Hymn Technology HT-300 Hymnal Plus User manual

Welcome 1
Welcome
Congratulations on the purchase of your new Hymn Technology HT-300 Hymnal Plus . You now have immediate
access to thousands of hymns, worship songs and incidental tunes without the need for any musical knowledge.
Repertoire
Choose from the onboard Library of thousands of tunes (expandable)
Play user-supplied standard MIDI files+
Play user-supplied MP3 compressed audio files+
Index
Select tunes directly from the entire onboard Library or choose a favorite hymn book from the Book Index
list (expandable) and enter familiar hymn numbers.
Search
Look up tunes in the Library by first line or tune name using the onboard search function.
Customize to suit your congregation
Change the tempo (speed)
Change the key (pitch)
Change the number of verses
Orchestrate
Choose from hundreds of high-quality onboard sounds, or just select one of the many professionally
orchestrated preset musical Styles.
Organise
Select a tune, customize it, orchestrate it and then add it to a Play List ahead of time, ready for the service.
Play Lists can hold any number of Library tunes, MIDI files and MP3 files.+*
Store as many different Playlists as you like+*–you can even name them for later identification.
+Using the compact flash memory card *Limited only by available memory
In some instances the arrangement of a particular tune may not exactly match the version contained in your hymn book. The HT-300 uses a
core of nearly 2000 recordings to cover many others. Consequently, tunes whose arrangements differ only slightly may still be referenced to
one recording.
Copying or broadcast transmission of copyright music contained in the HT-300 is strictly prohibited.
The illustrations and LCD screenshots shown in this manual are intended as a guide only, and may differ from those in your unit.

2Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Welcome............................................... 1
Table of Contents ................................... 2
1. How to use this guide .......................... 4
2. Let's play a tune .................................. 5
3. Setting Up.......................................... 6
LCD TOUCH SCREEN PRECAUTIONS ....................................6
OPENING THE STAND...........................................................6
CONNECTING THE AC POWER ADAPTOR ............................6
INSERTING THE COMPACT FLASH MEMORY CARD ...............7
REMOVING THE COMPACT FLASH MEMORY CARD ..............7
INSTALLING THE OPTIONAL BATTERY PACK ..........................7
CHARGING THE OPTIONAL BATTERY PACK ..........................8
ATTACHING THE OPTIONAL QWERTY TYPING KEYBOARD....8
CONNECTING HEADPHONES ..............................................9
CONNECTING A MICROPHONE...........................................9
CONNECTING EXTERNAL AMPLIFICATION............................9
DISCONNECTING EXTERNAL AMPLIFICATION.....................10
CONNECTING A PROJECTOR OR TV MONITOR.................10
CONNECTING THE OPTIONAL PSALM PLAYER TRIGGER .....10
4. Getting Started ................................. 11
USE OF THE TOUCH SCREEN .............................................11
TURN THE UNIT ON............................................................11
SELECT A HYMN FROM THE LIBRARY ...................................12
Select a hymn book............................................................12
Select a hymn ....................................................................12
PLAY A HYMN .....................................................................13
Introduction .......................................................................13
Ritardando ........................................................................13
Amen ................................................................................13
Start playback....................................................................13
Alter the volume.................................................................13
Pause playback..................................................................14
Fade out playback .............................................................14
PLAY THE DEMO .................................................................14
THROUGH-RECORDED TUNES............................................14
5. The Remote Control Handset.............. 15
WHAT’S IT FOR?.................................................................15
WHAT CAN I DO WITH IT?..................................................15
Add an Introduction ...........................................................15
Start/Pause playback..........................................................15
Adjust the Volume ..............................................................15
Select a hymn number........................................................15
Select a Style .....................................................................15
Select a Play List.................................................................15
Select an item in the currently selected Play List ....................15
Cancel ..............................................................................16
Alter the Number of Verses .................................................16
Add a Ritardando to the End of a Tune................................16
Fade Music In or Out .........................................................16
Raise or Lower the Pitch......................................................16
Alter the Tempo .................................................................16
Turn Video Output On/Off.................................................16
Add a Metronome Click..................................................... 16
Add an Amen.................................................................... 16
Modify the Soprano, Alto, Tenor and Bass parts................... 16
THE ORCHESTRATOR ......................................................... 17
6. The Tune Library ............................... 18
Traditional Hymns ............................................................. 18
Modern Worship Music...................................................... 18
Incidental Music ................................................................ 19
Different versions of the same tune ..................................... 19
7. Book Indexes.................................... 20
WHAT IS A BOOK INDEX?.................................................. 20
SELECTING A BOOK INDEX ................................................ 20
Do I have to use a Book Index?.......................................... 20
SEARCHING FOR HYMNS................................................... 21
How do I find a hymn if I don’t know its number?................ 21
Search Results ................................................................... 21
8. Styles .............................................. 22
WHAT IS A STYLE?.............................................................. 22
SELECTING A STYLE............................................................ 22
Applying a Style................................................................. 22
Preset Organ Styles ........................................................... 23
Preset Orchestral Styles...................................................... 23
Preset Combination Styles .................................................. 23
USER STYLES....................................................................... 24
Selecting Sounds ............................................................... 25
Changing the Volume, Chorus and Pan of a Sound............. 25
Selecting parts................................................................... 26
Adding a Drum Rhythm...................................................... 26
Saving User Styles.............................................................. 27
Renaming User Styles......................................................... 27
Deleting User Styles ........................................................... 28
THE CUSTOM STYLE........................................................... 29
SETTING THE DEFAULT STYLE ............................................. 29
9. Play Lists .......................................... 30
WHAT IS A PLAY LIST?......................................................... 30
WHY USE THE PLAY LIST FEATURE?..................................... 30
CREATE A NEW PLAY LIST.................................................... 30
ADD ITEMS TO A NEW PLAY LIST ........................................ 31
PERFORM A PLAY LIST......................................................... 31
EDIT A PLAY LIST ................................................................. 32
Add items to the end of a Play List............................. 32
Insert additional items anywhere in a Play List ............ 32
Delete items from a Play List ..................................... 32
Change the play order of items in a Play List.............. 32
Edit items in a Play List ............................................. 33
DELETE A PLAY LIST............................................................. 33
EXIT FROM A PLAY LIST ....................................................... 33
CONTINUOUS PLAY........................................................... 33
NAME OR RENAME A PLAY LIST .......................................... 33
10. Playing Standard Midi Files............... 34
WHAT ARE MIDI FILES?....................................................... 34
ARE MIDI FILES ANY GOOD?.............................................. 34

