THETA DIGITAL Casablanca II Owners Manual

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[Page 1] Theta Digital Casablanca II

THETA DIGITAL CORPORATION Casablanca II Owner’s Manual V 2.01 Digital Done Right ™ ...

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ii PREFACE CONGRATULATIONS You have just acquired the most advanced component for the control and processing of audio and video ever to have been developed. IMPORTANT Save all packaging in a dry place away from fire hazards. Your Casabla...

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iii The lightning flash with 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 significant magnitude to ...

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iv Casablanca II Identification Record This information is for your records and for future identification of the Casablanca II. Please take a moment to fill out all pertinent data now, and as upgrades and/or options are installed. Whenev...

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v SAFETY PRECAUTIONS Please carefully read each item of the operating instructions and safety precautions before using this product. Use extra care to follow the warnings written on the product itself and/or in the operating instructions. ...

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vi Table of Contents PREFACE ............................................................................................................................................................................ii WARNING....................................

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vii Onscreen Display (OSD) Setup......................................................................................................................... 59 Status Setup.................................................................................

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viii Status Setup.................................................................................................................................................. 88 LCD Brightness ....................................................................

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ix List of Figures Figure 1 - Block Diagram of Input Processing Sections...................................................................................................... 4 Figure 2a - Block Diagram of 8 S-Video Switching Card...............

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x Figure 68A - Video Display of the First Dolby Digital Status Page.................................................................................... 79 Figure 68B - Video Display of the Second Dolby Digital Status Page.............................

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1 INTRODUCTION Welcome to a new world of possibilities. Casablanca II is by far the most advanced surround sound processor/home theater controller available today. It offers the advantages of Theta’s legendary mastery in digital signal p...

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2 IMPORTANT NOTICE I. Due to the computer-based circuitry used in Theta products, it is imperative that the Casablanca II be connected to a ground via its three wire AC power cord. It is important that the AC power outlet, which the Casa...

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3 Glossary of Terms and Abbreviations TERM DEFINITION AES/EBU (Audio Engineering Society) / (European Broadcasters Union) A three wire balanced digital audio standard. This interface uses a 3-pin XLR type connector and allows for data commu...

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4 Casablanca II Block Diagram - Input Processing Sections Figure 1 - Block Diagram of Input Processing Sections ...

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5 Casablanca II Block Diagram - Input Processing Sections – Con’t Figure 2a - Block Diagram of 8 S-Video Switching Card Figure 2b - Block Diagram of Multi Format/6 S-Video Switching Card ...

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6 Casablanca II Block Diagram - DAC and Analog Out Sections Figure 3 - Block Diagram of DAC and Analog Outputs ...

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7 Casablanca II Block Diagram - DAC and Analog Out Sections – Con’t Figure 4 - Block Diagram of Xtreme 4 Channel DAC board Figure 5 - Block Diagram of Digital Output board, showing ...

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8 Front Panel Layout Figure 6 - Front Panel Layout 1. 40 character by 2 row amber back lit liquid crystal display ( LCD) or blue vacuum tube display (VFD). 2. DISPLAY button. Temporarily overrides the LCD brightness display setting ...

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9 Rear Panel Layout Figure 7 - Rear Panel Layout 1. Main Power Switch. Master power switch. Disconnects AC to all circuits. It is recommended that this be left ON at all times during regular use with the exception of whenever cables a...

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10 14. First Analog Output card. Configured as a 2 channel D/A converter/preamp there would be a 2 channel (L & R) superior quality balanced card loaded in this slot. Configured as a surround processor, this slot could contain one of the...

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11 Figure 10 - All optional Superior D/A Cards and the Digital Output card with Center Channel Each Xtreme DAC card can have one of the following speaker sets (channels) assigned to them, regardless of...

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12 Menu Maps Function Menus and Pages Input Select Pages Figure 12 - Mode, Status, Balance, Tape Out Menus and Input Select Pages ...

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13 Setup Menus and Pages Figure 13 - Setup Menus and Pages ...

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14 Introduction to the User interface WARNING !! : PLEASE READ FIRST! In the SETUP menu, the PW button allows the user to password protect the entire SET-UP function. In the SETUP/INPUT page 3 sub menu, the PW button allows the us...

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15 STEP-BY-STEP SETUP GUIDE ...

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16 Casablanca II Overall Setup Procedure Flowchart This single flowchart shows the user all steps required to set up the Casablanca II, to achieve the best sonic results possible. Instructions and detailed flowcharts for each step are cont...

