DVD-Audio or SACD player to these inputs. RIGHT SUB R SURR ct LS BACK, and dk RS BACK. These are available for formats requiring eight channels. DVD-A/SACD IN RS BACK co cq cs dk AV9 E-7 Analogue pre-amplifier outputs All these analogue outputs are buffered, have a low output impedance and are at line level. They are able to drive long cables or several inputs in parallel if required. dl dn dp dr dt LEFT CENTRE SUB/2 L/SURR LS/BACK dl LEFT, dm RIGHT, dn CENTRE. Connect these to the equivalent front channel inputs of your power amplifier. do SUB 1. Main subwoofer output. Connect this to the input of your active subwoofer, if you have one. RIGHT SUB/1 SUB/3 R/SURR RS/BACK OUTPUTS dp SUB 2, dq SUB 3. Subwoofer auxiliary outputs 2 and 3. These are equivalent to and allow the use of multiple subwoofers. If you are using more than one subwoofer, please set the number used on the subwoofer setting page. Refer to `Subwoofer Settings', page 15. do dm do dq ds ek dr L SURR. Surround left output. Connect this output to the surround left power amplifier input. ds R SURR. Surround right output. Connect this output to the surround right power amplifier input. dt LS BACK, ek RS BACK. Surround back left and right outputs (only used in 7.1 channel systems). Connect these outputs to the inputs of your LS back and RS back amplifiers. Zone 2 connections The AV9 allows independent routing and control of analogue audio and composite video to a separate set of equipment, typically used for a second living space, e.g., bedroom or lounge. Zone 2 receives only signals obtained by the AV9 from the analogue audio and composite video inputs. The analogue inputs are required because there is no analogue-to-digital, digital-to-analogue or DSP processing available for Zone 2 signals; as the AV9 does not convert video formats a composite signal must also be connected from the source. For these reasons we recommend that source devices that have a digital connection are also connected to the analogue inputs. High quality YUV/RGB and S-video sources should also have their composite output connected to the AV9 for use in Zone 2. gp gl gn REMOTE OUT IN LOCAL gr ZONE 2 VIDEO TRIGGERS 2 1 MONITOR OUT ZONE 2 OUT 12V IN TRIGGER ZONE 2 1/RGB 2/S-VIDEO PROG gm go gp Zone 2 OUT. Connect these to a line level input on your Zone 2 amplifier. go IN Zone 2. This allows the AV9 to be controlled remotely from Zone 2 via infrared remote control. Zone 2 remote controller connection. A receiver compatible with this connector is available from Xantech (part no. 291-10). Please contact a Xantech registered dealer for this part, as ARCAM does not stock them. See www.xantech.com for more information. The 3.5mm jack plug for this connector is wired as follows: 3.5mm stereo jack Tip Ring Sleeve Function Signal 0V 12V, 30mA current-limited go gr Zone 2 Composite video connection. Connect to your Zone 2 video display using 75 low loss coaxial cable. This follows the Xantech standard for IR transmission over wire. AV9 E-8 Video connections Important notes As described on page 5, the AV9 performs no video format conversion between component, RGB, S-video or composite. Therefore, wherever possible, connect multiple video outputs from your video sources. This enables use of the higher quality video connection for the main system and the corresponding S-video or composite connection for the record and Zone 2 outputs. For any video source to be viewed in Zone 2 you must have a composite video connection between the source and the AV9. Composite video connections el MONITOR OUT 1. Connect this output to the composite video input of your display device. (You will need an RCA phono-tophono, or, in Europe, a phono-to-SCART video cable to do this.) em MONITOR OUT 2. This is the same as el MONITOR OUT 1, and enables a second display device to be used; it can also be used as a sync reference for a four-wire RGB signal. ep VCR IN, eq AV, er SAT, es DVD. Connect the composite video outputs of your source equipment to these inputs. eo VCR OUT. Connect to the composite video input of your video recorder. en TAPE. If you are using the tape loop for a second VCR then connect the composite video from the VCR to this input. gr el em en eo ep eq er es VIDEO ZONE 2 2 1 MONITOR OUT TAPE VCR OUT VCR IN AV SAT DVD S-Video connections VIDEO TRIGGERS et MONITOR OUT. Connect this to the S-video input of your display device. 