Table of Contents 3
MIDI FILES AND THE HT-300 ...............................................34
SELECTING A MIDI FILE.......................................................35
CONTROLLING PLAYBACK OF A MIDI FILE..........................35
Start playback....................................................................35
Pause playback..................................................................36
Stop playback....................................................................36
Fade out playback .............................................................36
11. Playing MP3 files............................. 37
WHAT ARE MP3 FILES?........................................................37
ARE MP3 FILES ANY GOOD?..............................................37
MP3 FILES AND THE HT-300 ...............................................37
SELECTING AN MP3 FILE.....................................................37
CONTROLLING PLAYBACK OF AN MP3 FILE .......................38
Start playback....................................................................38
Pause playback..................................................................38
Stop playback....................................................................38
Fade out playback .............................................................38
12. The Options Screen......................... 39
CHANGING PARAMETER VALUES ........................................39
Master Volume ..................................................................39
Equalizer ...........................................................................39
Internal Speakers On/Off...................................................39
Microphone On/Off ..........................................................40
Microphone Level ..............................................................40
Video Type ........................................................................40
Video OSD’s (On Screen Displays)......................................40
Reverb Type.......................................................................40
Reverb Volume ..................................................................40
Reverb Time ......................................................................40
Chorus Volume..................................................................40
Metronome On/Off ...........................................................40
13. Entering Text .................................. 41
14. Lyrics and Slides (optional feature)..... 42
TEXT FILES AND THE HT-300 ...............................................42
CREATING LYRICS AND SLIDES............................................42
FOLDERS ............................................................................43
Create a new folder ...........................................................43
Delete a folder...................................................................44
FORMATTING LYRICS..........................................................44
ENTERING TEXT DIRECTLY ON-SCREEN...............................45
SAVING LYRICS AND SLIDES................................................45
CREATE A TEXT FILE USING A PC.........................................46
EDIT AN EXISTING TEXT FILE ON-SCREEN............................47
PLAY A HYMN WITH DISPLAYED LYRICS ...............................48
DISPLAY A SLIDE..................................................................48
15. The Psalm Player (optional feature).... 50
PSALM STRUCTURE .............................................................50
PSALMS ARE DIFFERENT TO HYMNS....................................50
SELECTING A CHANT..........................................................50
Select a chant (tune) for your chosen psalm .........................51
Start playback....................................................................51
Appendix ............................................. 53
i. Using the compact flash memory card .. 53
INSERTING AND REMOVING THE COMPACT FLASH CARD. 53
WHAT IS IT FOR?............................................................... 53
CONNECTING THE COMPACT FLASH CARD TO A PC ....... 54
FOLDERS............................................................................ 54
ii. Creating MP3 files............................. 55
WHAT DO I NEED?............................................................ 55
WHAT CAN I CONVERT TO MP3?...................................... 55
TRANSFER AN MP3 FILE TO THE COMPACT FLASH CARD ... 55
iii. Metrical indexes - and why you might
want to know about them....................... 56
iv. Troubleshooting ............................... 57
v. Glossary .......................................... 58
vi. Specifications ................................... 59
Index................................................... 60

