Bose Lifestyle 38 Owners Guide

							LIFESTYLE
®
 48 LIFESTYLE
®
 38
DVD HOME ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEMS
Operating Guide
Guía de uso
Notice d’utilisation
®
A mark 
of quality
 
						

							2
Safety Information
Français Español English
Please read this owner’s guide
Please take the time to follow this guide carefully. It will help you set up and operate your system properly and enjoy 
all of its advanced features. Save both the Install Guide and the Operating Guide  for future reference.
WARNING:  To reduce the risk of fire or electric shock, do not expose the system to rain or moisture
WARNING:  This apparatus shall not be exposed  to dripping or splashing, and objects filled with liquids, such as vases, 
shall not be placed on the apparatus. As with any electronic products, use care not to spill liquids in any part of the sys-
tem. Liquids can cause a failure and/or a fire hazard.
The CAUTION marks shown here are located on the bottom of your LIFESTYLE
® DVD home entertainment system 
media center and ON the rear panel of the Acoustimass® module:
The lightning flash with arrowhead symbol, within an equilateral triangle, alerts the user to the presence of 
uninsulated dangerous voltage within the system enclosure that may be of sufficient magnitude to consti-
tute a risk of electric shock.
The exclamation point within an equilateral triangle alerts the user to the presence of important operating 
and maintenance instructions in this owner’s guide.
CAUTION:  Use of controls or adjustments or performance of procedures other than those specified herein may result 
in hazardous radiation exposure. The compact disc player should not be adjusted or repaired by anyone except properly 
qualified service personnel.
CAUTION:  No naked flame sources, such as lighted candles, should be placed on the apparatus.
Class 1 laser product
The DVD player contained within the media center is classified as a CLASS 1 LASER 
PRODUCT according to EN 60825-1:1994 + A11. The CLASS 1 LASER PRODUCT label is 
located on the bottom of the media center.
Class B emissions limits
This Class B digital apparatus meets all requirements of the Canadian Interference-Causing Equipment Regulations.
Batteries
Please dispose of used batteries properly, following any local regulations. 
Do not incinerate.
Additional safety information
See the additional instructions on the  Important Safety Instructions
sheet enclosed in the shipping carton.
Batteries
©2004 Bose Corporation. No part of this work may be reproduced, modified, distributed or otherwise used without prior written p ermission.
Manufactured under license from Dolby Laboratories. “Dolby” and the double-D symbol are trademarks of Dolby Laboratories. Confi dential 
Unpublished Works. ©1992-1997 Dolby Laboratories. All rights reserved.
This product contains one or more programs protected under international and U.S. copyright laws as unpublished works. They are  confidential 
and proprietary to Dolby Laboratories.  Their reproduction or disclosure, in whole or in part, or the production of derivative  works therefrom with-
out the express permission of Dolby Laboratories is prohibited.  Copyright 1992-1996 by Dolby Laboratories, Inc.  All rights re served.
MPEG Layer-3 audio compression technology licensed by Fraunhofer IIS and THOMSON multimedia.
“DTS” and “DTS Digital Surround” are registered trademarks of Digital Theater Systems, Inc.
Music recognition technology and related data are provided by Gracenote and the Gracenote CDDB music recognition service.  Grac enote is 
the industry standard in music recognition technology and related content delivery.  For more information visit www.gracenote.c om.
CD and music-related data from Gracenote, Inc., © 2000-2003 Gracenote.  Gracenote CDDB
® Client Software, copyright 2000-2003 
Gracenote. This product and service may practice one or more of  the following U.S. Patents #5,987,525; #6,061,680; #6,154,773; 
#6,161,132; #6,230,192; #6,230,207; #6,240,459; #6,330,593, and other patents issue or pending.
Gracenote and CDDB are registered trademarks of Gracenote. The Gracenote logo and logotype, the Gracenote logo, CDDB logo and l ogotype 
and the “Gracenote" logo are trademarks of Gracenote.
 
