Arcam FMJ AV8 User manual

AV8 Preamp Processor

2
3

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Welcome to the AV8 Preamp Processor
USING THIS HANDBOOK
Thank you for purchasing the Arcam FMJ AV8 Preamp Processor.
This handbook has been designed to give you all the information you
need to install, connect, set up and use the Arcam FMJ AV8 Preamp
Processor. The remote control handset supplied with the equipment
is also described.
It may be that the AV8 has been installed and set up as part of your
Hi-Fi installation by a qualified Arcam dealer. In this case, you may
wish to skip the sections of this handbook dealing with installation and
setting up the unit. Use the Contents list to guide you to the relevant
sections.
SAFETY
Safety guidelines are set out on the following page of this handbook.
Many of these items are common sense precautions, but for your own
safety, and to ensure that you do not damage the unit, we strongly
recommend that you read them. This is a class 1 product and requires
an earth connection.
Manufactured under licence from Dolby Laboratories, Inc.
‘Dolby’, ‘Pro Logic’, ‘Surround EX’ and the double-D symbol are trademarks of Dolby
Laboratories.
Copyright © 1992–1999 Dolby Laboratories, Inc. All rights reserved.
Manufactured under license from Digital Theater Systems, Inc. US Pat. No. 5,451,942,
5,956,674, 5,974,380, 5,978,762 and other world-wide patents issued and pending.
“DTS”, “DTS-ES Extended Surround” and “Neo:6” are trademarks of Digital Theater
Systems, Inc.
Copyright © 1996, 2000 Digital Theater Systems, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Lucasfilm and THX are trademarks or registered trademarks of Lucasfilm, Ltd.
Copyright © Lucasfilm Ltd. &TM.
Surround EX is a jointly developed technology of THX and Dolby Laboratories, Inc. and is a
trademark of Dolby Laboratories, Inc. All rights reserved. Used under authorization.
CONTENTS
Welcome to the AV8 Preamp Processor
.................................
3
Safety guidelines
...............................................................
..............
4
Safety instructions
...............................................................
...................
4
Safety compliance
...............................................................
....................
4
Getting started with your AV8
...................................................
5
Introduction
...............................................................
................................
5
Installation
...............................................................
........................
6
Positioning the unit
...............................................................
.................
6
Notes about connections
...............................................................
...
6
Cables
...............................................................
.............................................
7
Speaker Installation
...............................................................
.................
7
Audio connections
...............................................................
..................
8
Zone 2 connections
...............................................................
...............
9
Video connections
...............................................................
..................
9
Control connections
...............................................................
...........
10
Trigger outputs
...............................................................
.......................
10
Connecting to a power supply
....................................................
11
Con guring the AV8
...............................................................
....
12
Basic Setup
...............................................................
...............................
13
Advanced Setup
...............................................................
....................
16
Remote control
...............................................................
.............
19
Front panel controls
...............................................................
....
20
Operating your AV8
...............................................................
.....
21
Using the controls
...............................................................
................
21
Using the main menu screen
........................................................
23
Using zone 2
...............................................................
............................
25
Surround modes
...............................................................
...........
26
Introduction
...............................................................
.............................
26
Two-channel source modes
..........................................................
26
Multichannel sources
...............................................................
..........
27
Multichannel source modes
...........................................................
27
THX
®
Modes
...............................................................
..........................
27
DSP Effects Modes
...............................................................
..............
28
About THX
®
cinema processing
................................................
28
Troubleshooting
...............................................................
............
29
Technical speci cations
...............................................................
32
Additional technical information
..............................................
33
SCART connections
...............................................................
...........
34
IR remote codes
...............................................................
....................
35
AV8 serial programming interface
.............................................
36
Utility software
...............................................................
.......................
43
Guarantee
...............................................................
.......................
44
On line registration
...............................................................
..............
44

