miniDSP NANOAVR HD, NANOAVR HDA User Manual

Home Theater Series
NANOAVR HD NANOAVR HDA
HIGH-RESOLUTION HDMI AUDIO PROCESSOR
User Manual
miniDSP Ltd , Hong Kong / www.minidsp.com / Features and specifications subject to change without prio r notice 1
Revision
Description
Date
1.0
Initial version
26 Jan 2014
1.1
Corrected package contents and time delay; links to app notes
11 Feb 2014
1.2
Additional items added to Troubleshooting
12 Mar 2014
1.3
Ethernet connectivity.
30 June 2014
1.4
Bass management information added, support portal link added.
28 Jul 2014
1.5
Update for Home Theater series
28 August 2014
1.6
Added nanoAVR HDA, HDMI channel mode, smartphone app
17 March 2015
1.7
Updated firmware upgrade procedure, iOS app
20 May 2015
miniDSP Ltd , Hong Kong / www.minidsp.com / Features and specifications subject to change without prio r notice 2
CONTENTS
Important Information ....................................................................................................................................5
System Requirements..................................................................................................................................5
Disclaimer/Warning ....................................................................................................................................6
Warranty Terms ..........................................................................................................................................6
FCC Class B Statement .................................................................................................................................6
CE Mark Statement .....................................................................................................................................7
What's included ..........................................................................................................................................7
A Note on this Manual.................................................................................................................................7
1 Product Overview .....................................................................................................................................9
1.1 Typical usage – nanoAVR HD ............................................................................................................9
1.2 Typical usage – nanoAVR HDA ........................................................................................................ 10
2 Installation and setup ............................................................................................................................. 11
2.1 Hardware connectivity ................................................................................................................... 11
2.1.1 HDMI input and output ........................................................................................................... 11
2.1.2 Analog outputs (nanoAVR HDA only) ....................................................................................... 12
2.1.3 DC Power ............................................................................................................................... 13
2.1.4 USB........................................................................................................................................ 13
2.1.5 Ethernet................................................................................................................................. 14
2.2 Software installation ...................................................................................................................... 15
2.2.1 Windows................................................................................................................................ 15
2.2.2 Mac OS X................................................................................................................................ 16
3 Configuring the nanoAVR ........................................................................................................................ 17
3.1 Connecting to the nanoAVR............................................................................................................ 18
3.1.1 USB........................................................................................................................................ 18
3.1.2 Ethernet................................................................................................................................. 18
3.1.3 Options .................................................................................................................................. 18
3.2 Global settings ............................................................................................................................... 19
3.3 Configure signal routing ................................................................................................................. 20
3.4 Output channel setup .................................................................................................................... 21
3.4.1 Channel label ......................................................................................................................... 21
3.4.2 Gain control and level monitoring............................................................................................ 21
3.4.3 Parametric EQ ........................................................................................................................ 22
3.4.4 Crossover settings .................................................................................................................. 24
3.4.5 Compressor............................................................................................................................ 26
3.4.6 Time delay ............................................................................................................................. 26
3.4.7 Invert and mute...................................................................................................................... 27
3.5 Bass management.......................................................................................................................... 27
3.6 Channel mode ............................................................................................................................... 29
3.7 Working with configurations........................................................................................................... 30
3.7.1 Selecting a configuration ......................................................................................................... 30
3.7.2 Saving and loading configurations............................................................................................ 31
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3.7.3 Restoring to defaults............................................................................................................... 32
3.8 Keyboard Shortcuts........................................................................................................................ 32
4 Using the nanoAVR ................................................................................................................................. 33
4.1 Status indicators ............................................................................................................................ 33
4.2 Front panel controls....................................................................................................................... 33
4.3 Infrared remote control ................................................................................................................. 34
4.4 Smartphone control app ................................................................................................................ 35
5 Acoustic measurement ........................................................................................................................... 36
5.1 What is acoustic measurement? ..................................................................................................... 36
5.2 Performing acoustic measurements ................................................................................................ 37
5.3 Adjusting equalizer settings ............................................................................................................ 38
5.3.1 Manual method...................................................................................................................... 38
5.3.2 Automated method ................................................................................................................ 39
6 Additional information............................................................................................................................ 40
6.1 Specifications ................................................................................................................................ 40
6.2 Troubleshooting ............................................................................................................................ 41
6.3 MCU Firmware upgrade ................................................................................................................. 43
6.4 Obtaining Support.......................................................................................................................... 45
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IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Please read the following information before use. In case of any questions, please contact miniDSP via the support portal at minidsp.desk.com.

