Harman Kardon AVR 7550HD - Manuals

5 INTRODUCTION Please register your AVR 7550HD at www.harmankardon.com. NOTE: You’ll need the product’s serial number. At the same time, you can choose to be notified about new products and/orspecial promotions. Thank you for choosing a Harman Kardon ® product! For more than fifty years, the Harman ...

6 INTRODUCTION Audio Inputs • AM/FM/XM ® * tuner • Analog Audio 1 through 5 • Front-panel Analog Audio • 6-/8-Channel Analog Audio Audio/Video Inputs • Three Analog Video • Front-panel Analog Video • Three Component Video 100MHz • Four HDMI ™ (V.1.3a with Deep Color ) • Faroudja DCDi Cinema ™ video ...

7 FRONT- PANEL CONTROLS USB Re s olution Na viga tion Video Mode s Ez S et/E Q II Microphone Input Back/Exit OK Headphone Jack Digital Audio Input s (Optical and C oaxial F ront) U S B P ort Video Input s ( S - and C ompo s ite Front) Analog Audio Front Input s S ource Li s t S urround Mode s Audio ...

8 FRONT- PANEL CONTROLS Power Indicator: This LED has three possible modes: • Main Power Off: When the AVR is unplugged or the Main Power Switch is off, this LED is off. • Standby: Amber indicates that the AVR is ready to be turned on. • On: When the AVR is turned on, this LED turns white. NOTE: If ...

9 REAR - PANEL CONNECTIONS MODEL NO AVR 7 550 HD NOR THRIDGE CALIFORNIA, USA MADE IN CHINA Class 2 ovided the audio output po wer e xceeds 10W per channel under normal operating conditions or the apparatus is intended to be installed or interconnected in the field b y a skilled person. PRE OUT FL FR...

11 REAR - PANEL CONNECTIONS Fan Vents: This area contains vents used by the AVR 7550HD’s fan to cool the system. Maintain a clearance of at least 3 inchesfrom the nearest surface to avoid overheating the unit. It is normalfor the fan to remain off at most normal volume levels. An automatictemperatur...

12 MAIN REMOTE CONTROL FUNCTIONS AVR Power Off AVR Power On S ource S elector s Audio Effect s Alphanumeric Key s S oft Key s Volume Mute Device Power On Device Power Off S urround Mode s Video Mode s OK Navigation Activity Menu Di s c Menu C hannel S leep S etting s Tran s port C ontrol s S ource S...

13 MAIN REMOTE CONTROL FUNCTIONS The AVR 7550HD remote is capable of controlling up to 14 devices,including the AVR itself, an iPod docked in the included The Bridge II,a USB device and a Network device (see page 37 for details). Duringthe installation process, you may program the codes for your sou...

14 MAIN REMOTE CONTROL FUNCTIONS Light: Press to illuminate the buttons on the remote. Press it again to turn the back light off, or wait 10 seconds after the last button press for the light to turn off on its own. Disc Menu: While a DVD is playing, press the DVD Source Selector, then this button, t...

15 ZONE 2 REMOTE CONTROL FUNCTIONS Network USB BACK/EXIT MENU IR Tran s mitter Mute Navigation Power Off Zone S elector OK Tran s port C ontrol s Zone Indicator Volume C ontrol s Back/Exit Menu S ource S elector s S leep S etting s AVR S etting s NOTE: To make it easier to follow the instructions th...

16 ZONE 2 REMOTE CONTROL FUNCTIONS The Zone 2 remote control is used in the remote zone of a multizonesystem with an IR receiver connected to the Zone 2 IR Input or an A-BUS device. It may be used to control the power, volume andmute functions or to select a source input for the remote zone, andto c...

17 INTRODUCTION TO HOME THEATER This introductory section will help you to familiarize yourself withsome basic concepts unique to multichannel surround soundreceivers, which will make setup and operation smoother. Ty pical Home Theater System A home theater typically includes an audio/video receiver...

18 CONNECTIONS There are different types of audio and video connections used to connect the receiver, the speakers, the video display, and thesource devices. The Consumer Electronics Association has estab-lished the CEA ® color-coding standard. See Table 1. Table 1 – Connection Color Guide Speaker C...

19 CONNECTIONS of the HDMI data, minimizing the number of cable connections in your system. The AVR 7550HD implements Deep Color, whichincreases by an order of magnitude the shades of color that can be displayed, and the latest lossless multichannel audio formats,including Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Ma...

