Onkyo TXNR 900 E Owners Manual

Page 1

ONKYO®

AV Receiver

T X -NR900
T X-NR900E

Instruction Manual

Thank you for purchasing the Onkyo AV Receiver.
Please read this manual thoroughly before making
connections and plugging in the unit Following the
instructions in this manual will enable you to obtain
optimum performance and listening enjoyment from
your new AV Receiver. Please retain this manual for
future reference.

Contents

Before using

Facilities and connections

Setup and operation

Remote controller

Appendix

31

66

78

Page 2

WARNING:

TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE OR ELECTRIC SHOCK,
DO NOT EXPOSE THIS APPLIANCE TO RAIN OR
MOISTURE.

CAUTION:

TO REDUCE THE RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT
REMOVE COVER (OR BACK). NO USER-SERVICEABLE
PARTS INSIDE. REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED
SERVICE PERSONNEL.

mama AVIS
RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK RISQUE DE CHOC ELECTFtloUE
DO NOT OPEN NE PAS OUVRIH

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.

The exclamation point within an equilateral triangle is intended to
alert the user to the presence of important operating and maintenance
(sen/icing) instructions in the Literature accompanying the appliance.

Important Safeguards

10.

11.

12.

Read Instructions - All the safety and operating instructions
should be read before the appliance is operated.

Retain Instructions ~ The safety and operating instructions
should be retained for future reference.

Heed Warnings » All warnings on the appliance and in the
operating instructions should be adhered to.

Follow Instructions » All operating and use instructions
should be followed.

Cleaning » Unplug the appliance from the wall outlet before
cleaning. The appliance should be cleaned only as recom-
mended by the manufacturer.

Attachments - Do not use attachments not recommended by
the appliance manufacturer as they may cause hazards.

Water and Moisture - Do not use the appliance near water ~for
example, near a bath tub, wash bowl, kitchen sink, or laundry
tub; in a wet basement; or near a swimming pool; and the like.

Accessories - Do not place the appliance on an unstable cart,
stand, tripod, bracket, or table. The appliance may fall, causing
serious injury to a child or adult, and serious damage to the
appliance. Use only with a cart, stand, tripod, bracket, or table
recommended by the manufacturer, or sold with the appliance.
Any mounting of the appliance should follow the
manufacturers instructions, and
should use a mounting accessory
recommended by the manufac-
turer.

An appliance and cart combina-
tion should be moved with care.
Quick stops, excessive force, and
uneven surfaces may cause the
appliance and cart combination to
overturn.

Ventilation - Slots and openings in the cabinet are provided
for ventilation and to ensure reliable operation of the appliance
and to protect it from overheating, and these openings must not
be blocked or covered. The openings should never be blocked
by placing the appliance on a bed, sofa, rug, or other similar
surface. The appliance should not be placed in a built-in instal»
lation such as a bookcase or rack unless proper ventilation is
provided. There should be free space of at least 20 cm (8 in.)
and an opening behind the appliance.

Power Sources ~ The appliance should be operated only from
the type of power source indicated on the marking label. If you
are not sure of the type of power supply to your home, consult
your appliance dealer or local power company.

Grounding or Polarization » The appliance may be equipped
with a polarized alternating current line plug (a plug having one
blade wider than the other). This plug will fit into the power
outlet only one way. This is a safety feature. If you are unable to
insert the plug fully into the outlet, try reversing the plug. If the
plug should still fail to fit, contact your electrician to replace
your obsolete outlet. Do not defeat the safety purpose of the
polarized plug.

PORTABLE CART WARNING

sat 25A

l3.

14.

15.

l6.

l7.

l8.

19.

20.

Power-Cord Protection » Power-supply cords should be
routed so that they are not likely to be walked on or pinched by
items placed upon or against them, paying particular attention
to cords at plugs, convenience receptacles, and the point where
they exit from the appliance.

Outdoor Antenna Grounding » If an outside antenna or cable
system is connected to the appliance, be sure the antenna or
cable system is grounded so as to provide some protection
against voltage surges and built-up static charges. Article 810
of the National Electrical Code, ANSI/NFPA 70, provides in»
formation with regard to proper grounding of the mast and sup»
porting structure, grounding of the lead-in wire to an antenna»
discharge unit, size of grounding conductors, location of an»
tenna-discharge unit, connection to grounding electrodes, and
requirements for the grounding electrode. See Figure 1.