						

							3
English FrançaisEspañol
Contents
Where to find...
Introduction  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  5
Welcome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  5
What discs you can play   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  5
Regarding copy protection   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Check for region number compatibility   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  5
Glossary of audio terms  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  5
Presenting a New Way to Play  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  7
What makes this LIFESTYLE
® system uniquely yours  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  7
How you can tell the system to “Do as I do.”   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  7
Getting your music into the system  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  8
Planning time to store your music  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  8
How much time to allow for storing CDs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  9
How many CDs you can store  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  9
What you can listen to while storing CDs   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  9
How the uMusic
TM intelligent playback system works for you  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  9
Why presets are important   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  9
Switch from one to another easily  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  10
Use the selection and rating buttons as you like   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  10
Take advantage of the system intelligence   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  10
Controls and Capabilities  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  11
The remote control    . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  11
If the remote does not work as you expect  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  14
The media center  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  14
Component video or progressive scan: activating your selection  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  16
System Performance   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  17
Some product pointers to ensure satisfaction  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  17
To turn on other components   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  17
To watch video . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  17
To adjust what you see or hear  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  18
To enjoy remarkable new LIFESTYLE
® system features   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  18
Playing stored music   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  18
The basics   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  18
Control options   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  19
Discover the more advanced benefits   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  20
Take advantage of what presets can do  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  20
Respond actively to speed up the learning process  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  21
Use the Playlist to line up tracks for play  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  21
How to delete tracks from the Playlist:  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  22
How to completely clear the Playlist:   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  22
Check in at the Music Library  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  22
This product incorporates copyright protected technology that is protected by method claims of certain U.S. patents and other 
intellectual property rights owned by Macrovision Corporation and other rights owners. Use of this copyright protection technology must be 
authorized by Macrovision Corporation, and is intended for home and other limited viewing uses only, unless otherwise authorized by 
Macrovision Corporation. Reverse engineering or disassembly is prohibited.
Consumers should note that not all high definition television sets are fully compatible with this product and may cause artifacts to be displayed
in the picture. In case of 525 progressive scan picture problems, it is recommended that the user switch the connection to the “standard 
definition” output.  If there are questions regarding our TV set compatibility with this model 525p DVD player, please contact our customer 
service center.”
This product incorporates copyright protected technology and other intellectual property rights owned by Cirrus Logic, Inc. and subject to the copyright 
protection of the U.S. as well as other licensing restrictions and protections. Use of this copyright protected technology is limited solely to use with
the Cirrus Logic integrated circuits incorporated in this product. Reverse engineering or disassembly is prohibited.
Designed with UEI Technology™ Under License from Universal Electronics Inc. © UEI 2000-2002.
Legal notice: "AEC One Stop Group, Inc. ("AEC") hold the exclusive rights to the ALL MUSIC GUIDE and ALL MOVIE GUIDE data ("The Guides").  You 
may not modify, copy or scan or use any other method to reproduce, duplicate, translate, republish, transmit or distribute in any way any portion of The 
Guides.  You may not download The Guides; any use shall be subject to all restrictions applicable thereto and contained therein.  You agree to indemnify, 
defend and hold harmless AEC and its affiliates, and Bose and its affiliates, against any and all claims, damages, costs or other expenses that arise 
directly or indirectly out of or from (i) your unauthorized use of The Guides, (ii) your violation of this directive and/or (iii) any unauthorized activities by you in 
connection with The Guides.
 
						

