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AVR 154

AUDIO/VIDEO RECEIVER

OWNER’S MANUAL

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SAFETY INFORMATION

Important Safety Instructions

1. Read these instructions.

2. Keep these instructions.

3. Heed all warnings.

4. Follow all instructions.

5. Do not use this apparatus near water.

6. The A/ V receiver’s cabinet may be cleaned by gently wiping with a soft cotton or microfiber cloth. Do not use water or any liquid cleaners.

7. Do not block any of the ventilation openings. Install in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.

8. Do not install near any heat sources such as radiators, heat registers, stoves or other apparatus (including amplifiers) that produce heat.

9. Do not defeat the safety purpose of the polarized or grounding-type plug.

A polarized plug has two blades with one wider than the other. A groundingtype plug has two blades and a third grounding prong. The wide blade or the third prong is provided for your safety. When the provided plug does not fit into your outlet, consult an electrician for replacement of the obsolete outlet.

10. Protect the power cord from being walked on or pinched, particularly at plugs, convenience receptacles and the point where they exit from the apparatus.

11. Only use the attachments/accessories specified by the manufacturer.

12. Use only with a cart, stand, tripod, bracket or table specified by the manufacturer, or sold with the apparatus. When a cart is used, use caution when moving the cart/apparatus combination to avoid injury from tip-over.

13. Unplug this apparatus during lightning storms or when unused for long periods of time.

14. Refer all servicing to qualified service personnel. Servicing is required when the apparatus has been damaged in any way, such as power supply cord or plug is damaged, liquid has been spilled or objects have fallen into the apparatus, the apparatus has been exposed to rain or moisture, does not operate normally, or has been dropped.

Wet Location Marking

Apparatus shall not be exposed to dripping or splashing and no objects filled with liquids, such as vases, shall be placed on the apparatus.

Service Instructions

CAUTION – These servicing instructions are for use by qualified service personnel only. To reduce the risk of electric shock, do not perform any servicing other than that contained in the operating instructions, unless you are qualified to do so.

Outdoor Use Marking

WARNING – To reduce the risk of fire or electric shock, do not expose this apparatus to rain or moisture.

SAFETY INFORMATION

Important Safety Information

Verify Line Voltage Before Use

Your AVR 154 has been designed for use with 120-volt AC current. Connection to a line voltage other than that for which it is intended can create a safety and fire hazard and may damage the unit.

If you have any questions about the voltage requirements for your specific model, or about the line voltage in your area, contact your selling dealer before plugging the unit into a wall outlet.

Do Not Use Extension Cords

To avoid safety hazards, use only the power cord attached to your unit. We do not recommend that extension cords be used with this product. As with all electrical devices, do not run power cords under rugs or carpets or place heavy objects on them. Damaged power cords should be replaced immediately by an authorized service center with a cord meeting factory specifications.

Handle the AC Power Cord Gently

When disconnecting the power cord from an AC outlet, always pull the plug; never pull the cord. If you do not intend to use the unit for any considerable length of time, disconnect the plug from the AC outlet.

Do Not Open the Cabinet

There are no user-serviceable components inside this product. Opening the cabinet may present a shock hazard, and any modification to the product will void your guarantee. If water or any metal object such as a paper clip, wire or staple accidentally falls inside the unit, disconnect it from the AC power source immediately, and consult an authorized service center.

CATV or Antenna Grounding

If an outside antenna or cable system is connected to this product, be certain that it is grounded so as to provide some protection against voltage surges and static charges.

Section 810 of the National Electrical Code, ANSI/NFPA No. 70-1984, provides information with respect to proper grounding of the mast and supporting structure, grounding of the lead-in wire to an antenna discharge unit, size of grounding conductors, location of antenna discharge unit, connection to grounding electrodes and requirements of the grounding electrode.

NOTE TO CATV SYSTEM INSTALLER: This reminder is provided to call the CATV

(cable TV) system installer’s attention to article 820-40 of the NEC, which provides guidelines for proper grounding and, in particular, specifies that the cable ground shall be connected to the grounding system of the building, as close to the point of cable entry as possible.

Installation Location

• To ensure proper operation and to avoid the potential for safety hazards, place the unit on a firm and level surface. When placing the unit on a shelf, be certain that the shelf and any mounting hardware can support the weight of the product.

• Make certain that proper space is provided both above and below the unit for ventilation. If this product will be installed in a cabinet or other enclosed area, make certain that there is sufficient air movement within the cabinet. Under some circumstances, a fan may be required.

• Do not place the unit directly on a carpeted surface.

• Avoid installation in extremely hot or cold locations, or in an area that is exposed to direct sunlight or heating equipment.

• Avoid moist or humid locations.

• Do not obstruct the ventilation slots on the top of the unit, or place objects directly over them.

• Due to the weight of the AVR 154 and the heat generated by the amplifiers, there is the remote possibility that the rubber padding on the bottom of the unit’s feet may leave marks on certain wood or veneer materials. Use caution when placing the unit on soft woods or other materials that may be damaged by heat or heavy objects. Some surface finishes may be particularly sensitive to absorbing such marks, due to a variety of factors beyond Harman Kardon's control, including the nature of the finish, cleaning materials used, and normal heat and vibration caused by the use of the product, or other factors. We recommend that caution be exercised in choosing an installation location for the component and in normal maintenance practices, as your warranty will not cover this type of damage to furniture.

Cleaning

When the unit gets dirty, wipe it with a clean, soft, dry cloth. If necessary, and only after unplugging the AC power cord, wipe it with a soft cloth dampened with mild soapy water, then a fresh cloth with clean water. Wipe it dry immediately with a dry cloth.

NEVER use benzene, aerosol cleaners, thinner, alcohol or any other volatile cleaning agent. Do not use abrasive cleaners, as they may damage the finish of metal parts.

Avoid spraying insecticide near the unit.

Moving the Unit

Before moving the unit, be certain to disconnect any interconnection cords with other components, and make certain that you disconnect the unit from the AC outlet.

Important Information for the User

This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class-B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. The limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation.

This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio-frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communication. However, there is no guarantee that harmful interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures:

• Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.

• Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.

• Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected.

• Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.

This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1) this device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) this device must accept interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.

NOTE: Changes or modifications may cause this unit to fail to comply with Part 15 of the FCC Rules and may void the user’s authority to operate the equipment.

Unpacking

The carton and shipping materials used to protect your new receiver during shipment were specially designed to cushion it from shock and vibration. We suggest that you save the carton and packing materials for use in shipping if you move, or should the unit ever need repair.

To minimize the size of the carton in storage, you may wish to flatten it. This is done by carefully slitting the tape seams on the bottom and collapsing the carton. Other cardboard inserts may be stored in the same manner. Packing materials that cannot be collapsed should be saved along with the carton in a plastic bag.

If you do not wish to save the packaging materials, please note that the carton and other sections of the shipping protection are recyclable. Please respect the environment and discard those materials at a local recycling center.

It is important that you remove the protective plastic film from the front-panel lens.

Leaving the film in place will affect the performance of your remote control.

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4

STAPLE INVOICE HERE

2 SAFETY INFORMATION

6 INTRODUCTION

8 FRONT-PANEL CONTROLS

10 REAR-PANEL CONNECTIONS

12 REMOTE CONTROL FUNCTIONS

15 INTRODUCTION TO HOME THEATER

16 CONNECTIONS

16 Speaker Connections

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17

Subwoofer

Connecting Source Devices to the AVR

Audio Connections

Digital Audio

Analog Audio

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17

18

Video Connections

Digital Video

Analog Video

18 Antennas

19 SPEAKER PLACEMENT

20 INSTALLATION

20 Step One – Connect the Speakers

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Step Two – Connect the Subwoofer

Step Three – Connect the Antennas

Step Four – Connect the Source Components

Step Five – Connect the Video Display

Step Six – Plug in AC Power

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Step Seven – Insert Batteries in Remote

Step Eight – Program Sources Into the Remote

Step Nine – Turn On the AVR 154

28 INITIAL SETUP

28 Using the On-Screen Menu System

28 Step One – Determine Speaker Size

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Step Two – Measure Speaker Distances

Step Three – Manual Setup Menu

Speaker Size Menu

Speaker Crossover Menu

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Delay Adjust Menu

Step Four – Output Level Calibration

33 Step Five – Configure Sources

34 OPERATION

34 Turning On the AVR 154

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Sleep Timer

Volume Control

Mute Function

Tone Controls

Headphones

Source Selection

Audio Input Selection

Video Input Selection

6-Channel Direct Inputs

Using the Tuner

Recording

AUX Input

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38 Selecting a Surround Mode

39 ADVANCED FUNCTIONS

39 Audio Processing and Surround Sound

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Analog Audio Signals

Digital Audio Signals

Surround Modes

Dolby Surround Settings

Default Modes

System Settings

Dim Function

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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Advanced Remote Control Functions

Punch-Through Programming

Macros

Resetting the Remote

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45

Processor Reset

Memory

46 TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE

47 APPENDIX

58 TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

58 Trademark Acknowledgements

WARNING

To prevent fire or shock hazard, do not expose this appliance to rain or moisture.

For Canadian model

This class B digital apparatus complies with Canadian

ICES-003.

For models having a power cord with a polarized plug:

CAUTION: To prevent electric shock, match wide blade of plug to wide slot, fully insert.

Modèle pour les Canadien

Cet appareil numérique de la classe B est conforme

à la norme NMB-003 du Canada.

Sur les modèles dont la fiche est polarisee:

ATTENTION: Pour éviter les chocs électriques, introduire la lame la plus large de la fiche dans la borne correspondante de la prise et pousser jusqu’au fond.

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INTRODUCTION

Please register your product on our Web site at www.harmankardon.com.

Note: You’ll need the product’s serial number. At the same time, you can choose to be notified about our new products and/or special promotions.

WWW.HARMANKARDON.COM

Thank you for choosing Harman Kardon!

In the years since Harman Kardon invented the high-fidelity receiver, we have taken to heart the philosophy of bringing the joy of home entertainment to as many people as possible, adding performance and ease-of-use features that enhance the home entertainment experience.

In the years since our first single-channel component was introduced,

Harman Kardon has offered a number of receiver models, each an improvement upon its predecessors, leading to the AVR 154, a 5.1channel digital audio/video receiver that offers a wealth of listening and viewing options, all in an elegant package.

To obtain the maximum enjoyment from your new receiver, we urge you to read this manual and refer back to it as you become more familiar with its features and their operation.

If you have any questions about this product, its installation or its operation, please contact your retailer or customer installer, or visit our

Web site at www.harmankardon.com.

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Harman Kardon

®

AVR 154 5.1-Channel Audio/Video Receiver

Audio Section Surround Modes

• 30 Watts x 5, five channels driven at full power at 8 ohms,

20Hz – 20kHz, <0.07% THD (surround modes); 150 watts total

• 40 Watts x 2, two channels driven at full power at 8 ohms,

20Hz – 20kHz, <0.07% THD (surround off mode); 80 watts total

• High-current capability, ultrawide-bandwidth amplifier design with low negative feedback

• All-discrete amplifier circuitry

• Dual independent power supplies, for front and surround channels

• Triple crossover bass management

• 24-Bit, twin-core Cirrus Logic ® CS 49510 DSP processor

• 192kHz/24-bit D/A conversion

• Sampling upconversion to 96kHz

• Dolby ® Digital

• Dolby Pro Logic ® II (Movie, Music and Game), up to 96kHz

• Dolby Virtual Speaker Version 2 (Reference 2- or 3-speaker;

Wide 2-, 3-, 4- or 5-speaker)

• Dolby Headphone Version 2, up to 96kHz

• DTS ® (5.1; DTS Stereo)

• DTS 96/24 ™ (DTS Stereo)

• DTS Neo:6 ® up to 96kHz

(Cinema 3- or 5-channel; Music 5-channel),

• Logic 7 ® (Cinema, Music and Enhance), up to 96kHz

• Hall 1 and Hall 2

• Theater

• 5-Channel Stereo, up to 96kHz

• Surround Off (DSP or Analog Bypass)

Audio Inputs

• AM/FM tuner

• CD

• Tape

• 6-Channel direct

• Auxiliary mini-jack

Audio/Video Inputs (With S-Video)

• Video 1

• Video 2

• Video 3

• DVD

• Two 100MHz assignable component video inputs

• HDMI ™ 1, 2 and 3 (switching only), version 1.3a

Digital Audio Inputs

• Coaxial: Two rear-panel/one front-panel

• Optical: Two rear-panel/one front-panel

Outputs

• Subwoofer output

• Tape (analog audio)

• Video 1 (analog audio and video)

• Video monitor (composite, S-video and component)

• Digital audio: (one coaxial)

• HDMI (switching only)

• Headphone

INTRODUCTION

Ease of Use

• On-screen display with composite, S-video and component video

(480i); choice of blue or black background

• Two-line dot-matrix front-panel display

• Color-coded connections

• Programmable 11-device main remote control

• Source input renaming

• A / V sync delay up to 100ms

Supplied Accessories

The following accessory items are supplied with the AVR 154. If any of these items are missing, please contact Harman Kardon customer service at www.harmankardon.com.

• System remote control

• AM loop antenna

• FM wire antenna

• Three AAA batteries

• Two covers for front-panel jacks

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FRONT-PANEL CONTROLS

Main Power Switch:

This mechanical switch turns the power supply on or off. It is usually left pressed in (On position), and cannot be turned on using the remote control.

Standby/On Switch:

This electrical switch turns the receiver on for playback, or leaves it in Standby mode for quick turn-on using this switch or the remote control.

Power Indicator:

This LED has four possible modes:

• Main Power Off: When the AVR is unplugged or the Main Power

Switch is off, this LED remains unlit.

• Standby: This LED turns amber, indicating that the AVR is ready to be turned on.

• On: This LED turns white, and the AVR operates normally.

• Protect: If this LED ever turns red, turn off the AVR and unplug it.

Check all speaker wires for a possible short. If none is found, bring the unit to an authorized Harman Kardon service center for inspection and repair before using it again.

When the main power is turned off, the LED is dark and the receiver won’t respond to any button presses. When the main power is turned on, but before the Standby/On Switch is used, the LED turns amber to indicate that the receiver is in standby mode and is ready to be turned on. When the receiver is turned on, the LED turns white.

Source Select:

Press this button to select a source device, which is a component where a playback signal originates, e.g., DVD, CD, cable TV, satellite or HDTV tuner. The source’s name will appear in the Message Display.

Volume Knob:

Turn this knob to raise or lower the volume, which will be shown in decibels (dB) in the Message Display.

Message Display:

Various messages appear in this two-line display in response to commands and changes in the incoming signal. In normal operation, the current source name and the analog or digital audio input assigned to it appear on the upper line, while the surround mode is displayed on the lower line. When the on-screen display menu system (OSD) is in use, the message OSD ON will appear to remind you to check the video display.

Tuner Band:

Press this button to select the tuner as the source, or to switch between the AM and FM bands.

Tuning:

Press either side of this button to tune a radio station.

Tuning Mode:

This button toggles between manual (one frequency step at a time) and automatic (seeks frequencies with acceptable signal strength) tuning mode. It also toggles between stereo and mono modes when an FM station is tuned.

Preset Stations:

Press this button to select a preset radio station.

Headphone Jack:

Plug a 1/4" headphone plug into this jack for private listening.

Surround Mode:

Press this button to select a surround sound

(e.g., multichannel) mode group. Choose from the Dolby modes,

DTS modes, Logic 7 modes, DSP modes or Stereo modes.

Surround Select:

After you have selected the desired surround mode group, press this button to select a specific mode.

Analog Audio, Video and Digital Audio Inputs:

Connect a source component that will only be used temporarily, such as a camera or game console to these jacks. Use only one type of audio and one type of video connection.

Speaker/Channel Input Indicators:

The box icons indicate which speaker positions you have configured (see the Initial Setup section), and the size (frequency range) of each speaker. When a digital audio input is used, letters will light inside the boxes to indicate which channels are present in the incoming signal.

Remote IR Sensor:

This sensor receives infrared (IR) commands from the remote control. It is important to ensure that it is not blocked.

If covering the sensor is unavoidable, such as when the AVR 154 is placed inside a cabinet, you may use an optional Harman Kardon

HE 1000, or other infrared receiver, with an IR emitter (“blaster”) placed directly over this sensor.

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REAR-PANEL CONNECTIONS

AM and FM Antenna Terminals:

Connect the included AM and

FM antennas to their respective terminals for radio reception.

Front, Center and Surround Speaker Outputs:

Use twoconductor speaker wire to connect each set of terminals to the correct speaker. Remember to observe the correct polarity (positive and negative connections). Always connect the positive lead to the colored terminal on the receiver and the red terminal on the speaker. Connect the negative lead to the black terminal on both the receiver and the speaker. See the

Connections section for more information on connecting your speakers.

Subwoofer Output:

If you have a powered subwoofer with a line-level input, connect it to this jack.

Video 1, Video 2 and DVD Audio/Video Inputs:

These jacks may be used to connect your video-capable source components (e.g.,

VCR, DVD player, cable TV box) to the receiver.

NOTE: If a source is HDMI-capable, it is preferable to connect it to one of the AVR’s HDMI Inputs. If HDMI is not available on the source, then select one of the following types of video connection for each source device, in order of preference: component video, S-video or composite video.

See the Connections section for more information on audio and video connection options.

Video 1 Audio/Video Outputs:

These jacks may be used to connect your VCR or another recorder.

Composite and S-Video Monitor Outputs:

If any of your sources use composite or S-video connections, connect one or both of these monitor outputs to the corresponding inputs on your television or video display.

CD and Tape Audio Inputs:

These jacks may be used to connect audio-only source components (e.g., CD player, tape deck). Do not connect a turntable to these jacks unless you are using it with a phono preamp.

Tape Outputs:

These jacks may be used to connect a CDR or another audio-only recorder.

Coaxial and Optical Digital Audio Inputs:

If your source has a compatible digital audio output, connect it to one of these jacks for improved audio performance. Use only one type of digital audio connection for each source.

Coaxial Digital Audio Output:

If a source is also a digital audio recorder, connect the coaxial digital audio output to the recorder’s coaxial digital input.

AUX Input:

Enjoy audio from an iPod (not included), CD player or other portable player by connecting its headphone jack to this input using a 1/8" stereo mini-plug cable (not included). Video and still-image playback are not available at this input.

6-Channel Analog Audio Inputs:

Connect the multichannel analog audio outputs of a DVD-Audio, SACD ™ , Blu-ray Disc ™

(or any other external decoder) to these jacks.

or HD-DVD ™ player

Component Video Inputs:

If both your video source (e.g., DVD player or HDTV tuner) and your television or video display have analog component video (Y/Pb/Pr) capability, then you may connect the component video outputs of your source to one of the two component video inputs. Do not make any other video connections to that source.

Component Video Monitor Outputs:

If you are using either of the Component Video Inputs and your television or video display is component-video-capable, connect these jacks to the corresponding inputs on your video display. In addition, connect the composite and/or

S-video monitor outputs to your video display to view the AVR 154’s on-screen menu displays.

HDMI

™

Inputs and Output:

HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia

Interface) is a newer type of connection for transmitting digital audio and video signals between devices. Although the AVR 154 is not capable of processing HDMI signals, if your video display is HDMI-capable, connect up to three HDMI sources here, and then connect the HDMI

Output to your video display for improved video performance. Disable the HDMI audio function of your video display, and make a separate digital audio connection from the source device to one of the AVR’s coaxial or optical digital audio inputs to benefit from the AVR 154’s multichannel audio processing.

NOTE: The AVR 154 does not convert other types of video to

HDMI, and you will not be able to view the on-screen displays using the HDMI connection.

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REMOTE CONTROL FUNCTIONS

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The AVR 154 remote is capable of controlling up to 11 devices, including the AVR itself and a device connected to the Auxiliary Input. During the installation process, you may program the codes for each of your source components into the remote. Each time you wish to use the codes for any component, first press the Selector button for that component. This changes the button functions to the appropriate codes.

Each Input Selector has been preprogrammed to control certain types of components, with only the codes specific to each brand and model changing, depending on which product code is programmed. The device types programmed into each selector, except the HDMI selectors, may not be changed.

DVD:

Controls DVD players and recorders.

CD:

Controls CD players and recorders.

Tape:

Controls cassette decks.

Video 1:

Controls VCRs, TiVo ® devices and DVRs, and the

Harman Kardon DMC 1000 digital media center.

Video 2:

Controls cable and satellite television set-top boxes.