1/RGB 2/S-VIDEO PROG fn VCR IN, fo AV, fp SAT, fq DVD. Connect the S-video outputs of your source equipment to these inputs. gsgt et fk fl fm fn fo fp fq fm VCR OUT. Connect this to the S-video input of your video recorder. fl TAPE. If you are using the tape loop for a second VCR then connect the S-video from the VCR to this input. High quality (Component) video connections These inputs are suitable for connection to component (YUV/ YCrCb) or RGB outputs. These signals are usually available from a DVD player, set-top box or games console and offer the best possible picture quality. Generally, the component video standard is used in North America/NTSC regions, while RGB is used in Europe. fr Y/G U/B V/R Y/G fs U/B V/R HIGH QUALITY VIDEO 1 2 fr VIDEO 1, fs VIDEO 2, ft VIDEO 3 inputs. Connect the high-quality video outputs of your video sources to these inputs. gk HIGH QUALITY VIDEO OUT. Connect these sockets to the component video inputs of your display device. Important notes about HQ video inputs and outputs Y/G OUT U/B V/R Y/G U/B 3 V/R < < < < When you connect your devices to these connectors, take care to follow the letter/ colour coding for each input. No damage will occur if incorrectly connected, but unusually coloured or unstable pictures will result. gk ft In the `Video Settings' setup menu, each of these three high quality component video inputs can be individually allocated to one of the following inputs: DVD, SAT, TUNER, TAPE, CD, VCR or AV. You cannot mix component and RGB sources. The high quality component video inputs have sufficient bandwidth for line-doubled NTSC (525/60) or PAL (625/50) video and US HDTV video signals. However, when used with such signals the OSD is not overlaid on the picture but is output at standard interlaced NTSC or PAL (525 or 625 line) rate on a solid background. Initially, the high quality video inputs are all disabled. Before any HQ video input can be selected it must be allocated to an input. < RGB 4-wire connection Some video projectors and most European TV sets require the use of a 4-wire RGB connection, where the `sync.' signal is separate from RGB. In these cases, you need to use the composite video MONITOR OUT 2 for the sync information. A special cable is available from your dealer for 4-wire RGB connection to do this (described in the table of SCART connections at the back of the manual). If you require further information on this connection type, please contact your dealer. AV9 E-9 English HDMI An HDMI connection between a source and your display device offers (in most cases) the best possible picture quality. This connection type is, however, the most limiting in terms of routing and conversion. The AV9 provides five HDMI inputs, labelled to match the other digital inputs. Each input may be used for any HDMI source. It is important to realise that analogue video sources cannot be routed by the AV9 to the HDMI output, nor can the HDMI inputs be converted to analogue video (of any sort). The AV9 acts simply as a switching device, selecting one of the inputs and routing it to the output. Keeping the above in mind, it will be necessary (as with the high-quality analogue video connections), to provide a composite video feed, in addition to the HDMI connection, if the video is to be routed to Zone 2. IN DVD HDMI OUT SAT Control connections gn IN LOCAL. Use with a local IR receiver when the AV9 front panel IR receiver is obstructed. go IN ZONE 2. This allows the AV9 to be controlled remotely from Zone 2 via infrared remote control. Connect to a remote IR receiver in Zone 2 to allow control of the AV9 from Zone 2. RS232 CONTROL gl gn REMOTE OUT IN LOCAL gl (REMOTE) OUT. This enables control of the source components remotely from Zone 2 or zone 1 using the local input. Control is possible by either connecting to the source devices via the 3.5mm IR jack (Arcam units only) or using an IR emitter stuck to the centre of the IR sensor window on the source component (such as a Xantech 283MW mini emitter). 