ONKYO Introduces Its First HD DVD Player, Including High-Bit

Post by **Shane** » Thu Aug 09, 2007 3:55 pm

ONKYO USA has announced the launch of its first HD-DVD player, the DV-HD805. This player has been introduced to realize the potential of high-definition HD DVD content. It is also one of the first HD DVD players to take advantage of high-bit-rate audio streaming via HDMI version 1.3a. The DV-HD805 will be available in the fall of 2007.

The DV-HD805 is designed to partner with Onkyo's 2007 A/V receiver line-up. Both the HD DVD player and the A/V receivers feature HDMI version 1.3a connections, making the combination of these components the perfect platform for high-definition 1080p video images. It also nicely complements Onkyo's A/V receivers by streaming of the new lossless surround sound formats, Dolby® TrueHD and DTS®-HD Master Audio, as well as two "lossy" formats, Dolby® Digital Plus and DTS®-HD High Resolution Audio.

[url=http://www.hdtvmagazine.com/news/2007/08/onkyo_introduce.php]Read the Full Article[/url]

Richard · Post by **Richard** » Thu Aug 09, 2007 7:25 pm

I was all excited until.... I saw the price... $899...

stevekaden · Post by **stevekaden** » Thu Aug 09, 2007 8:55 pm

It's not such a bad list price given the features - and if like the new receivers - the massive build quality. (assuming such based on the weight - I haven't seen one yet). Hopefully the street price is a bit less. Hopefully it is a good looking box also.

But, it would be really nice if they could really match their receivers - that is, drop all the decoding and connectors except one HDMI - and connect that to their recievers for all decoding and upscaling. (I'm not sure there is a standard for bitstreaming the video).

There then would be a cost effective solution. A narrow market though so I'm not going to hold my breath. Maybe a closer similar solution would be an integrated system, but that does not seem to happen at the high end.

Richard · Post by **Richard** » Fri Aug 10, 2007 7:06 am

But, it would be really nice if they could really match their receivers - that is, drop all the decoding and connectors except one HDMI - and connect that to their recievers for all decoding and upscaling.

It infers only one HDMI from the player to the receiver... did I miss something?

Compared to $499 for Toshiba's top of the line in SEP/OCT it made me wonder... I grant you it may all be in the SD DVD upscaling performance but 1080p24 and ALL audio codecs via bitstream does not require an $899 retail build. On the other hand if the Toshiba won't allow ALL audio bitstreams Onkyo can charge what the market will bear...

stevekaden · Post by **stevekaden** » Fri Aug 10, 2007 9:14 am

Well, in thinking more about it, given the market movement to cheaper and the fairly high quality from Toshiba (the XA2 on the street well below the Onkyo list price), this is pretty expensive. Maybe they are going for the narrow market niche of people who want the 24p and top of the market streaming. And the Reon chip - that does get alot of attention (witness the Denon vs. Onkyo receiver 'war').

From my understanding though, the $499 Toshiba 3x will not have a Reon processor and I'm going to guess limited in some other, if esoteric area.

But, not having an HDMI receiver yet and 1.3 level is so new, (soon if I can sort out all the new models and their individual peculiarities) I did not realize that not all the available codecs are being delivered by bitstream. I have an XA2 and was (here I go again) assuming that I would be decoding everthing in my new HDMI 1.3 receiver ).

I was serious in my "dream" of a single HDMI to the receiver (and similar for a TV). I mean, why duplicate - seemingly expensive - chips and connectors in the player, the receiver and display. I understand component concepts/qualities in general, but in the context of a very cost effecient, yet reasonable featured system, and lossless digital transfer...dumping all the useless connectors and chips should save a lot of costs. Of course, there might be minimal saving due to market constraints, and real costs. For example if the power amps are 10 times as expensive as a connector bank, there might not be any justification for the market hit of dumping connectors for VCR's, etc.

Panasonic has somewhat gone there with their modular industrial plasma displays - but even being modular has extra costs (connectors, module frames). What seems reasonable to me is similar to a HTIB...but let's dump the cheap speakers and horrendous amplifiers. And I no longer see a need for more than one, occasionally used, dead technology - read as: one set of front panel connectors and set the laserdisc/vcr/cassette/turntable in front of the system for the rare times they might be used.