20 CONNECTIONS Composite video is the basic connection most commonly available.The jack is usually color-coded yellow, and looks like an analogaudio jack. Do not plug a composite video cable into an analog orcoaxial digital audio jack, or vice versa. Both the chrominance(color) and luminance (intens...

21 SPEAKER PL ACEMENT Optimally, the speakers should be placed in a circle with the listeningposition at its center. The speakers should be angled so that theydirectly face the listening position. Front Speaker Placement The center speaker is placed either on top of, below or mounted on the wall abo...

22 GE T TING STARTED Table 2 – Source Assignment Worksheet Source Device Type Best Video Video Input Second Composite Best Audio Audio Input Analog Audio Connection Assigned Video Input for Connection Assigned (may Input for (HDMI, DVI, Multizone (HDMI, Optical, be one digital Recording or Component...

24 INSTALL ATION You are now ready to begin installing the AVR. Before beginning toconnect the various components to the receiver, turn off all devices,including the AVR 7550HD, and unplug their power cords. Don’t plug in any of the power cords until you have finished making all of your connections....

25 INSTALL ATION If any source devices are equipped with a compatible Remote IRInput, use a 1/8-inch mini-plug interconnect cable (not included) to connect the AVR’s Remote IR Output to the source device’sRemote IR Input. The AVR 7550HD outputs a “stripped carrier” IR signal through theRemote IR Out...

26 INSTALL ATION STEP TWELVE – Plug in AC Power Cords Before plugging the AVR into an unswitched electrical outlet, makesure the Main Power Switch behind the front-panel door is off, toprevent the possibility of damaging the AVR in case of a transientpower surge. When pressed in, the switch is on. W...

27 INSTALL ATION 7. When a compatible code set is found, press the OK Button to program it into the Source Selector. 8. Check that other functions control the device correctly. Sometimes manufacturers use the same Power code for several models,while other codes vary. Repeat this process until you’ve...

28 INSTALL ATION Use the 7 Button to move the cursor to the beginning of the name, then type over the current name using the Alphanumeric Keys. Each Alphanumeric Key has the characters available in additionto its number printed above the key. Each press of the key scrolls through the available chara...

29 INITIAL SETUP In this section, you will configure the AVR 7550HD to match youractual system. A video display must be connected to one of thevideo monitor outputs on the receiver. USING THE ON-SCREEN MENU SYSTEM Although it’s possible to configure the AVR using only the remoteand the front-panel m...

30 INITIAL SETUP As the EzSet/EQ II system tests each speaker, its position will appearon screen. If the test sweep is heard from a different speaker thanthe one indicated on screen, turn off the AVR and check the speaker-wire connections, then begin again. When the Speaker Detection test is complet...

31 INITIAL SETUP 6-/8-Channel Inputs The 6-/8-Channel Analog Audio Inputs are used when playing certain multichannel discs (DVD-Audio, Blu-ray Disc, SACD and HD-DVD) on a player that decodes the audio and outputs it via itsmultichannel analog audio outputs but not via its HDMI output. HDMI-Equipped ...

32 INITIAL SETUP Adjust Lip Sync: Resynchronizes the audio and video signals from a source to eliminate a “lip sync” problem. Lip syncissues can occur when the video portion of a signal undergoesadditional processing in either the source or the video display.The Lip Sync adjuster appears by itself, ...

33 OPERATION Now that you have installed your components and completed abasic configuration, you are ready to begin enjoying your home theater system. TURNING ON THE AVR 7550HD Flip down the Front-Panel Door and press the Main Power Switchin. The Power Indicator on the front panel will turn amber, i...

34 OPERATION The average home audio speaker sensitivity is 88dB SPL (8 ohms,1 watt, 1 meter). Check the sensitivity specification for your loud-speakers, found in the owner’s manual or on the manufacturer’sWeb site. If your speakers have a sensitivity rating greater than 88dB SPL, increase Calibrati...

35 OPERATION Figure 25 – FM Radio Use the 1 / 5 Buttons or the Channel Control to tune a station (or channel for XM Radio), as displayed on the front panel and onscreen. The AVR defaults to automatic tuning, meaning each press of the 1 / 5 Buttons scans through all frequencies until a station with a...

