GolfHos

I'm looking at possibly replacing my A/V Receiver.  Its a really nice one, but is showing its age and I'm looking to simplify my setup.  My current Harmon-Kardon has been great, but it lacks HDMI interfaces or any up-scaling technology.

I would like to take all my inputs (HDMI from cable box, HDMI from HD-DVD, VGA, and any other HDMI, DVI, or even S-Video I come up with) and push them to my display via a single HDMI.  THis would help me eliminate a step in selecting video sources.  This would optionally include taking SD signals and up-scaling them to 1080 (i and p).  I would also like an Ethernet interface to connect to my PC and server for playback of MPs or Video files.

A co-worker has recomended Denon, as he recently got one that does all this.

Any other opinions?


Also - universal remotes?

And yes, I'll be spending some time at the AVS Forum as usual  ;)

Get a girlfriend.  [sm_devil]

 ;)

Unless you want to spend over $4k, you have 2 options

new Denon line 2808Ci,3808Ci
new Onkyo line tx-sr705,805,875 (also the integra line .... as acura/lexus is to honda/toyota   integra is to onkyo)

I chose the new Onkyo line based on:

the better bang/per $ on the features I wanted/cared about  (...and I previously had a  Denon AVR3803)...   
better cosmetics/aesthetics
slightly better (less warm) sound to my front klipsch sf3's with biamping



ps, you'll notice some really disappointed reviews on the 3808ci.  I know that as of july or august many people were still waiting on some hopeful fw fixes to click/pop issues  as well as seeing massive hdmi resynch delays with their cable/sat boxes on channel changes.   -- i would hope but have no idea if these are resolved yet.

I've tried lots of models, still seeking one that fits  ;).  The market is growing thin though  :'(

 :'(

I'm not seeing Ethernet connectivity options on the Onkyo models - have to go with Integra to get it?

oops, I didn't notice that in your post. So you mean you're looking to stream to the machine instead of using the audio outs on your soundcard?   if so, then yes you need to go up to integra or denon.

i just have a silly old  cables vga and audio out from my laptop  ready to plugin if needed.  :-[.  then again, i don't have many mp3's  [sm_disgust]  ;)   


also please be sure to consider this with your mp3's:  they are prone to clipping and the denon and integra models that feature the audio streaming are all pretty high current high watt amps and if your speakers are borderline on the RMS power input....  ;)
 

IIRC only the denon 3808ci (or the 5805 ...LOL)  does full network streaming and maybe the 7.8 and 8.8 both do it from integra.

I'm not sure I'm going to use it that way, but don't want to find out afterwards that I want it.  Right now I 'intend' to use the output from a soundcard, but since I haven't set it up yet I could always change my mind and go with 'easy'.

Also, it looks like the Integra Ethernet is only for control systems anyway - so if streaming is what I really want, Denon may be my only real option  [sm_scratch]

http://www.integrahometheater.com/model.cfm?m=DTR-8.8&class=Receiver&p=f

my bad, only the 8.8 does it.  so its either integra 8.8 or denon 3808  if you really want this feature.   (im assuming the 5805 is out of your price range, and on top of it that you would want something that can handle advanced audio codecs from dolby and dts  ;))

Rookie question:

Is there not somewhat of a mutual exclusivity between home theatre and pure audio?  I'm not sure why I think I know that but I've come to that understanding along the way.

UB: in a way there is .  if you have the $ and the desire, you are probably buying a master AVR that functions as a switching/preamp to a dedicated stereo power amp which is connected to different speakers than the ones for your HT.

those of us on a more modest budget just get the best middle ground compromise we can.....

oh, rickhicks,  althrough it's certainly not the fanciest out there,  I'm pretty content with the logitech harmony 880  .  it controls everything i own (2TVs , 2cable dvrs, xbox360, 2dvd, hd-dvd...), except my cd player , casette deck (which are all antique and do not even accept IR commands)  and turntable (duh)

