Parasound Speaker System Halo C1 Controller User Manual
C 1 Controller  
Owner’s Guide  
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TABLE OF CONTENTS  
Unpacking And Placement Guidelines For the C 1  
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. 4  
Getting Started  
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. 5  
. 7  
Controls and Operation .  
OPERATION  
Using the Main Controls.  
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. 9  
. 12  
. 15  
Selecting Sound Patterns (Listening Modes)  
Dual-Zone Operation  
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Using the Master and SideKick Remote Controls  
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. 16  
. 20  
. 22  
Controlling Other Components In Your System .  
Using the SideKick .  
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Adjustments, Menus, and Setup  
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. 23  
. 25  
. 27  
. 32  
34  
Audio Setup (Dolby/DTS, Bass Limiter, presets, Treble and Bass, LFE Level, Reverb)  
Speaker Setup (Level, Distance, Size, Aux/Programmable Channels)  
Source Setup (Inputs, Titles, Preset Selection, Analog Monitor, Balanced Inputs)  
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Display Setup  
Trigger Setup  
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. 35  
THX Audio Setup (THX EX Enable, Boundary Gain Compensation, ASA/Advanced Speaker Array) 35  
Halo Setup Software .  
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. 36  
MAKING CONNECTIONS  
Connecting Audio and Video Sources and Recorders  
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. 37  
. 38  
. 39  
. 43  
Summary Table .  
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Sources .  
Recorders  
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Connecting the Audio and Video Outputs.  
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. 47  
. 49  
. 50  
. 51  
Connecting Video Displays.  
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Connecting a Second Entertainment Zone  
Using the Programmable Outputs  
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Control Connections (RS-232, IR Inputs, Trigger Outputs) .  
IN CASE OF DIFFICULTY  
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53  
Troubleshooting Guide .  
Servicing Your C 1  
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. 55  
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. 58  
TECHNICAL INFORMATION  
Technically Speaking  
C 1 Design Overview  
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59  
. 63  
. 65  
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C 1 Specifications  
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Licensing Acknowledgements  
INDEX  
65  
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. 66  
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4
UNPACKING AND PLACEMENT GUIDELINES FOR THE C 1  
Unpacking Your C 1  
Carefully unpack your C 1 from the shipping carton and remove all the enclosed accessories:  
•
Master and SideKick remote controls, with six AAA batteries  
•
Serial cable, D9 female to 3.5-mm male plug, for programming remotes  
•
AC cord  
•
18 BNC-to-RCA adapters for component-video/RGB jacks  
•
1 Omnidirectional electret condenser microphone for autocalibration, with 25-foot cord and 3.5-mm plug  
•
1 AA battery for microphone  
•
2 trigger-control wires, each with a 2.5-mm sub-mini plug on one end and a 3.5-mm mini plug on the other  
While you are unpacking your C 1, inspect it thoroughly for possible shipping damage and tell  
your Parasound dealer right away if you find any. If possible, save and store both the inner and  
outer cartons and–most especially–the foam packing inserts, so you can use them if you have to  
ship the C 1, or to protect it when you move. To save room in storage, you can cut the seams  
on the bottom of the cartons and flatten them.  
Placement Guidelines  
The C 1 will be easiest to use and stay reliable longer if you follow these simple guidelines:  
•
Place the C 1 on a shelf that will adequately support its weight.  
•
Unless you’ll control the C 1 through remote infrared sensors, pick a shelf placed where you  
can aim the remote controls at the C 1 easily. (If you do use remote sensors, be sure the  
remotes’ beams can’t reach the remote and front-panel sensors at the same time.)  
•
Place the C 1 where its front-panel display will face you directly. (The display is designed to be viewed  
no more than 15° to either side of its axis and no more than 30° above or 10° below axis.) If this is not  
possible, the display’s contents can also be sent to a remote video display; see page 49 for details.)  
•
Keep the C 1 away from heat sources such as air ducts or radiators.  
•
Leave at least 1" of space on all sides and the top. This helps facilitate passive heat dissipation.  
If you’re installing the C 1 yourself, use cables long enough to leave at least two feet of slack; that  
enables you to pull the C 1 out to change connections without inadvertently disconnecting things. If  
you’re putting the C 1 in a cabinet, make sure there’s grab space on each side; with a space that’s at  
least 22 inches wide, you’ll be able to turn the unit around for easy access to its rear connections.  
Rack Mounting Your Parasound C 1  
If you plan to mount the C 1 into a standard 19"-wide equipment rack, you will need to purchase  
the optional Parasound HRA 4 Rack Mount Adapter. With its four feet removed, the C 1 chassis  
3
and front panel height occupies four 1 ⁄4" rack spaces (7" or 178 mm). When mounting equip-  
1
ment below the C 1, you will also need to allow about ⁄8" below the unit for the bottom chassis  
screws. Please call your Parasound dealer or Parasound’s Technical Services department if you  
need additional advice about rack mounting the C 1.  
HRA 4 Rack Bracket  
Controller  
C1  
L
U
C
A
S
F
I
L
M
Phones Cal Mic  
Mute  
Dim  
THX SURROUND EX  
Status Menu  
7
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5
C
H
A
N
N
E
E
L
E
S
N
U
H
R
A
R
N
O
C
U
D
D
N
On-Off  
Zone  
Zone  
Display  
Main  
Source  
Surround  
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5
GETTING STARTED  
The Parasound C 1 Controller is a complete home theater control center. With it, you can feed signals  
from any of four analog and digital audio and six audio/video components to your surround sound and  
video system, simultaneously feeding video and stereo audio (even from a different source) to rooms  
in a second entertainment zone, and integrate the C 1 into multi-room home-control systems. You can  
adjust volume, bass, and treble separately for each zone. In the main zone, you can use any of 15 sound  
patterns, commonly referred to as modes, from 7.1-channel surround (Dolby Digital EX or dts ES) to  
mono; in the remote zone, only modes that work with two-channel signals are available.  
The 7.1-channel analog input allows full surround operation with surround-sound sources having no digital  
surround output, such as multichannel DVD-Audio or SACD players, which have only analog multichannel  
outputs, and any future formats with up to eight channels. The output section already has 7.5 channels,  
including two additional dedicated bass channels and two channels which can be programmed for even  
more bass functions or a variety of other uses.  
A full-color, 5" video screen can display the current video program and operating status for either the local or  
remote zone. It also speeds and simplifies setting up the C 1 by showing you complete control-menu pages.  
The front panel screen on the C 1 is particularly convenient for setup if your primary video screen is connect-  
ed via component video jacks, since component video doesn’t carry on-screen display information. Like the  
TFT screen on a notebook computer, the C 1 screen should be viewed from directly in front. Its picture qual-  
ity is degraded when viewed from more than 15° to either side or more than 30° above or 10° below.  
An RS-232 serial interface allows the C 1 Controller’s settings to be stored on and modified by a PC; it also  
allows the software built into the C 1 to be updated as need be. The digital surround processor engine can  
also be upgraded. And an expansion port allows for technologies that haven’t even been invented yet.  
Any product this versatile is complex (which is why this manual is so thick), but we’ve made operation  
as simple as we can. As you learn more about the C 1, you’ll be able to optimize its performance for  
your system and your tastes.  
You’ll find complete directions further on, but here’s all you need to get started:  
Making Connections – A Preview  
If you’re installing the C 1 yourself, the following should be helpful; if it’s already been installed for you,  
you may prefer to skip straight to the chapters on “Using the Main Controls” and “Using the Master  
and SideKick Remotes,” later in this manual.  
Component Video  
Inputs & Outputs  
S-Video  
Inputs & Outputs  
Digital Audio  
Outputs & Inputs  
Balanced Analog Audio  
Inputs & Outputs  
Component Video Inputs and Outputs  
Pr  
Y
Pb  
CAUTION  
TO PREVENT ELECTRIC SHOCK,  
DO NOT REMOVE COVER. NO USER  
SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE,  
REFER SERVICINGTO QUALIFIED  
SERVICE PERSONNEL.  
C2 Controller  
Input  
Input  
1
2
Parasound Products, Inc.  
San Francisco, California, USA  
Balanced Analog Audio Inputs  
Balanced Analog Audio Outputs  
Left Surround  
Subwoofer Right Surround  
Left  
Right  
Left  
Right  
Center  
Left Back  
Right Back  
Pro  
1
Input  
3
Composite  
Video Outputs  
& Inputs  
Output  
Coax  
Digital Audio Inputs  
Red  
Green  
Blue  
H
Sync  
V
Composite Video Inputs  
1
Video Outputs  
Record  
Made In  
Finland  
Expansion Port For  
FutureTechnologies  
S-Video Inputs  
S-Video Outputs  
Video  
Video  
3
Video  
5
Zone  
Coax  
3
Coax  
1
Video  
1
Video  
2
Video  
3
Video  
4
Video  
5
Video  
6
Record  
Main  
Optical  
1
2
Optical  
Optical  
3
4
Digital Out  
External Control  
IR Inputs  
–
12VTriggers  
–
RS-232 Control  
Control  
Jacks  
RS-232 Control  
Main Zone  
P1  
P2 On-Off  
Optical  
Coax  
2
Coax  
4
Optical  
Back  
Video  
Video  
2
1
Video  
Video  
4
2
Video  
Video  
6
3
OSD Main NoOSD  
Video  
Video  
OSD  
No OSD  
Zone  
Front Surround Center  
Front Surround Center  
Back  
Pro  
1
Pro  
2
4
5
Video  
6
Audio  
1
Audio  
2
Audio  
3
Audio  
4
Audio  
5
Record  
1
Record  
2
AC Power  
L
L
1
0
AC Cord  
Inlet  
R
R
Sub  
7.1 Analog Audio Inputs  
Sub  
Main Analog Audio Outputs  
Pro  
3
Pro  
4
Play/In Rec/Out  
Tape Monitor  
Analog Audio Inputs  
Analog Audio Outputs  
Programmable Out  
AC Power  
Switch  
Unbalanced Analog  
Audio Inputs  
Tape  
Zone & 7.1 Channel Main Analog Programmable  
Monitor Record Analog Inputs Outputs  
Outputs  
Input & Outputs  
Outputs  
When you connect the C 1’s audio and audio-video inputs and outputs to the rest of your system  
(including your second entertainment zone, if you have one), you’ll find it easier if you start with the  
unbalanced analog audio jacks, which are on the bottom row, then work your way up the panel from  
there. It’s a good idea to write down which component each jack is connected to, so you can program  
the C 1 to display each source’s name (see “Adjustments, Menus, and Setup” on page 32) rather than  
just “Audio 1,” “Video 3,” and so on.  
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6
GETTING STARTED continued  
The various types of video jacks (composite, S-Video, and component) use differing connector  
types, but the so-called “RCA” type used for composite video (simply labeled “Video” on the  
back panel) is also used for analog and digital audio. The RCA jacks on the C 1 are color-coded:  
red and white for right-and left-channel analog audio, yellow for composite video, black for digital  
inputs, and red for digital output; for the 7.1-channel inputs and outputs, the surround side chan-  
nel jacks are blue and gray, the center channel green, the subwoofer pink, and the surround  
back channels brown and tan.  
(Note: Cables designed for analog audio do not work well for digital audio or for composite  
video, even though all three have the same type of plug; composite video and digital audio  
cables can, however, be substituted for each other if need be.)  
Recorders require output as well as input connections. If a recorder is connected to the C 1’s  
Rec/Out jacks, its output should be fed to the Controller’s “Play/In” jacks. If you have a second  
recorder, connect its input to the “Record 1” or “Record 2” output jacks on the C 1.  
If a source component has digital as well as analog audio outputs, you’ll get better sound quality  
by using its digital output, because the C 1 has truly superior digital-to-analog (as well as analog-to-  
digital) converters. Moreover, by using direct digital connections you avoid putting the signal  
through extra conversion stages (the digital-to-analog, or D/A, in your CD or DVD player and the  
analog-to-digital, or A/D, in the C 1). If you need to use the analog inputs on the C 1 (as you will  
for analog recording or for signals to be fed to a remote zone in your house), use both digital and  
analog connections between your player and the C 1.  
For video connections, you’ll get better picture quality from S-Video than composite video con-  
nections; signals from S-Video sources also appear at the composite video outputs but not vice  
versa. So, if you have both composite and S-Video signal sources, use both types of connection  
between the C 1 and your TV monitor.  
S-Video plugs and jacks only fit together it they’re oriented identically–and this orientation is not  
standardized. The S-Video jacks on the C 1 are oriented as shown on views of the rear panel.  
Since the cables are thick and hard to twist, it pays to look at the end of the plug to make sure  
that it’s oriented the same way as the jack before you try inserting it.  
If your source and your video monitor have component-video connections, which use three  
cables, you’ll get even better quality by using these connections (they’re compatible with HDTV  
signals); however, you’ll still have to use both component- and S-Video connections to your  
monitor, because the C 1 on-screen display is not sent to the component-video outputs, and  
VCRs don’t have component-video connections. If any of your monitors lack component-video  
inputs, you’ll have to use S-Video (or composite) connections from each of your sources.  
Note that there are two sets of composite video and S-Video outputs, one with OSD (on-screen  
display) and one without. The one with OSD should be connected to a monitor in the same room  
as the C 1. If you have a large-screen or projection system, you might want to connect it to the  
S-Video output labeled “No OSD” so that your guests won’t have to see on-screen display mes-  
sages. Then install a second, small, TV, connected to the composite or S-Video “OSD” output jack  
so you can see the OSD.  
If your amplifiers or other equipment accept a trigger signal, connect the C 1’s trigger outputs  
to them so that they will turn on whenever the C 1 does. The “IR” inputs let you control the C 1  
from an infrared sensor in the second zone—or from a small infrared sensor in your main room,  
if you want to hide the C 1 inside a cabinet. (Note: If you use remote infrared sensors, make  
sure the remote beam cannot also reach the sensor on the C 1; the C 1 may not respond prop-  
erly to commands it receives from two sources at the same time.)  
AC Connection and Power  
The C 1 operates on 90 - 260 volts, so no voltage selector switch is necessary. Plug its power  
cord into an AC outlet that is always live (unswitched). The C 1 will not operate properly if it’s  
plugged in to an AC outlet that might be switched off. Next press “I” on its rear-panel AC  
Power switch. This will enable the C 1 to be turned on and off from its front-panel On-Off button  
or remote control On and Off buttons. The only time you might want to use the AC Power  
switch again is if you plan to be away for an extended time. (Note: Do not press “0” on the AC  
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7
GETTING STARTED continued  
Power switch or unplug either end of the AC cord before the C 1 has first been turned off by  
the remote control or front panel On-Off button! If AC power is removed from the C 1 before it  
is turned off you will lose the selections you made during setup and you may hear some nasty  
thumps in your speakers.  
For more detailed directions to connect the C 1, see the three chapters “Making Connections”.  
(pages 37-54).  
Controls and Operation  
For starters, all you need to do is turn the C 1 on and wait a few seconds for it to “boot up.” Select  
an input (see below), and raise the volume to a comfortable level. The display will show which input  
is selected and to what input jacks it’s assigned, the listening mode, and the current volume level.  
Audio 1  
AUDIO  
Signal  
Input:  
Mode  
Analog  
Analog 7  
Stereo  
VIDEO  
Signal  
Input  
No signal  
AUTO 2  
-44dB  
––––––––––––-––-|–--------––-|––----–  
This information is normally visible on the front-panel display, but is not normally part of the  
information you can feed to a video monitor via the composite or S-Video OSD (on-screen  
display) jack. The OSD will, however, show briefly any changes in control settings. Raise the  
volume 1 decibel, for example, and the bottom of the screen will show something like this:  
-19 dB  
––––––––––––––––-|–––-|––––  
The bar-graph above has a vertical marker at 0 dB, plus a second marker (the one at the left,  
in this case) to show the current volume setting. After speaker levels have been set up (see  
“Speaker Setup,” in the chapter on “Adjustments, Menus, and Setup”) a volume setting of “0”  
will correspond to THX reference level, a sound pressure level (SPL) of 75 dB, measured with  
the standard “C” weighting curve.  
Calibration  
Microphone Input  
Display Dim  
IR Mute  
Video Display Screen  
Status Menu Knob  
Controller  
C1  
Audio 1  
AUDIO  
L
U
C
A
S
F
I
L
M
Signal  
Input:  
Mode  
VIDEO  
Signal  
Input  
Analog  
Analog 7  
Stereo  
Phones Cal Mic  
Mute  
Dim  
Status Menu  
THX SURROUND EX  
No signal  
AUTO 2  
7
.
5
C
H
A
N
N
E
E
L
Headphone  
Output  
E
S
N
U
H
A
N
C
D
D
R
RO  
U
N
-44dB  
––––––––––––-––-|–--------––-|––----–  
On-Off  
Zone  
Zone  
Display  
Main  
Source  
Surround  
On-Off Zone  
Display Display  
Zone Main  
Source Surround  
Mode  
The knob at the far right normally controls volume, but pressing the appropriate buttons (see  
below) turns it into a selector knob for menu items and source selection.  
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8
GETTING STARTED continued  
The buttons are surrounded by a blue halo of light when the C 1 is turned on; the halo around  
every button (except DIM and STATUS) glows brighter when that button is pressed, and remains  
bright as long as the button’s function is active. The MUTE and MENU buttons stay active and  
bright until you turn them off. The SOURCE and SURROUND buttons, on the lower row, stay  
active and illuminated for 5 seconds, or for as long as you keep turning the knob to alter their set-  
tings. The ZONE button stays active and illuminated for 10 seconds, or for as long as you keep  
altering control settings. When any of these three buttons is active, the front-panel display will  
show the name of the control; for SOURCE and SURROUND it will also show a circular arrow  
(indicating that you can make selections for that button by turning the knob). When you turn the  
knob, the OSD on your video screen will show the settings for each input as you reach it.  
•
When the front-panel ON-OFF button is switched off, the halo around it glows soft blue and the  
Parasound logo glows soft red. When the C 1 is turned on, the logo becomes brighter, the halos  
around the other buttons glow, and the front-panel display turns on. (Always turn the C 1 off  
with this button, or with one of the remote controls, before turning off the master power switch  
on the rear panel; this will prevent turn-off thumps being heard through your speakers.  
•
The ZONE button selects whether the front-panel controls will affect the main (local) zone  
(where the C 1 is) or the second (remote) zone. While the Zone button is active, all front-panel  
and remote-control commands affect the remote zone in the same way they’d normally affect  
the main zone. The display clearly shows when the C 1 is in remote zone mode.  
•
The SOURCE button turns the control knob into an input selector that cycles backward and for-  
ward through the audio and audio-video inputs.  
•
The DISPLAY ZONE and DISPLAY MAIN buttons determine which zone’s video program will  
appear on the front-panel video display screen.  
•
Pressing DISPLAY MAIN once turns the screen on and displays status information for the main  
zone. Pressing it a second time selects the video preview mode for the currently selected main-  
zone video program. Pressing the button a third time turns the display screen off.  
•
Pressing the DISPLAY ZONE button previews the video program currently selected for the  
remote zone. Pressing the button a second time turns the display off.  
•
The SURROUND button turns the control knob into a selector that cycles backward and forward  
through the available sound patterns. These patterns include various flavors of real and generated sur-  
round, stereo, and mono; the selection changes to match whatever input you’ve currently selected.  
•
The two jacks at the far left of the panel are for headphones and for the calibration microphone  
supplied with the C 1 for automatic surround calibration (see pages 30-31). When you plug  
headphones in, the C 1 shuts off all main-zone outputs and switches out of surround mode.  
Recording and remote-zone outputs are not affected. When headphones are plugged in,  
“PHON” precedes volume readouts on the built-in display or OSD.  
•
To the right of the jacks are the infrared sensor for remote control, the MUTE button (which cuts  
off the outputs in whichever zone you’re controlling at the time), and DIM (which varies display  
brightness), Muting is disabled when you raise the volume.  
•
The front-panel display can show you the current status (source, operating modes, etc.) for the  
main or remote zone, setup menus, and whatever video program is selected for viewing in the  
main zone. The screen will remain off if neither the DISPLAY ZONE or the DISPLAY MAIN but-  
ton is pressed. However, each time you adjust volume or select a different input or mode in the  
main zone, it will turn on automatically to display these changes for a few seconds. You can cus-  
tomize the colors and other aspects of the information display; see Display Setup on page 34.  
•
Pressing the STATUS button displays the C 1 Controller’s operating status. Pressing the STATUS  
button also exits any setup menu after saving your most recent selections.  
•
Pressing the MENU button puts the C 1 in its setup mode and is also used to navigate between  
menus, advancing to the next setup menu with each push.  
All these functions can be controlled from the C 1’s Master remote, and some are controllable from  
the SideKick. Both remotes can also be set up to control other components in your system, if those  
components are placed where the infrared beams from the remotes can reach them.  
In the next three chapters, we’ll cover the C 1’s controls in more detail, including setup adjust-  
ments you (or your installer) can make to optimize the C 1 for your setup.  
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9
USING THE MAIN CONTROLS  
Despite its versatility the Parasound Halo C 1 Controller has only ten pushbuttons, a knob, and  
a display on its front panel. That’s in part because we expect users will most often operate it  
by remote control and in part because many front-panel controls do more than one thing. The  
operations described in this chapter can be performed easily with the front panel or the Master  
remote control. Other operations, which can be performed only (or far more conveniently) with  
the Master remote are covered in the chapter after this one.  
Here’s a map of the panel:  
Calibration  
Microphone Input  
Display Dim  
IR Mute  
Video Display Screen  
Status Menu Knob  
Controller  
C1  
Audio 1  
AUDIO  
L
U
C
A
S
F
I
L
M
Signal  
Input:  
Mode  
VIDEO  
Signal  
Input  
Analog  
Analog 7  
Stereo  
Phones Cal Mic  
Mute  
Dim  
Status Menu  
THX SURROUND EX  
7.5 CHANNEL  
No signal  
AUTO 2  
Headphone  
Output  
ENHANCED  
SURROUND  
-44dB  
––––––––––––-––-|–--------––-|––----–  
On-Off  
Zone  
Zone  
Display  
Main  
Source  
Surround  
On-Off Zone  
Display Display  
Zone Main  
Source Surround  
Mode  
The Main Operations: On-Off, Volume, Source Selection  
On-Off  
When the C 1 is turned off, the On-Off button’s halo glows a soft blue and the Parasound logo  
above the display glows a soft red. (If nothing is lit, either the C 1 is not plugged into a live outlet or  
the power switch on the rear panel is turned off.) Turning the unit on makes the button’s halo and  
the Parasound logo brighter, and turns on the display and the blue halos around the other buttons.  
Turning the C 1 off with this button (or the remotes) leaves the C 1 inactive but able to respond  
to a turn-on command from either remote control. To turn the C 1 completely off, for service or  
when you will be away for long periods, first turn the C 1 off with the front-panel ON-OFF  
switch or remote control, then reach around behind the unit’s left side, reach over the power  
cord, and flip down the rocker switch. This will prevent your hearing turn-off thumps through  
your speakers and will ensure that the current volume and source settings are preserved when  
you turn the C 1 on again.  
The OFF and ON buttons on the small SideKick remote have the same effect as the front-panel  
switch. On the Master remote, the action of the OFF and ON buttons depends on the remote’s  
operating mode. When the remote’s MAIN menu is displayed, the OFF and ON buttons perform  
custom-programmed macros designed to power your entire home theater system on and off.  
(To reach this menu, press the MAIN button on the remote.) But when the remote’s C1/C2  
menu is displayed, the OFF and ON buttons affect only the C 1. You’ll notice the remote menu  
says C1/C2; this is because the same remote control is used for the Halo C 2 Controller.  
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10  
USING THE MAIN CONTROLS continued  
Off  
On  
Mute  
Volume +  
Volume –  
Off  
On  
Volume +  
Thumbpad  
Volume –  
Mute  
Volume and Muting  
The large knob on the C 1 front panel normally controls volume. However, when you press  
the front-panel SOURCE or SURROUND buttons, it will control those functions for the next  
5 seconds, or for as long as you keep using the knob to change those functions’ settings.  
The C 1 Controller’s volume can be adjusted over a 106-dB range (–90 dB to +15 dB). Once the  
C 1 has been calibrated for your listening room, amplifiers, and speakers, the sound reaching  
you when the volume is set at 0 dB will be just about the same level you’d hear in a THX-cali-  
brated commercial movie theater. The volume setting is shown numerically on the C 1 front-  
panel display and, briefly, on the on-screen display (OSD); the OSD also shows a bar with an  
indicator at 0 dB and another at the current level. When the volume setting reaches either end  
of its range, the knob will still turn freely but the sound level will not change further.  
When you turn the C 1 Controller on, the volume will normally be whatever level you had last  
selected. However, to avoid sudden blasts of sound when turning the C 1 on again after a loud  
listening session, the volume at turn-on is never higher than a moderate –20 dB.  
Pressing the MUTE button on the left side of the front panel or on either remote will shut off all  
sound until you either press MUTE again or raise the volume setting.  
Plugging headphones into the jack at the left on the C 1 front panel will shut off output to the  
rear-panel outputs except for the Rec/Out, Zone, and Record jacks, and “PHON” will appear  
with the volume level indicator in the front-panel display screen and OSD. (The on-screen  
display will also turn on briefly when the headset is plugged in or unplugged.) Volume in head-  
phone mode is controlled by the regular volume knob; the available volume level may be limited  
if your headphones have unusually low impedance.  
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11  
USING THE MAIN CONTROLS continued  
Changing Your Listening and Viewing Source  
The C 1 Controller can accept up to four audio and six audio/video sources. There are several  
ways to select a new source for listening or viewing.  
•
If you press the SOURCE button at the lower right of the C 1 front panel, its halo will glow a  
brighter blue and the front-panel knob temporarily changes its function from volume control to input  
source selector. As you turn the knob, information for each input will appear in the front-panel dis-  
play screen. If the display was already showing a video program, input information will now appear.  
It will either be superimposed on the program or it will appear on a blank background in place of  
the program, depending on the choices you made in Display Setup (page 34). Five seconds after  
you stop turning the knob, it resumes its volume-control function and the display reverts to whatever  
video program it was showing originally.  
•
The Master remote control supplied with the C 1 can be used to select any source directly.  
Source selection is made from Page 2 of the C1/C2 screen, by pressing the small key next to  
the name of the source you want. To get to that page, press the remote’s MAIN button, press  
the small key next to “C1/C2” on the screen, then press the PAGE button until Page 2 comes  
up on the screen. If your remote has been custom-programmed by your dealer or installer, the  
screen will show the names of the source equipment in your system, rather than the factory-  
loaded, generic names shown on the preceding page.  
•
Page 1 of the C1/C2 screen gives access to the tape monitor input (which is available only from  
the Master remote) and the 7.1-channel analog input. Neither the tape monitor nor the 7.1-channel  
analog input is associated with any specific video inputs; to use either while watching a video  
source, select that source first, then select tape monitor or 7.1-channel input for the sound.  
•
If you don’t want to accidentally select inactive inputs, you can use Autosearch. Press the cen-  
ter of the Master remote’s round thumbpad, and the C 1 will shift to the next active input – that  
is, the next one receiving either a video or digital audio signal. Autosearch automatically skips  
any inputs that are unused or whose source components are stopped (rather than in play/pause)  
or turned off. (It will also skip any inputs receiving only component video and analog audio.) The  
name of the currently selected source will appear on the C 1 display if it is in status mode or if  
it is in video preview mode and “superimpose” has been selected in Display Setup (page 34).  
•
With the Master remote’s display showing any of the three C1/C2 control pages, rocking the remote’s  
round thumbpad to the right or left will cycle through the C 1’s ten inputs.  