36 OPERATION For traffic and weather channels, the current city’s name willappear instead of the channel name, and the local weather andtemperature will be displayed on screen. To store a channel in one of the 40 preset locations: 1. Tune to the desired channel and press the OK Button. Two dashes wi...

37 OPERATION NOTES ON NETWORK SETUP: • It is recommended that the AVR be connected to a home-network router so that it can directly access the Internet for InternetRadio, or access a PC on the network for playback of contentstored on the PC (see the Network Playback section below). • If you are unab...

38 OPERATION Press the Menu Button to view the slide-in menu: Music: Navigates the audio materials stored on the iPod. Photo/Manual: Select this line to view still images stored on a photo-capable iPod. The system will switch to iPod Manual Mode,and control will shift to the iPod. Use the screen and...

39 OPERATION • To resume a paused slideshow, press the Pause Button. Pressing the Play Button begins audio playback. • To play an audio track stored on the iPod, adjust the slideshow settings on the iPod. • To skip to the next or previous photo on the iPod, press the Next or Previous Transport Contr...

40 ADVANCED FUNCTIONS Much of the AVR 7550HD’s performance is handled automatically,with little intervention required on your part. The AVR 7550HD iscapable of being customized to suit your system and your tastes.In this section, some of the more advanced adjustments availableare described. AUDIO PR...

41 ADVANCED FUNCTIONS The first number indicates the number of front channels in the signal: “1” represents a monophonic recording, usually an older program that has been digitally remastered or, more rarely, a modernprogram for which the director has chosen a special effect. “2” indicates the prese...

42 ADVANCED FUNCTIONS are unable to run EzSet/EQ II calibration, or if you wish to make further adjustments, use the Manual Speaker Setup on-screenmenus. Before beginning, place your loudspeakers as explained in theSpeaker Placement section, and connect them to the AVR. Consultthe owner’s guide for ...

43 ADVANCED FUNCTIONS easier than ever, since an external power amplifier is not required.Select the Zone 2 option at this line, and connect the SurroundBack Speaker Outputs to loudspeakers located in the remote room.The main room will be configured automatically for up to 5.1 channels.See the Multi...

44 ADVANCED FUNCTIONS STEP FOUR – Setting Channel OutputLevels Manually For a conventional 2-channel receiver, the balance control affectsthe stereo imaging by adjusting the relative loudness of the left andright channels. With up to seven main channels, plus a subwoofer, imagingbecomes both more cr...

45 ADVANCED FUNCTIONS VIDEO ADJUSTMENTS The AVR 7550HD uses leading-edge Faroudja DCDi Cinema videoprocessing technology. Incoming video is upscaled to 1080p (1080iwith component video outputs) for outstanding video quality, evenwith analog video sources. The Faroudja DCDi Cinema Dual 3Dcomb filters...

46 ADVANCED FUNCTIONS Noise Reduction: Adjust this setting to Low, Medium or High to filter out signal noise, or turn it off. MPEG Noise Reduction: This setting is designed to address two specific types of video distortion, mosquito noise and blockingartifacts. If you see haziness or shimmering arou...

47 ADVANCED FUNCTIONS Sharpness Adjustment Contrary to intuition, the picture will appear sharper and clearerwith the sharpness backed off from the maximum setting. Reducethe sharpness setting on your television, and the setting on the AVR 7550HD, if necessary, to minimize the appearance of any whit...

48 ADVANCED FUNCTIONS General AVR Settings Network Settings: When the AVR is connected to a home network router using the Network Jack, you may play shared contentstored on a PC or other device connected to the network, and youmay enjoy Internet Radio streams when the network is connectedto the Inte...

49 ADVANCED FUNCTIONS your other components. The function of each button will not neces-sarily correspond to the label printed on the button. The AVR 7550HD remote is a sophisticated and versatile device thatis easy to program, thanks to its menu-based system. To access the menu, press and hold the ...

50 ADVANCED FUNCTIONS through the available characters. To move to the next character,either press the 3 Button, or press the next desired Alphanumeric Key. Press the OK Button when you have finished. To execute an activity, press the Activity Button, then the AlphanumericKey you selected as the com...

51 ADVANCED FUNCTIONS PROCESSOR RESET If the unit behaves erratically after a power surge, first turn off the Main Power Switch and unplug the AC power cord for at least 3 minutes. Plug the cord back in and turn the receiver on. If thisdoesn’t help, reset the AVR. NOTE: A system reset erases all use...