4How to use this guide
1. How to use this guide
Safety Precautions (inside front cover)
Take a moment to read through the safety precautions before you start.
Let’s play a tune (page 5)
Play a tune immediately –after all, that is what the HT-300 is designed to do!
Glossary (page 58)
Familiarity with a few basic terms will help as you explore the HT-300.
Setting Up (page 6)
Follow the instructions to set up your HT-300 and connect external equipment.
Basics (page 11)
This section covers the essentials of using the HT-300, from selecting Library tunes to changing the sound.
Reference Section (page 18)
Here’s where you can find out how to really get the best out of the HT-300. Divided into individual topics, the
Reference Section covers all aspects of use. Find out what each function of the HT-300 does and how to use it
effectively.
Troubleshooting (page 57)
Answers to commonly asked questions. Please consult this section before calling for technical support.
Icons
Throughout this guide, icons are used to highlight various points of information:

Tips and hints

This feature is easier with, or requires,
the optional qwerty typing keyboard

Important information

This feature requires the Video Display
Option to be installed
This feature is also available
from the remote control handset
This feature uses the compact flash
memory card

Let’s play a tune 5
2. Let's play a tune
Now that you’ve got your HT-300, you are probably eager to play some music. Here’s how to do it in just 5
steps:
1. Plug the AC power adaptor into the HT-300 (and a wall socket!) and turn the unit on. The on/off switch
is on the back.
2. Wait until the main menu appears on the LCD screen, and then press the PLAY key.
3. We are going to use the popular tune Great is Thy Faithfulness for our example. In the HT-300’s
Master Index of tunes this is number 54, so enter 54 on the number pad and press the NEXT key.
4. The PLAY screen will appear. You are now ready to play the tune Great is Thy Faithfulness . If you want
it to start with a musical introduction, press the INTRO key so that it changes to a check mark ().
5. Press the START key to play the music.
Press these on-screen keys to:

VERSES +/-
Alter the number of verses

PITCH +/-
Change the pitch (key)

TEMPO +/-
Change the tempo (speed)

BREAK +/-
Adjust the break (the pause between verses)

RIT
Add a ritardando (a gradual slowing of the speed) at the end of the last verse

AMEN
Add an Amen after the end of the last verse
To change the sound coming out, press the STYLE key and choose another of the HT-300’s many preset musical
Styles.