							4
Contents
Français Español English
Playing a DVD  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  23
Control options   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  24
Using parental controls   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Loading and playing a CD   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  25
Control options   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  25
Using the radio  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  26
Changing stations   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Setting a radio station preset  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  26
To reassign a preset to a different station  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  27
Using the headphones jack   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Using the sleep timer  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  27
To set the sleep timer   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Controlling External Sources   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  28
Using your system remote with other components  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  28
For TV control   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  28
For cable/satellite control   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
For VCR (or DVR) control  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  32
For AUX control  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  32
Designating one video tuner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  33
Changing Source Settings   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  34
Making adjustments to a particular source   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  34
How to see your options   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  34
How to change the settings  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  35
Tuner setting options (FM or AM radio)   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  36
CD setting options   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  36
Stored CDs setting options   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  37
DVD setting options  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  38
TV setting options (for VCR, CBL-SAT, and AUX)   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  39
Using System Menus   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  40
Making system adjustments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
How to see the System menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  40
How to make changes  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  40
Stored CD data options  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  41
Using the Edit Screen   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
How to change the text  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  42
Audio options  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  44
Video options  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  46
Media center options  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  47
Remote control options   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  48
DVD lock options   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  49
Applying parental control  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  49
To set the restriction level and passwords   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  50
Reference   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  51
Remote control care  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  51
Replacing the remote control batteries  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  51
Changing house code settings   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  51
Other switches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  52
For a Bose
® link remote in another room . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  52
Setting up a second room with sound  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  52
Bose
® link compatible products simplify your decisions  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  53
Bose® link remote switch settings  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  53
Taking care of your LIFESTYLE® system  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  54
Troubleshooting  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  55
Contacting customer service  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  57
Limited warranty  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  57
Technical information  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  57
END USER LICENSE AGREEMENT  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  58
 
						

							5
English FrançaisEspañol
Introduction
We l c o m e
Thank you for purchasing a Bose® LIFESTYLE® 38 or 48 DVD home entertainment system. 
Through proprietary Bose technologies and innovative LIFESTYLE® systems design, this ele-
gant and easy-to-use system delivers superior performance for both music and video pro-
gramming.
What discs you can play
The system can play the following types of discs having the corresponding logos:
•Video DVDs  
• DVD-Rs and DVD-R/Ws
• Video CDs (VCDs)
•Audio CDs
•CD-Rs or CD-R/Ws
•MP3 CDs
that meet the following criteria: 
All tracks are burned in a single, closed session and in ISO9660 disc format. Each file name 
has an “.mp3” extension and no other periods. The file tag is no higher than ID3 (ID3v2).
Check for region number compatibility
For any DVD player and DVD disc to be compatible, their region numbers must match. 
These numbers are assigned according to where the player and disc are sold. 
Check the region number on the bottom of the media center included with your 
system. Then be sure to choose only DVD discs that show the same region 
number on the disc label or packaging. For example, a Region 1 DVD and 
corresponding player should display the mark shown on the right. 
Glossary of audio terms
Aspect ratio – The shape of the rectangular picture in a TV set expressed as the width of the 
picture relative to the height. For example, if a TV picture has an aspect ratio of 4:3 (read as 4 
by 3), the shape of that picture is 4 units wide by 3 units high. The two standard TV aspect 
ratios are 4:3 and 16:9.
Chapter – A main division of contents in a DVD title.
Component video – A video signal split into three parts: luminance and two color signals 
(marked as YPbPr). It provides the highest resolution video, but cannot be processed by all 
television sets. 
Composite video – A video signal in which the brightness (black and white) and color infor-
mation are combined. Compatible with most televisions and other video components, com-
posite video cables use RCA jacks.
Dolby Digital – A perceptual coding system for audio, developed by Dolby Laboratories and 
accepted as an international standard. Dolby Digital is the most common means of encoding 
multi-channel audio.
– The logo representing Dolby Digital.
DTS – An abbreviation for Digital Theater Systems, a type of multi-channel surround sound 
format used on certain CDs and many DVDs.
Regarding copy protection
Music and other content may be protected 
by international and domestic copyright 
laws and may contain specific restrictions 
on use and/or reproduction. Please 
respect the rights of the artists and other 
copyright holders.
 
						

