Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Audio / Video
  3. News

Onkyo Rolls Out HDMI 1.3a AV Receivers

By

Although you’d never know if from checking out their own Web site, Onkyo USA says it has begun shipping four new high-end AV receivers, all of which are THX-certified, feature HDMI 1.3a connectivity, are ready to roll with either Sirius or XM satellite radio, and offer RIHD (Remote Interactive over HDMI) system control integration. Onkyo is touting the new line as the most comprehensive set of THX-certified receivers offered by any manufacturer—while we will neither confirm nor refute that claim, the new systems have plenty of goodies to keep home theater junkies happy.

At the high end, the $2,099 TX-NR905 offers switching for up to four HDMI 1.3a video sources, AM/FM and HD Radio tuners (with 40 presets), a USB port, an Ethernet port, and Microsoft PlaysForSure certification. The NR905 features Silicon Optix HQV Reon-VX video processing and will upconvert video sources to 1080p over HDMI; the unit also sports a second HDMI output for flexibility,and features component outputs for non-HDMI displays. The sytem also offers seven amp modules pushing 140 watts into an 8-ohm load, and the rear amp channels can be reconfigured for bi-amping the front left and right channels up to 220 watts. The system also features MultEQ XT eight-point room acoustics correction and support for multiple zones.

Recommended Videos

For $1,699, the TX-SR875 offers a feature set similar to the NR905, minus the second HDMI output, HD Radio tuner, USB, and Ethernet.

Related

For $1,099, the TX-SR805 manages switching between three HDMI 1.3a sources, offers 130 watts per audio channel and 40 AM/FM/Sirius/XM presets. The system transcodes all video sources for output over HDMI, and upscales all analog signals to 480p component video using Faroudja DCDi to simplify connection management, but won’t convert content up to 1080p. Finally, the $899 TX-SR705 drops to 100 watts per audio channel, but includes support for any older gear you might have hanging around by offering video S-Video inputs, five composite inputs, and three component inputs. The system will upscale S-Video and composite signals to HDMI and component video to ease connection to modern displays, but also offers de-interlacing to convert 480i to 480p. The SR705 is also compatible with Onkyo’s iPod docks.

Editors’ Recommendations

Geoff Duncan
Geoff Duncan
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Geoff Duncan writes, programs, edits, plays music, and delights in making software misbehave. He's probably the only member…
Pioneer, Elite, Integra, and Onkyo flagship AV receivers get a major update
pioneer integra onkyo flagship avr update auro3d roon dirac live vsx lx805

Flagship AV receivers from Pioneer, Integra, and Onkyo are getting a major update with a slew of new features, including support for the Auro-3D format, Roon certification, improved Dirac Live room correction, and several other improvements. The update applies to the Integra DRX-8.4, Onkyo TX-RZ70, Elite VSX-LX805, and Pioneer VSX-LX805 models that launched in spring 2023, according to Premium Audio Company, the parent company of these brands.

Onkyo, Elite, and Pioneer receivers that are connected to the internet will show the available update on their front panel displays (as well as on-screen when the TV is turned on), while Integra AV receivers owners will need to navigate to the Setup Firmware menu and follow the instructions.

Read more
If I had $1,000 to spend on AV gear, here’s what I’d get
Best AV System Under 1K

Though prices on TVs, soundbars, and other home entertainment gear have come down some over the past few years, let's face it: A/V gear is still pretty expensive. I regularly receive requests for help building systems that come in at or around a $1,000 budget. While that's not a lot of money in this space, it's still a lot of money for most folks. And that being the case, I decided to put together some system options that deliver on some common needs.

We’ll start with what I think are the best TV and audio combos that come in under a grand, and then we’ll play around with the budget a bit to explore other options. because there can never be a one-size-fits-all answer to this. But if it were my money, here’s what I’d do.

Read more
HDMI ARC or digital optical: what’s the difference, and which is best for you?
The TCL 5-Series (S546) shows three HDMI ports, AV inputs, 1 RF input, and an ethernet port , aUSB 2.0 port, optical audio, and audio out headphone jack.

When wiring up your TV and home theater system, you’ll have a few different options for getting picture and sound from source components, like cable boxes and game consoles, to your OLED, QLED, or LED-powered screen. The most common connection you’ll find is HDMI, which has been around for a while, and is capable of sending large amounts of picture and sound data across your AV system. But there’s another type of digital connection that’s reserved exclusively for audio, which is known as digital optical.

Both of these port and cable types are an integral part of your modern entertainment mecca, but is one better than the other? The short answer is yes, but that’s just scratching the surface. To truly understand the differences between both connections, one must dive a little deeper.
A war of audio capabilities

Read more