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Safety guidelines
SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
This product is designed and manufactured to meet strict quality
and safety standards. However, you should be aware of the following
installation and operation precautions:
1. Take heed of warnings and instructions
You should read all the safety and operating instructions before
operating this appliance. Retain this handbook for future reference
and adhere to all warnings in the handbook or on the appliance.
2. Water and moisture
The presence of electricity near water can be dangerous. Do not use
the appliance near water – for example next to a bathtub, washbowl,
kitchen sink, in a wet basement or near a swimming pool, etc.
3. Object or liquid entry
Take care that objects do not fall and liquids are not spilled into the
enclosure through any openings. Liquid-filled objects such as vases
should not be placed on the equipment.
4. Ventilation
Do not place the equipment on a bed, sofa, rug or similar soft surface,
or in an enclosed bookcase or cabinet, since ventilation may be
impeded. We recommend a minimum distance of 50mm (2 inches)
around the sides and top of the appliance to provide adequate
ventilation.
5. Heat
Place the appliance away from naked flames or heat producing
equipment such as radiators, stoves or other appliances (including
amplifiers) that produce heat.
6. Climate
The appliance has been designed for use in moderate climates.
7. Racks and stands
Only use a rack or stand that is recommended for use with audio
equipment. If the equipment is on a portable rack it should be moved
with great care, to avoid overturning the combination.
8. Cleaning
Unplug the unit from the mains supply before cleaning.
The case should normally only require a wipe with a soft, damp, lint-
free cloth. Do not use paint thinners or other chemical solvents for
cleaning.
We do not advise the use of furniture cleaning sprays or polishes as
they can cause indelible white marks if the unit is subsequently wiped
with a damp cloth.
9. Power sources
Only connect the appliance to a power supply of the type described in
the operating instructions, or as marked on the appliance.
10. Power-cord protection
Power supply cords should be routed so that they are not likely to be
walked on or pinched by items placed upon or against them, paying
particular attention to cords and plugs, and the point where they exit
from the appliance.
11. Grounding
Ensure that the appliance’s grounding means is not defeated.
12. Power lines
Affix any outdoor antenna/aerial away from power lines.
13. Non-use periods
In standby mode, a small amount of current will continue to flow into
the equipment in this mode. Unplug the power cord of the appliance
from the outlet if left unused for a long period of time.
14. Abnormal smell
If an abnormal smell or smoke is detected from the appliance, turn
the power off immediately and unplug the unit from the wall outlet.
Contact your dealer immediately.
15. Servicing
You should not attempt to service the appliance other than as
described in this handbook. All other servicing should be referred to
qualified service personnel.
16. Damage requiring service
The appliance should be serviced by qualified service personnel
when:
A.
the power supply cord or the plug has been damaged, or
B.
objects have fallen, or liquid has spilled into the appliance, or
C.
the appliance has been exposed to rain, or
D.
the appliance does not appear to operate normally or exhibits
a marked change in performance, or
E.
the appliance has been dropped or the enclosure damaged.
SAFETY COMPLIANCE
This product meets the EN60065 international electrical safety
standard and CB worldwide certification.

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Getting started with your AV8
INTRODUCTION
The AV8 is a high quality and high performance home cinema
processor and audio pre-amplifier built to Arcam’s traditional high
quality design and manufacturing standards. It combines high resolution
digital processing with high performance audio and video components
to bring you an unrivalled home entertainment centre.
The AV8 allows quality switching and volume control of eight analogue
and seven digital sources making it an ideal companion for both home
cinema and two-channel stereo systems. Since many of these source
components are also capable of outputting high quality video signals,
the AV8 includes broadcast quality video switching for composite,
S-video, component and RGB video signals. There are inputs and
outputs for both tape and VCR, as well as a digital output. DVD-Audio
and SACD can be connected via the multichannel input. Control of
the AV8 is either by front panel control buttons, IR remote control
or an RS232 port (which can be used to upload future software
enhancements).
On the back panel there are trigger outputs for easy connection to
associated equipment. The AV8 can easily be integrated with various
types of power amplifiers and loudspeakers, including those that are
THX certified. The AV8 is itself THX certified, meaning it has passed
the rigorous THX Ultra2 specification enabling it to reproduce THX
Surround EX signals from Dolby Digital soundtracks.
The customised installation of the AV8 in a listening room is an
important process which requires care at every stage. For this reason,
the installation information is very comprehensive and should be
followed carefully.
The AV8 has a universal input power supply that is compatible with
mains voltages between 85V AC and 265V AC, 50Hz to 60Hz.

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POSITIONING THE UNIT

Place the processor on a level, firm surface.

Avoid placing the unit in direct sunlight or near sources of heat
or damp.

Do not place the unit on top of a power amplifier or other
source of heat.

Ensure adequate ventilation. Do not place the unit in an
enclosed space such as a bookcase or closed cabinet unless
there is good provision for ventilation. The processor is designed
to run warm during normal operation.