•
As delivered from the factory, the SideKick remote’s CH up and down buttons cycle through the  
C 1’s ten inputs. It’s common, however, for dealers, installers, and owners to reprogram these  
buttons to change channels on your TV, cable, or satellite receiver.  
You can customize or change the input names that appear on the C 1, using the Master remote (see  
“Source Setup” in “Adjustments, Menus, and Setup”). To change the names that appear on the screen  
of the remote itself, you will need a PC and the Halo version of the MX-Editor software; this software  
and its instructions can be downloaded from www.parasound.com/halo. A separate user manual is  
supplied with the remotes, and additional copies can be downloaded from the same Web site.  
Using Audio Recorders  
The C 1 has two types of recorder connection, each with its own advantages.  
The Tape Monitor connections enable you to listen to the output from an audio recorder while a  
recording is being made. If you have an analog recorder with separate recording and playback  
heads, you can use the monitor feature to hear exactly how your recording sounds, by listening  
to the output from its playback head. If you are recording through the analog inputs of a digital  
recorder, this feature also alerts you to distortion caused by excessive signal levels, without your  
having to keep watching a meter or other level indicator. The Rec/Out jack in the Tape Monitor  
section carries whatever analog signal you select for the main listening zone, with the excep-  
tions of balanced inputs in Bypass mode and the 7.1-channel analog input.  
The Record outputs in the Video, S-Video, and Analog Audio output sections of the rear panel  
also carry the video and analog audio signals playing in the main zone. Avoid setting the source  
selector to an audio or video deck while it’s recording from the Record outputs, or you’ll get  
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12  
USING THE MAIN CONTROLS continued  
feedback, producing a loud, very unpleasant noise through your speakers until you change the  
source or press MUTE.  
Because the signal for the Zone output is selected separately, you can use that output to record  
one input source on an audio or video recorder while a different source is playing in the main zone.  
Changes in volume-control settings do not affect the signals at the analog audio Record outputs  
and Tape Monitor Rec/Out jacks, so you can readjust volume without making the signal levels in  
your recordings fluctuate.  
The digital outputs can feed digital recorders, but only with signals coming in through one of the  
C 1 Controller’s eight digital inputs.  
Selecting Sound Patterns (Listening Modes)  
The C 1 has a total of 15 surround, stereo, and mono sound patterns called modes, which can  
be selected from the front panel or the Master remote.  
From the front panel, press the SURROUND button then, within 5 seconds, begin turning the  
knob until the desired mode is shown on the built-in and on-screen displays.  
To change modes from the Master remote, go to Page 1 of the C1/C2 menu (press the  
remote’s MAIN button, then the key next to “C1/C2” on the display) then use the keys next to  
the MODE– and +MODE lines on the remote’s display to reach the surround mode you want.  
These settings affect signals from any input except the 7.1-channel analog input and the bal-  
anced input (if you selected its Bypass mode). Not all listening modes are available for every  
type of input. For example, modes that generate surround signals from stereo sources cannot  
be used with DTS or Dolby Digital signals that have discrete digital surround channels, and  
decoding modes for such digital surround signals won’t work with stereo signals. When you  
select modes, those not available for your currently selected input simply won’t show up as  
options. If you switch to an input that your currently selected mode won’t work with, the C 1  
will automatically select an appropriate mode (usually, Stereo for stereo sources and Direct for  
surround sources).  
•
Mono: Downmixes (blends) all channels of the current input signal to mono fed through the center speak-  
er. If you have no center speaker, and have indicated this in “Speaker setup” (page 26), the signal will be  
mixed into the stereo L and R outputs. (If you prefer to hear mono through the L and R speakers, go to  
the “Speaker setup” menu and, from the “Size” submenu, change “Center speaker” to “No”; don’t forget,  
however, to change it back when you resume normal listening.)  
•
Stereo: Plays all sources in stereo, through the front left and right channels. When surround input signals  
are played in stereo mode, the contents of the surround, rear, and center channels are reproduced in the  
stereo output signal.  
•
Direct: Automatically reproduces the digital audio signal on any DVD signal in its own format, whether it  
be surround, stereo, or mono.  
•
Stereo96: A “pure audio” mode for analog input signals that raises the sampling rate of the A/D convert-  
ers from 48 kHz to 96 kHz, and disables such DSP adjustments as tone controls (see pages 18, 24, and  
26) and bass management. Unlike other pure-analog stereo modes (Bypass mode for balanced input, or  
stereo feed via the 7.1-channel inputs), this mode enables signals to be fed to the record and Zone outputs.  
(Note: Tone adjustments you make in this mode do not affect the sound until you switch to another mode.)  
•
Dolby Pro Logic: Decodes two-channel signals (from analog, PCM, or Dolby Digital 2/0 sources) that have  
been encoded with Dolby Surround signals, and feeds the results to the appropriate speakers of your sur-  
round system. It is designed for playback through four channels – three in front and a fourth channel that’s  
usually fed to both surround speakers of a home theater system. This surround signal’s treble is rolled-off  
(filtered) to simulate the absorption of high frequencies by the seats and audience in a commercial movie  
theater. Available only with two-channel sources.  
•
Dolby Pro Logic II Movie: Optimized for movies and electronic games, this 5.1-channel mode has more chan-  
nel separation than Pro Logic, and two full-range surround channels instead of a single, filtered channel. By  
feeding the two surround speakers slightly different signals, Pro Logic II produces a more spacious, enveloping  
effect. Unlike the original Pro Logic, it is designed for use with stereo analog or digital signals as well as for  
films and other two-channel material with Dolby Surround encoding. Available only with two-channel sources.  
•
Dolby Pro Logic II Music: Optimized for music listening, this mode is designed to produce surround ambi-  
ence from stereo sources such as CDs. It has three adjustments not found in Pro Logic or Pro Logic II  
Movie: Center Width, which adjusts the apparent width of the center-channel signal; Panorama, which  
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13  
USING THE MAIN CONTROLS continued  
wraps the sound of the front left and right speakers around the listening area, and Dimension, which  
moves the surround field toward the back or front of the room. These adjustments are made through the  
Dolby/DTS setup page of the Audio Setup menu (see page 24).  
•
Dolby Digital EX: An enhancement of the original Dolby Digital 5.1-channel surround system, it adds back-  
of-the-room surround information to the information coming from the surround speakers at the room’s  
sides. It can be used with a 6.1-channel speaker setup having one surround back speaker, or with a 7.1-  
channel setup having two surround back speakers. If the program includes an EX “flag” signal, and if “EX  
Enable” is set to “Auto” (page 35), the C 1 will select this mode automatically. The Dolby EX mode can be  
selected manually for the many EX DVDs that lack the flag. A list of Surround EX films can be found at  
www.dolby.com/movies/films_previous.html.  
•
Dolby 2/0: Two channel stereo recordings using the Dolby Digital signal format. Processing modes avail-  
able are mostly the same as those for stereo CDs.  
•
THX: In modes where it is available, THX processing is controlled by the THX key on the Master remote’s  
first C1/C2 page, not by the remote’s Mode keys or the SURROUND button on the C 1. The varieties of  
THX processing are described below:  
•
THX Cinema: This is the basic THX processing mode. (To save space, it is shown only as “THX” on the  
C 1’s front-panel display.) When activated from mono or stereo mode (or Direct mode, with Dolby 2/0 sig-  
nals), this processing includes only re-equalization (to compensate for differences between home and the-  
ater acoustics, which would otherwise make movie soundtracks sound too bright) and timbre matching (to  
maintain frequency balance between front and surround channels); see page 60. THX processing is also  
unavailable if no surround speakers are selected in “Speaker setup/Size”, except in mono and stereo modes.  
•
THX Surround EX: A THX-enhanced version of Dolby EX for movie soundtracks; it is available only in sys-  
tems with one or more surround back speakers in addition to L and R surround speakers. To select it,  
press the THX key once or twice (depending on Setup entries and the input signal) while in Direct mode.  
•
THX Ultra2 Cinema: A version ofTHX Surround EX for systems having two surround back speakers in addition  
to L and R surround speakers. It is engaged by pressing theTHX key again while inTHX Surround EX mode.  
•
THX MusicMode: Similar to THX Ultra2 Cinema, but for 7.1-channel listening with 5.1-channel music record-  
ings, which are mixed differently than movie soundtracks. With a full 7.1-channel speaker setup, it provides a  
wide, stable rear soundstage, placing surround sounds to best suit music playback. It is reached by pressing  
the THX key yet again while in THX Ultra2 Cinema mode.  
•
DTS-ES: An enhancement of the DTS 5.1-channel surround system which adds back-of-the-room surround infor-  
mation. In DTS-ES Discrete soundtracks, this is carried on a discrete, or independent, channel. In DTS-ES Matrix  
soundtracks, it is encoded as a matrix that is carried by the left and right surround channels. In Setup you can  
elect to play Surround-back information through one (6.1-channel) or two (7.1-channel) surround-back speakers.  
•
DTS 96/24: A DVD encoding system that delivers up to 5.1 channels of 24-bit audio, with potential for fre-  
quency response up to 48 kHz. DTS 96/24 signals are contained in a conventional bitstream that is available  
from any DVD player's 48-kHz digital output jack; the C 1 decodes these signals at this same sampling rate to  
reduce potential noise resulting from multiple DSP clock rates, then treats them like normal DTS 5.1 signals.  
•
DTS Neo:6 Cinema: For 6.1-channel decoding of movies with surround-encoded, two-channel soundtracks;  
adds a single rear channel (which can be fed to two surround back speakers); not available in systems with  
no surround back speakers.  
•
DTS Neo:6 Music: Similar to Neo:6 Cinema, but for music. It feeds stereo signals directly to the front  
channels, bypassing the decoder, while feeding the center, surround side, and surround back channels with  
ambient information derived from the recording, to add spaciousness.  
•
DTS Neo:6: Extracts rear surround information from DTS 3/2.1 tracks, Not available for other signals.  
•
DTS Neo:6 / Matrix: Extracts rear surround information from DTS-ES Matrix signals. Not available for  
other signals, including DTS-ES Discrete signals, which carry discrete rear-channel information.  
•
DTS 2/0: Two channel stereo recordings using the DTS signal format. Processing modes available are  
mostly the same as those for stereo CDs.  
•
Music Modes: Spatial effects, available only with two-channel signals. Natural generates 5.1-channel sur-  
round from stereo signals without adding reverberation. Club and Concert extract ambient information from  
the signal and add reverberation, to make the music sound as if performed in a small to medium or large  
space, respectively. The amount of reverberation can be adjusted through Audio Setup (page 25). Party feeds  
duplicated front-channel stereo signals to the surround (but not surround back) speakers; this spreads the  
sound more uniformly throughout the room.  
Online Sources for Further Information:  
www.dolby.com, www.dtsonline.com, www.thx.com, www.parasound.com/halo  
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14  
USING THE MAIN CONTROLS continued  
Listening Modes and the Signals They Work With  
TYPE OF  
DOLBY DIGITAL  
DTS  
STEREO  
INCOMING SIGNAL  
EX  
3/2.1  
ES Discrete ES Matrix  
3/2.1  
2/0 (DVD) PCM (CD) Analog  
Available Modes:  
Mono  
Yes  
Yes  
Yes  
No  
Yes  
Yes  
Yes  
Yes  
Yes  
No  
Yes  
Yes  
Yes  
No  
Yes  
Yes  
Yes  
No  
Yes  
No  
Yes  
Yes  
No  
No  
Yes  
Yes  
Stereo  
1
1
1
1
Direct  
Yes  
Yes  
No  
Stereo96  
No  
No  
(Yes)  
Dolby Modes:  
Pro Logic  
No  
No  
No  
No  
No  
No  
No  
No  
No  
No  
No  
No  
No  
No  
No  
No  
No  
Yes  
Yes  
Yes  
Yes  
Yes  
Yes  
Pro Logic II Movie  
Pro Logic II Music  
Dolby EX  
No  
(Yes)  
No  
(Yes)  
No  
(Yes)  
No  
2
2
(Yes)  
(Yes)  
DTS Modes:  
Neo:6 Cinema  
Neo:6 Music  
Neo:6/Matrix  
No  
No  
No  
No  
No  
No  
No  
No  
No  
No  
No  
Yes  
No  
No  
Yes  
Yes  
(Yes)  
No  
Yes  
(Yes)  
No  
Yes  
(Yes)  
No  
2
2
Music Modes:  
Natural  
Party  
No  
No  
No  
No  
No  
No  
No  
No  
No  
No  
No  
No  
No  
No  
No  
No  
No  
No  
No  
No  
(Yes)  
(Yes)  
(Yes)  
(Yes)  
(Yes)  
(Yes)  
(Yes)  
(Yes)  
(Yes)  
(Yes)  
(Yes)  
(Yes)  
Club  
Concert  
THX Processing:  
3
THX Cinema  
Yes  
Yes  
Yes  
No  
No  
No  
Yes  
No  
Yes  
Yes  
Yes  
No  
Yes  
Yes  
Yes  
No  
No  
No  
Yes  
No  
No  
No  
Yes  
No  
No  
No  
2
5
5
THX Surround EX  
Yes  
Yes  
4
5
5
5
5
5
THX Ultra2 Cinema  
Yes  
Yes  
4
5
5
5
THX MusicMode  
Yes  
Yes  
Notes:  
Yes = THX post-processing is available  
(Yes) = THX post-processing is not available for this mode and signal type  
No = Mode is not available for this signal type  
1
= THX Ultra2 Cinema replaces THX Cinema if two surround back speakers were selected in setup  
= Requires one or two surround back speakers  
= THX Cinema is not available for combinations where THX Ultra2 Cinema can be selected  
= Requires two surround back speakers  
2
3
4
5
= Available only when in the Direct mode  
Analog mode selections are not available for the 7.1-channel analog input, or for the balanced analog input  
if its Bypass was selected during setup.  
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15  
USING THE MAIN CONTROLS continued  
Using the Status and Info Buttons and the Displays  
The C 1 controller’s front-panel display screen can be set to show the current main-zone operat-  
ing status (source, audio and video signal types, audio mode, and volume setting) continuously.  
If you wish to see this information when the display is showing the video program currently  
selected for the main zone, pressing the STATUS button on the front panel or the Master  
remote, or the INFO button on the SideKick remote, will bring that information to the screen  
for 5 seconds. The same information will appear on any TV set or projector connected to the  
composite or S-Video “OSD” output on the rear panel of the C 1.  
The same signal will be echoed to the “OSD” composite and S-Video outputs on the rear panel,  
for display on a video screen. You can choose whether to view the status information against  
a plain background or superimposed on the current video program, and whether the information  
will stay on-screen at all times or switch off after 5 seconds. (For this and other adjustments,  
see “Display Setup,” in the chapter after next.) Pressing STATUS or INFO on the remotes will  
bring it back again (or shut it off, if you finish with it before the 5 seconds have elapsed).  
Information is also displayed whenever you change a control setting; you can select whether  
it will fill the screen or only appear near the bottom of the on-screen display.  
The built-in and on-screen displays are extremely important and useful in the Setup modes (see  
“Adjustments, Menus, and Setup”).  
The DIM button selects four levels of brightness for the C 1’s built-in 5" display screen. Pressing  
the DIM button once dims the display; pressing it again selects minimum brightness. Pressing  
DIM a third time selects maximum brightness, and pressing it a fourth time restores the factory-  
set brightness. Display brightness will remain at your last selected setting so you don’t need to  
readjust it each time you turn on the C 1. To turn off the built-in display, press the DISPLAY MAIN  
or ZONE button, depending on which zone’s video you are previewing.  
(Note: The built-in display screen’s brightness and clarity are greatly diminished when viewed  
off-axis from above, below, or to the sides. Brighter display settings will make video programs  
clearer and menu text more legible.)  
Display brightness will increase temporarily when you press the front panel MUTE button.  
We chose a traditional 4:3 aspect ratio for the C 1’s built-in screen to make setup menus easier  
to read. Widescreen video programs will appear “letterboxed,” with black horizontal bands at the  
top and bottom of the display screen, the same as with any 4:3 format TV or video screen.  
Dual-Zone Operation  
The C 1 controller can provide different audio and video signals to two rooms, or “zones,” in your  
home; the second, or remote, zone can incorporate one room or several, depending on your instal-  
lation. Only analog unbalanced audio and composite video outputs are provided for the second  
zone; analog surround soundtracks fed to the remote zone can be decoded by a suitable amplifier  
or controller in that zone. All composite video sources can be sent to the second zone. Digital audio  
signals are not fed to the second zone, but signals from the analog outputs of digital components  
(e.g., CD and DVD players) can be selected and fed there. So if you want to enjoy digital sources in  
the remote Zone, connect your digital players’ analog as well as digital outputs to the C 1.  
Pressing the ZONE button next to the on-off switch, or the key next to the Zone legend on the  
Master remote’s C1/C2 Page 1, switches the C 1 to control one zone or the other. Switching  
between the main and Zone control modes does not affect the signal fed to either one, and  
changing settings for one zone does not affect settings for the other. The C 1 will switch from  
remote-zone to main-zone mode 10 seconds after your last control input.  
The controls and commands are the same for either zone, and whatever you do with the  
controls will affect only the zone you have currently selected. If you turn the C 1 off while the  
remote zone is in use, the front-panel display will show “ZONE B ON”, until you press the  
ON-OFF panel button (or the OFF button on either remote).  
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16  
USING THE MASTER AND SIDEKICK REMOTES  
The Master and SideKick remote controls supplied with the C 1 Controller are programmed at the  
factory to operate the C 1, and the Master remote is, for testing and demonstration, pre-programmed  
at the factory with IR codes controlling various brands of televisions, VCRs, DVD players, and other  
components. However, it can also be programmed to operate virtually every other component in your  
home theater system. Usually, your dealer or installer will do this, but you can also do it yourself.  
Programming the remotes for your system requires the MX-Editor software, which includes the infrared  
command codes for hundreds of current and discontinuedTVs, VCRs, DVD players, and so on (click  
on “Program” at the top of MX-Editor window, then on “IR Database”), and a manual and tutorial  
(under “Help”). You can download this software from www.parasound.com/halo. The C 1 comes with  
the cable you need to connect the remotes to a PC’s serial port.  
Most of the buttons on the Master remote, and all the buttons on the SideKick, have predeter-  
mined functions whose names are printed on the button face. However, the ten smaller keys  
flanking the Master remote’s LCD display are unprinted, because their functions change when  
the remote is set to a new control page; therefore, the functions you’ve selected for these  
buttons are shown next to them in the display.  
The Main Menu Page  
Pressing the MAIN button on the larger, Master, remote dis-  
plays a list of the components this remote has been custom-  
programmed to operate. The factory-default list, shown  
below, is typical but should be changed to match your setup.  
Normally, the 10 components you use most often would  
appear on Page 1 of this menu; if you have others, they  
would appear on Page 2 (accessed by pressing the PAGE but-  
ton shown). The Master remote can hold very sophisticated  
control instructions, including sequences (macros) that  
include up to 20 separate commands, to simultaneously acti-  
vate more than one component and issue more than one  
command per component. The first entry on the list is for the  
Halo by Parasound C 1 and C 2 Controllers, both of which use  
the same commands. The second entry on the list is for the  
Halo by Parasound T 3 tuner. You can reprogram the T3 key for  
another tuner’s functions and model number display.  
The Master Remote and the C 1 Controller  
Pressing the key next to the C1/C2 listing brings up the first of three pages devoted to operat-  
ing the Halo Controllers. Many of the functions on these three pages are not easily available  
from the front panel of the C 1.  
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17  
USING THE MASTER AND SIDEKICK REMOTES continued  
Page 1 of the C1/C2 Menu  
Of the items on the Page 1 menu, the MODE–, +MODE,  
DIM, and ZONE functions have already been discussed in the  
last chapter, but the others are new. Here’s what they do:  
®
•
THX : With most modes, this key simply switches THX  
Cinema processing on or off (see “Technically Speaking”). In  
Direct mode, however, pressing it again may select other THX  
modes, depending on the speakers selected in “Speaker  
Setup/Size” and choices made in “THX Audio Setup.” If one or  
more surround-back speakers are present, pressing this key  
again will select the THX Surround EX mode; if two surround-  
back speakers are present, repeated pressings will bring up  
THX Ultra2 Cinema and then THX MusicMode. The C 1 will  
then cycle through these three modes for each press of the  
THX key, returning to Direct (and switching THX processing  
off) when you press either Mode key.  
THX Surround EX will not activate if no surround-back speak-  
ers were selected during Setup, or the source signal does not include surround channels. In the  
first instance, the display will read “No Surround-back Speakers”; in the second, it will read  
“Incompatible Source.”  
When THX modes are selected for an incompatible source or speaker setup, the C 1 will  
remember the selection and will automatically apply it if the setup is changed or a compatible  
source is selected.  
•
TAPE: Switches the main-zone audio output to the signal from the Play/In jacks of the rear  
panel’s Tape Monitor section, and to stereo mode. This allows you to hear not only the input sig-  
nal being fed to your recorder but, by pressing the key, the output from the same recorder.  
If an analog tape recorder with separate recording and playback heads is connected to these  
jacks, you can use this feature to hear the signal from the tape you’ve just recorded, delayed by  
the fraction of a second it takes the tape to travel from the recording to the playback head.  
If a digital recorder’s analog input and output jacks are connected to these jacks, using this fea-  
ture will let you check the signal after it’s been through the recorder’s A/D and D/A converters,  
to be sure the signal level does not reach overload levels. (Distortion, which increases gradually  
as analog tapes overload becomes obnoxiously high almost at once when digital converters  
reach their overload point.) Note that signals from the digital inputs are not sent to the Rec/Out  
analog jack and should be recorded digitally from one of the digital outputs on the C 1.  
•
DYN, or Dynamic Range, activates Dolby’s “Late Night” mode when the C 1 is playing Dolby Digital  
soundtracks. This reduces the dynamic range of digital movie soundtracks by making the soft sounds  
louder and the loud sounds softer. In late-night listening, this enables you to hear all the dialog with-  
out awakening your family (or neighbors) when the sound effects get loud. With anything other than  
Dolby digital signals, the displays will read “Incompatible source” when you press this key.  
•
EBASS, or Enhanced Bass, is for use in systems that have some “Large” speakers, i.e. those  
able to deliver adequate bass on their own. (See “Size” under “Speaker Setup,” next chapter).  
When EBASS is off, bass from the program channels with “Large” speakers goes only to those  
speakers, and the subwoofer receives bass from the LFE (Low-Frequency Effects) channel and  
bass from the channels whose speakers you selected as “Small” during setup. With EBASS on,  
bass from all program channels goes to the subwoofer as well. This can lead to a bass increase,  
which will probably be more welcome with movie soundtracks and with pop and rock music  
than with classical music. However, in some rooms it can lead to decreased bass at specific fre-  
quencies, caused by interference between the subwoofer’s bass output and that of the other  
speakers; if that occurs, you can try reversing the polarity of your sub or simply shut EBASS off.  
•
TEST: Sends a calibration-noise signal to each channel in turn, for use in checking channel iden-  
tification and setting speaker levels. For channel identification, the signal advances from channel  
to channel every 2 seconds, starting from the left front and moving clockwise to the center,  
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18  
USING THE MASTER AND SIDEKICK REMOTES continued  
right front, right surround, right back, left back, left surround, and subwoofer. When used for  
manual level setting, it can be directed to whichever channel you’re adjusting. This feature is  
only available in “Level setup” on the “Speaker setup” menu.  
•
7. 1 : Switches to the C 1 Controller’s 7.1-channel analog unbalanced inputs, for use with multi-  
channel DVD-Audio and SACD players, or any future components that do their own surround  
decoding. Like the “Bypass” mode for the balanced inputs, this is a direct pass-through mode,  
with no processing except the precision analog volume control, for maximum signal purity.  
Page 2 of the C1/C2 Menu  
The factory-default input titles, shown here, match the factory  
defaults of the C 1. The inputs on this list and on the C 1 can  
be renamed by your dealer or installer to correspond to the  
sources in your system. You can also rename them yourself. To  
rename the inputs on the C 1, using the Master remote, see  
“Source Setup” in the “Adjustments, Menus, and Setup”  
chapter. To rename the input keys on the remote’s Page 2  
menu requires the downloadable MX-Editor software; it can  
also be used to rearrange the Page 2 menu if you find a differ-  
ent order more convenient.  
Page 3 of the C1/C2 Menu  
The controls on this screen page, which affect the currently  
selected source only, offer up to 12 dB of boost or cut of tre-  
ble and bass in the front left, center, and right channels, and  
up to 12 dB of level adjustment in the center, surround, and  
subwoofer channels.  
For inputs you have set to “Flat Trims” in the “Source Setup”  
menu (see next chapter), these settings go back to zero  
once you switch to a different source; for inputs set to “No  
Change,” these settings will remain until you reset them.  
Printed Buttons and the C 1  
As mentioned in the previous chapter, several of the printed buttons affect the C 1’s operation:  
•
OFF and ON on the Master remote change function to match the current control page. When  
the remote’s screen displays any of the C1/C2 control pages, the OFF and ON buttons turn the  
C 1 on and off. When a control page for another device is selected and displayed, they turn  
power off and on for that device only. These buttons can also be reprogrammed to turn your  
entire system on and off when the remote is displaying its Main screen rather than screens for  
individual components; unless reprogrammed, they will control power for both the C 1 and the  
T 3 tuner when the remote’s Main screen is displayed.  
•
The two VOL buttons on either the Main or SideKick remote raise and lower the volume setting  
of the C 1, regardless of the current control page.  
•
MUTE, on either remote, turns off the C 1 Controller’s audio outputs in the local zone or, if the  
C 1 is already muted, unmutes it.  
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19  
USING THE MASTER AND SIDEKICK REMOTES continued  
•
Like the STATUS button on the front panel of the C 1, the STATUS button on the Master remote  
and the INFO button on the SideKick can be pressed to show the current main-zone operating sta-  
tus (source, audio and video signal types, audio mode, and volume setting) on the C 1 controller’s  
front-panel display or on any video projector or monitor connected to the “OSD” video output jacks.  
The status information will be shown for 5 seconds. Status information will only be shown on the  
front-panel display if it is turned on in status mode or is in video-preview mode and “Superimpose”  
has been selected in Display Setup (page 34). This information will also appear on any TV set or pro-  
jector connected to the composite or S-Video “OSD” output jacks on the rear panel of the C 1.  
•The circular thumbpad on the Master remote changes the C  
CD  
2
1 source input in either of two ways. Rocking it to the right or  
left makes the C 1 scan up or down through its input choices;  
the scan ends when you release the thumbpad. Pressing the  
center of the pad starts or stops Autosearch of all source  
inputs currently receiving video or digital audio input signals.  
AUDIO  
Signal  
Input:  
Mode  
VIDEO  
Signal  
Input  
Digital PCM  
Coaxial 2  
Dolby PLII Music  
No signal  
Auto 2  
•
The FAV button on the Master remote, though normally  
programmed to help you find your favorite TV or satellite  
channels, can also be programmed for other favorite activi-  
ties of yours. These can be single commands or complex  
macros (series of up to 190 commands) that handle a sequence of events with one push of a  
button. A FAV macro might, for example, turn on your video projector and satellite tuner, lower  
the screen, select the appropriate C 1 input, close the draperies, and dim your room lights.  
•
The MENU button, when any C1/C2 page is active, will bring up the Setup menus for the C 1;  
their uses will be covered in the next chapter.  
Off  
On  
Mute  
Volume +  
Volume –  
Off  
On  
Volume +  
Thumbpad  
Volume –  
Mute  
Note: The printed buttons on either remote can be programmed for any single function or multi-  
step macro. If your remotes have been reprogrammed, some of these descriptions may no  
longer apply.  
