Advanced Features
if it is a multichannel Dolby Digital
source or a conventional PCM signal,
which is the standard output from CD
players. An indicator will light in the
Front Panel Information Display to
confirm the digital signal is AC-3 A
or PCM R and if the source is RF,
Optical or Coax C.
When an AC-3 source is playing the
AVR85 will automatically switch to the
Dolby Digital surround mode. It is
important to note, however, that not all
AC-3 sources are encoded with the full
complement of five channels plus LFE.
When an AC-3 source is playing the
Main Information Display K will
change to show the input source
(RF, Optical or Coax) and then the
surround mode will briefly be displayed
(DOLBY AC-3). After these displays
appear briefly, the display will show the
analog source and the digital surround
mode as follows:
3/2.1: This message appears
when a full complement of Dolby
Digital signals is present: 3 front
channels (left, center and right),
2 surround channels (surround
left and surround right) and “1”
channel, which is the dedicated Low
Frequency Effects (LFE) channel.
3/1: This message indicates the
AC-3 system is decoding a standard
Dolby Pro Logic signal with left,
center and right front channels and
a signal mono surround channel.
2/0: This message indicates that
the AC-3 system is decoding a tradi-
tional two-channel stereo signal and
that no center, surround or LFE
signals are present.
Night Mode
A special feature of Dolby Digital is the
Night mode, which enables AC-3 input
sources to be played back with their full
range while reducing the minimum peak
level by 1/4 to 1/3. This prevents abruptly
loud transitions from causing distur-
bances without reducing the impact of
the digital source. The Night mode is
available only when AC-3 signals with
special data are being played.
To engage the Night mode, press the
Night button 6eon the front panel
or remote and note that Night indicator
F will illuminate. The Night mode may
also be turned on through SETUP
MENU 3.
IMPORTANT NOTES ON
DOLBY DIGITAL PLAYBACK:
1. When the playback unit is in a pause,
fast forward or chapter search mode the
digital audio data may momentarily
stop, causing a NO DATA message to be
displayed. This is normal and does not
indicate a problem with either the AVR85
or the source machine. The AVR85 will
return to Dolby Digital/AC-3 playback as
soon as the data is available when the
machine is in a standard play mode.
2. If a digital source is being played
and you switch to another input the
AVR85 will revert to the analog input
when you once again select the prior
source. For example, if a DVD is playing
with coax digital audio and you switch
to TV and then back to DVD, the DVD’s
analog audio will play when you return
to that source. The digital input MUST
be selected each time you wish to use it,
even if it was in use the last time that
source was playing.
3. The AVR85 will decode digital audio
sources with a sampling frequency of
32kHz, 44.1kHz and 48kHz. Although
this will enable it to decode virtually all
DVD movies and HDTV sources, it is pos-
sible that some digital sources may not
be compatible with the AVR85.
4. The AVR85 will automatically detect
most Dolby Digital and PCM digital
audio sources and switch to the proper
surround mode. It is possible, however,
that future source equipment that could
not be anticipated at this time, may
require manual surround mode selection
using the Surround Mode Selectors
@y.
PCM Audio Playback
PCM (Pulse Code Modulation) is the
non-compressed digital audio system
used for compact discs and non-AC-3
laser discs. The digital circuits in the
AVR85 are capable of high-quality digital-
to-analog decoding, and they may be
connected directly to the digital audio
output of your CD or LV player.
Connections should be made to the
AC-3/PCM Optical or Coaxial inputs
°·on the rear panel, using whichever
input is not occupied by an AC-3 source
such as a DVD player.
To listen to a PCM digital source first
select the analog input (i.e., CD) and
then press the desired Digital Input
button 9g. Indicators will light to
confirm that PCM data is being received
R and if the Optical or Coaxial
input C is the source. The Main
Information Display K will show
both the last analog source and the type
of digital input in use (e.g., CD/COAX).
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