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS

To configure the nanoAVR, you will require a Windows PC or Apple Mac OS X computer with the following minimum specification:
Windows
PC with 1GHz or higher processor clock speed. Intel® Pentium®/Celeron® family, or AMD K6®/AMD
Athlon®/AMD Duron® family, or compatible processor recommended.
512 megabytes (MB) of RAM or higher Keyboard and mouse or compatible pointing device Microsoft• ® Windows® Vista® SP1/ XP pro SP2/Win7/Win8.1 Microsoft• ® .NET framework v3.5 or later Adobe AIR environment (latest version) Adobe Flash player (latest version)
Mac OS X
Intel-based Mac with 1 GHz or higher processor clock speed 512 megabytes (MB) of RAM or higher Keyboard and mouse or compatible pointing device Mac OS X 10.4 or higher Adobe AIR environment (latest version) Adobe Flash player (latest version)
Both Platforms
For USB connectivity:
USB 2.0 port
For Ethernet connectivity via LAN:
Ethernet router with spare 100 Mbps port
For direct (ZeroConf) Ethernet connectivity:
Ethernet port on computer with 100 Mbps capability. (Apple Macs: a Thunderbolt port with a Thunderbolt to
Ethernet adapter.)
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DISCLAIMER/WARNING

miniDSP cannot be held responsible for any damage that may result from the improper use of this product or incorrect configuration of its settings. As with any other product, we recommend that you carefully read this manual and other technical notes to ensure that you fully understand how to operate this product. The nanoAVR is a powerful tool, and misuse or misconfiguration, such as incorrectly set gains or excessive boost, can produce signals that may damage your audio system.
As a general guideline, you should perform the initial configuration of your nanoAVR before enabling audio through any connected output device or amplification. Doing so will help e nsure that the software is correctly configured.
Finally, note that the nanoAVR is a very flexible device, and many of the questions we receive at the tech support department are already answered in this user manual and in the online application notes on the miniDSP.com website. So please take the time to carefully read this user manual and the online technical support. Thanks for your understanding!

WARRANTY TERMS

miniDSP Ltd warrants this product to be free from defects in materials and workmanship for a period of one year from the invoice date. Our warranty does not cover failure of the product due to incorrect connection or installation, improper or undocumented use, unauthorized servicing, modification or alteration of the unit in any way, or any usage outside of that recommended in this manual. If in doubt, contact miniDSP prior to use.

FCC CLASS B STATEMENT

This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions:
This device may not cause harmful interference. This device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired
operation.
Warning: 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. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection. This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful int erference 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.
Notice: Shielded interface cable must be used in order to comply with emission limits.
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Notice: Changes or modification not expressly approved by the party responsible for compliance could void the user’s authority to operate the equipment.

CE MARK STATEMENT

The nanoAVR HD/HDA has passed the test performed according to European Standard EN 55022 Class B.

WHAT'S INCLUDED

Your nanoAVR package contains:
One nanoAVR HD or nanoAVR HDA HDMI audio processor Universal 5 VDC power supply with interchangeable power pins One USB cable for computer connectivity One Ethernet cable One HDMI cable Printed Quick-start Guide

A NOTE ON THIS MANUAL

This User Manual is designed for reading in both print and on the computer. If printing the manual, please print double-sided. The embedded page size is 8 ½” x 11”. Printing on A4 paper will result in a slightly reduced size.
For reading on the computer, we have included hyperlinked cross-references throughout the manual. In addition, a table of contents is embedded in the PDF file, which will make navigation much easier:
In Adobe Reader on Windows, click on the “bookmarks” icon at the left. The table of contents will appear on
the left and can be unfolded at each level by clicking on the “+” icons.
In Preview on the Mac, click on the View menu and select Table of Contents. The table of contents will
appear on the left and can be unfolded at each level by clicking on the triangle icons.
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1 PRODUCT OVERVIEW

The nanoAVR HD and nanoAVR HDA HDMI audio processors provide a comprehensive and sophisticated set of digital audio processing functions for eight channels of high-resolution (24-bit, 96 kHz) HDMI audio. The functions include bass management, parametric equalization, level adjustment, mixing and routing, and time delay. All internal processing takes place at 96 kHz, with sample rates up to 192 kHz accepted over HDMI.
Two HDMI inputs are provided and can be switched from the front panel or by an infrared remote (not included). The accepted audio format is multichannel linear PCM (LPCM). Video from the selected HDMI input is switched directly to the output, with no video processing applied to the signal.
A user-friendly computer-based interface is used to configure the audio processing parameters of the nanoAVR in real time. Up to four complete configuration presets can be stored. Once configuration is complete, the computer is no longer needed and the presets can be recalled from the front panel, by an infrared remote, or with a smartphone app.

