Harman Kardon AVR-154 Service manual

harman/kardon

AVR154

5 X 30W 5.1 CHANNEL A/V RECEIVER

SERVICE MANUAL

CONTENTS

ESD WAR N ING……………………………….2

LEAKAGE TESTING……………….…..…....3

BASIC SPECIFICATIONS…………………..4
PACKAGING…………………………….……5

FRO NT PANEL CO NTRO L S ………..…..…..6

REAR PANEL CONNECTIONS………….…8

REMOTE CONTROL FUNCTIONS……….10

CONNECTIONS/INSTALLATION………....13

OPERATION………………………...………24

TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE…...……..…29

REMOTE & PR OCESSOR R ESETS……....30

harman/k ar don, Inc.

250 Crossways Park Dr.
Released 2008 Woodbur y, New York 11797 Rev0 5/2008
Discontinued XXXX

DISASSEM BLY…...…………………………..31

UNIT EXPLOD ED VI EW…………..…….…..32

EXPLODED VIEW PARTS LIST……………33
AMP BIAS ADJUSTMENT……………….…34
BLOCK DIAGRAM…………………………..35
PCB DRAWINGS……………………………36
ELECTRICAL PARTS LIST………..….……42
SEMICONDUCTOR PINOUTS…….………71
SCHEMATICS………….….……………….132
WIRING DIAGRAM…….….……………….140

AVR154 harman/kardon

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Some semiconductor (solid state) devices can be damaged easily by static electricity. Such components commonly are called

Electrostatically Sensitive (ES) Devices. Examples of typical ES devices are integrated circuits and some field effect transistors and

semiconductor "chip" components.

The following techniques should be used to help reduce the incidence of component damage caused by static electricity.

1. Immediately before handling any semiconductor component or semiconductor-equipped assembly, drain off any electrostatic charge on

your body by touching a known earth ground. Alternatively, obtain and wear a commercially available discharging wrist strap device,

which should be removed for potential shock reasons prior to applying power to the unit under test.

2. After removing an electrical assembly equipped with ES devices, place the assembly on a conductive surface such as aluminum foil, to

prevent electrostatic charge build-up or exposure of the assembly.

3. Use only a grounded-tip soldering iron to solder or unsolder ES devices.

4. Use only an anti-static solder removal device. Some solder removal devices not classified as "anti-static" can generate electrical charges

sufficient to damage ES devices.

5. Do not use freon-propelled chemicals. These can generate electrical change sufficient to damage ES devices.

6. Do not remove a replacement ES device from its protective package until immediately before you are ready to install it. (Most replacement

ES devices are packaged with leads electrically shorted together by conductive foam, aluminum foil or comparable conductive material.)

7. Immediately before removing the protective material from the leads of a replacement ES device, touch the protective material to the

chassis or circuit assembly into which the device will be installed.

CAUTION :

8. Minimize bodily motions when handling unpackaged replacement ES devices. (Otherwise harmless motion such as the brushing together

or your clothes fabric or the lifting of your foot from a carpeted floor can generate static electricity sufficient to damage an ES devices.

Be sure no power is applied to the chassis or circuit, and observe all other safety precautions.

Each precaution in this manual should be followed during servicing.

Components identified with the IEC symbol in the parts list are special significance to safety. When replacing a component identified with

, use only the replacement parts designated, or parts with the same ratings or resistance, wattage, or voltage that are designated in the

parts list in this manual. Leakage-current or resistance measurements must be made to determine that exposed parts are acceptably

insulated from the supply circuit before retuming the product to the customer.

SAFETY PRECAUTIONS

The following check should be performed for the continued
protection of the customer and service technician.

LEAKAGE CURRENT CHECK

Measure leakage current to a known earth ground (water
pipe, conduit, etc.) by connecting a leakage current tester
between the earth ground and all exposed metal parts of the
appliance (input/output terminals, screwheads, metal
overlays, control shaft, etc.). Plug the AC line cord of the
appliance directly into a 120V AC 60Hz outlet and turn the
AC power switch on. Any current measured must not exceed
o.5mA.