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20  
USING THE MASTER AND SIDEKICK REMOTES continued  
Controlling Other Components In Your System  
Exactly what your remotes do when controlling other components will depend on what compo-  
nents you have and how the remotes are custom-programmed. If your remotes have not been  
set up for your specific system, you’ll find the Master remote already programmed to control  
various popular TVs, DVD players, VCRs and more, so that its device-control pages can give you  
some idea of how it might be re-programmed to control your system.  
Even when the remotes are customized, however, the printed buttons will usually have the  
following functions:  
Previous  
Channel  
Guide  
Channel  
Selection  
Menu  
Players &  
Recorders  
Favorite  
Numerical  
Keypad  
•
The buttons surrounding the Master remote’s thumbpad are labeled for use as transport con-  
trols for DVD players, VCRs, tape decks, etc., and will ordinarily be used as such, controlling  
whichever device’s control pages are active.  
•
•
MENU, if pressed while any of the C1/C2 pages is on the display, will put the C 1 in setup  
mode, as described in the chapter on “Adjustments, Menus, and Setup.”  
CH + and CH – can be programmed to change channels on whatever device or devices you use  
for station selection. If, for example, you used both a satellite-dish tuner and a cable tuner,  
these buttons could control channel selection for whichever one was currently shown on the  
Master remote’s display, and control station selection when the current device was your  
FM/AM tuner. You might, however, find it more convenient, if you have only one tunable device,  
to program these buttons to tune that device at all times, no matter what device is shown on  
the remote’s display.  
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21  
USING THE MASTER AND SIDEKICK REMOTES continued  
•
PREV CH recalls the last cable or satellite channel you were watching, as long as your cable or  
satellite tuner supports this function.  
•
GUIDE commonly displays your satellite or cable company’s program guide.  
•
The numerical keypad can be used for channel selection, time setting on VCRs, direct frequency  
entry for tuning some FM/AM tuners, and so on. Not all its buttons will necessarily be used; for  
example, some TV tuners require the use of a +10 key when tuning to channels 11 and higher,  
or the use of an ENT (Enter) button for tuning to channel numbers with fewer than two or three  
digits, but others do not.  
Using the SideKick™  
The SideKick remote is set up at the factory to control the main functions of the C 1, but can be  
reprogrammed to control your entire home theater. If you or your dealer or installer have not  
reprogrammed it, it will work as follows:  
LIGHT illuminates the SideKick’s buttons for about 10 seconds. If you wish to  
turn it off sooner, tap this button again.  
VOL raises or lowers the volume setting on the C 1.  
CH changes the C 1 Controller’s source input selection, but can be repro-  
grammed as a channel control for your TV, cable box, or satellite tuner.  
MUTE cuts off output from the C 1 to your amplifiers and speakers. Normally,  
it controls the main zone (including the “Phones” jack on the front panel), but  
if the C 1 is in Zone control mode, it will cut off sound to your remote zone.  
INFO presents on your on-screen video display, if you are using one, the  
current source’s name, audio and video input types, and audio mode. This  
information is shown for 10 seconds.  
FAVORITE buttons A, B, and C can be programmed for many uses, depending on  
your home-theater habits. For example, if you mainly watch DVDs, a button could  
be programmed with a macro that turns on the C 1, DVD, and video screen and  
sets the C 1 to its DVD input. Or if you mainly channel-surf, you can set the three buttons to bring  
up your three favorite channels. Because the possibilities, and the systems the C 1 and SideKick will  
be used with, vary so much, the FAVORITE buttons are programmed at the factory to do nothing in  
particular (they send the same signals as the Master Remote’s “1”, “2,” and “3” buttons do in C1/C2  
mode). This leaves them free to be reprogrammed for you and your system.  
The SideKick is an excellent choice for use in a second, remote, zone. The “Zone” command  
need not be programmed into it for this, as the C 1 has a control input specifically for use with  
commands from an IR repeater sensor in the remote zone. The SideKick’s OFF and ON buttons  
can be reprogrammed with macros to turn on the C 1 Controller’s Zone circuitry and any equip-  
ment (such as TV sets or amplifiers) in the second zone.  
If your C 1 was set up by your dealer or installer, the SideKick has probably been programmed  
for your system and the way you use it. If not, you can program it very easily from your PC by  
downloading and running the MX-Editor software from our Web site. To program the SideKick,  
connect the programming cable to your computer and click the MX-Editor program’s SideKick  
tab; then, using your computer’s mouse, “drag” the functions you want from the pictured  
Master remote and “drop” them onto the SideKick buttons you wish to control them with.  
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22  
USING THE MASTER AND SIDEKICK REMOTES continued  
For Further Information  
The Halo Master and SideKick remotes are customized versions of the award-winning Home  
Theater Master MX-700, manufactured by Universal Remote Control, Inc. Further information,  
updates, and literature can be found at Universal’s Web site, www.hometheatermaster.com,  
together with the MX-Editor software and a tutorial and programming manual for it. However,  
the MX-Editor version at our Web site, www.parasound.com/halo, is specifically adapted for  
the version supplied with the C 1.  
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23  
ADJUSTMENTS, MENUS, AND SETUP  
As you’ve probably gathered from the many earlier references to this chapter, just about every  
aspect of the C 1 Controller’s operation is customizable to suit your preferences and your home  
theater system.  
Don’t rush your setup; it might take a few hours or more. But this time will be amply rewarded  
with years of incredible performance and ease of operation.  
If your system has been set up for you by your dealer or installer, you may still wish to read this  
chapter in case you want to make further changes yourself.  
Navigating The Setup Menus  
Audio Setup  
.
.
. page 23  
Display Setup .  
.
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. page 34  
. page 35  
. page 35  
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. page 25  
Trigger Setup .  
Dolby/DTS, Bass Limiter, Presets, Treble  
And Bass, LFE Level, Reverb.  
THX Audio Setup .  
THX EX Enable, Boundary Gain  
Compensation, ASA (Advanced Speaker Array)  
Halo Setup Software . . page 36  
Speaker Setup  
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. page 27  
Level, Distance, Size, Aux (Programmable)  
Channels, Autocalibration  
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Source Setup .  
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. page 32  
Inputs, Title, Preset Selection, Analog  
Monitor, Balanced Inputs  
Navigating the Setup Menus  
You can set up the C 1 just the way you want it, with either the front-panel and remote controls  
or with a PC and downloadable HaloSetup software (page 36)  
To get into Setup mode, press the MENU button on the front panel or on the Master remote.  
If the front-panel display screen is on and the C 1 is in status mode or in video preview mode  
with “Superimpose” selected, it will show the main menu, with a triangular cursor pointing to  
the setup menu that was selected most recently. If your primary viewing screen is also used  
for on-screen display (OSD), it will show the same information as the C 1 front-panel display.  
(To turn the front-panel display on and change display modes, press the DISPLAY MAIN button  
on the front panel of the C 1. To select “Superimpose,” see Display Setup on page 34; for con-  
necting an on-screen display, see also page 49.)  
You can access specific setup menus by pressing the  
front-panel MENU button to advance to the next item on  
Main Menu  
᭤
Audio setup  
the list, or by pressing MENU on the Master remote, then  
rocking the remote’s thumbpad up or down, until the  
name of the setup you want appears on the second line  
of the built-in display or is indicated by the cursor (᭤) on  
the video screen. (Note: Programming is much easier  
with the remote, which lets you scroll backward and for-  
ward through the list rather than simply forward.)  
Speaker setup  
Source setup  
Display setup  
Trigger setup  
THX Audio setup  
Exit  
When you reach the setup menu you want, press the cen-  
ter of the Master remote’s thumbpad (or turn the front-panel knob slightly clockwise) to display  
the next level of menus. Under Audio setup, for example, the front-panel display would show:  
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24  
ADJUSTMENTS, MENUS, AND SETUP continued  
Once again, pressing MENU on the front panel of the C 1,  
Audio setup  
or rocking the Master remote’s thumbpad down, brings  
you to the next option, as shown by the on-screen cursor.  
And once again, turning the front-panel knob slightly or  
pressing the thumbpad on the Master remote brings up a  
list of options. For bass-limiter setup, the display would  
read:  
᭤
Dolby/DTS setup  
Bass limiter setup  
Preset setup  
Treble  
Bass  
LFE level  
Reverb  
Exit  
0dB  
0dB  
–2dB  
Dry  
Turning the knob a little or rocking the thumbpad to one  
side changes the setting or adjusts the function you’ve  
selected. For example, “Bass limiter” would go from Off  
to On and back to Off again, while “Limiter level” would  
change in 1-dB steps from –50 to 0 dB.  
Bass limiter setup  
᭤
Bass limiter  
Limiter level  
Limiter noise  
Off  
—9dB  
Off  
Exit  
If you’ve finished making changes and would like to go to  
a different setup, you can save your changes and move  
back to a higher menu level by selecting “Exit” from the  
current menu, by rocking the thumbpad up or down, or by  
turning the front-panel knob, until you reach “Exit”. To exit  
the current menu, press the center of the thumbpad or turn the front-panel knob one click. To  
save your changes and get out of setup altogether, press the STATUS button on the front panel  
or the MENU button on the Master remote. To get out of setup without saving your changes,  
press ESC (Escape) on the Master remote.  
Each of the six setup titles in the Main Menu is the heading for a separate submenu; each sub-  
menu includes a number of control options or sub-submenus, which are described individually  
in the pages that follow.  
Main Menu  
᭤
Audio setup  
Speaker setup  
Source setup  
Display setup  
Trigger setup  
THX Audio setup  
Exit  
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25  
ADJUSTMENTS, MENUS, AND SETUP continued  
Audio Setup  
The settings made on this screen are “global,” affecting  
all inputs and modes unless specifically overridden by  
settings made via other screens or via the remote.  
Audio setup  
᭤
Dolby/DTS setup  
Bass limiter setup  
Preset setup  
Treble and Bass can be set here in 1-dB steps for up to 12  
dB of cut or boost. Tone-control adjustments made via the  
Master remote will add to, or subtract from, these settings.  
These adjustments affect only the front left, center, and  
right channels.  
Treble  
Bass  
LFE level  
Reverb  
Exit  
0dB  
0dB  
–2dB  
Dry  
LFE level affects the level of the Low Frequency Effects  
signal, the “.1” of a 5.1-channel digital surround signal (such as Dolby Digital or DTS) or a 7.1-  
channel signal (Dolby Digital Surround EX, THX EX, DTS-ES). This is not the same as a sub-  
woofer-level setting, because the subwoofer output may, depending on your speaker setup,  
include bass from the main and surround channels as well as the LFE. The LFE level can be  
set from –10 to 0 dB.  
Reverb sets the level of reverberation in the Club and Concert ambient music modes. It is  
adjustable in five steps (Dry, 1 - 3, and Wet), with Dry (which includes some reverb) being the  
minimum. The Club and Concert modes make recordings sound as if they were made in medium-  
sized or large halls; reverb changes the apparent acoustics of those halls. A touch of reverb may  
also help create a more seamless transition between the left, center, and right speakers, especially  
when the center-channel speaker is positioned higher or lower than the left and right speakers.  
Dolby/DTS Setup  
The adjustments in this submenu are for use with two-channel, mainly analog, sources when  
the C 1 is set to either Dolby Pro Logic II Music or DTS Neo:6 Music modes.  
PL II Panorama sends some of the front-channel sound  
to the surround speakers, for a wraparound effect. It can  
be switched on or off.  
Dolby/DTS setup  
᭤
PLII Panorama  
PLII Center Width  
PLII Dimension  
Off  
Min  
1
PL II Center Width spreads the center-channel signal into  
the left and right front channels to add spaciousness and  
for a smoother interchannel blend. It has eight possible  
settings (Min, 1 - 6, and Max). If you like sharp imaging,  
and the ability to pinpoint where each musician is in the  
soundfield, you’ll probably want it at Min, but if you prefer  
spaciousness, you’re likely to want a higher setting.  
Neo:6 Center Image  
Max  
Exit  
PL II Dimension adjusts the front-rear positioning of the surround field in the PL II Music mode.  
When Dimension is set to its normal position, 0, the control has no effect. When set to +1, +2,  
or +3, the surround field moves increasingly forward, diminishing the spatial effect. When set to  
–1, –2, or –3, the surround field moves increasingly rearward, increasing the spatial effect.  
Neo:6 Center Image also creates a wrap-around effect by sending some front-channel sound  
to the surround speakers. Unlike PL II Panorama, it is adjustable in 6 steps (Min, 1 - 4, Max).  
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ADJUSTMENTS, MENUS, AND SETUP continued  
Bass Limiter Setup  
The bass in today’s film soundtracks is often far louder  
Bass limiter setup  
than it is on music recordings or older films. Handling  
these loud bass tones can make many smaller sub-  
woofers sound distorted and could, in very rare cases,  
even damage them. The bass limiter puts a cap on sub-  
woofer output levels, to prevent this. Because Halo C 1  
owners are apt to have large, high-output subwoofers that  
don’t need this protection, the factory default is “Off.” If  
you ever do hear distorted bass from your sub, however,  
you can turn the C 1 Bass Limiter on and set its level to  
᭤
Bass limiter  
Limiter level  
Limiter noise  
Off  
—11dB  
Off  
Exit  
match your subwoofer’s capabilities. (The bass limiter is not needed with subwoofers meeting  
THX Ultra2 standards, so it is not available if you selected such a sub under “THX Audio Setup.”)  
To set the bass limiter, first press the MENU button on the C 1 front panel or the thumbpad on the  
Master remote to move the cursor to “Limiter noise,” then rock the thumbpad or turn the front-  
panel knob one click to switch the noise on. This will feed a low-frequency signal to your subwoofer.  
Next, move to “Limiter level” and rock the thumbpad sideways or turn the front-panel knob to  
raise the noise level until you just start to hear distortion from your subwoofer. Using the  
thumbpad or front-panel controls, turn the noise off and the bass limiter on.  
Preset Setup  
The preset menu lets you create up five different sound  
profiles, each with its own memorized combination of  
Treble, Bass, Center level, Surround level, and Sub level  
adjustments. Each preset can then be assigned to one or  
more specific inputs in the “Source Setup” menu. This  
gives you a way to automatically compensate for the  
audio properties of different sources (especially analog  
sources such as cassette decks or VCRs that seem to  
need some help) or simply set preferences for each.  
Preset setup  
᭤
Preset  
Treble  
Bass  
1
0dB  
0dB  
0dB  
0dB  
0dB  
Center  
Surround  
Subw  
Exit  
Preset is used to choose whichever of the five presets you want to adjust.  
Treble and Bass override any treble and bass adjustments you may have made in the Audio  
Setup menu, but only for the input or inputs to which the preset is assigned. The range is from  
–12 dB (cut) to +12 dB (boost).  
Center, Surround, and Subw will, for any input assigned to a preset, raise or lower the levels  
in these channels by up to 12 dB relative to those selected in “Level Setup,” under the “Speaker  
Setup” menu.  
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27  
ADJUSTMENTS, MENUS, AND SETUP continued  
Speaker Setup  
To hear the closest possible match to what the filmmak-  
Speaker setup  
ers heard when they mixed their soundtracks, your home  
theater must be set up so that each speaker gets the  
proper signals, that no speaker is louder or softer than it  
should be, relative to the others, and so that the sound  
from each speaker arrives at the proper time.  
Level setup  
Distance setup  
Size setup  
Aux channel setup  
᭤
Level autocalibrate?  
Dist. autocalibate?  
Exit  
Size Setup  
Though not the first item on this menu, it is the first one  
you should program; it’s used to adapt the C 1 to the  
number, locations, and types of speakers in your system.  
“Small” speakers are those with limited bass capacity;  
to avoid distortion, the C 1 diverts bass signals from any  
channels with “Small” speakers and sends them to the  
subwoofer; this diversion takes place at the frequency set  
on the “Size setup” menu. The bass from “Large” speak-  
ers, which can handle it well, is not normally sent to the  
sub. If you’re not sure if you should classify your speakers  
Size setup  
᭤
Main speakers  
Center speaker  
Surround speakers  
Back speakers  
Subwoofer  
Small  
Small  
Small  
No  
Yes  
On  
Subwoofer filter  
Subwoofer freq.  
Enhanced bass  
100 Hz  
Off  
Exit  
as “Small” or “Large,” try both settings and see which sounds best.  
Main speakers, the left and right front speakers, may be set as “Large” or “Small.”  
Center speaker may be set to “Large,” “Small,” or “No.” If your system has no center speaker, set  
this to “No” so the C 1 will divert any center-channel signals into your front left and right speakers.  
This is sometimes referred to as a “Phantom” center because, even without an actual center-  
channel speaker, you will still hear sound apparently coming from between your front speakers.  
Surround speakers, which are placed at the sides of the room, may also be set to “Large,”  
“Small,” or “No.”  
Back speakers are used for 6.1- or 7.1-channel soundtracks such as Dolby Surround EX, THX EX,  
and DTS ES. Here, a single speaker (6.1-channel) will suffice for many listeners, so the options  
are “No,” “1 Small,” “1 Large,” “2 Small,” and “2 Large.” Back-channel information is always  
derived from the information in the surround channels, so those sounds will be heard in the  
surround channels if you select “No” back speaker.  
Subwoofer, select “Yes” or “No.”  
Subwoofer filter (On-Off): A low-pass crossover filter that passes only the low bass (which sub-  
woofers are designed to reproduce), and blocks upper bass, midrange, and treble (which subwoofers  
reproduce very badly). Most self-powered subwoofers, and many passive subs, have such filters  
built in; still, you might prefer to use this filter instead, because it works in the digital domain and  
therefore filters (at 12 dB per octave) without creating phase alterations. Don’t use both the filter  
in your sub and the filter in the C 1, or some frequencies you want may not be heard at all. If your  
sub doesn’t have a bypass switch for its crossover filter, adjust it to its highest frequency setting  
to minimize redundant filtering.  
Subwoofer freq. sets the subwoofer filter’s cutoff frequency, in 10-Hz increments from 40 to  
140 Hz. The optimum setting will depend on your speakers, your sub, and your room’s acoustics.  
Enhanced bass gives you the option of sending bass from channels with “Large” speakers to  
the subwoofer as well. (When all speakers are set to “Large,” the subwoofer normally gets only  
the Low Frequency Effects, or LFE, signal.) Switching Enhanced Bass on will give you more  
bass energy, but switching it off may make the sound clearer–or even louder, in some rooms  
–because it eliminates the possibility of phase problems that can occur when speakers in differ-  
ent parts of the room reproduce the same bass tones.  
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ADJUSTMENTS, MENUS, AND SETUP continued  
Level Setup  
For proper surround, the sounds reaching you from the different speakers should have the same  
relative levels as the sounds reaching the audio engineer who mixed the soundtrack. Because  
home systems vary, the simplest way to do that is to send a standard test signal through each of  
the speakers in turn, measure each one’s sound levels at the main listening position, and then  
adjust each channel’s signal level so that all the sound levels are equal. The C 1 can do this auto-  
matically (see “Level autocalibrate,” on page 30) or manually. The “Level setup” menu can be  
used for manual calibration or simply to check on the levels set by the autocalibration system.  
To make manual adjustments, you will need an SPL  
(sound-pressure-level) meter; it should be held, micro-  
Level setup  
phone end upright, near where your head would be when  
you sit at your main listening position. Set the meter to its  
80-dB scale and to “C” weighting.  
᭤
Left  
Center  
Right  
Right surround  
Right back  
Left back  
Left surround  
Subwoofer  
0.5dB  
0.0dB  
0.0dB  
0.0dB  
None  
None  
0.0dB  
0.0dB  
Once the meter is set up and the “Level setup” screen is  
displayed, press the “Test” key on Page 1 of the Master  
remote’s C1/C2 screen. This will start a test noise that  
cycles through your speakers. As each speaker plays, the  
“dB” on its line of this menu will be replaced by a musical  
Exit  
G-clef symbol (ꢀ), giving you a quick way to make sure each speaker is connected to the proper  
channel. Speakers entered as “No” in “Size setup” will be shown as “None” on this menu, and  
no signal will be sent to them.  
For actual level setting, rock the Master remote’s thumbpad up and down to select the speaker  
you wish to adjust, then rock the thumbpad to the left or right until your sound-level meter  
reads 75 dB (–5 on the 80-dB scale). Then proceed to the next speaker. The noise will automati-  
cally go to the speaker you’re adjusting. If you pause for more than a few seconds, the test  
noise will resume cycling through your speakers.  
Distance Setup  
Proper surround also requires that the sounds reaching you from the different speakers in your  
system should have the same relative timing as they did in the studio mixing room. If the speak-  
ers in the studio were equidistant from the engineer, but your main speakers are three feet further  
from you than your surrounds are, the sound from the main speakers would reach you about 3  
milliseconds (0.003 sec.) late, and you might hear, say, a gunshot’s echo before the shot itself. To  
compensate, your system would have to delay the sound from the surround speakers by three  
milliseconds, enabling the sound from the main speakers to catch up. The C 1 does this automati-  
cally (see “Dist. autocalibrate,” below), but you can also set delays by measuring the distance from  
each speaker to your head and entering it in the screen below. The C 1 then translates distance  
into delay, as sound moves at approximately 1 ms (millisecond) per foot or per 0.3 meters.  
For each speaker, the distance can be set in 1-foot incre-  
ments from 0 to 71 feet (0 to 21.4 meters, if you have set  
“Distance units” on the “Display setup” screen to  
“Meters”). If the distance between you and the left and  
right main speakers differs by more than 2 feet, the display  
will warn:  
Distance setup  
᭤
Left  
Center  
Right  
7ft  
6ft  
7ft  
5ft  
None  
None  
5ft  
Right surround  
Right back  
Left back  
Left surround  
Subwoofer  
Left and right ch delay  
difference exceeds 2ms  
10ft  
Exit  
If your on-screen display is set to a color mode (see “Display setup”), any speaker distances  
that seem unrealistically high—more than about 22 feet (5.9 m) will appear in a different color.  
—
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ADJUSTMENTS, MENUS, AND SETUP continued  
Aux (Programmable) Channel Setup  
The C 1 includes Parasound’s exclusive 7.5-Channel Enhanced Surround with four auxiliary (Aux)  
channels that provide wonderful options for enhancing your home theater. Two of these auxiliary  
channels provide for greater low-frequency power and accuracy. You can program the other two  
auxiliary channels to solve acoustical problems, add greater reality, or provide whatever audio  
enhancements or extensions your home theater needs.  
The Aux channels feed unbalanced output jacks Pro 1 – Pro 4 and balanced output jack Pro 1;  
see diagram, page 51).  
Pro 2 is an extra subwoofer output, paralleling the main sub output. This permits use of multiple  
subwoofers where subs in two locations will perform better than a single sub, or the use of two  
smaller subs where a large one is too intrusive.  
Pro 4 is another sub out, but with all frequencies above 20 Hz filtered out. This is ideal for driving  
tactile transducers such as floor shakers (we recommend they only be fed the lowest frequen-  
cies) or another sub with really extended low-frequency response.  
Pro 1 and Pro 3 (listed in this Setup menu as Aux channels 9 and 10) are more versatile channels,  
because you can create their contents from any or all of the other 7.1 channels, and also adjust  
their bandwidth, level, and delay, as described below.  
Here are just a few ways to benefit from 7.5-Channel Enhanced Surround:  
•
If your home theater has more than a few rows of seats, the left surround and right surround  
speakers can’t provide adequate coverage for all listeners. With Channels 9 and 10, you can add  
extra surround/side speakers, as in commercial movie theaters, and separately adjust the added  
speakers’ delays. If the added speakers are very near your room’s front seats, you could mix a bit of  
the left and right front and signals in with the left surround and right surround signals feeding them.  
•
To provide bass that blends with the sound from the left and right surround back speakers, you can  
program a true rear subwoofer channel by blending signals from only the four surround channels, or  
have side subwoofers that blend front, side, surround and low-frequency effects (LFE) signals.  
•
Because sound from subwoofers takes a few milliseconds to reach you, you might use a pro-  
grammable channel to delay the signal going to a tactile transducer, so its shaking doesn’t reach  
you before the sub’s sound does.  
•
If your theater room is shallow and wide, additional front or center channels will give you  
smoother coverage and smoother side-to-side panning. For an interesting spatial effect, you could  
add “outboard” front speakers that include some opposite-channel signal with its polarity reversed.  
•
The original proposal for EX surround included a centered ceiling speaker for more precise front-  
to-back pans or flyovers. Commercial movie theater owners rejected that idea, to save money,  
but you can implement it in your theater.  
•
All channels can be mixed into a mono channel to feed a speaker in your bar, powder room, or  
out in the hall by the popcorn machine, so your guests can follow the action and dialog when  
they leave the room.  
Suggested mix levels for these applications can be found on pages 51-52.  
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ADJUSTMENTS, MENUS, AND SETUP continued  
Programming Aux Channels 9 and 10  
Each of these two channels has independently adjustable high-pass and low-pass filters and  
provision for deriving content from any or all of the other eight channels, mixed in any proportion  
you like. They are programmed from this menu:  
Level adjusts the channel’s level relative to other channels,  
for proper sonic balance. It is adjustable from –15 to +15 dB,  
Aux channel setup  
᭤
Ch 9 config setup  
—level  
—delay  
in 0.5-dB increments. When these channels are used for  
special effects, it’s usually a good idea to keep their levels  
low. Because these extra channels can be used in so many  
ways, it is impossible to prescribe specific level settings; we  
suggest starting at the lowest possible level, gradually rais-  
ing it until the extra channel becomes barely audible, then  
cutting the level back by a fraction of a decibel.  
0.0dB  
0.0ms  
᭤
Ch 10 config setup  
—level  
—delay  
0.0dB  
0.0ms  
Exit  
Delay can be used simply to synchronize the arrival time  
of the programmed channel’s sound with that of the other channels. But it can also be used for  
special effects, such as adding ambience. It is adjustable from 0.0 to 80.0 milliseconds, in incre-  
ments of 0.5 ms. We suggest you first try increasing the delay by 0.1 ms for each foot (or per  
0.3 meter) of distance from the speaker to your listening position, then try slight variations.  
Setting the delay a bit shorter than the measured distance calls for may make the sound of this  
channel more dominant; lengthening the delay may make it less so. If the delay varies by more  
than 30 ms from the delay settings based on distance, the channel’s sound will not blend seam-  
lessly with the other channels. Aux channel setup  
Ch 9 (or 10) Config Setup brings up this submenu:  
Filter type can be “None,” “Lowpass,” or “Highpass.”  
Ch 9 configuration  
Filter freq can be set in 5-Hz increments. The high-pass  
᭤
Filter 1 type  
Filter 1 freq  
Filter 2 type  
Filter 2 freq  
Lowpass  
80 Hz  
None  
—
filter, commonly used to keep bass out of small speakers,  
can be set from 20 Hz to 1 kHz. The low-pass can be set  
from 20 Hz to 18 kHz. The factory default setting for both  
filters is 80 Hz, recommended (but not mandatory) for use  
with THX, THX Ultra, and THX Ultra2 speakers and sub-  
woofers. If you want bandpass filtering for special effects,  
select both high- and low-pass filters.  
Mix levels  
Exit  
Mix Levels  
Mix Level sets the percentage and polarity (“phase”) of  
the new channel’s content that comes from each of the  
other 7.1 channels, in 1% increments. The settings shown  
here indicate that channel 9 is set to include 10% of each  
main channel’s signal, 50% of the center-channel signal,  
and 5% of each surround-channel signal. The minus signs  
on the surround-channel mix listings indicate that these  
signals are mixed in with their polarity reversed. Reversing  
the polarity of some of the “donor” channels can give you  
interesting spatial effects, especially when combined with  
a bit more delay than called for by the distance from you  
to the Channel 9 and Channel 10 speakers.  