Video 3:

Controls televisions and other video displays.

HDMI 1, 2 and 3:

Each code set controls a source device

(VCR/PVR/DVD player or cable/satellite set-top box) connected to one of these inputs.

AUX:

Controls a device connected to the Auxiliary Input.

Any given button may have different functions, depending on which component is being controlled. Some buttons are labeled with these functions. For example, the Sleep and DSP Surround Buttons are labeled for use as Channel Up/Down Buttons when controlling a television or cable box. See Table A8 in the appendix for listings of the different functions for each type of component.

IR Transmitter Lens:

As buttons are pressed on the remote, infrared codes are emitted through this lens. Make sure it is pointing toward the component being operated.

Power On Button:

Press this button to turn on the AVR or another device. The Main Power Switch on the AVR 154’s front panel must first have been switched on.

Mute Button:

Press this button to mute the AVR 154’s speaker and headphone outputs temporarily. To end the muting, press this button or adjust the volume. Muting is also canceled when the receiver is turned off.

Program Indicator:

This LED lights up or flashes in one of three colors as the remote is programmed with codes.

Power Off Button:

Press this button to turn off the AVR 154 or another device.

AVR Selector:

Press this button to switch the remote to the codes that operate the receiver.

Input Selectors:

Press one of these buttons to select a source device, which is a component where a playback signal originates, e.g.,

DVD, CD, cable TV, satellite or HDTV tuner. This will also turn on the receiver and switch the remote’s mode to operate the source device.

AM/FM Button:

Press this button to select the tuner as the source, or to switch between the AM and FM bands.

6-Channel Input Selector:

Press this button to select the

6-Channel Inputs as the audio source. If a signal is present at the component video inputs assigned to this source, it will be used. If not, the receiver will use the video input and remote control codes for the last-selected analog video source.

Test Tone:

Press this button to activate the test tone for manual output-level calibration.

TV/Video:

This button has no effect on the receiver, but is used to switch video inputs on some video source components.

Sleep Button:

Press this button to activate the sleep timer, which turns off the receiver after a programmed period of time of up to

90 minutes.

Volume Controls:

Press these buttons to raise or lower the volume, which will be shown in decibels (dB) in the Message Display.

DSP Surround:

Press this button to select a DSP surround mode

(Hall 1, Hall 2, Theater).

On-Screen Display (OSD):

Press this button to activate the on-screen menu system.

Channel Level:

Press this button to adjust the output levels for each channel so that all speakers sound equally loud at the listening position. Usually this is done while playing an audio selection, such as a favorite CD, after you have configured the speakers, as described in the Initial Setup section.

Speaker Setup:

Press this button to configure speaker sizes, that is, the low-frequency capability of each speaker. Usually this is done using the on-screen menu system, as described in the Initial Setup section.

Navigation (

⁄

/

¤

/

‹

/

›

) and OK Buttons:

These buttons are used to make selections within the on-screen menu system, or when accessing the functions of the four buttons surrounding this area of the remote – Channel Level, Speaker Setup, Digital Input or Delay.

Digital Input Select:

Press this button to select the specific digital audio input (or analog audio input) you used for the current source.

Delay:

Press this button to set delay times that compensate for placing the speakers at different distances from the listening position, or to resolve a “lip sync” issue that may be caused by digital video processing.

This may also be done using the on-screen menu system, as described in the Initial Setup section.

Numeric Keys:

Use these buttons to enter radio station frequencies or to select station presets. Press the Direct Button before entering the station frequency.

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IR Transmitter Lens

Power On

Program Indicator

AVR Selector

AM/FM

Test Tone

Sleep

DSP Surround

On-Screen Display

Channel Level

Digital Input

Tuning Mode

Direct Station Entry

Tuning

Tone Mode

Night Mode

Track Skip

Transport Controls

Mute

Power Off

Input Selectors

6-Channel Input Selector

Volume Controls

TV/Video

Speaker Setup

OK

Delay

Navigation

Numeric Keys

Memory

Clear

Preset Stations Selectors

Disc Skip

Macros

Surround Mode Selectors

Dim

NOTE: To make it easier to follow the instructions throughout the manual that refer to this illustration, a copy of this page may be downloaded from the

Product Support section at www.harmankardon.com.

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REMOTE CONTROL FUNCTIONS

Tuning Mode:

This button toggles between manual (one frequency step at a time) and automatic (seeks frequencies with acceptable signal strength) tuning mode. It also toggles between stereo and mono modes when an FM station is tuned.

Memory:

After you have tuned a particular radio station, press this button, then the numeric keys, to save that station as a radio preset.

Tuning:

Press these buttons to tune a radio station. Depending on whether the tuning mode has been set to manual or automatic, each press will either change one frequency step at a time, or seek the next frequency with acceptable signal strength.

Direct:

Press this button before using the Numeric Keys to directly enter a radio station frequency.

Clear:

Press this button to clear a radio station frequency you have started to enter.

Preset Stations Selector:

Press these buttons to select a preset radio station.

Tone Mode:

Press this button to access the tone controls (bass and treble). Use the Navigation Buttons to make your selections.

Disc Skip:

This button has no effect on the receiver, but is used with some optical disc changers to skip to the next disc.

Macros:

These buttons may be programmed to execute long command sequences with a single button press. They are useful for programming the command to turn on or off all of your components, or for accessing specialized functions for a different component than you are currently operating.

Surround Mode Selectors:

Press any of these buttons to select a type of surround sound (e.g., multichannel) mode. Choose from the

Dolby modes, DTS modes, Logic 7 modes or Stereo modes. Each press of a button will cycle to the next available variant of that mode.

Not all modes or mode groups are available with all sources.

Night Mode:

Press this button to activate Night mode with specially encoded Dolby Digital discs or broadcasts. Night mode compresses the audio so that louder passages are reduced in volume to avoid disturbing others, while dialogue remains intelligible.

Track Skip:

These buttons have no effect on the receiver, but are used with many source components to change tracks or chapters.

Dim:

Press this button to partially or fully dim the front-panel display.

Transport Controls:

These buttons have no effect on the receiver, but are used to control many source components. By default, when the remote is operating the receiver, these buttons will control a DVD player.

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INTRODUCTION TO HOME THEATER

The AVR 154 may be the first multichannel surround sound receiver you have owned. Although it has more connections and features than

2-channel receivers, many of the principles are similar and the new concepts are easy to understand. This introductory section will help you to familiarize yourself with the basic concepts, which will make setup and operation smoother.

If you are already familiar with home theater, you may skip this section and proceed to the Connections section on page 16.

Typical Home Theater System

A home theater typically includes your audio/video receiver, which controls the system; a DVD player; a source component for television broadcasts, which may be a cable box, a satellite dish receiver, an HDTV tuner or simply an antenna connected to the TV; a video display (television); and loudspeakers.

All of these components are connected by various types of cables for audio and video signals.

Multichannel Audio

The main benefit of a home theater system is that several loudspeakers are used in various locations around the room to produce “surround sound.” Surround sound immerses you in the musical or film presentation for increased realism.

The AVR 154 may have up to five speakers connected directly to it

(plus a subwoofer). Each main speaker is powered by its own amplifier channel inside the receiver. When more than two speakers are used, it is called a multichannel system.

• Front Left and Right – The main speakers are used the same way as in a 2-channel system. However, you may notice that in many surround modes, these speakers are used more for ambient sound while the main action, especially dialogue, is moved to the center speaker.

• Center – The center speaker is usually placed above or below the video screen, and is used mostly for dialogue in movies and television programs. This placement allows the dialogue to originate near the actors’ faces, for a more natural sound.

• Surround Left and Right – The surround speakers are used to improve directionality of ambient sounds. In addition, by using more loudspeakers in the system, more dynamic soundtracks may be played without risk of overloading any one speaker.

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Many people expect the surround speakers to play as loud as the front speakers. Although all of the speakers in the system will be calibrated to sound equally loud at the listening position, most artists use the surround speakers for ambient effects only, and they program their materials to steer very little sound to these speakers.

• Subwoofer – A subwoofer is a special-purpose speaker designed to play only the lowest frequencies (the bass). It may be used to augment smaller, limited-range satellite speakers used for the other channels. In addition, many digital-format programs, such as movies recorded in Dolby Digital, contain a special low-frequency effects

(LFE) channel which is directed only to the subwoofer. The LFE channel packs the punch of an explosion or the power of a rumbling train or airplane, adding realism and excitement to your home theater. Many people use two subwoofers, placed on the left and right sides of the room, for additional power and even distribution of the sound.

Surround Modes

There are different theories as to the best way to present surround sound and to distribute soundtrack information among the various speakers. A variety of algorithms have been developed in an effort to accurately reproduce the way we hear sounds in the real world. The result is a rich variety of surround mode options. Some modes are selected automatically, depending on the signal being received from the source. In many cases, you may select a surround mode manually.

Several companies have taken surround sound in slightly differing directions. It is helpful to group the numerous surround modes either by their brand name, or by using a generic name:

• Dolby Laboratories, Inc., Modes – Dolby Digital, Dolby Pro Logic II,

Dolby Virtual Speaker, Dolby Headphone

• DTS Modes – DTS, DTS Neo:6, DTS 96/24

• Harman International (Harman Kardon’s Parent Company) –

Logic 7

• DSP Modes – Generic modes that include Hall 1, Hall 2 and Theater

• Stereo Modes – Generic modes that expand upon conventional

2-channel stereo, including DSP Surround Off, Analog Bypass

Surround Off and 5-Channel Stereo

Table 2 on pages 42 – 43 contains detailed explanations of the differences between the various mode groups, and the mode options available within each group. Digital modes, such as Dolby Digital and

DTS, are only available with specially encoded programs, such as

DVDs and digital television. Other modes may be used with various digital and analog signals to create a different surround presentation, or to use a different number of speakers. Surround mode selection depends upon the number of speakers in your system, the materials you are watching or listening to, and your personal tastes. Feel free to experiment.

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16

CONNECTIONS

There are different types of audio and video connections used to connect the receiver to the speakers and video display, and to connect the source devices to the receiver. To make it easier to keep them all straight, the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) has established a color-coding standard. See Table 1.

Table 1 – Connection Color Guide

Audio Connections

Front (FL/FR)

Center (C)

Surround (SL/SR)

Subwoofer (SUB)

Digital Audio Connections

Coaxial

Optical Input

Video Connections

Component Y Pb Pr

Composite

S-Video

HDMI ™ Connections

(switching only)

HDMI

Types of Connections

This section will briefly review different types of cables and connections.

Speaker Connections

Speaker cables carry an amplified signal from the receiver’s speaker terminals to each loudspeaker. Speaker cables generally contain two wire conductors, or leads, inside plastic insulation. The two conductors are usually differentiated in some way, by using different colors, or stripes, or by adding a ridge to the insulation. Sometimes the wires are different colors, e.g., copper-colored and silver.

The differentiation is important because each speaker must be connected to the receiver’s speaker-output terminals using two wires, one positive

(+) and one negative (–). This is called speaker polarity. It’s important to maintain the proper polarity for all speakers in the system, or performance can suffer, especially for the low frequencies.

Always connect the positive terminal on the loudspeaker, which is usually colored red, to the positive terminal on the receiver, which is colored as shown in the Connection Color Guide (Table 1). Similarly, always connect the black negative terminal on the speaker to the black negative terminal on the receiver.

+

The AVR 154 uses binding-post speaker terminals that can accept banana plugs or bare-wire cables.

Banana plugs are simply plugged into the hole in the middle of the terminal cap.

See Figure 1.

Figure 1 – Binding-Post Speaker

Terminals With Banana Plugs

Bare wire cables are installed as follows (see Figure 2):

1. Unscrew the terminal cap until the pass-through hole in the collar is revealed.

2. Insert the bare end of the wire into the hole.

3. Screw the cap back into place until the wire is held snugly.

1 2 3

Figure 2 – Binding-Post Speaker Terminals With Bare Wires

Subwoofer

The subwoofer is a specialized type of loudspeaker used to play only the low frequencies (bass), which require much more power than the other speaker channels. In order to obtain the best results, most speaker manufacturers offer powered subwoofers, in which the speaker contains its own amplifier on board. Usually, a line-level (nonamplified) connection is made from the receiver’s Subwoofer Output to a corresponding jack on the subwoofer, as shown in Figure 3, but sometimes the subwoofer is connected to the receiver using the front left and right speaker outputs, and then the front left and right speakers are connected to terminals on the subwoofer.

Although the subwoofer output looks similar to the analog audio jacks used for the various components, it is filtered and only allows the low frequencies to pass. Don’t connect this output to your other devices.

Although doing so won’t cause any harm, performance will suffer.

Pre-out Subwoofer

Figure 3 – Subwoofer

Connecting Source Devices to the AVR

The AVR 154 is designed to process audio and video input signals, playing back the audio and displaying the video on a television or monitor connected to the AVR. These signals originate in what are known as

“source devices,” including your DVD player, CD player, DVR (digital video recorder) or other recorder, tape deck, game console, cable or satellite television box or MP3 player. Although the tuner is built into the

AVR, it also counts as a source, even though no external connections are needed, other than the FM and AM antennas.

Separate connections are required for the audio and video portions of the signal. The types of connections used depend upon what’s available on the source device, and for video signals, the capabilities of your video display.

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CONNECTIONS

Audio Connections

There are two formats for audio connections: digital and analog. Digital audio signals are required for listening to sources encoded with digital surround modes, such as Dolby Digital and DTS. The AVR 154 uses two types of digital audio connections: coaxial and optical. Either type of digital audio connection may be used for each source device, but never both simultaneously for the same source. However, it’s okay to make both analog and digital audio connections to the same source.

NOTE: Although HDMI cables are capable of carrying digital audio signals, the AVR 154 is not designed to process those signals. Therefore, if your source and video display are both

HDMI-capable, use the HDMI connections for video only. Make a separate audio connection from the source device to the

AVR 154, and consult the owner’s manual for the source device for instructions on muting the device’s HDMI audio output.

Digital Audio

Coaxial digital audio jacks are usually color-coded in orange. Although they look similar to analog jacks, they should not be confused, and you should not connect coaxial digital audio outputs to analog inputs or vice versa. See Figure 4.

Coaxial digital audio cable

Figure 4 – Coaxial Digital Audio

Coaxial

Optical digital audio connectors are normally covered by a shutter to protect them from dust. The shutter opens as the cable is inserted. Input connectors are color-coded using a black shutter, while outputs use a gray shutter. See Figure 5.

Optical

Optical digital audio cable

Figure 5 – Optical Digital Audio

Analog Audio

Analog connections require two cables, one for the left channel (white) and one for the right channel (red). These two cables are often attached to each other for most of their length. See Figure 6. Most sources that have digital audio jacks also have analog audio jacks, although some older types of sources, such as tape decks, have only analog jacks. For sources that are capable of both digital and analog audio, you may wish to make both connections. If you wish to record materials from DVDs or other copy-protected sources, you may only be able to do so using analog connections. Remember to comply with all copyright laws if you choose to make a copy for your own personal use.

Analog audio cable (RCA)

Figure 6 – Analog Audio

L

R

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Multichannel analog connections are used with some high-definition sources where the copy-protected digital content is decoded inside the source. These types of connections are usually used with DVD-

Audio, SACD, Blu-ray Disc, HD-DVD and other multichannel players.

See Figure 7.

Multichannel analog audio cable (RCA)

Figure 7 – Multichannel Analog Audio

NOTE: When using the 6-Channel Analog Audio Inputs, make an analog video connection for the device. To enjoy a multichannel disc, select the source input for the video connection, e.g., DVD, or simply use the component video inputs assigned to the 6-Channel Analog Audio Inputs (see Initial Setup section for an explanation on assigning video inputs), then select the

6-Channel Analog Audio Inputs as the source. If no signal is present at the component video inputs assigned to the 6-Channel

Analog Audio Inputs, the AVR 154 will use the last-selected analog video input, which is DVD in this example. It is not possible to select an HDMI input for video while using the 6-Channel

Analog Audio Inputs for audio.

The AVR 154 also offers an Auxiliary Audio Input on the rear panel in the form of a stereo 1/8" mini jack. Connect the headphone output of any audio source, such as an MP3 player or portable CD player, to the

Auxiliary Audio Input. See Figure 8.

Figure 8 – Auxiliary Audio Input

Front Surround Center

Subwoofer

Video Connections

Although some sources produce an audio signal only (e.g., CD player, tape deck), many sources output both audio and video signals (e.g.,

DVD player, cable television box, HDTV tuner, satellite box, VCR, DVR).

In addition to the audio connection, make one type of video connection for each of these sources (but only one at a time for any source).

Digital Video

The AVR 154 is equipped with three HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia

Interface) inputs, and one output. HDMI is capable of carrying digital audio and video information using a single cable, thus delivering the highest possible quality picture and sound.

The AVR 154 is capable of switching the HDMI data, passing the incoming audio and video data (including 1080i and 1080p video), directly to your HDMI-capable video display, without processing any of the data. Although the AVR 154 is compatible with virtually any HDMIcapable source device and video display, a separate audio connection is required for each source, since the AVR 154 doesn’t have access to the audio data in the HDMI stream.

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18

CONNECTIONS

The AVR 154 will not convert analog video signals to the HDMI format, and the on-screen displays are not visible when using an HDMI source.

Connect the composite or S-video monitor output (or both, depending on which video connections your sources use) to your video display to view the on-screen menus.

The physical HDMI connection is simple. The connector is shaped for easy plug-in (see Figure 9). If your video display has a DVI input, you may use an HDMI-to-DVI adapter (not included) to connect it to the

AVR’s HDMI Output, but the HDMI-to-DVI connection will not carry audio. In addition, your DVI-equipped display should be HDCP (High-

Definition Copy Protection)-compliant.

Figure 9 – HDMI Connection

Analog Video

There are three types of analog video connections: composite video,

S-video and component video.

Composite video is the basic connection most commonly available.

The jack is usually color-coded yellow, and looks like an analog audio jack, although it is important never to confuse the two. Do not plug a composite video cable into an analog or coaxial digital audio jack, or vice versa. Both the chrominance (color) and luminance (intensity) components of the video signal are transmitted using a single cable.

See Figure 10.

Composite video cable

Figure 10 – Composite Video

S-video, or “separate” video, transmits the chrominance and luminance components using separate wires contained within a single cable. The plug on an S-video cable contains four metal pins, plus a plastic guide pin. Be careful to line up the plug correctly when you insert it into the jack on the receiver, source or video display. See Figure 11.

Component video cable

Figure 12 – Component Video

If it’s available on your video display, HDMI is recommended as the best quality connection, followed by component video, S-video and then composite video.

NOTES:

• A composite or S-video connection to your TV is required to view the AVR’s on-screen displays.

• Copy-protected sources are not available at the Component

Video Monitor Outputs.

Antennas

The AVR 154 uses separate terminals for the included FM and AM antennas that provide proper reception for the tuner.

The FM antenna uses a 75-ohm F-connector. See Figure 13.

Figure 13 – FM Antenna

The AM loop antenna needs to be assembled. Then connect the two leads to the push-type terminals on the receiver. Although the terminals are color-coded, you may connect either antenna lead to either terminal.

See Figure 14.

S-video cable

Figure 11 – S-Video

Component video separates the video signal into three components – one luminance (“Y”) and two subsampled color signals (“Pb” and “Pr”) – that are transmitted using three separate cables. The “Y” cable is color-coded green, the “Pb” cable is colored blue and the “Pr” cable is colored red. See Figure 12.

Figure 14 – AM Antenna

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SPEAKER PLACEMENT

Before you begin to connect cables, it is important to place your speakers in their correct locations in the room.

Optimally, the speakers should be placed in a circle with the listening position at its center. The distance from the listening position to the video display forms the radius of the circle. See Figure 15.

The speakers should be angled so that they directly face the listening position.

The center speaker is placed either on top of, below or mounted on the wall above or below the video display screen.

The front left and right speakers are placed along the circle, about

30 degrees from the center speaker and angled toward the listener.

It is best to place the front left/right and center speakers as close to the same height as possible, preferably at about the same height as the listener’s ears. In any event the center speaker should be no more than two feet above or below the left/right speakers.

The side surround speakers should be placed 110 degrees from the center speaker, that is, slightly behind and angled toward the listener.

If this isn’t feasible, place them behind the listener, with each surround speaker facing the opposite-side front speaker. The surround speakers may be placed a little higher than the listener’s ears.