Understood.  In following the thread it seems that the last few extras Rick wants takes him up a notch in price.  I just wonder if he'd really be getting much for his dollars and wouldn't be better off giving it a pass.  Especially considering the source format.

no problem.  make no mistakes, I'm not telling rick what to buy!  LOL.  i weighed in the pros/cons ...  i decided i'd much rather save the $500+ to move up to get the models that feature the networking because I can't use it, and some of the other features that price them up (3rd zone control, higher power , better performing DACs, etc) I don't have good enough speakers to take advantage of.   I would kill to have the 8.8, but to max it out i'd need a house (LOL) and about a minimum of $15k-$25k in speaker upgrades (everything with higher power ratings, quadrange, and tweeters that go up to 100khz...)

Well, like I said - I'm considering it.  I learned long ago that a few dollars is well worth it, vs. my time and effort it may take to accomplish something another way.  I'm just not a good geek anymore - I place more value on my time than I used to.  In the past I may have happily spent 40+ hours getting something working just the way I want it to.  Now, I'll just pay to have it done and move onto better things.  Just depends upon the situation.

no matter what you do, make sure you have bi-wireable fronts.   until some 7.1 movies actually come out you might as well those 2 extra channels power and crank it into the fronts.
 ;)

*goshdarn* geeks.  ::)

 :'( :'(  no more tech advice for you !   ;D

Speaking of geeks, why haven't any of the standards geeks come up with a specification that will allow a single connector handle audio, video, data, and power all through one cable? Then all the A/V components can be wired to a single control unit with a single cable and you won't have that gawdful wiring mess that you usually have in an A/V set-up.

gleek-  hdmi 1.3 offers high bandwidth audio and video together.   as for power, the couple of EE courses I took make me think it would cause too much interference, hence requiring way too much insulation and hence cost in the cable.  also doesnt the ground need to be different between the digital streams and the power? 

Not necessarily - i.e. 802.3af, power over Ethernet.  Only 15.4W under today's spec though - could be an interference threshold, but my bet is its a cable size and distance issue.

Couldn't you just have multiple grounds going through different wires/pins? I wouldn't care if the outer cable jacket has to be 1/2" in diameter in order for the individual wires inside to be properly shielded or if the connector had to be as large as a Centronics cable connector. It would still be better than having a tangled mess back there.

ok then :o

While it is possible Aske hit the nail with interference. The problem is more of a shielding issue. What you have to remember is that a cable that caries a signal also generates a magnetic field. This magnetic field will induce a signal in the other wires, thus noise. In order to prevent this the cable has to have a shield. Think about the wire used for cable tv. There is only one wire in that, the rest is shielding. You would have to combine several of these wires to accomplish what you are asking so the one wire would be like 3" in diameter.

OK, looks like the Onkyo TX-SR805 if I don't need Ethernet streaming, or the Denon 3808Ci if I decide I do.

Need to find the time to install Ubuntu and get Myth up and running.  If it works the way I anticipate, I won't need the Ethernet streaming.  If it turns out to be more trouble then its worth.......  :-[

nice (jealous mode on) I have the 705.  wanted the 805 (definitely more of a workhorse all around) but decided I don't really need the extra wattage anytime soon ....  700W @ highcurrent biwired 5.1 in a 300sqft room plus  300W sub is pretty loud at -15dB to reference for pretty much all recordings I own...... and all the other features were not interesting to me (although this is probably just me)     definitely good to get in on HDMI switching and have all the nice future audio codecs (DTS HD-MA rules ass) available processing

 8)

amazing just how far behind the curve I am.

there's still time to catch up  [sm_devil]

I'd have to start here.   ;D

(http://www.m-99.co.uk/Car_Audio/OFC_Speaker_and_Power_Cable/802_215.jpg)

(http://www.lashen.com/vendors/calrad/images/90-741.jpg)

jeebus .  lol.  to start with thats  horrid wire and at the minimum 2way binding POSTS are required.  LOL  ;)

At least they aren't RCA jacks.