Ch 9 mix levels  
Left  
Center  
Right  
Right surround  
Back  
᭤
10  
50  
10  
—5  
0
Left surround  
LFE  
—5  
0
Exit  
The mix percentages need not add up to 100%. If the mix for an Aux channel was Left 25%,  
Center 100%, and Right 25%, that channel would be receiving as high a center-channel signal  
level as the center channel itself does, plus a bit of the left and right channels, and the center  
would be 2/3 of the total signal.  
Suggested mix levels for these applications can be found in “Technically Speaking,” on page 61.  
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ADJUSTMENTS, MENUS, AND SETUP continued  
Level and Distance Autocalibrate  
First, prepare the calibration microphone supplied with the C 1, by unscrewing its barrel to open  
the battery compartment, inserting the AA battery supplied with its + (button) end toward the  
switch, screwing the barrel back on, and pushing the microphone’s On-Off switch toward the dot.  
Controller  
C1  
Autocalibrating  
Please wait  
L
U
C
A
S
F
I
L
M
Speaker Level  
Ref. Level:  
Noise Level:  
Left  
-29.5dBr  
Phones Cal Mic  
Mute  
Dim  
Status Menu  
THX SURROUND EX  
7.5 CHANNEL  
Press Exit key to  
abort autocalibration  
ENHANCED  
SURROUND  
On-Off  
Zone  
Zone  
Display  
Main  
Source  
Surround  
Plug the microphone into the “Cal Mic” input on the front of the C 1. Then sit in your favorite lis-  
tening chair, holding the microphone with its mesh screen pointing upward. Tilt the Master  
remote’s thumbpad to scroll down to the autocalibration mode you want (level or distance),  
press the center of the thumbpad to start the calibration, and sit back.  
At the start of level autocalibration, the C 1 will briefly check the ambient noise level in your  
room, to make sure it is low enough for the speakers’ output to be measured properly, and will  
display that level on the screen. For the remaining tests, which take about 5 minutes, the C 1  
will play a noise signal through each speaker in turn, starting at a very low level, then raising it  
until each speaker’s output reaches the THX 0-dB level. The on-screen display shows which  
channel is being calibrated and its output level.  
Note: Autocalibration is a precision measuring and adjusting technique that  
requires a reasonably quiet environment. Do not move the microphone once  
calibration starts. And do not talk or make noise during autocalibration, especially  
level autocalibration, as high ambient noise or fluctuating noise levels may  
interfere with and interrupt the process.  
If autocalibration is interrupted by extraneous noise, the OSD will ask for silence,  
count down for five seconds, and then resume from where it left off. It will keep try-  
ing to autocalibrate until it either succeeds or it gives up and displays “Exit to Abort.”  
To exit Autocal, press the ESC (escape) button on the Master remote, not the Exit  
button on the front panel.  
If the subwoofer cannot be autocalibrated after three tries, the OSD will request  
that you adjust subwoofer level manually, as discussed under “Level setup,”  
above. If the subwoofer’s level is still too high or low, adjust the gain of the inter-  
nal or external amplifier powering it.  
At the start of distance autocalibration, the C 1 once again checks ambient noise, then plays  
repeated brief bursts of low-level noise through each speaker in turn. The display shows which  
speaker is being measured, how near completion the measurement is, and the required delay,  
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ADJUSTMENTS, MENUS, AND SETUP continued  
in ms (milliseconds), that the C 1 will apply. (This is equivalent to distance, since 1 ms at the  
speed of sound is roughly 1 foot or 0.3 meters.) The process is not only easier but more accu-  
rate than measuring physical distances, because it takes into account additional delays caused  
by signal processing, subwoofer filters, and other factors. If the subwoofer delay is too long,  
the delay time shown in the built-in and on-screen displays will change color, and the subwoofer  
should be moved closer to you. Distance autocalibration takes about two minutes. Once testing  
is complete, be sure to switch the microphone off. (Note: As with most battery-operated  
gadgets that you seldom use, you should remove the battery when you put the microphone  
away, to protect against damage should the battery ever leak.)  
Source Setup  
The program sources in your home theater system require a wide variety of inputs. Associating  
each source with the correct input jacks is done through the Source setup screen:  
Source: Unless you’ve modified them, the source num-  
bers correspond to the input numbers on the rear panel of  
Source setup  
᭤
Source  
Title  
10  
Audio 4  
Coax 4  
the C 1. Sources 1 through 6 correspond to the Video 1  
through Video 6 audio, composite video, and S-video input  
jacks; sources 7 through 10 correspond to the Audio 1  
through Audio 4 input jacks. You select the source you  
want to set up by turning the front-panel knob or rocking  
the Master remote’s thumbpad.  
Digital input  
Preset  
No change  
Analog monitor  
Component video  
Balanced source  
Balanced routing  
Exit  
Off  
Off  
Bypass  
Note: The 7.1-channel analog input cannot be permanently  
associated with a video input; instead, the video input must  
be selected first, followed by selection of the 7.1-channel input for the sound.  
Title: The factory-set titles correspond to the inputs (e.g., “Video 3” for source 3), but you can eas-  
ily alter them with the Master remote. First press the thumbpad’s edge to tilt it up or down until  
the cursor is on “Title,” press the center of the thumbpad (it will click lightly) to select this option,  
and the “Digital input” line of the display will be replaced temporarily by a cursor and an arrow:  
By rocking the thumbpad up or down, you can change the  
character above the arrow to any upper- or lower-case let-  
Source setup  
Source  
Title  
10  
Audio 4  
ter, numbers 0 through 9, a space, or any of several punc-  
tuation marks (asterisk, hyphen, period, or slash); if you  
hold the thumbpad in its up or down position, the C 1 will  
scroll rapidly through the available characters. If you pre-  
fer, you can also scroll through the character list by turning  
the front-panel knob on the C2. When you have changed  
the character to the one you want, rock the Master  
remote’s thumbpad to the right to move the selection  
᭤
᭤
Preset  
No change  
Analog monitor  
Component video  
Balanced source  
Balanced routing  
Off  
Off  
Bypass  
Exit  
arrow to the next character. Pressing the center of the thumbpad, or moving the arrow past the  
beginning or end or the seven-character title, ends titling mode.  
(Note: To change titles using the C 1 front panel alone, turn the knob to change the letter that’s  
underlined on the built-in display, and press the front-panel MENU button to advance to the next  
letter, number or punctuation mark.)  
Even after you change a title on the C 1, the selector screen on the Master remote will still say  
“VID 1,” “AUD 3,” and so on. To change those screen titles, you’ll need to use a PC and the MX-  
Editor software. (The software can be downloaded from www.parasound.com/halo)  
Digital input: The C 1 has eight digital inputs, four coaxial jacks and four optical jacks. By rock-  
ing the thumbpad side to side, you can associate any of those eight digital jacks with the source  
you’re currently setting up.  
Presets: The “Preset” menu line enables you to associate the source with any of the five preset  
combinations of bass, treble, and individual-channel level adjustments and bass and treble boost  
or cut (for the front left, center, and right channels only) and center, surround, or subwoofer level  
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33  
ADJUSTMENTS, MENUS, AND SETUP continued  
adjustments controlled by the “Preset setup” submenu under “Audio setup.” When you select a  
source that has an associated preset, the preset’s bass and treble settings replace those made on  
the main “Audio setup” screen and the center, surround, and subwoofer level changes are added  
to the values selected in “Level setup.” If you use the tone and speaker level adjustments on the  
Master remote to change these settings, your changes will persist as long as the C 1 is set to that  
input but will be erased from memory and lost as soon as you change to another input.  
A source set to “No change” will use the global settings made in the “Audio setup” menu until  
you change its settings with the Master remote, and changes made that way will be remem-  
bered whenever you come back to this source.  
A source set to “Flat trims” will use the global settings made in the “Audio setup” menu until  
you change them with the Master remote, and will return to the global settings once you have  
changed sources.  
Analog monitor is used to adjust input sensitivity for analog audio signals, to insure against  
overloading the analog-to-digital converters in the C 1, and also to allow balancing analog  
sources so that volume will not shift annoyingly when you switch between them.  
To use this feature, select the desired analog audio source on the “Source setup screen,” then  
select “Analog monitor.” This will change the on-screen display to a level scale flanked by fluctu-  
ating level-meter bars for each channel, plus shorter bars that linger briefly to help you see the  
most recent peak levels:  
Play some music that you know has high peak levels, and  
listen carefully to see if the signal clips (distorts) on the  
Input level  
Monitoring  
0
—1  
0dB—2  
–1dB—3  
—4  
peaks. If so, use the Master remote’s thumbpad or the  
front-panel knob to lower the gain; if not, raise the gain,  
then lower it a little once you hear clipping. (The range of  
adjustment is –5 to +10 dB.) For the analog outputs of CD  
players and other sources with 2-volt output levels, a gain  
setting of less than 0 dB will usually be best. (Note: If you  
go to this screen while playing a digital source, the level-  
meter bars will appear, but the “Gain” line will be  
Gain:  
Peak:  
Press  
or  
to change  
—5  
—6  
—8  
—10  
sensitivity  
Press Enter to  
accept or Exit  
to cancel  
dBr  
replaced by “Digital input” and no adjustments can be made.)  
Component video lets you associate the selected input with any of the three component-video  
inputs on the C 1. Note that this is true even of the Audio 1 through Audio 4 inputs, which are  
not associated with any composite or S-video inputs.  
Balanced source assigns the balanced analog Left and Right inputs to one of the ten main  
sources, not necessarily the one selected in the “Source” line of the “Source setup” screen.  
If you are not using the balanced input for any source, set this to “Off.”  
Balanced routing offers two routes from the balanced input to the outputs of the C 1. “Bypass”  
gives the shortest, most direct route possible through the C 1, with the signal passing only  
through the volume controller, and then to the left and right front channel balanced outputs (and  
to the “Rec/Out” jacks in the “Tape Monitor” area of the C 1 rear panel). In this mode, the signal  
is unaffected by tone controls and other adjustments and surround modes are unavailable. In  
“DSP” mode, all adjustments and surround modes can be used.  
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34  
ADJUSTMENTS, MENUS, AND SETUP continued  
Display Setup  
The options on this screen affect the appearance of any information displayed on the C 1  
Controller’s built-in screen and on any video screen connected to the Controller’s “OSD” video  
output jacks.  
TV system sets both displays to either NTSC (the television  
system used in the Western hemisphere and some Asian  
Display setup  
countries) or PAL (the system predominant in Europe). If  
᭤
TV system  
NTSC  
Off  
Superimpose  
Temporary disp.  
Video format  
Distance units  
OSD Output  
OSD style  
this is set incorrectly for your location, the system informa-  
tion will roll up or down your video screen when the C 1 is  
set to an audio-only source; when a video signal is played  
through the C 1, the Controller automatically selects the TV  
system matching the video input program  
Simple  
Auto  
Feet  
Both  
2
Exit  
Superimpose: When “On,” this superimposes system status information over the video pro-  
gram currently shown on the built-in display screen and on any video monitors or projectors  
connected to the “OSD” video output jacks). When “Off,” the background on the screen will go  
blank whenever this information is displayed.  
Temporary disp. (display): Governs whether, and how, information appears on the built-in dis-  
play screen and on any video monitors or projectors connected to the C 1 “OSD” video output  
jacks. Unless this parameter is set to “Off,” any changes you make to volume, source, mode,  
bass, treble, and so on will be shown briefly on the displays. If this parameter is set to “Full,”  
the screens will show “full” status information (which is probably more than you need or want  
to see each time you change a mode or an input), as shown here:  
If Temporary Disp. Is set to “Simple,” only the source or  
mode setting you just changed will be displayed in the  
lower right corner of the screen.  
CD  
2
AUDIO  
Signal  
Input:  
Mode  
Digital PCM  
Coaxial 2  
Dolby PLII Music  
VIDEO  
Signal  
Input  
No signal  
Auto 2  
Video format, is used for selecting video-source formats. If set to “Svideo,” the C 1 will automati-  
cally use the S-video input jacks for the Video 1 through Video 6 inputs. Setting it to “Compos.”  
causes the composite video jacks to be used. When it’s set to “Auto,” the C 1 automatically  
selects S-video signals when they are available, and selects composite video otherwise.  
Distance units controls whether the “Distance setup” screen shows speaker distances in feet  
or meters.  
OSD Output gives you the choice of sending on-screen display information to the composite  
video “OSD” output, the S-video “OSD” output, both, or neither (“Off”). If you set this for an out-  
put you’re not using, or to “Off,” all OSD information (including background color) will disappear  
from your OSD screen. However, you can then restore OSD by using the display and controls on  
the C 1 front panel.  
OSD style changes the on-screen display colors of the text, background, and error messages for  
the C 1 built-in screen and for any viewing screen connected to the “OSD” video output jacks.  
There are 30 possible settings; the default is white lettering on dark gray, with error messages in  
white lettering on red. With some of these color combinations, text and error messages will be  
indistinct and blurry when you view the built-in display screen off-axis and/or when it is dimmed. If  
OSD information is being shown on a TV monitor, projector, or rear-projection set that uses CRTs  
(cathode ray tubes), selecting the default dark-gray background will extend the life of these tubes.  
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35  
ADJUSTMENTS, MENUS, AND SETUP continued  
Trigger Setup  
Many home theater components (including amplifiers, retractable screens, and some lighting  
equipment) can be controlled by DC trigger signals. The C 1 has three trigger outputs, two of  
which, P1 and P2, are programmable through this setup screen:  
Trigger sense defines the event or condition that you wish  
the C 1 to sense in order to generate a trigger voltage. A  
Trigger setup  
᭤
Trigger 1 sense  
-polarity  
-delay  
PowerOn  
Posit.  
No  
Infin.  
Vidsign  
Negat.  
15s  
few examples are: the moment when the C 1 is turned on;  
activation of its display dimmer; the presence of a compos-  
ite video signal, an S-video signal, or whichever comes first;  
a change of video source (except component video) or any  
audio source, or selection of any specific source (including  
the 7.1-channel input and whichever source is assigned to  
the balanced input).  
-duration  
Trigger 2 sense  
-polarity  
-delay  
-duration  
Exit  
45s  
Polarity does not change the trigger jack’s + output to – and vice versa, as its name implies.  
Rather, it selects whether the individual trigger output is normally off or normally on. When  
Polarity is set to “Posit.” the triggering event you selected will switch the trigger output from  
0 to +12 volts; when set to “Negat.,” the triggering event switches the trigger output from  
+12 to 0 volts. Each trigger output can deliver up to 200 milliamperes (200 mA) of current.  
Delay adjusts the delay between a triggering event and the actual trigger signal output. It  
can be set for “No” delay or for any of 14 delays, of 1 second to 3 minutes.  
Duration controls the trigger signal’s duration. The trigger signal can be set to remain active as  
long as the triggering condition applies (“Infin.”) or to any of 16 periods from 10 milliseconds  
to 3 minutes. If duration is set to 10 ms or 100 ms, additional pulses of 10 ms and 100 ms are  
generated when the triggering event ends. This enables the C 1 to control devices that require  
separate turn-on and turn-off pulses.  
The third trigger, marked “On-Off” on the rear panel, only operates when the C 1 is turned on  
and off. It is set for positive polarity, no delay, and “infinite” (continuous) duration.  
Thanks to the flexibility of its three triggers, the C 1 can initiate and end a number of operations.  
For example: the “On-Off” trigger could be used to turn power amplifiers on and off with the C 1;  
video-based settings could be used to lower a projection screen, turn on a video projector, dim  
room lights, and draw window curtains.  
THX Audio Setup  
THX EX enable can be set to Auto or Manual. With Auto,  
the C 1 will automatically switch into THX Surround EX  
THX Audio setup  
THX EX Enable  
Automatic  
mode if the following conditions are met:  
Boundary gain comp.  
THX Ultra2 Sub  
Boundary gain comp.  
ASA  
1. THX processing is switched on;  
Yes  
On  
2.You are playing a Dolby Digital soundtrack that carries  
the digital “flag” that identifies it as carrying information  
for surround back speakers;  
Back speakers  
Together  
Exit  
3.You selected Back speakers in “Speaker Setup/Size.”  
If there is no EX flag, THX processing will default to THX  
Cinema for 5.1- and 6.1-channel speaker setups and THX Ultra2 Cinema for 7.1-channel setups. If  
“THX EX enable” is set to “Manual,” EX processing can be activated, when applicable, by press-  
ing the THX key on the Master remote once or twice when the C 1 is in Direct mode.  
Boundary gain comp. (compensation) tames the excessive, boomy bass that can occur when  
listeners are near the back wall of home theaters whose subwoofers meet THX Ultra2 stan-  
dards or have flat anechoic response down to 20 Hz. If you have such a subwoofer, setting THX  
Ultra2 Sub to “Yes” gives you the option of turning this feature on or off (try listening to it both  
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36  
ADJUSTMENTS, MENUS, AND SETUP continued  
ways, to see which gives you more lifelike bass). If your subwoofer does not meet these stan-  
dards, setting THX Ultra2 Sub to “No” will disable boundary gain compensation.  
ASA (Advanced Speaker Array) processes the sound sent to the surround back (not the sur-  
round side) speakers. THX recommends that the two back speakers be placed close together,  
facing the front of the room, to broaden the “sweet spot” in the room where their effect is  
most beneficial, and provides processing to compensate if they must be spaced apart. Set ASA  
to “Together” if the speakers are within 12 inches (30 cm) of each other, to “Close” if they are  
separated by 12" to 48" (1.2 m), and to “Apart” if the separation is more than 48".  
Halo Setup Software  
An additional setup aid is HaloSetup.exe, a Windows program that can be downloaded from our  
Web site (www.parasound.com/halo). With a standard serial cable (available from computer  
stores) connecting your PC to the RS-232 connector on the back of the C 1, you can use this pro-  
gram to set up the C 1 and to store settings you’ve made through the setup menus described  
in this chapter. This is also the only way you can reprogram the default messages “C 1 is turning  
on now,” and “Shutting Down.” Some of the program’s terminology differs slightly from that used  
in this manual, but operation is nearly self-explanatory.  
We strongly recommend that you save your original settings before you begin, so that you can  
restore them later if you dislike the changes you have made. Use the File/Save As command to  
create a configuration file, and give it a name you’ll understand if you get back to it months later  
(e.g. “Harry’s original.sfg”). If you have modified settings through the menus in this chapter, use  
the Operations/Download command, or the F6 key, to copy the current settings to the Halo  
Setup program; to program the C 1 with settings you have made within the program, use  
Operations/Upload All settings (F8) to copy all settings to the C 1, or use Operations/Upload  
Changed settings (F7) to copy only those you’ve altered.  
If uploading or downloading does not work, use Operations/Check Connections (press the F5 key).  
If that discloses problems, go to File/Options and check that the program is using the correct port.  
(The factory default is COM 2; if that does not work, try the others, beginning with Com 1.)  
Note that the illustration shows only one of the program’s seven main pages, some of which  
open out into sub-pages.  
The program runs on Windows 95 and higher.  
Parasound Halo Setup  
File Operations About...  
General Audio  
Source Speaker  
OSD  
Trigger Presets  
General AudioSettings  
Reverb  
Dry  
Volume: -50dB  
-90dB  
-20dB  
1
2
Bass: 0dB  
-12dB  
-12dB  
+12dB  
+12dB  
3
Treble: 0dB  
Wet  
Bass Settings  
LFE Level  
Level 0dB  
Offset 0dB  
60 Hz  
Subwoofer Filter:  
Enhanced Bass  
Bass Limiter:  
-10dB  
0dB  
-50 dB  
-20dB  
+10dB  
Dolby PL II / DTS  
Settings...  
THX Ultra2  
Settings...  
DefaultTHX Surround EX Mode  
EX On EX Off  
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37  
CONNECTING AUDIO AND VIDEO SOURCES AND RECORDERS  
There are more than 100 signal input and output jacks on the Halo processor’s rear panel–more  
than you’re likely to use, but enough to ensure you can make any type of connection you’re  
likely to need. To simplify things, the jacks are grouped by type and function:  
Composite  
Component S-Video Balanced Analog  
Digital  
Audio Inputs  
Video Inputs Video Inputs Inputs  
Audio Inputs  
Component Video Inputs and Outputs  
Pr  
Y
Pb  
CAUTION  
TO PREVENT ELECTRIC SHOCK,  
DO NOT REMOVE COVER. NO USER  
SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE,  
C2 Controller  
Input  
Input  
1
2
REFER SERVICINGTO QUALIFIED  
SERVICE PERSONNEL.  
Parasound Products, Inc.  
San Francisco, California, USA  
Balanced Analog Audio Inputs  
Balanced Analog Audio Outputs  
Left  
Right  
Left  
Right  
Center  
Subwoofer  
Left Surround  
Right Surround  
Left Back  
Right Back  
Pro  
1
Input  
3
Output  
Coax  
Digital Audio Inputs  
Red  
Green  
Blue  
H
Sync  
V
Composite Video Inputs  
Video 1 Video 3 Video 5 Record  
Video Outputs  
Made In  
Finland  
Expansion Port For  
FutureTechnologies  
S-Video Inputs  
S-Video Outputs  
Zone  
Coax 1  
Coax 3  
Video 1  
Video 2  
Video 3  
Video 4  
Video 5  
Video 6  
Record  
Main  
Optical 1 Optical 3  
Digital Out  
External Control  
IR Inputs  
–
12VTriggers  
–
RS-232 Control  
RS-232 Control  
Main Zone  
P1  
P2 On-Off  
Optical  
Coax 2  
Coax 4  
Optical 2 Optical 4  
Back Front Surround Center  
Video 2 Video 4 Video 6 OSD Main NoOSD  
Video 1 Video 2 Video 3 Video 4 Video 5 Video 6 Audio 1 Audio 2  
OSD  
No OSD  
Zone  
Audio 3 Audio 4  
Audio 5  
Record 1 Record 2  
Front Surround Center  
Back  
Pro 1  
Pro 2  
AC Power  
L
L
1
0
R
R
Sub  
Sub  
Pro 3  
Pro 4  
Play/In Rec/Out  
Tape Monitor  
Analog Audio Inputs  
Analog Audio Outputs  
7.1 Analog Audio Inputs  
Main Analog Audio Outputs  
Programmable Out  
Unbalanced Analog Tape Monitor  
Audio Inputs Input  
7.1 Channel  
Analog Inputs  
IR AC Cord  
Inputs Inlet  
Even if your C 1 was set up by an installer, it pays to know a bit about these connections in  
case you ever need to change them or trouble-shoot your system. (Cables and plugs can cause  
more problems in audio and home theater systems than the components they connect do.)  
Connection Types  
The C 1 has three types of video and four types of audio connector, and your other components  
may use some of each. The three video connection types, each of which uses a different type  
of connector, are Composite video, S-Video, and Component video, listed in order of increas-  
ing picture quality. For connections between video sources (such as VCRs, DVD players, and TV  
or satellite tuners) and the C 1, use the highest-quality output connection that source offers.  
Signals from the S-Video inputs also appear at the composite output jacks of the C 1, but com-  
posite input signals appear only at the composite output jacks. Component-video input signals  
appear only at the component-video output jacks, respectively. So, to ensure that all video  
sources can be seen, use both composite and S-Video connections (and component video, too,  
if available) between the C 1 and your TV, video monitor, or projector.  
Composite video connections (labeled simply “Video” on the rear panel of the C 1) uses “RCA”  
jacks, yellow-coded to distinguish them from the RCA jacks provided for analog and digital audio.  
S-Video connections use multi-pin plugs and jacks that must be oriented identically in order to fit  
together. This orientation is not standardized (the S-Video jacks on the C 1 are oriented as shown  
on the rear-panel diagrams). Since S-Video cables are thick and hard to twist, it pays to look at  
the end of the plug to line up its pins with the holes in the jack before trying to insert it.  
Component video connections use three cables (or five, for certain equipment which has sepa-  
rate synchronization jacks); The component-video jacks on the C 1 are the professional, BNC type,  
whose connectors lock firmly together when twisted, but adapters are provided for use with  
cables having the more common RCA plugs.  
The four audio connections are unbalanced analog, balanced analog, coaxial digital, and  
optical digital.  
Most analog sources (such as tuners, and tape decks), and the analog outputs of CD players and other  
digital sources, have unbalanced output circuits with one RCA jack per channel. The channels are fre-  
quently color-coded, usually red for the right stereo or right front channel and black or white for the left  
or left front. If your best analog source or your amplifiers have balanced connections (usually via  
three-pin XLR jacks), using them instead of the unbalanced RCA jacks will provide additional protection  
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CONNECTING AUDIO AND VIDEO SOURCES AND RECORDERS  
continued  
38  
against hum and other noises, especially if your equipment rack is crowded with other components or  
your cables are more than 10 feet (3 meters) long. (For more information, refer to the “Balanced and  
Unbalanced Lines” section in the “Technically Speaking” section toward the end of this manual.)  
Balanced and unbalanced input signals normally appear at both the balanced and unbalanced outputs  
(including the recording outputs). However, in Bypass mode (see the chapter on “Adjustments,  
Menus, and Setup”), when the balanced input is selected its signal passes straight to the front left  
and front right balanced outputs, and unbalanced signals go only to the unbalanced outputs. Signals  
from balanced or unbalanced analog sources do not appear at the digital outputs of the C 1.  
For best playback performance from digital sources (such as CD, DVD, and DAT players or  
recorders), connect them to the digital inputs of the C 1. It usually makes little difference whether  
you use coaxial connections (black RCA jacks on the C 1) or optical connections (small square  
Toslink connectors); however, if the cables must make sharp bends, optical cables should not be  
used. Signals from the digital inputs also pass through the 24-bit digital-to-analog converters in the  
C 1 to appear at its main analog outputs. When Toslink jacks are not in use, they should be protect-  
ed from dust with the small black plastic plugs supplied.  
General Rules When Connecting Sources to the C 1:  
•
To avoid sudden blasts of noise (which can harm your speakers), make sure  
the power cord of the C 1 is disconnected, or that its rear-panel power switch  
is turned off (the “0” position).  
Make sure all your cables are long enough so that they are not strained or  
•
stretched when you pull the C 1 out to make or change connections.  
Don’t use excessively long cables; they cost more money, get in your way,  
•
and can reduce signal quality.  
Note: Although analog audio cables have the same plugs as coaxial digital cables, they do not  
have the proper characteristics to transfer digital signals properly. However, composite-video  
cables (which usually have yellow plugs) can be used.  
The following table summarizes the relationships between the different types of input and  
output in the C 1:  
AUDIO  
MAIN  
BALANCED RECORD 1 &  
OUTPUTS RECORD 2  
OUTPUTS  
TAPE  
DIGITAL  
ZONE  
OUTPUT  
INPUTS/OUTPUTS OUTPUTS  
MONITOR OUTPUTS  
REC/OUT  
Available From  
Unbalanced Analog In  
Balanced In – Normal  
Balanced In – Bypass  
Tape Monitor Play/In  
Digital Inputs  
Yes  
Yes  
No  
Yes  
Yes  
Yes  
Yes  
Yes  
Yes  
Yes  
No  
No  
No  
Yes  
Yes  
No  
No  
No  
No  
No  
No  
No  
Yes  
Yes  
Yes  
No  
No  
No  
Yes  
Yes  
7.1-Channel  
Analog Inputs  
Yes  
Yes  
Yes  
Yes  
No  
No  
VIDEO  
INPUTS/OUTPUTS  
COMPOSITE S-VIDEO COMPONENT COMPOSITE S-VIDEO  
ZONE  
OUTPUT  
VIDEO  
OUTPUTS  
VIDEO  
VIDEO  
REC/OUT  
OUTPUTS  
OUTPUT  
REC/OUT  
Available From  
Composite Video In  
S-video In  
Yes  
Yes  
No  
No  
Yes  
No  
No  
No  
Yes  
Yes  
No  
No  
No  
Yes  
No  
Yes  
No  
No  
Component Video In  
Note: Programmable Outputs can access the same sources as the Main Outputs.  
