onkyo
Latest
Onkyo intros the HT-SP908 and HT-SP904 do-it-all home theater systems
Have you ever been sitting at home at night, looking at your 19-inch CRT television and listening to your Victrola phonograph and thought, "Shazam! This setup stinks!"? Well, perhaps you're in dire need of an introduction to Onkyo's HT-SP908, a home theater in a box which does everything... and we mean everything. The progressive-scannin', multi-format-playin', 7.1 system offers 90-watts per channel, an iPod dock, XM and SIRIUS radio compatibility, 720p / 1080i / 1080p upscaling, 1080i and 1080p HDMI in / out, component in / out, optical and coaxial audio in / out, plus playback of DVD Video, Video CS, CD, CD-R/RW, DVD+/-R/RW, MP3, WMA, WMV, MPEG 4-AAC, DivX, and JPEG formats. If that's not enough, it also makes lunch, breaks up with annoying girlfriends, and organizes your t-shirts by color. The HT-SP908 is available now for $1099, a slimmed-down, 5.1 version called the HT-SP904 is also currently on shelves for $899.Read -- HT-SP908Read -- HT-SP904
The BDA's damage control
No matter what the BDA tells you, there is no se the Paramount/Dreamworks news is a big deal. We're not only talking about 10% of all the Blu-ray titles, we're also talking about some of the biggest titles -- like MI3 and Transformers. Of course we expect the BDA to have a bunch of articles all over the Internet explaining that this is a non-announcement, or that they were paid off -- as if it matters why -- which we find interesting to read, but it doesn't change the fact that this might be the watershed moment that could give HD DVD the advantage. Of course this thing is a long way from over and anything could happen, but the prediction that the format war will be over this holiday season seems really silly now. Especially when combined with the news that both Samsung and Onkyo will be in the HD DVD hardware game sooner rather than later. Read - Blue Ray Technologies RespondsRead - Market Conditions & Logic Don't CoincideRead - Forecast Says Industry Still Behind Blu-ray
Onkyo's DV-HD805 HD DVD player: coming this fall for $899
Recall that DV-HD805 we caught wind of a few months back? Turns out the whispers were somewhat accurate, as Onkyo's "first HD DVD player" is indeed slated to hit the US market this fall. The unit will feature HDMI 1.3a connections, support for Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD audio, 24p capability, the HQV Reon VX video processing chipset (which handles upscaling), and an Ethernet port to download firmware updates and utilize any internet-enabled content from flicks. Look for it to take holiday shoppers by storm sometime this fall, but do be mindful of the relatively steep $899 pricetag.[Thanks, Michael]
Onkyo apes Bose with latest iPod-friendly CD player
We tried to resist, honest, but it's just impossible to turn a blind eye to the similarities here. Onkyo's CBX-Z10 and CBX-Z20 iPod-friendly CD players do manage to include ten-watts of amplification, video output, a headphone jack, the firm's Acoustic Drive speaker technology, a CD player, and an obligatory iPod dock, but what's not listed in the specs that you still get (for better or worse) is the eerie resemblance to Bose's Wave Radio. Furthermore, the Z10 looks to come dressed in white while the Z20 dons a black motif, and aside from "improved audio quality" from the latter, they each look to be identical. Priced at ¥43,000 ($361) and ¥50,000 ($420), respectively, these two units are even priced like a Bose, but at least Onkyo bothers to tell you the frequency range of the drivers within.[Via Impress]
Onkyo's new DV-HD805 HD DVD player
While Onkyo has been a part of the HD DVD promotions group as long as we can remember, Onkyo really hasn't done much. We have heard rumors about a HD DVD player from Onkyo for some time, and there was even a mention of it at CES this year. Our friends over at FormatWarCentral have discovered a few details in an otherwise obscure Onkyo post on a UK site that we find very interesting. Apparently Onkyo expects to launch the DV-HD805 this autumn, and it will be based on the Toshiba HD-XA2 player -- with a few yet to be mentioned tweaks. We are excited to see another HD DVD player on the market, but we hope it's not just a re-badge of the HD-AX2. Before any format fanboys get too rabid; the Onkyo rep also mentioned that officially Onkyo supports both formats.
