VSX-918V-S/-K
VSX-818V-S/-K
Operating Instructions
Discover the benefits of registering your product online at
http://www.pioneer.co.uk (or http://www.pioneer.eu).
AUDIO/VIDEO
MULTI-CHANNEL RECEIVER
VSX_918_818_MY.book 1
The exclamation point within an equilateral
triangle is intended to alert the user to the
presence of important operating and
maintenance (servicing) instructions in the
literature accompanying the appliance.
The lightning flash with arrowhead symbol,
within an equilateral triangle, is intended to
alert the user to the presence of uninsulated
"dangerous voltage" within the product's
enclosure that may be of sufficient
magnitude to constitute a risk of electric
shock to persons.
CAUTION:
TO PREVENT THE RISK OF ELECTRIC
SHOCK, DO NOT REMOVE COVER (OR
BACK). NO USER-SERVICEABLE PARTS
INSIDE. REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED
SERVICE PERSONNEL.
CAUTION
RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK
DO NOT OPEN
IMPORTANT
D3-4-2-1-1_En-A
Replacement and mounting of an AC plug on the power supply cord of this unit should be performed only by qualified
service personnel.
D3-4-2-1-2-2_B_En
IMPORTANT: THE MOULDED PLUG
This appliance is supplied with a moulded three pin mains plug for your safety and convenience. A 5 amp fuse is fitted in this plug. Should the
fuse need to be replaced, please ensure that the replacement fuse has a rating of 5 amps and that it is approved by ASTA or BSI to BS1362.
Check for the ASTA mark
or the BSI mark
on the body of the fuse.
If the plug contains a removable fuse cover, you must ensure that it is refitted when the fuse is replaced. If you lose the fuse cover the plug
must not be used until a replacement cover is obtained. A replacement fuse cover can be obtained from your local dealer.
If the fitted moulded plug is unsuitable for your socket outlet, then the fuse shall be removed and the plug cut off and disposed of
safely. There is a danger of severe electrical shock if the cut off plug is inserted into any 13 amp socket.
If a new plug is to be fitted, please observe the wiring code as shown below. If in any doubt, please consult a qualified electrician.
IMPORTANT: The wires in this mains lead are coloured in accordance with the following code:
Blue : Neutral
Brown : Live
As the colours of the wires in the mains lead of this appliance may not correspond with the coloured markings identifying the terminals in
your plug, proceed as follows ;
The wire which is coloured BLUE must be connected to the terminal which is marked with the
letter
N or coloured BLACK.
The wire which is coloured BROWN must be connected to the terminal which is marked with the
letter
L or coloured RED.
How to replace the fuse: Open the fuse compartment with a screwdriver and replace the fuse.
Thank you for buying this Pioneer product.
Please read through these operating instructions so
you will know how to operate your model properly.
After you have finished reading the instructions,
put them away in a safe place for future reference.
WARNING
To prevent a fire hazard, do not place any naked
flame sources (such as a lighted candle) on the
equipment.
D3-4-2-1-7a_A_En
WARNING
This equipment is not waterproof. To prevent a fire
or shock hazard, do not place any container filled
with liquid near this equipment (such as a vase or
flower pot) or expose it to dripping, splashing, rain
or moisture.
D3-4-2-1-3_B_En
WARNING
The voltage of the available power supply differs
according to country or region. Be sure that the
power supply voltage of the area where this unit
will be used meets the required voltage (e.g., 230 V
or 120 V) written on the rear panel.
D3-4-2-1-4_A_En
Before plugging in for the first time, read the following
section carefully.
Operating Environment
Operating environment temperature and humidity:
+5 ºC to +35 ºC (+41 ºF to +95 ºF); less than 85 %RH
(cooling vents not blocked)
Do not install this unit in a poorly ventilated area, or in
locations exposed to high humidity or direct sunlight (or
strong artificial light)
D3-4-2-1-7c_A_En
This product complies with the Low Voltage Directive
2006/95/EC and EMC Directive 2004/108/EC.
D3-4-2-1-9a_A_En
VSX_918_818_MY.book 2
If you want to dispose this product, do not mix it with general household waste. There is a separate collection system for used
electronic products in accordance with legislation that requires proper treatment, recovery and recycling.
Private households in the member states of the EU, in Switzerland and Norway may return their used electronic products free of charge to
designated collection facilities or to a retailer (if you purchase a similar new one).
For countries not mentioned above, please contact your local authorities for the correct method of disposal.
By doing so you will ensure that your disposed product undergoes the necessary treatment, recovery and recycling and thus prevent potential
negative effects on the environment and human health.
K058_A_En
VENTILATION CAUTION
When installing this unit, make sure to leave space
around the unit for ventilation to improve heat
radiation (at least 20 cm at top, 10 cm at rear, and
30 cm at each side).
WARNING
Slots and openings in the cabinet are provided for
ventilation to ensure reliable operation of the
product, and to protect it from overheating. To
prevent fire hazard, the openings should never be
blocked or covered with items (such as newspapers,
table-cloths, curtains) or by operating the
equipment on thick carpet or a bed.
D3-4-2-1-7b_A_En
DOW
N
DOW
N
DOW
N
If the AC plug of this unit does not match the AC
outlet you want to use, the plug must be removed
and appropriate one fitted. Replacement and
mounting of an AC plug on the power supply cord of
this unit should be performed only by qualified
service personnel. If connected to an AC outlet, the
cut-off plug can cause severe electrical shock. Make
sure it is properly disposed of after removal.