The subwoofer’s location is less critical, since low-frequency sounds are omnidirectional. Placing the subwoofer close to a wall or in a corner will reinforce the low frequencies, and may create a “boomy” sound. You may wish to experiment over time by placing the subwoofer where the listener normally sits and then walking around the room until the low frequencies sound best. Place the subwoofer in that spot.

NOTE: Your receiver will sound its best when the same model loudspeaker is used for all positions (other than the subwoofer).

If that isn’t possible, try to use speakers made by the same manufacturer.

Front Left

Speaker

Video Display

Center

Subwoofer

Front Right

Speaker

30° 30°

110°

150°

110°

150°

Surround

Left

Speaker

Surround

Right

Speaker

Alternate Placement for Surround

Left Speaker

Figure 15 – Speaker Placement

Alternate Placement for Surround

Right Speaker

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INSTALLATION

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You are now ready to connect your various components to your receiver.

Before beginning, turn off all components, including the AVR 154, and unplug their power cords. Don’t plug any of the power cords back in until you have finished making all of your connections.

Remember that your receiver generates heat while it is on. Select a location that leaves several inches of space on all sides of the receiver.

Avoid completely enclosing the receiver inside an unventilated cabinet.

It is preferable to place components on separate shelves rather than stacking them directly on top of the receiver. Some surface finishes are delicate. Try to select a location with a sturdy surface finish.

Step One – Connect the Speakers

If you have not yet done so, place your speakers in the listening room as described in the Speaker Placement section above.

Connect the center, front left, front right, surround left and surround right loudspeakers to the corresponding speaker terminals on the AVR 154.

See Figure 16. Maintain the proper polarity by always connecting the positive and negative terminals on each speaker to the positive and negative terminals on the receiver. Use the Connection Color Guide on page 16 as a reference.

Step Three – Connect the Antennas

Connect the FM and AM antennas to their terminals. See Figure 18.

FM

AVR 154

AM

FR FL

Figure 16 – Speaker Connections

SR SL

Step Two – Connect the Subwoofer

Connect the Subwoofer Output on the AVR 154 to the line-level input on your subwoofer. See Figure 17. Consult the manufacturer’s guide for the subwoofer for additional information.

AVR 154

AVR 154

Figure 17 – Subwoofer Connection

SUB

C

Figure 18 – Antenna Connections

Step Four – Connect the Source Components

Use the Table A5 worksheet in the Appendix to note which connections you will use for each of your source devices.

A source is a device where the audio and video signals originate. Some sources, such as CD players, only offer audio, while sources used for watching movies or broadcast-television programming deliver a video signal as well.

Referring to the photograph of the AVR 154 remote control on page

13, there is a section of 12 buttons near the top of the remote designated “Input Selectors”: DVD, AM/FM, CD, AUX, TAPE, VID1, VID2, VID3,

HDMI1, HDMI2, HDMI3 and 6CH. Each of these buttons corresponds to a set of input connectors on the AVR. The set of connectors is referred to as a “source input”.

The goal of Step Four of the Installation is to match up each of your source devices, e.g., DVD player and cable television box, with the correct connectors on the AVR 154.

We recommend that you refer to Table A1 in the appendix when making these connections. Although you may connect a source to any source input with the matching types of connectors, by selecting the source input dedicated to the same type of component, you will be able to program the AVR’s universal remote to control it, simplifying operation.

The precise connections to be made depend on the capabilities of the source device and your video display (TV). Select the best audio and video connections for each source. The types of connections are listed in order of preference:

Audio Connections

• Choose one digital audio connection: Optical or Coaxial

• Optional, or where digital audio is not available: Analog audio for making recordings for personal use or as a backup. Analog audio is required for older analog sources that don’t have digital audio outputs, such as cassette decks.

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INSTALLATION

Video Connections:

(choose only one, and make sure that type is available on your TV)

• HDMI

• Component video

• S-video

• Composite video

NOTES:

• Digital audio, HDMI and component video connections are not dedicated to any source input. When any of these physical connections are used, they must be assigned to the desired source input as described in the Initial Setup section. It’s possible for a source input to use none of the connectors named for it; e.g., the DVD source may use the Component

Video 1 inputs for video and the Coaxial Digital Audio Input 1 for audio, both of which require assignment.

• If the video display is equipped with an HDMI or DVI digital video input, make sure it is also HDCP-compliant (High-

Bandwith Digital Content Protection) to display copy-protected materials.

• If the source or video display has a DVI input, use an HDMIto-DVI adapter (not included), and make separate audio connections.

• Although the 6-Channel Analog Audio Inputs are designated as a separate source input, the 6CH button on the remote may not be programmed to operate a source device. The

6-Channel Analog Audio Inputs are used with an analog video input (component video, S-video or composite video, but not

HDMI) that may also be assigned to another source input, such as DVD. Program the corresponding Input Selector on the remote, e.g., DVD, with the device’s product code. To enjoy audio from the 6-Channel Analog Audio Inputs, first select the source for the video input (DVD, in this example), and then switch the source to the 6-Channel Analog Audio Inputs. The

AVR 154 will use the last-selected analog video input while obtaining audio from the 6-Channel Analog Audio Inputs.

Connect a DVD, SACD, HD-DVD or Blu-ray Disc Player

HDMI Video:

I f the DVD player and the TV both have an HDMI connector, connect the player as follows (see Figure 19):

• Connect the DVD player’s HDMI output to the HDMI 1 Input on the AVR.

• Connect the DVD player’s coaxial digital audio output to the Coaxial 2 input on the AVR.

AVR 154

Figure 19 – Connecting an HDMI-Equipped Disc Player

If the player is capable of playing multichannel discs, including DVD-

Audio, SACD, HD-DVD and Blu-ray Disc, make the following additional connections (see Figure 20):

• Connect the DVD player’s component video output to the Component

Video 1 Input on the AVR.

• Connect the DVD player’s 6-channel analog audio outputs to the

6-Channel Analog Audio Inputs on the AVR.

AVR 154

Figure 20 – Connecting a Multichannel Audio Player

Component Video:

If the DVD player or the TV does not have an

HDMI connector, but they both have component video connectors, connect the player as follows (see Figure 21):

• Connect the DVD player’s component video output to the Component

Video 1 Input on the AVR.

• Connect the DVD player’s coaxial digital audio output to the Coaxial 1 input on the AVR.

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INSTALLATION

AVR 154

Figure 21 – Connecting a Component-Video-Equipped Disc Player

If the player is capable of playing multichannel discs, including DVD-Audio,

SACD, HD-DVD and Blu-ray Disc, make the following additional connection

(see Figure 20):

• Connect the DVD player’s 6-channel analog audio outputs to the

6-Channel Analog Audio Inputs on the AVR.

Composite/S-Video:

If the best video connection common to both the

DVD player and the TV is either S-video or composite video, follow these steps (see Figure 22):

• Connect the DVD player’s S-video or composite video output (use one connection only) to the corresponding DVD Video Input on the AVR.

• Connect the DVD player’s coaxial digital audio output to the Coaxial 1 input on the AVR.

If the player is capable of playing multichannel discs, including DVD-Audio,

SACD, HD-DVD and Blu-ray Disc, make the following additional connection

(see Figure 22):

• Connect the DVD player’s 6-channel analog audio outputs to the

6-Channel Analog Audio Inputs on the AVR.

NOTES:

• Where a given type of connection is called for, e.g., HDMI, component video or digital audio, you may use any available input of that type. We recommend connections solely because they are assigned by default to certain source inputs.

• If you wish to make recordings from a DVD, use the DVD

S-video or composite video input, and the DVD Analog Audio inputs in addition to any other connections. The AVR cannot make recordings from HDMI or component video sources, and digital audio sources may only be recorded in two channels.

• You may connect the DVD player to the Video 1, Video 2 or

Video 3 source inputs, but you will then be unable to program the AVR remote to operate the player.

• Connect a Harman Kardon DMC 1000 digital media center to any available HDMI Input for digital video and any available input for digital audio, or to the Video 1 Audio/Video Inputs for analog audio and video. You may make both the analog and digital audio and video connections, depending on your system requirements.

Connect an Audio/Video Recorder (PVR, DVR or TiVo)

HDMI Video:

If the recorder and the TV both have an HDMI connector, connect the recorder as follows (see Figure 23):

• Connect the recorder’s HDMI output to the HDMI 2 Input on the AVR.

• Connect the recorder’s optical digital audio output to the Optical 2 input on the AVR.

• Then go to “Composite/S-Video” on page 23 to make recordings, as the AVR 154 cannot make recordings from digital audio (except

2-channel) and video sources.

AVR 154

AVR 154

22

Figure 22 – Connecting a Composite- or S-Video-Equipped Disc Player

Figure 23 – Connecting an HDMI-Equipped Recorder

Component Video:

If the recorder or the TV does not have an

HDMI connector, but they both have component video connectors, connect the recorder as follows (see Figure 24):

• Connect the recorder’s component video output to the Component

Video 2 Input on the AVR.

INSTALLATION

• Connect the recorder’s optical digital audio output to the Optical 2

Input on the AVR (if available).

• Then go to “Composite/S-Video” below to make recordings, as the

AVR 154 cannot make recordings from copy-protected component video sources or digital audio (except 2-channel) sources.

AVR 154

Connect a Cable TV, Satellite, HDTV or Other Set-Top

Box for Broadcast Television

NOTE: If you receive your television programming using your

TV with an antenna or direct cable connection, connect the TV’s analog audio outputs to the Video 3 Analog Audio Inputs. If the

TV has a digital audio output, connect it to one of the frontpanel digital audio inputs.

Do not

connect any video output on the television set to any video input on the receiver. See Step

Five for information on connecting the receiver’s video monitor outputs to the television.

HDMI Video:

If the set-top box and the TV both have an HDMI connector, connect the set-top box as follows (see Figure 26):

• Connect the set-top’s HDMI output to the HDMI 3 Input on the AVR.

• Connect the set-top’s optical digital audio output to the Optical 1 Input on the AVR (if available).

Figure 24 – Connecting a Component-Video-Equipped Recorder

Composite/S-Video:

If the best video connection common to both the recorder and the TV is either S-video or composite video, or to make recordings, follow these steps, using only one type of video connection throughout (see Figure 25):

• Connect the recorder’s S-video/composite video output to the

Video 1 S-Video/Composite Video Input on the AVR.

• Connect the recorder’s S-video/composite video input to the Video 1

S-Video/Composite Video Output on the AVR.

• Connect the recorder’s analog audio outputs to the Video 1 Audio

Inputs on the AVR.

• Connect the recorder’s analog audio inputs to the Video 1 Audio

Outputs on the AVR.

AVR 154

AVR 154

Figure 26 – Connecting an HDMI-Equipped Set-Top Box

Component Video:

If the set-top box or the TV does not have an

HDMI connector, but they both have component video connectors, connect the set-top box as follows (see Figure 27):

• Connect the set-top’s component video output to the Component

Video 2 Input on the AVR (if available).

• Connect the set-top’s optical digital audio output to the Optical 1

Input on the AVR (if available).

AVR 154

Figure 25 – Connecting a Video Recorder

NOTE: If S-video or composite video is the only video connection, you may also use any available digital audio connection.

Figure 27 – Connecting a Component-Video-Equipped Set-Top Box

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INSTALLATION

Composite/ S-Video:

If the best video connection common to both the set-top box and the TV is either S-video or composite video, follow these steps (see Figure 28):

• Connect the set-top’s S-video or composite video output (use one connection only) to the corresponding Video 2 Input on the AVR.

• Connect the set-top’s optical digital audio output to the Optical 1 Input on the AVR (if available). For fully analog set-top boxes, connect the box’s analog audio outputs to the AVR’s Video 2 Audio Inputs.

To make analog audio recordings, connect the recorder’s left and right analog audio outputs to the Tape Inputs on the AVR, and the recorder’s analog audio inputs to the AVR’s Tape Outputs.

No video connection is required, although the AVR will display the lastselected analog video source when the Tape source is selected. See

Figure 30.

AVR 154

AVR 154

Figure 28 – Connecting a Set-Top Box

Connect a CD Player or Any Audio-Only Device

If the CD player or other component has a digital audio output, connect it to any available digital audio input on the AVR. If not, connect the CD player’s left and right analog audio outputs to the CD Audio Inputs. No video connection is required, but the AVR will display the last-selected analog video source when the CD source is selected. See Figure 29.

Figure 30 – Connecting an Audio Recorder

Connect a Portable Audio Player

For audio-only playback from a portable CD player, cassette deck, MP3 player or other device equipped with a 1/8-inch headphone jack, use a stereo 1/8-inch mini-plug interconnect (not included) to connect the device’s headphone jack to the AUX Input on the AVR. Use the device’s own controls to operate it. See Figure 31.

AVR 154

24

AVR 154

Figure 29 – Connecting a CD Player

NOTE: A turntable may only be connected to the AVR if it is equipped with an internal phono preamp, or if you supply an external phono preamp, available at some audio specialty stores or through the Harman Kardon Parts Dept. You may then connect it to any set of analog audio inputs.

Connect a Tape Deck or Any Audio-Only Recorder

If the recorder has digital audio inputs and outputs, connect either its coaxial or optical digital audio output (not both) to the corresponding available input on the AVR, and connect the AVR’s Coaxial Digital Audio

Output to the recorder’s coaxial digital audio input.

Figure 31 – Connecting a Portable Audio Player

Alternatively, use an interconnect with a stereo 1/8-inch mini-plug at one end and two RCA plugs at the other end to connect the player to the Video 3 Audio Inputs on the AVR’s front panel (see Figure 32).

Connecting a Game Console, Camera or Other Device

If a device will only be connected temporarily, you may use the Video 3

Inputs on the front panel. When not in use, place the supplied covers over the Video 3 jacks for a cleaner appearance by snapping the covers in place. To remove the covers, gently press on the left side of each cover so that it pivots out.

Video Components:

Install video components, e.g., game consoles and camcorders, as follows (see Figure 32):

• Connect the component’s S-video or composite video output (use only one connection) to the corresponding Video 3 Input on the AVR.

• Connect the component’s optical or coaxial digital audio output to either the Optical 3 or Coaxial 3 Input on the front panel (if available).

For fully analog devices, connect the device’s analog audio outputs to the AVR’s Video 3 Audio Inputs.

INSTALLATION

AVR 154

AVR 154

Figure 32 – Connecting a Device to the Front-Panel Inputs

Audio Components:

Connect audio-only devices, such as CD players, to either the Coaxial 3 or Optical 3 Digital Audio Inputs, or the Video 3

Analog Audio Inputs (see Figure 32). If you obtain your broadcast programming from the TV, connect its audio outputs to the front-panel inputs and program the AVR remote to operate the TV, as described in

Step Eight.

NOTE: If your video devices are equipped with HDMI or component video outputs, you may connect them to any available audio and video input on the AVR.

Step Five – Connect the Video Display

IMPORTANT NOTE: Do not connect any video output on the video display (TV) to any video input on the AVR. Doing so may cause undesirable video interference.

HDMI Video:

If the display has an HDMI input, and if any sources are connected to any of the AVR’s HDMI Inputs, connect the HDMI Monitor

Output to the display (see Figure 33). Go to “Composite/S-Video” below for an additional required connection.

AVR 154

Figure 33 – HDMI Monitor Output

Component Video:

If the display has component video inputs, and if any sources are connected to either of the AVR’s Component Video

Inputs, connect the Component Video Monitor Outputs to the display

(see Figure 34). Go to “Composite/S-Video” below for an additional required connection.

Figure 34 – Component Video Monitor Outputs

Composite/S-Video:

Important – do not skip this step, even if you have connected the AVR’s HDMI or Component Video Monitor

Outputs to the display. To view the AVR’s on-screen menus and messages, connect either the Composite or S-Video Monitor Output to the display.

In addition, if any sources are connected to the AVR via a composite or

S-video connection, connect the corresponding Monitor Output to the display. See Figure 35.

AVR 154

Figure 35 – Composite and S-Video Monitor Outputs

Consult the manual for your TV to make sure you understand how to select each video input. As you play different source devices that use different types of video connections, select the correct video input on your video display.

Step Six – Plug in AC Power

Having made all of your wiring connections, it is now time to plug each component’s AC power cord into a working outlet.

Before plugging the AVR 154’s AC Power Cord into an electrical outlet, make sure that the Master Power Switch on the front panel is popped out so that the word OFF appears on its top. Gently press the button to turn the switch off. This will prevent the possibility of damaging the AVR in case of a transient power surge.

Step Seven – Insert Batteries in Remote

The AVR 154 remote control uses three AAA batteries, which are included.

To remove the battery cover located on the back of the remote, firmly press the ridged depression and slide the cover toward the top of the remote.

Insert the batteries as shown in Figure 36, making sure to observe the correct polarity.

25

INSTALLATION

26

Figure 36 – Remote Control Battery Compartment

When using the remote, remember to point the lens toward the front panel of the AVR 154. Make sure no objects, such as furniture, are blocking the remote’s path to the receiver. Bright lights, fluorescent lights and plasma video displays may interfere with the remote’s functioning.

The remote has a range of about 20 feet, depending on the lighting conditions. It may be used at an angle of up to 30 degrees to either side of the AVR.

If the remote seems to operate intermittently, or if pressing a button on the remote does not cause the AVR Selector or one of the Input

Selectors to light up, then make sure the batteries have been inserted correctly, or replace all three batteries with fresh ones.

Step Eight – Program Sources Into the Remote

The AVR 154 remote not only is capable of controlling the receiver, but it may also be programmed to control many brands and models of

VCRs, DVD players, CD players, cable boxes, satellite receivers, cassette decks and TVs.

It may help to think of the remote as a book with pages. Each page represents the button functions for a different device. In order to access the functions for a particular device, first turn to that page; that is, switch the remote to that device mode. This is done by pressing the AVR

Button to access the codes that control the receiver, or the Input

Selector buttons to access the codes for the devices programmed into the remote.

The AVR 154’s remote is factory-programmed to control many

Harman Kardon DVD and CD players.

NOTE: The remote may be easily programmed to operate the

DMC 1000 digital media center, using the Video 1 or any of the

HDMI Input Selectors, by following the instructions below. Select the VCR/PVR/DMC device type in number 4. Enter code 003.

If you have other source devices in your system, follow these steps to program the correct codes into the remote.

1. Using the codes in Tables A10 – A16 of the Appendix, look up the product type (e.g., DVD, cable TV box) and the brand name of your source. The number(s) listed is/are potential candidates for the correct code set for your particular device.

2. Turn on your source device.

3. This step places the remote in program mode. Refer to Figure 37.

Press and hold the Input Selector until the LED on the remote starts to flash, then release it. When pressed, the Input Selector will light red briefly, go dark, and then relight when the Program Indicator LED starts to flash.

4. Program the desired device type for any of the three HDMI selectors by pressing the corresponding Input Selector:

• Press DVD to operate a DVD player.

• Press VID1 to operate a VCR or PVR, or a Harman Kardon digital media center.

• Press VID2 to operate a cable or satellite set-top box.

Figure 37 – Input Selectors

5. Enter a code from number 1 above.

a) If the device turns off, then press the Input Selector again to accept the code; it will flash. The remote will exit the Program mode.

b) If the device does not turn off, try entering another code. If you run out of codes, you may search through all of the codes in the remote’s library for that product type by pressing the ⁄ or ¤

Button repeatedly until the device turns off. When the device turns off, enter the code by pressing the Input Selector; it will flash. The remote then exits Program mode.

6. Once you have programmed a code, try using some other functions to control the device. Sometimes manufacturers use the same Power code for several different models, while other codes vary. Repeat this process until you’ve programmed a satisfactory code set that operates most of the functions you frequently use.

7. Find out which code number you have programmed by pressing and holding the Input Selector to enter the Program mode. Press the

OK Button, and the Program Indicator LED will flash in the code sequence. One flash represents “1”, two flashes for “2”, and so forth.

A series of many fast flashes represents “0”. Record the codes programmed for each device in Table A7 in the Appendix.

If you are unable to locate a code set that correctly operates your source device, it will not be possible to use the AVR remote to control that device. You may still connect the source to the AVR 154 and operate it using the device’s original remote control.

Most of the button labels on the remote describe the button’s function when used to control the AVR 154. However, the button may perform a very different function when used to control another device. Refer to

the Remote Control Function List, Table A9 in the Appendix, for each button’s functions with the various product types.