Onkyo teeters on HD DVD decision, ponders Blu-ray and combo player
Although this certainly isn't the first retraction we've seen in regard to HD DVD support, it sounds like Onkyo could indeed be rethinking its decision to crank out a standalone player for the format this year. While the company seemed passably gung-ho about supporting HD DVD at this year's CES, a recent press conference at the outfit's headquarters injected some serious doubt. Reportedly, Keith Haas, director of sales, was quoted as saying that the company is currently "looking at both formats," and also added that it was trying to decide "whether to field either a standalone player or a multiple-format model." Of course, you won't hear any complaints from us about another hybrid HD DVD / Blu-ray unit hitting the shelves, and while this all remains up for debate presently, Onkyo is purportedly planning on entering the HD player market one way or another sometime "near the fourth quarter."[Via E-Gear, thanks Dave]
Onkyo's new receivers feature both XM and Sirius satellite radio
Onkyo has the loot for you if you want to hear Oprah and Howard back-to-back, with announcements of five receivers featuring both XM and Sirius satellite radio compatibility. The TX-SR575, TX-SR705, TX-SR805, and TX-SR875 models all support both formats for your radio jones, while the high-end TX-NR905 model also adds support for HD Radio digital broadcasts and an Ethernet jack for Internet radio and multimedia streaming. The receivers all have the usual collection of video ins and outs, and sport 1.3a HDMI connectors with Deep Color capability for switching between sources up to 1080p resolution. No pricing or dates were announced for the TX-SR575, but the TX-SR805 will ship in May for $1099, the TX-SR875 in June for $1699, the TX-SR705 in July for $899, and the TX-NR905 in August for $2099.Read - Onkyo THX Certified ReceiversRead - Onkyo TX-SR575
Onkyo's BR-NX10: if Ginsu made shelf systems
In Japan, the hand can be used as a knife (HiiiiYa!) and bookshelf audio systems feature big LCDs for surfing on-line music. The NR-NX10 from Onkyo packs an 80GB disk drive to store all your downloaded tracks or any PCM/ATRAC/MP3 files you've ripped direct from its CD player. No, we're not talking BitTorrent or Usenet downloads, devices like these grab tracks off Sony's AnyMusic on-line service over their built-in Ethernet ports. But wait, there's more. Own a USB mass-storage compliant audio player? Great, plug it in cause the BR-NX10 can grab those files too. Sure, it probably rocks DLNA streaming from your PC like other Onkyo systems... but can it cut a tomato? You might expect to pay ¥150,000 or even ¥200,000... but if you act now (ok, March when they ship) it can be yours for the low, low price of just ¥94,500 (about $778). They'll even throw in a pair of matching speakers for as little as ¥18,900 (about $156). [Via Impress]
Onkyo unveils aluminum WAVIO keyboards
We'll admit, we've seen a plethora of unique and well-featured keyboards in the past few months, but we can't exactly say we saw this one coming. Now that pigs are reaching cruising altitude and Denon's kicking out some new high-end headphones, we suppose an aluminum keyboard to match Onkyo's recently-unveiled metallic PC isn't all that shocking, but it's certainly not the company's usual cup of tea. Nevertheless, the WAVIO aluminum keyboard rocks a fairly typical QWERTY layout, an unfortunately truncated backspace key and spacebar, a noticeably cluttered numeric keypad, a bevy of macro / multimedia hotkeys, and entirely too much bezel for our liking. Still, the board comes in a few flavors, with a more rectangular wired USB version costing ¥8,000 ($67), while the curvaceous cordless version comes bundled with a matching critter for ¥5,000 ($42) more. Those who don't mind the tether can pick up the KB-1 sometime next week, while the folks waiting on the KM-1W won't have any luck until late March, but be sure to click on through for a few more closeups of Onkyo's oddities anyway.[Via AkihabaraNews]
Onkyo's HDC-1.0 HD audio PC for audiophiles
