SAFETY INFORMATION 1. Read these instructions. 2. Keep these instructions. 3. Heed all warnings. 4. Follow all instructions. 5. Do not use this apparatus near water. 6. Clean only with a dry cloth. 7. Do not block any ventilation openings. Install in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.
• Do not obstruct the ventilation slots on the top of the unit, or place objects directly over them. • Due to the weight of the HS 500 and the heat generated by the amplifiers, there is the remote possibility that the rubber padding on the bottom of the unit’s feet may leave marks on certain wood or veneer materials.
INTRODUCTION FRONT-PANEL CONTROLS REAR-PANEL CONNECTIONS REMOTE CONTROL FUNCTIONS INTRODUCTION TO HOME THEATER CONNECTIONS Speaker Connections Subwoofer Connecting External Source Devices to the HS 500 Audio Connections Digital Audio Analog Audio Video Connections Digital Video Connections Analog Video Connections Antennas Remote IR Input and Output...
• Disc recognition for up to 100 discs • Playback control for VCDs • Aspect-ratio adjustment Supplied Accessories The following accessory items are supplied with the HS 500. If any of these items is missing, please contact Harman Kardon customer service at www.harmankardon.com. • System remote control •...
HS 500 is plugged into AC power, the LED turns amber to indicate that the HS 500 is in Standby mode (ready to be turned on). When the HS 500 is turned on (by pressing the Standby/On Switch or one of the Source Selectors on the remote), the LED turns blue.
Remote Infrared (IR) Input and Output: IR sensor on the front panel is blocked, such as when the HS 500 is placed inside a cabinet, connect an optional IR receiver to the Remote IR Input jack for use with the remote control. The Remote IR Output may be connected to the Remote IR Input of a compatible source device (or other product) to enable remote control through the HS 500.
REMOTE CONTROL FUNCTIONS The HS 500 remote is capable of controlling four devices, including the HS 500 with its internal disc player and tuner, as well as a TV and devices connected to the Auxiliary and Digital Audio Inputs. Each time you wish to use the codes for any component, press the Selector button for that component to change the button functions to the correct codes.
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REMOTE CONTROL FUNCTIONS NOTE: To make it easier to follow the instruc- tions throughout the manual that refer to this illustration, a copy of this page may be down- loaded from the Product Support section at www.harmankardon.com.
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Open/Close: Press this button to open or close the disc drawer. If the HS 500 is in standby mode, pressing this button will turn it on. Learn: The HS 500 remote is capable of “learning” individual IR codes from the original remote that came with your TV or a device that is connected to the Auxiliary or Digital Audio Inputs.
“surround sound,” immersing you in the musical or film presentation for increased realism. The HS 500 may have up to five speakers connected to it (plus a subwoofer). Each speaker is powered by its own amplifier channel, and the subwoofer has its own amplifier on board.
There are different types of audio and video connections used to connect the HS 500 to the speakers and video display, and to connect any source devices to the HS 500. To make it easier to keep them all straight, the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) has established a color-coding standard.
However, it’s okay to make both analog and digital audio con- nections at the same time to the same source. The HS 500 allows you to connect different devices to each of the TV and Auxiliary analog audio inputs, and the coaxial or optical digital audio inputs.
When the HS 500 is placed in such a way that aiming the remote at the front-panel IR sensor is difficult, such as inside a cabinet or facing away from the listener, you may connect an external IR receiver, such as the optional Harman Kardon HE 1000, to the Remote IR Input jack.
Before you begin to connect cables, it is important to set up your speakers in their correct locations in the room. Optimally, the speakers should be placed in a circle with the listening position at its center. The distance from the listening position to the video display forms the radius of the circle.
INSTALLATION You are now ready to connect the various components to the HS 500. Before beginning, make sure that all components, including the HS 500, are turned completely off and their power cords are unplugged. Don’t plug any of the power cords back in until you have finished making all of your connections.