You may program Macros, which are preprogrammed code sequences that execute many code commands with a single button press. You may also program “punch-through” codes, which allow the remote to operate the volume, channel or transport controls of another device without having to switch the remote’s device mode. See pages 44 through

45 for instructions on these advanced programming functions.

NOTE: The AVR 154 remote is preprogrammed to operate the transport controls of Harman Kardon DVD players when the AVR or the Video 2 (cable/satellite) or Video 3 (TV) source is selected.

You may change this punch-through programming at any time.

Step Nine – Turn On the AVR 154

Two steps are required the first time you turn on the AVR 154.

1. Gently press the Master Power Switch until the word OFF is no longer visible. The Power Indicator above the two power switches should light up in amber, indicating that the AVR is in Standby mode and is ready to be turned on. See Figure 38. Normally, you may leave the

Master Power Switch in the ON position, even when the receiver is not being used.

Figure 38 – Power Switches

2. There are several ways in which the AVR 154 may be turned on from

Standby mode.

a) Press the Standby/On Switch on the front panel. See Figure 38.

b) Press the Source Select Button on the front panel. See Figure 39.

Figure 39 – Source Select Button c) Using the remote, press any one of these buttons: AVR, DVD, CD,

TAPE, AUX, HDMI 1, HDMI 2, HDMI 3, VID1, VID2, VID3, AM/FM or 6CH. See page 13.

NOTE: Any time you press one of the Input Selectors, the remote will switch to the corresponding device mode and will only operate that device. To control the receiver, press the AVR

Button to return the remote to AVR mode.

INSTALLATION

27

28

INITIAL SETUP

Before you begin enjoying your new receiver, a few adjustments should be made to configure the AVR 154 to match your actual system.

Make sure that you have connected a video display to either the S-video or composite video monitor output on the receiver. When you turn on your display and the AVR, you should see a blue screen. A message may appear briefly at the bottom of the screen. This message is part of the on-screen display system, and is referred to as the “semi-OSD”. The semi-OSD is activated any time you send a command to the AVR, and any time the AVR detects a change in the incoming signal. Semi-OSD messages are overlaid on top of any video signal, so that you may continue to watch your program while making adjustments to the AVR.

Although it’s possible to configure the AVR using only the remote and the semi-OSD messages, we recommend that you use the full-screen menu system, known as the “full-OSD”.

Using the On-Screen Menu System

The full-OSD system is accessed by pressing the OSD Button on the remote. See Figure 40. While the full-OSD system is in use, it isn’t possible to see any video programming. In addition, an OSD ON message will appear on the front panel of the receiver to remind you to use a video display.

Figure 40 – Navigation Buttons

Press the OSD Button to display the Master Menu. Use the ⁄

/

¤

Buttons to point the cursor to different lines in the menu. Press the

OK Button to select one of the submenus listed in the Master Menu, or to return to a previous menu. Within the submenus, after positioning the cursor at a particular line item, use the ‹

/

› Buttons to change a setting. When the desired setting appears, use the ⁄

/

¤ Buttons to navigate to another line item. Except for the TITLE setting in the INPUT

SETUP menu, there is no need to press the OK Button after your desired setting appears.

The Master Menu allows access to four submenus: Input Setup,

Surround Select, Manual Setup and System Setup. See Figure 41.

NOTE: Your menu’s appearance may vary, but the functions remain the same.

Figure 41 – Master Menu Screen

If you are an experienced home theater user, you may prefer to use the menus in this order:

1. System Setup (described in Advanced Functions section)

2. Manual Setup (described here and in Advanced Functions)

3. Input Setup (described in this section)

4. Surround Select (see Advanced Functions section)

We recommend that most users follow the instructions in this INITIAL

SETUP section to configure a basic home theater system. You may return to these menus at any time to make additional adjustments.

Record your configuration settings in the appropriate places in Tables

A2 through A8 in the Appendix, in case you need to reenter them after a system reset, or if the AVR’s Master Power Switch is turned off or the unit is unplugged for more than four weeks.

This section requires that you complete all of the steps in the Installation section that apply to your receiver. You should have connected all of your loudspeakers and a video display, as well as your source devices.

You should be able to turn on the receiver and view a blue screen on your video display. If necessary, reread the Installation Section before continuing.

Step One – Determine Speaker Size

The AVR 154 can’t detect how many speakers you’ve connected to it; nor can it determine their capabilities. For this part of the system setup, consult the owner’s guide for each of your speakers. If you don’t have the guide, obtain the speaker’s technical specifications from the manufacturer’s Web site, or by contacting the manufacturer directly.

This information is needed to program the receiver’s bass management, which determines which speakers the receiver will use to play back the low-frequency (bass) portion of the source program.

If the lowest notes are played by small satellite speakers, they won’t sound their best, and they may damage the speaker by going beyond its capabilities. If the highest notes are played by the special-purpose subwoofer, they may not be heard at all.

INITIAL SETUP

With proper bass management, the AVR 154 divides the source signal at a crossover point. All information above the crossover point is played through the satellite speaker (front left/right, center or surround left/right), and all information below the crossover point is played through the subwoofer. This enables each loudspeaker in your system to perform at its best, delivering an enjoyable sound experience.

Find the speaker’s frequency response, which is usually given as a range, e.g., 100Hz – 20kHz (±3dB). This specification tells you whether the speaker is able to play sounds that are very high- or low-pitched, represented by the high and low frequencies. We are concerned with the lowest frequency that each of your main speakers is capable of playing, which is 100Hz in this example. Use the Table A6 worksheet in the

Appendix to note this number as the crossover for that speaker (not the same as the crossover frequency listed in the speaker’s specifications).

The subwoofer’s frequency response includes only the lowest frequencies, since the subwoofer is only designed to play bass materials. A typical frequency response for a subwoofer is 25Hz – 150Hz. In this case, the higher number is most important and should be noted in the worksheet.

Step Two – Measure Speaker Distances

Ideally, all of your speakers were placed in a circle, each at the same distance from the listening position. However, your room may not be ideal, and you may have had to place some speakers a little further away than others. This could affect the overall sound of the receiver, as sounds that are supposed to arrive simultaneously from different speakers blur, due to different arrival times.

The AVR 154 has a delay adjustment that enables the receiver to compensate for real-world speaker placements.

Before making adjustments, measure the distance from each speaker to the listening position, and note it in the Table A4 worksheet in the

Appendix. Even if all speakers are the same distance from the listening position, enter the speaker distances into the Delay Adjust menu, as described in Step Three.

Step Three – Manual Setup Menu

Now you are ready to program these adjustments into the receiver. Sit in the usual listening position and make the room as quiet as possible.

With the receiver and video display turned on, press the OSD Button on the remote (see Figure 40). Use the ¤ Button on the remote to move the cursor to the MANUAL SETUP line, and press the OK Button to display the Manual Setup menu. See Figure 42.

Figure 42 – Manual Setup Menu Screen

The Manual Setup menu is the gateway to four submenus: Speaker

Size, Speaker X-Over, Delay Adjust and Channel Adjust.

Speaker Size Menu

Press the OK Button to display the Speaker Size submenu.

See Figure 43.

Figure 43 – Speaker Size Menu Screen

The Speaker Size menu lists each of the speaker groups. You will be programming the correct setting for each group, indicating how many speakers are in your system and what their capabilities are, based on the information you obtained in Step One – Determine Speaker Size.

Each of the main speaker groups can be set to one of three settings:

LARGE, SMALL or NONE. These settings don’t refer to the physical size of the speaker, but rather to the size of its frequency range.

If the lower number of the frequency response for your speakers is less than 100Hz, choose the LARGE setting. If this number is 100Hz or greater, choose the SMALL setting. If you don’t have a speaker connected to that position, choose NONE. Record the speaker size settings in Table A6 in the Appendix.

The system requires you to use both speakers in a pair, i.e., the front left and right speakers and the surround speakers. However, you can connect just the front speakers, or both front and surround speakers without a center, or the front left/right and center speakers without any surrounds.

29

30

INITIAL SETUP

LEFT/RIGHT: This line tells the AVR 154 the capabilities of your front left and right speakers. Use the ‹

/

› Buttons to select either SMALL or LARGE for these speakers.

CENTER: Move the cursor to the line for the center speaker, and use the ‹

/

› Buttons to select a setting for this speaker.

NOTE: If the receiver is currently in one of the Logic 7 surround modes, which will be the case the first time you turn it on, you won’t be able to set the center speaker to LARGE, due to the requirements of the Logic 7 processor. You may use the

SMALL setting instead. Later on, if you find the SMALL setting is not satisfactory, change the surround mode to one of the

Dolby Pro Logic II modes (using the Surround Select menu, accessible from the Master Menu), and then return to this menu to change the center speaker to the LARGE setting.

SURROUND: Move the cursor to the line for the surround, or rear, speakers, and use the ‹

/

› Buttons to select a setting for these two speakers.

SUBWOOFER: Move the cursor to the line for the subwoofer, which is programmed a little differently. The subwoofer’s “size” setting depends upon how you programmed the front left and right speakers.

• If you set the front speakers to SMALL, the subwoofer setting will be SUB, and you won’t be able to change it. All low-frequency information will always be sent to the subwoofer. If you don’t have a subwoofer, you may wish to set your front speakers to LARGE so as not to lose this information, but you may need to lower the volume to avoid adverse results. Either upgrade to full-range speakers or add a subwoofer to your system at the earliest opportunity.

• If you set the front speakers to LARGE, you may select from three possible settings for the subwoofer:

• L/R+LFE: This setting sends all low-frequency information to the subwoofer, including both information that would normally be played through the front left and right speakers and the special low-frequency effects (LFE) channel information.

• LFE: This setting steers low-frequency information contained in the left and right program channels to the front speakers, and directs only the LFE channel information to the subwoofer.

• NONE: This setting steers all low-frequency information to the front speakers, and no information to the subwoofer output.

Use this setting with full-range front speakers, or with a passive or a powered subwoofer connected to the front speaker outputs.

NOTE: If you are using a Harman Kardon HKTS speaker system, select the SMALL setting for the LEFT/RIGHT, CENTER and SURROUND lines, and the subwoofer will automatically be set to SUB.

BASS MGR: This advanced setting is used to configure your speakers differently for different sources, e.g., to set the speakers to LARGE while listening to your CD player. By changing this setting to INDEPENDENT, you may have different settings for your CD player and your DVD player or other devices. We recommend that you leave this setting at its factory default of GLOBAL until you have more experience with the AVR.

Move the cursor to the BACK TO MANUAL SETUP line and press the

OK Button to return to the Manual Setup Menu.

The speaker sizes may also be configured without using the on-screen menu system. Press the Speaker Setup Button on the remote, and use the ⁄

/

¤ Buttons to select the desired speaker group (Front

Speakers, Center Speaker, Surround Speakers, Subwoofer). Press the

OK Button to display the current setting for the speaker group, and use the ⁄

/

¤ Buttons again to change the setting. Press the OK Button to return to the previous display, or wait a few seconds for the AVR to return to normal operation on its own.

NOTE: The Speaker/Channel Indicators on the front panel of the receiver (see Figure 44) display the speaker size settings as follows. For each speaker configured as SMALL, a single box appears in its position. For each speaker configured as LARGE, a double box appears in its position. If a speaker is configured as NONE, no box appears. The subwoofer is indicated by a single box, or no box if no subwoofer has been configured.

The letters inside the boxes appear when a digital signal is being received with that channel discretely encoded. The letters flash when the signal is not present, such as when a DVD is paused.

Figure 44 – Speaker/Channel Input Indicators

Speaker Crossover Menu

On the Manual Setup menu, move the cursor to the SPEAKER X-OVER line and press the OK Button to display the Speaker Crossover menu.

See Figure 45.

Figure 45 – Speaker Crossover Menu Screen

INITIAL SETUP

Setting the Speaker Crossover menu correctly ensures that your speakers sound their best. Although you could skip this step the first time you use the receiver, we recommend that you take the few extra minutes to enter the correct crossover settings.

Select from seven possible settings: 40Hz, 60Hz, 80Hz, 100Hz,

120Hz, 150Hz or 200Hz. For each speaker group, select the number that matches or is just above the low end of your speaker’s frequency response, which you recorded in Step One – Determine Speaker Size.

Record the speaker crossover settings in Table A6 in the Appendix.

The LFE line sets the frequency that determines what information is sent to the subwoofer. The subwoofer output combines low-frequency information for all channels. To make sure no information is lost, set the

LFE line to the speaker group with the highest crossover frequency.

Move the cursor to the LFE line, and use the ‹

/

› Buttons to make a selection. If all three speaker groups have the same setting, leave the LFE filter at its factory default of LEFT/RIGHT.

Move the cursor to the BACK TO MANUAL SETUP line and press the

OK Button to return to the Manual Setup menu.

It is not possible to adjust the speaker crossover settings without using the on-screen menu system.

Delay Adjust Menu

As explained above in Step Two – Measure Speaker Distances, sometimes the speakers are placed at different distances from the listening position, which can muddy the sound, as sounds are heard earlier or later than desired.

Even if all of your speakers are placed the same distance from the listening position, do not skip this menu.

In the Manual Setup menu, move the cursor to the DELAY ADJUST line and press the OK Button to display the Delay Adjust menu.

See Figure 46.

Figure 46 – Delay Adjust Menu Screen

This menu requires you to enter the distance from each speaker to the listening position, which you measured in Step Two – Measure Speaker

Distances and noted in Table A4 in the Appendix.

The default unit of measurement is in feet. If you wish to change the unit to meters, move the cursor to the UNIT line, and use the ‹

/

›

Buttons to change the unit to METER.

Use the ⁄

/

¤ Buttons to move the cursor to the FL (front left) line; then use the ‹

/

› Buttons to change the measurement as needed.

Use the ⁄

/

¤ Buttons to move to each speaker in turn – CEN

(center), FR (front right), SR (surround right), SL (surround left) and

SUB (subwoofer).

DELAY RESET: This line is used to reset all of the speaker delay settings to the factory default of 10 feet (3.0 meters) at once. Use the

‹

/

› Buttons to change the setting of OFF to ON. If you change any speaker’s setting, this line will automatically revert to OFF.

A/V SYNC DELAY: This line allows you to compensate for a “lip sync” problem, in which a source device or the video display introduces a significant amount of video processing that causes the audio and video parts of the signal to lose synchronization. You may delay the audio for all channels by up to 180 milliseconds to compensate.

NOTE: We recommend adjusting the A/V Sync Delay using the

Delay Button on the remote, so as to view the picture while adjusting the audio delay. With the program playing, press the

Delay Button, and the A/V SYNC DELAY message will appear on the front panel and in the semi-OSD display. Press the

OK Button to display the current delay setting, and use the

⁄

/

¤ Buttons to adjust the setting until the picture and sound are back in sync.

Move the cursor to the BACK TO MANUAL SETUP line and press the

OK Button to return to the Manual Setup menu, or press the OSD

Button to exit the menu system.

You may adjust the delay settings without using the on-screen menu system. Select a surround mode that uses all of the speakers in your system. Press the Delay Button on the remote to display the A/V SYNC

DELAY message. If you wish to adjust A/V Sync Delay as described in the above note, press the OK Button to select it. Otherwise, use the

⁄

/

¤ Buttons to scroll through the list of all loudspeakers in your system. Press the OK Button when the speaker you wish to adjust is displayed, and use the ⁄

/

¤ Buttons again to change the setting.

Press the OK Button to return to the previous display, or wait a few seconds for the AVR to return to normal operation on its own.

Step Four – Output Level Calibration

This is an important step in the configuration process, and should not be skipped.

Many people assume that during a presentation, such as a movie, the surround channels will sound as loud as the front channels. However, this is usually not the case, as directors often steer just the ambient or background sounds to the surround channels. For example, during a rainy scene you may only hear rain falling, with the occasional thunderclap, from the surround speakers while the main dialogue is heard from the center speakers. At times, you may not hear any sounds at all from the surround channels.

To achieve these effects successfully, it is important that the surround channels sound as loud as the other channels when a test tone is played. Therefore, calibrating the speaker output levels so that all speakers

31

INITIAL SETUP

32 sound equally loud at the listening position is a critical step in the setup process.

Sit in the listening position, and eliminate external noises for the few minutes needed to calibrate the output levels.

You may use a handheld SPL meter (available at most electronics stores) set to the C-Weighting, Slow scale, or you may calibrate the levels by ear. Try to adjust the levels so that all channels sound equally loud.

If you are using a handheld SPL meter with source material, such as a test disc or another audio selection, play it now and adjust the AVR’s master volume control until the meter measures 75dB.

If you are using the AVR’s internal test tone, then adjust the AVR’s master volume to –15dB.

Adjust the levels using either the remote control by itself, or using the full-OSD menu system, following one of these methods:

Method A. Using the Remote Control With the Test Tone

While sitting in the listening position, press the Test Button on the remote (see Figure 47). The test tone will start playing at the front left channel. After a few seconds, it will move to the center channel, then the front right channel, surround right, surround left and finally the subwoofer, displaying the channel name on the front of the receiver and in the semi-OSD display, as well as the current level setting (varies between –10dB and +10dB). Press the ⁄

/

¤ Buttons to adjust the level setting, and the tone will remain at that channel for several seconds after your last adjustment. When you have finished adjusting the levels, press the Test Button again to stop the tone. Measure the levels by ear or using an SPL meter, as described above.

Method B. Using the Remote Control With Source Material

Begin playback of your external source material, such as a favorite

CD track or a test disc. While sitting in the listening position, press the

Channel Button on the remote (see Figure 47). The FRONT L LEVEL message will be displayed on the front panel and in the semi-OSD display. If you wish to adjust the output level of the front left channel, press the OK Button and use the ⁄

/

¤ Buttons to adjust the level between –10dB and +10dB. Press the OK Button to enter the new setting, and use the ⁄

/

¤ Buttons to select another speaker channel to adjust: center, front right, surround right, surround left or subwoofer.

The goal is for the sound field to sound natural, with no one speaker being overly emphasized. If you are using one of the commercially available test discs, follow the instructions included with the disc to optimize performance.

When you have finished making your adjustments, either wait a few seconds for the AVR to time-out on its own, or press the OK Button twice with any speaker channel displayed.

Method C. Using the Full-OSD Menu

The full-OSD menu system offers the easiest and most flexible manner of setting output levels. Press the OSD Button to display the

Master Menu, and then navigate to the MANUAL SETUP line. Press the OK Button to display the Manual Setup menu, and then navigate to the CHANNEL ADJUST line. Press the OK Button to display the

Channel Adjust menu. See Figure 48.

Figure 48 – Channel Adjust Menu Screen

All of the speaker channels will appear at the top of the screen with their current level settings. Any channels that have been set to NONE in the

Speaker Size menu will display four dashes and will not be accessible.

CHANNEL RESET: To reset all of the levels to their factory defaults of

0dB, navigate to this line and change the setting to ON. The levels will be reset, and this setting will then revert to OFF.

If you are using an external source to set your output levels, navigate to each channel and use the ⁄

/

¤ Buttons to adjust the level as desired. If you would like to set your levels using the AVR 154’s internal test tone, adjust the TEST TONE SEQ and TEST TONE lines as follows.

TEST TONE SEQ: When this setting reads AUTO, the test tone will automatically circulate to all channels, pausing for a few moments at each channel for several seconds, as indicated by the blinking cursor. Adjust the level for any channel when the test tone is paused there by using the ‹

/

› Buttons. You may also use the ⁄

/

¤ Buttons at any time to move the cursor to another line, and the test tone will follow the cursor.

When this setting reads MANUAL, the test tone will not move to the next channel until you use the ⁄

/

¤ Buttons.

TEST TONE: This line determines whether the test tone is active. To begin the process of setting the levels, use the ‹

/

› Buttons to change the setting to ON. Any time you manually move the cursor out of the channel listings area of the screen, this setting will automatically change to OFF, stopping the test tone.

Figure 47 – Test Tone and Channel Buttons

INITIAL SETUP

NOTE: Setting the channel levels while one surround mode is active does not carry over to other modes. After you have set the levels satisfactorily in one mode, note the results and change to other surround modes. For those modes that don’t reflect your level settings, either copy the settings you obtained as a short cut, or re-do the procedure to determine the correct settings for those surround modes.

Step Five – Configure Sources

This is the last step in the configuration process. In the Installation section, you physically connected various cables between your source devices and the AVR. In this section, you will assign the various audio and video inputs to their sources, ensuring that the AVR uses the correct connections each time you select a source.

Press the OSD Button to view the Master Menu. The cursor will be pointing to the INPUT SETUP line, and you need only press the

OK Button to display the Input Setup menu. See Figure 49.