85 ­ 265VAC MAX 40VA GROUND LIFT (IN) 12V IN TRIGGER ZONE 2 gq RS232 CONTROL. Use with control devices having an RS232 serial port (for example, Crestron and AMX touch screen controllers). This connection is also used for upgrading control software. See the sections at the end of this manual for control and programming information. gq ZONE 2 gm go 2 1 MONITOR OUT If you require further information on using any of these connections, please contact your dealer. Trigger outputs There are three trigger output sockets on the AV9, each of which is a 3.5mm stereo jack with two contacts, `tip' and `ring'. See the tables for technical information on the trigger outputs. VIDEO TRIGGERS 1/RGB 2/S-VIDEO PROG gm 12V TRIGGER. Use for remotely turning on and off power amps or source equipment for the main zone and Zone 2. gsgt Voltage On = 12V, 30mA Off = 0V On = 12V, 30mA Off = 0V 0V gs VIDEO TRIGGER 1, gt VIDEO TRIGGER 2. The trigger outputs have different functions depending on how the Video Status has been set (Screen Ctrl or SCART) in the `General Settings' menu. Connection Tip Ring Sleeve Function Main zone on Zone 2 on Ground Connecting to a power supply 1 Power inlet. The AV9 has a universal input power supply that is compatible with mains voltages between 85VAC and 265VAC. 2 GROUND LIFT (IN) button. In complex setups which involve satellite inputs or radio aerials, grounding the unit may increase the level of background hum or buzz in the loudspeakers, in which case press the GROUND LIFT button in to lift the signal ground from the chassis ground. Do not remove the safety earth from the mains cable under any circumstances. RS232 CONTROL Mains lead The appliance is normally supplied with a moulded mains plug already fitted to the lead. Check that the plug supplied with the unit fits your supply; if your mains plug is different, consult your Arcam dealer. If for any reason the plug needs to be removed, it must be disposed of immediately and securely, as it is a potential shock hazard when inserted into the mains socket. Should you require a new mains lead, contact your Arcam dealer. 85 ­ 265VAC MAX 40VA GROUND LIFT (IN) Plugging in Push the plug (IEC line socket) of the power cable supplied with the unit into the power input socket ( 1 2 1 ) in the back of the unit. Make sure it is pushed in firmly. Put the plug on the other end of the cable into your power supply socket and switch the socket on. AV9 E-10 The AV9 `Setup Menu' has six `Basic' and six `Advanced' menu screens which take you through the configuration process. The `Basic' menus enable you to match your AV9 to your speakers. The `Advanced' menus allow you to optimise the operation of your system. Screen shots of these menus are shown in shaded boxes on the following pages. The best way to set the AV9 up is using the on-screen display (OSD). To view the OSD for the initial set up, use the composite video output to connect to your TV. This is because the high quality video output has several display modes and may be incompatible with your display device in the default configuration. The OSD will not be visible at all if you try to use an HDMI connection. The AV9 defaults to the NTSC video standard ­ most display devices can synchronise to this automatically. For PAL-only display devices, press and hold the OK button for two seconds, when the AV9 will change to the PAL video standard. As soon as a video signal is input to the AV9, it detects automatically which standard it is and switches to it. Entering setup mode To enter the Setup menus press and hold the MENU button on the remote control, or on the front panel, for at least two seconds. The `Setup Menu Index' is displayed on your display device. UNSTABLE OSD MENU DISPLAY? Your AV9 may be in the wrong video standard mode. Press and hold the OK button for more than two seconds to switch between the NTSC and PAL standard OSD mode. Setup lock To prevent tampering with the AV9 setup configuration you can `lock' the menus by pressing the OK, TUNER and DVD-A buttons simultaneously on the front panel. To unlock the AV9, press the same buttons again. Setup Menu The main `Setup Menu' page allows you instant access to six `Basic' and six `Advanced' menus. They are listed side-by-side on the OSD on your display device. The selected line of the menu is also displayed on the front panel of the AV9. Use the E remote control button to go to page 1 from the menu heading, or use the navigation buttons to scroll down the list to a specific page, then press OK to go directly to the page. Save Setup takes you to the `Save Settings' screen to allow you to save in one of the five available presets. Exit Setup exits the Setup menus without saving any changes. Each of the following sections shows the screen that is displayed as you move through the menus. Setup Menu Index Basic Advanced 1. General 1. Speaker Eq 2. Speaker Size 2. Video 3. Delays 3. Digital 4. Level Set 4. Zone 2 5. Subwoofer 5. Input Trim 6. THX 6. Input name Save Setup Exit Setup Navigating the setup menu ... BY USING THE REMOTE CONTROL The Set-up menu can be navigated by using the cursor (arrow) keys on the remote control. This is by far the easiest method. 