ANY MEASUREMENTS NOT WITHIN THE LIMITS
OUTLINED ABOVE ARE INDICATIVE OF A
POTENTIAL SHOCK HAZARD AND MUST BE
CORRECTED BEFORE RETURNING THE APPLIANCE
TO THE CUSTOMER.

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Reading should
not be above

0.5mA
Device
under
test

Leakage
current
tester

Test all
exposed metal
surfaces

Also test with
plug reversed
(Using AC adapter
plug as required)

Earth
ground

AC Leakage Test

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) 10Hz – 130kHz
High Instantaneous

Current Capability (HCC) ±25 Amps
Transient Intermodulation

Distortion (TIM) Unmeasurable
Slew Rate 40V/µsec

FM Tuner Section

Frequency Range 87.5–108.0MHz

Usable Sensitivity IHF 1.3µV/13.2dBf

Signal-to-Noise Ratio Mono/Stereo 70/68dB

Distortion Mono/Stereo 0.2/0.3%

Stereo Separation 40dB @ 1kHz

Selectivity ±400kHz, 70dB

Image Rejection 80dB

IF Rejection 90dB

AM Tuner Section

Frequency Range 520–1720kHz
Signal-to-Noise Ratio 45dB
Usable Sensitivity Loop 500 µV
Distortion 1kHz, 50% Mod 0.8%
Selectivity ±10kHz, 30dB

Video Section

Television Format NTSC
Input Level/Impedance 1Vp-p /75 ohms
Output Level/Impedance 1Vp-p /75 ohms
Video Frequency Response
(Composite and S-Video) 10Hz–8MHz (–3dB)
Video Frequency Response
(Component Video) 10Hz–100MHz (–3dB)
HDMI Switching

General

Power Requirement AC 120V/60Hz
Power Consumption 65W idle,540W maximum

(5 channels driven)

Dimensions (Product) (Shipping)
Width 17-5/16 inches (440mm) 22 inches (559mm)
Height 6-1/2 inches (165mm) 10-1/2 inches (267mm)
Depth 15 inches (382mm) 18-3/4 inches (476mm)

(Product) (Shipping)

Weight 20.5 lb (9.3kg) 25.3 lb (11.5kg)

Depth measurement includes knobs,buttons and ter minal 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 Har man 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.

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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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 tur ns 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.

FRONT-PANEL CONTROLS

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9

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.

AVR154 harman/kardon

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Message Display

Speaker/Channel

Input Indicators

Remote
IR Sensor

Volume

Power
Indicator

Standby/On
Switch

Main Power

Switch

Surround

Mode

Surround
Select

Tuning

Tuner Band

Preset Stations

Source
Select

Headphone
Jack

Tuning
Mode

Digital
Audio Inputs
(Optical 3 and
Coaxial 3)

Video 3
Video Inputs

Video 3
Analog Audio
Inputs

10

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 two-

conductor 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 HD-DVD™player

(or any other external decoder) to these jacks.

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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FM Antenna

CD Inputs

Tape
Outputs

Tape
Inputs

AM Antenna

Video 2
A/V
Inputs

Video 1
A/V
Outputs

Video 1
A/V
Inputs

Video
Monitor
Outputs

DVD A/V
Inputs

HDMI
Monitor Output

HDMI
Inputs (1, 2 and 3)

AUX
Input

Component
Video Inputs
(1 and 2)

Component
Video Monitor
Outputs

AC Power
Cord

Front
Speaker
Outputs

Surround
Speaker
Outputs

6-Channel
Analog Audio
Inputs

Center
Speaker
Outputs

Coaxial Digital
Audio Output

Optical Digital
Audio Inputs
(1 and 2)

Coaxial Digital
Audio Inputs
(1 and 2)

Subwoofer
Output

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

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 T one: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.

AVR154 harman/kardon

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IR T ransmitter Lens

Program Indicator

Power On

AVR Selector

AM/FM

Test T one

Sleep

DSP Surround

On-Screen Display

Channel Level

Digital Input

Tuning Mode

Direct Station Entry

Tuning

Tone Mode

Night Mode

Track Skip

Transport Controls

Power Off

Mute

Input Selectors

6-Channel Input Selector
Volume Controls

TV/Video

Speaker Setup

OK

Numeric Keys

Delay

Memory
Clear

Preset Stations Selectors
Disc Skip

Macros
Surround Mode Selectors

Dim

Navigation

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.