Move the cursor to the TITLE line and press the OK Button. A block cursor will blink. See Figure 50.

Figure 49 – Input Setup Menu Screen

The first line indicates that the receiver is currently set to the tuner source. You may hear static if the tuner is set to an unused frequency.

You will not be able to make any changes to the tuner, other than selecting a component video input or adjusting the tone controls.

It is not recommended that you make either of these changes for the tuner at this time.

Press the ‹ Button to view the next source. The sources will be selected in the following order: Tape, 6-Channel Inputs, AUX, Video 1, Video 2,

Video 3, HDMI 3, HDMI 2, HDMI 1, DVD and CD. Pressing the ›

Button selects the sources in the reverse order.

For each of these sources, you may adjust the following settings. At a minimum, you should make sure that sources connected to any of the component video or digital audio inputs have the correct settings. Other settings are optional, and you may adjust them at a later time when you have more experience with the AVR. Refer to the Table A5 worksheet in the Appendix that you filled out during installation as you assign inputs to each source.

TITLE: You may change the display name for any source (except the tuner). Not only does this enable you to customize your system; it helps you to select the correct source device even when you have forgotten which physical connections you used.

Figure 50 – Retitling a Source Input

Use the ⁄

/

¤ Buttons to scroll through the alphabet in upper and lower case, as well as numbers and a variety of punctuation marks.

When you have selected the desired character, press the › Button to move to the next space. You may also press the › Button to leave a blank. Press the OK Button when you have finished spelling out the new display name for the source.

COMPONENT IN: If you connected the source to one of the two component video inputs, and the incorrect set of inputs is displayed at this line, press the › Button to change the setting.

AUDIO IN: See Table A2 in the Appendix for the factory default analog or digital audio inputs assigned to each source. If you used a digital audio connection for a source, change this setting to assign the correct digital audio input, even if you also connected its analog audio outputs to the receiver. Move the cursor to this line, and press the ‹

/

›

Buttons until the correct digital input appears.

AUTO POLL: The Auto Poll feature is used when both an analog audio and digital audio connection have been made for one source device. If no digital signal is available, the AVR 154 will switch to the analog inputs for the source. This situation can occur with some cable or satellite television broadcasts, where some channels are broadcast with digital audio and others with analog audio, or when a DVD player is paused or stopped.

For some sources, the Auto Poll feature is unnecessary and may be undesirable, such as for a DVD player. Move the cursor to this line, and press the ‹

/

› Buttons until OFF appears, disabling the Auto Poll feature.

With Auto Poll turned off, the receiver will only check for a signal at the audio input assigned to the source.

The remaining lines in the Input Setup menu activate the tone controls, and may be skipped at this time. We recommend leaving the tone controls at their factory defaults for most listening, in order to enjoy the sound mix created by your favorite movie and music artists.

However, if your room or speakers have unusual characteristics, or simply as a matter of personal preference, see the Tone Controls section on page 34 for more information.

You are now ready to begin enjoying your new receiver!

33

34

OPERATION

Now that you have installed your system components and completed at least a basic configuration of your receiver, you are ready to begin enjoying your home theater system.

Turning On the AVR 154

Gently press the Master Power Switch until the word OFF is no longer visible. The Power Indicator above the two power switches should light up in amber. This indicates that the AVR is in Standby mode and is ready to be turned on. Normally, you may leave the Master Power Switch in the

ON position, even when the receiver is not being used. See Figure 38.

There are several ways in which the AVR 154 may be turned on: a) Press the Standby/On Switch on the front panel. See Figure 38.

b) Press the Source Select Button on the front panel. See Figure 39.

c) Using the remote, press any one of these buttons: AVR, DVD, CD,

TAPE, AUX, HDMI 1, HDMI 2, HDMI 3, VID1, VID2, VID3, AM/FM or 6CH. See page 13.

NOTE: Any time you press one of the remote’s Input Selectors, the remote will switch modes so that it will only operate that device. To control the receiver, press the AVR Button to return the remote to AVR mode.

To turn the receiver off, press either the Standby/On Switch on the front panel, or press the AVR Button and the OFF Button on the remote.

Unless the receiver will not be used for an extended period of time

(for example, if you will be on vacation), it is not necessary to turn off the Master Power Switch. When the Master Power Switch is turned off, any settings you have programmed, including system configuration and preset radio stations, will be preserved for up to four weeks.

Sleep Timer

You may program the AVR to play for up to 90 minutes and then turn off automatically using the sleep timer.

Press the Sleep Button on the remote, and the time until turn-off will be displayed. See Figure 51. Each additional press of the Sleep Button will reduce the time until turn-off by 10 minutes, until the OFF setting is reached, which disables the sleep timer.

If you press the Sleep Button after the timer has been set, the remaining time until turn-off will be displayed. You may press the Sleep Button to change the time until turn-off. Press and hold the Sleep Button to turn the sleep timer off.

Volume Control

The volume may be adjusted either by turning the knob on the front panel (clockwise to increase volume or counterclockwise to decrease volume), or by pressing the Volume Control Buttons on the remote.

See Figure 52. The volume is displayed as a negative number of decibels (dB) below the 0dB reference point.

Unlike the volume controls on some other products, 0dB is the maximum volume for the AVR 154. Although it’s physically possible to turn the volume to a higher level, doing so may damage your hearing and your speakers. For certain more dynamic audio materials, even 0dB may be too high, allowing for damage to equipment.

Figure 52 – Volume Controls

The AVR 154 is designed to reproduce audio with a minimum amount of distortion, which may lead you to think that your hearing and the equipment can handle higher volumes. We urge caution with regard to volume levels.

Mute Function

To temporarily mute all speakers and the headphones, press the Mute

Button on the remote. See Figure 53. Any recording in progress will not be affected. The MUTE message will flash in the display as a reminder.

To restore normal audio, either press the Mute Button again, or adjust the volume. Turning off the AVR will also end muting.

Figure 51 – Sleep Button

When the sleep timer has been set, the front-panel display will automatically dim to half-brightness. If you press any button on the remote or front panel, the display will return to full-brightness. The display will dim again several seconds after your last command.

Figure 53 – Mute Button

Tone Controls

You may boost or cut either the treble or the bass frequencies by up to 10dB.

Press the Tone Mode Button once. See Figure 54. This will indicate whether the tone controls are in or out of the circuitry. With the TONE IN message displayed, press the Tone Mode Button repeatedly to access

TREBLE MODE and BASS MODE. Use the ⁄

/

¤ Buttons to change the treble or bass settings, as desired.

OPERATION

If you wish to return the tone controls to 0, or “flat” response, press the

⁄

/

¤ Buttons, until the TONE OUT message appears, which preserves any changes you have made to the bass or treble settings for later use.

To reactivate your changes, the tone control must again be set to TONE IN.

The display will return to normal a few seconds after your last command.

Source Selection

Press the front-panel Source Select Button to scroll through the sources.

Each side of the button scrolls through the list in the opposite order. For direct access to the tuner, press the Tuner Band Button, which switches to the last-used band and frequency. See Figure 56. For direct access to any source, press its Input Selector on the remote (see Figure 37).

Figure 54 – Tone Button

You may also adjust the tone controls using the full-OSD menu system.

Press the OSD Button on the remote to view the Master Menu. The cursor will be pointing to the INPUT SETUP line; press the OK Button to display that menu and view the current tone settings. If you wish to make any changes to the TONE, BASS or TREBLE settings, use the ⁄

/

¤

Buttons to move the cursor to the line you wish to change. Once you have changed the setting using the ‹

/

› Buttons, simply move the cursor to a different line; it isn’t necessary to press the OK Button to enter the new setting. When you have finished, either wait until the display times-out and disappears, press the OSD Button to clear the display, or move the cursor to the BACK TO MASTER MENU line if you wish to make other changes using the menu system.

NOTE: The AVR 154 does not have a conventional balance control. The speaker output level calibration process compensates for any characteristics of your room or speakers, and we recommend that you leave the settings as they are after you have completed Initial Setup. However, you may manually adjust the levels of the left and right channels – decreasing one and increasing the other by the same amount – using the Channel

Adjust submenu, as described on page 32. This achieves the same effect as a balance control.

Headphones

Plug the 1/4" plug on a pair of headphones into the headphone jack on the front of the receiver for private listening. See Figure 55. The first time you use the headphones, the DOLBY H:BP message will be displayed, indicating that Dolby Headphone surround processing is in the bypass mode, which delivers a conventional 2-channel signal to the headphones.

Figure 55 – Headphone Jack

Press the Surround Select Button on the front panel, or the Dolby

Button on the remote, to switch to Dolby Headphone virtual surround processing, indicated by the DOLBY H:DH message. Dolby Headphone delivers an enhanced sound field that emulates a 5.1-channel speaker system. No other surround modes are available for the headphones.

Figure 56 – Source Select and Tuner Band Buttons

The AVR 154 will switch to the audio and video inputs and surround mode assigned to the source. If you set the BASS MGR setting in the

Speaker X-Over menu to INDEPENDENT, the AVR 154 will change the speaker size configuration to the one programmed for the source.

The source name appears in the upper line of the front-panel display.

If you retitled the source, the new title will appear by itself. Otherwise, the audio input assigned to the source (analog or one of the digital audio inputs) will also be displayed. The surround mode is displayed on the lower line. The same information appears on screen in the semi-OSD, unless you have set the semi-OSD to OFF in the System Setup menu, as described in the Advanced Functions section.

Audio Input Selection

The AVR 154 is programmed at the factory to use the default audio inputs for each source, as indicated in Table A2 in the Appendix. To assign a digital audio input to a source (if you have not done so using the Input Setup menu during Initial Setup), press the Digital Button on the remote. The current audio input selection will flash in the display.

Press the ⁄

/

¤ Buttons to scroll through the audio inputs. When the desired input appears, press the OK Button to select it. See Figure 57.

Figure 57 – Digital Input Selection

If the Auto Poll feature is ON in the Input Setup menu, and if a digital audio input has been assigned to the source, the AVR 154 will first check the digital audio input for a signal. If a signal is present, the

AVR 154 will select the digital audio input. If no signal is present, the

AVR 154 will switch to the analog audio inputs for the source.

Video Input Selection

When a source is selected, the AVR 154 switches to a video input as follows:

35

OPERATION

36

The COMPONENT IN line of the Input Setup menu indicates which of the two component video inputs on the AVR 154 is assigned to each source. The default assignments are indicated in Table A2 in the Appendix.

As shown, various sources share the component video input assignments, but only one source may be physically connected at a time.

You may reassign either component video input to another source if it is physically connected to that input, but there is no option to disable the component video inputs for any source. If a signal is present at the component video input assigned to that source, it will be selected. If your device is not using component video, make sure that other devices connected to the component video inputs are turned off.

If no signal is present at the component video input, then the S-video or composite video input for the source will be selected. It is not possible to reassign the S-video or composite video inputs to other sources.

For audio-only sources, such as the tuner or CD inputs, when no component video signal is present, the last-used analog video source, but not an HDMI source, will be selected.

6-Channel Direct Inputs

If you wish to hear audio through the 6-Channel Direct Inputs together with video, then connect your multichannel player to the Component

Video 1 Inputs, and connect the player’s 6-channel analog audio outputs to the 6-Channel Inputs on the AVR. Assign the component video inputs you selected to the 6-Channel Input source. The AVR will automatically select the correct component video and audio inputs when you select this source.

If you need to use composite or S-video for your multichannel player, e.g., if your video display does not have component video inputs, then use the video inputs for another source. Since the AVR automatically selects the last-used analog video inputs for audio sources, you would first select the source you connected the video cables to, and then the

6-Channel Inputs for the audio.

Example 1: Connect a non-HDMI-equipped DVD-Audio player to the AVR 154. You plan on playing a variety of discs using this player, including conventional DVDs and even CDs as well as multichannel discs. When playing DVDs and CDs, it is preferable to use a digital audio connection to obtain the best sound quality and the benefit of any digital surround formats contained on the DVD. However, when playing

DVD-Audio discs, you will use the 6-channel analog audio connections.

In addition, some of these discs contain video materials.

We recommend that you connect this player as follows: a) Connect the player’s coaxial digital audio output to the Coaxial 1 Input on the AVR. This input is assigned by default to the DVD source.

b) Connect the player’s component video outputs to the Component

Video 1 Inputs on the AVR, which are assigned by default to the DVD source. If your video display doesn’t have component video inputs, then connect the player’s composite or S-video output to the DVD’s corresponding video input.

c) Connect the player’s 6-channel analog audio outputs to the AVR’s

6-Channel Inputs and assign the Component Video 1 Inputs to this source using the Input Setup menu, as described in the Initial

Setup section.

d) Program the player’s remote control codes into the DVD Input

Selector.

When you wish to view a DVD, select the DVD source.

When you wish to listen to a DVD-Audio disc and view the menus and other still images on the disc, first select DVD, and then the

6-Channel Inputs as the source.

Example 2: Connect a multichannel disc player equipped with an

HDMI output.

a) Connect the player’s coaxial digital audio output to the Coaxial 2 Input on the AVR. This input is assigned by default to the HDMI 1 source.

b) Connect the player’s HDMI output to the HDMI 1 source input, and connect the AVR’s HDMI Output to your video display.

c) Connect the player’s 6-channel analog audio outputs to the AVR’s

6-Channel Inputs.

d) Connect the player’s component video outputs to the Component

Video 1 Inputs, as the AVR’s 6-Channel Analog Audio Inputs cannot be used together with an HDMI input.

e) Program the player’s remote control codes into the HDMI 1 Input

Selector.

When you wish to view a DVD, select the HDMI 1 source.

When you wish to play a multichannel disc, select the 6-Channel Inputs to select the audio signal and the analog component video signal.

To select the 6-Channel Inputs as the source, use either the Source

Selector on the front panel or press the 6CH Input Selector on the remote. See Figures 37 and 39.

NOTE: The 6-Channel Inputs pass the incoming signals directly to the volume control, without digitizing or processing them.

Therefore, configure bass management settings (i.e., speaker size, delay and output level) on your source device so that they match the settings you programmed during Initial Setup.

Consult the owner’s guide for your multichannel player for more information.

Using the Tuner

The AVR 154’s built-in tuner may be selected in one of three ways

(see Figure 58):

1. Press the Source Selector Button on the front panel repeatedly until the tuner is selected. The last-used band (AM or FM) will be active.

2. Press the Tuner Band Button (marked AM/FM). Press this button again to switch bands.

OPERATION

3. Press the Tuner Input Selector (marked AM/FM) on the remote.

Press this button again to switch bands.

Figure 58 – Tuner Input Selection

Radio stations may be selected in one of four ways (see Figure 59):

1. If you know the frequency number, enter it directly by first pressing the Direct Button on the remote, and then using the Numeric Keys.

2. After you have programmed Preset stations (see below), either enter the Preset number (1 through 30) using the remote or use the Preset

Stations Button (front-panel or remote), to scroll through the list of presets.

3. In Auto tuning mode, with each press of the Tuning Buttons (frontpanel or remote) the AVR 154 will scan in the chosen direction until a station with acceptable signal strength is detected. Press the Tuning

Button again to stop scanning.

4. In Manual tuning mode, with each press of the Tuning Buttons the

AVR 154 will tune the next frequency increment (0.1MHz for FM, or

10kHz for AM) in the selected direction. Press and hold the Tuning

Button for faster scanning.

Figure 61 – Storing a Preset Station

Recording

Two-channel analog and digital audio signals, as well as composite and S-video signals, are normally available at the appropriate recording outputs. Thus, to make a recording, you need only make sure to connect your audio or video recorder to the appropriate output jacks, as described in the Installation section, insert blank media and make sure the recorder is turned on and recording while the source is playing.

NOTES:

1. Analog audio signals are not converted to digital form, and digital audio signals are not converted to analog audio form.

However, you may record a coaxial or optical digital audio source using either type of digital audio output.

2. Only PCM digital audio signals are available for recording.

Proprietary formats such as Dolby Digital and DTS may not be recorded using the digital audio connections. If the source is connected to the AVR using the analog audio connections, an analog recording may be made.

3. HDMI and Component video sources are not available for recording.

4. Please make certain that you are aware of any copyright restrictions on any material you record. Unauthorized duplication of copyrighted materials is prohibited by federal law.

Figure 59 – Tuning a Station

Press the Tuning Mode Button (TUN-M on the remote) to switch between Auto and Manual tuning modes. See Figure 60. When an FM station has been tuned, pressing the Tuning Mode Button will switch between stereo and mono tuning, which may improve reception of weaker stations.

Figure 60 – Tuning Mode

To store a station in one of the 30 presets (see Figure 61):

1. Tune the desired station.

2. Press the Memory Button on the remote.

3. Use the Numeric Keys to enter the desired preset number.

AUX Input

Enjoy the full power and resolution of your Harman Kardon system, including a variety of analog surround modes, while listening to content stored on your portable device.

The Auxiliary Audio Input mini jack is provided on the AVR’s rear panel for convenient connection of portable players, such as CD players and the iPod (iPod and cable not included). Purchase a stereo cable with a 1/8" plug on at least one end for connection to the Auxiliary Audio

Input. Plug the other end of the cable into the portable device’s headphone output, and operate the device using its own controls. You may also use a cable with separate left and right audio plugs at one end for connection to any component equipped with analog audio outputs.

No video connection is available with the AUX input. However, the AVR will use the last-selected analog video input when the AUX source is selected.

37

OPERATION

Selecting a Surround Mode

Surround mode selection can be as simple or sophisticated as your individual system and tastes. Feel free to experiment with the many available surround modes on the AVR 154, and you may find a few that become your favorites for certain sources or program types. Although more detailed information on surround modes may be found in the

Advanced Functions section, it is easy to select any of the modes available at a given time:

To select a surround mode using the front-panel controls, press the

Surround Mode Button repeatedly until the desired group of modes is selected: Logic 7, Dolby, DTS, DSP or Stereo. Then press the Surround

Select Button repeatedly to select the desired mode within the group.

See Figure 62.

Figure 62 – Select a Surround Mode (Front Panel)

To select a surround mode using the remote control, locate the button dedicated to the desired group of modes: Logic 7, Dolby Sur, DTS Sur,

DTS Neo:6, Surr (DSP) or Stereo. Press that button repeatedly to select the desired mode. See Figure 63.

38

Figure 63 – Select a Surround Mode (Remote)

To select a surround mode using the full-OSD menu system, press the

OSD Button to display the Master Menu. Navigate to the SURROUND

SELECT line and press the OK Button to view the Surround Select menu

(see Figure 64 on page 40). Each of the major surround mode groups is listed here. Select a group to access the MODE setting for selection of an individual mode. As explained in the Advanced Functions section, there are also some additional settings that may be made.

You are now ready to enjoy the best in home theater entertainment with your AVR 154. As you become more familiar with the receiver, you may wish to explore some of its advanced functions, which are described in the following section.

ADVANCED FUNCTIONS

Much of the AVR 154’s performance is handled automatically, with little intervention required on your part. However, the AVR 154 is a sophisticated component, and is capable of being customized to suit your particular system and your tastes. In this section we describe some of the more advanced adjustments available on the AVR 154. You may save this section for later, when you have become more familiar with your receiver.

Audio Processing and Surround Sound

Audio signals generated by sources are encoded in a variety of formats that can affect not only the quality of the sound but the number of speaker channels and the surround mode. You may also manually select a different surround mode, although for certain types of audio signals, the modes available will be limited in certain ways, as described below.

Analog Audio Signals

Analog audio signals usually consist of two channels – left and right.

While the AVR can handle 5.1-channel analog signals, their content generally is encoded with a proprietary surround scheme and it isn’t possible to adjust the surround mode for the AVR’s 6-Channel Inputs.

The AVR 154 offers three basic options for playback of analog audio:

1. Analog Bypass Mode: In this mode, the 2-channel signal is passed directly to the volume control, without being digitized or undergoing any processing for bass management or surround sound. The requirements for selecting analog bypass mode are: a) The analog audio inputs for the source must be selected. If necessary, press the Digital Button on the remote and use the ⁄

/

¤ Buttons to make the selection.

b) The tone controls must be disabled by setting TONE MODE to

OUT. Either use the Input Setup menu in the full-OSD system to make this change, or press the Tone Mode Button and use the

⁄

/

¤ Buttons until the TONE OUT message appears.

c) The Surround Off mode must be selected. The easiest way to select the Surround Off mode is to press the Stereo Button on the remote until the Surround Off icon is lit (and the DSP icon is

not

lit) in the front-panel display.