1. To enter the Set-up menu, press and hold the MENU button (which is located immediately under the navigation buttons) for at least two seconds, until the Index page appears. (Pressing the menu button for just a short time will take you to `Main Menu Screen 1'. If this happens, the Main Menu can be closed by pressing MENU for a second time.) When the menu heading is highlighted, using the D and E keys will navigate between menu pages. Using this method to navigate between pages the first time the unit is being configured will help to ensure that no pages are missed out. Use the OK 2. MENU 3. 4. 5. B and C keys to navigate up and down the menu lines. D and E keys To change the setting for a particular menu item, highlight the item then use the to cycle through the options for that item. Once you have set all the menu items on a page to have values that are appropriate for your system, move the menu highlight to the top of the screen (the menu heading) and press E to move to the next menu page. At any time, press the MENU button to return to the main Set-up menu index screen. To save the changes you have made, return to the Set-up menu index page and highlight the `Save Set-up' item at the bottom of the screen. Press the OK button to save the settings. Press OK again to exit the Set-up menu. 6. 7. In addition to the above method of moving from page to page using the D and E keys, each menu page can be accessed directly from the Set-up menu index page. This is achieved by using the cursor keys to move the menu highlight to the desired page on the Index page, then pressing OK. ... BY USING THE BUTTONS ON THE FRONT PANEL OF THE AV9 The AV9 front panel controls can be used to configure the options. Follow the instructions given for using the remote control, in this case using the EFFECT/6 button for `down', the MODE/5 button for `up' and the volume control for left and right. AV9 E-11 English Configuring the AV9 Basic Setup 1 ­ General Settings: Volume display: Allows you to select how volume is displayed. Choose from Normal 0­82 (in 1dB steps), THX Ref ­63dB to +19dB, and Fine 0­82 (in 0.5dB steps). We recommend setting this to THX Ref as this represents a volume control around 0dB (the reference level) which is the same loudness level of a movie in a movie theatre (once you have calibrated your system correctly). Max Volume: Limits the maximum volume setting the system can be turned up to. This is a useful feature to prevent accidental overdriving of low power-handling speakers (for example). Max On Volume: Limits the maximum volume the system operates at when it is first switched on. The system comes on at this volume if the last used (possibly very loud) volume exceeds this value. 1 - General Settings Volume Display: Normal 0-72 Max Volume: +72 Max On Volume: +20 Delay units: Imperial OSD Mode: Mixed Video Status: SCART HQ Video: RGB Sync On Green: Off Delay units: Controls whether the delay settings for the speakers in surround modes (page 3 of this menu) are specified in terms of Time, Imperial or Metric distances from the listening position. Choose the measurement system that you feel most comfortable with. Note that changing the units resets all distances/times to zero. It is therefore important to choose the units (Time, Imperial or Metric) before set up. OSD Mode: Controls how the on screen display is viewed. Mixed will overlap the OSD on top of the existing video picture, while Full Page will give a full screen black background with the OSD displayed in white. Note that no on-screen display is available over the HDMI connection. On video signals that have a sync. rate of greater than the normal interlaced rate (e.g., progressive scan, frame-scaled video, HDTV) the OSD will switch into Full Page mode (black background) when the control menu is accessed. Any pop-up displays (such as the volume bar, source