							6
Introduction
Français Español English
– The logo representing DTS.
DVD – An abbreviation most commonly known to mean Digital Video Disc or Digital Versatile 
Disc. The audio/video/data storage system is based on 12-cm optical discs.
DVD video – A standard for storing and reproducing audio and video on DVD-ROM discs, 
based on MPEG video, Dolby Digital audio, and other proprietary data formats.
Gracenote – Music recognition technology and related data provided as part of the service 
contracted for by Bose.
IR – An abbreviation for infrared. Pertains to the type of remote that sends/receives com-
mands on an infrared light beam.
Letterbox – A video format which has an aspect ratio wider than 4:3 and is shown with black 
bars above and below the picture.
MP3 – MPEG-1 Layer III audio. This is a compressed audio format that allows the recording 
of many hours of music on a single CD.
NTSC – An abbreviation for National Television System Committee and a label for the 
video format standard established by the committee for televisions used in the US and 
other countries.
PA L – An acronym for the Phase Alternate Line video format used extensively in Western 
Europe. 
Pan & Scan – The technique of reframing a picture to conform to a different aspect ratio by 
cropping parts of the picture. DVD-video players can use the horizontal offset encoded with 
the video on certain DVDs to automatically pan and scan widescreen video to a 4:3 ratio. 
PCM – An abbreviation for Pulse Code Modulation. A common form of digital audio signal.
Progressive Scan – A video format which displays all lines of the picture frame in a single 
pass, and refreshes the image sixty times a second. This format is not compatible with all 
video displays.
RDS – A system that displays radio broadcast station and programming information.This 
feature is available on European systems only. 
SACD – An abbreviation for Super Audio Compact Disc, which is used for high-resolution 
digital audio stored on a CD-sized disc. The new Bose
® LIFESTYLE® systems (with which this 
guide is included) play the CD-compatible portion of such discs, identified by the CD disc 
logo on the front of the disc. 
SCART – A type of jack commonly found on consumer electronics products manufactured 
for use in Western Europe.
SCMS– A system for preventing second-generation digital copies of copyrighted audio 
material. A digital recorder equipped with SCMS will record digitally from another source, but 
that recording cannot then be used as a source for a second-generation recording.
S-video – Also called Y/C. A video signal that keeps the brightness and color information 
separate, and is significantly better than composite video. Requires the use of an S-video 
cable and is compatible with many televisions and other video components.
uMusic
TM intelligent playback system – A revolutionary Bose play mode, which performs 
like a virtual DJ by noting listener preferences and playing suitable stored CD tracks in 
response.
Videostage
® 5 – Bose proprietary Videostage 5 decoding circuitry gives you a five-channel 
surround sound experience from everything you listen to – VHS tapes, stereo CDs, even 
mono TV programs.
YPbPr – A component analog video signal containing one luminance and two chrominance 
components. Also referred to as YUV or Y, B-Y, R-Y. 
 
						

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English FrançaisEspañol
Presenting a New Way to Play
What makes this LIFESTYLE
® system uniquely yours
The CDs you have amassed over the years are an expression of your taste in music. The ones 
you play on a regular basis provide a window into your style and moods. And the tracks you 
most enjoy when feeling tired, exuberant, social, or soulful exemplify these moods. 
You may have chosen your LIFESTYLE
® 38 or 48 system because it captures these subtleties 
with a breakthrough new feature: the uMusic™ intelligent playback system. Enabled by pro-
prietary Bose® technology, it transforms your system into a virtual DJ, capable of playing a 
continuous stream of the music you most enjoy and adapting to your preferences as they 
change. 
Not only does it store your personal CD collection, the uMusic intelligent playback system 
also provides a revolutionary new approach to hearing your music. 
It offers immediate access and uninterrupted play, so you can enjoy far more of your favorite 
music, even the tracks you’ve forgotten you own. And, as if it is listening along with you, the 
system also learns to play more and more of what you prefer...for customized listening plea-
sure. 
Underlying this new feature is the capacity to store all of the tracks from hundreds of your 
CDs in the system. The actual quantity depends on the number and length of tracks on each 
CD. Used as a personal music library, this feature saves you the time spent physically arrang-
ing and searching through your collection.
How you can tell the system to “Do as I do.”
That’s right, you get to instruct this new music system to play what you want, when you 
want it. 
But giving it instructions requires very little effort. Just react to your stored music as it plays 
and count on this system to pay attention. 
Don’t be concerned about doing it right, either, because anything you do is undo-able. For 
instance, pressing 
Encore tells the system to search the database for music with characteristics 
that closely match what’s playing now. This choice gets the system to narrow its focus of 
selections, in response to your command. But whenever you press the 
uMusic button again, 
you’ll notice the system returns to selecting form a broader range of your collection. 
Even pressing the 
–(negative) rating button does not banish a track forever. It tells the system 
to move on because this particular track is not right for this time of day, this activity, this 
selected preset, or the person who’s listening. 
Pressing the 
+ (positive) rating button has the opposite effect: the system learns that you par-
ticularly like the track playing. Not that every track you like requires a + rating. But you can 
provide this nudge when the track you hear is really special.
Over time, the system adjusts the type of music it plays when your preset is selected, in 
response to your previous reactions. And you don’t need to worry that any response you 
make now will be stored in concrete. All of your early choices and decisions are easily over-
ridden, if you like. So don’t hesitate to tell the system just what you think now. Feel free to 
experiment, and enjoy your musical mood.
Whatever that mood is, letting it be known helps the system come closer and closer to play-
ing exactly what you’d choose...if you still had to.
 
