Parasound P/DD-1550 Installation and operating instructions

1
ADDENDUM
P/DD-1550 Digital Surround Decoder
Re-EQ

2
Delay Time
On-Off
P/DD-1550 Digital Surround Decoder
RF Toslink 1 2Coaxial 2 Channel Dialog
Norm
Auto Format
Pro Logic 5.1 Channel Dynamic
Range
Re-EQ
Cinema Delay
Center
mS
dB
DTS
Re-EQ
LFE
L C R
LS RS
P/DD-1550
Digital Surround Decoder
Parasound Products, Inc.
San Francisco, CA USA
Power Consumption: 70 W
AC 120 V 60 Hz
CAUTION
RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK
DO NOT OPEN
ToslinkCoaxial 2Coaxial 1
RF Input
Digital Inputs
Manufactured under license from Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation. "Dolby", "Pro Logic", and the double-D symbol are trademarks of Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation. Copyright 1992 Dolby Laboratories, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Manufactured under license from LucasFilm Ltd.U.S. Patent Numbers 5,043,970; 5,189,703; and 5,222,059. Foreign patents pending.
Re -EQ
2 Channel Audio Output
5.1 Analog Output & Control LFE/ Bass ManagementLS / RS Channels
Small Speakers Bass Filter On Large Speakers Bass Filter Off
Center Channel Speaker
Subwoofer On, No Filter Subwoofer Output = LFE Only Subwoofer Output On, No Filter Sub Out = LFE + 5 Channels Mixed Subwoofer Output Off LFE & C, LS, RS, Bass Frequencies Mixed with L, R Channels
No Speaker Phantom Mode Small Speaker Bass Filter On
External
Remote
Re -EQ
TM
Manufactured under license from DTS Technology LLC. Additionally licensed under the following US Patent 5,451,942 & National Patent applications derived from PCT/US95/00959. Additional U.S. and foreign patents pending. "DTS" "digital surround", and "coherent acoustics" logos are trademarks of DTS technology LLC. All rights reserved.
CAUTION: TO PREVENT ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOTREMOVE COVER. NO USER SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE. REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED SERVICE PERSONNEL.

3
Parasound P/DD-1550 Owner’s Manual Addendum
The P/DD-1550 is an upgraded version of the P/DD-1500. The main difference between these two units
is the addition of DTS decoding circuitry. Otherwise, all the instructions from the P/DD-1500 manual
are applicable.
5.1 Channel Auto Format - Dolby Digital Decoding
If the source you are playing was encoded with 5.1 channel Dolby Digital, the P/DD-1550 will
automatically select Dolby Digital decoding.The green LED above the 5.1 ChannelAuto Format button
and all of the amber L, C, R, LS, RS, LFE channel indicators will illuminate to indicate 5.1 channel
Dolby Digital.
5.1 Channel Auto Format - DTS Decoding
If the source you are playing was encoded with 5.1 channel DTS, the P/DD-1550 will automatically
select DTS decoding. The green LED above the 5.1 Channel Auto Format button, all of the amber
channel indicators, and the red DTS indicator will illuminate to indicate 5.1 channel DTS. The new red
DTS indicator replaces the Lock indicator explained on page 10 of the P/DD-1500 Owner’s Manual. By
design, DTS decoding requires full range frequencies for all channels without the bass management
used for Dolby Digital. If your speakers are not designed to handle bass frequencies below 100 Hz, use
caution when playing DTS encoded material at high volume levels to avoid distortion or damage.
Pro Logic Surround
If the source material you want to listen to was encoded in Dolby Surround (LT, RTmatrix) you can
decode the signal into Dolby Pro Logic by selecting this mode. You can also use this mode to hear
surround effects with unencodedtwo channel material.Whenyou select this mode, the L,C,R indicators
will light amber. However, the LS and RS indicators will now light red instead of amber to indicate the
surround channels are mono which is standard for Pro Logic, and the LFE indicator will remain off. If
the program material has been encoded in either 5.1 channel Dolby Digital or DTS, the Pro Logic mode
will not operate because the P/DD-1550 automatically selects superior 5.1 discrete surround.
Two Channel
If the P/DD-1550 detects a two channel Dolby Digital or PCM or signal from the source,it automatically
selects the two channel mode. You can also manually select two channel while playing 5.1 channel
encoded material if you want to route the center, and surround channels to the front left and right
channels only. This is called “downmixing”. You can easily downmix a 5.1 Dolby Digital or DTS
encoded signal by pressing the 2 Channel button.
Notes on DTS Decoding
DTS encoded laserdiscs will play properly on laserdisc players equipped with RF outputs. Currently
released DTS encoded music CDs are encoded with a PCM audio bitstream and should play properly
on most first generation DVD players. However, first and second generation DVD players will not play
DTS encoded DVD movies when they become available. This is because the ability to read the DTS
data stream “identifier flag” was not built into these DVD players. Consequently, no DTS decoder,
including the P/DD-1550, can decode DTS discs from first or second generation DVD players. DVD
players that are “DTS-ready” will have an “DTS Digital Out” logo on the front panel. Consult your
dealer to determine whether your DVD player can play DTS encoded CDs and DVDs properly. See
page for 4 of this addendum for frequently asked questions about DTS DVDs and CDs.