The equipment should be disconnected by removing
the mains plug from the wall socket when left
unused for a long period of time (for example, when
on vacation).
D3-4-2-2-1a_A_En
This product is for general household purposes. Any
failure due to use for other than household purposes
(such as long-term use for business purposes in a
restaurant or use in a car or ship) and which
requires repair will be charged for even during the
warranty period.
K041_En
CAUTION
The STANDBY/ON switch on this unit will not
completely shut off all power from the AC outlet.
Since the power cord serves as the main disconnect
device for the unit, you will need to unplug it from
the AC outlet to shut down all power. Therefore,
make sure the unit has been installed so that the
power cord can be easily unplugged from the AC
outlet in case of an accident. To avoid fire hazard,
the power cord should also be unplugged from the
AC outlet when left unused for a long period of time
(for example, when on vacation).
D3-4-2-2-2a_A_En
Manufactured under license from Dolby
Laboratories. "Dolby", "Pro Logic" and the
double-D symbol are trademarks of Dolby
Laboratories.
"DTS" is a registered trademark of DTS, Inc.
and "DTS 96/24" is a trademark of DTS, Inc.
VSX_918_818_MY.book 3
Contents
01 Before you start
Checking what's in the box
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Loading the batteries
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Installing the receiver
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Ventilation
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
02 5 minute guide
Introduction to home theater
. . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Listening to Surround Sound
. . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Automatically setting up for surround
sound (MCACC)
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Other problems when using the Auto
MCACC Setup
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Better sound using Phase Control
. . . . . . . . 10
03 Connecting up
Making cable connections
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Analog audio cables
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Digital audio cables
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Video cables
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Connecting a DVD player and TV
. . . . . . . . . 12
Connecting the multichannel analog
outputs
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Connecting a satellite receiver or
other digital set-top box
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Connecting other audio components
. . . . . . 14
About the WMA9 Pro decoder
. . . . . . . . . . 14
Connecting an HDD/DVD recorder,
VCR and other video sources
. . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Using the component video jacks
. . . . . . . . . 16
Connecting using HDMI
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
About HDMI
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Connecting to the front panel audio
mini jack
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Connecting to the front panel video
terminal
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Connecting antennas
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Using external antennas
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Connecting the speakers
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Hints on speaker placement
. . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Speaker placement diagrams
. . . . . . . . . . . 22
Switching the speaker system
. . . . . . . . . . 22
04 Controls and displays
Front panel
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Display
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Remote control
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Operating range of remote control
. . . . . . . 29
05 Listening to your system
Auto playback
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Listening in surround sound
. . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Using the Advanced surround effects
. . . . . 31
Listening in stereo
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Using Front Stage Surround Advance
. . . . . . 32
Using Stream Direct
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Using the Sound Retriever
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Listening with Acoustic Calibration EQ
. . . . . 33
Using Virtual Surround Back (VSB)
. . . . . . . . 33
Setting the AV options
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Playing other sources
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Choosing the input signal
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Selecting the multichannel analog inputs
. . . 36
Selecting the front audio inputs
. . . . . . . . . . 36
06 The System Setup menu
Using the System Setup menu
. . . . . . . . . . . 37
Manual MCACC speaker setup
. . . . . . . . . . . 37
Fine Channel Level
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Fine Speaker Distance
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Acoustic Calibration EQ
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Manual speaker setup
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Speaker Setting
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Crossover Network
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Channel Level
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Speaker Distance
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
07 Using the tuner
Listening to the radio
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Improving FM stereo sound
. . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Tuning directly to a station
. . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Saving station presets
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Naming station presets
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Listening to station presets
. . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
An introduction to RDS
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Displaying RDS information
. . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Searching for RDS programs
. . . . . . . . . . . 48
Using EON
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
08 Making recordings
Making an audio or a video recording
. . . . . . 50
VSX_918_818_MY.book 4
English
Italiano
Français
Nederlands
Español
Deutsch
09 Controlling the rest of your
system
Operating other Pioneer components
. . . . . . 51
Setting the remote to control other
components
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Selecting preset codes directly
. . . . . . . . . . . 52
Direct function
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Clearing all the remote control settings
. . . . . 52
Controls for TVs
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Controls for other components
. . . . . . . . . . . 54
Preset Code List
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
10 Other connections
Connecting an iPod
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Connecting your iPod to the receiver
. . . . . 57
iPod playback
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Connecting a USB device
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Connecting your USB device to
the receiver
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Basic playback controls
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Selecting a file from the folder/file
list for playback
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Compressed audio compatibility
. . . . . . . . . 61
Using this receiver with a Pioneer flat
screen TV
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Using the SR+ mode with a Pioneer
flat screen TV
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
11 Other Settings
The Input Assign menu
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
The Other Setup menu
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
SR+ Setup for Pioneer flat screen TVs
. . . . 66
12 Additional information
Troubleshooting
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
HDMI
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Important information regarding
the HDMI connection
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Resetting the main unit
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Switching the speaker impedance
. . . . . . . . . 70
Changing the TV format setting
. . . . . . . . . . . 71
Power cord caution
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Cleaning the unit
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Specifications
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
VSX_918_818_MY.book 5