If you would like to play some more tunes immediately, skip straight to Section 4: Getting Started on
page 11

6Setting Up
3. Setting Up
LCD touch screen precautions
NEVER place the unit face down, unless on a soft cloth, to prevent scratching of the LCD touch screen.
Opening the stand
Gently flex the ears of the stand slightly outwards, away from the case, to release the
retaining lugs. Only very slight flexing is required.
Open the stand out to the full extent of its travel.
Lie the unit back until it is resting on the stand legs.
To close the stand, support the unit and swing the stand back in against the case. When fully closed the
retaining lugs will snap back into place.
Connecting the AC power adaptor
Connect the AC power adaptor to the DC IN connector on the HT-300.

It is best to use the AC power adaptor whenever mains power is available. Use only the supplied AC
power adaptor.

Setting Up 7
Connect the mains lead to the AC power adaptor.
Plug the mains lead into a wall socket.
Inserting the compact flash memory card
Place the HT-300 on a flat surface, with the LCD screen facing up. The compact flash card slot is on the left
hand side of the unit.
Examine the edges of the compact flash card. One edge has two rows of small holes along it, like this:
This edge MUST be inserted into the slot first.
The compact flash card MUST be inserted upside down (it won’t go in up the other way, so never try to force it).
Examine the side edges of the card. When positioned the correct way up for insertion into the slot, they will look
like this:
Ensure that the HT-300 is switched off. Once the correct orientation of the card has been established, gently
push the card fully into the slot (at which point its outer edge will be flush with the edge of the slot). The card
eject button will appear next to the card, and will be level with it, when the card is fully inserted.
Removing the compact flash memory card
Ensure that the HT-300 is switched off. Using a suitably sized, blunt tool (e.g. the tip of a ball point pen) gently
push the card eject button. The card will slide out of the slot.
Withdraw the card.
Installing the optional battery pack
An optional rechargeable NiMH (nickel metal hydride)
battery pack is available for the HT-300, for use when it is
not practical to plug in the AC power adaptor. To install or
replace the battery pack, follow this procedure:
Remove the battery cover (located on the bottom of the unit):
1. Push lightly down on the battery cover latch.
2. Slide the cover out to the side.
The supplied compact flash memory card MUST be plugged into the HT-300 for the unit to function.
The HT-300 is supplied with the compact flash memory card already inserted. For normal basic
operation you will not need to remove it.
When connected, the AC power adaptor provides power for the HT-300 even if a battery pack is
installed. The HT-300 is only ever powered by an installed battery pack when the AC power adaptor
is disconnected.

8Setting Up
Connect the battery pack:
Push the battery connector plug onto the connector in the battery compartment. The connectors are designed so
that they will only click together when correctly aligned. If they won’t click together easily reverse one connector
and try again. Excessive force is not required.
Insert the battery pack:
Lower the battery pack into the battery compartment.
Ensure the battery cables will not obstruct the battery cover.
Replace the battery cover:
Align the battery cover to the slots in the case and gently slide the cover back on until the latch clicks.
Charging the optional battery pack
Unlike older NiCad designs, the HT-300’s optional NiMH battery pack suffers no memory effect and may be
repeatedly re-charged from a partly discharged state without loss of performance. The HT-300 has built-in
safety features to prevent over-charging and/or over-heating.
To charge an installed battery pack, simply connect the AC power adaptor as above (Connecting the AC power
adaptor). Then whenever mains power is being supplied to the AC power adaptor the battery is being charged.
There is no need to turn on the HT-300 itself. However, whenever the HT-300 is in use (powered by the AC
power adaptor) background charging of an installed battery pack takes place.
The red CHARGE LED (labeled CHG) on the front panel will light in normal use while the battery pack is being
charged. The CHARGE LED will go out when the battery pack is fully charged.
A new battery pack may initially take up to 4 hours to reach full charge and will require cycling (i.e.
charging/depleting) several times before it reaches its optimum performance. A fully charged battery pack will
provide several hours of music use at a moderate volume level. This will be reduced if higher volumes are used,
or increased if the internal speakers are turned off (see Section 12: The Options Screen).
Unless battery charging is required, always un-plug the AC power adaptor from both the HT-300 and the wall
socket when not in use.
Attaching the optional QWERTY typing keyboard 
Ensure that the HT-300 is switched off. Locate the keyboard socket on the rear of the HT-300 (labeled KYBD).
Examine the end of the plug on the HTKB-1 QWERTY typing keyboard’s cable. When the plug is the correct way
up to go into the KYBD socket on the back of the HT-300, it will look like this:
The plug will only go in when the correct way up. Never try to force the plug
into the socket.