						

							8
Presenting a New Way to Play
Français Español English
Getting your music into the system
Before you can enjoy these benefits, some preparation is required. It involves use of the 
media center and a simple 3-step procedure for storing your music.
Note: Your system is designed to store the tracks of regular CDs only. It will not store MP3 
tracks or the contents of DVDs. If an inappropriate disc type is in the disc tray when the Store 
button is pressed, the media center displays an error message to indicate that storage is not 
possible.
Here’s how to begin:
1. Place the first CD into the disc tray of the media center and close the tray.
2. Press the  button, located on the media center control panel.
• During this process, the media center displays the message CD STORING and shows 
what percentage of the task is completed. 
• To interrupt or stop the storing activity at any time, simply open the disc tray. To resume 
storing the same disc, close the tray and press the 
button again.
3. When it reaches 100% and displays the text AUDIO CD STORED, remove the disc and 
repeat steps 1-3 for each additional CD. 
Storing takes about 5 minutes* per disc. For more detail, see Planning time to store you 
music, below. 
Tips on storing
• It is not necessary to have the system turned on while storing.
• Begin storing your favorite CDs first, for the best introductory taste of what the uMusic
™
system can do.
• It is not necessary to store CDs alphabetically.
• Using the log pages at the back of this guide is one way to track the order of the CDs you 
store. 
• Allow the system a little time to learn the choices you would make. But don’t worry, this DJ 
is a fast learner.
• After the tracks on a CD are stored, any one of them can be deleted. You can do this in the 
System menu, under Stored CDs.
Note: For information on how to use the System menu, refer to “Making system adjustments” on 
page 40. For details on how to eliminate tracks, refer to “Stored CD data options” on page 41.
Planning time to store your music
Storing entails two actions: placing the tracks from each CD in a holding area and processing 
the tracks for efficient storage. This frees up the holding area. While the holding area is tem-
porarily full, no more storage is possible. As an indicator, the media center displays the mes-
sage: BUSY PROCESSING CDS.
If you turn the system off, this processing goes faster. If you choose to use the system while it 
is processing, the storing activity continues, but it may take a little longer.
If your CD collection is extensive, plan on several sessions to store all the tracks. Consider 
the guidelines below for scheduling these sessions.
Store
Store
*If you notice one disc taking considerably longer to store, it may need to be cleaned. Refer to 
“Cleaning discs” on page 54.
 
						