Lightning » For added protection for the appliance during a
lightning storm, or when it is left unattended and unused for
long periods of time, unplug it from the wall outlet and discon»
nect the antenna or cable system. This will prevent damage to
the appliance due to lightning and power-line surges.

Power Lines » An outside antenna system should not be lo-
cated in the vicinity of overhead power lines or other electric
light or power circuits, or where it can fall into such power lines
or circuits. When installing an outside antenna system, extreme
care should be taken to keep from touching such power lines or
circuits as contact with them might be fatal.

Overloading » Do not overload wall outlets, extension cords,
or integral convenience receptacles as this can result in a risk
of fire or electric shock.

Object and Liquid Entry » Never push objects of any kind
into the appliance through openings as they may touch danger»
ous voltage points or short-out parts that could result in a fire or
electric shock. Never spill liquid of any kind on the appliance.

Servicing » Do not attempt to service the appliance yourself as
opening or removing covers may expose you to dangerous volt»
age or other hazards. Refer all servicing to qualified service
personnel.

Damage Requiring Service » Unplug the appliance form the
wall outlet and refer servicing to qualified service personnel
under the following conditions:

A. When the power-supply cord or plug is damaged,

B. If liquid has been spilled, or objects have fallen into the
appliance,

C. If the appliance has been exposed to rain or water,

D. If the appliance does not operate normally by following the
operating instructions. Adjust only those controls that are
covered by the operating instructions as an improper ad»
justment of other controls may result in damage and will
often require extensive work by a qualified technician to
restore the appliance to its normal operation,

E. If the appliance has been dropped or damaged in any way,
and

F. When the appliance exhibits a distinct change in perfor»
mance » this indicates a need for service.

Page 16

Connecting to AudioNideo equipment

- Be sure to always refer to the instructions that came With the Cables are depicted in the connection diagrams as shown below.
component that you are connecting.

0 Do not plug in the power cord until all connections have been Left (whit e) L

properly made.
0 For inputjacks, red connectors (marked R) are used for the H Audio connection cable

right channel, white connectors (marked L) are used for the
left channel, and yellow connectors (marked V) are used for Right (red) R
video connection.

0 Insert all plugs and connectors securely. Improper
connections can result in noise, poor performance, or

P.
=i-JDEI mm:
damage to the equipment. P P Com onent video
lm ro er connection vi : conantion cable
if P P

Video connection cable

Inserted completely

. . . . , S video connection cable
- Do not bind audio/Video connection cables wtth power cords

and speaker cables. Doing so may adversely affect the

picture and sound quality. Coaxial cable

0 The optical digital jacks are all of the shutter-type
construction. Connect an optical cable by first making sure
the cable is oriented correctly and then inserting it into the
jack pushing the shutter lid inwards.

Optical cable

Rear optical iack Front optical iack

@ HE)

16

Page 18

Connecting to AudioNideo equipment

Connecting a DVD Player with 5.1-Channel Output

fl : Signal flow

Digital audio output (coaxial)

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a red)
Analog audio output
vino-swank pcmltmfifll\ L(white) }
Video out ul
cCDm

AUDIO

wosois leEO<

Connecting your video components

Below is an example of how you can connect your video components
to the TX-NR900/900E. Refer to the diagram above for the following
connection examples.

COMPONENT VIDEO INPUT/OUTPUT

For DVD players or other devices that have component video
connectors, the TX-NR900/9OOE has two banks of component video
input connectors (Y, PB, PR) for direct component video input. The
TX-NR900/900E also has one bank of component video output
connectors for direct component video output to the matrix decoder
of a television, projector, or other display device. By sending the
pure component video signal directly, the signal forgoes the extra
processing that normally would degrade the image. The result is
vastly increased image quality, with incredibly lifelike colors and
crisp detail.
VIDEO IN/OUT
These are the video inputs and outputs. On the rear panel, there are
live video inputs and two video outputs and each one includes both
composite video and S video configurations.
Connect VCRs, VTRs, LD players, DVD players, and other video
components to the video inputs. Connect VCRs, VTRs, and other
recording components to the video outputs to make video
recordings

- When connecting a VCR or other video component, make sure

you connect its audio and video leads to the same bank (e.g.,
both to VIDEO 3).