2. DSP Surround Off Mode: The DSP Surround Off mode digitizes the incoming signal and applies the bass management settings, including speaker configuration, delay times and output levels. This mode is desirable when your front speakers are small, limited-range satellites and you are using a subwoofer. Both the DSP and Surround Off icons will be lit when this mode is active. Press the Stereo Button on the remote repeatedly to select this mode.

3. Analog Surround Modes: One of the main benefits of a surround receiver such as the AVR 154 is its ability to process 2-channel audio signals to produce multichannel surround sound in a variety of modes, even when no surround sound has been encoded in the recording. Among the available modes are the Dolby Pro Logic II modes, the Dolby Virtual Speaker modes, the DTS Neo:6 modes, the

Logic 7 modes, the Hall and Theater modes and the Stereo modes.

Digital Audio Signals

Digital audio signals offer the benefit of greater capacity, which allows recording artists to encode center and surround channel information directly into the signal. The result is improved sound quality and startling directionality, since each of these channels is reproduced discretely.

Alternatively, the artist may encode only two channels, but the digital signal allows for a higher sampling rate that delivers greater detail.

High-resolution recordings usually sound extraordinarily distortion-free at all frequencies, but especially at high frequencies.

Multichannel digital recordings usually are found in the 5.1-, 6.1- or

7.1-channel formats. The channels included in a 5.1-channel recording are front left, front right, center, surround left, surround right and LFE.

The LFE channel is denoted as “.1” to represent the fact that it is not full-range, being limited to the low frequencies.

6.1-Channel recordings add a single surround back channel, and

7.1-channel recordings add surround back left and surround back right channels to the 5.1-channel configuration. The AVR 154 is unable to play the surround back channels in these recordings, and will use

5.1-channel (or fewer) surround modes.

Digital formats include Dolby Digital 2.0 (two channels only), Dolby

Digital 5.1, DTS 5.1, DTS 96/24 and 2-channel PCM modes up to 96kHz.

When a digital signal is received, the AVR 154 detects the encoding method and the number of channels. The appropriate icon will light in the front panel for Dolby Digital and DTS signals. The number of channels encoded will scroll once across the front-panel display as three numbers, separated by slashes (e.g., “3/2/.1”).

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 modern program for which the director has chosen a special effect.

“2” indicates the presence of the left and right channels, but no center channel.

“3” indicates that all three front channels (left, right and center) are present.

The second number indicates whether any surround channels are present:

“0” indicates that no surround information is present.

“1” indicates that a matrixed surround signal is present.

“2” indicates discrete left and right surround channels.

The third number is used for the LFE channel:

“0” indicates no LFE channel.

“.1” indicates that an LFE channel is present.

39

ADVANCED FUNCTIONS

NOTE: The 6.1-channel signals – Dolby Digital EX and DTS-ES

Matrix and Discrete – each include a flag meant to signal the receiver to decode the surround back channel. Since the

AVR 154 is only capable of processing and playing 5.1 channels, the indications EX-OFF or ES-OFF, as appropriate, will always appear for 6.1-channel bitstreams.

Refer to Table 2 on page 42 for more information on which surround modes are available with different bitstreams.

When a PCM signal is received, the PCM message, followed by the sampling rate of the signal (32kHz, 44.1kHz, 48kHz or 96kHz), will scroll once across the front-panel display.

In addition, the Speaker/Channel Input Indicators will indicate the number of channels discretely encoded in the signal by displaying a letter inside that channel’s speaker box. The letters flash when no signal is present, such as when a DVD is paused. See Figure 44.

Even when only two channels – left and right – are present in the signal, the analog surround modes may be used to decode the signal into the remaining channels.

NOTE: Dolby Digital 2.0 signals may also include a Dolby

Surround flag indicating DS-ON or DS-OFF, depending on whether the 2-channel bitstream contains just stereo information, or a downmix of a multichannel program that can be decoded by the Dolby Pro Logic decoder in the AVR. By default, these signals are played in Dolby Pro Logic II Movie mode, but you may select another Dolby surround mode manually.

never a time when all of the AVR 154’s surround modes are available, there is usually a wide variety of modes available for a given input.

There are three methods of manually selecting one of the available surround modes:

1. From the front panel, press the Surround Mode Button until the desired mode group (Dolby, DTS, DSP, Stereo, Logic 7) is selected, and the last-used mode from that group will be activated. Then press the Surround Select Button repeatedly to scroll through the modes available within that group.

2. Using the remote, press the button for the desired mode group:

Dolby Sur for the Dolby modes

DTS Sur for the DTS Digital modes

DTS Neo:6 for the DTS Neo:6 modes

Logic 7 for the Logic 7 modes

Stereo for the Stereo or Surround Off modes

Surr for the DSP Surround modes (Hall 1, Hall 2, Theater)

Press the mode button repeatedly to scroll through the modes available within that group.

3. The full-OSD menu system allows access to submenus for each of the mode groups through the Surround Select menu. See Figure 64.

Surround Modes

As mentioned in the Introduction to Home Theater section, surround mode selection is dependent upon the format of the incoming audio signal, as well as personal taste. There is no harm in experimenting with all of the modes available with any given source material. Table 2 offers a brief description of each mode the AVR 154 is capable of using, and also indicates the types of incoming signals or digital bitstreams the mode may be used with. Additional information about the Dolby and

DTS modes is available on the companies’ Web sites: www.dolby.com

and www.dtsonline.com.

When in doubt, check the jacket of your DVD for more information on which surround modes are available on the disc. Usually nonessential sections of the disc, such as trailers, extra materials or the disc menu, are only available in Dolby Digital 2.0 (2-channel) or PCM 2-channel mode. If the main title is playing and the letters in the Speaker/Channel

Input Indicators are not lit for all speaker locations, look for an audio setup section in the disc’s menu. Also, make sure your DVD player’s audio output is set to the original bitstream rather than just PCM. Check the DVD player’s output setting by stopping play of the disc and checking the DVD player’s menu system.

40

As indicated in Table 2, different surround modes may only be available with certain input signals or bitstream formats. For any incoming signal, only a limited number of surround modes are available. Although there is

Figure 64 – Surround Select Menu Screen

Navigate to the line for the desired surround mode group, and press the OK Button to access the submenu for that group. In most cases, the submenu consists of only two lines:

1. MODE: Displays the currently selected mode. Use the ‹

/

› Buttons to scroll through the available modes.

2. BACK TO SURROUND SELECT: May be used to exit the submenu.

The Dolby Surround submenu adds some advanced settings.

Dolby Surround Settings

In addition to the MODE line, the DOLBY SURROUND submenu includes three settings that are active only when the Dolby Pro Logic II Music mode has been selected. See Figure 65.

ADVANCED FUNCTIONS

Figure 65 – Dolby Surround Menu Screen

CENTER WIDTH: This setting affects how vocals sound through the three front speakers. A higher number (up to 7) focuses the vocal information tightly on the center channel. Lower numbers broaden the vocal soundstage across the three speakers.

DIMENSION: This setting affects the depth of the surround presentation, allowing you to “move” the sound toward the front or rear of the room.

The setting of “0” is a neutral default. Setting “F-3” moves the sound mostly toward the front of the room, while setting “R-3” moves the sound mostly toward the rear.

PANORAMA: With the Panorama mode turned ON, some of the sound from the front speakers is moved to the surround speakers, creating an enveloping “wraparound” type of effect.

NIGHT MODE: Night mode is available with some Dolby Digital programs, if it has been encoded in the material. It compresses the peak sound levels, maintaining the intelligibility of the dialogue and quieter passages, while reducing the loudness of special effects and louder passages to avoid disturbing others. Three levels of compression are available:

OFF: At this setting, there is no compression, as the Night mode is deactivated.

MID: A mild compression is applied.

MAX: More compression is applied.

We suggest that you experiment with the modes to find a setting that meets your needs.

The Night mode may also be adjusted without using the full-OSD menu system. With a Dolby Digital program encoded with Night mode playing, press the Night Button on the remote. Each press of the button will cycle through the three settings, with the selected setting being displayed on the front panel and in the semi-OSD display.

UPSAMPLING: The last line of the Surround Select menu activates upsampling, only available with the Dolby Pro Logic II Movie, Dolby

Pro Logic II Music and Dolby Pro Logic modes. Normally set to OFF, upsampling, when activated, processes digital sources at a higher resolution for improved sound quality. This feature can be useful to eliminate distortion in some low-resolution sources.

Default Modes

During initial use or after a processor reset, the AVR 154 defaults to the Logic 7 Music mode for all analog and PCM audio inputs.

Subsequently, when a source input is selected and an analog or PCM signal is received, the AVR will switch to the last surround mode used for that source input/incoming signal combination.

Dolby Digital and DTS digital signals are handled slightly differently. Consult

Table 2 for the alternate surround modes available when one of these digital signals is detected. For example, you may prefer Dolby Digital Stereo when a Dolby Digital 5.1 signal is present if only two speakers are connected to the AVR. By default, the AVR selects the mode encoded in the incoming bitstream, i.e., Dolby Digital 5.1 in the example.

To change the AVR’s default behavior so that it always selects the alternate mode when the digital bitstream is present:

1. Select the desired alternate mode when the digital mode is present. In this case, play a Dolby Digital 5.1 DVD and press the Dolby Surround

Mode Button on the remote repeatedly to select Dolby Digital Stereo mode.

2. Change the DEFAULT SURR MODE setting in the System Setup menu to OFF.

Table 2 provides descriptions of all surround modes available on the

AVR 154, along with the incoming bitstreams or signals that the particular mode may be used with. Feel free to experiment and simply cycle through all of the available modes at any time; you cannot cause any problems for the AVR 154 by doing so.

System Settings

The AVR 154 offers several system settings that make the receiver easier to use rather than directly affecting performance. Access these settings by pressing the OSD Button and navigating to the SYSTEM SETUP line of the MASTER MENU. Press the OK Button to display the submenu.

See Figure 66.

Figure 66 – System Setup Menu Screen

VFD FADE TIME OUT: Some people find the brightness of the AVR’s front-panel display distracting during movies or listening sessions. It’s possible to dim the front-panel display completely using the Dim function

(see below). This sets the display to remain dark most of the time, lighting

(Continued on page 44)

41

ADVANCED FUNCTIONS

42

Table 2 – Surround Modes

Surround Mode Description

Dolby Digital Provides up to five separate main audio channels and a dedicated low-frequency effects (LFE) channel. May be encoded for Night mode, which allows the user to apply a compression setting that maintains intelligibility of softer passages while reducing the loudness of dynamic passages to avoid disturbing others.

Dolby Digital Stereo Delivers a 2-channel downmix of Dolby Digital materials.

Mode Group

Incoming Bitstream or Signal

• Dolby Digital 1/0/.0 or .1, 2/0/.0 or .1,

3/0/.0 or .1, 2/1/.0 or .1, 2/2/.0 or .1,

3/2/.0 or .1

• Dolby Digital EX (played as 5.1)

Dolby Pro Logic II

Dolby Pro Logic II Variant of Dolby Pro Logic II that is optimized for movie and

Movie television programs.

Dolby Pro Logic II

Music

Analog decoder that derives five full-range, discrete main audio channels See below.

from matrix surround-encoded or 2-channel analog sources. Four variants are available.

Variant of Dolby Pro Logic II that is optimized for music selections.

Allows adjustment of sound field presentation in three dimensions:

• Center Width (adjusts width of vocal soundstage)

• Dimension (adjusts depth of soundstage)

• Panorama (adjusts wraparound surround effect)

• Dolby Digital 2.0 or 2.1

• Analog (2-channel)

• Tuner

• PCM (32kHz, 44.1kHz, 48kHz, 96kHz)

• Dolby Digital 2.0 or 2.1

• Analog (2-channel)

• Tuner

• PCM (32kHz, 44.1kHz, 48kHz, 96kHz)

Dolby Pro Logic II Variant of Dolby Pro Logic II that emphasizes use of the surround

Game channels and subwoofer for total immersion in the video gaming experience.

Dolby Pro Logic Original version of Dolby Pro Logic that steered a mono signal containing information below 7kHz to the surround channels.

• Dolby Digital 1/0/.0 or .1, 2/0/.0 or .1,

3/0/.0 or .1, 2/1/.0 or .1, 2/2/.0 or .1,

3/2/.0 or .1

• Dolby Digital EX

• Dolby Digital 2.0 or 2.1

• Analog (2-channel)

• Tuner

• PCM (32kHz, 44.1kHz, 48kHz, 96kHz)

• Dolby Digital 2.0 or 2.1

• Analog (2-channel)

• Tuner

• PCM (32kHz, 44.1kHz, 48kHz, 96kHz)

Dolby Virtual Speaker Simulates 5.1 channels when fewer speakers are present, or a more

Mode Group enveloping sound field is desired.

Dolby Virtual Speaker

Reference

When fewer than five main speakers are present, the Reference mode virtualizes the missing speakers with accurate localization.

Select from two- or three-speaker mode, depending on how many physical speakers are in your system.

See below.

• Dolby Digital (uses only two-speaker mode when signal does not contain center channel information)

• Analog (2-channel)

• Tuner

• PCM (32kHz, 44.1kHz or 48kHz)

Dolby Virtual Speaker Wide mode may be used with two, three, four or five main speakers to widen • Dolby Digital (number of channels available

Wide the front soundstage by virtualizing the locations of the left and right speakers.

varies by number of channels in signal)

• Analog (2-channel)

• Tuner

• PCM (32kHz, 44.1kHz or 48kHz)

DTS Digital Surround Using a different encoding/decoding method than Dolby Digital, it also provides up to five discrete main channels, plus an LFE channel.

• DTS 1/0/.0 or .1, 2/0/.0 or .1, 3/0/.0 or .1,

3/1/.0 or .1, 2/2/.0 or .1, 3/2/.0 or .1

• DTS-ES Matrix (played as 5.1)

• DTS-ES Discrete (played as 5.1)

ADVANCED FUNCTIONS

Table 2 – continued

Surround Mode

DTS Stereo

DTS Neo:6

Mode Group

DTS Neo:6

Cinema

Description

Delivers a 2-channel downmix of DTS Digital materials, or presents a matrix-encoded surround presentation.

Incoming Bitstream or Signal

• DTS 1/0/.0 or .1, 2/0/.0 or .1, 3/0/.0 or .1,

3/1/.0 or .1, 2/2/.0 or .1, 3/2/.0 or .1

• DTS 96/24

• DTS-ES Matrix

• DTS-ES Discrete

DTS Neo:6 analog processing is available with DTS-ES (Matrix or Discrete) signals and 2-channel analog or PCM signals to create a 3- or 5-channel presentation.

See below.

Depending on the number of speakers in your system, select 3- or 5-channel • DTS-ES Matrix modes, enhanced for movie or video presentations.

• DTS-ES Discrete

• Analog (2-channel)

• PCM (32kHz, 44.1kHz or 48kHz)

DTS Neo:6

Music

Logic 7

Mode Group

Logic 7

Cinema

Logic 7

Music

Available only in 5-channel mode, creates a surround presentation suitable for music recordings.

• DTS-ES Matrix

• DTS-ES Discrete

• Analog (2-channel)

• PCM (32kHz, 44.1kHz or 48kHz)

See below.

Exclusive to Harman Kardon, Logic 7 enhances 2-channel recordings by deriving separate information for the surround back channels. This provides more accurate placement of sound, improves panning and expands the sound field, even when used with 5.1-channel systems. Logic 7 uses

96kHz processing. Three variants are available.

Especially suited to 2-channel sources containing Dolby Surround or • Analog (2-channel) matrix encoding, Logic 7 Cinema mode increases center channel intelligibility.

• Tuner

• PCM (32kHz, 44.1kHz, 48kHz, 96kHz)

The AVR 154 is programmed at the factory to default to this mode for

2-channel signals. Logic 7 Music mode is well suited to conventional

2-channel music recordings.

• Analog (2-channel)

• Tuner

• PCM (32kHz, 44.1kHz, 48kHz, 96kHz)

Logic 7

Enhance

Hall 1

Hall 2

Theater

5-Channel Stereo

DSP Surround Off

Surround Off

(Analog Bypass)

Logic 7 Enhance circulates low frequencies in the 40Hz – 120Hz range to • Analog (2-channel) the main speakers for less localized bass performance than would be achieved • Tuner solely with a subwoofer. Enhance mode is best used with music recordings.

• PCM (32kHz, 44.1kHz, 48kHz, 96kHz)

Hall 1 is a DSP (digital signal processor) mode that simulates a small concert hall.

• Analog (2-channel)

• Tuner

• PCM (32kHz, 44.1kHz or 48kHz)

Simulates a medium-sized concert hall.

• Analog (2-channel)

• Tuner

• PCM (32kHz, 44.1kHz or 48kHz)

Simulates a live-performance theater.

• Analog (2-channel)

• Tuner

• PCM (32kHz, 44.1kHz or 48kHz)

Useful for parties, the left- and right-channel information is played through • Analog (2-channel) both the front and surround speakers on each side, while the center speaker • Tuner plays a summed mono mix.

• PCM (32kHz, 44.1kHz or 48kHz)

Turns off all surround processing and plays a pure 2-channel signal. The signal is digitized and bass management settings are applied, making it appropriate when a subwoofer is used.

Maintains an analog input signal in that form, bypassing all digital processing

(i.e., surround and bass management). Requires TONE OUT setting.

• Analog (2-channel)

• Tuner

• PCM (32kHz, 44.1kHz, 48kHz, 96kHz)

• Analog (2-channel)

• Tuner

43

ADVANCED FUNCTIONS

44 up only when a button is pressed or a remote command is received, and going dark again 5 seconds after the last command. The VFD

FADE TIME OUT feature also causes the display to light up only when a button is pressed or a change in the incoming signal is detected, but the display immediately begins to fade to dark. This setting allows you to program the length of the fade time.

Select a time-out period of between 3 and 10 seconds, or select

OFF if you prefer to leave the displays on at all times or to use the

Dim function.

VOLUME DEFAULT and DEFAULT VOL SET: These two settings are used together to program the AVR’s volume level at turn-on. This feature avoids discomfort for listeners in case the last user turned the volume very high.

Press the OSD Button to remove the display from the screen so that you may adjust the volume to a desired level while a source is playing.

Make a note of the number that appears in the display, and return to the SYSTEM SETUP menu. At the DEFAULT VOL SET line, select the desired volume setting, and activate the feature by setting VOLUME

DEFAULT to ON.

SEMI OSD TIME OUT: Program the amount of time (2 to 5 seconds) the two-line semi-OSD on-screen messages remain, or deactivate the semi-OSD display altogether if you find it distracting. These messages will continue to appear on the front panel of the receiver.

FULL OSD TIME OUT: Program the amount of time (20, 30, 40 or

50 seconds) the full-OSD menus remain visible on screen. The full-OSD system may not be deactivated.

DEFAULT SURR MODE: This setting determines how the AVR 154 will handle Dolby Digital and DTS sources. For the purposes of this setting, the “default surround mode” means the mode encoded in the program, such as Dolby Digital 5.1. With this setting ON, the receiver will always use the default surround mode encoded in the program. When this setting is changed to OFF, the receiver will use the surround mode you selected the last time this type of audio stream was detected.

Dolby Digital 2.0 signals default to the Dolby Pro Logic II Movie mode, but you may select another Dolby surround mode manually. For PCM and analog sources, the factory default surround mode is Logic 7

Music. In general, the receiver will use the surround mode selected the last time that type of signal was received.

OSD BACKGROUND: Choose either a blue or black background for the full-OSD menus.

NOTE: It isn’t possible to view video sources while the full-OSD menus are displayed.

Dim Function

Some people find the front-panel messages to be distracting and would prefer to dim them or turn them off altogether. When the display is dimmed or darkened, it will return to full brightness for 5 seconds any time a command is received before dimming or darkening again.

To dim the display:

Press the Dim Button on the remote. Each button press will cycle through the three settings of:

VFD FULL: Normal brightness

VFD HALF: Display is dimmed but still visible; the light inside the volume knob goes dark

VFD OFF: Display goes completely dark except for Power Indicator to remind you that the receiver is turned on

Advanced Remote Control Functions

The remote control not only operates the AVR 154, but it also serves as a universal remote that may be programmed to operate many of your other home theater components, as described in the Installation section.

