Harman Kardon AVR 745 Quick start guide

Harman Kardon is pleased to offer
this software upgrade to improve the
audio and video performance of your
AVR 745. Unlike many consumer
audio products that are designed with
“fixed” memory, the Harman Kardon®
AVR 745 features flash memory,
which makes it possible to upgrade
the unit’s internal software through a
standard USB port when required. To
install the upgrade, please follow the
instructions on this sheet. If you have
any questions, consult our Web site
at www.harmankardon.com.
Important Note:
This software is specially designed for
use with the Harman Kardon AVR 745
receiver. Use with any other models or
brands may cause damage to the product.
DO NOT USE THIS SOFTWARE WITH
ANY PRODUCTS OTHER THAN THE
HARMAN KARDON AVR 745.
System Requirements
Toinstall the upgrade, you will need a standard
USB “Type Ato Mini Type B” cable. The cable
supplied with your AVR 745 to connect the
TC 30 remote to a computer for programming
may be used for this purpose.
You will also need access to a computer that is
close enough to be connected to the
AVR being upgraded. The minimum system
requirements for the computer are:
•Processor: Intel®Pentium®II processor or
equivalent, or higher
• Operating system: Windows®2000 SP4
or higher, Windows XP or Windows
Vista®system
•Hard-drive space: 10MB available
• System RAM: 128MB
•CD-ROM drive (when using upgrade disc only)
•USB port
Installation Instructions
Upgrading your AVR 745 is easy, but for
the upgrade to work properly, it is important
to precisely follow the instructions below.
PLEASE READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS
CAREFULLY BEFORE PROCEEDING.
•If you are using files downloaded from the
Harman Kardon Web site to upgrade the
AVR 745, use Windows Explorer or any
other file management program to locate
the folder where you have downloaded the
upgrade file. Click on the file named
“AVR745Upgrade.exe.” When you do this,
the file will automatically unpack all of the
files needed to upgrade your AVR 745.
•If you are installing the upgrade from a
CD-ROM, insert the disc in your computer’s
CD-ROM drive.
•Upgrading your AVR 745 will erase all system
memories. This means that any configuration
settings or tuner presets that you have entered
will be lost. To make it easier to re-establish
the settings after completing the upgrade, you
may wish to write down your current system
configurations using the worksheets that are
included with this software package. To print
those worksheets, use Windows Explorer or
another file management program to locate
the Worksheets.pdf file in the directory where
the upgrade files have been saved. Click on
the file to open it with Adobe®Reader®soft-
ware and then print copies as needed.
• Make certain that the Main Power switch
(behind the front-panel door) on your AVR is
turned off, and then connect the USB cable
to your computer and to the jack on the
rear panel of your AVR.
•Press in the Main Power switch on your AVR,
but leave the receiver in Standby mode.
•Locate the directoryfor the downloaded
files or CD-ROM and click on the file named
“HK_Upgrader.exe.” It should be easy
to recognize,as there will be a small
Harman Kardon logo near the file name,
depending on the display mode for your
file manager.
•Anew window will open on your computer
screen when the Loader program starts.
Click NEXT to proceed.
• The next screen contains the End User
License Agreement that covers the software
upgrade. Please read this important docu-
ment, using the scroll bar on the right side
of the window to move down through the
copy. If you agree to the terms of the
agreement, click IACCEPT to proceed;
otherwise, click IDECLINE to cancel the
upgrade and exit the Loader program.
•Enter the serial number of your receiver in the
spaces provided on the next screen, making
sure to enter any capital letters exactly as you
see them on the serial number label. Do not
enter the dash between the two parts of the
serial number, but do divide the number to
the left and right of the dash provided in the
on-screen boxes. Click NEXT after the serial
number has been entered.
• If the serial number is correct, the program
will proceed to a screen where you select
the type of upgrade. To properly load the
new software, it is important that the DSP
memorybeupgraded first. Click DSP;
ascreen will appear, with the model number
of your AVR and the upgrade type shown
at the top of the message window. Click
NEXT to continue.
• On the next screen, click BROWSE to open
afile finder window so that you may select
the “.DSP” file to use for this upgrade. Click
on the file so that it is highlighted and then
click OPEN;confirm that the file name
appears in the window.
• Before proceeding to the next screen, you
must put the AVR 745 in a special DSP
Upgrade mode.Todo this, press and hold
the Surr Mode and Tone Mode buttons on
the front panel. (Surr Mode is the first but-
ton on the left on the front panel; Tone
Mode is the first button on the left in the
row of round buttons below the flip-down
door on the front panel.) As you hold the
buttons, a DSP REBOOT message will briefly
appear in the lower line of the front-panel
display,followed by a DSP UPGRADE mes-
sage in the upper line of the display. When
DSP UPGRADE appears, you may release
the buttons.Click NEXT to continue.