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17 Step by Step Speaker Configuration Casablanca II contains a comprehensive set of speaker configuration settings. These settings are believed to be the most complete ever offered in a home theater component and should allow any speaker to pe...

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18 your dealer or subwoofer manufacturer to determine if this is suitable for your particular subwoofer. If the subwoofer is capable of handling this range, this is potentially the best sounding of Casablanca II's crossover types. Phase P...

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19 related to the soundtrack, vocal material or localized sources such as a drum beating behind the listener. This is important to understand when setting up crossovers in the coming section. Another misconception is that the center channel is...

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20 pass signal is sent to the subwoofer to augment its low bass performance. If all speaker sets are set to " FULL RANGE " or " PHANTOM ", the following section on setting crossovers may be skipped. (Steps 5-9). 5) Determin...

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21 m) Activate noise in Sub 4, if configured into the system, and point the SPL meter toward the sub woofer, if present in the system. Adjust the SUB level until the SPL meter reads 75dB. n) Activate noise in Sub 5, if configured into the sy...

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22 Speakers in a typical 12 channel system Dolby Digital, DTS and Circle Surround Setup The center and left/right surround speaker levels and delays will most likely differ for Dolby Digital and DTS sources, as well as when the Mode is Cir...

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23 select # 1 is the current input. 16) Each input select button has a default mode assigned to it. The default mode for a given input select button is set and stored in the first SETUP / INPUT page. As the user scrolls through the list o...

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24 Setup Flowcharts A-P Flowchart A – Setup Subwoofer(s) ...

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25 Flowchart B – Front Left/Right Configuration ...

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26 Flowchart C – Front Center Configuration ...

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27 Flowchart D – Left/Right Surround Configuration. ...

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28 Flowchart E – Surround Center Configuration ...

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29 Flowchart F – Sides Configuration ...

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30 Flowchart G – Setup Speaker Levels ...

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31 Flowchart H – Setup Speaker Delays ...

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32 Flowchart I – Setup Dolby Digital ...

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33 Flowchart J – Setup DTS ...

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34 Flowchart K – Setup Circle Surround ...

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35 Flowchart L – Copy Input/Speaker Parameters ...

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36 Flowchart M – Setup Default Mode ...

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37 Flowchart N – Setup Post Process ...

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38 Flowchart O – Map Input Jacks ...

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39 Flowchart P – Setup Analog Input Levels ...

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40 FRONT PANEL OPERATIONS This section describes the functionality of each button on the Casablanca II’s front panel display only. For remote functionality descriptions, please refer to the section entitled REMOTE CONTROL OPERATIONS later...

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41 Selecting Mapped Input Jacks for the Currently Selected Input Pressing the A-D button will toggle between the input jacks that are mapped to this INPUT SELECT button. Please refer to page 42 ( Search Order ) for important, detailed info...

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42 Search Order The Casablanca II’s inputs can support virtually every popular analog and digital and video format used in today’s technology. Up to 6 audio input jacks can be mapped to one INPUT SELECT button. These 6 input jacks ca...

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43 MODE Function Pressing the MODE button (shaded in figures 16 and 17) once displays the first page of the MODE menu. This first page consists of 6 different signal ‘processing’ modes, one of which can be selected and temporarily app...

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44 message will appear for a few seconds and the display will show DOLBY DIGITAL PRO LOGIC as the mode. Please refer to page 70 to turn on or off the Mode Change message. DTS : (Optional) Selecting DTS will decode a Digital Theater Sys...

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45 intended for music playback, whereas the CINE mode is intended for Cinematic use. In all 3 Circle Surround modes, the center channel operates dynamically in order to avoid collapsing any stereo imaging that may be present toward the center ...

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46 TAPE OUT Function This feature simultaneously controls the routing of signals to the analog and digital audio, as well as the video tape out jacks. Pressing the TAPE OUT button once changes the LCD display to the TAPE OUT menu shown i...

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47 When the routing is completed, press TAPE OUT again to clear the video display. The MASTER VOLUME can be controlled in this menu via the LEVEL LEFT / RIGHT buttons. CAUTION : It is not advisable to route a 5.1 source (DTS/AC-3) to th...

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48 SETUP Function This function provides access to a series of sub menus that will allow the configuration of the entire system. In this section, each feature of the SETUP menu is discussed in detail along with a diagram of each LCD display....

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49 SETUP INPUT (Setting up each of the 12 Input Select Buttons) Setup Input Page 1 All parameters accessed within the SETUP/INP menu are programmable for each of the 12 INPUT SELECT buttons. The first of 3 pages of the SETUP/INP sub m...