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CONNECTING AUDIO AND VIDEO SOURCES AND RECORDERS  
continued  
39  
Connecting a CD or Other Audio Source Component to the C 1  
OUTPUTS  
Unbalanced  
Analog Audio  
Digital Optical Digital Coaxial  
Output Output  
CD PLAYER  
R
L
Component Video Inputs and Outputs  
Pr  
Y
Pb  
CAUTION  
TO PREVENT ELECTRIC SHOCK,  
DO NOT REMOVE COVER. NO USER  
SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE,  
C2 Controller  
Input 1  
Input 2  
REFER SERVICINGTO QUALIFIED  
SERVICE PERSONNEL.  
Parasound Products, Inc.  
San Francisco, California, USA  
Balanced Analog Audio Inputs  
Balanced Analog Audio Outputs  
Left Surround  
Subwoofer Right Surround  
Left  
Right  
Left  
Right  
Center  
Left Back  
Right Back  
Pro 1  
Input 3  
Output  
Coax  
Digital Audio Inputs  
Red  
Green  
Blue  
H
Sync  
V
Composite Video Inputs  
Video 1 Video 3 Video 5 Record  
Video Outputs  
Made In  
Finland  
Expansion Port For  
FutureTechnologies  
S-Video Inputs  
S-Video Outputs  
Zone  
Coax 1  
Coax 3  
Video 1  
Video 2  
Video 3  
Video 4  
Video 5  
Video 6  
Record  
Main  
Optical 1 Optical 3  
Digital Out  
External Control  
IR Inputs  
– 12VTriggers –  
RS-232 Control  
Main Zone  
P1  
P2 On-Off  
Optical  
Coax 2  
Coax 4  
Optical 2 Optical 4  
Back Front Surround Center  
Video 2 Video 4 Video 6 OSD Main NoOSD  
Video 1 Video 2 Video 3 Video 4 Video 5 Video 6 Audio 1 Audio 2 Audio 3 Audio 4  
Audio 5  
Record 1 Record 2  
Zone  
Front Surround Center  
Back  
Pro 1  
Pro 2  
AC Power  
L
L
1
0
R
R
Sub  
Sub  
Pro 3  
Pro 4  
Play/In Rec/Out  
Tape Monitor  
Analog Audio Inputs  
Analog Audio Outputs  
7.1 Analog Audio Inputs  
Main Analog Audio Outputs  
Programmable Out  
What You May Need:  
RCA Plug  
•
One pair of unbalanced interconnects with RCA plugs  
•
One 75-ohm digital coaxial cable with RCA plugs  
(OR one optical digital cable with Toslink connectors)  
•
CD player with digital and unbalanced analog outputs  
Toslink Connect  
or  
For the best possible sound, always use your source component’s digital output, if it has one. It is  
not necessary to use the source’s analog outputs as well, unless you plan to record from this source  
onto an analog recorder such as a cassette deck or to listen to this source in a remote listening zone.  
(Digital signals appear at the main analog outputs but not the analog recording or Zone outputs.)  
For FM/AM tuners and similar analog audio gear that lacks digital outputs, only the analog input  
connections are used.  
Note that the first six analog audio inputs, at the lower left corner (numbered Video 1 through Video  
6), are associated with the composite video and S-Video inputs whose numbers they share. For  
audio-only sources, it’s best to use inputs Audio 1 through Audio 4, as those inputs cannot be used  
with composite or S-Video sources (they can, however be used with component-video sources).  
Connecting a DVD Or Other Video Source Component to the C 1  
What You May Need:  
•
One pair of unbalanced interconnects with RCA plugs  
•
One 75-ohm digital coaxial cable with RCA plugs (or:  
one optical digital cable with Toslink connectors)  
RCA Plug  
S-Video Connector  
•
•
•
One S-video cable with multi-pin plugs  
One composite video cable with RCA plugs (optional)  
One three-cable component video cable set, with RCA  
plugs at one end, RCA or BNC plugs at the other (optional)  
Toslink Connect  
or  
BNC Connector  
•
DVD player with digital and analog audio outputs, plus com-  
posite, S-video, and possibly component video outputs  
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CONNECTING AUDIO AND VIDEO SOURCES AND RECORDERS  
continued  
40  
Component  
Unbalanced AnaOloUgTPUTS  
Audio  
Digital Optical  
Outputs  
Composite  
Video  
DVD PLAYER  
Video Outputs  
S-Video  
R
G
B
L
R
Component Video Inputs and Outputs  
Pr  
Y
Pb  
CAUTION  
TO PREVENT ELECTRIC SHOCK,  
DO NOT REMOVE COVER. NO USER  
SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE,  
REFER SERVICINGTO QUALIFIED  
SERVICE PERSONNEL.  
C2 Controller  
Input  
Input  
1
2
Parasound Products, Inc.  
San Francisco, California, USA  
Balanced Analog Audio Inputs  
Balanced Analog Audio Outputs  
Left  
Right  
Left  
Right  
Center  
Subwoofer  
Left Surround  
Right Surround  
Left Back  
Right Back  
Pro  
1
Input  
3
Output  
Coax  
Digital Audio Inputs  
Red  
Green  
Blue  
H
Sync  
V
Composite Video Inputs  
Video 1 Video 3 Video 5 Record  
Video Outputs  
Made In  
Finland  
Expansion Port For  
FutureTechnologies  
S-Video Inputs  
S-Video Outputs  
Record  
Main  
Zone  
Coax 1  
Coax 3  
Video 1  
Video 2  
Video 3  
Video 4  
Video 5  
Video 6  
Optical 1 Optical 3  
Digital Out  
External Control  
IR Inputs  
–
12VTriggers  
–
RS-232 Control  
Main Zone  
P1  
P2 On-Off  
Optical  
Coax 2  
Coax 4  
Optical 2 Optical 4  
Back Front Surround Center  
Video 2 Video 4 Video 6 OSD Main NoOSD  
Video 1 Video 2 Video 3 Video 4 Video 5 Video 6 Audio 1 Audio 2  
OSD  
No OSD  
Zone  
Audio 3 Audio 4  
Audio 5  
Record 1 Record 2  
Front Surround Center  
Back  
Pro 1  
Pro 2  
AC Power  
L
L
1
0
R
R
Sub  
Sub  
Pro 3  
Pro 4  
Play/In Rec/Out  
Tape Monitor  
Analog Audio Inputs  
Analog Audio Outputs  
7.1 Analog Audio Inputs  
Main Analog Audio Outputs  
Programmable Out  
Home theater systems can have three types of video connection (composite, S-Video, and com-  
ponent), and there are times when it pays to use all three as shown here. Normally, every type of  
video you feed into the C 1 would then be fed out to your main video display screen or projector,  
and you’d use the video display’s input selector to determine which connection feeds the screen.  
•
•
•
Composite video connections will be needed if you intend to pass the source’s video picture to  
another room via the Zone output on the C 1 or if you’ll be recording it onto an older VCR which  
has no S-Video input. Composite video input signals are not available at the S-Video output jacks.  
S-Video connections give a clearer picture than composite video and are widely used in home  
theater systems. In the C 1, signals from S-Video inputs are available at the composite and  
S-Video output jacks and the S-Video Record jacks; they are not available at the Zone output jack.  
Component video connections give you the highest possible picture quality and are the best  
choice for high-definition TV (HDTV). However, not all DVD players and other sources have com-  
ponent video outputs nor do all TV sets have component video inputs. In the C 1, component  
video signals go only to the component output jacks, a straight pass-through with the widest  
bandwidth, to assure the cleanest picture for HDTV formats.  
Note that two of the component video inputs on the C 1, and its component video output, have  
five jacks, even though only three are shown in use. Home theater equipment commonly uses  
the connection shown, with three cables (sometimes labeled Y, R-Y, and B-Y or Y, Cb, and Cr).  
But computers, professional video equipment, and some projectors used in home theaters use  
a five-wire standard (RGB-HV) that uses separate cables for each color and for horizontal and  
vertical synchronization. This system synchronizes the signal elements more precisely and elimi-  
nates any possible trace of interference between them. It also provides improved compatibility  
with the PAL video system used in Europe and many other places.  
As with the CD player, it is unnecessary to use both the digital and analog audio outputs from  
a DVD player unless you intend to record to an analog tape recorder or a VCR. If you do use the  
player’s analog output, it and the video outputs should be connected to inputs having the same  
name; the example in the diagram shows the DVD player connected to the “Video 3” compos-  
ite video, S-Video, and unbalanced analog inputs.  
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CONNECTING AUDIO AND VIDEO SOURCES AND RECORDERS  
continued  
41  
Connecting a Multichannel Source to the C 1  
Certain multichannel sources, such as SACD and DVD-A players, have internal surround decoders  
and D/A converters and can deliver multichannel audio only via their analog output jacks. The diagram  
shows a 5.1-channel source, the most common type today, and indicates the “Back” connections to  
be used with 7.1-channel components when they become available. Like the balanced-line “Bypass”  
mode, this is a straight pass-through of the analog signal from input to output, with no signal modifi-  
cations beyond the analog level controls (including volume adjustment and the center, surround, and  
subwoofer-level trims on Page 3 of the Master remote’s C1/C2 menu).  
What You May Need:  
•
Six (5.1) or eight (7.1) unbalanced interconnects with RCA plugs  
RCA Plug  
•
One 75-ohm digital coaxial cable with RCA plugs (or: one optical  
digital cable with Toslink connectors)  
•
Multichannel player (SACD, DVD-A, etc.) with digital and 5.1- or  
Toslink Connect  
or  
7.1-channel analog audio outputs.  
Component Video Inputs and Outputs  
Pr  
Y
Pb  
CAUTION  
TO PREVENT ELECTRIC SHOCK,  
DO NOT REMOVE COVER. NO USER  
SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE,  
C2 Controller  
Input 1  
REFER SERVICINGTO QUALIFIED  
SERVICE PERSONNEL.  
Parasound Products, Inc.  
San Francisco, California, USA  
Balanced Analog Audio Inputs  
Balanced Analog Audio Outputs  
Left Surround  
Subwoofer Right Surround  
Input 2  
Input 3  
Output  
Left  
Right  
Left  
Right  
Center  
Left Back  
Right Back  
Pro 1  
Coax  
Digital Audio Inputs  
Red  
Green  
Blue  
H
Sync  
V
Composite Video Inputs  
Video 1 Video 3 Video 5 Record  
Video Outputs  
Made In  
Finland  
Expansion Port For  
FutureTechnologies  
S-Video Inputs  
S-Video Outputs  
Zone  
Coax 1  
Coax 3  
Video 1  
Video 2  
Video 3  
Video 4  
Video 5  
Video 6  
Record  
Main  
Optical 1 Optical 3  
Digital Out  
External Control  
IR Inputs  
– 12VTriggers –  
RS-232 Control  
Main Zone  
P1  
P2 On-Off  
Optical  
Coax 2  
Coax 4  
Optical 2 Optical 4  
Video 2 Video 4 Video 6 OSD Main NoOSD  
Video 1 Video 2 Video 3 Video 4 Video 5 Video 6 Audio 1 Audio 2  
OSD  
No OSD  
Zone  
Audio 3 Audio 4  
Audio 5  
Record 1 Record 2  
Front Surround Center  
Back  
Front Surround Center  
Back  
Pro 1  
Pro 2  
AC Power  
L
L
1
0
R
R
Sub  
Sub  
Pro 3  
Pro 4  
Play/In Rec/Out  
Tape Monitor  
Analog Audio Inputs  
Analog Audio Outputs  
7.1 Analog Audio Inputs  
Main Analog Audio Outputs  
Programmable Out  
OUTPUTS  
DVD-A  
PLAYER  
Analog Outputs  
Digital Optical  
Output  
Digital Coaxial  
Output  
L
R
LS  
RS  
C
Sub  
LB  
RB  
For simplicity’s sake, the player shown is strictly for audio. For SACD and DVD-A players that also  
play DVDs, add the video input and output connections shown for a DVD player (previous page).  
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CONNECTING AUDIO AND VIDEO SOURCES AND RECORDERS  
continued  
42  
Connecting a Balanced-Output Audio Source  
What You May Need:  
•
Two balanced interconnects with XLR plugs  
•
One optical digital cable with Toslink connectors  
RCA Plug  
Toslink Connector  
(or: one 75-ohm digital coaxial cable with RCA plugs)  
•
Audio source component with balanced and unbal-  
anced analog audio outputs and optical or coaxial  
digital output.  
Male  
Female  
XLR Connectors  
OUTPUTS  
Digital  
Optical  
Output  
Digital  
Coaxial  
Output  
Unbalanced  
Analog Audio  
Balanced  
Analog Audio  
CD PLAYER  
L
R
L
R
Component Video Inputs and Outputs  
Pr  
Y
Pb  
CAUTION  
TO PREVENT ELECTRIC SHOCK,  
DO NOT REMOVE COVER. NO USER  
SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE,  
C2 Controller  
Input 1  
Input 2  
REFER SERVICINGTO QUALIFIED  
SERVICE PERSONNEL.  
Parasound Products, Inc.  
San Francisco, California, USA  
Balanced Analog Audio Inputs  
Balanced Analog Audio Outputs  
Left Surround  
Subwoofer Right Surround  
Left  
Right  
Left  
Right  
Center  
Left Back  
Right Back  
Pro 1  
Input 3  
Output  
Coax  
Digital Audio Inputs  
Red  
Green  
Blue  
H
Sync  
V
Composite Video Inputs  
Video 1 Video 3 Video 5 Record  
Video Outputs  
Made In  
Finland  
Expansion Port For  
FutureTechnologies  
S-Video Inputs  
S-Video Outputs  
Record  
Main  
Zone  
Coax 1  
Coax 3  
Video 1  
Video 2  
Video 3  
Video 4  
Video 5  
Video 6  
Optical 1 Optical 3  
Digital Out  
External Control  
IR Inputs  
– 12VTriggers –  
RS-232 Control  
Main Zone  
P1  
P2 On-Off  
Optical  
Coax 2  
Coax 4  
Optical 2 Optical 4  
Back Front Surround Center  
Video 2 Video 4 Video 6 OSD Main NoOSD  
Video 1 Video 2 Video 3 Video 4 Video 5 Video 6 Audio 1 Audio 2 Audio 3 Audio 4  
OSD  
No OSD  
Zone  
Audio 5  
Record 1 Record 2  
Front Surround Center  
Back  
Pro 1  
Pro 2  
AC Power  
L
L
1
0
R
R
Sub  
Sub  
Pro 3  
Pro 4  
Play/In Rec/Out  
Tape Monitor  
Analog Audio Inputs  
Analog Audio Outputs  
7.1 Analog Audio Inputs  
Main Analog Audio Outputs  
Programmable Out  
Normally, all balanced and unbalanced input signals appear at both the balanced and the unbal-  
anced outputs of the C 1, including its Record, and Programmable outputs, but only signals  
going to the main 7.1-channel outputs are affected by whatever surround, tone-control, and other  
DSP (digital signal processor) settings you select.  
There is a Bypass mode which sends signals directly from the left and right balanced inputs  
to the left front and right front balanced output jacks, avoiding the DSP section, for additional  
assurance of the signal’s purity (see the “Source Setup” in the chapter on “Adjustments,  
Menus, and Setup”). In Bypass mode, signals from the balanced outputs are not available at  
the recording or Zone outputs; if the balanced source also has unbalanced outputs, connecting  
them as well will make its signal available for recording or remote-zone listening.  
Bypass only affects the balanced outputs, so its benefits are only available with amplifiers that  
accept balanced signals.  
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CONNECTING AUDIO AND VIDEO SOURCES AND RECORDERS  
continued  
43  
Connecting Recorders  
Recorders require two-way connections to the C 1, so that you can record from it as well as play  
back through it. The C 1 has one pair of input and several sets of output jacks for recorder use.  
There are other jacks available for playback.  
Composite Video  
Record Out  
S-Video  
Record Out  
Digital Audio  
Outputs  
Component Video Inputs and Outputs  
Pr  
Y
Pb  
CAUTION  
TO PREVENT ELECTRIC SHOCK,  
DO NOT REMOVE COVER. NO USER  
SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE,  
REFER SERVICINGTO QUALIFIED  
SERVICE PERSONNEL.  
C2 Controller  
Input 1  
Input 2  
Parasound Products, Inc.  
San Francisco, California, USA  
Balanced Analog Audio Inputs  
Balanced Analog Audio Outputs  
Left Surround  
Subwoofer Right Surround  
Left  
Right  
Left  
Right  
Center  
Left Back  
Right Back  
Pro 1  
Input 3  
Output  
Cox  
Digital Audio Inputs  
Red  
Green  
Blue  
H
Sync  
V
Composite Video Inputs  
Video 1 Video 3 Video 5 Recrd  
Video Outputs  
Made In  
Finland  
Expansion Port For  
FutureTechnologies  
S-Video Inputs  
S-Video Outputs  
Zone  
Coax 1  
Coax 3  
Video 1  
Video 2  
Video 3  
Video 4  
Video 5  
Video 6  
Record  
Main  
Optical 1 Optical 3  
Digital Out  
External Control  
IR Inputs  
– 12VTriggers –  
RS-232 Control  
Main Zone  
P1  
P2 On-Off  
Optical  
Coax 2  
Coax 4  
Optical 2 Optical 4  
Back Front Surround Center  
Video 2 Video 4 Video 6 OSD Main NoOSD  
Video 1 Video 2 Video 3 Video 4 Video 5 Video 6 Audio 1 Audio 2  
OSD  
No OSD  
Zone  
Audio 3 Audio 4  
Audio 5  
Record 1 Record 2  
Front Surround Center  
Back  
Pro 1  
Pro 2  
AC Power  
L
L
1
0
R
R
Sub  
Sub  
Pro 3  
Pro 4  
Play/In Rec/Out  
Tape Monitor  
Analog Audio Inputs  
Analog Audio Outputs  
7.1 Analog Audio Inputs  
Main Analog Audio Outputs  
Programmable Out  
Tape Zone &  
Monitor Record  
Outputs  
The output jacks for audio recording are all unaffected by the volume, bass, and treble controls  
and from changes of listening mode. You can adjust any of these listening parameters, even  
while you record, without affecting the sound of the recording.  
The Tape Monitor Rec/Out jacks and the separate Record output jacks receive the same signal  
as the main zone. If you wish to listen to one signal in your main zone while recording another,  
connect your recorder’s input to the Zone output jacks, whose program source can be selected  
independently.  
With the C 1, you can easily connect three recorders at once, even without using the Zone output:  
for example, an analog tape deck on the Tape Monitor jacks, a VCR on the audio Record 1 and  
video Record outputs, and a digital audio recorder connected to digital inputs and outputs and to  
audio Record 2. If desired, a DVD recorder could be substituted for the digital audio deck, receiv-  
ing video from the S-Video Record jack while the composite Record jack feeds the VCR.  
Showing all of these possibilities in one diagram would produce something like a map of the  
New York subway system. So the diagrams that follow show various possibilities by themselves.  
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CONNECTING AUDIO AND VIDEO SOURCES AND RECORDERS  
continued  
44  
Analog Recording Via the Tape Monitor Jacks  
What You May Need:  
•
Two pairs of unbalanced interconnects with RCA plugs  
•
Analog tape recorder, preferably with off-tape  
(third-head) monitoring  
RCA Plug  
Component Video Inputs and Outputs  
Pr  
Y
Pb  
CAUTION  
TO PREVENT ELECTRIC SHOCK,  
DO NOT REMOVE COVER. NO USER  
SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE,  
REFER SERVICINGTO QUALIFIED  
SERVICE PERSONNEL.  
C2 Controller  
Input 1  
Input 2  
Parasound Products, Inc.  
San Francisco, California, USA  
Balanced Analog Audio Inputs  
Balanced Analog Audio Outputs  
Left Surround  
Subwoofer Right Surround  
Left  
Right  
Left  
Right  
Center  
Left Back  
Right Back  
Pro 1  
Input 3  
Output  
Coax  
Digital Audio Inputs  
Red  
Green  
Blue  
H
Sync  
V
Composite Video Inputs  
Video 1 Video 3 Video 5 Record  
Video Outputs  
Made In  
Finland  
Expansion Port For  
FutureTechnologies  
S-Video Inputs  
S-Video Outputs  
Zone  
Coax 1  
Coax 3  
Video 1  
Video 2  
Video 3  
Video 4  
Video 5  
Video 6  
Record  
Main  
Optical 1 Optical 3  
Digital Out  
External Control  
IR Inputs  
– 12VTriggers –  
RS-232 Control  
Main Zone  
P1  
P2 On-Off  
Optical  
Coax 2  
Coax 4  
Optical 2 Optical 4  
Back Front Surround Center  
Video 2 Video 4 Video 6 OSD Main NoOSD  
Video 1 Video 2 Video 3 Video 4 Video 5 Video 6 Audio 1 Audio 2  
Audio 3 Audio 4  
Audio 5  
Record 1 Record 2  
Zone  
Front Surround Center  
Back  
Pro 1  
Pro 2  
AC Power  
L
L
1
0
R
R
Sub  
Sub  
Pro 3  
Pro 4  
Play/In Rec/Out  
Tape Monitor  
Analog Audio Inputs  
Analog Audio Outputs  
7.1 Analog Audio Inputs  
Main Analog Audio Outputs  
Programmable Out  
Tape  
Monitor  
Zone &  
Record  
Outputs  
Record  
Input  
Playback  
Output  
DIGITAL  
AUDIO  
RECORDER  
L
R
L
R
With some audio recorders, the Tape Monitor feature enables you to observe the quality of your  
recording as it’s being made, without having to rewind the tape or go back to the beginning of  
the disc and play it through again to be sure it is okay. Analog recorders with separate record  
and playback heads can play the signal from the tape as soon as it’s passed from the recording  
to the playback head. If you’re recording to the analog inputs of a CD, DAT, or other digital  
recorder, using Tape Monitor lets you hear the signal after it’s gone through the recorder’s ana-  
log-to-digital (and digital-to-analog) converters, so you can make sure there’s no overload distor-  
tion. If you do hear any problems, the Tape Monitor helps you determine, by comparing the orig-  
inal signal to the recorder’s output, whether that signal or your recorder is causing the problem.  
(If it is your recorder, check its level settings; setting the level too high is the most common  
cause of distortion in recording.)  
If your recorder is connected to the Record Out jacks next to the Zone output, you can also  
monitor its output by selecting it as the source for your main zone. But while you’re recording,  
be sure not to select any active recorder as the source for the Zone output, or you’ll hear an  
annoying (and possibly speaker-damaging) loud howl.  
The analog record outputs carry only two-channel signals. Surround information will be recorded  
if your source is matrix-encoded analog material such as a video tape with a Dolby Surround  
soundtrack. When recording from DVDs or other digital sources, add left- and right-channel  
analog connections from the source to the C 1 and select that analog input for recording, as  
multichannel digital signals are fed only to the digital output.  
(Note: The Tape Monitor jacks can also be used as an external processor loop, connected to an  
equalizer or other two-channel processor. With the processor connected between Rec/Out and  
Play/In jacks, you can switch it in and out of the signal path from your chair, using the Tape key  
on the Master remote.)  
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CONNECTING AUDIO AND VIDEO SOURCES AND RECORDERS  
continued  
45  
Connecting a Digital Audio Recorder  
What You May Need:  
•
Two pairs of unbalanced interconnects with RCA plugs  
•
Two digital interconnects, Toslink or coaxial  
•
Digital audio recorder with digital and analog inputs  
RCA Plug  
Toslink Connector  
and outputs  
Composite  
Video Record  
Out  
Zone &  
Record  
Outputs  
S-Video  
Record Out  
Digital Audio  
Outputs  
Component Video Inputs and Outputs  
Pr  
Y
Pb  
CAUTION  
TO PREVENT ELECTRIC SHOCK,  
DO NOT REMOVE COVER. NO USER  
SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE,  
REFER SERVICINGTO QUALIFIED  
SERVICE PERSONNEL.  
C2 Controller  
Input 1  
Input 2  
Parasound Products, Inc.  
San Francisco, California, USA  
Balanced Analog Audio Inputs  
Balanced Analog Audio Outputs  
Left  
Right  
Input 3  
Output  
Cox  
Digital Audio Inputs  
Red  
Green  
ue  
H
Sync  
V
Composite Video Inputs  
Video 1 Video 3 Video 5 Record  
Video Outputs  
Made In  
Finland  
Expansion Port For  
FutureTechnologies  
S-Video Inputs  
S-Video Outputs  
Zone  
Coax 1  
Coax 3  
Video 1  
Video 2  
Video 3  
Video 4  
Video 5  
Video 6  
Record  
Main  
Optical 1 Optical 3  
Digital Out  
External Control  
IR Inputs  
– 12VTriggers –  
RS-232 Control  
Main Zone  
P1  
P2 On-Off  
Optical  
Coax 2  
Coax 4  
Optical 2 Optical 4  
Video 2 Video 4 Video 6 OSD Main NoOSD  
Video 1 Video 2 Video 3 Video 4 Video 5 Video 6 Audio 1 Audio 2  
OSD  
No OSD  
Zone  
Audio 3 Audio 4  
Audio 5  
Record 1 Recod 2  
Front Surround Center  
Back  
Front Surround Center  
Back  
Pro 1  
Pro 2  
AC Power  
L
L
1
0
R
R
Sub  
Sub  
Pro 3  
Pro 4  
Play/In Rec/Out  
Tape Monitor  
Analog Audio Inputs  
Analog Audio Outputs  
7.1 Analog Audio Inputs  
Main Analog Audio Outputs  
Programmable Out  
Tape  
Monitor  
Analog  
Record/  
Input  
Analog  
Playback/  
Output  
Digital  
Optical  
Input  
Digital  
Optical  
Output  
DIGITAL  
AUDIO  
RECORDER  
L
R
L
R
To record all your audio sources to a digital recorder you will need both analog and digital  
connections between the recorder and the C 1. This is because the Digital Out jacks carry the  
signal from the currently selected digital input but not from any analog input, and the analog  
record outputs do not carry signals from any digital sources. To make digital recordings from  
analog sources, use the analog Record or Rec/Out connections and the recorder’s analog input.  
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CONNECTING AUDIO AND VIDEO SOURCES AND RECORDERS  
continued  
46  
Connecting a Video Recorder  
What You May Need:  
•
Two pairs of unbalanced analog audio interconnects,  
with RCA plugs  
•
Two composite video interconnects, with RCA plugs  
RCA Plug  
•
•
S-Video Connector  
Two S-video interconnects, with multi-pin plugs  
VCR or other video recorder  
The video Record jacks, and the Record 1 and Record 2 audio output jacks, carry the same signal  
as the other main-zone outputs. To tape one video or broadcast while you view another, connect  
your video recorder to the Zone video and audio output jacks and use the Zone control mode to  
select the source you want to record.  
Component Video Inputs and Outputs  
Pr  
Y
Pb  
CAUTION  
TO PREVENT ELECTRIC SHOCK,  
DO NOT REMOVE COVER. NO USER  
SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE,  
REFER SERVICINGTO QUALIFIED  
SERVICE PERSONNEL.  
C2 Controller  
Input  
Input  
1
2
Parasound Products, Inc.  