Battery low warning
When running the HT-300 off the battery pack, inevitably the power in the pack will eventually
become depleted. When this situation is approaching, the HT-300 will show a warning message.
Turn off the HT-300 as soon as possible and charge the battery pack.

Setting Up 9
Connecting headphones
Ensure that the HT-300 is switched off.
Locate the headphone socket on the rear of the HT-300 (labeled PHONES).
Gently insert the headphone jack plug fully into the headphone socket.
Turn on the HT-300. Turn the volume down to zero.
Put on the headphones and then adjust the volume to a comfortable level.
Connecting a microphone
Ensure that the HT-300 is switched off. Locate the microphone socket on the rear of the HT-300 (labeled MIC
IN).
Gently insert the microphone jack plug fully into the microphone socket.
Turn on the HT-300.
Open the OPTIONS screen and adjust the microphone volume to zero (see Section 12: The Options Screen).
Turn on the microphone input (see Section 12: The Options Screen).
Adjust the microphone volume to a comfortable level.
Connecting external amplification
The HT-300 has small built-in speakers, designed for use when auditioning tunes and for portable use (carol
singing etc). However, you will probably want to play the HT-300 through external amplification.
Ensure that both the HT-300 and the external amplifier are switched off.
Connect suitable audio cables from the left and right audio outputs on the back of the HT-300 to the amplifier.
Make a note of where the volume control on the external amplifier is usually set, and then turn it down to zero.
Do not turn the external amplifier on yet.
Turn on the HT-300. Turn its volume down to zero.
Turn on the external amplifier and gradually increase its volume control until it is back to where it is normally set
(in this manner any other items already connected to the external amplifier, e.g. microphones, will still appear at
their normal volume).
Adjust the volume of the HT-300 until a comfortable level is reached.
The audio outputs on the back of the HT300 are pre-amp , so to use these you will need an external
amplifier and speaker(s). Sometimes these are built into one box, known as a powered speaker .
Always connect both audio outputs on the back of the HT-300 to the external amplifier. If your
amplifier/speaker equipment is mono, you will need a need a Y-connector cable to merge the two
outputs together.

Inserting the headphone jack plug does not automatically turn off the internal speakers. These are
turned on and off in the OPTIONS screen (see Section12: The Options Screen).

10 Setting Up
Disconnecting external amplification
Always disconnect external amplification in this order:
Turn the volume of the external amplification down to zero.
Turn off the external amplification.
Turn off the HT-300.
Disconnect the audio cables.
Connecting a projector or TV monitor 
Only applicable if the Video Display Option is installed.
Ensure that the HT-300 is switched off. Locate the video socket on the rear of the HT-300 (labeled VIDEO).
Using a suitable video cable, gently insert the video RCA phono plug fully into the video socket.
Turn on the HT-300.
Open the OPTIONS screen and check that:
oVIDEO ENABLE is set to YES
oVIDEO TYPE is set appropriately for your country (PAL is used in the UK and throughout most
of the world. NTSC is used predominantly in the USA, Canada, Japan and Mexico)
oVIDEO OSD’s is set to your preference (see Section 12: The Options Screen)
Connecting the optional Psalm Player trigger
Only applicable if the Psalm Player Option is installed.
Ensure that the HT-300 is switched off. Locate the psalm trigger socket on the rear of the HT-300 (labeled
PSALM).
Gently insert the psalm trigger plug fully into the psalm socket.
Turn on the HT-300.
If you are unable to obtain any undistorted sound from the HT-300 through your external
amplification, even at very low volumes, then you may have plugged the HT-300 into an unsuitable
input on the external amplifier. The HT-300 is equipped with line level audio outputs which, in turn,
need line level inputs on any external amplification (such as those used to connect a CD player or
cassette player). Microphone inputs are generally not suitable for connection of the HT-300, although
often a DI (Direct Injection) box can be used to overcome this. Consult your sound equipment installer
for further information.