Japan's Onkyo has this new HDC-1.0 media PC in the chute and ready for launch next month in hopes of wooing the audiophile crowd. Set to replace the HDC-7, the HDC-1.0 measures in at 205 x 240 x92.5-mm and brings a Vista pre-load as you'd expect. However, the "wow" is limited to just Home Basic... this ain't no Vista Media Center friends. Instead, Onkyo loads up their own CarryOn Music 10 software to make the most of Onkyo's SE-90PCI PCI card which touts a 2-channel, audiophile grade 110dB SNR and 24bit/192kHz -- yeah, that exceeds CD sound quality. The software also ties back neatly to Onkyo's own "e-onkyo music" 24bit/96kHz download service. At the heart you'll find a 1.66GHz Core 2 Duo T5500 CPU, Intel 945GM integrated graphics, 1GB of memory, 120GB of 2.5-inch SATA disk, gigabit Ethernet, DVI and optical digital output, 6x USB 2.0 (2x in front) and 1x Firewire, and a slot-loading DVD super multi-drive. Onkyo attempts to keep the environment at bay by using an external power source to minimize EMI and by using a single, 8-cm fan and lots of rubber damping to keep things quiet inside the box. The result, according to Onkyo, is a true "HD audio PC." Of course, they could have packed in an SSD and ULV processor to ace the fan and cut the vibration completely, right? Sure, but then we'd be looking at a price much higher than the HDC-1.0's already expensive ¥210,000 (about $1,739) or ¥248,000 (about $2,054) after tossing in the matching digital amplifier. Check the amp and PC splayed after the break. [Via Impress]
Onkyo will release an HD DVD player in 2007
Following up on the HD DVD Promotional Group's statement about other manufacturers lining up to support HD DVD, Onkyo has confirmed that it has a player in development to be released this year. Onkyo plans to introduce its HD DVD player along with HDMI-connected receivers to capitalize on the enhanced audio/video capabilities of the format. More details about the player aren't available yet but 2007 apparently will be the year we see HD DVD players from someone other than Toshiba.
Onkyo announces Wavio VR-1000J media recorder
It looks like Neuros is soon going to have to work a little harder to win over media-happy PSP users, with Onkyo announcing that it's about to bust out a standalone media recorder of its own. Like the Neuros recorder, Onkyo's Wavio VR-1000J doesn't have any internal storage, relying instead on Memory Sticks and SD Cards that you can pop directly into your PSP or other video-capable device. In addition to PSP compatible video, it'll also record in the 3GPP, 3GPP2, and ASF video formats, with three video quality settings for each to suit your needs (maxing out at 320x240, 30 fps, apparently not supporting the PSP's native widescreen resolution). On the audio front, you'll only get AAC, G.726, and AMR formats, making it bit less versatile than the Neuros all around, although it does have the whole pyramid thing going for it. Look for this one to hit Japan Decemeber 25th, coming in around the 20,000 Yen mark ($170US).[Via Akihabara News]
iPod docks galore clutter up retail channels
We're not exactly sure how many different (or not so different) iPod docks are absolutely necessary, but we suppose the money is good, so we can't be too terribly hard on these manufacturers trying to make a quick buck with their endless iterations of the infernal things. Today's flavors comprise a virtual cornucopia of boringness, with Onkyo, Elecom and iLive all trying their darnedest not to stick out. Onkyo starts things off with their Wave Radio-inspired AERO Sound System (pictured), which includes CD playback, has a 5 watt 2 channel speaker, and will go for around 40,000 to 50,000 yen (about $335 to $419 US) when it goes on sale on November 30th. Next we have the the ASP-WP8 from Elecom, which boasts of 5.5 watt 2 channel sound, some decent looks and a 16,065 yen pricetag ($135 US). The ASP-WP8 will be out in late October. Finally, we have the painfully named IHMD8816DT Home Docking System from iLive, which boasts of full-on DVD playback along with the simple iPod docking action, and will be retailing for around $160. All three players come with cute little remotes, and while the first two appear to be Japan-only, the iLive dock should be inciting yawns from the store shelves of our very own shores. Check out the Elecom and iLive after the break.Read - Onkyo AERO Sound SystemRead - Elecom ASP-WP8Read - iLive IHMD8816DT
Onkyo's upconverting DV-SP504 gold DVD player
Onkyo has got a new all-purpose player for the super-villain wannabe in your life, or anyone else that digs the gold-encrusted home theater look, we suppose. Apparently an update to the two-year-old DV-SP502, the incrementally-named DV-SP504 will handle your basic DVDs, CDs, and SACDs, as well as DivX, MP3, and WMA files stored on your choice of recordable optical discs. The biggest upgrade to the earlier player is the addition of HDMI output, which you can use to upscale DVDs to 1080i. It also adds Onkyo's VLSC (Vector Linear Shaping Circuitry) system, which'll supposedly work its magic to remove noise and make your music and movies sound as good as they can. Look for this one to set you back about $370 when it drops November 15th.[Via Akihabara News]