San Francisco, California, USA  
Balanced Analog Audio Inputs  
Balanced Analog Audio Outputs  
Left Surround  
Subwoofer Right Surround  
Left  
Right  
Left  
Right  
Center  
Left Back  
Right Back  
Pro  
1
Input  
3
Output  
Coax  
Digital Audio Inputs  
Red  
Green  
Blue  
H
Sync  
V
Composite Video Inputs  
Video 1 Video 3 Video 5 Record  
Video Outputs  
Made In  
Finland  
Expansion Port For  
FutureTechnologies  
S-Video Inputs  
S-Video Outputs  
Zone  
Coax 1  
Coax 3  
Video 1  
Video 2  
Video 3  
Video 4  
Video 5  
Video 6  
Record  
Main  
Optical 1 Optical 3  
Digital Out  
External Control  
IR Inputs  
–
12VTriggers  
–
RS-232 Control  
Main Zone  
P1  
P2 On-Off  
Optical  
Coax 2  
Coax 4  
Optical 2 Optical 4  
Back Front Surround Center  
Video 2 Video 4 Video 6 OSD Main NoOSD  
Video 1 Video 2 Video 3 Video 4 Video 5 Video 6 Audio 1 Audio 2  
OSD  
No OSD  
Zone  
Audio 3 Audio 4  
Audio 5  
Record 1 Record 2  
Front Surround Center  
Back  
Pro 1  
Pro 2  
AC Power  
L
L
1
0
R
R
Sub  
Sub  
Pro 3  
Pro 4  
Play/In Rec/Out  
Tape Monitor  
Analog Audio Inputs  
Analog Audio Outputs  
7.1 Analog Audio Inputs  
Main Analog Audio Outputs  
Programmable Out  
Video  
Output Input  
S-Video  
Output Input  
Audio  
Outputs  
Audio  
Inputs  
To Cable,  
Antenna or TV  
Set-top Box  
To  
VCR  
L
R
L
R
(Note: Video signals can also be recorded via the video monitor outputs. However, do not use  
the “OSD” jacks, or the on-screen display will be superimposed forever on your recording.)  
(A third option, of course, is to record broadcast, cable, or satellite program through the video  
recorder’s antenna/cable [RF] inputs; this can be done regardless of what you’re watching, and  
even when the C 1 is turned off.)  
Cabling for a DVD recorder would be similar to that shown for a VCR, with the addition of digital  
audio connections like those shown for a digital audio recorder earlier in this chapter.  
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47  
CONNECTING THE AUDIO AND VIDEO OUTPUTS  
The output jacks of the C 1 are grouped with the input jacks of the same types:  
Component Video  
Inputs & Outputs  
S-Video  
Inputs & Outputs  
Digital Audio  
Outputs & Inputs  
Balanced Analog Audio  
Inputs & Outputs  
Component Video Inputs and Outputs  
Pr  
Y
Pb  
CAUTION  
TO PREVENT ELECTRIC SHOCK,  
DO NOT REMOVE COVER. NO USER  
SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE,  
REFER SERVICINGTO QUALIFIED  
SERVICE PERSONNEL.  
C2 Controller  
Input  
Input  
1
2
Parasound Products, Inc.  
San Francisco, California, USA  
Balanced Analog Audio Inputs  
Balanced Analog Audio Outputs  
Left Surround  
Subwoofer Right Surround  
Left  
Right  
Left  
Right  
Center  
Left Back  
Right Back  
Pro  
1
Input  
3
Composite  
Video Outputs  
& Inputs  
Output  
Coax  
Digital Audio Inputs  
Red  
Green  
Blue  
H
Sync  
V
Composite Video Inputs  
1
Video Outputs  
Record  
Made In  
Finland  
Expansion Port For  
FutureTechnologies  
S-Video Inputs  
S-Video Outputs  
Video  
Video  
3
Video  
5
Zone  
Coax  
3
Coax  
1
Video  
1
Video  
2
Video  
3
Video  
4
Video  
5
Video  
6
Record  
Main  
Optical  
1
2
Optical  
Optical  
3
4
Digital Out  
External Control  
IR Inputs  
–
12VTriggers  
–
RS-232 Control  
Control  
Jacks  
RS-232 Control  
Main Zone  
P1  
P2 On-Off  
Optical  
Coax  
2
Coax  
4
Optical  
Back  
Video  
Video  
2
1
Video  
Video  
4
2
Video  
Video  
6
3
OSD Main NoOSD  
Video  
Video  
OSD  
No OSD  
Zone  
Front Surround Center  
4
5
Video  
6
Audio  
1
Audio  
2
Audio  
3
Audio  
4
Audio  
5
Record  
1
Record  
2
Front Surround Center  
Back  
Pro  
1
Pro  
2
AC Power  
L
L
1
0
AC Cord  
Inlet  
R
R
Sub  
7.1 Analog Audio Inputs  
Sub  
Main Analog Audio Outputs  
Pro  
3
Pro  
4
Play/In Rec/Out  
Tape Monitor  
Analog Audio Inputs  
Analog Audio Outputs  
Programmable Out  
AC Power  
Switch  
Unbalanced Analog  
Audio Inputs  
Tape  
Zone & 7.1 Channel Main Analog Programmable  
Monitor Record Analog Inputs Outputs  
Outputs  
Input & Outputs  
Outputs  
Main Audio Outputs  
All audio input signals, whether from unbalanced analog, balanced analog, or digital sources  
are available at the unbalanced and balanced analog outputs, but only digital input signals also  
appear at the digital outputs.  
Digital input signals are passed straight through to the digital outputs, with no processing. That  
means that signals from the digital outputs of the C 1 will not be heard in surround unless  
decoded or processed by some other component, down the line.  
The main balanced and unbalanced analog outputs are in groups of eight jacks each, to handle  
up to 7.1-channel signals from multichannel sources or from stereo sources processed to  
include surround-channel ambience by the C 1. (The ninth balanced output jack, Pro 1, is a pro-  
grammable output that will be covered later in this chapter, together with the four unbalanced  
programmable output jacks.) If you choose not to process them, stereo signals will appear at  
the left and right front output jacks, and mono signals will appear at the center-channel jacks (or,  
if your setup includes no center speaker, through the same left and right front outputs).  
If the cable between the C 1 and your amplifiers is more than about 10 feet (3 meters) long,  
using the balanced outputs (and amplifiers with balanced inputs) will guard against hum and  
noise pickup in the cables. With balanced connections, it’s feasible to mount your amplifiers  
very close to your speakers and use short speaker cables. With some amplifiers (especially tube  
amps) and some speakers, this can subtly improve performance.  
The balanced and unbalanced outputs normally carry the signals from the balanced input and  
the unbalanced inputs. You can select a Bypass mode (see “Source Setup” in the chapter on  
“Adjustments, Menus, and Setup”) to route the balanced input signal directly to the left and  
right front balanced output jacks, passing through no circuitry except the analog volume control.  
Should you wish to use Bypass mode, you must use balanced connections between the C 1  
and the amplifiers serving the right and left front channels.  
The other amplifiers, however, can be connected via balanced or unbalanced cables. We sug-  
gest using amps with balanced inputs in locations farthest from the C 1 and amps with only  
unbalanced inputs nearby. While it’s best to use identical amplifiers for all channels, it’s some-  
times more convenient or economical to use a mixture of amplifiers, especially if you already  
have some. (See “Using Unmatched Amplifiers,” in the “Technically Speaking” section at the  
back of this manual.)  
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48  
CONNECTING THE AUDIO AND VIDEO OUTPUTS continued  
Connecting Audio Amplifiers to the C 1  
What You May Need:  
Male  
•
6 to 8 unbalanced or balanced analog interconnects  
Female  
(one per channel)  
RCA Plug  
XLR Connectors  
Component Video Inputs and Outputs  
Pr  
Y
Pb  
CAUTION  
TO PREVENT ELECTRIC SHOCK,  
DO NOT REMOVE COVER. NO USER  
SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE,  
REFER SERVICINGTO QUALIFIED  
SERVICE PERSONNEL.  
C2 Controller  
Input  
Input  
1
2
Parasound Products, Inc.  
San Francisco, California, USA  
Balanced Analog Audio Inputs  
Balanced Analog Audio Outputs  
Left Surround  
Subwoofer Right Surround  
Left  
Right  
Left  
Right  
Center  
Left Back  
Right Back  
Pro  
1
Input  
3
Output  
Coax  
Digital Audio Inputs  
Red  
Green  
Blue  
H
Sync  
V
Composite Video Inputs  
Video Outputs  
Made In  
Finland  
Expansion Port For  
FutureTechnologies  
S-Video Inputs  
S-Video Outputs  
Video  
1
Video  
3
Video  
5
Record  
Zone  
Coax  
1
Coax  
3
Video  
1
Video  
2
Video  
3
Video  
4
Video  
5
Video  
6
Record  
Main  
Optical  
1
2
Optical  
3
4
Digital Out  
External Control  
RS-232 Control  
IR Inputs  
–
12VTriggers  
–
Main Zone  
P1  
P2 On-Off  
Optical  
Coax  
2
Coax  
4
Optical  
Back  
Optical  
Video  
Video  
2
1
Video  
Video  
4
2
Video  
Video  
6
3
OSD Main NoOSD  
Video  
Video  
OSD  
No OSD  
Zone  
4
5
Video  
6
Audio  
1
Audio  
2
Audio  
3
Audio  
4
Audio  
5
Record  
1
Record  
2
Front Surround Center  
Front Surround Center  
Back  
Pro  
1
Pro  
2
AC Power  
L
L
1
0
R
R
Play/In Rec/Out  
Tape Monitor  
Sub  
7.1 Analog Audio Inputs  
Pro  
3
Pro  
4
Analog Audio Inputs  
Analog Audio Outputs  
Main Analog Audio Outputs  
Programmable Out  
2 CHANNEL AMPLIFIER  
Outputs  
Inputs  
RIGHT  
BACK  
SPEAKER  
RIGHT SURROUND  
SPEAKER  
RIGHT MAIN  
CHANNEL  
SPEAKER  
5 CHANNEL AMPLIFIER  
POWERED  
SUBWOOFER  
Inputs  
Outputs  
CENTER  
CHANNEL  
SPEAKER  
TV-VIDEO  
MONITOR  
LEFT MAIN  
CHANNEL  
SPEAKER  
LEFT  
BACK  
SPEAKER  
LEFT SURROUND  
SPEAKER  
The basic home theater setup is 5.1 channels: Front (left and right), Surround (left and right) and  
Center (front), plus a subwoofer (the “.1” in the array). That’s sufficient for the Dolby Digital, and  
DTS soundtracks on most DVDs and the Dolby Surround soundtracks on most videocassettes,  
Laserdiscs, and broadcasts.  
The two surround back channels are optional, as the diagram indicates. They are needed for optimum  
surround from 7.1-channel Dolby Digital Surround EX or DTS ES soundtracks and from 7.1-channel  
sources that use the 7.1-channel analog inputs. However, if you have surround back speakers, the C 1  
will extract ambience information to feed them when you select the DTS Neo:6 Cinema or Neo:6  
Music modes (which also work with non-DTS program material). If your system does not yet have  
surround back speakers, 7.1-channel soundtracks will be reproduced as regular 5.1-channel surround.  
As you can see from the diagram, if you start with a five-channel amp and want to expand your sys-  
tem later, you can add a stereo (two-channel) amp to drive the additional speakers.  
Amplifier Alternatives  
The amplifier setup shown above – a five-channel amplifier and an optional two-channel amp,  
both connected to the 7.1-channel unbalanced analog outputs -- is far from mandatory. A five-  
channel amplifier is convenient, compact, and cost-effective, a two-channel amp is a convenient  
way to add a pair of channels, and most amplifiers have unbalanced inputs.  
If you own a two-channel amplifier that’s better or more powerful than your five-channel amplifi-  
er, we recommend you use it for the left and right front channels to assure the best possible  
sound when playing stereo music.  
It would also be possible to use the balanced outputs on the C 1, as long as your amplifiers  
have balanced inputs. For powered subwoofers, unbalanced connections are commonly used,  
as few subwoofers have balanced input jacks.  
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49  
CONNECTING THE AUDIO AND VIDEO OUTPUTS continued  
Connecting Video Displays  
What You May Need:  
•
Two composite video cables with RCA plugs  
•
One S-video cable with multi-pin connectors  
•
One three-cable component video cable set, with RCA  
RCA Plug  
S-Video Connector  
plugs at one end, RCA or BNC plugs at the other  
Component  
Video Outputs  
Composite  
Video Outputs  
S-Video  
Outputs  
Component Video Inputs and Outputs  
Pr  
Y
Pb  
CAUTION  
TO PREVENT ELECTRIC SHOCK,  
DO NOT REMOVE COVER. NO USER  
SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE,  
C2 Controller  
Input  
Input  
1
2
REFER SERVICINGTO QUALIFIED  
SERVICE PERSONNEL.  
Parasound Products, Inc.  
San Francisco, California, USA  
Balanced Analog Audio Inputs  
Balanced Analog Audio Outputs  
Left Surround  
Subwoofer Right Surround  
Left  
Right  
Left  
Right  
Center  
Left Back  
Right Back  
Pro  
1
Input  
3
Output  
Coax  
Digital Audio Inputs  
Red  
Green  
Blue  
H
Sync  
V
Composite Video Inputs  
Video Outputs  
Made In  
Finland  
Expansion Port For  
FutureTechnologies  
S-Video Inputs  
S-Video Outputs  
Video  
1
Video  
3
Video  
5
Record  
Zone  
Coax  
3
Coax  
1
Video  
1
Video  
2
Video  
3
Video  
4
Video  
5
Video  
6
Record  
Main  
Optical  
1
2
Optical  
3
4
Digital Out  
External Control  
IR Inputs  
–
12VTriggers  
–
RS-232 Control  
Main Zone  
P1  
P2 On-Off  
Optical  
Coax  
2
Coax  
4
Optical  
Back  
Optical  
Video  
Video  
2
1
Video  
Video  
4
2
Video  
Video  
6
3
OSD Main NoOSD  
Video  
Video  
OSD  
No OSD  
Zone  
4
5
Video  
6
Audio  
1
Audio  
2
Audio  
3
Audio  
4
Audio  
5
Record  
1
Record  
2
Front Surround Center  
Front Surround Center  
Back  
Pro  
1
Pro  
2
AC Power  
L
L
1
0
R
R
Sub  
Sub  
Main Analog Audio Outputs  
Pro  
3
Pro  
4
Play/In Rec/Out  
Tape Monitor  
Analog Audio Inputs  
Analog Audio Outputs  
7.1 Analog Audio Inputs  
Programmable Out  
AC Cord  
Inlet  
Main Viewing  
Screen  
Small TV  
for Viewing OSD  
It may seem odd to connect the C 1 to your main video display three ways, as shown here, but  
in many systems it makes sense. This is because composite video sources are not available at  
the S-Video outputs (though S-Video sources are available at the composite jacks) and compo-  
nent video sources can be seen only via the component video outputs.  
So, if you have a VCR, which probably has both composite video and S-Video outputs, you’d  
want to use S-Video to get the clearest possible pictures from that. If your system also includes  
a source with component video outputs (the only kind that works for high-definition television),  
only component video links would give you all the picture quality that source can provide. And if  
you have a source that has only a composite video output, the signal from that source would  
appear only at the composite video jacks of the C 1.  
You can see the function and setup menus when you’re near the C 1’s built-in 5" display screen.  
This is a handy way to adjust C 1 functions or go through DVD menu selections without superim-  
posing a lot of information on the screen that your guests and family watch. You might also wish to  
view on-screen information on a second, auxiliary TV or monitor located near your equipment.  
Connect it to the S-Video or (more likely) composite “OSD” jack, as shown, and connect your main  
video screen or TV to the “No OSD” jacks. If you prefer to view on-screen menus from your normal  
seating position, you can see them on your main video screen or TV if you connect it to the C 1’s  
“OSD” composite and S-Video jacks. If you connect it to both the C 1’s “OSD” composite video  
output and to its “non-OSD” S-Video output, you can select the TV’s own composite video input  
when you want to see the C 1 on-screen messages and switch the TV to its S-Video input when  
you want to watch programs without any on-screen messages.  
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50  
CONNECTING THE AUDIO AND VIDEO OUTPUTS continued  
Although the “No OSD” jacks do not pass on-screen display information generated by the C 1,  
they will pass status information coming from such source components as VCR and DVD play-  
ers, because that information is part of the video signal fed to the C 1.  
(Note: No on-screen display is sent to the component video outputs, because on-screen display  
circuits reduce video bandwidth and detract from component video’s increased signal purity and  
picture clarity. However, OSD is available for composite and S-Video because its effect on these  
narrower-bandwidth signals isn’t as noticeable.)  
The diagram shows cables to only three of the five component video jacks provided (the ones  
marked “Pr,” “Y” and “Pb”), as most home-theater video devices use only those connections.  
Professional video gear, computers and a few DVD players and other devices use VGA or RGB  
connections that require five cables (for red, green, blue, and horizontal and vertical sync). For  
the best possible picture quality, especially for HDTV, we recommend using cables with twist-  
on BNC connectors; however, adapters are provided for the more commonly available RCA-plug  
cables. (Note: The component video jacks on the C 1, and the plug adapters supplied, are not  
color-coded; however, a key to the appropriate cable colors is printed below the bottom row of  
component video jacks; from left to right, they are “Red,” “Green,” and “Blue”.)  
Connecting a Second Entertainment Zone  
What You May Need:  
•
1 composite video cable  
RCA Plug  
•
2 unbalanced analog audio interconnects  
•
1 zone amplifier and pair of speakers  
•
1 in-wall infrared sensor  
3.5 mm mini plug  
•
1 IR repeater module  
Component Video Inputs and Outputs  
Pr  
Y
Pb  
CAUTION  
TO PREVENT ELECTRIC SHOCK,  
DO NOT REMOVE COVER. NO USER  
SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE,  
REFER SERVICINGTO QUALIFIED  
SERVICE PERSONNEL.  
C2 Controller  
Input  
Input  
1
2
Parasound Products, Inc.  
San Francisco, California, USA  
Balanced Analog Audio Inputs  
Balanced Analog Audio Outputs  
Left Surround  
Subwoofer Right Surround  
Left  
Right  
Left  
Right  
Center  
Left Back  
Right Back  
Pro  
1
Input  
3
Output  
Coax  
Digital Audio Inputs  
Red  
Green  
Blue  
H
Sync  
V
Composite Video Inputs  
Video Outputs  
Made In  
Finland  
Expansion Port For  
FutureTechnologies  
S-Video Inputs  
S-Video Outputs  
Video  
1
Video  
3
Video  
5
Record  
Zone  
Coax  
1
Coax  
3
Video  
1
Video  
2
Video  
3
Video  
4
Video  
5
Video  
6
Record  
Main  
Optical  
1
2
Optical  
3
4
Digital Out  
External Control  
RS-232 Control  
IR Inputs  
–
12VTriggers  
–
Main Zone  
P1  
P2 On-Off  
Optical  
Coax  
2
Coax  
4
Optical  
Back  
Optical  
Video  
Video  
2
1
Video  
Video  
4
2
Video  
Video  
6
3
OSD Main NoOSD  
Video  
Video  
4
5
Video  
6
Audio  
1
Audio  
2
Audio  
3
Audio  
4
Audio  
5
Record  
1
Record  
2
Zone  
Front Surround Center  
Front Surround Center  
Back  
Pro  
1
Pro  
2
AC Power  
L
L
1
0
R
R
Play/In Rec/Out  
Tape Monitor  
Sub  
7.1 Analog Audio Inputs  
Sub  
Main Analog Audio Outputs  
Pro  
3
Pro  
4
Analog Audio Inputs  
Analog Audio Outputs  
Programmable Out  
2 CHANNEL  
ZONE AMPLIFIER  
Composite Video  
Zone Outputs  
Inputs  
IR REPEATOR  
MODULE  
Outputs  
IR WALL  
SENSOR  
LEFT  
SPEAKER  
RIGHT  
SPEAKER  
TV  
REMOTE ZONE  
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51  
CONNECTING THE AUDIO AND VIDEO OUTPUTS continued  
The C 1 allows you to feed separate audio or audio-video programs to two different areas, or  
zones, in your home. To feed video and audio to a second zone, connect a video cable with RCA  
plugs to the “Zone” composite video jack and a pair of audio cables to the “Zone” unbalanced-  
output jacks. The “Zone” audio output is always stereo (unless you are playing a monophonic  
source). When you select a source for this output, the display on the C 1 will initially show what-  
ever listening mode that source was last used with but will revert to “Stereo” almost immediate-  
ly. Remember that only analog sources are available at the “Zone” audio output jacks.  
We strongly recommend that you use a professional installer when setting up a second enter-  
tainment zone. The pros are very experienced at snaking wires through walls, know just what  
kinds of cable will keep long cable runs from diminishing audio and video quality, and save you a  
lot of work and potential grief. A good installer can also suggest ways to enhance your second-  
zone system and make it better suited to your needs. If you don’t already have an installer, ask  
your Parasound dealer for recommendations.  
Using the Programmable (Aux) Outputs:  
What You May Need:  
Male  
•
1 to 4 unbalanced analog interconnects  
(one per channel used)  
Female  
RCA Plug  
XLR Connectors  
•
1 balanced analog interconnect  
Component Video Inputs and Outputs  
Pr  
Y
Pb  
CAUTION  
TO PREVENT ELECTRIC SHOCK,  
DO NOT REMOVE COVER. NO USER  
SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE,  
REFER SERVICINGTO QUALIFIED  
SERVICE PERSONNEL.  
C2 Controller  
Input 1  
Parasound Products, Inc.  
San Francisco, California, USA  
Balanced Analog Audio Inputs  
Balanced Analog Audio Outputs  
Input 2  
Input 3  
Output  
Left  
Right  
Left  
Right  
Center  
Subwoofer  
Left Surround  
Right Surround  
Left Back  
Right Back  
Pro 1  
Coax  
Digital Audio Inputs  
Red  
Green  
Blue  
H
Sync  
V
Composite Video Inputs  
Video 1 Video 3 Video 5 Record  
Video Outputs  
Made In  
Finland  
Expansion Port For  
FutureTechnologies  
S-Video Inputs  
S-Video Outputs  
Zone  
Coax 1  
Coax 3  
Video 1  
Video 2  
Video 3  
Video 4  
Video 5  
Video 6  
Record  
Main  
Optical 1 Optical 3  
Digital Out  
External Control  
IR Inputs  
– 12VTriggers –  
RS-232 Control  
Main Zone  
P1  
P2 On-Off  
Optical  
Coax 2  
Coax 4  
Optical 2 Optical 4  
Back Front Surround Center  
Video 2 Video 4 Video 6 OSD Main NoOSD  
Video 1 Video 2 Video 3 Video 4 Video 5 Video 6 Audio 1 Audio 2  
Audio 3 Audio 4  
Audio 5  
Record 1 Record 2  
Zone  
Front Surround Center  
Back  
Pro 1  
Pro 2  
AC Power  
L
L
1
0
R
R
Sub  
Sub  
Pro 3  
Pro 4  
Play/In Rec/Out  
Tape Monitor  
Analog Audio Inputs  
Analog Audio Outputs  
7.1 Analog Audio Inputs  
Main Analog Audio Outputs  
Programmable Out  
Programmable  
Outputs  
The one balanced and four unbalanced Programmable Outputs enable you to enhance your system.  
The jacks marked Pro 1 and Pro 3 (Aux Channels 9 and 10 in the setup menu) can address acoustics  
or room shape problems or add new effects. The Pro 2 output duplicates the main subwoofer chan-  
nel; Pro 4 is similar, with a 20-Hz low-pass filter, to feed tactile transducers (floor shakers); the output  
level and delay for Pro 2 and 4 is the same as the main subwoofer output.  
Programming New Channels  
Here are some “recipes” to create channels for special functions (see pages 29-30). We’ve  
abbreviated left, center, and right channels as L, C, R; left and right surround side channels  
as LS, RS; the surround back channel as B; and the low-frequency effects channel as LFE.  
•
Add Extra side speakers: A simple recipe is to feed the additional left surround speaker 100%  
LS, and feed 100% RS to the additional right surround speaker. If the added speakers are  
toward the front of the seating area, you might try blending 10% L + 90% LS on the left side,  
10% R + 90% RS on the right. Extra surround speakers closer to the rear could blend signals  
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52  
CONNECTING THE AUDIO AND VIDEO OUTPUTS continued  
from the appropriate-side surround channel and the back channel. Time delays for these new  
speakers should be set for the distance to the closest seats.  
•
Add a rear-channel subwoofer: try 50% B, 25% LS, and 25% RS. Then add low-pass filtering, if  
needed, and a delay time for the sub’s distance from your seat. If you prefer to add subwoofers  
on the sides of the room, try feeding the left sub 100% L + 60% C + 100% LS + 60% LFE, and  
feed the right sub 100% R + 60% C +100% RS + 60% LFE.  
•
Add time-delay for a tactile-transducer: try 100% LFE + 0% to 50% C, + 50-100% each of L, R,  
LS, and RS.  
•
Add a central overhead channel: Try 100% each of LS and RS, or (2) 30% C + 10% LS + 10% RS  
+ 50% B. If you find yourself acutely aware of sound coming from this new speaker, adjust the  
channel’s low-pass filter to roll off its highs above, say, 8kHz to blend it with the other speakers,  
whose high frequencies are less noticeable because they’re further away.  
•
Create a mono channel for an adjacent room, try 100% C + 50% L + 50% R + 25% LS and RS,  
and adjust the LFE percentage or high pass filter so as not to overload the speaker with bass it  
can’t handle.  
•
Add more front speakers: for an extra-wide room, place inboard of the L and R speakers. Feed  
the left one 50-75% L + 50-75% C; feed 50-75% R + 50-75% C to the speaker on the other  
side. If you prefer outboard speakers, feed the far left speaker 60% L – (not +) 40% R (which  
injects right-channel signal with its polarity inverted), and 60% R, – 40% L to the far left one.  
•
Add more front speakers: if your two front speakers are closer to each other than their distance  
to your seat, you can synthesize greater channel separation by feeding them from the Aux  
rather than the L and R outputs, with, say, 100% L - 30% R to the left speaker and 100% R -  
30% L to the right speaker.  
Input/Output Summary  
The table below summarizes the available connections:  
AUDIO  
OUTPUTS  
MAIN  
OUTPUTS  
BALANCED RECORD 1 &  
OUTPUTS RECORD 2  
OUTPUTS  
TAPE  
DIGITAL  
ZONE  
OUTPUT  
MONITOR OUTPUTS  
REC/OUT  
Available From  
Unbalanced Analog In  
Balanced In – Normal  
Balanced In – Bypass  
Tape Monitor Play/In  
Digital Inputs  
Yes  
Yes  
No  
Yes  
Yes  
Yes  
Yes  
Yes  
Yes  
Yes  
No  
No  
No  
Yes  
Yes  
No  
No  
No  
No  
No  
No  
No  
Yes  
Yes  
Yes  
No  
No  
No  
Yes  
Yes  
7.1-Channel  
Analog Inputs  
Yes  
Yes  
Yes  
Yes  
No  
No  
Note: Programmable Outputs can access the same sources as the Main Outputs.  
VIDEO  
OUTPUTS  
COMPOSITE S-VIDEO COMPONENT COMPOSITE S-VIDEO  
ZONE  
OUTPUT  
VIDEO  
OUTPUTS  
VIDEO  
VIDEO  
REC/OUT  
OUTPUTS  
OUTPUT  
REC/OUT  
Available From  
Composite Video In  
S-video In  
Yes  
Yes  
No  
No  
Yes  
No  
No  
No  
Yes  
Yes  
No  
No  
No  
Yes  
No  
Yes  
No  
No  
Component Video In  
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53  
CONTROL CONNECTIONS  
Component Video Inputs and Outputs  
Pr  
Y
Pb  
CAUTION  
TO PREVENT ELECTRIC SHOCK,  
DO NOT REMOVE COVER. NO USER  
SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE,  
REFER SERVICINGTO QUALIFIED  
SERVICE PERSONNEL.  