Make sure the IR receiver on the front panel is unobstructed,
otherwise this will impair the use of the remote control. If line-
of-sight is impractical, an infrared remote repeater can be used
with the rear panel IR connector.

Do not place your record deck on top of this unit or any other
unit which is mains supplied. Record decks are very sensitive
to the noise generated by mains power supplies which will be
heard as ‘hum’ if the record deck is too close.
NOTES ABOUT CONNECTIONS
Before connecting your equipment it is important to think about the
following points as these will affect your choice of connections and
subsequent use of the system.
AUDIO
Wherever possible, connect both analogue and digital outputs of
digital sources. This enables use of a digital input for the main zone and
the corresponding analogue input for recording onto an analogue tape
deck or VCR, and for the zone 2 output if used.
VIDEO
The AV8 does not provide conversion between different video
formats as this would result in degradation of the video signal. This
simply means that the AV8 does not convert between composite,
S-video or component.
For example, if you are watching a composite input from a VCR you
must view it from the composite output of the AV8, as there will be
no picture on the other outputs. Connect as follows:

VCR (composite) input and Monitor out (composite)
or, for a device with an S-video output, such as a DVD player,
connect:

DVD (S-video) input and Monitor out (S-video)
The video quality hierarchy is as follows:

Component/RGB – highest

S-video – middle

Composite – lowest
If all the video inputs are simultaneously connected from one device,
e.g. a DVD player, the AV8 will automatically select the best format
possible.
ZONE 2
Zone 2 only outputs a line level signal from the stereo analogue audio
and composite video inputs. The analogue inputs are required because
there is no analogue-to-digital, DSP processing or digital-to-analogue
converstion available for zone 2 signals.
As the AV8 does not convert video formats, a composite video signal
must also be connected from the source.
For this reason, we recommend that source devices that have a digital
connection are also connected to the analogue inputs. High quality
YUV/RGB and S-video sources should also have their composite
outputs connected to the AV8 for use in zone 2.
OUT
IN
LOCAL
OUT
TUNER
12V
TRIGGER
IN
ZONE
2
CD
VCR
SA
T
SATSA
T
APE
TAPET
AV
DVD
ZONE
2
LEFT
RIGHT
TUNER
AV
SA
T
SATSA
MONITOR OUT
DVD
VCR
OUT
PROG
2
1
1
2
OUT
3
Y/
G
Y/G Y/
U/
U/
OUT
U/
OUT
B
U/B U/
V/
R
V/R V/
AV
SA
T
SATSA
DVD
CD
OUT
IN
CENTRE
IN
SUB
L SURR
R SURR
LS BACK
RS BACK
LEFT
CENTRE
L SURR
LS BACK
SUB
2
SUB
1 R
SURR
RS BACK
SUB
1 RSUB 1 R
3
1 R31 R
GROUND
LIFT (IN)
RS232
CONTROL
50/60Hz
100–240VAC~
MAX 40VA
GND
AUX/
PHONO
MM
MC
OUTPUTS
DVD-A/SACD IN
OUT
T
APE
TAPET
VIDEO
TRIGGERS
1/RGB
2/S-VIDEO
Y/
G
Y/G Y/
U/
B
U/B U/
V/
R
V/R V/
Y/
G
Y/GY/
U/
U/
B
B
U/BU/
U/BU/
V/
R
V/RV/
Y/
G
Y/GY/
U/
U/
B
B
U/BU/
U/BU/
V/
R
V/RV/
RIGHT
VCR
IN
R
L
AUDIO
R
L
VIDE
O
VCR
T
APE
TAPET
HIGH QUALITY VIDEO
DIGIT
AL INPUTS
DIGITAL INPUTSDIGIT
REMOTE
ZONE 2 OUT
Ser
ial
control
Digital
output
Digital audio
inputs
Component video
connections
Composite & S-video
connections
Zone
2
output
Analogue audio
inputs and record
outputs
Multichannel
D
VD-A/SA
CD
inputs
P
ow
er suppl
y
connector
Multichannel
outputs
Control
connections
Ground lift
Installation