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* The HS 500 is only compatible with cameras that output files in the JPEG format. ** The HS 500 is only compatible with video files in the MPEG 2 and AVI formats. Do not connect a PC or other “host” USB device to the HS 500’s USB ports.
USB devices, but not “host” devices, such as your PC. Do not connect your PC to either of the HS 500’s USB ports. The USB 1 port is located on the right side of the HS 500, near the front panel. See Figure 21.
At the factory, the codes to operate the HS 500 are preprogrammed. If you have other source devices in your system, follow these steps to program the correct codes into the remote. 1. Using the codes in Tables A9–A13 of the Appendix, look up the product type (e.g., TV, cable TV box) and the brand name of your...
See Figure 28. Figure 28 – Learning Remote Commands c) Press and hold the button on the HS 500 remote you wish to program with the new code until the Program Indicator remains steadily lit in amber, then release it.
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Using the remote, press any one of these buttons: TV, DISC, RADIO, D-IN, USB 1 or USB 2, the HS 500 will select that source. See Figure 31. Figure 31 – Source Selectors NOTE: Any time you press one of the Input Selectors on the remote (i.e., TV, DISC, RADIO, AUX, D-IN, USB 1 or USB 2),...
HS 500’s splash screen. The last-used source will be selected. If it was the Disc Player, the HS 500 will determine whether a disc is loaded and, if so, begin play. If not, the splash screen will remain.
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Level 8Adult: All DVDs, including adult materials, can be played. Off: Any DVD may be viewed without entering the password. The HS 500 is shipped from the factory with the parental control system unlocked (no password is required to view any DVD), and with the password set to the four-digit code “8888.”...
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“burned” into some display devices. This is particularly important for plasma displays and some CRT devices. Set Screen Saver to ON so that the HS 500 will run the screen saver when no action has been detected for two minutes. Press a desired command key on the front panel or remote to “wake”...
The HS 500 accomplishes this by compressing the audio to a greater or lesser degree, depending on which setting you choose. Three options are available: •...
Although ideally you placed all of your speakers in a circle equidistant from the listening position, we recognize that it isn’t always practical to do so. This setting enables the HS 500 to delay the signal from some speakers by up to 16 mS to compensate.
You may use this setting to manually select a lower video output resolution. Changes made here remain active until the HS 500 or the display is turned off. When either is turned off, and then on again, the HS 500 will revert to the default setting transmitted by the display.
INITIAL SETUP To change any of the video adjustments shown at the top of the screen, use the Navigation Buttons to highlight the “+” to the right of a parame- ter name to increase the setting, or “–” to the left of a parameter name to decrease the setting.
HS 500. NOTE: If you have not connected any devices to the TV or D-IN input jacks on the HS 500, then you may skip this step. You are now ready to begin enjoying the finest in home entertainment using your HS 500 system.
When you have plugged in the HS 500, the Power Indicator surrounding the power switch should light up in amber. This indicates that the HS 500 is in Standby mode and is ready to be turned on. See Figure 50.
Source Selector on the remote. See Figure 51. Pressing a Source Selector not only selects that source as the HS 500’s input, but also turns on the HS 500 if it is in Standby mode, and switches the remote to the mode that operates the source.
HS 500. This does not indicate any problem with the HS 500. • The HS 500 will only play discs that are coded for Region 1 or discs that are open to being played in all regions (Region Code “0”). Discs that contain a Region Code of 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 (as noted by a number inside a world map logo on the disc’s jacket) will not play.
OPERATION • VCD2.0 discs will begin play automatically, similar to a conventional audio CD. Not all VCDs will play on the HS 500. VCDs containing raw MPEG files will not play. If a disc is already in the drawer when the unit is turned on, it will begin playing.
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OPERATION NOTE: Fast search is available when DVD-Audio, MP3 and WMA discs are playing. Search speeds available may vary for different types of discs. • When a DVD is playing, you may move forward or backward through the disc in slow motion by first pressing the Pause Button and then pressing the Search/Slow Forward or Search/Slow Reverse Buttons.