C2 Controller  
Input 1  
Input 2  
Parasound Products, Inc.  
San Francisco, California, USA  
Balanced Analog Audio Inputs  
Balanced Analog Audio Outputs  
Left Surround  
Subwoofer Right Surround  
Left  
Right  
Left  
Right  
Center  
Left Back  
Right Back  
Pro 1  
Input 3  
Output  
Coax  
Digital Audio Inputs  
Red  
Green  
Blue  
H
Sync  
V
Composite Video Inputs  
Video 1 Video 3 Video 5 Record  
Video Outputs  
Made In  
Finland  
Expansion Port For  
FutureTechnologies  
S-Video Inputs  
S-Video Outputs  
Zone  
Coax 1  
Coax 3  
Video 1  
Video 2  
Video 3  
Video 4  
Video 5  
Video 6  
Record  
Main  
Optical 1 Optical 3  
Digital Out  
External Control  
IR Inputs  
– 12VTriggers –  
RS-232 Control  
Main Zone  
P1  
P2 On-Off  
Optical  
Coax 2  
Coax 4  
Optical 2 Optical 4  
Back Front Surround Center  
Video 2 Video 4 Video 6 OSD Main NoOSD  
Video 1 Video 2 Video 3 Video 4 Video 5 Video 6 Audio 1 Audio 2  
Audio 3 Audio 4  
Audio 5  
Record 1 Record 2  
Zone  
Front Surround Center  
Back  
Pro 1  
Pro 2  
AC Power  
L
L
1
0
R
R
Sub  
Sub  
Pro 3  
Pro 4  
Play/In Rec/Out  
Tape Monitor  
Analog Audio Inputs  
Analog Audio Outputs  
7.1 Analog Audio Inputs  
Main Analog Audio Outputs  
Programmable Out  
The jacks in the control connection area of the rear panel can link the C 1 to a wide variety of  
devices beyond those that deliver or receive audio and video signals.  
RS-232 Control  
This 9-pin, full-duplex serial port has several potential uses.  
For one thing, it allows the C 1 to communicate bidirectionally with widely available, software-based  
home automation and control systems such as AMX or Crestron. When the C 1 is connected to one  
of these systems, it can be controlled and its status monitored from keypads and handheld or table-  
top touch-screen remotes throughout your house. The capabilities of such connections, and the pro-  
gramming and interfacing needed will depend on the automation system you select; consult your  
Parasound Dealer or Custom Installer for more information regarding interfacing an external control  
system to your C 1.  
The RS-232 port’s second use is for programming. If you link the RS-232 port to a serial port on a  
PC, you can use free Windows software to program every aspect of the C 1 Controller’s operation,  
and make backup copies of program settings you have made via the C 1 front panel or with its  
Master remote. (The program, which requires Windows 95 or higher, can be downloaded from  
www.parasound.com/halo, and a standard RS-232 serial cable can be purchased at any dealer  
who sells PCs or computer accessories.)  
Further, the RS-232 port can be used to update the C 1 Controller’s operating software should future  
developments (such as new types of surround recording) make it necessary, or simply to incorporate  
ongoing Parasound upgrades. We’ll post news about product developments on our Web site.  
IR Inputs  
These two jacks accept remote-control signals relayed, or “repeated” from remote IR receivers, or  
sensors. Repeater systems extend the range of your remote-control handset, permitting it to con-  
trol the C 1 when it is installed in a cabinet with closed doors. Each of the two IR input jacks on the  
C 1 is dedicated to control of a single zone.  
The “Zone” IR input is used to operate the C 1 from the second (remote) zone, and commands  
received through this jack affect only remote-zone operation.  
The “Main” IR input affects only the local zone, enabling you to operate the C 1 if it’s mounted out  
of sight in a cabinet or equipment closet, or from other rooms within the local zone. (Note: Position  
the C 1 and any remote infrared sensors in the main room so that the beam from a remote-control  
handset cannot reach both at once; otherwise, the C 1 may not respond correctly to the remote’s  
commands. When positioning the C 1 and sensor, remember that infrared can be reflected, just as  
other light wavelengths are.)  
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54  
CONTROL CONNECTIONS continued  
12-Volt Triggers  
The three trigger output jacks transmit DC trigger signals that can be used to control many ampli-  
fiers, retractable screens, TV sets and projectors, and even some lighting equipment. Outputs P1  
and P2 can be individually programmed to send trigger signals in response to such events as a  
change of audio or video signal, selection of a specific input, activation of the C 1 display dimmer,  
and switching the C 1 on or off. For each, the trigger can be set off immediately or after a short  
delay, or turned on when you press “Stop” on your DVD player. Each of these trigger outputs can  
also be set for normally-on or normally-off operation. (These options are described in more detail  
in the “Trigger setup” section of “Adjustments, Menus, and Setup.”)  
The third trigger, marked “On-Off” on the rear panel, only operates when the C 1 is turned on  
and off. It operates with positive polarity (normally on), zero delay, and infinite duration, which is  
to say that it sends a trigger signal from the moment the C 1 is turned on until the moment you  
turn the C 1 off again.  
Thanks to this flexibility, the C 1 can trigger a number of operations. To suggest just two examples:  
An on-off trigger could be used to turn power amplifiers on and off with the C 1. And video-based  
settings could be used to lower a projection screen, turn on a video projector, dim room lights  
(immediately or after a programmed delay), and draw window curtains.  
The C 1 comes with two trigger-control wires. Each wire is 3 feet (1 meter) long, with a 3.5-mm  
mini plug to fit the C 1 trigger output jacks and a 2.5-mm sub-mini plug for the trigger input jacks  
on Parasound amplifiers and tuners. Additional wires are available from Parasound.  
CAUTION:  
Insert or remove trigger plug wires only when the C 1 is switched off or disconnected  
from the AC power line. Otherwise, its trigger circuits may be damaged.  
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55  
TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE  
TROUBLE  
PROBABLE CAUSE  
REMEDY  
No power  
Power cord is disconnected  
Connect power cord  
Rear-panel AC switch is turned off Turn switch back on  
AC outlet is dead  
Check outlet by plugging in another device;  
if dead, check fuse or circuit-breaker  
Power on, but no sound  
Level control set too low  
Muting enabled  
Turn up volume  
Switch muting off  
Headphones plugged in  
Wrong input selected  
Input source inactive  
Source setup wrong  
Unplug headphones  
Check input selection  
Make sure source is turned on and playing  
Make sure source is set for correct input type  
(analog or digital)  
Amplifiers turned off  
Faulty connections  
Turn amplifiers on  
One channel dead  
Check all connections in channel, fix as needed  
Check connections from source to C 1  
All channels on one  
side dead  
Faulty connection from analog  
source  
No sound in Mono mode  
Center speaker is off  
Turn center channel on and check its  
amplifier and speaker  
Dialog is muffled  
or inaudible  
No sound at unbalanced  
output from balanced  
source  
C 1 is in “Bypass” mode  
Change “Balanced Routing” in “Source  
setup” menu from “Bypass” to DSP  
Some analog sources are  
much louder or softer than  
other sources  
Source signal levels vary or  
“Analog monitor” is miscalibrated setup” menu  
Change “Analog monitor” settings on “Source  
Bass sounds correct on  
music but is weak on movie  
soundtracks  
LFE level set too low  
Subwoofer output off  
Adjust LFE level on “Audio setup” menu  
Bass weak or missing  
Turn subwoofer output on in speaker  
setup menu  
Poorly placed subwoofer  
Bass limiter set too low  
Try other positions, including room corners  
Raise Bass Limiter level (if its turned on) in  
“Audio setup” or turn Bass Limiter off  
Bass control turned down  
If true for all inputs, check setting in “Audio  
setup.” If true only for some inputs, check in  
“Source setup” whether these sources are  
associated with a Preset that includes a bass  
cut. If the sources with low bass have “No  
change” for their presets, check the bass  
control on Page 3 of C1/C2 menu on Master  
remote  
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56  
TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE continued  
TROUBLE  
PROBABLE CAUSE  
REMEDY  
Bass Weak or Missing,  
continued  
Subwoofer level too low  
Check level control on subwoofer or sub-  
woofer amp, “Sub” trim on Page 3 of C1/C2  
menu on Master remote, and subwoofer level  
settings on “Speaker setup” menu  
Double filtering  
Disable low-pass filter in subwoofer or in C 1  
Reverse polarity on sub amplifier  
Bass from sub does not  
blend with other channels  
Sub polarity is incorrect  
Hum and/or buzz heard  
through speakers or  
headphones  
Defective audio interconnect  
cable  
Check all audio interconnect cables in affect-  
ed channel or coming from affected source  
Ground loop with TV cable system Disconnect your home theater system from  
the cable outlet. If the noise goes away, install  
a TV cable ground interrupter  
Ground loop among your  
components  
Move the ground switch on your power ampli-  
fier(s) to the “lift” position. Isolate the source  
component causing the hum. Disconnect  
sources one at a time and listen for hum each  
time. Press the C 1 mute button before you  
remove an input plug and unmute the C 1 after  
the plug is out. When you’ve disconnected a  
source and the hum disappears, reconnect all  
of the other sources again. Contact your deal-  
er about modifying the cable used to connect  
that component to break its ground path. If the  
C 1 and other components are rack-mounted,  
use insulated shoulder washers to prevent  
metal-to-metal contact between each compo-  
nent’s chassis or rack brackets and the rack  
rails  
Plug body too fat for front-panel  
hole  
Get 3.5-mm stereo extension cord with thinner  
plug body  
Some headphones do  
not work with C 1  
Surround amps or speakers not  
entered in Setup  
Change “Size” entries in Speaker Setup from  
“No” to “Small” or “Large”  
Surround modes  
unavailable  
Inapplicable mode or speaker  
setup  
Consult mode table in “Using Main Controls”  
THX modes not available  
Wrong cable type  
Use video cable (with yellow plugs), not audio  
cable  
Poor composite video  
image  
DVD player does not correctly  
synchronize the audio signal with  
the video image in its progres-  
sive-scan mode  
Switch off the progressive scan mode on the  
DVD player. Check www.parasound.com/halo for  
further information on this issue  
Audible dialog is out of  
sync with speakers’ lip  
movements when playing  
a DVD  
Remote zone turned off  
Turn remote zone on  
No sound or picture in  
remote zone  
Remote infrared sensor plugged  
into wrong jack  
Move sensor cable to correct jack  
Remote control affects  
wrong zone  
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57  
TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE continued  
TROUBLE  
PROBABLE CAUSE  
REMEDY  
Remote control does  
not work  
Remote beam reaching both built-in Change setup so beam reaches only  
and remote infrared sensor at once one sensor  
Infrared beam from remote  
cannot reach sensor  
Clear any obstructions  
Battery problem  
Make sure batteries are fresh and are  
inserted correctly  
Autosearch can’t find the  
desired source  
Source component is turned off  
Player is stopped  
Turn source component on  
Make sure player is in “Play” or “Pause  
Wrong signal types  
Check connections and the “Source setup”  
menu to be sure desired source receives digi-  
tal audio, composite video, or S-video signals  
Video monitor off  
Turn video monitor on  
No on-screen display (OSD)  
OSD set for wrong connection  
In “Display Setup” set “OSD Output” to  
“Both”  
Video monitor disconnected  
Reconnect video monitor  
Video monitor is connected to the  
Move cable to “OSD” jack  
“No OSD” jack on C 1  
“Superimpose” set to “On”  
Set “Superimpose” in “Display setup” to “Off”  
OSD hard to read against  
video image  
“Superimpose” set to “Off”  
Set “Superimpose” in “Display setup” to “On”  
OSD blanks video picture  
Faulty input signal  
If message persists more than a few seconds,  
change satellite channel, DVD, or CD; check  
source component; check satellite dish  
“Digital Error” message on  
display  
Control microprocessor is  
latched, or “locked up”  
Turn the C 1 off by its front-panel switch, then  
by its rear-panel switch, wait about one  
minute, and turn it back on again  
Some C 1 functions  
don’t work  
No composite video signal  
available  
Attach a cable from the composite video out-  
put of each source to the corresponding C 1  
composite video input jack  
Built-in screen doesn’t show  
video program  
Display screen too dim  
Press the Dim button to increase brightness  
View screen closer to on-axis  
Difficult to read status mes-  
sages on built-in screen  
Note: Additional information can be found by checking the Product FAQs (frequently-asked  
questions) and tech bulletins on our Web site, www.parasound.com/halo  
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58  
SERVICING YOUR C 1  
If All Else Fails – Call Us for Help  
Call your Parasound dealer or Parasound’s Technical Service Department toll-free at  
1-866-770-TECH (8324). We can often help you solve the problem, with simple diagnostic  
tests you can perform yourself. If we determine that your C 1 will need further inspection  
or servicing, we will:  
a) refer you to an authorized Parasound repair center near you, or  
b) authorize return of the unit to us and advise you of the correct procedure.  
Procedure for Returning your C 1 to Parasound for Service  
If we determine that you should send your C 1 to Parasound, we’ll give you a Return  
Authorization (RA) number. This RA number must be clearly marked on the outer carton only.  
IMPORTANT: Enclose a copy of your original purchase receipt. A unit is eligible for warranty  
repair ONLY when the receipt shows that the unit was purchased from an Authorized  
Parasound Dealer. A unit obtained through unauthorized channels is not eligible for warranty  
repair. Parasound is not responsible for any sellers’ misrepresentations about our warranties or  
other service policies.  
For a non-warranty repair, contact us for an estimate of the repair charges before you ship the  
unit to us. The same packing and Return Authorization number procedures apply.  
We do not accept any of the following:  
•
Units with collect shipping charges  
•
Units without a valid RA number  
•
Units without a suitable shipping carton  
•
Units that show visible or audible evidence of shipping damage caused by improper packing  
For a non-warranty repair, contact us for an estimate of the repair charges before you ship the  
unit to us. The same packing and Return Authorization number procedures apply.  
Important Notice – Shipping the C 1  
Before shipping the unit to Parasound, you MUST re-pack the unit into its fitted foam inserts  
and its original carton. If you do not have the original packing cartons and foam inserts, call us  
for new packing materials that we can provide to you for a nominal charge. Use of any other  
carton and packing materials will probably result in shipping damage, and refusal of the  
unit. Common carriers such as UPS seldom pay claims for damage incurred during shipment  
when a product is surrounded only with Styrofoam “peanuts” or otherwise improperly packed.  
We cannot stress enough the importance of properly packing your C 1. Shipping damage  
resulting from inadequate packing can cost you a lot of money and significantly increase the  
time required for repair.  
Ship the unit with adequate insurance. Once warranty repairs have been performed, the unit  
will be returned to you via prepaid UPS within the continental United States.  
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59  
TECHNICALLY SPEAKING  
common. For example, when a 1-volt signal arrives at  
a balanced input stage, the differential input “sees” a  
positive 1 volt minus a negative 1 volt, or 2 volts total.  
Any external hum and noise that somehow does get  
into a balanced line appears on both conductors but  
with opposite polarities. As a result, the input circuit  
simply cancels the noise out, a process known as  
common-mode rejection. One of the most important  
specifications for a differential circuit is its ability to  
reject signals common to both conductors. This is  
measured in dB and is called the common mode  
rejection ratio or CMRR.  
Balanced and Unbalanced  
Analog Audio Connections  
Recording and broadcast studios use balanced connec-  
tions almost exclusively because of balanced lines’ inher-  
ent ability to reject noise and hum, even when compo-  
nents are far apart and connected by long cables.  
Certain high-quality preamplifiers, amplifiers, and sur-  
round controllers built for residential use include bal-  
anced connections with XLR jacks for the same reasons.  
The C 1’s balanced outputs enable you to take full  
advantage of the inherent noise-rejection capability  
and superior sound quality of Parasound Halo power  
amplifiers, especially when the amplifiers are mount-  
ed far away, near the speakers. The balanced input on  
the C 1 also ensures the best possible analog connec-  
tion to a source component having balanced output.  
And, for the purest possible sound, the C 1 has a  
Bypass mode that feeds the balanced audio input  
signal directly to the front left and right balanced  
outputs, with no processing except volume control.  
The Tape Monitor and its Many Uses  
The Tape Monitor Play/In and Rec/Out jacks on the  
C 1 are designed for easy integration of a stereo ana-  
log recorder (tape, CD, MiniDisc, or even the inputs  
and outputs of your computer’s sound card). It is espe-  
cially useful with recorders that permit simultaneous  
playback of the just-recorded tape, enabling you to  
quickly compare the recorded output to the signal  
you’re recording, simply by pressing the “Tape” key  
on Page One of the Master remote’s C1/C2 menu.  
The balanced jacks on the C 1 are wired according to  
the AES standard (shield on pin 1, positive on pin 2,  
return on pin 3). Should it ever be necessary for some  
reason to connect any of the C 1’s balanced jacks to  
unbalanced jacks on another component, you can  
make an adapter cable by wiring an unbalanced  
cable’s shield to pin 1 on an XLR connector, wiring  
the unbalanced cable’s center conductor to pin 2,  
and leaving pin 3 unconnected.  
The Tape Monitor jacks can also be used with equaliz-  
ers and other two-channel signal processors. If you  
connect the Rec/Out jack to the processor’s input,  
and connect the processor’s output to the Play/In  
jacks, you will be able to switch between the direct  
output of the C 1 and the output of the processor.  
If you have so many components that you’re short  
of input jacks, the Play/In jack can also be used as an  
extra unbalanced analog stereo input. However, the  
signal from this input will not be available through  
any of the recording outputs or Zone.  
Unbalanced connections with RCA jacks are found on all  
home audio equipment. RCA jacks and two-conductor  
wires are less costly than the additional circuitry, higher  
priced XLR connectors and three-conductor wiring  
required for balanced connections. In an unbalanced line,  
the positive audio signal appears at the center pin of  
the RCA jack and the negative signal on the outer shield  
wire, which also functions as the ground connection.  
Unbalanced interconnect cables are vulnerable to hum  
from an AC line, or other noise, such as RFI (Radio  
Frequency Interference), which can be reproduced  
through your loudspeakers. Since the unbalanced line’s  
ground also carries the audio signal, there is no way for  
the connected amplifier or preamplifier to distinguish  
between the audio signals you want and unwanted  
noise emanating from external sources.  
Bass and Treble Controls  
The bass and treble controls offer adjustment of overall  
tonal balance in the front left, center, and right channels.  
The Bass controls allow you to boost or cut low frequen-  
cies 12 dB at 20 Hz, in 1-dB increments. TheTreble  
controls allow you to boost or cut high frequencies 12  
dB at 20 kHz in 1-dB increments. To preserve sonic  
clarity, use these controls sparingly and only for record-  
ings that actually sound better with tonal correction. You  
will find that very slight adjustments can add a degree  
of warmth, richness, clarity and airiness. However,  
greater adjustments may obscure musical detail, and  
even risk overloading your speakers. You can only adjust  
the bass and treble controls via Page 3 of the C1/C2  
menu on the Master remote.  
In balanced lines, the positive and negative audio  
signals are carried on separate conductors within a  
separately grounded shield that provides equal inter-  
ference-protection to each signal. The positive and  
negative audio each have opposite polarity with  
respect to ground, making them equal but 180° out  
of phase with each other. The input uses differential  
circuitry, which amplifies only the difference between  
the audio signals but not the elements they have in  
Bass and treble controls do not affect the Rec/Out,  
Record 1, Record 2, or Zone outputs, but their effect can  
be heard when playing back through the Play/In input.  
IR Repeater Input Jacks  
The IR inputs (one for each zone) on the rear panel of  
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60  
TECHNICALLY SPEAKING continued  
the C 1 are used for connecting the C 1 to wired  
infrared repeater sensors or system controllers. Note  
that the main and remote zones each have their own  
IR input jacks.  
Composite video combines all the components of the  
video signal and passes them through a two-conduc-  
tor cable. It therefore offers the least vivid and  
detailed video images. It is, however, the most widely  
used home video connection standard, largely  
because it is the oldest. In the C 1, composite video  
input signals are fed only to the composite video out-  
puts. RCA connectors, usually yellow, are used  
almost universally for this format.  
The IR input jacks accept standard 1⁄8" (3.5 mm) two-  
conductor mini-plugs, with the positive wired to the  
plug’s tip and the negative to its sleeve. Your Authorized  
Parasound Dealer or custom installer can recommend  
a compatible infrared repeater system for the C 1.  
S-Video, which uses separate wires for luminance (pic-  
ture brightness – in effect, the signal portions that  
make a black-and-white picture) and chrominance (color  
information). Keeping these picture elements separate  
reduces interactions between them and produces a  
cleaner, more detailed picture than composite video. It  
also requires the use of connectors with four pins, two  
each for the luminance and chrominance circuits.  
Preventing or Minimizing Hum and Buzz  
Audible hum and buzzing noises in a system are usually  
related to issues with the component grounds. Ground  
(sometimes called common) is a point of reference for  
voltages in virtually all audio and video components.  
Every component has its own ground reference, and  
the audio signal swings positive and negative in relation  
to that. Problems occur when components with slightly  
different grounds are connected together. Such “ground Component video, which requires three cables is  
loops” allow unwanted voltages to flow between the  
components. This causes an audible hum at the fre-  
quency of the local power line (60 Hz in the U.S. and  
many other countries, 50 Hz in Europe and elsewhere).  
Harmonics of the power-line frequency (120, 240,  
and 480 Hz in 60-Hz countries such as the U.S.A., or  
100, 200, and 400 Hz in 50-Hz countries) may add  
buzz to the hum.  
capable of handling all current high-definition televi-  
sion (HDTV) formats, up to 1080i (1080 lines, inter-  
laced), and beyond.  
The key to the high quality of component video con-  
nections are that they include separate links connec-  
tions for the video signal components of luminance  
(Y) and color difference (Cb and Cr) rather than trans-  
mitting them mixed together and separating them out  
later. (Not every source component or video monitor  
labels its component video Y, Cb, and Cr; some may  
label their connections as be Y, B–Y, and R–Y or Y, Pb,  
and Pr. Refer to the owner’s manual of your video  
component for details.)  
Here are three tips to avoid hum and buzz:  
1. Keep the components in your system close togeth-  
er, with their power cords plugged into a common  
AC outlet or power strip, to avoid problems created  
by resistance in the house’s wiring.  
A growing number of video components, (including  
large-screenTVs, video projectors, and DVD players)  
have component video connections, and you’ll get the  
best possible picture quality if you use these connec-  
tions. However, you will need both a component video  
source (the C 1 has inputs for three such sources) and a  
TV or projector with component video inputs, as the  
C 1’s component video board is isolated from its other  
video circuitry. Component-video systems commonly  
use RCA or twist-on BNC connectors, with BNC offering  
a slight edge in picture quality; the C 1 has BNC jacks,  
and comes with adapters for cables with RCA plugs.  
2. Use balanced input and output lines with your  
Parasound C 1. (See Balanced and Unbalanced  
Lines in this section).  
3. When rack mounting, always use insulated “shoul-  
der” washers. These break the ground loops caused  
by metal-to-metal contact between the rack, the  
units, and their rack-mount bolts. Washers are  
included in Parasound rack mount kits, and extras  
are available from Parasound.  
Headphone Circuit  
The C 1 includes a high-quality headphone amplifier.  
It is suitable for headphones with an impedance of 8  
In addition to these three jacks, which you’ll find on  
ohms or higher; with headphones of lower impedance home theater components, and some professional  
(if any exist), volume may be unacceptably low.  
video gear may have RGB connections, which use  
separate cables for red, green, and blue, plus external  
connections for horizontal and vertical sync signals (or,  
sometimes R, G and B plus a composite sync), as do  
the VGA video inputs and outputs on computers; the  
five jacks on the component video inputs and output of  
the C 1 can be connected to these components, too.  
The headphone jack accepts a standard 1⁄8" (3.5 mm)  
stereo mini-jack. If your headphones have a 1⁄4" jack, you  
will need a stereo 1⁄4" jack-to-stereo 1⁄8" mini-plug adapter.  
Video Signal Formats  
The C 1 can handle the three common video signal  
formats: composite video outputs, S-Video, and  
component video.  
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61  
TECHNICALLY SPEAKING continued  
the front channels and, in THX Surround EX mode,  
Using Unmatched Power Amplifiers:  
to the surround back channels, but not to the side  
surrounds. Re-Equalization is not used in the THX  
MusicMode.  
While it’s best to use identical amplifiers for all chan-  
nels, it’s sometimes more convenient or economical  
to use a mixture of amps, especially if you already  
have some. If you do, observe the following:  
•
Timbre Matching compensates for a characteristic  
of the human hearing that changes the apparent  
frequency balance for identical sounds coming  
from different angles and directions. Because the  
main speakers are at the front and surround speak-  
ers are at the sides, this hearing characteristic  
would make voices and other sounds change as  
they moved from the front to the surround chan-  
nels, or vice versa. Timbre matching alters the fre-  
quency balance in the side surround channels to  
compensate for this.  
•
Check with your amplifiers’ manufacturers to see  
which of your amplifiers do and do not reverse sig-  
nal polarity. Then reverse the output connections of  
the amplifiers that reverse polarity – and only those  
amps (i.e., connect their black terminals to the  
speakers’ red terminals, and vice versa). This will  
ensure correctly matched polarity from all your  
speakers. Otherwise, “imaging” (the sense of  
where sounds are coming from in the recorded  
soundfield) will be vague, and bass may suffer.  
•
•
Adaptive Decorrelation functions with Dolby Pro  
Logic to add a greater sense of spaciousness and  
to enlarge the listening “Sweet spot.” It accom-  
plishes this by altering the mono surround informa-  
tion so that the left and right surround speakers  
receive different, rather than identical, signals. It  
does not apply when the surround channels  
already differ from each other, as is usually the  
case with such discrete digital surround systems  
as Dolby Digital and DTS.  
It is not necessary that your amplifiers have identi-  
cal input sensitivity (a measure of the input level  
needed for a given output power), because any  
variations are automatically compensated for when  
you set up and match your speaker levels.  
•
Your amplifiers need not have the same power rat-  
ings, either. Low bass requires the most amplifier  
power to reach adequate levels for music and spe-  
cial effects. So your most powerful amplifiers  
should be used for your subwoofers (if they have  
no amplifiers of their own) and for speakers that  
you identify as “Large” during C 1 setup. If you  
have “Large” speakers in all channels, the front  
speakers should get the most power, then the sur-  
round speakers, and the lowest-powered amps can  
be used for the surround back channels. If you  
have a mix of “Large” and “Small” speakers, use  
the more powerful amps for the “Large” ones.  
•
THX Surround EX decodes information for the sur-  
round back channels from signals matrixed into the  
surround side channels. It is not available for non-  
surround signals or for those which, like DTS-ES  
Discrete, carry back surround information as a sep-  
arate digital signal. To activate THX Surround EX,  
press the THX key on the Master remote while in  
Direct mode. (If “THX EX Enable” on the “THX  
Audio setup” menu is not set to “EX On,” you will  
have to push the THX key twice.) This mode is  
available only when the presence of at least one  
surround back speaker has been noted on the  
Speaker Setup/Size menu.  
®
THX Processing  
When THX modes are selected for an incompatible  
source or speaker setup, the C 1 will remember the  
selection and will automatically apply it when the setup  
is changed or when a compatible source is selected.  
•
Advanced Speaker Array (ASA), available only in sys-  
tems with dual surround back speakers, compen-  
sates for the effect of different speaker spacings on  
the size of the listening “sweet spot.” When it is  
active, two more modes become available:  
Pressing the THX key on the Master remote turns on  
THX signal enhancements that work in conjunction  
with most of the C 1 listening modes. (The excep-  
tions are those which generate surround signals from  
two-channel source material, such as Pro Logic, PL II  
Movie, PL II Music, Neo:6 Cinema, Neo: 6 Music,  
Natural, Party, Club, and Concert.)  