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50 All of the speaker configuration parameters are accessed by pressing button # 1 ( CONFIG ). This leads to a series of sub menus shown that are described next. The first sub menu, SPEAKER CONFIG is shown below, in figure 23. Figur...

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51 channels assigned to subs yet the #SUBS is set to 3 , the third, or rear sub will be output from the channel marked SUB 3 or LEFT SURROUND SUB . When the #SUBS is set to 3 , the first 2 will always be the FRONT LEFT and FRONT RIGH...

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52 Phase Perfect This is a term coined for a type of crossover wherein the low pass portion is derived from the high pass. First, a high pass Butterworth crossover is performed. This gives two resulting signals: the high pass and the origin...

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53 AVAILABLE SETTINGS BUTTON PARAMETER 1 FREQ 40 50 63 80 100 125 160 2 SLOPE 6 12 18 24 - - - 3 LPφ - + Figure 26 - Front Panel Display of the Front left/Right Speaker Configuration Submenu Pressin...

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54 AVAILABLE SETTINGS BUTTON PARAMETER 1 FREQ 40 50 63 80 100 125 160 2 SLOPE 12 24 3 LPφ - + AVAILABLE SETTINGS BUTTON PARAMETER 1 FR-HI 40 50 63 80 100 125 160 2 FR-HI-SLP 6 12 18 24 ...

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55 Center Speaker Configuration Figure 30 - Front Panel Display of the SETUP / INP / CONFIG / CENTER Sub Menu This submenu of settings is virtually the same as the one for the front left/right speakers, but applies only for the center spea...

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56 Left/Right Surround Speaker Configuration Figure 31 - Front Panel Display of the SETUP / INP / CONFIG / L-R SURRND Sub Menu Set the speaker configuration and crossovers, if necessary, in the same manner as the center speaker. Any su...

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57 user’s Casablanca II if the same DAC channels are not installed and configured. Figure 34 - Front Panel Display of the SETUP / INP / LVLS 7-12 Sub Menu In these submenus, press button(s) 1 - 6 to select a speaker to edit. Use the ...

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58 Figure 35 - Front Panel Display of the SETUP / INP / DELAYS 1 Sub Menu Press SETUP , input ( INP ) then delays ( DLYS ) to access the speaker delays setup sub menu shown in figure 35. The current delay settings will be displayed on th...

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59 Calculate the difference (distance in feet) between the right side and right front speakers. Add the difference to the default value already set for the right side to give this speaker its new value. Because of their low frequency propertie...

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60 value range is 0 through 10 . A value of 1 will display at the highest position vertically and 10 at the lowest. Press the A-D button to go to the second STATUS setup page and change the OSD positions of SOURCE and SRATE (sam...

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61 Mapping an Audio and Video Source (Input Jack to INPUT SELECT button) Pressing button # 2 accesses 2 sub menus that allow the user to assign which input jacks will be mapped to any given INPUT SELECT button, both audio and video. There i...

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62 input jack. Press the SETUP button 3 times to return to the INPUT SELECT page. Setup Dolby Digital In figure 41, button # 3 provides a two-page sub menu which allows the user to set up preferences pertaining to Dolby Digital (AC-...

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63 DIGI : Dialog normalization will be performed in the digital domain. Digital reduction of volume results in a loss of resolution i.e. a 16 bit source can effectively be reduced to 15 bits or worse. Press the A-D button to access Page...

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64 This submenu allows the user to adjust the center, side and surround speaker delays and levels as well as the LFE , only when the MODE is DTS and for the currently selected input. When the Mode is anything other than DTS, all settings in t...

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65 Setup Input Page 3 The SETUP / INP page 3 section contains the sub menus shown in figure 48. Figure 48 - Menu Map of SETUP/INP Page 3 Press SETUP , INP and A-D twice to enter the SETUP / INP page 3 sub menu shown in figur...

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66 Password for Each INPUT SELECT Button Press SETUP / INP / A-D / A-D and button # 3 to set a password for the currently selected input. Entering a password here will prompt the user to type in the password each time he/she wishes to chan...

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67 Note : To obtain the best performance from the analog to digital conversion process, levels should be set so that the loudest passages from the source material cause the -18 , -12 and -6 dB ANALOG input LEVEL LEDs on the front panel t...

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68 The first four 3.5 mm jacks on the rear panel (remote power and main power 1 through 3) are +12V pulse or DC current limiting* outputs (tip = hot, sleeve = ground) and are intended to be connected to devices which feature 12V control voltage i...