							9
 Presenting a New Way to Play
English FrançaisEspañolHow much time to allow for storing CDs
• For storing 10 discs: 1 hour, though CDs that are damaged or need cleaning take longer.
(Allow about 5 minutes per disc, with some time for inserting and removing each disc.)
• For processing (searching databases and cataloging all the tracks) 10 discs: 6 hours, while 
the system is turned off.
How many CDs you can store
• Using a LIFESTYLE
® 38 system: approximately 200 hours of music or well over 200 CDs
• Using a LIFESTYLE
® 48 system: approximately 340 hours of music or well over 350 CDs
What you can listen to while storing CDs
• You can listen to the AM or FM radio tuner, other CD tracks that are already stored, or other 
sources connected to the system (an analog connection is required), like your TV. 
• You cannot listen to the CD that is being stored, or watch a DVD using the media center 
disc tray. 
• As soon as the media center displays 100%, you can listen to the CD you have just stored, 
(using the CD player or Stored as the source), or you can replace the CD with a DVD and 
watch a video.
• If your setup includes a Bose
® link network, you can continue to listen to the system in 
other rooms, too. 
• You may notice some minor interruptions to the audio temporarily. But, if you have the 
source connected using both digital and analog cables, you can still enjoy listening to it. 
How the uMusic™ intelligent playback system works for you
We know that the time spent sorting through CDs to locate the tracks you prefer simply 
delays your listening pleasure. Now, almost instantaneously, the uMusic system can do that 
job for you: finding and playing what you most want to hear. 
Why presets are important
The uMusic system provides Presets 1 to 9 ready and waiting to provide each member of 
your household a private space for their personal listening preferences.
By using an exclusive preset, each listener helps this intelligent system distinguish their indi-
vidual reactions to what it plays. Consider each preset a center point for that person’s musi-
cal taste. Over time, the center may shift, as changes in taste and listening habits are noted 
by the preset.
Feel free to assign the presets as you like, give each one a name, and press just one button 
on the remote to switch quickly from one to another. Consider the benefits of reserving a 
preset for:
• Different members of your family, different roommates, different generations. 
For the preset selected, both the number and its name, if any, appear on the media center 
display to help you keep the assignments straight.
Note: If several family members store their CD tracks on the system, be sure each one has an 
assigned preset and uses that preset when listening.
• Different listening times or frames of mind: wake-up, workout, weekends, homework, yard 
work, craft work, etc. For smaller households, it makes sense to change presets for differ-
ent activities during your day.
Just remember that no preset is locked into its assignment. At any time, you can completely 
clear the memory of a stored music preset, then reassign it to another person or purpose. It’s 
strictly your choice. And you are free to use one and only one preset forever, if that’s what you 
prefer.
 
						

							10
Presenting a New Way to Play
Français Español English
Switch from one to another easily
Pressing one or two buttons is all it takes.
• If you are not yet in the uMusic
TM mode, press the remote control Stored button to get there. 
• While in the uMusic mode system, press a number button, from 1 to 9, to activate one of 
the presets. 
Use the selection and rating buttons as you like
With your preset selected, do what you normally do while listening:
• Let the track play to its conclusion if you don’t want to take any action. Or,
•Press the 
Seek button to move on to the next track if you like. Or, 
•Press 
Repeat for any tracks you want to hear again. Or, 
•Use the 
+ and – buttons to rate tracks you react to strongly.
No matter which actions above you take while listening, the system continues to select from 
the entire contents of your stored music. Your preset keeps track of these responses, so the 
system learns to play certain music more or less often. Yet, for tracks you rate negatively, a 
small chance remains that you will hear that music in the future. Only by deleting a track from 
the system can you ensure it will never play again. 
Note: To name a preset, or delete a track from the system, select the appropriate option from 
the System menu. For more information, refer to “Stored CD data options” on page 41.
Take advantage of the system intelligence
As it stores and processes the tracks from your CDs, this system draws information about the 
tracks from internal music databases. This data includes the name of each track, performing 
artist, style of music (genre), and other meaningful information that helps characterize the 
music you enjoy.
As a further benefit, Bose issues update discs to keep the music databases current. So even 
your newest CD acquisitions will have this information available.
Sending in the Product Registration card included with your system is 
very important.
(As indicated on your card, you may be able to register on line, instead). 
Using either method identifies you as the system owner who should 
receive any database or software updates. 
Data on each disc copies to the system 
automatically, when inserted 
in the disc tray.
Besure to fill out your card, or the online form, and return it to Bose.
Beyond just storing this data for your use, however, the system also allows you to edit it to 
better reflect your associations with the music. For instance, if the embedded data classifies 
a CD as “World” music, and you consider it part of your Latin collection, you can simply 
change the genre of that CD. For any CDs not covered by the database (created at home or 
non-commercially produced), the system allows you to add information about that music to 
make sure it is filed and displays as you like.
For details on what information can be added or changed and how to make those changes, 
refer to “Stored CD data options” on page 41.