52 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 Power Switch is turned on • Check whether outlet is switch-controlled Display lights, but no sound • Intermittent input connections • Secure all i...

Table A2 – Source Setting Defaults Cable/Sat DVD Media Server Radio TV Game AUX The Bridge Surround Modes (Auto Select) Logic 7 Movie Logic 7 Movie Logic 7 Music Logic 7 Movie Logic 7 Movie Logic 7 Movie Logic 7 Music Logic 7 Music Video Input HDMI 2 HDMI 1 HDMI 4 N/A Component 1 HDMI 3 Composite Fr...

54 APPENDIX Table A3 – Speaker/Channel Setting Defaults All Digital and 2-Channel 6-/8-Channel Your Settings Your Settings Analog Audio Inputs Analog Audio Inputs* Position 1 Position 2 Left/Right Speakers ON ON Center Speaker ON ON Left/Right Surround Speakers ON ON Left/Right Surround Back Speaker...

55 APPENDIX Table A4 – Delay Setting Defaults Distance From Speaker to Your Delay Settings Your Delay Settings Speaker Position Listening Position Position 1 Position 2 Front Left 12 feet Center 12 feet Front Right 12 feet Surround Right 10 feet Surround Left 10 feet Surround Back Right 10 feet Surr...

56 APPENDIX Table A5 – continued USB Internet Radio Network Source A Source B Source C Source D Device Type USB Drive N/A Surround Modes Video Input USB N/A Network Audio Input USB Internet Radio Network Resolution to Display Adjust Lip Sync Change Name Audio Auto Polling N/A N/A N/A Zone 2 Audio US...

57 APPENDIX Table A7 – Video Modes Settings Default Cable/Sat DVD Media Server Radio TV Game AUX The Bridge Video Mode Off Brightness * 50 Contrast * 50 Color * 50 Sharpness * 50 Picture Adjust Auto Fit Overscan On Noise Reduction ** Low MPEG Noise Reduction ** Low Cross Color Suppressor ** On Flesh...

58 APPENDIX Table A8 – Surround Modes Default Cable/Sat DVD Media Server Radio TV Game AUX The Bridge Auto Select Logic 7 Movie ornative digital format Virtual Surround Dolby Virtual Speaker Reference Stereo 5 CH Stereo Movie Logic 7 Movie Music Logic 7 Music Game Logic 7 Game Center Width * 0 Dimen...

59 APPENDIX Table A10 – System Settings Feature Default Your Settings Front -Panel Dimmer On 100% Volume Units dB Volume Default Off Volume Default Level – 25dB Unit of Measure Feet Language English HDMI Audio to TV Off Dolby Volume Calibration 0dB Menu Transparency Medium Volume/Status Messages 3 s...

60 APPENDIX Table A 13 – Surround Modes Surround Mode Description Incoming Bitstream or Signal Dolby Digital Provides up to five separate main audio channels and a dedicated • Dolby Digital 1/0/.0 or .1, 2/0/.0 or .1, low-frequency effects (LFE) channel. 3/0/.0 or .1, 2/1/.0 or .1, 2/2/.0 or .1,3/2/...

64 APPENDIX 1 2 3 4 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 30 36 38 31 39 40 41 42 28 29 32 37 33 34 35 5 10 11 12 13 14 6 7 9 8 15 16 17 43 45 44 46 47 48 49 50 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 51 Refer to the numbered buttons in Figure 38 when using the Function List. Figure 38 – Remote Control Function List Reference...

65 APPENDIX Radio Media Server No. Button Name AVR FM AM XM DVD DMC1000 TV The Bridge 01 AVR Power On AVR Power On AVR Power On AVR Power On AVR Power On AVR Power On AVR Power On AVR Power On AVR Power On 02 AVR Power Off AVR Power Off AVR Power Off AVR Power Off AVR Power Off AVR Power Off AVR Pow...

67 AVR 7550HD TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS Audio Section Stereo Mode, Continuous Average Power (FTC) 100 Watts per channel, 20Hz–20kHz, @ <0.07%THD, both channels driven into 8 ohms Seven-Channel Surround Modes Power per Individual Channel Front L & R channels: 85 Watts per channel@ <0.07% THD...