selection information, etc) will be switched off. Note that in Mixed mode, the highlight bar is black if video is present; it is blue if no video signal is present or if in Full Page mode. Video Status: This setting controls the trigger sockets on the rear panel of the AV9 ( gm, gs and , described on page 10). It can be set either to Screen Ctrl or SCART. SCART mode is useful only if you wish to use SCART connections from the AV9 (SCART refers to the multipole A/V connector used on European A/V equipment). SCREEN CONTROL MODE In this mode, the AV9 provides two 12V signals that can be used to turn on (and off) compatable devices that are physically remote from the AV9. For example, an electric projector screen could be unrolled automatically when the AV9 is switched on by using one of these triggers. (Before using this feature, ensure that the voltages given in the table below are suitable for the device you are connecting the signal to.) Note: When the `HQ Video' line of the `General Settings' page is set to `Component' (rather than `RGB'), video trigger 1 behaves as listed in the table for Screen Ctrl mode. SCART MODE If you wish to make SCART connections from the AV9, please refer to page 38 for details on the type of lead you will need to use. In SCART mode, seamless selection of composite, S-video and RGB A/V TV inputs is possible. This setting controls the triggers into the display device to tell the display what video type is being sent. When switching to a source with associated video input (e.g., DVD), if the AV9 detects the presence of either an S-video or composite video signal, it sets respectively either the S-video or the composite SCART input-select lines high. (If both signal types are detected on that source input, then only the S-video SCART input-select line is set high.) If it supports this feature, the connected display device will then switch automatically to the correct input channel, following these signals. gt SCART MODE: 1/RGB trigger output - connect to RGB SCART on your TV Connector Tip Ring Function RGB mode select RGB/composite SCART input select (CVBS status) Aspect ratio 4:3/16:9 Sleeve Ground Voltage 0V Video present, aspect 4:3 = 12V Video present, aspect 16:9 = 6V No video signal = 0V 0V SCART MODE: 2/S-VIDEO trigger output - connect to S-video SCART (usually SCART no. 2) on your TV Connector Tip Ring Function Video source trigger S-video SCART input select (CVBS status) Aspect ratio 4:3/16:9 Sleeve Ground Voltage Any video source selected = 12V No video source selected = 0V Aspect 4:3 = 12V Aspect 16:9 = 6V No video signal = 0V 0V If an RGB video source is associated with an input, the RGB input-select line is set high. SCRN CTRL MODE: 1/RGB and 2/S-VIDEO When `Sync On Green' is set to `On' (see selected: below), RGB video is detected by the AV9 from the sync. signals. If `Sync On Green' is Connector Function set to `Off', the AV9 will assume an RGB signal Tip Main zone on trigger is present when sync. signals are detected on the associated composite input. For this Ring Main zone on trigger reason, note that if only a composite signal is present when the AV9 has been configured Sleeve Ground to expect RGB signals for that input, the AV9 will display a blank screen, not the composite video signal. AV9 E-12 trigger outputs with SCRN CTRL Voltage Main zone turned on = 12V Main zone turned off = 0V Main zone turned on = 12V Main zone turned off = 0V 0V This menu item can be configured to have a different setting for each input. Select the input to be configured, then change this setting. Sync On Green: This applies only if RGB video is used. On makes the AV9 feed the video synchronisation signal out with the green signal. Some RGB-driven display devices require this to lock on to the video signal coming in, while others need the video synchronisation on a separate lead. Systems using SCART connections will normally have a four-wire system (i.e., with sync. on composite [CVBS] video) and, therefore, require Sync On Green to be set to Off. Note: The Sync on Green menu option is not selectable when Component is selected as the HQ video type. 2 ­ Speaker sizes The size and number of loudspeakers are defined on this page of the OSD. Definitions: A Large speaker is one that is capable of handling a full range signal (i.e., 20Hz­20kHz). A Small speaker is one that is