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GENERAL
The inputs are named to make it easier to reference when connecting
e.g. a DVD or VCR, but they all have the same input circuit, therefore
there is no reason why you should not connect a different device to
any of the inputs. For example, if you had two DVD players and the
AV input was not being used, then the second DVD player can be
connected to the AV input.
CABLES
We recommend the use of high quality screened analogue, digital and
video cables, as inferior quality cables will degrade the overall quality
of your system. Only use cables that are designed for the particular
application as other cables will have different impedance characteristics
that will degrade the performance of your system.
Video and digital connections must be made with cables that are
designed for this purpose, i.e. coaxial cable with a 75
Ω
impedance. If
substandard cables are used you may suffer from poor picture quality
such as ghost images and or grainy picture quality (snow).
Speaker cables should be kept short and low impedance wire should
be used throughout to ensure efficient power transmission and avoid
audible distortion.
All cables should be kept as short as is practically possible.
It is good practice when connecting your equipment to make sure that
the mains power supply cabling is kept as far away as possible from
your audio and video cables, as this will provide the best sound and
picture quality. Failure to do so may result in unwanted noise in the
audio and video signals.
SPEAKER INSTALLATION
The AV8 allows you to connect up to seven channels of amplification
and three active subwoofers in the main system. The output channels
correspond to speakers installed in the front left, centre, front right,
surround left, surround right, surround back left, surround back right
and an active subwoofer (see diagram).
Surr
ound
back left
Surr
ound
back right
Centr
e
Fr
ont
left
Fr
ont
right
Subwoofer
Surr
ound
left
Surr
ound
right
GENERAL
All speakers, with the exception of the subwoofer, should be arranged
around your normal viewing/listening position (see diagram). The
subwoofer can be placed almost anywhere and we recommend
experimenting with it in various positions to obtain the best result.
The configuration and placement of your speakers are very important.
For THX surround EX playback we recommend that you use a THX
speaker system that is certified by Lucasfilm Ltd. If you are not installing
a full THX surround EX system then ignore the instructions regarding
the surround back left and right loudspeakers.
FRONT LEFT AND RIGHT
Position your front left and right speakers to achieve a good stereo
image for normal musical reproduction as well as for the multichannel
modes. If they are placed too close together there will be a lack of
spaciousness; if they are placed too far apart a stereo image will appear
to have a large ‘hole’ in the middle and will be presented in two halves.
If there is no practical alternative to placing the speakers widely apart,
this effect can be overcome in music reproduction by using centre
sound extraction from the left and right speakers (see Dolby ProLogic
II Music Mode).
CENTRE
The centre speaker allows for a more realistic reproduction of
dialogue and centre sounds. The centre speaker should have a similar
tonal balance to the front left and right speakers and be positioned at
a similar height.
SURROUND LEFT AND RIGHT
The surround left and right speakers reproduce the ambient sound
and effects present in a multichannel home cinema system and should
be installed approximately one metre higher than the listener’s ears.
SURROUND BACK LEFT AND RIGHT
The surround back left and right speakers are used to add extra depth
and better sound localisation and should be installed approximately
one metre higher than the listener’s ears. Place the two surround
back speakers such that there is an arc of approximately 150 degrees
between each surround back speaker and the centre speaker. The
surround back speakers should face the front of the room as shown
in the diagram to provide the largest ‘sweet spot’. You will then need
to measure the distance between the two surround back speakers
and set the ‘Advanced Speaker Array’ line of the ‘THX Settings’ menu
accordingly.
SUBWOOFER
A subwoofer will greatly improve the bass performance of your
system. This is useful for reproducing special cinema effects, especially
where a dedicated LFE (Low-Frequency Effects) channel is available, as
with many Dolby Digital or DTS encoded discs.
Multiple subwoofers may be required for larger installations, particularly
in rooms of a timber frame construction. Multiple subwoofers need
care in placement because there may be cancellation effects between
the units. Seek expert advice on multiple subwoofer placement.