AVR154 harman/kardon

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14

14

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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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

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.

Figure 1 – Binding-Post Speaker

See Figure 1.

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.

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.

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.

Subwoofer

Pre-out

12 3

Audio Connections

Left Right
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

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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.

Figure 4 – Coaxial Digital Audio

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.

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.

Figure 6 – Analog Audio

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 DVD­Audio,SACD,Blu-ray Disc,HD-DVD and other multichannel players.
See Figure 7.

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

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.

A

Optical

Optical digital
audio cable

Coaxial

Coaxial digital

audio cable

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Front Surround Center

Multichannel
analog audio
cable (RCA)

Subwoofer

nalog audio

cable (RCA)

L
R

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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 (High­Definition 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.

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.

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 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.

Figure 14 – AMAntenna

S-video cable

Composite

video cable

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Component
video cable

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.

Figure 16 – Speaker Connections

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.

Figure 17 – Subwoofer Connection

Step Three – Connect the Antennas

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

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.

FM

AM

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AVR 154

C

FR FL

SL

SR

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INSTALLATION

Video Connections:

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

• HDMI • S-video

• Component 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 (High­Bandwith 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: If 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.

Figure 19 – Connecting an HDMI-Equipped Disc Player

If the player is capable of playing multichannel discs,including DVD­Audio,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.

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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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.

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.

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.

Connect a Cable TV, Sa tellite, 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 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).

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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INSTALLATION

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.

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.

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,fir mly
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.

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INSTALLATION

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 fur niture, 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

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INSTALLATION

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.

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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.

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.

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 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.

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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.

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.

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 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:

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OPERATION

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.

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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 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.

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.

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.

AVR154 harman/kardon

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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.

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.

38

OPERATION

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46

46

TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE

SYMPTOM CAUSE SOLUTION

Unit does not function when Main • No AC power • Make certain AC power cord is plugged into
Power Switch is pushed a live outlet

• Check whether outlet is switch-controlled

Display lights,but no sound • Intermittent input connections • Make certain that all input and speaker connections
or picture are secure

• Mute is on • Press Mute Button

• Volume control is down • Tur n up volume control

• Source device is turned off • Tur n 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

No sound from any speaker; • Amplifier is in protection mode • Check speaker wire connections for shorts at receiver and
light around power switch is red due to possible short speaker ends

• Amplifier is in protection mode • Contact your local Har man Kardon ser vice center

due to internal problems

No sound from surround or • Incorrect surround mode • Select a mode other than Stereo
center speakers • Input is monaural • There is no surround information from mono sources

• Incorrect configuration • Check speaker mode configuration

• Stereo or Mono program material • The surround decoder may not create center- or rear-channel

information from nonencoded programs

Unit does not respond to • Weak batteries in remote • Change remote batteries
remote commands • Wrong device selected • Press the AVR selector

• Remote sensor is obscured • Make certain front-panel sensor is in line of sight of remote

or connect an optional remote sensor

Intermittent buzzing in tuner • Local interference • Move unit or antenna away from computers,fluorescent

lights,motors or other electrical appliances

Letters flash in the channel indicator • Digital audio feed paused • Resume play for DVD
display and digital audio stops • 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.

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AVR154 harman/kardon

30

Erase a 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 the unit may behave erratically after a power surge. To correct erratic
behavior, first try turning the Master Power Switch off and unplugging the AC
power cord for at least three minutes. Plug the cord back in and turn the receiver
back on. If this doesn’t help, try a system reset.

NOTES:

• A system reset erases all user configurations, including video resolution,
speaker and level settings, and tuner presets. After a reset, you will need
to reenter all of these settings.

To reset the AVR 154, place the receiver in Standby mode (press the front­panel 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.

Follow the directions in the owner’s manual on page 32 to restore the picture if
necessary.

Memory

If the AVR 154 is unplugged or experiences a power outage, it will retain user
settings for up to four weeks.