not capable of reproducing a deep bass signal (i.e., below 100Hz), for example a satellite speaker. None is used when there is no speaker connected to that channel. Auto Setup: Allows the setting of `standard configurations' as in the table below: Speaker Front L/R Centre Surr L/R Surr Back L/R Sub-woofer 5.1 Rears Config.1 Small Small Small Small Present Both Config.2 Large Small Small Small None Both Config.3 Large Small Large Small Present Both Custom Sm/Lge Sm/Lge/None Sm/Lge/None Sm/None Present/ None SurrL/R/ Surr Back L/R/ Both THX Small THX Small THX Small THX None Present THX Surr L/R THX Surr.Ex Small THX Small THX Small THX Small THX Present THX Both 2 - Speaker Sizes Auto Setup: Custom Front L/R: Small Centre: Small Surr.L/R: Small Surr.Back L/R: Small Subwoofer: Present Rears for 5.1: Both Custom setting allows you to choose any combination of speakers to suit your system. Note that the centre and rear speakers cannot be set to large if the front speakers are set to small. THX automatically sets the speaker selections to the specified configuration for THXTM listening. This automatically sets the surround back speakers to None, and all filters are set to 80Hz. This configuration is not adjustable. Only select this if you are using a full set of THXTMcertified speakers. THX Surr.EX automatically sets the speaker selections for a THXTM Surround EX setup with a pair of surround speakers, a pair of surround back speakers and all filters set to 80Hz. This configuration is not adjustable. Only select this if you are using a full set of THXTM certified speakers. 5.1 Rear Speakers defines how the speakers in a full `7.1' installation handle 5.1 decoded sources. < < < Surr L/R redirects 5.1 surround signal to the surround left and right speakers. No signal will be directed to the surround back left or right speakers. Surr Back L/R redirects 5.1 surround signal to the surround back left and right speakers. No signal will be directed to the surround left or right speakers. Both redirects the 5.1 surround signal to both pairs of speakers with the signal to each set reduced by 3dB. AV9 E-13 English HQ Video: Allows selection of the high quality video output to match your display device. Choose between RGB or Component. This setting has no effect on the HDMI output. The AV9 allows progressive scan and high definition TV (HDTV) signals to be passed through the high quality component inputs to the high quality output. Note, however, that the OSD cannot overlay text at any rate other than standard NTSC or PAL. 3 ­ Speaker delay settings Note: Only enter these delay settings once you have specified what delay units (i.e., Time, Imperial or Metric) you will be using, or the information will be lost when changing units. The measurement units can be specified on page 1 of this menu (described on page 12). Sub woofer 3 - Delay Settings Front Left: 3Ft Centre: 3Ft Front Right: 3Ft Surr. Right: 3Ft Surr. Back L+R 3Ft Surr. Left: 3Ft Subwoofer: 3Ft nt Fro left Centre Fro n righ t t e.g. 3m (9ft) The speaker distance control automatically sets the appropriate time delays required for all the speakers in your system. To set up the correct speaker distance, you must measure from the usual listening position to the front of each individual speaker in the system. If the delay units are set to Time, then enter the delay in milliseconds for each channel. e.g. 4m (12ft) The delay adjustment is not a substitute for proper speaker placement, but helps to ensure accurate and correct signal arrival times from all the channels to the primary listening position. No measurement can be entered for a speaker that is not selected in the previous `Speaker Sizes' menu. Surr left e.g. 2m (6ft) Surr right Surr back left Surr back right Distance measurements for 5.1 [and 7.1] speaker delay settings 4 ­ Level settings It is very important to calibrate the speakers correctly to achieve an accurately-centred sound stage. We recommend you use a sound pressure level meter (SPL meter) to perform this part of the setup as it is difficult to judge the levels accurately by ear alone. Manual is best for setting up with an SPL meter as the test tone will not change to the next speaker until instructed by you. Auto is best for setting up by ear as the test tone changes automatically to each speaker after a two second burst of sound. On first installation, watch the OSD display as you cycle through the available speakers with the test tone. Check that the speaker in use corresponds to that indicated on the OSD. If there is an error then check and correct the system cabling before proceeding further. 