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9
DIGITAL AUDIO INPUTS
bp
DVD,
bq
AV,
br
TAPE,
bs
TUNER,
bt
CD,
ck
VCR,
cl
SAT
.
Connect these inputs to the digital ouputs of your available source
equipment.
bs
bt
ck
cl
cm
OUT
TUNER
CD
VCR
SA
T
SATSA
T
APE
TAPET
AV
DVD
bp
bq
br
DIGIT
AL INPUTS
DIGITAL INPUTSDIGIT
Note that each of these seven digital inputs can be individually
allocated to different audio inputs if required, by use of the ‘Digital
Settings’ page of the Setup menu.
Note the AV8 does not contain an RF decoder for Laserdisc with RF
output.
DIGITAL OUTPUT
cm
(Digital)
OUT
. Connect this coaxial digital output to your digital
recording device such as a CD-R, digital VCR or minidisc player.
When a digital source is selected, the digital output will send an exact
copy of the incoming digital signal. For example, for a 5.1 digital source,
the digital output will also be in 5.1 format.
On selecting an analogue source, the digital output will send an SPDIF
format digital signal, encoded with the analogue source material, with
one exception. If Neo:6 Cinema or Music mode is selected, the digital
output will be muted due to the extra processing required for these
modes.
MULTICHANNEL DVD-A/SACD INPUTS
The multichannel input is suitable for use with sources that decode the
surround channels internally, such as DVD-A or SACD players.
The AV8 switches these analogue inputs directly to the analogue
outputs via its own volume control circuit. This direct path maintains
the best possible sound quality for DVD-A and SACD sources.
LEFT
RIGHT
CENTRE
SUB
L SURR
R SURR
RS
BACK
BACK
co
cq
cs
dk
dk
cn
cp
cr
ct
ct
DVD-A/SACD IN
LS
BACK
cn
LEFT,
co
RIGHT,
cp
CENTRE,
cq
SUB,
cr
L SURR,
cs
R SURR
.
Connect these input sockets to the equivalent audio outputs of your
DVD-Audio or SACD player.
ct
LS BACK
, and
dk
RS BACK
. These are available for formats
requiring eight channels. Currently no formats are available requiring
these connections, which are provided for future compatibility.
AUDIO CONNECTIONS
Take care to place the audio cables as far from any power supply
cabling as is practically possible to reduce hum and noise problems.
Connect the analogue outputs from your source devices such as a
DVD player to the analogue inputs as shown:
AUX/
PHONO
MM
MC
TUNER
AV
SA
T
SATSA
DVD
CD
OUT
IN
T
APE
TAPET
VCR
IN
AUDIO
L
R
OUT
6
8
8
9
9
bk
bk
bl
bl
bm
bn
bo
5
4
3
3
7
7
GND
ANALOGUE AUDIO INPUTS
3
TUNER
,
4
CD,
6
TAPE 1N,
8
VCR IN
,
9
AV
,
bk
SAT,
bl
DVD.
Connect the left and right inputs to the left and right outputs
of your source equipment.
bm
AUX/PHONO
. Unless the optional phono card has been installed,
this input will function identically to the other line inputs. For example
it can be connected to a second CD player.
With the optional phono card installed this input can be connected
directly to a record deck. This card is available from your Arcam dealer
and caters for both moving magnet and moving coil cartridges.
bn
MM/MC Switch
. The switch on the back panel marked MM/MC
is used to select the correct sensitivity to match the cartridge fitted
to the record deck, which is either moving magnet (MM) or moving
coil (MC).
If you are unsure which type of cartridge is fitted to your record deck,
connect the record deck and select the ‘MM’ setting on the switch. If,
when tested, the output from the record deck is very quiet compared
with the CD or DVD inputs then your cartridge is probably a moving
coil type cartridge. Turn the AV8 off and select the ‘MC’ setting on the
switch and test the record deck again.
Please note that if the AV8 is set to ‘MM’ and the record deck has a
‘MC’ cartridge fitted, testing these together will
not
cause any damage
to either the AV8 or the record deck.
bo
GND
. This is the phono earth or ground terminal and is used to
connect to a turntable earth lead (if fitted). Note that this terminal
must not be used as a safety (mains) earth.
ANALOGUE RECORD OUTPUTS
5
TAPE OUT,
7
VCR OUT
. Connect the left and right audio
outputs sockets to the left and right input sockets of your cassette
deck or VCR (usually labelled ‘RECORD’). The VCR connections may
also be used for a second tape deck.