HARMAN KARDON®AVR 745
SOFTWARE UPGRADE INSTRUCTIONS

•Read the important instructions at the top of
the next screen, noting that the upgrade
process takes up to 10 minutes. You should
NOT turn off either the AVR or the computer
while the upgrade is in progress. Click NEXT
when you are ready to start the upgrade.
Important Note:
Once the upgrade starts, it is important
that you do not interrupt it by turning
your AVR off or by exiting the upgrade
program on your computer. Doing so may
cause the upgrade to fail and possibly
damage your receiver.
•The upgrade will begin immediately; as it
proceeds, you will see messages in the win-
dow describing the upgrade steps. A progress
bar will also appear to give you an indication
of the upgrade’sstatus. Note that once the
progress bar reaches the far right side of the
screen, it will pause for about 90 seconds
while WAITING FOR THE DSP TO COMPLETE
THE FLASHING PROCESS appears inside the
Loader window on your computer monitor. This
delay is a normal part of the upgrade process;
DO NOT exit the program, disconnect the
cable or turn off the AVR during this pause.
•When the DSP upgrade is complete, the
system will automatically move to the next
screen. Follow the steps shown below to
reset your AVR.
••Turn off the Master Power switch, located
behind the front-panel door, by pressing it
in and then releasing it so that it pops out.
••Wait 10 seconds and then turn the Master
Power switch back on by pressing it in so
that it latches.The lighting around the
Standby/On switch will turn amber to
remind you that the unit is in Standby mode.
••Reset the receiver’s processor by pressing
and holding the Surr Mode and Tun Mode
buttons at the far left and right on the
front panel; release them when the unit
turns on and the word RESET appears in
the front-panel display.
• Once the unit has been reset, the next step is
to load the CPU software; there is no need to
check the version number at this time. Click
HOME to continue to the next step.
• At the Home screen, click CPU and the
confirmation screen will appear again, this
time with the message that you are upgrading
the AVR 745’s CPU. Click NEXT to continue.
• On the next screen, click BROWSE to open a
file finder window so that you may select the
“.CPU” file to use for this upgrade. Click on
the file so that it is highlighted and then
click OPEN. When the file finder window
closes and the file name appears, click
NEXT to continue.
• As with the DSP upgrade, the CPU upgrade will
take up to 10 minutes, during which time it is
important that the USB connection between
the computer and the AVR remains connected
and that neither device is turned off. Click
NEXT when you are ready to start the upgrade.
• The upgrade will begin immediately, and a
series of status messages and the progress
bar will appear so that you may monitor the
upgrade’s progress.
• When the CPU upgrade is complete,the
system will automatically move to the next
screen. Follow the steps below to reset your
AVR to complete the upgrade and verify that
the proper software version has been loaded.
••Turn off the Master Power switch, located
behind the front-panel door, by pressing it
in and then releasing it so that it pops out.
••Wait 10 seconds and then turn the Master
Power switch back on by pressing it in
so that it latches. The lighting around the
Standby/On switch will turn amber to
remind you that the unit is in Standby mode.
••Reset the receiver’s processor by pressing
and holding the Surr Mode and Tun
Mode buttons at the far left and right on
the front panel; release them when the
unit turns on and the word RESET
appears in the front-panel display.
••Check the version number for the soft-
ware by pressing the Standby/On switch
to put the unit in Standby mode. Press the
Gbutton at the far right side of the row of
buttons behind the front-panel door.
Release the button when the unit turns
on, and check the front-panel display to
make sure that VERSION 4.30 is dis-
played. After a few seconds, the unit will
return to Standby mode.
• When you have verified the correct software
version, the upgrade is complete and you
may click EXIT to close the Loader program.
• At this time, you may disconnect the USB
cable from your computer and the AVR. The
AVR is now ready for normal operation.
Restoring Settings and Recalibrating
Your Receiver
Since the upgrade and reset process erases
all of the system configuration data and tuner
presets stored in your receiver, it is important
that you reenter that data. Follow the instruc-
tions in your owner’s manual to reenter the
data copied to the worksheet files supplied
with this upgrade package, or to enter new
settings. You should also rerun the EzSet/EQ™
process to recalibrate the system for speaker
settings and room equalization.
CONGRATULATIONS! With the completion of the
upgrade process,your AVR 745 is not only as
good as new – it will perform even better than
when you first bought it. We wish you many years
of happy listening!
250 Crossways Park Drive, Woodbury, NY 11797
www.harmankardon.com
©2008 Harman International Industries, Incorporated. All rights reserved.
Part No.AVR745V4.30INSERT
Harman Kardon is a trademark, and EzSet/EQ is a trademark, of Harman
International Industries, Incorporated, registered in the United States and/or
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Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.
HARMAN KARDON®AVR 745
SOFTWARE UPGRADE INSTRUCTIONS