4 - Level Settings Test Tone Cycle: Manual Front L: ---I--- +0dB Centre: ---I--- +0dB Front R: ---I--- +0dB Surr. R: ---I--- +0dB Surr. BR: Not Present Surr. BL: Not Present Surr. L: ---I--- +0dB Subwoofer: ---I--- +0dB Select Speaker for Tone To calibrate the speakers with an SPL meter, place the meter at ear level with the microphone pointing towards the ceiling, when seated in the usual listening position. You will need to set the meter to `C', setting with a `slow', response and to read 75dB SPL at the centre of the scale. This volume is equivalent to normal conversation. Each speaker can be finely tuned by 0.5dB increments to ±10dB. The output from each speaker needs to be adjusted to the 75dB SPL sound level. No adjustments can be made for a speaker that is not selected in the previous `Speaker Sizes' menu. Note: If you do not have an SPL meter, simply set the front left speaker to 0dB on the menu and then match all the other speakers to this level. AV9 E-14 5 ­ Subwoofer Settings Crossover Frequency: This setting defines the frequency at which bass redirection begins. Frequencies below this level are redirected from `small' speakers to the Fronts or to the subwoofer; frequencies above this level are not redirected. The value for this setting depends on your speakers, environment and taste, and is best determined by experimentation. The adjustment can be made in increments of 5Hz between 40Hz and 150Hz. If THX or THX Surr.EX have been selected in the previous menus, the crossover frequency will be set to THX specification at 80Hz. Crossover Freq.: 80Hz THX Stereo Mode: Sat+Sub LFE Level: ---I--- -0dB DTS LFE Gain: 0dB Normal Sub Stereo: ---I--- -0dB DVD-A Sub Level: Normal No. of Subwoofers: 1 Stereo Mode: Select between Large, Large+Sub or Sat+Sub. If you have configured your system to have a subwoofer, then you have the flexibility to choose how bass information is distributed between the front left/right speakers and the subwoofer when listening to stereo sources. Choose the option which gives you the most solid even sounding bass (for best results test with a set-up disc or live program material). < < < Large: Pure stereo information -- all audio is sent to the front left and right speakers. Use this setting if you have large front speakers. Note that this option will override the setting configured on the `Speaker Sizes' menu page. Large+Sub: Pure stereo is fed to left and right and extracted bass is sent to the subwoofer. In this case the low frequency information is, effectively, duplicated. Sat+Sub: Use this setting if you have `Small' satellite left and right speakers. Full bass management is used in analogue stereo so that analogue sources are fed to the DSP where the bass is filtered off left and right and redirected to the subwoofer. Note that the above three Stereo Mode settings pass the audio through the DSP, which may degrade the sound quality slightly. This can be avoided for the `Large' setting by pressing the DIRECT button to bypass the DSP processing. LFE Level: Allows you to adjust the output level of the low frequency effects channel relative to the other speakers in the system. This adjustment affects the loudness of movie low frequency effects such as thunder, explosions, etc. DTS LFE Gain: DTS soundtracks typically have the LFE track recorded 10dB lower than the main audio tracks. It is, therefore, necessary to compensate for this by raising the LFE output level by 10dB, and setting the DTS LFE gain to `Normal' activates this compensation. Some DTS soundtracks have been recorded with the LFE signal at the same levels as the main audio, however, and therefore require no gain compensation. For these disks set the DTS LFE gain to -10dB. < < Normal: This increases the LFE signal by 10dB and is the recommended setting for the AV9. -10dB: This allows the LFE to pass directly to the output with no gain adjustment. Unfortunately, there is no rule for determining which discs are recorded using which method. As a general guide, however, it is only early DTS music discs that require the -10dB setting. Sub Stereo: Allows you