4
The following information obtained from DTS’s web site (www.dtstech.com) in April,1998 answers many
questions regarding DTS equipped DVD players and DTS encoded DVDs and CDs:
When will DTS-encoded DVD titles begin to enter the market?
The first release of DTS-encoded DVD titles is targeted for the 2nd quarter of 1998, to coincide with the arrival of the first
‘DTS Digital Out’DVD players. A detailed explanation of the initial titles and street dates is currently being finalized.
Which companies will offer ‘DTS-ready’DVD players, and when?
Announcements have already been made by Panasonic and Yamaha (for 2nd quarter 1998 delivery), and several other
manufacturers will soon announce new DVD models targeted for summer and fall shipments. The DVD players that are
‘DTS-ready’will have an official ‘DTS Digital Out’logo on the front face panel.
Are current DVD players capable of playing the upcoming DTS-encoded DVD titles?
None of the DVD players presently on the market are able to play the DTS-encoded multi-channel soundtrack, including the
Sony 7000.At the same time, you will still be able to play these discs on current DVD players, but only with the alternate
PCM or Dolby Digital soundtrack.
Why does a DTS-encoded music CD play on current DVD players, but not the DTS soundtrack of a DVD?
For compact discs and laserdiscs, there is only one digital audio data stream (PCM). The player does not need to know
whether the data is DTS-encoded or not; it simply plays whatever is there and sends it to the digital output. DVD, on the
other hand, allows for several different digital audio formats, more than one of which can be found on the disc simultaneously.
The player must now recognize the various bit streams as being DTS, Dolby, PCM, etc.; choose the one the user wants; and
present it properly at the output. This ability to read the DTS data stream ‘identifier’was not built into present players.
But I have seen the Sony and other current players play the DTS demonstration DVDs.
As a way to demonstrate the picture and sound quality you can expect on DTS DVDs, a limited quantity of demo discs were
specially produced to play on some of the current players. This procedure, however, cannot be utilized for commercially
saleable product, as previously explained.
Can I get a copy of the DTS demonstration DVD?
Unfortunately, no. The demonstrations DVDs were produced in very small quantities, for dealer and trade show use only.
However, you can see and hear them at stores where DTS Digital Surround is being demonstrated.
Will it be possible to upgrade existing DVD players to recognize the new DTS-encoded data stream?
Currently, there are no upgrade announcements for DVD players that are already on the market. This is a question that can
only be answered decisively by the player manufacturers or other companies that offer aftermarket modifications.
Parasound Products, Inc. 950 Battery Street, San Francisco, CA 94111
415-397-7100 / FAX [phone] www.parasound.com
© 1997 Parasound Products, Inc.