Onkyo MP-1000J portable multimedia player
If you're a proud portable media player owner, or you've got some fancy schmancy streaming media setup in your living room, the Onkyo MP-1000J might not do a whole lot for you, but if you're searching for a simple way to get content from PC to TV, you may want to listen up. The MP-1000J is a sweet new middleman, designed to store your fav shows, clips, etc. on its 2.5-inch hard drive (which you're responsible for providing), and then play them back (presumably hassle-free) on your living room set, in-car LCD, or dusty hotel television. The trick here is the self-contained GUI that shows up on your monitor, allowing you to select the file you want to see; it's akin to having a (very) "light" version of Windows Media Center Edition running the show within the relatively small device. With native support for DivX, MPEG-2, MPEG-4, AVI, VOB, XviD, MP3, WMA, OGG, and a few more, this thing will play back just about any file you toss at it. The unit gets a plethora of extras, including a USB cable, AC adapter, 12v car adapter, a trio of display connectors (including support for 1080i over component and Dolby / DTS passthrough), and a svelte remote control to manage the action from afar. While we can't adumbrate just how much this little hard drive / screenless PMP hybrid will cost, the MP-1000J will add yet another alternative to getting PC content to the TV (sans any confusion) when it drops on September 1st.[Via Impress]
Onkyo announces MHP-A1 wireless headphones
Onkyo's certainly be a fan of all things wireless, so it should be no surprise that the company is turning out yet another pair of cordless headphones, the MHP-A1s (not to be confused with the MHP-AV1s). This new set looks to be pretty comparable to those AV1s from last year, with Dolby Digital and DTS support and a range of inputs including optical digital, coaxial digital, RCA, and a 3.5mm stereo mini-plug. Just as importantly, the new phones also up things in the style department, looking more like something you'd actually want to keep in your living room rather than hide in a closet. Also like the AV1s (and plenty of other wireless headphones), the A1s use the crowded 2.4GHz frequency which should give you a range of about 30 meters (just under 100 feet), but could also be cause for or subject to interference depending on where you use them. Look for these to drop in Japan September 22nd for ¥25,200 ($220US), and here, well, eventually (probably).[Via Akihabara News]
Integra's NVS-7.7 Media Center PC
Integra has a nice looking media center PC with the custom install market in mind that just hit the streets. The NVS-7.7 (classy name) is built off of the same stuff the Onkyo HDC-7 is such as Intel's ViiV, a 400 gig hard drive, DVI output, ATSC/NTSC tuners, and a DVD/CD burner. The Integra has to top the Onkyo somehow though and it does thanks to high-end Wolfson DACs and Integra's Vector Linear Shaping Circuitry. The goal of this media center was to improve the user interaction and reliability with the idea to reduce the amount of service that has to be done on the device. It does have RS 232 for integration into the users whole-house system. The system is currently available with a hefty price of $2999.
Is Viiv living up to the hype?
Viiv. Do you even know what it is. For starters it is somewhat like Centrino was to laptops a few years ago. Viiv is a combination of hardware that allows consumers to easily view and stream digital media. Intel introduced this last year at CES with a cool box that would look great in any equipment rack. But go into any major electronic store and seek out their Viiv systems. (if you can find one) HP has a desktop that is just a desktop filled with a few web clips and digital media files. Nothing special to us. So where are all the cool Viiv products? Well, for one, remember that Onkyo media center. That's one. We are sure more is to come but this is a home entertainment product that someone like Onkyo or TIVO would be great at making. There is more to come and hopefully penetrate into homes. [via digg]
Onkyo unveils HDC-7 Viiv media PC
Remember that Onkyo media PC we got word of last fall? Well, the little box, now known as the HDC-7, is now ready for its close up, and comes packed with lots of goodies, including a Pentium D820 at 2.8GHz, 1GB RAM, 400GB drive, DVD burner and all the inputs and outputs you'd expect, including DVI, component, VGA, dual Firewire and dual USB. It's due out in Japan in late May, with pricing expected to run about ¥300,000 (about $2,500). [Via HD Beat]