8
9
ANALOGUE PREAMPLIFIER OUTPUTS
All these analogue outputs are buffered, have a low output impedance
and are at line level. They are able to drive long cables or several inputs
in parallel if required.
LEFT
CENTRE
L/SURR
LS/BACK
SUB/2
RIGHT
SUB/1
R/SURR
RS/BACK
SUB/3
dm
do
dq
ds
ek
dl
dn
dp
dr
dt
OUTPUTS
dl
LEFT,
dm
RIGHT,
dn
CENTRE
. Connect these to the equivalent
front channel inputs of your power amplifier.
do
SUB 1.
Main subwoofer output. Connect this to the input of your
active subwoofer, if you have one.
dp
SUB 2,
dq
SUB 3.
Subwoofer auxiliary outputs 2 and 3. These are
equivalent to
do
and allow the use of multiple subwoofers. If you
are using more than one subwoofer, please set the number used on
the subwoofer setting page. Refer to ‘Basic and Advanced Set up’,
‘Subwoofer Settings’.
dr
L SURR.
Surround left output. Connect this output to the surround
left power amplifier input.
ds
R SURR.
Surround right output. Connect this output to the
surround right power amplifier input.
dt
LS BACK,
ek
RS BACK
Surround back left and right outputs (only
used in 7.1 channel systems). Connect these outputs to the inputs of
your LS back and RS back amplifiers.
ZONE 2 CONNECTIONS
The AV8 allows independent routing and control of analogue audio
and composite video to a separate set of equipment, typically used for
a second living space, e.g. bedroom or lounge.
Zone 2 only outputs a signal from the analogue audio and composite
video inputs. The analogue inputs are required because there is no
analogue-to-digital, digital-to-analogue or DSP processing available for
zone 2 signals.
As the AV8 does not convert video formats a composite signal must
also be connected from the source.
For this reason we recommend that source devices that have a digital
connection are also connected to the analogue inputs. High quality
YUV/RGB and S-video sources should also have their composite
output connected to the AV8 for use in zone 2.
ZONE
ZONE
ZONE
ZONE
2
2
2
2
OU
T
gp
gl
gn
gm
go
OUT
OUT
IN
LOCAL
12V
TRIGGER
IN
ZONE
2
REMOTE
ZONE
2
MONITOR OUT
2
1
gr
VIDEO
TRIGGERS
1/RGB
2/S-VIDEO
PROG
gp
ZONE 2 OUT
. Connect these to a line level input on your zone
2 amplifier.
go
IN ZONE 2.
This allows the AV8 to be controlled remotely from
zone 2 via infrared remote control.
A receiver compatible with this connector is available from Xantech
(part no. 291-10). Please contact a Xantech registered dealer for this
part, as ARCAM do not stock them. See
www.xantech.com
for more
information.
The 3.5mm jack plug for this connector is wired as follows:
3.5mm stereo jack
Function
Tip
Signal
Ring
0V
Sleeve
12V, 30mA current-limited
This follows the Xantech standard for IR transmission over wire.
gr
ZONE 2 Composite video connection.
Connect to your zone 2
video display using 75
Ω
low loss coaxial cable.
VIDEO CONNECTIONS
IMPORTANT NOTES
The AV8 has no video format conversion between component, RGB,
S-video or composite.
Wherever possible connect multiple video outputs from your video
sources. This enables use of the higher quality video connection for
the main system and the corresponding S-video and composite
connection for the record and zone 2 outputs.
For any video source to be viewed in zone 2 you must have a
composite video connection between the source and the AV8.
COMPOSITE VIDEO CONNECTIONS
ZONE
2
AV
SA
T
SATSA
MONITOR OUT
DVD
VCR
OUT
2
1
T
APE
TAPET
VIDEO
el
em
en
eo
gr
eq
er
es
ep
fl
fm
fn
fo
fp
fq
et
gs
VCR
IN
VIDEO
TRIGGERS
1/RGB
2/S-VIDEO
PROG
fk
gt
el
MONITOR OUT 1
. Connect this output to the composite video
input of your display device. (You will need an RCA phono-to-phono,
or, in Europe, a phono-to-SCART video cable to do this.)
em
MONITOR OUT 2
. This is the same as
el
MONITOR OUT 1,
and enables a second display device to be used; it can also be used as
a sync reference for a four-wire RGB signal.
ep
VCR IN,
eq
AV,
er
SAT,
es
DVD
. Connect these inputs to the
composite video outputs of your source equipment.
eo
VCR OUT.
Connect to the composite video input of your video
recorder (you will need an RCA phono-to-phono or, in Europe, a
phono-to-SCART video cable to do this).
en
TAPE
. If you are using the tape loop for a second VCR then
connect the composite video from the VCR to this input.
S-VIDEO CONNECTIONS
et
MONITOR OUT
. Connect this to the S-video input of your display
device.