– THX Advanced Cinema is designed for  
playback of 5.1-channel digital soundtracks  
over a 7.1-channel system.  
THX processing has several parts and modes:  
– THX MusicMode is similar, but sends more  
sound to the surround back speakers and  
less to the side surrounds.  
•
Re-Equalization, which is patented by Lucasfilm,  
adjusts the frequency response of movie sound-  
tracks to compensate for the acoustical differences  
between home theaters and commercial movie  
theaters; without it, movie soundtracks would  
sound overly bright and fatiguing. It is applied to  
•
Boundary Gain Compensation reduces excessive  
bass below about 35 Hz, to prevent the boominess  
that can occur when speakers with substantial  
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62  
TECHNICALLY SPEAKING continued  
•
response down to 20 Hz (including subwoofers  
that meet THX Ultra2 standards) are used in typi-  
cal-sized home listening rooms. It should be acti-  
vated in setup if you have such subwoofers, but  
otherwise turned off.  
“Digital Error”: The digital signal being fed to the  
C 1 has errors in it, and the C 1 needs a little time to  
analyze and accept it. This may happen very briefly  
at the start of a DVD or CD and for longer periods  
when surfing channels with a satellite receiver.  
While this message appears, you won’t hear any  
sound; so a slight delay whenever you tune your  
satellite receiver to another station is quite normal.  
On-Screen Messages  
The front-panel display and video on-screen display  
may sometimes show these messages while you’re  
watching a movie:  
Helpful Web Addresses  
The following are the Web addresses for companies  
mentioned in this manual:  
•
“Dial Norm Offset” (Dialog Normalization Offset):  
Once the C 1 is calibrated for your room and sys-  
tem, a volume setting of “0” will give you the  
same sound levels in your room that you’d hear in  
a commercial movie theater – assuming that the  
dialog in the movie was recorded at the correct  
level. The “Dial Norm Offset” message, which  
flashes briefly on the built-in display and OSD at  
the beginning of a Dolby Digital DVD, shows you to  
what extent the dialog on that DVD deviates from  
the standard. For example, if the dialog offset is +4  
dB, that DVD’s dialog was recorded 4 dB too “hot.”  
Reducing the C 1 Controller’s volume setting by 4  
dB will restore normal overall levels.  
•
Parasound: www.parasound.com  
•
Dolby Laboratories: www.dolby.com  
•
DTS (Digital Theater Systems):  
www.dtsonline.com  
•
THX: www.thx.com  
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63  
PARASOUND C 1 DESIGN OVERVIEW  
The Halo By Parasound components are designed to  
room while reducing noise and distortion. It also  
add extra distinction to Parasound’s 20-year reputation preserves bass coherence by reducing time-smearing  
for rock-solid reliability, amazing sound quality, and  
unequaled value. Although built for the home, our  
components have seen extensive use in professional  
studios. Parasound equipment was used by Lucasfilm  
in the production of two Star Wars movies (we  
received screen credits for Episodes I and II) and by  
other production companies.  
when channels with differing delay times are com-  
bined into a single subwoofer output.  
The C 1 has a total of 7.5 output channels, including  
an extra subwoofer output, a low-passed output for  
use with floor-shakers, and two programmable chan-  
nels that can each be fed a user-selectable mix of  
signals from the other channels.  
Our design brief for the Halo By Parasound C 1 was  
to produce a component that could serve as the cen-  
terpiece for even the most complex home theater,  
provide for future technical developments, and meet  
the needs of the most critical listener and viewer.  
Twenty-two highly talented design engineers on three  
continents collaborated to fulfill that mission.  
The video side of the C 1 handles composite video,  
S-video and component video signals. The component  
video circuits, which have more than enough band-  
width (300 MHz) for any of today’s high-definition TV  
or video signals, are also on a separate board that  
isolates them from the rest of the video circuitry. The  
two component video inputs can be assigned to any  
of the ten audio and A/V inputs.  
Audio and Video Circuit Path Topologies  
Some things are best done in the digital domain, oth-  
ers in the analog. Some situations call for extensive sig-  
nal processing, others for none at all. The circuit path  
topologies of the C 1 take these factors into account.  
Component Selection  
Signals in the analog domain are handled by high-speed  
Burr-Brown op amps, running at high current in pure  
class-A mode, for linear performance and musicality.  
Signal processing, such as surround decoding, filter-  
ing, and tone control, works best in the digital  
domain, where even the most complex processing  
won’t add noise, distortion, or phase anomalies.  
Analog audio signals in the C 1 therefore pass  
through a 24-bit, 96-kHz analog-to-digital (A/D) con-  
verter at the input and a 24-bit, 96-kHz digital-to-ana-  
log (D/A) converter after processing. Because analog  
circuits can handle low-level signals with no loss of  
The converters, chosen for their ultra-low jitter, flawless  
performance and superb sound quality, are 24-bit, 96-kHz  
codecs from AKM, long a leader in single-chip, multi-  
channel, analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog converters.  
The signal processor is Motorola’s Symphony DSP56367,  
a 24-bit processor designed specifically for audio use.  
With the ability to handle 150 million instructions per  
second (150 mips), this DSP has enough processing  
effective resolution, volume control takes place entire- power to perform surround decoding, tone control, the  
ly in the analog domain. The analog volume and level-  
trim controls, designed in collaboration with the C 1  
design team, have lower noise and wider dynamic  
range than any others in the world. And to ensure  
that the volume adjustments will track perfectly  
together for all channels, the volume-control stages  
for all channels are under precise digital control.  
user interface, and more. The operation of this processor  
is managed by the finest DSP engine in the world,  
designed by Flextronics Design in Finland.  
Other components include metal-film 1% resistors,  
polypropylene and mica capacitors, and high-quality,  
gold-plated input and output connectors. Muting is han-  
dled by high-quality relays. The chassis is of heavy-gauge  
steel. Circuit boards are of FR4 glass epoxy; some are  
of four-layer construction, to ensure near-perfect ground  
planes for minimum noise and distortion.  
Signals that require no processing, such as those  
to the tape outputs, pass directly through the C 1,  
entirely in the analog domain. There is also a purist  
Bypass mode for the balanced analog input, which  
sends the signal straight from input to balanced left  
and right front output with no processing save the  
volume control; the same can be accomplished for  
unbalanced analog stereo signals by connecting them  
to the left and right channels of the 7.1-channel input.  
As insurance against any possible circuit interactions,  
the balanced circuits are on a separate board, which is  
disconnected from the rest of the C 1 in Bypass mode,  
and the 7.1-channel input has its own volume control.  
The Power Supply  
The C 1 uses a high-energy switched-mode power  
supply (SMPS). Extremely efficient, such power sup-  
plies generate very little heat. This allows the entire  
C 1 to run very cool, even when left on continually,  
for extreme reliability. The C 1 employs additional LC  
(inductive-capacitive) filtering after the filters con-  
tained in the power supply for the utmost purity and  
refinement of audio details.  
For bass management, the C 1 uses a patented  
hybrid of analog and digital circuitry to optimize head-  
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64  
PARASOUND C 1 DESIGN OVERVIEW continued  
of the C 1 and up to 19 additional components. The  
Functionality  
smaller, simpler, SideKick gives you rapid access  
to the Master remote’s most useful commands –  
whatever you decide those are.  
The C 1 has inputs and outputs to accommodate any  
home theater configuration, the ability to automatically  
decode all current surround signal formats, and a con-  
trol and interface structure that’s totally programmable.  
Free, downloadable software lets users program the  
C 1 and both remotes from their PCs.  
To make that versatility manageable, the C 1 uses  
context-sensitive control logic that, with minor excep-  
tions, offers you only those options that are valid in  
your current situation. Two universal remote controls  
are supplied, both programmable for multi-command  
macro sequences as well as individually commands.  
The Master remote gives you direct access to every  
conceivable adjustment and setup, plus direct control  
Finally, the C 1 is highly upgradable: Its operating soft-  
ware can be upgraded or replaced via a built-in RS-232  
serial port, its custom DSP engine is replaceable, and  
an expansion port stands ready to accept other tech-  
nologies yet to come.  
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65  
PARASOUND C 1 SPECIFICATIONS  
Audio Characteristics  
Video Characteristics  
Bandwidth  
Frequency Response  
Digital Inputs  
20 Hz – 42 kHz  
20 Hz – 22 kHz  
Hz – 200 kHz, -3 dB  
Component Video  
300 MHz  
Analog Inputs  
7.1-Channel Input  
Composite, S-video  
30 MHz, no OSD  
8 MHz, OSD  
5
20 Hz – 20 kHz, -0.5 dB  
Input Impedance  
Total Harmonic Distortion  
Digital Inputs  
Component Video Inputs  
S-video Inputs  
75 Ω  
75 Ω  
75 Ω  
< 0.002%  
< 0.002%  
< 0.002%  
Analog Inputs  
7.1-Channel Inputs  
Composite Video Inputs  
Output Impedance  
Signal-to-Noise Ratio  
Digital Inputs  
Component Video Outputs  
S-video Outputs  
75 Ω  
75 Ω  
75 Ω  
>102 dB  
> 98 dB  
>107 dB  
Analog Inputs  
7.1-Channel Input  
Composite Video Outputs  
Input Impedance  
General Information  
Coaxial Digital Inputs  
75 Ω  
17 kΩ  
17 kΩ  
25 kΩ per leg  
Dimensions  
Unbalanced Analog Inputs  
7.1-Channel Input  
Balanced Analog Inputs  
1
Width: 17 ⁄4" (437 mm)  
Panel Height: 7" (178 mm)  
Total Height, with feet: 7 ⁄8" (194 mm)  
5
Depth: 16" (406 mm)  
Output Impedance  
Coaxial Digital Output  
7.1-Channel Outputs  
Balanced Analog Outputs  
Programmable Outputs  
Zone Output  
75 Ω  
50 Ω  
50 Ω per leg  
50 Ω  
50 Ω  
470 Ω  
Power Requirements  
90 V to 260 V AC, 50-60 Hz, 65 watts  
Net Weight  
21 lbs.  
Rec/Out, Record Outputs  
Shipping Weight  
Input Sensitivity for THX Reference Level  
33 lbs.  
Digital Inputs  
Analog Inputs  
0 dBFS  
2 V rms  
Features and specifications subject  
to change without notice.  
Maximum Input Levels  
Unbalanced Analog Inputs  
7.1-Channel Input  
3.6 V rms  
8 V rms  
Balanced Analog Inputs  
35 V rms  
Maximum Output Levels  
7.1-Channel Outputs  
Balanced Outputs  
8 V rms  
16 V rms  
8 V rms  
Programmable Outputs  
Zone Output  
same as input  
Rec/Out, Record Outputs same as input  
Licensing Acknowledgements  
Manufactured under license from Dolby Laboratories. ”Dolby,“ ”Pro Logic“, and the double-D symbol are  
trademarks of Dolby Laboratories.  
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 worldwide patents issued and pending. ”DTS,“ ”DTS-ES Extended Surround,“ and ”Neo:6“  
are trademarks of Digital Theater Systems, Inc. Copyright 1996, 2000, Theater Systems, Inc. All Rights Reserved.  
Manufactured under license fromTHX, Ltd. U.S. patent numbers 5,043,970; 5,189,703; and/or 5,222,059. European  
patent number 0323830. Other U.S. and foreign patents pending. Ultra2 andTHX are trademarks or registered trademarks  
ofTHX Ltd. Surround EX is a trademark of Dolby Laboratories, Inc. Used under authorization.  
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66  
INDEX  
Digital Theater Systems (see: DTS)  
Digital-to-analog converter (see: D/A)  
Dimension (see: PL II Dimension)  
Dimmer (built-in display), 8, 15, 35, 54  
Direct mode, 12, 14, 17, 35, 61  
Display screen (see: Built-in display)  
Display Setup, 11, 15, 19, 34, 57  
Distance autocalibration (see:  
Autocalibration)  
Distance units (display), 28, 34  
Dolby Digital Surround, 12-13, 17, 25,  
35, 44, 48, 61-62  
Dolby/DTS Setup, 5, 13-14, 25, 61  
Dolby Pro Logic (see: Pro Logic, Pro  
Logic II, PL II)  
INFO button, 15, 19  
Infrared (see: IR)  
Input, 6, 14, 37-38, 63, 64, 65  
Input Selection, 8, 11, 17-19, 21, 32, 57  
Input Sensitivity, 33  
Input Setup (see: Source setup),  
7.1-channel, 5, 18, 41  
Input/Output Summary table, 38, 52  
IR Database (MX-Editor program), 16  
IR Input jacks, 53, 59-60  
IR Remote Sensor, 6, 56–57  
IR Repeater for remote Zone, 21, 50,  
53, 56, 59-60  
A
AC cord, 6  
AC outlet, 6  
AC connection, 6  
AC power switch, 6  
AC voltage, 6  
A/D (Analog-to-Digital) Converters, 12, 63  
Adaptive Decorrelation, 61  
Advanced Speaker Array (ASA), 36, 61  
Amplifiers, unmatched, 47, 61  
Analog Monitor, 33, 55  
Analog audio sources, connecting, 37-  
39, 41, 42  
ASA (see: Advanced Speaker Array)  
Associating presets with inputs, 32  
Audio recorders, 11-12, 44-45  
Audio Setup menu, 25-26, 55  
Autocalibration, abort, 31  
Autocalibration, Distance & Level, 30-31  
Autosearch input selection mode, 11, 19, 57  
Aux (Programmable) Outputs, 29-30,  
50-52  
L
Dolby Surround EX, 13-14, 27, 48  
“Dry” (reverb setting), 25  
DSP, 12, 33, 42, 63-64  
DSP engine, 63-64  
DTS 2/0, 13  
Late Night mode, 17  
Level Autocalibration, 30-31  
Level Setup, 18, 28, 29-30  
Level Trims (center, surround, and sub-  
woofer outputs), 18, 26, 56, 63  
LFE (Low-Frequency Effects), 17, 25, 27, 55  
Listening modes (Also see: Dolby, DTS,  
and THX), 12-13, 14 (table), 17, 35, 36,  
56, 61  
DTS 96/24, 13  
DTS, 12-14, 25, 27, 61-62, 65  
DTS-ES, 13-14, 25, 27, 48, 61  
DTS-ES Discrete, 13, 61  
DTS-ES Matrix, 13  
DTS Neo:6 (see: Neo:6)  
Dual-Zone Operation (see: Zone)  
Duration (see: Trigger Setup)  
DVD-Audio, multichannel  
(see: 7.1-channel sources)  
DVD Players, 15-16, 20, 40  
DVD Recorders, 43-44  
b
Back (surround) channels, 6, 12-14, 17,  
27, 29, 35, 48, 51-52, 61  
Balanced Inputs and Outputs, 14, 33,  
37-38, 42, 47, 48, 55, 59, 65  
Balanced In–Bypass mode (see: Bypass)  
Bass control (see: Tone controls)  
Bass limiter, 26, 55  
BNC Connectors (see also: component  
video), 4, 37, 39, 50, 60  
Boundary gain compensation, 35, 61-62  
Built-in display screen, 5, 8, 15, 34  
Bypass mode, 11-12, 14, 18, 33, 38  
(table), 42, 47, 55, 59, 63  
Long cables, 38, 47, 51, 59  
Low Frequency Effects (see: LFE)  
Low-pass filter, 27, 28-29, 56  
M
Macros (preset command strings), 16,  
19, 21  
MAIN button (on Master remote), 12,  
13, 16  
Main menu (on Master remote), 9, 16, 18  
Main zone (see Zone)  
Master power switch (see: Rear-panel  
AC switch)  
Matrix (DTS), 13-14  
MENU button (On C 1 Controller), 8,  
23-24, 26  
MENU button (On Master remote), 19,  
20, 23-24, 32  
Microphone (see: Calibration microphone)  
Mix levels (Programmable Channels 9  
and 10), 29-30, 52  
DYN (Dynamic Range) key, 17  
e
Enhanced Bass (EBASS), 17, 27  
Equipment rack (see: Rack mounting)  
Error messages, 34, 62  
ESC (Escape) button on Master  
Remote, 24  
EX (see: Dolby Digital EX, and THX EX)  
EXIT button, 24  
c
C1/C2 Menus (on Master Remote), 9,  
12, 17-18  
Calibration microphone, 8, 30-31  
Calibration-noise (Test) signal, 17-18  
Center Width setting, 13, 25  
Central overhead channel, 52  
CH buttons (SideKick remote), 11, 20, 21  
Club mode, 13, 25, 61  
Expansion port, 64  
External processor loop viaTape Monitor, 44  
Extra subwoofer output (see:  
Programmable Outputs)  
Modes (see: Listening modes)  
Mode keys, 17  
F
Favorite (FAV) buttons and macros  
on remotes, 19, 21  
Filter, Programmable channels 9 & 10, 30  
“Flat Trims: setting”, 18, 32-33  
Floor-shakers and Programmable  
Outputs, 29, 51-52, 63  
Front channels (Also see: Bypass), 47,  
48, 61  
Front speakers, extra, 51  
Mono mode, 12-14, 29, 47, 52, 54-55, 61  
Mounting, (see: Placement; Rack  
mounting)  
Movie soundtracks, 48, 55, 61  
Multichannel (see: 7.1-channel)  
Multi-room home-control systems, 5, 53  
Music Modes (Also see: Club, Concert,  
PL II Music, THX MusicMode, Neo:6),  
13-14, 48, 61  
CMRR (see: Common mode rejection ratio)  
Colors of on-screen display (OSD), 34  
Common mode rejection ratio (CMRR), 59  
Component video, 5-6, 11, 33, 35, 37-  
40, 49-50, 52 (table), 60, 63, 65  
Component-video/RGB jacks, 40, 50, 60  
Composite video, 6, 15, 32, 34, 37-40,  
49-50, 56, 60, 63, 65  
Concert Mode, 13, 25, 61  
Control jacks, 5, 35, 50-51, 53-54, 59  
Crossover filter, 27  
Muting, 7, 8, 10, 11-12, 19, 55  
MX-Editor software, 16, 18, 21, 32  
G
Grounding, 56, 59, 60  
GUIDE button (Master remote), 21  
N
Natural mode, 13  
Neo:6 (DTS), 13-14, 25  
“No Change” setting, 18, 31-32, 55  
“No OSD” video outputs, 6, 49-50, 57  
Noise signals (see: Bass limiter;  
Calibration-noise signal)  
d
D/A (digital-to-analog) converters, 63  
Delay, Programmable (Aux) Channels 9  
and 10, 29, 35  
Delay, Speaker distance adjustment, 28, 30  
Delay, Trigger, 35, 54  
Device-control pages on Master  
remote, 20  
“Dial Norm Offset” message, 62  
Differential (see: Balanced)  
Digital audio recorders, connecting, 11, 45  
“Digital Error” message, 57, 62  
Digital inputs and outputs, 6, 32, 33,  
39, 42, 44, 45, 47, 65  
H
Halo Setup software, 36, 64  
HDTV (high-definition television), 40, 49, 60  
Headphones, 8, 10, 55, 56, 60  
High-pass filter, 29  
NTSC video signals, 34  
Numerical keypad (Master remote), 20-21  
Hum and buzz, 56, 60  
I
Imaging, 61  
“Incompatible Source” message, 17  
Infin (see: Trigger duration),  
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67  
INDEX continued  
THX Signal processing, 13-14, 17, 26,  
36, 56, 61-62  
THX Surround EX mode, 13-14, 17, 35,  
48, 61, 62  
THX Ultra2 Cinema mode, 13, 14, 17,  
35, 61  
o
On-off switch (Also see: Rear-panel  
switch), 9, 15, 18  
On-off trigger, 35, 54  
On-screen display (OSD), 6-7, 10-11, 15,  
33, 34, 49-50, 57  
S
S-Video, 6, 37, 38 (table), 39-40, 49, 60 65  
S-Video Record output jack, 43, 45  
SACD players (see: 7.1-channel sources)  
Second entertainment zone (see: Zone)  
Second subwoofer (see: Programmable  
Channels)  
Serial port (see: RS-232)  
Service and Repair, 2, 58  
Setup, 21-36  
Shipping, 2, 58  
Side speakers, extra, 51  
Side Surround (see: Surround side)  
SideKick remote, 21  
Signal levels (see: Analog Monitor and  
Level Setup)  
Signal processor (Motorola Symphony  
DSP56367), 63  
Signal type vs. Listening Mode (table), 14  
Size setup, 27  
Software (see: Halo Setup, MX-Editor)  
Sound level, 7, 10, 28, 30, 31, 62  
Sound-level meter, 28  
THX Ultra2 subwoofers, 26-30, 35-36, 61-62  
Timbre Matching (THX), 61  
Titling (of C 1 inputs), 6, 32  
Tone controls 12, 18 (on Master  
remote), 24 (in Setup), 25 (in Presets),  
32-33 (in Presets), 55, 59, 63  
Toslink jacks, 38  
Transport controls on remotes, 20  
Treble controls (see: Tone controls)  
Trigger 6, 35 (setup), 54 (connections)  
Troubleshooting, 55-57  
Tuning (from remote controls), 20-21  
Turn-on, -off messages, reprogramming  
(see: Halo Setup software)  
Turn-off thumps, avoiding, 9  
Turn-on command, 9  
Operating voltage, 6  
Optical digital (Toslink) cables, 38  
OSD (Also see: On-Screen Display)  
“OSD” and “Non-OSD” video output  
jacks, 15, 46, 49-50, 57  
OSD Setup (see: Display Setup)  
Output/Input table, 52  
Overhead Speaker (see: Centered  
Ceiling Speaker, 29, 52  
P
PAGE button (on Master Remote), 11, 16  
PAL video system, 34, 40  
Panorama (see: PL II Panorama)  
Parasound T 3 tuner, 16  
Party mode, 13-14  
PCM, 14  
Two-channel signal processors, 44, 59  
“PHON” on display (see: Headphones)  
PL II (see: Pro Logic II)  
SOURCE button, 8, 10-11  
u
Upgradability, 5, 53, 64  
Sources vs. Listening Modes (table), 14  
Sources and presets, 26, 32  
Source Setup menu, 32-33  
Source selection (see: Input selection)  
Speaker distances, 28, 30-31  
Speaker level adjustments, 28, 29, 30-31  
Speaker levels, 61  
Speaker Setup, 27-31, 61  
Speaker setup/Size, 27  
Specifications, 65  
Placement Guidelines, 4  
Play/In input (Also see: Tape Monitor),  
5-6, 17, 38 (table) 43-45, 59  
Polarity, Programmable (Aux) channels, 30  
Polarity reversal by amplifiers, 61  
Polarity, subwoofer, 17, 56  
“Polarity” of trigger signal, 35  
Power cord, 6  
v
VCR, 16, 19-20, 40, 46, 49-50  
VGA connections, 50, 60  
Video, 5-6, 32-33 (Source Setup), 34  
(Display Setup), 56-57, 63, 65  
“Video 1” to “Video 6” audio inputs,  
31, 40  
Power supply, 63  
Presets, 26, 32-33, 55  
Video circuitry, 63  
Speed of sound, 31  
Video signal formats, 34 (Display Setup),  
37, 40, 60 (technical explanation)  
Video Inputs/Outputs, 38 (table), 40,  
49-50, 65  
Video Record outputs, 43, 46  
Video Sources, connecting, 39-40  
Video for second zone, 50-52  
Video-based triggering, 35, 54  
VOL buttons (on remotes), 10, 18, 21  
“VOL” on display, 10  
Preset setup, 31-32  
SPL (Sound pressure level), 7, 28  
STATUS button (on Master remote), 15, 19  
STATUS button (on C 1), 8, 9  
Stereo mode, 12-14  
Stereo music, 13-14  
Stereo96 mode, 12, 14  
Sub (see: Subwoofer)  
Subwoofer, 6, 17-18, 25-33, 35-36, 41, 48,  
50, 52, 55-56, 61-63  
PREV CH button, Master remote, 20  
Printed buttons on remotes, 18-19. 21  
Pro Logic, Dolby 12, 14, 61  
Pro Logic II, Dolby, 12-14, 25  
Pro Logic II Center Width, 13, 25  
Pro Logic II Dimension, 18, 25  
Pro Logic II Movie, 12-14, 25, 61  
Pro Logic II Music, 14, 25, 61  
Pro Logic II Panorama, 13, 25  
Programmable (Aux) Outputs, 5, 28-29,  
46, 51, 63  
Subwoofer filter, 27, 30  
Voltage selector switch, 6  
Volume control and setting, 7, 10, 22,  
33, 63  
Subwoofer level, 24, 28, 31-32, 56  
Subwoofer, sides of room, 52  
Superimpose (OSD), 33, 57  
Surround Back speakers (see: Back)  
SURROUND button, 8, 10, 12  
Surround Modes (see: Listening modes)  
Surround Side channels, 6, 13, 29, 51, 61  
Progressive scan, 56  
Volume-control range, 10  
R
W
Warranty, 2, 58  
Web Addresses, 2, 13, 22, 36, 62  
“Wet” reverb setting, 25  
Rack Mounting, 4, 56, 60  
Radio Frequency Interference (RFI), 59  
Re-Equalization (THX), 61  
Rear-channel sub, 52  
T
Rear-panel (master) AC switch, 6, 8, 9,  
55, 57  
Rear subwoofer, 29-30  
Tactile transducers (see: Floor-shakers)  
Tactile transducer-time delayed, 52  
TAPE key, 17  
X
XLR connectors (see: Balanced)  
Rec/Out (see: Tape Monitor), 5-6, 10-  
12, 37, 38 (table), 43, 44, 59, 65  
Record Outputs, 5-6, 10-12, 38 (table),  
40, 43, 44, 52 (table), 59  
Recording, 6, 17, 38-40, 42-43, 59  
Remote controls (Also see: C1/C2  
menu), 4, 9-12, 15, 16-21, 21-23, 25,  
31, 53, 64  
Remote control’s Main menu screen,  
9, 16, 18  
Remote zone, (see: Zone)  
Repair, (see: Service and Repair, 2, 58)  
Reverb, 13, 25  
Tape Monitor (Also see: Play/In and  
Rec/Out), 6, 11-12, 17, 37, 38 (table),  
43-45, 52, 59  
Tape Outputs (see: Record Outputs)  
Temporary disp (OSD setting), 34  
TEST (see: Calibration-noise signal)  
TFT screen, 4  
Thumbpad (on Master remote), 10-11,  
19-20, 21, 23-24, 28, 32-33  
THX Audio Setup menu, 35  
THX Cinema mode, 13-14, 17  
THX EX, 25, 27, 35  
THX EX Enable setting, 35, 61  
THX Key (on Master remote), 13, 16, 35, 61  
THX MusicMode, 13-14, 17, 61  
THX Reference level (75 dB SPL,  
C-weighted), 7, 10  
Z
Zone, 8, 15, 17, 21, 43-44, 50-51, 53,  
56, 59-60, 65  
“ZONE B ON”, 15  
ZONE button, 8  
Zone outputs, 9, 12. 38 (table), 50-51  
7.1-channel (multichannel) analog input,  
5, 11, 12, 14, 18, 32, 35, 38 (table),  
41, 47, 63, 65  
7.1-channel (multichannel) analog out-  
put, 47-48, 65  
7.1-channel (multichannel) analog  
sources, 5, 18, 41, 47  
7.5 channel (programmable) outputs, 5,  
29-30, 42, 47, 51-52, 63  
RFI, 59  
RGB-HV (five-cable component video),  
40, 50, 60  
RS-232 (serial) connector, 5, 16, 36, 53, 64  
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®
Parasound Products, Inc. 950 Battery Street, San Francisco, CA 94111  
415-397-7100 / Fax 415-397-0144 www.parasound.com  
V 0.96/6.37  
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