This feature is out of the control of the HS 500, as it is set by the disc’s internal programming.
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Video Standard: The disc’s format is shown here. For Region 1 players, this will normally be NTSC, although some DVDs that are open region (playable in all regions) may be in the PAL format. The HS 500 will convert the video to the NTSC format used by your television.
After you enter the last digit, there will be a momentary delay before the digit appears while the HS 500 locates the selected time position, then play will begin.
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NOTE: Due to the variations in how DVD discs are authored, subtitle languages displayed by the HS 500 may not accurately reflect the actual languages available on the disc. It is recom- mended that subtitles be selected using the disc’s menu.
Repeat Play The HS 500 offers several repeat functions that allow you to take advantage of the capacity of the unit for unattended playback. Press the Repeat button once to display the Repeat/Random Status Bar on-screen. See Figure 69. Press the Repeat Button again to cycle through the options, or press the Enter Button and scroll through the options: Figure 69 –...
OPERATION CD PLAYBACK Many functions of the HS 500 operate the same way for CD playback as for DVD play; however, there are some important differences. When a CD is loaded, the HS 500 will automatically display the Player Information menu. See Figure 71. Status banners are not available dur- ing CD play.
Repeat Play The HS 500 offers several repeat functions for CDs that allow you to take advantage of the capacity of the unit for unattended playback: • Repeat Program: Repeats the current playlist if Programmed Order has been selected at the Playlist setting.
Discs containing MP3, WMA or JPEG files are navigated and controlled a little differently from standard DVDs and CDs. When a disc containing one or more of these types of files is loaded in the HS 500, the Player Information menu screen will appear. See Figure 76.
• When a multisession disc with both standard CD audio and MP3 or WMA content is in use, the HS 500 will play only the CD audio sections of the disc. Track numbers will be visible in the display, but the files will not be decoded.
CD technology, the playback functions for a VCD disc are similar to CD. To play a VCD disc, place it in the HS 500 as you would do with any other CD or DVD disc. The unit takes a few seconds to read the disc’s contents;...
Press the Enter Button and select the Add option. Remember to stay in the Play Order column. If you press Enter while the track name is highlighted, the HS 500 will simply play that track.
Using the HS 500 Tuner Select the HS 500 tuner as the source either by pressing the RADIO button on the remote, which will also turn on the system if it is in Standby mode, or by pressing the OSD button to access the menu for the current source.
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Press the RDS icon to deselect it and remove the Station Name line from view. #: The HS 500’s tuner includes a total of 60 preset station locations, 30 for each band (AM or FM), which may be viewed on screen. The numeric column on the left side of the station list indicates the preset number for each station.
D-IN (Digital Input). Select the source in one of two ways: 1. Press the correct Source Selector on the remote. If the HS 500 is in Standby mode, this will turn it on. 2. Press the OSD button and use the ‹ / › Buttons to highlight the source in the list at the top of the screen.
USB Source The HS 500 is equipped with two USB ports, located on the front right side (USB 1) and the rear (USB 2) of the unit. See Figure 96. Figure 96 – Front and Rear USB ports You may insert or remove a client USB device at any time.
ADVANCED FUNCTIONS Advanced Remote Control Functions The remote control not only operates the HS 500, but it also serves as a universal remote that may be programmed to operate your other home theater components, as described in the Installation section. Each time you select one of your other components, the remote switches to the control functions for that component.
Processor Reset There may be instances where you wish to fully reset the HS 500 to its factory defaults, or the unit may behave erratically after a power surge. For erratic behavior, we recommend you first turn the Power Switch off and unplug the AC Power Cord for at least three minutes.
TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE SYMPTOM Unit does not function when Main Power Switch is pushed Display lights, but no sound or picture No sound from any speaker; light around power switch is red No sound from surround or center speakers Unit does not respond to remote commands Intermittent buzzing in tuner No picture...