- The VIDEO 5 inputs are located on the front panel.

18

[- s Video output
I

4. DVD player (DVD)

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m
P-
=CDDW
Pl
:t-mn

Component video output

The flow of the video signals is as follows:

Signals that comes in from VIDEO and S VIDEO INPUT are output
to VIDEO and S VIDEO. However, signals that comes in from
COMPONENT VIDEO INPUT are only output to COMPONENT
VIDEO OUTPUT. When connecting a video player to the
COMPONENT VIDEO INPUT jacks, be sure to connect your
television to the COMPONENT VIDEO OUTPUT jacks.

4. Connecting a DVD player (DVD)

Using an RCA video cable, connect the video output jack
(composite) of the DVD or LD player to the DVD VIDEO IN jack of
the TX-NR900/900E. Or if the DVD or LD player has an S video
output jack, connect it to the DVD S VIDEO IN jack with an S video
cable. Or if the device has component video outputs, connect them to
one of the banks of COMPONENT VIDEO INPUT jacks on the TX»
NR900/900E.

With the initial settings of the TX-NR900/900E, the DVD input
source is set for the COMPONENT VIDEO INPUT 1 jacks.

If you connect the DVD or LD player to the COMPONENT VIDEO
INPUT 2 jacks, this must be changed at Setup Menu -> Input Setup
-> Video Setup -> Component Video (see page 53).

Using an RCA audio connection cable, connect the audio output
jacks of the DVD or LD player to the DVD AUDIO IN jacks of the
TX-NR900/900E. Make sure that you properly connect the left
channel to the L jack and the right channel to the R jack.

If the device has a digital output, connect it to either the DIGITAL
INPUT COAX jack or DIGITAL INPUT OPT jack of the TX»
NR900/900E depending on the type of connector on the DVD
player.

With the initial settings of the TX-NR900/900E, the DVD input
source is set for digital input at the COAX 1 jack.

If the digital connection is made at a different jack, this must be
changed at Setup Menu -> Input Setup -> Digital Setup (see page 51).

Page 30

Connecting the power

(USA and Canadian models)

STANDBY/ON
STANDBV indicator

(All models other than USA and Canadian models)
STANDBY/ON
STANDBV indicator

ON -
STANDBY - _
RCVRi

.3 To wall outlet

- Before you plug in the TX-NR900/900E, confirm that all
connections have been made properly.

0 Turning on the power may cause a momentary power surge,
which might interfere with other electrical equipment on the
same circuit, such as computers. If this happens, use a wall outlet
on a different circuit.

(All models other than USA and Canadian models)

- The TX-NR900/900E is shipped with the main power (POWER)
switch in the on position (__ ON). When the power cord is
plugged in for the first time, the TX-NR900/900E will
automatically enter the standby state and the STANDBY
indicator will light (same condition after step 2 below).

Turning on the power

1. Plug the power cord into an AC wall outlet.

(USA and Canadian models) I
The STANDBY indicator will light up. fima'

//

(All models other than USA and Canadian models)

Press the POWER switch to set the
TX-N R900l900E to standby state.

The STANDBY indicator will light up.

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// \\
GPowER

.0» AW

2. Press the STANDBY/ON button to turn on the TX-
NR900/900E.
The display will light up and the
STANDBY indicator will turn off.
If you press the STANDBY/ON button
again, the receiver returns to Standby
state

tbsrANoev/dn

05mm

Turn off

30

POWER

t To wall outlet

Turning on the power from the remote controller

Before you can use the remote controller, you must perform steps 1
and 2 above and place the TX-NR900/900E in the standby state.

aw

1. Press the RCVR MODE button.
The RCVR MODE button lights.

2. Press the ON button to turn on the
TX-NR900/900E (take it out of the
standby state).

To return the TX-NR900/900E to the
standby state, press the STANDBY button.