1.1 TYPICAL USAGE – NANOAVR HD

In its most typical application, the nanoAVR HD connects between an HDMI source such as a Blu -ray player and an A/V receiver, providing an unmatched level of audio tuning flexibility for home theater applications. The second HDMI input allows connection of a second device such as a media streamer or computer/HTPC.
The HDMI output is connected to an A/V receiver, which in turn drives the display (TV, monitor, or projector), powers a suite of loudspeakers and provides output to a subwoofer.
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1.2 TYPICAL USAGE – NANOAVR HDA

The nanoAVR HDA negates the need for an A/V receiver to decode the audio component of the HDMI stream. For example, the analog outputs of the nanoAVR HDA can be connected directly to a multichannel power amplifier and a powered subwoofer, as illustrated in the diagram below. In this case, volume control is done digitally in the nanoAVR HDA itself, using a remote control or the miniDSP smartphone app.
The analog outputs of the nanoAVR HDA can also be connected to multichannel analog inputs of an A/V receiver, A/V preamp, or any other component with multichannel analog inputs.
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2 INSTALLATION AND S ETUP

2.1 HARDWARE CONNECTIVITY

All connections to the nanoAVR are made on the rear panel.

2.1.1 HDMI input and output

Two HDMI connections are available for input, and one for output. The input connectors can be connected to any HDMI source such as a Blu-ray or DVD player. Other sources may include media streaming devices, gaming consoles, and computers with an HDMI port†.
The HDMI output will need to be connected to an HDMI input on an A/V receiver (AVR) or A/V processor (AVP). In the case of the nanoAVR HDA, the HDMI output can be connected directly to the display device (TV, monitor, or projector).
Ensure that your HDMI sources are set to produce linear PCM (also referred to as PCM, L-PCM, or LPCM) on their HDMI outputs. The nanoAVR does not decode compressed formats such as Dolby and DTS.
Some HDMI devices such as TVs only support basic HDMI Audio (up to 48 kHz), and will not respond to audio from the nanoAVR. Use an A/V receiver or preamp with 96 kHz support to decode HDMI audio.
Apple Macs with a Thunderbolt port can be connected to the nanoAVR with the use of a Thunderbolt to HDMI
adapter cable.
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2.1.2 Analog outputs (nanoAVR HDA only)

The analog outputs of the nanoAVR HDA can be connected directly to power amplification and a powered subwoofer. They can also be connected to any other equipment with multichannel analog inputs such as an A/V receiver, multichannel preamp, or mixing desk.
Note that HDMI audio and the analog outputs are simultaneously active.
Always be sure to turn off all equipment before connecting or disconnecting audio signal cables.
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2.1.3 DC Power

The supplied 5 VDC power supply includes a set of interchangeable power pins. Fit the correct pins for your country. Connect the DC plug to the 5 VDC power socket.
HDMI units communicate with a set of “hand-shaking” signals in order to establish the capabilities of each device. It is recommended that for at least the first time the system is powered up with the nanoAVR connected, equipment is powered on in this order: TV, AVR, nanoAVR, source/player.

2.1.4 USB

To configure the nanoAVR via USB, connect the USB port of the nanoAVR to a USB 2.0 port on your computer using the supplied cable.
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2.1.5 Ethernet

To configure and control the nanoAVR over Ethernet, connect an Ethernet cable from the nanoAVR’s Ethernet port to a free port on your Ethernet router or switch. The diagram below illustrates a typical case where the Ethernet router also acts as a wireless base station, and is in turn connected to an ADSL/cable modem. It is also common for the ADSL/cable modem, Ethernet router, and wireless base station to be combined into a single unit.
In the setup illustrated, the nanoAVR is connected via an Ethernet cable to the Ethernet router, while the computer is connected to the LAN over Wi-Fi. The network must be capable of DHCP so that the nanoAVR will be given an IP (network) address.
If a local area network is not available, or the network does not support DHCP, it is still possible to communicate with the nanoAVR over Ethernet by connecting the two devices directly with an Ethernet cable. In this case, auto-IP (link-local) addresses will be assigned. For this to work correctly, your PC must be set to allow automatic IP addresses (that is, it must not be set to a static IP address).
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