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• HS 500 must be in Stop mode to In addition to the items shown above, additional information on troubleshooting possible problems with your HS 500, or installation-related issues, may be found in the list of "Frequently Asked Questions" which is located in the Product Support section of our Web site at www.harmankardon.com.
HS 500 TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS DVD Player Pickup: Semiconductor laser, wavelength 650nm Video signal system: NTSC Video signal vertical resolution: > 480 lines (DVD) Video signal-to-noise ratio: > 60dB (DVD) Audio frequency response: DVD (PCM): 20Hz – 22kHz (±1dB) (Stereo) CD (PCM): 20Hz – 20kHz (±1dB) Audio signal-to-noise ratio: >...
The program material on a DVD may be recorded in either format and, in addition, you may configure the HS 500 to play back in either format, depending on the features recorded on a disc.
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The resume function is not available for WMA files. For DVDs, CDs, MP3 files, JPEG files, and VCDs with PBC (Playback Control) only, the resume function will be retained even after the HS 500 has been placed in Standby mode by pressing the Standby/On Switch, but not after the unit has been unplugged from AC power.
Appendix – Default settings, worksheets, remote product codes Table A1 – System Setup Menu Settings Setting Display Language Preferred Subtitle Language Panel Time-Out Status Bar Time-Out Parental Control Disc Recognition PBC Support Screen Saver Show Angle Icon Table A2 – Audio Setup Menu Settings Setting Preferred Audio Language Dynamic Range...
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APPENDIX Table A4 – Video Setup Menu Setting Aspect Ratio Scan Type Video Output Video Mode Video Resolution Table A5 – Video Adjustments Menu All settings default to “0”, showing only one bar in the center of the graph. Setting Color Contrast Brightness...
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APPENDIX Refer to the numbered buttons in this drawing when using the Function List. Figure 98 – Remote Control Function List Reference...
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APPENDIX Table A8 – Remote Control Function List Source Mode Key # Button Name TV Function System Off System Off Screen Power On TV On Screen Power Off TV Off (Power) Disc Disc Radio Radio Input Select D-IN D-IN USB 1 USB 1 USB 2 USB 2...
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Source Mode Key # Button Name TV Function User 1 User 2 User 3 User 4 Clear Clear Zoom Pre. Ch Previous Ch Recall Recall Source Video Output Source Video Format Screen Aspect Change Open Open Learn Learn Previous/Step – Next/Step + R.
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APPENDIX Refer to Tables A9 through A13 when programming the codes for your components into the remote. Table A9 – Remote Control Product Codes – TV TV Brand Name Code Number List A MARK 103 132 ADMIRAL ADVENT AKAI 001 160 AMPRO 070 164 AMSTRAD...
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Table A11 – continued VCR Brand Name Code Number List TANDY 017 040 TASHICO TATUNG 044 048 TEAC 040 044 048 TECHNICS 037 039 TEKNIKA 025 037 039 040 087 TELEFUNKEN THOMAS THOMSON THORN TIVO 187 188 189 190 191 192 193 194 195 TOSHIBA 015 019 047 051 063 085 098 112 155 TOTEVISION...
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APPENDIX Table A12 – continued CBL Brand Name Code Number List TANDY TELECAPATION TEXSCAN 036 071 TIMELESS TOCOM 045 046 062 170 205 TOSHIBA UNIKA 014 021 031 UNITED CABLE 011 059 UNIVERSAL 012 014 021 031 033 034 039 042 113 VIDEOWAY 124 211 VIEWSTAR...
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Table A14 – DVD Language Codes The availability of specific languages for the main audio track or subtitles is dependent on the choices made by a disc’s producer. You should always consult the disc’s jacket for information on languages for any disc. In the case of some languages, you may be required to enter a code from the list below to access that language.
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