0N STANDav

Memory preservation (Other than USA and Canadian
models)

The TX-NR900/900E does not require memory preservation
batteries. A built-in memory backup system preserves the
contents of memory (e.g., speaker settings and surround settings)
during power failures and even when the power is turned off with
the POWER switch. The backup system is charged when the
POWER switch is turned on.

The length of time that the memory will be preserved will vary
depending on the ambient climate On the average, memory
contents are protected over a period of a few weeks after the last
time the unit has been turned off. This period may be shorter
when the unit is exposed to a highly humid climate

Memory preservation (USA and Canadian models)

The TX-NR900 does not require memory preservation batteries.
A built-in memory backup system preserves the contents of
memory (e.g., speaker settings and surround settings) during
power failures and even when the unit is unplugged. The unit
must be plugged in order to change the back-up system.

The length of time that the memory will be preserved will vary
depending on the ambient climate On the average, memory
contents are protected over a period of a few weeks after the last
time the unit has been unplugged. This period may be shorter
when the unit is exposed to a highly humid climate

Page 37

Listening to Radio Broadcasts

MEMORY PRESET 4
FM MODE

\

p

Presetting a radio station

Selecting a preset radio station

1. Tune into the radio station you desire (see Tuning
into a radio station ).

2. Press the MEMORY button on the W"

front panel.
Flashes

3. Using the PRESET buttons,
0 7 0
select a preset number (from 1 to 40) Omgo
to assign the station.

4. Press the MEMORY button to finalize mm

the procedure.
Lights

This programs the radio station as a preset radio station.

- Up to 40 stations can be stored in memory as preset radio
stations

- You can enter text names for any of the preset radio stations
(see page 53).

1. Press TUNER input source button on W
the TX-NR900/900E or TUN button on
the remote controller.

The front display should show the currently
selected frequency.

2. Press the PRESET buttons and -
select the number of the desired (02:59
preset station.

When using the remote controller:

1. Press the RCVR MODE button.
The RCVR MODE button lights.

2. Press the TUN button.

3. Press the CH +/= button and select the number of the
desired preset station.

Erasing a preset radio station

1. Press the TUNER input source (or TUN) button and
press the PRESET 41> buttons to select the preset
radio station that you want to erase (see above).

2. Press and hold the MEMORY button and then press
the FM MODE button.

The selected preset station is erased.

37

Page 55

Input Setup

Relationship between input source and listening mode
Listening modes marked with the O can be selected. For columns that list a number of listening modes, the display will correspond to the
format of the signal from the source media.

Input source signal (display) a. Analog/PCM b. PCM fs:96k c. Dolby D d. DTS e. D.F.2ch f. D.F.Mono
(Zch) (Zch) (Digital Format (Digital Format
Multichannel) Multichannel) (Digital Format Zch) [Digital Format Mono)
Type oi'soi'tware Tape, Video tape, DVD DVD CD, LD DVD DVD

Vinyl, Tuner, CD, (96 kHz/24 bit) Digital Satellite DVD Digital Satellite

MD, DVD (Stereo),

LD, Digital Satellite
Listening Mode
Mono 0 O O
Direct/Pure Audio 0 0
Stereo 0 I O O 0*
T-D (Theater-Dimensional) . C C .
Dolby Digital .
DTS DTS

DTS-ES Matrix 6,1
DTS-ES Discrete 6.1
DTS 96/24

Dolby EX Dolby Digital EX
Dolby Pro Logic 11 PL II Movie PL 11 Movie PL II Movie
DTS Neo:6 PL 11 Music PL 11 Music PL 11 Music

DTS Neo:6 Cinema DTS Neo:6 Cinema

DTS Neo:6 Music DTS Neo:6 Music
THX THX Cinema THX Cinema THX Cinema THX Cinema

THX Surround EX

Mono Movie I O 0
Enhanced 7 C C C .
Orchestra 0 C O .
Unplugged O I O O
Studio-Mix . C C 0
TV Logic 0 C O C
All Ch Stereo 0 O

* When playing sources recorded in DTS 96/24 format, DTS 96/24 Stereo is displayed.

Note:

You may not be able to select all the listening modes shown here depending on your speaker configuration or the selected input source.