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69 addendum will be included with this manual which describes all pertinent RS232 information, including values contained within each Status Level. If the RS232 option is installed but not being used, ensure that the Echo Status ( ECHOS ) param...

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70 Maximum Overall Level Button # 5 ( MAX ) allows the user to set a maximum master level of the Casablanca II. This is especially useful in a household where young relentless children and smart pets are accessible to the system. Changing...

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71 Copy Macros Buttons 1 and 2 are “copy” macros. ALLINP (button # 1 ) will give the user the option of coping all INPUT SELECT parameters of the currently selected input to one or all other 11 input select buttons. If the user c...

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72 BALANCE Function This function allows the user to temporarily* set the FRONT / REAR and LEFT / RIGHT balances as well as the CEN ter and SUB woofer speaker levels, the shelf EQ , and a relative adjustment of the analog input level ( ...

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73 STATUS Function This feature, accessible from the hand held remote only, provides the user with a ‘quick view’ of the most pertinent current settings of the Casablanca II. It is available from any menu or sub menu simply by pressing the...

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74 Figure 64 - Front Panel Display of the STATUS / Dolby Digital Page 2 Display Each parameter on the second Dolby Digital information page is described below: Center Mix ( CMIX ): Center mix level. Sur Mix ( SMIX ): Surround mix ...

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75 REMOTE REMOTEREMOTE REMOTE CONTROL CONTROLCONTROL CONTROL ...

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76 Remote Control Layout 1. POWER. After the rear panel MAIN POWER switch is turned on, press this button to exit the standby mode. Pressing POWER again will place the Casablanca II into standby mode, thereby turning off the VFD (or ...

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77 REMOTE CONTROL OPERATIONS This section describes the functionality of the Casablanca II using the hand held remote only. For front panel functionality descriptions, please refer to the section entitled FRONT PANEL OPERATIONS on page 40. ...

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78 Selecting Mapped Input Jacks for the Currently Selected Input Pressing the A-D button will toggle between the input jacks that are mapped to this INPUT SELECT button. Please refer to page 42 ( Search Order ) for important, detailed info...

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79 STATUS Display This display, accessible from the hand held remote and viewed on both the video monitor display and VFD (or LCD), provides the user with a ‘quick view’ of the most pertinent current settings of the Casablanca II as well ...

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80 MODE Function This function allows the user to audition MODE s for the currently selected input. Storing a default MODE is done in the SETUP / INPUT page 1 sub menu. Pressing the MODE button once displays the first “page” of...

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81 TAPE OUT Function This feature simultaneously controls the routing of signals to the analog and digital audio, and video tape out jacks. Pressing the TAPE OUT button once displays the TAPE OUT menu, shown in figure 70A, on the video ...

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82 SETUP Function This function provides access to a series of sub menus that will allow the configuration of the entire system. Note : A complete step-by-step speaker configuration set up guide is located on page 15. In this section, all...

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83 SETUP INPUT (Setting up each of the 12 Input Select Buttons) Setup Input Page 1 All parameters accessed within the SETUP/INPUT menu are programmable for each INPUT SELECT button. The first of 3 pages of the SETUP/INPUT sub menu is...

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84 Center Speaker Configuration This submenu of settings is exactly the same as the one for the front left/right speakers, but applies only for the center speaker. All of the same guidelines and procedures apply except for the case where no...

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85 Sub Woofer Configuration The SUB CONFIGURATION sub menu is shown in figure 78. If no sub is present, or is not desired, set the NUM of SUBS to 0 . If there is one or more subwoofers present, set the number of subs ( NUM SUBS) to th...

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86 Speaker Levels This sub menu allows the user to set the relative level of each speaker in order to reflect the audio system speaker configuration, room characteristics, or the listener’s preference. The relative range is -15dB to +15dB. T...

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87 The current delay settings will be displayed on the video monitor. All delay settings apply to all MODE s, however they can be further manipulated when the current MODE is either Dolby Digital, DTS or Circle Surround, via additional Setup...

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88 The items in the two Status sub menus show the only ones displayed in the OSD when the STATUS button on the hand held remote is pressed. Each item has a value range between 0 and 10. Setting any value to 0 will disable that item from be...

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89 INPUT SELECT button, and the order that they are mapped determines the search order when pressing the A-D button in either INPUT SELECT menu. Please refer to page 61 for additional information and examples of mapping input jacks to I...

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90 Dialog Normalization In the first Dolby Digital setup page, press button # 6 to set the dialog normalization value. Dolby Digital contains the useful provision for making all Dolby Digital sources have the same perceived loudness even tho...