Harman-Kardon HA160-0004-A - Manual (Page 63)

Appendix C
59
Signature 2.0
System Control Abbreviations
and Control Parameters
Space limitations prevent a full explanation of the
Signature Series 2.0’s Surround modes, RDS system and
the Bass Boost and Treble Cut controls when they are
viewed in the on-screen graphics or menus. The charts
and graphs in this section provide additional details that
will assist you in the selection of the Surround mode, the
use of the RDS data system and adjustment of the Bass
Boost and Treble Cut controls.
Surround Mode Definitions
The Signature 2.0 is among the most flexible surround
sound systems available. In addition to the latest Dolby
Digital and DTS systems for discrete 5.1 channel audio
and conventional Dolby Pro Logic processing, it provides
a wide range of surround sound options.
For your convenience, a surround mode may be per-
manently attached to each input source profile, so that
the same mode is used whenever source is selected. See
page 28 for instructions on linking a surround mode to
an input source.
Alternatively, you may change surround modes at any
time by pressing one of the Surround Mode
Selectors y on the remote, or by pressing the front
panel Surround Selectors 4.
To make it easy to select a mode, they are divided into
two groups, “Movies” and “Music,” although some
modes are used with both types of program content.
In addition, there is a Mono + mode and a pure Stereo
mode available. The following definitions of the various
modes is presented to give you a better idea of where
each should be used, and which type of sources it is
compatible with.
Dolby Pro Logic
Dolby Pro Logic is the home version of the system
originally developed to deliver four channels of surround
information within the left and right channels of a
motion picture. Dolby Pro Logic uses special encoding
techniques to provide a center channel, used mostly for
dialog, and a surround channel, used mostly for effects,
in addition to the left and right front channels. It is
important to remember that in Pro Logic, the feed to
the surround channels is monaural, with the same band-
width-limited signal going to both the left and right
surround channels.
Although Pro Logic is mostly associated with movies,
it is also used to enhance an increasing number of tele-
vision programs, ranging from sports broadcasts to action
programs such as Xena, Warrior Princess, sci-fi programs
such as Deep Space Nine and Star Trek, and dramatic pro-
grams such as Law & Order. Music and variety programs
such as Saturday Night Live, The Late Show with David
Letterman and concert programs also benefit from sur-
round encoding. A complete list of programs broadcast
with Dolby Surround encoding may be found at the
Dolby Labs web site at www.Dolby.com
Once a program is encoded with surround information,
such as in a theatrical movie, the surround matrix
stays with the program as long as the stereo tracks are
properly broadcast. Thus, the surround information
follows a movie from the theaters to video cassette and
disc release, on cable, satellite or pay-per-view, and via
traditional broadcasting. This enables you to enjoy the
surround information almost any time the movie is
available, not just from prerecorded playback.
The Dolby Pro Logic system is used to decode any four-
channel matrix-encoded source, no matter how it is
delivered. For that reason, if a film is originally recorded
with a left/center/right/surround soundtrack, it will
require Dolby Pro Logic even when the movie is deliv-
ered with a Dolby Digital soundtrack. That is why some
DVD discs, even though they utilize Dolby Digital, still
require Dolby Pro Logic decoding, though it is done in
the digital processor.