55

Page 61

Audio Adjust

3-8. Surround Sub-menu

(Advancedw

This sub-menu provides various settings for modifying the plain
Dolby Digital, DTS, and Pro Logic II Surround listening modes. The
settings that can be set are shown in the table below.

Setting Values Initial value
a. Surr Mode Pro Logic 11 Movie Pro Logic 1] Movie
(Analog/PCM) Pro Logic 11 Music
Neo:6 Cinema
Neozfi Music
b. Surr Mode Pro Logic 11 Movie Pro Logic 1] Movie
(Digital) Pro Logic 11 Music
Neo:6 Cinema
Neo:6 Music
c. Dolby D EX Auto, On, off On
(Dolby D)
d. DTS-ES Auto, On, Off Auto

e. Panorama Off, On Off
f. Dimension 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 3
g. Center Width 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 3
(Neo: 6 Music>
h. Center Image 0, 1, 2, 3,4,5 3
a. Surr Mode (Analog/PCM)

Changes the surround mode for when 2-channel analog/PCM signals
are input.

b. Surr Mode (Digital)
Changes the surround mode for when Z-channel digital signals are input.

c. Dolby Digital EX (Dolby D)
If you have surround back speakers connected, use this setting to
select whether or not you will use Dolby EX playback.

Auto: When the source has an EX flag (ID signal for Surround EX),
the playback is automatically changed to Dolby Digital EX. If the
source has no EX flag, the playback is changed to Dolby Digital.

On: The playback is set to Dolby Digital EX.
Off: The playback is set to normal Dolby Digital.

If your surround channel is monaural or you do not have a surround
channel, then the playback will be normal Dolby Digital regardless
of the above setting.

You can change the Dolby Digital EX mode settings easily using the
remote controller. While playing a Dolby Digital source, after
selecting Dolby D for listening mode, each press of the
SURROUND button on the remote controller cyclically changes the
Dolby Digital EX mode in the order of Auto, On, and Off.

d. DTS-ES
This setting selects the DTS-ES mode.

Auto: Select to have the listening mode change automatically to
DTS-ES Discrete 6.1 or DTS-ES Matrix 6.1. If the DTS source
has no DTS-ES flag, the mode is changed to DTS 5.1 when the
DTS source has the DTS-ES flag (ID signal for DTS-ES).

On: Select to have the listening mode change automatically to
DTS-ES Discrete 6.1 or DTS-ES Matrix 6.1 when the DTS
source has the DTS»ES flag, and to DTS-ES Matrix 6.1 when the
DTS source has no DTS»ES flag.

Off: Select to not use DTS-ES listening modes even when the
DTS source has the DTS-ES flag. With this setting, the DTS
sources are always played in DTS 5.1 mode.

e. Pro Logic II Music Panorama
Use this setting to extend the front stereo image to include the surround
speakers for an exciting wraparound effect with side wall imaging.

On: Select to turn on the PL II Music Panorama mode.
Off: Select to turn off the PL II Music Panorama mode.

f. Pro Logic II Music Dimension

Use this setting to gradually adjust the soundfield forward or
backward.

The setting of 3 is the normal position. Change the setting to 2" or
lower to move the sound space forward and setting to 4 or higher
to move the sound space backward.

If the stereo recording has excessive broadness or too strong
surroundness, move the sound space forward to get the appropriate
sound balance. In contrast, if the stereo recording is somewhat felt
like monaural or has narrowness, move the sound space backward to
get more surroundness.

g. Pro Logic II Music Center Width

In Pro Logic II decoding, center signals are output from the center
speaker. When the center speaker is not used, the decoder will divide
the center signal equally to both the front left and right speakers to
create a phantom center sound image.

The Pro Logic 11 Music Center Width mode allows you to adjust from
where the center sound image is heard. Using this, you can have the
soundfield be heard from the center speaker only, from the front left
and right speakers only (as a phantom center sound image), or from all
three speakers (center, front left and right) in various level
combinations. For home use, applying some width to the center signal
will improve the level balance for the center and main speakers, and
effect the width of the center sound image, or weight" of the sound.
Many sound recordings processed for stereo playback will be
reproduced better by proper control of this setting. The recommended
setting for Pro Logic H Music mode is 3." This allows you to easily
distinguish the Pro Logic 11 Music mode from the Pro Logic 11 Movie
mode whose setting is automatically set to 0."

h. Center Image

DTS Neo:6 derives a center channel from two-channel PCM and
analog sources.