to trim the subwoofer output for stereo listening. Use this trim setting, with a stereo source, to reduce the subwoofer output in stereo playback to an acceptable level. The subwoofer level for stereo music often needs to be set at a lower level than that for cinema use. This depends on various factors such as speakers, the types and styles of music to be played and personal taste. DVD-A Sub Level: This setting allows compensation for subwoofer level gain from external decoders or sources (such as DVD-A players). When decoding digital inputs, the AV9 follows the convention for products of this type and sets the subwoofer level 10dB higher than that of the other channels. Source products such as DVD-audio players do not follow this pattern, however, setting the subwoofer level to be the same as the other channels. This means that switching from material that has been decoded by the AV9 to that decoded externally may mean that the subwoofer sounds very quiet. This setting provides for the removal of that difference by allowing the subwoofer level of the DVD-A (multi-channel) input to be raised by 10dB. < < Normal: This increases the DVD-A sub level by 10dB and is the default setting for the AV9. Flat: This allows the DVD-A sub level to pass directly to the output with no gain adjustment. If you are using the AV9 in combination with the multi-channel analogue outputs of an Arcam DVD-A player, then this item should be set to +10dB. No. of subwoofers: Allows you to set the number of subwoofers used in the system between 1 and 3. All three subwoofer outputs are active all the time; this setting compensates the sub. output level for the number of subwoofers in the system. AV9 E-15 English If no subwoofer was selected in the previous speaker menus you cannot adjust the stereo sub level or the number of subwoofers. 5 - Subwoofer Settings 6 ­ THX Settings THX Surr. EX: This can either be set to Auto or Manual and is only applicable when playing either THX `Surround EX'-encoded material. 6 - THX Settings THX Surr. EX: Auto Boundary Gain Compensation THX Ultra 2 Sub: No Advanced Speaker Array SurrBack L/R: 12 to 48in < < Auto The AV9 switches THX to THX Surr. EX when suitably encoded material is detected (this can be temporarily overridden by pressing the THX button on the AV9). Manual The AV9 will not select THX Surr. EX automatically. It can however be selected manually by pressing the THX button. Dolby Digital Surround EX processing. `THX Surround EX' and `Dolby Digital Surround EX' processing are both indicated in the same way in the digital audio stream received by the AV9. This means that audio from a Dolby Digital Surround EX-encoded disc will cause the AV9 to switch to THX Surround EX mode if the THX Surr. EX menu item is set to Auto. If you do not wish this to happen, set the THX Surr. EX menu item to Manual; THX Surround EX or Dolby Digital Surround EX decoding can then be selected by pressing the THX button on the remote or front-panel. Boundary Gain Compensation THX Ultra2 Sub: THX Ultra2 specified subwoofers can deliver down to 20Hz, which may be problematic in some rooms. 6 - THX Settings THX Surr. EX: Auto Boundary Gain Compensation THX Ultra 2 Sub: Yes Boundary Gain Comp: On Advanced Speaker Array SurrBack L/R: 12 to 48in < < < Set to No if the subwoofer being used is not a THX Ultra2 specified subwoofer, is not capable of a good response to 20Hz, or you do not wish audio at this level to be sent to your subwoofer. Set to Yes If you are using a 20Hz subwoofer or a THX Ultra2 specified subwoofer. When set to Yes, another menu option appears: Boundary Gain Compensation: Tailors the subwoofer low frequency response. When set to On, this will roll off the very low frequency information coming from the subwoofer so that any interactions and reinforcements from nearby boundaries (i.e., walls) can be compensated for to reduce boom and overblown bass response. We recommend this setting for smaller rooms. When set to Off, the subwoofer output from the AV9 will remain flat to 20Hz. < Advanced Speaker Array: Set this distance to be the separation between the surround back left and right speakers. This enables the AV9 to distribute the signal to the surround back speakers appropriately to get the most accurate image for the soundstage. Measurement units are in inches only (30cm = 12 inches). Advanced Setup