Each time you select one of your other components, the AVR remote switches to the control functions for that component. Since many buttons have unique functions for each component, refer to the Function List in

Table A9 of the Appendix for assistance in operating your other components. Each button’s function will not necessarily correspond to its label.

Punch-Through Programming

The AVR 154 remote’s punch-through feature allows you to select one component for the remote to operate, while simultaneously setting certain groups of controls to operate another component. For example, while using the AVR to control surround modes and other audio functions, you may operate the transport controls of your DVD player. Or while using the remote to control video functions on your TV, you may use your cable box to change channels and the AVR to control the volume.

NOTE: It is not necessary to program the remote to control your DVD player’s transport controls while the AVR, VID2 or

VID3 devices are in use, as the remote is preprogrammed at the factory with this function.

To program punch-through control while operating any device:

1. Press and hold the Input Selector (or AVR selector) for the main device the remote will be operating until the Program LED flashes and the remote enters Program mode.

2. Select the type of punch-through programming.

a) To program volume control punch-through, press the Volume

Up Button.

b) To program channel control punch-through, press the Volume

Down Button.

c) To program transport control punch-through, press the Play Button.

3. Press the Input Selector (or AVR Selector) for the device whose volume, channel or transport controls you would like to be active while operating the device you selected in the first step. The LED will flash green to confirm the programming.

ADVANCED FUNCTIONS

For example, if you wish to watch your TV (programmed into the Video 3

Button) while changing channels using your cable box (Video 2), first press and hold the Video 3 Button until the LED flashes. Then press the

Volume Down Button, followed by the Video 2 Button.

To undo punch-through programming, follow the same steps as above, but press the same Input (or AVR) Selector in Steps 1 and 3.

You may reassign the transport control punch-through programming for the AVR, VID2 and VID3 devices to other devices, such as CD.

If you wish to remove transport control punch-through altogether for the AVR, VID2 or VID3 device, follow the same procedure as for programming punch-through, but in Step 3 press either of the other two of these three special selector buttons. For example, to remove punch-through transport control from the VID3 device so that pressing any of the transport controls will have no effect, press and hold the

VID3 Button until the Program Indicator LED flashes in amber, then press the Play Button, followed by either the AVR or VID2 Button.

Macros

Macros are used to program sequences of up to 19 commands that are executed with a single button press. Macros are well suited for power on and off commands, or to send out a favorite multidigit channel number with one button press, or to have the ability to send out a code sequence to control a device while the remote is operating another device, but with more flexibility than the built-in punch-through controls.

Some commands may not be programmed into macros: Mute, Dim,

Channel Up/Down or any of the surround mode commands.

NOTE: Use caution when programming complicated macros.

It isn’t possible to program a pause or delay before sending commands after Power On, and the component may not be ready to respond to commands instantaneously after powering on.

To program, or “record” a macro, follow these steps:

1. Simultaneously press one of the four Macro Buttons or the Power

On Button and the Mute Button to enter program mode.

2. Press the Input (or AVR) Selector for each device before you enter commands to be transmitted to that device. This step counts as one of the 19 commands allowed for each macro.

3. For the Power On command, DO NOT press the Power On Button.

Press the Mute Button instead.

4. Press the Power Off Button to program the Power Off command.

5. Press the Sleep Button to end the programming process.

It isn’t possible to “edit” a command within a macro. However, you may erase the macro as follows:

1. Simultaneously press and hold the Mute Button and the Macro

Button containing the macro until the LED flashes.

2. Press the Surround Button to erase the macro.

Resetting the Remote

To reset the remote to its factory defaults, simultaneously press and hold any Input Selector and the “0” Numeric Key. When the Program LED flashes in amber, enter the code “333”. When the green LED goes out, the remote will have been fully reset.

Processor Reset

There may be instances when you wish to fully reset the AVR 154 to its factory defaults, or if the unit behaves erratically after a power surge.

To correct erratic behavior, first turn the Master Power Switch off and unplug the AC Power Cord for at least 3 minutes. Plug the cord back in and turn the receiver back on. If this doesn’t help, try a system reset.

NOTE: A system reset erases all user configurations, including speaker and level settings and tuner presets. After a reset, you must re-enter all of these settings. If the unit is able to display the configuration settings, note them in the worksheets in the

Appendix to facilitate reentry after the reset.

To reset the AVR 154, place the receiver in Standby mode (press the front-panel Standby/On Switch so that the Power Indicator turns amber).

Press and hold the front-panel Surround Mode Button for 5 to 10 seconds until the RESET message appears in the display.

If the receiver still does not function correctly after a processor reset, contact an authorized Harman Kardon service center for assistance. Service centers may be located by visiting our Web site at www.harmankardon.com.

Memory

If the AVR 154 is unplugged or experiences a power outage, it will retain user settings for up to four weeks.

45

46

TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE

SYMPTOM

Unit does not function when Main

Power Switch is pushed

Display lights, but no sound or picture

No sound from any speaker; light around power switch is red

No sound from surround or center speakers

Unit does not respond to remote commands

CAUSE

• No AC power

SOLUTION

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

• Check whether outlet is switch-controlled

• Intermittent input connections • Make certain that all input and speaker connections are secure

• Press Mute Button • Mute is on

• Volume control is down

• Source device is turned off

• Turn up volume control

• Turn on source and check its settings

• Incorrect audio/video inputs assigned • Use Input Setup menu to assign inputs to source

• Attempting to view HDMI video with • The AVR 154 will select the last-used analog video input for an another audio source input audio-only source, but will not select an HDMI video input; for multichannel disc players, use a component, composite or

S-video connection

• Amplifier is in protection mode due to possible short

• Amplifier is in protection mode due to internal problems

• Incorrect surround mode

• Input is monaural

• Incorrect configuration

• Stereo or Mono program material

• Weak batteries in remote

• Wrong device selected

• Remote sensor is obscured

• Check speaker wire connections for shorts at receiver and speaker ends

• Contact your local Harman Kardon service center

• Select a mode other than Stereo

• There is no surround information from mono sources

• Check speaker mode configuration

• The surround decoder may not create center- or rear-channel information from nonencoded programs

• Change remote batteries

• Press the AVR selector

• Make certain front-panel sensor is in line of sight of remote or connect an optional remote sensor

Intermittent buzzing in tuner • Local interference

Letters flash in the channel indicator • Digital audio feed paused display and digital audio stops

• Move unit or antenna away from computers, fluorescent lights, motors or other electrical appliances

• Resume play for DVD

• Check Digital Input selection

In addition to the items shown above, additional information on troubleshooting possible problems with your AVR 154, or installation-related issues, may be found in the list of "Frequently Asked Questions" which is located in the Product Support section of our Web site at www.harmankardon.com.

46

47

APPENDIX

Table A1 – Recommended Source Component Connections

Device Type

VCR, DVR, PVR,

TiVo or other audio/video recorder

Cable TV, Satellite,

HDTV or other device that delivers television programs

TV, game console, camera or other audio/video device

DVD Audio/Video,

SACD, HD-DVD,

Blu-ray Disc

AVR 154 Source Input

Video 1

Video 2

Video 3 (front-panel jacks)

DVD

HDMI-capable DVD player or other audio/ video device

HDMI-capable DVD player or other audio/ video device

HDMI 1

HDMI 2

HDMI-capable

DVD player or other audio/video device

HDMI 3

Any audio device used AUX with cable having 1/8" stereo audio mini plug

CD player CD

Audio Connections

• Video 1 Analog (inputs and outputs) and

• Any one available coaxial or optical digital audio input with corresponding coax digital output

Video Connections

• One of Component Video 2, Video 1 S-Video or Video 1 Composite Video Input

• For recording, use Video 1 S-Video or

Composite Video Output, and do not use component video connections at all

• Video 2 Analog Inputs and • One of Component Video 2, Video 2

• Optical 1 Input (if not in use with HDMI 3) S-Video, Video 2 Composite Video Input

• Video 3 Analog Inputs and

• Either Coax 3 or Optical 3 Input

• DVD Analog Inputs

• 6-Channel Inputs (optional) and

• Coax 1 Input

• Coaxial 2 digital audio input

• Optical 2 digital audio input

• Optical 1 digital audio input (if not in use with Video 2)

• AUX mini-jack input on rear panel

• One of Component Video 2, Video 3 S-Video or Video 3 Composite Video Input

• Component Video 1 Input

• HDMI 1 Input

• HDMI 2 Input

• HDMI 3 Input

• Not required

• Not required

CD-R, miniDisc, cassette

Tape

• CD analog inputs and

• Any one available coaxial or optical digital audio input

• Tape Analog (inputs and outputs) and

• Any one available coaxial or optical digital audio input

• Use corresponding coax digital output

• Not required

NOTE: The AVR 154 is equipped with a total of six digital audio inputs, four on the rear panel (Coaxial 1 and 2, Optical 1 and 2) and two on the front panel (Coaxial 3 and Optical 3), which may be assigned to any of the nine source inputs (DVD, Video 1 through 3, HDMI 1 through 3, CD and Tape). We recommend certain digital audio connections simply because those digital audio inputs are assigned to those sources by default at the factory. But any digital audio input may be reassigned to any source. Since you may not be using all nine source inputs, you may reassign a digital audio input that is recommended for a source you aren’t using to another device. Table A1 is a guideline; you may need to make adjustments to fit your system.

47

48

APPENDIX

Appendix – Default settings, worksheets, remote product codes

Table A2 – Source Input Setting Defaults

Source DVD HDMI 1 HDMI 2 HDMI 3 Video 1 Video 2 Video 3 AUX CD Tape Tuner 6-Channel

Title INT. TUNER

Component Comp V 1 Comp V 1 Comp V 2 Comp V 2 Comp V 2 Comp V 2 Comp V 2 Comp V 1 Comp V 1 Comp V 1 Comp V 1 Comp V 1

Video Input

Audio Input Coax 1

Auto Poll On

Coax 2

Off

Optical 2 Optical 1 Analog

Off Off On

Optical 1 Analog

On On

Analog

On

Analog

On

Surround Logic 7 Logic 7

Mode*

Logic 7 Logic 7 Logic 7 Logic 7 Logic 7 Logic 7

5CH Music 5CH Music 5CH Music 5CH Music 5CH Music 5CH Music 5CH Music 5CH Music

Logic 7 Logic 7 Logic 7

5CH Music 5CH Music 5CH Music

*The default shown is the preferred surround mode for PCM and Analog audio sources.

Table A3 – Speaker/Channel Setting Defaults

DVD HDMI 1 HDMI 2 HDMI 3 Video 1 Video 2 Video 3 AUX Source

Bass Manager: Global

CD Tape Tuner 6-Channel

Left/Right Speaker Size

Center Speaker Size

Small

Small

Small

Small

Small

Small

Small

Small

Small

Small

Small

Small

Small

Small

Small

Small

Surround Speaker Size Small Small Small Small Small Small Small Small

Subwoofer Sub Sub Sub Sub Sub Sub Sub Sub

Left/Right Speaker Crossover 100Hz 100Hz 100Hz 100Hz 100Hz 100Hz 100Hz 100Hz

Small

Small

Small

Sub

Small

Small

Small

Sub

100Hz 100Hz

Small

Small

Small

Sub

Large

Large

Large

Sub

100Hz N/A

Center Speaker Crossover 100Hz 100Hz 100Hz 100Hz 100Hz 100Hz 100Hz 100Hz

Surround Speaker Crossover 100Hz 100Hz 100Hz 100Hz 100Hz 100Hz 100Hz 100Hz

Subwoofer Crossover

100Hz

100Hz

100Hz

100Hz

100Hz

100Hz

N/A

N/A

Left/Right Left/Right Left/Right Left/Right Left/Right Left/Right Left/Right Left/Right Left/Right Left/Right 100Hz N/A

Table A4 – Delay Setting Defaults

Speaker Position Distance From Speaker to Listening Position

Front Left

Center

Front Right

Surround Right

Surround Left

Subwoofer

A/V Sync Delay

10 Feet

10 Feet

10 Feet

10 Feet

10 Feet

10 Feet

0mS

Your Delay Settings

48

49

APPENDIX

Table A5 – Source Input Settings

DVD HDMI 1 HDMI 2 HDMI 3 Video 1 Video 2 Video 3 AUX Source

Title

Video Input

Component Video Input

Audio Input

Auto Poll

Surround Mode

Dedicated

N/A

CD Tape Tuner

INT. TUNER

6-Channel

Dedicated Dedicated

N/A N/A

N/A

Table A6 – Speaker/Channel Settings

Source DVD HDMI 1 HDMI 2 Video 1 Video 2 Video 3 The Bridge/DMP CD

Bass Manager:

Global/Independent

Left/Right Speaker Size

Center Speaker Size

Surround Speaker Size

Subwoofer

Left/Right Speaker Crossover

Center Speaker Crossover

Surround Speaker Crossover

Subwoofer Crossover

Left Channel Level ††

Right Channel Level ††

Center Channel Level ††

Surround Left Channel Level ††

Surround Right Channel Level ††

Subwoofer Channel Level ††

Tape Tuner 6-Channel †

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

† The 6-channel inputs are “direct” inputs, meaning their signals are passed directly to the volume control without any bass management processing. Thus, the speaker sizes are always full-range, and it isn’t possible to adjust speaker size crossover.

†† Channel levels vary by surround mode rather than source input.

49

50

APPENDIX

Table A7 – Remote Control Codes

Source Input Product Type (circle one)

Video 1

Video 2

Video 3

HDMI 1

HDMI 2

HDMI 3

DVD

CD

Tape

Table A8 – System Settings

Feature

VCR, PVR, DMC

Cable, Satellite

TV

DVD, VCR/PVR/DMC, Cable/Satellite

DVD, VCR/PVR/DMC, Cable/Satellite

DVD, VCR/PVR/DMC, Cable/Satellite

DVD

CD, CD-R

Cassette

Default Setting

VFD Fade Time-Out Off

Volume Default Off

Default Vol Set –25dB

Semi-OSD Time-Out 5 Seconds

Full-OSD Time-Out

Default Surr Mode

OSD Background

20 Seconds

On

Blue

Remote Control Code

Your Setting

Refer to the numbered buttons in this image when using the Function List.

Figure 67 – Remote Control Function List Reference

1 2 3

4

8

5

9

6

10

7

11

12 13 14 15

17 18

16

20 21 22

19

23

24

25

31

26

27 28 29

30

32

33 34

37 38

41 42

45 46

35

39

43

47

36

40

44

48

49 50

53 54

51

55

52

56

57 58 59

60 61

63

62

64 65

66 67 68

69 70 71

50

APPENDIX

Table A9 – Remote Control Function List

No. Button Name AVR Function DVD CD/CD-R

1 Power On Power On Power On Power On

Tape VCR (VID1)

Power On

TiVo (VID1) DMC (VID1/ CBL (VID2) SAT (VID2) TV (VID3)

HDMI 1/2/3)

Power On/Off Power On Power On Power On Power On

HDMI 1/2/3

Power On

2 Power Off

3 Mute

4 AVR

5 DVD

7 HDMI 1

8 AM/FM

9 CD

Power Off

Mute

AVR Select

DVD Select

6 VID 1 (VCR) Video 1 Select

HDMI 1 Select

Tuner Select

CD Select

10 VID 2 (CBL/SAT) Video 2 Select

11 HDMI 2 HDMI 2 Select

12 AUX

13 Tape

AUX Select

Tape Select

Power Off

Mute

AVR Select

DVD Select

VCR Select

HDMI 1 Select

Tuner Select

CD Select

CBL/SAT Select CBL/SAT Select CBL/SAT Select CBL/SAT Select CBL/SAT Select CBL/SAT Select CBL Select SAT Select CBL/SAT Select CBL/SAT Select

HDMI 2 Select

AUX Select

Tape Select

Power Off

Mute

AVR Select

DVD Select

VCR Select

Mute

AVR Select

DVD Select

VCR Select

Power Off

Mute

AVR Select

DVD Select

VCR Select

TV Power

Mute

AVR Select

DVD Select

Power Off

Mute

AVR Select

DVD Select

Power Off

Mute

AVR Select

DVD Select

Power Off

Mute

AVR Select

DVD Select

Power Off

Mute

AVR Select

DVD Select

VCR Select VCR Select VCR Select VCR Select VCR Select

Power Off

Mute

AVR Select

DVD Select

VCR Select

HDMI 1 Select HDMI 1 Select HDMI 1 Select HDMI 1 Select HDMI 1 Select HDMI 1 Select HDMI 1 Select HDMI 1 Select HDMI 1 Select

Tuner Select

CD Select

Tuner Select

CD Select

Tuner Select

CD Select

Tuner Select

CD Select

Tuner Select

CD Select

Tuner Select

CD Select

Tuner Select

CD Select

Tuner Select

CD Select

Tuner Select

CD Select

HDMI 2 Select

AUX Select

Tape Select

HDMI 2 Select

AUX Select

Tape Select

HDMI 2 Select

AUX Select

Tape Select

HDMI 2 Select HDMI 2 Select HDMI 2 Select HDMI 2 Select HDMI 2 Select

AUX Select

Tape Select

AUX Select

Tape Select

AUX Select

Tape Select

AUX Select

Tape Select

AUX Select

Tape Select

HDMI 2 Select

AUX Select

Tape Select

14 VID 3 (TV)

15 HDMI 3

16 Sleep/CH+

17 Test Tone

18 6CH 6 Ch. Input

Select

Volume Up

6 Ch. Input

Select

Volume Up

6 Ch. Input

Select

Volume Up 19 Vol Up

20 Surr/CH–

21 OSD

22 T/V

23 Vol Down

24 CH./Guide

DSP Surround Mode Disc Menu or Title CD-R Select

Select

OSD

Volume Down

Channel Trim

Program

TV/DVD or V. OFF Input Select

Volume Down

25 Speaker/Menu Speaker Adjust

26 ⁄

27 fi

Move/Adjust Up

Move/Adjust Left

Menu or Setup

Up

Left

Volume Down

Title or Disc Menu Continuous Play

Intro Scan

28 OK

29 fl

30 ¤

OK

Move/Adjust Right

Enter

Right

31 Digital/Exit

Move/Adjust Down Down

Digital Input Select

32 Delay/Prev. Ch. Delay Adjust

Open/Close

Return or Status Open/Close

33 1

34 2

35 3

36 4

37 5

38 6

39 7

40 8

Video 3 Select

HDMI 3 Select

Sleep

Test Tone

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

TV Select

HDMI 3 Select

Audio

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

TV Select

HDMI 3 Select

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

TV Select

HDMI 3 Select

6 Ch. Input

Select

TV Select

HDMI 3 Select

Channel +

6 Ch. Input

Select

Volume Up

Channel –

OSD

TV/VCR

Volume Down

Menu

Up

Left

Enter

Right

Down

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

TV Select

Channel +

Live TV

TV Input

Volume Down

Guide

Menu

Up

Left

Select

Right

Down

Return/Exit

1

2

3

4

5

6

TV Select

Audio

Find

Disc Menu

Setup

Up

Left

Enter

Right

Down

Open/Close

Status

1

2

3

4

5

6

TV Select

OSD

TV/CBL

Info/Guide

Menu

Up

Left

Enter

Right

Down

Prev Channel

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

TV Select

Channel + Channel +

OSD

TV/SAT

Volume Down Volume Down

Info/Guide

Menu

Up

Left

Enter

Right

Down

Prev Channel

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

TV Select

HDMI 3 Select HDMI 3 Select HDMI 3 Select HDMI 3 Select HDMI 3 Select

Channel +

TV Select

HDMI 3 Select

Channel +

6 Ch. Input 6 Ch. Input 6 Ch. Input 6 Ch. Input 6 Ch. Input 6 Ch. Input

Select

Volume Up

Channel –

7

8

Select

Title

Info

7

8

Select

Volume Up

Channel –

Select

Volume Up

Channel –

Select

Volume Up

Channel –

OSD

TV/VCR

Volume Down

Menu

Up

Left

Enter

Right

Down

Prev Channel

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

Select

Volume Up

Channel –

OSD

TV/Video

Volume Down

Guide

Menu

Up

Left

Set/Enter

Right

Down

Prev Channel

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

41 Tun-M

42 9

43 0

Tuner Mode

9

0

Chapter+ or Zoom Repeat

9 9

0 0

9

0

9

0

Zoom

9

0

9

0

9

0

9

0

9

0

51 51

APPENDIX

Table A9 – Remote Control Function List – continued

No. Button Name AVR Function DVD CD/CD-R Tape

44 Memory

45 Tuning Up

46 Direct

47 Clear

Memory Audio or Playlist Time

Tuning Up Next Chapter Track Direct

Direct Tuner Entry Angle Random Play

Clear Clear Clear

48 Preset Up Preset Tune Up

49 Tuning Down Tuning Down

50 Tone

51 D. Skip

Tone mode

Disc Skip (DVD)