10
11
fn
VCR IN,
fo
AV,
fp
SAT,
fq
DVD
. Connect these inputs to the S-
video outputs of your source equipment.
fm
VCR OUT
. Connect this to the S-video input of your video
recorder.
fl
TAPE
. If you are using the tape loop for a second VCR then connect
the S-video from the VCR to this input.
HIGH QUALITY (COMPONENT) VIDEO
CONNECTIONS
These inputs are suitable for connection to component (YUV/ YCrCb)
or RGB outputs. These signals are usually available from a DVD player,
set-top box or games console and offer the best possible picture
quality.
Generally, the component video standard is used in North America/
NTSC regions, while RGB is used in Europe.
Y/G
U/B
V/R
Y/G
V/R
1
2
V/R
Y/G
U/B
V/R
OUT
3
fr
U/B
Y/G
U/B
U/B
fs
ft
gk
HIGH QUALITY VIDEO
fr
VIDEO 1,
fs
VIDEO 2,
ft
VIDEO 3 INPUTS
. Connect these to
the video outputs of your high quality video sources.
gk
HIGH QUALITY VIDEO OUT
. Connect these sockets to the
component video inputs of your display device.
Important notes about HQ video inputs and outputs
When you connect your devices to these connectors, take care to
follow the letter/colour coding for each input. No damage will occur
if incorrectly connected, but unusually coloured or unstable pictures
will result.
In the ‘Video Settings’ setup menu, each of these three high quality
component video inputs can be individually allocated to one of the
following inputs:
DVD
,
SAT
,
TUNER
,
TAPE
,
CD
,
VCR
or
AV
.
You cannot mix component and RGB sources.
The high quality component video inputs have sufficient bandwidth for
line-doubled NTSC (525/60) or PAL (625/50) video and US HDTV
video signals. However, when used with such signals the OSD is not
overlaid on the picture but is output at standard interlaced NTSC or
PAL (525 or 625 line) rate on a solid background.
Initially, the high quality video inputs are all disabled. Before any HQ
video input can be selected it must be allocated to an input.
RGB 4-wire connection
Some video projectors and most European TV sets require the use of
a 4-wire RGB connection, where the ‘sync’ signal is separate from RGB.
In this case, you need to use the composite video MONITOR OUT 2
for the sync information. A special cable is available from your dealer
for 4-wire RGB connection (refer to the table of SCART connections
at the back of the manual).
CONTROL CONNECTIONS
gl
gn
gm
go
OUT
OUT
IN
LOCAL
12V
TRIGGER
IN
ZONE
2
REMOTE
GROUND
LIFT (IN)
RS232
CONTROL
85 – 265VAC
MAX 40VA
gq
gq
gn
IN LOCAL
. Use with a local IR receiver when the AV8 front panel
IR receiver is obstructed.
go
IN ZONE 2
. This allows the AV8 to be controlled remotely from
zone 2 via infrared remote control.
A receiver compatible with this connector is available from Xantech
(part no. 291-10). Please contact a Xantech registered dealer for this
part, as ARCAM do not stock them. See
www.xantech.com
for more
information.
The 3.5mm jack plug for this connector is wired as follows:
3.5mm stereo jack
Function
Tip
Signal
Ring
0V
Sleeve
12V, 30mA current-limited
This follows the Xantech standard for IR transmission over wire.
Connect to a remote IR receiver in zone 2 to allow control of the
AV8 from zone 2.
gl
(REMOTE) OUT
. This enables control of the source components
remotely from zone 2 or zone 1 using the local input. Control is
possible by either connecting to the source devices via the 3.5mm IR
jack (Arcam units only) or using an IR emitter stuck to the centre of
the IR sensor window on the source component (such as a Xantech
283MW mini emitter).
gq
RS232 CONTROL
Use with control devices having an RS232
serial port (for example, Crestron and AMX touch screen controllers).
This connection is also used for upgrading control software. See the
sections at the end of this manual for control and programming
information.
TRIGGER OUTPUTS
There are three trigger output sockets on the AV8, each of which is a
3.5mm stereo jack with two contacts, ‘tip’ and ‘ring’. See the tables for
technical information on the trigger outputs.
gm
12V TRIGGER
. Use for remotely turning on and off power amps
or source equipment for the main zone and zone 2.
3.5mm stereo jack
Function
Voltage
Tip
Main zone on
On = 12V, 30mA
Off = 0V
Ring
Zone 2 on
On = 12V, 30mA
Off = 0V
Sleeve
Ground
0V