In cinema mode, for Lt/Rt film soundtracks, sounds steered to the
center are subtracted from the left and right channels.

In music mode, the intent in the front channels is less one of steering
and more one of stabilizing the front image by augmenting it with a
center channel, while preserving the original perspective of the
stereo mix. Therefore the derived center is never fully subtracted
from the left and right channels.

Center Image is the factor controlling the amount of subtraction. It
varies between 0 and 5 in steps of l and the default value is 3.
When Center Image=5, the factor is zero and nothing is subtracted
from the left and right channels. When Center Image=0, the center
channel is subtracted from the left and right channels at half level
(6 dB) for each channel. The signal level sent to the center channel
output is not affected by Center Image.

This control should be set based on room layout and personal preferences.
A setting of 5 allows the left and right channels to pass through unaltered
from the stereo mix. A setting of 0 gives more center channel dominance,
which is particularly desirable if listeners are located well off-center. At
any setting, the center speaker anchors the image.

Center Image is only enabled when the listening mode is DTS Neo:6 Music.

61

Page 68

Using remote controller

ON STANDBY

w-CD MODE

]~VOL A/V

iMUTING

DISCei

i CD
operation
buttons

i Numeric keys

68

Controlling an Onkyo CD player

The RI connector of the Onkyo compact disc player must be
connected to the TX-NR900/900E (see page 28)

1. Press the CD MODE button.
The CD MODE button lights

2. Press the desired operation button.
The buttons shaded in the figure to the left are the operation
buttons that can be used to control an Onkyo compact disc
playerr

Operation buttons:

0N: Turns on and off the compact disc player (same as STANDBY
button on the remote controller)

DISC +2 Selects a disc in the CD changer
[233: Track down

[2:]: Track up

[>: Play

1:}: Stop

<::|: Skip backward

Df>z Skip forward

I: Pause

=2 Opens/closes disc tray

0, 1 to 9, +10: Numeric keys

RANDOM: Random playback

You may also use the following buttons:

VOL A/V: Adjusts volume at TX-NR900/900E
MUTING: Activates muting function at TX-NR900/900E

Page 72

Operating your programmed remote controller

After entering a pre-programming by following the procedure
given above, the following modes become enabled for use.

DVD MODE (DVD Player Mode)

Operations are the same as explained on page 67.

ON

STANDBY

97 SAT/MD MODE

ENTER,i
A/V/<1/>
CH +/= VOL NV

3 7MENU
iMUTING

i Numeric keys

@iENTER

SAT MODE (Satellite Tuner Mode)

1. Press the SAT/MD MODE button.
The SAT/MD MODE button lights.

2. Press the desired operation button.
The buttons shaded in the figure to the left are the operation
buttons that can be used to control your satellite tuner unit.

The buttons given below have operations programmed
into them.

ON: Turns on and off satellite tuner unit (same as STANDBY
button on the remote controller)

CH +/=: Changes selected preset channel
A/V/: Moves cursor

ENTER: Confirms selection

MENU: Displays menu

0,1 to 9: Numeric keys

ENTER: Confirm

You may also use the following buttons:
VOL A/V: Adjusts the volume at the TX-NR900/900E
MUTING: Activates the muting function at the TX-NR900/900E

ON

STANDBY

iCABLE MODE

]~v0L A/V

VJ iMUTING

CH +/=~[

i Numeric keys

iENTER

72

CABLE MODE (Cable Mode)

1. Press the CABLE MODE button.
The CABLE button lights.

2. Press the desired operation button.
The buttons shaded in the figure to the left are the operation
buttons that can be used to control your cable TV unit.

The buttons given below have operations programmed
into them.

ON: Turns on and off cable TV unit (same as STANDBY button on
the remote controller)

CH +/=-: Changes selected preset channel
0,1 to 9: Numeric keys
ENTER: Confirm

You may also use the following buttons:
VOL NV: Adjusts the volume at the TX-NR900/900E
MUTING: Activates the muting function at the TX-NR900/900E