Slow Forward

Prev Chapter

Disc Skip

52 Preset Down Preset Tune Down Slow Rev

53 M1 Macro 1 Macro 1

+10

Track Increment

Disc Skip

Macro 1

54 M2

55 M3

56 M4

Macro 2

Macro 3

Macro 4

57 Dolby Surround Dolby Modes

Macro 2

Macro 3

Macro 4

Macro 2

Macro 3

Macro 4

Macro 1

Macro 2

Macro 3

Macro 4

58 DTS Surround DTS Digital Modes

59 DTS Neo:6 DTS Neo:6 Select

60 Night

61 Logic 7

Night Mode Select

Logic 7 Select

Subtitle On/Off CDP Select

62 Stereo

63 Skip Down

64 Skip Up

65 Dim

Stereo Mode Select

Skip – (DVD)

Skip + (DVD)

Dimmer

Step –

Step +

Dimmer

Skip –

Skip +

66 Rewind ( ‹‹ ) R. Search (DVD) R. Search

67 Play ( ‹› ) Play (DVD) Play

68 F F ( ››

69 Record

) F. Search (DVD) F. Search

70 Stop

71 Pause

Stop (DVD)

Pause (DVD)

Stop

Pause

R. Search

Play

F. Search

Record

Stop

Pause

Macro 1

Macro 2

Macro 3

Macro 4

Scan –

Scan +

Rewind Rewind

R. Play/F. Play Play

Fast Fwd Fast Fwd

Record/Pause Record

Stop Stop

Pause

VCR (VID1) TiVo (VID1) DMC (VID1/

HDMI 1/2/3)

Source (DMC250 only)

CBL (VID2) SAT (VID2)

Cancel

Clear Clear

Angle

Clear

PPV

FAV

Bypass

Cancel

FAV

Next

Music Alt

Skip

Macro 1

Macro 2

Macro 3

Macro 4

V-off

Play Mode

Macro 1

Macro 2

Macro 3

Macro 1

Macro 2

Macro 3

Macro 4

Return (DMC250 only)

Macro 4

A-B

Menu (DMC1000 only)

Macro 1

Macro 2

Macro 3

Macro 4

TV (VID3)

Sleep

Macro 1

Macro 2

Macro 3

Macro 4

HDMI 1/2/3

Angle/FAV

Macro 1

Macro 2

Macro 3

Macro 4

Subtitle

Back (DMC1000 only)

Video Mode

Thumbs Down Skip –

Thumbs Up Skip +

Dimmer

Skip – (DVD) Skip – (DVD) Skip – (DVD)

Skip + (DVD) Skip + (DVD) Skip + (DVD)

R. Search

Play

F. Search

Record

R. Search

Play

F. Search

Record

R. Search (DVD) R. Search (DVD) R. Search (DVD) R. Search

Play (DVD) Play (DVD) Play (DVD) Play

F. Search (DVD) F. Search (DVD) F. Search (DVD) F. Search

Slow

Pause

Stop

Pause

Stop (DVD) Stop (DVD) Stop (DVD) Stop

Pause (DVD) Pause (DVD) Pause (DVD) Pause

Note: When any of the transport controls are pressed while the remote is in AVR, Video 2 or Video 3 mode, the remote will automatically switch to DVD mode and the command will be applied to the

DVD player. If you then press a button native to the original mode, e.g., Volume Down for the AVR, the remote will revert to the original mode. See Punch-Through Programming, described in the Advanced

Functions section, for more information.

52 52

APPENDIX

FUNAI

FUTURETECH

GE

GOLDSTAR/LG

GRUNDIG

HALL MARK

HARMAN KARDON

HITACHI

INFINITY

INKEL

JBL

JC PENNEY

JENSEN

JVC

KAWASHO

KEC

KENWOOD

KMC

KTV

Refer to Tables A10 through A16 when programming the codes for your components into the remote.

Table A10 – Remote Control Product Codes – TV

TV Manufacturer/Brand Setup Code Number TV Manufacturer/Brand Setup Code Number

AIWA

A MARK

ADMIRAL

AKAI

AMPRO

ANAM

AOC

BLAUPUNKT

BROKSONIC

CANDLE

CAPEHART

CENTURION

CENTRONIC

CITIZEN

CLASSIC

CONCERTO

CONTEC

CORANDO

CORONADO

CRAIG

CROWN

CURTIS MATHES

CXC

DAEWOO

DAYTRON

DIGI LINK

DYNASTY

DYNATECH

ELECTROHOME

EMERSON

027

122 132

192

123 160

164

045 106 109 112 122

122 123 128

084

205 206

123 128

059

123 171

045

045 123 128 132

045

128

045

172

132

045 157 158 159

045 132

123 128 132

045

045 087 102 105 106 108 111 114 116

119 127 128 132

128 132

200

045

063

115 132

045 123 128 132 139 157 158 159

162 205

045

045

029 087 121 123 128 133 154 159 163

101 110 122 128 132

193

128

201

123 128 132 144 147

148

120

148

115 123 128 132 154

019

079 087 134

173

045

123 204

132

045 123 132 162

NIKEI

ONKING

ONWA

OPTONICA

ORION

PANASONIC

PHILCO

PHILIPS

PIONEER

PORTLAND

PROSCAN

PROTON

QUASAR

RADIO SHACK

RCA

REALISTIC

LLOYTRON

LODGENET

LOGIK

LUXMAN

LXI

MAGNAVOX

MARANTZ

MATSUI

MEMOREX

METZ

MGA

MINERVA

MITSUBISHI

MTC

NATIONAL

NEC

RUNCO

SAA

SAMPO

SAMSUNG

SANYO

SCOTT

SEARS

SHARP

SIEMENS

SIGNATURE

SONY

SOUNDESIGN

SPECTRICON

SSS

SYLVANIA

SYMPHONIC

TANDY

TATUNG

TECHNICS

172 173

069

069

128

077 154 148

030 123 128 132 154 148

115 123 148

148

069 128

084

115 123 128

084

077 115 123 128 160 167 168

175 176

148 177 179 180 181 182

115 121 123 125

045

045

045

077

207 208 209 210 211

087 148 169

045 115 123 128 132 148

033 034 035 036 123 128 132 154 148

024 123 128

128 132

133

059 122 128 132 165

032 087

045 128 132 180 196 197

021 115 123 128 133 154 161 163

045 167 196

152 153

183

059 123 128

020 022 124 128 132 154

026 054

045 128 132

128 132 154

077 128 132

084

069

028 031 117 130 136 194 212

045 128

122

045

025 123 128 154 148

184

077

063

181

53

APPENDIX

Table A10 – continued

TV Manufacturer/Brand Setup Code Number

TECHWOOD

TEKNIKA

TELERENT

TERA

THOMSON

TMK

TOSHIBA

TOTEVISION

VIDEO CONCEPTS

VIDTECH

WARDS

YAMAHA

YORK

YUPITERU

ZENITH

ZONDA

128

045 069 115 123 128 132

069

156

190 191

128

063 129 202

132

160

128

069 128 132 148

123 128

128

045

069 090

122

54

Table A11 – Remote Control Product Codes – VCR

VCR Manufacturer/Brand Setup Code Number

AIWA

AKAI

AMPRO

ASA

AUDIO DYNAMICS

BROKSONIC

CANDLE

CANON

CAPEHART

CITIZEN

COMCAST

CRAIG

DAEWOO

DAYTRON

DBX

DYNATECH

EMERSON

FISHER

FUNAI

GE

GO VIDEO

GOLDSTAR/LG

HARMAN KARDON

HITACHI

JC PENNEY

JENSEN

JVC

KENWOOD

LLOYD

LXI

MAGIN

MAGNAVOX

040

048 108 109 126

076

134

018 048

110 147

134 135

135 140

094

134

006

045 116

017 094 104

094

018 048

040

013 040 042 110 112

017

040

076 095 124

113

018 107

018 049

040 048

018 045

048

018 048 111 132

020 048

040

020 040

045

040

Table A11 – continued

VCR Manufacturer/Brand Setup Code Number

QUASAR

RADIO SHACK

RCA

REALISTIC

SALORA

SAMSUNG

SANSUI

SANYO

SCOTT

SEARS

SHARP

SONY

SOUNDESIGN

SYLVANIA

SYMPHONIC

TANDY

MARANTZ

MEMOREX

MGA

MITSUBISHI

MULTITECH

NAD

NATIONAL

NEC

NORDMENDE

OPTIMUS

ORION

PANASONIC

PHILCO

PHILIPS

PORTLAND

PULSAR

TASHICO

TATUNG

TEAC

TEKNIKA

THOMAS

TiVo

TMK

TOSHIBA

TOTEVISION

UNITECH

VECTOR RESEARCH

VIDEO CONCEPTS

VIDEOSONIC

WARDS

YAMAHA

ZENITH

018

017 020 040 052 053 054 076

049

049 131

040

139

140

018 048

048

159

147

125 150 167 172

040

040 075

094

076

001 125

055 134 140 142 158 159

095 124 125 157 172

017 020 040 045 159

020

045 051 095 105 109

048 116 147

017 020

110 112

017 020

129 156

080 129

040

040

040

017 040

134

048

040 048

040

040

002 003 004 005 007 008 012

013

112 155

045

045

018

018 040

045

040 045 112

018 040 048

040 050 076 083

54

APPENDIX

55

Table A12 – Remote Control Product Codes – CD

CD Manufacturer/Brand Setup Code Number

ADCOM

AIWA

AKAI

AUDIO TECHNICA

AUDIOACCESS

AUDIOFILE

BSR

CALIFORNIA AUDIO

CAPETRONIC

CARRERA

CARVER

CASIO

CLARINETTE

DENON

EMERSON

FISHER

FRABA

FUNAI

GE

GENEXXA

GOLDSTAR/LG

HAITAI

HARMAN KARDON

HITACHI

INKEL

JC PENNEY

JENSEN

JVC

KENWOOD

LOTTE

LUXMAN

LXI

MAGNAVOX

MARANTZ

MCINTOSH

MCS

MITSUMI

MODULAIRE

NAD

NAKAMICHI

NEC

NIKKO

ONKYO

OPTIMUS

PANASONIC

PHILIPS

PIONEER

PROTON

QUASAR

RADIO SHACK

RCA

RCX

125

211

044

109

063 069

072 111 118 156 170

050 177 184

053

070

087

136 140 141 143 144 154 185 186

117 166

166

187 188 213

052 093 108

055 095

117

126

164

108

016 087

099 214

001 002 025 054 190

093

216

098 147

153

176 195 196

030 062 078 079 148 151 176 178 181

108

077 102

164

039 113

058 084 191 192 193

194

080 098

152

166

013 074 197 198

199 200 201

069

053 055

037 038 045 046 171 175 202 203

065 089 091 092 099 104 212

075 109 119 158 183 204

039 138 149 209

071 094 100 112 123 131 161 162 215

210

109

126 166 213

024 081 093 150

169

CD Manufacturer/Brand Setup Code Number

REALISTIC

SANSUI

SANYO

SCOTT

SHARP

SHERWOOD

SONY

SOUNDSTREAM

SYMPHONIC

TAEKWANG

TEAC

THETA DIGITAL

TOSHIBA

VECTOR RESEARCH

VICTOR

WARDS

YAMAHA

YORK

058 093 095 104 105 108 164 166

047 081 134 157 172

033 082 095

108

058 105 114 151 159 167 180 181

003 041 058 105 133

103 115 116 118 132 139 163 205 206

207 208 212 217

124

059 110

177

011 058 085 086 106 107 110 121 137

154 154

039

013 074 097 151 155 173

087

120 130

095

019 031 053 061 135 169

166

Table A13 – Remote Control Product Codes – DVD

DVD Manufacturer/Brand Setup Code Number

APEX DIGITAL

DENON

GE

GOLDSTAR/LG

HARMAN KARDON

JVC

MAGNAVOX

MARANTZ

MITSUBISHI

NAD

ONKYO

PANASONIC

PHILIPS

PIONEER

PROCEED

PROSCAN

RCA

SAMSUNG

SHARP

SONY

THOMSON

TOSHIBA

YAMAHA

ZENITH

061

019 051

003 004

005 055 064 066

001 002

006

056

059

023

062

009 048

024 030 044

056

041 065

060

003 004

003 004

053 054

028

043 045

003 004

009 058 067

030 063

005 055 064

55

APPENDIX

56

Table A14 – Remote Control Product Codes – SAT

SAT Manufacturer/Brand Setup Code Number

ALPHASTAR

ALPHASTAR DBS

ALPHASTAR DSR

BIRDVIEW

CHANNEL MASTER

CHAPARRAL

CITOH

DRAKE

DX ANTENNA

ECHOSTAR

ELECTRO HOME

FUJITSU

GENERAL INSTRUMENT

HITACHI DBS

HOUSTON TRACKER

HUGHES

JANIEL

JERROLD

KATHREIN

LEGEND

MACOM

MAGNAVOX

MEMOREX

NEXTWAVE

NORSAT

OPTIMUS

PACE DSS

PANASONIC

PANASONIC DBS

PANSAT

PERSONAL CABLE

PHILIPS

PICO

PRESIDENT

PRIMESTAR

RCA

RCA DSS

REALISTIC

SAMSUNG

SATELLITE SERVICE CO

SCIENTIFIC ATLANTA

SONY

STAR CHOICE DBS

STARCAST

SUPER GUIDE

TEECOM

TOSHIBA

UNIDEN

ZENITH

472

450

442

425

320 321 325 361

315 316 451

360

313 317 318 413 481

331 352 379 483

395 397 452 453 463 477 478 484 485

392

324 329 334

303 311 323 365 403 454 468 474

455

463

437 489

366

454 468 484

410

453

317 365 369 370 371

461 473

453

423

457

420

418

375

373

466

487

366 469

407

381 404

412 454 468 475

301 439 465 490

458

349 480

442

335 388

339

405

459

347

327 423

330 333 390 391 393 409

302 426 460 461 462 470

323 332 348 349 350 351 354 355 381

383 389 403 466 479 480

384 385 387 394 419 488

Table A15 – Remote Control Product Codes – TAPE

TAPE Manufacturer/Brand Setup Code Number

HARMAN KARDON 001

Table A16 – Remote Control Product Codes – CBL

LINDSAY

MACOM

MAGNAVOX

MOVIE TIME

NSC

OAK

PACE

PANASONIC

PANTHER

PHILIPS

PIONEER

POPULAR MECHANICS

PRELUDE

PRIMESTAR

RADIO SHACK

RCA

RECOTON

REGAL

REMBRANT

SAMSUNG

SCIENTIFIC ATLANTA

SEAM

CBL Manufacturer/Brand Setup Code Number

ABC

ALLEGRO

AMERICAST

ARCHER

BELCOR

CABLE STAR

CITIZEN

COLOUR VOICE

DIGI

EAGLE

EASTERN

ELECTRICORD

EMERSON

FOCUS

G.I.

GC ELECTRONICS

GEMINI

GENERAL

GENERAL INSTRUMENT

GOODMIND

HAMLIN

HITACHI

JASCO

JERROLD

001 011

111

212

112

113

033 113

111

085 090

114

186

066 070

039

112

116

001 011 017 096 097

113

032 060

210

210

112

056 099 100 101 117 175 208

001 188

111

001 002 011 017 073 096 097 162

188 210

118

191

017 019 068

035 039

035 190

197 220

179

053 176 177 189 214

114

013 019 020 085 090

001 041 119 171 209 215 216

116

120

162

111 112 213

053 214

116

056 099 100 101 208

032

003 072 186

183 203 221 222

121

56

Table A16 – continued

CBL Manufacturer/Brand Setup Code Number

SIGNATURE

SPRUCER

STARCOM

STARGATE

TANDY

TELECAPATION

TEXSCAN

TFC

TIMELESS

TOCOM

UNITED CABLE

UNIVERSAL

VIDEOWAY

VIEWSTAR

ZENITH

ZENTEK

024

028

036

122

001 188

053 081 177 189

002 011 163

120

123

170 205

011

033 034 039 042 113

124 211

019 025 086 089 190

065 125 211 219

116

APPENDIX

57

AVR 154 TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Audio Section

Stereo Mode

Continuous Average Power (FTC)

40 Watts per channel, 20Hz–20kHz,

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

Five-Channel Surround Modes

Power per Individual Channel

Front L&R channels:

30 Watts per channel

@ <0.07% THD, 20Hz–20kHz into 8 ohms

Center channel:

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

Surround (L & R Side) channels:

30 Watts per channel

@ <0.07% THD, 20Hz–20kHz into 8 ohms

Input Sensitivity/Impedance

Linear (High-Level) 200mV/47k ohms

Signal-to-Noise Ratio (IHF-A) 100dB

Surround System Adjacent Channel Separation

Pro Logic I/II 40dB

Dolby Digital (AC-3) 55dB

DTS 55dB

Frequency Response

@ 1W (+0dB, –3dB)

High Instantaneous

Current Capability (HCC)

Transient Intermodulation

Distortion (TIM)

Slew Rate

10Hz – 130kHz

±25 Amps

Unmeasurable

40V/µsec

FM Tuner Section

Frequency Range

Usable Sensitivity

Signal-to-Noise Ratio

Distortion

Stereo Separation

Selectivity

Image Rejection

IF Rejection

87.5 –108.0MHz

IHF 1.3µV/13.2dBf

Mono/Stereo 70/68dB

Mono/Stereo 0.2/0.3%

40dB @ 1kHz

±400kHz, 70dB

80dB

90dB

AM Tuner Section

Frequency Range

Signal-to-Noise Ratio

Usable Sensitivity

Distortion

Selectivity

520–1720 kHz

45dB

Loop 500 µV

1kHz, 50% Mod 0.8%

±10kHz, 30dB

Video Section

Television Format

Input Level/Impedance

Output Level/Impedance

Video Frequency Response

(Composite and S-Video)

Video Frequency Response

(Component Video)

HDMI

General

Power Requirement

Power Consumption

NTSC

1Vp-p /75 ohms

1Vp-p /75 ohms

10Hz–8MHz (–3dB)

10Hz–100MHz (–3dB)

Switching

AC 120V/60Hz

65W idle, 540W maximum

(5 channels driven)

Dimensions (Product)

Width 17-5/16 inches (440mm)

(Shipping)

22 inches (559mm)

Height

Depth

6-1/2 inches (165mm)

15 inches (382mm)

10-1/2 inches (267mm)

18-3/4 inches (476mm)

Weight

(Product)

20.5 lb (9.3kg)

(Shipping)

25.3 lb (11.5kg)

Depth measurement includes knobs, buttons and terminal connections.

Height measurement includes feet and chassis.

All features and specifications are subject to change without notice.

Harman Kardon and Logic 7 are trademarks of Harman International Industries, Incorporated, registered in the United States and/or other countries. Designed to Entertain is a trademark of Harman International

Industries, Incorporated.

Blu-ray Disc is a trademark of the Blu-ray Disc Association.

Cirrus Logic is a registered trademark of Cirrus Logic, Inc.

Dolby, Pro Logic and the double-D symbol are trademarks of Dolby Laboratories.

Manufactured under license from Dolby Laboratories.

Manufactured under license under U.S. Patent #’s: 5,451,942; 5,956,674; 5,974,380; 5,978,762;

6,487,535; 7,003,467 & other U.S. and worldwide patents issued & pending. DTS, DTS Digital Surround,

ES, and Neo:6 are registered trademarks and the DTS logos and Symbol are trademarks of DTS, Inc.

© 1996-2007 DTS, Inc. All rights reserved.

HD-DVD is a trademark of the DVD Format/Logo Licensing Corporation (DVD FLLC).

HDMI is a trademark or registered trademark of HDMI Licensing LLC.

iPod is a trademark of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries.

SACD is a trademark of Sony Corporation.

TiVo is a registered trademark of TiVo Inc.

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Please register your AVR 154 on our Web site at www.harmankardon.com. Note: You’ll need the product’s serial number.

At the same time, you can choose to be notified about our new products and/or special promotions.

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NOTES

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250 Crossways Park Drive, Woodbury, New York 11797 www.harmankardon.com

© 2008 Harman International Industries, Incorporated. All rights reserved.

Part No. CQX1A1309Z