Integra DCT 9.8 /Onkyo PR-SC885P

[rmk]

Considering the positive reviews and good sales numbers, I was surprised to find that there is no Thread dedicated to the 9.8/885 here on Audioholics. I wonder if this is because there are more AVR than separates users here. In any case, this SSP has been in my system for several months now. I have not experienced the problems some other users have described with connectivity and audio syncing with the Integra 9.8. I have notice a brief delay in switching audio formats but it not something that is noticable to others (at least no one who has seen it has commented).

I purchased the Integra because of its ability to decode all the current HD audio formats, the dual HDMI outputs, reasonable price and the good owner and professional reviews. In my HT, I have a plasma display and a projector and can switch from one to the other at will. I have four HDMI sources inputting to the 9.8 and all of the switching is done there. While mine is not the most complicated config I have seen, it certainly has a lot of different components. Considering all the noise around HDMI, it is surprising that everything works so well. That said, here is a listing of my components and the connection method. I hope other 9.8/885 users will post here and that this can be a place for discussion of issues concerning these units.

Panasonic TH-58PH10UK 58” Plasma (720P) HDMI
Mitsubishi HC4900 Projector (1080P) HDMI
Integra DCT 9.8 Surround Sound Processor (AV processor)

Tosh XA-2 HD DVD -HDMI
Oppo 980H DVD -HDMI
Comcast Moto HD DVR -HDMI
Panasonic BD-30 BR player –HDMI
Velo SMS-1 sub EQ -Composite

Sunfire TGA 7400 amp –Balanced Audio


All four sources are connected by a single HDMI cable and switched through the Integra. The SMS-1 has a composite connection to the Integra. The Plasma and projector are the HDMI signal via the Integra dual HDMI outs. The amp is connected by 7 balanced audio cables.

 

[adk highlander]

I have the Onkyo 885 with firmware version 1.04. Overall I have been extremely satisfied with the prepro. It has almost all the features that I wanted and has performed as promised on all of the ones it advertises.

I have a variety of sources and do not have any lipsync issues or audio drops. I use the REON to scale everything to 1080P and use a couple of the noise reduction settings for my lower quality video sources. The only issues I do have are that I cannot get my A2 to output 1080i and my display will freeze up when changing sources. Both of these are issues with the display and not due to the 885.

Samsun Blu-Ray 1400 (1080p) - HDMI
Toshiba A2 HD-DVD (720p) - HDMI
DVD Recorder - Component/Digital Coax
Sat Receiver - S-Video/Analog
VCR - Composite/Analog
Tape - Analog
PC based Music Server - Analog

The only other complaint I have is that I have to use analog connections for my zone2/3 sources. I understand the cost reason as to why they did not allow this but it is a pain. I use an Niles intellipad system to control my other zones and having the IR inputs on the back make this clean and simple.

The unit does have a ethernet jack but unfortunately this is not for firmware or internet radio, just high end controllers like crestron or amx.

What it comes down to is that there is not other prepro out right now (emotiva is still in the works) that can compete with this one feature to feature. I hear many of the anthem/lexicon converts say the analog stage on this unit is not as good. That may be true but I don't hear enough to warrant another 2000+.

 

[adk highlander]

I just read the 885 review over on UltimateAVmag: http://www.ultimateavmag.com/surroundsoundpreampprocessors/308onkpro/index.html

It gives a good overview without too much fluff.

I have also seen there is an update for the DSP to fix popping noise on DTS Master tracts. It can be downloaded over at avs.

 

[erick.s]

I have a 9.8 - it's a great prepro and should remain current for quite a while. There is a thread on this forum somewhere dedicated to it, though.

 

[rmk]

I have a 9.8 - it's a great prepro and should remain current for quite a while. There is a thread on this forum somewhere dedicated to it, though.

Well now there's two

What it comes down to is that there is not other prepro out right now (emotiva is still in the works) that can compete with this one feature to feature. I hear many of the anthem/lexicon converts say the analog stage on this unit is not as good. That may be true but I don't hear enough to warrant another 2000+.

I agree and would go a bit farther and say that in a blind test, more expensive SSP's would be indistinguishable from the 9.8/885. I have owned Parasound, Lexicon and Emotiva SSP's and I liked them all. But none of those units had 4 HDMI inputs, two HDMI outputs not to mention on-board decoding all the new HD audio formats. I am more of a fan of quality audio than any particular product or brand name but at this juncture, the 9.8/885 units are best in class and a relative bargain.

 

[Tee-HTF]

I have a 9.8 - it's a great prepro and should remain current for quite a while. There is a thread on this forum somewhere dedicated to it, though.

I love my 9.8 too, i think the 885/9.8 are breakthrough units for the money.

 

[adk highlander]

Great news!!

The latest firmware is out and it apparently fixes the audio drops some users were getting when watching tv and when audio formats change (DD to Analog) there would be a delay.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=13494013#post13494013

There is also the DSP fix download on the same thread.

Nice to see Onkyo keeps putting out the updates.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Anyone here heard about the DTS-MA Bitstream from Onkyo/Integra causing a loud "gunshot" noise and damaging speakers?

 

[BG3]

Anyone here heard about the DTS-MA Bitstream from Onkyo/Integra causing a loud "gunshot" noise and damaging speakers?

I heard about it and read some on AVS in the 905 forum and the actual forum on the "bitstream bomb." My 905 came with firmware v 1.07. The only issue i'm experiencing is with a mild video & audio delay when switching components or sources. The 1.08 is supposed to fix this but, I think I'll wait for the official US firmware release...that is, if there is to be one...

 

[adk highlander]

Yup heard about it but have not had it happen.

The DSP fix I listed above is supposed to fix the Onkyo products so this does not happen. I don't know if it works yet.

 

[rmk]

Anyone here heard about the DTS-MA Bitstream from Onkyo/Integra causing a loud "gunshot" noise and damaging speakers?

I watched Pan's Labyrinth (twice) with the DTS-Master Audio track and heard loud gun shots but they were part of the movie and ... my speakers are fine.

 

[rmk]

Great news!!

The latest firmware is out and it apparently fixes the audio drops some users were getting when watching tv and when audio formats change (DD to Analog) there would be a delay.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=13494013#post13494013

There is also the DSP fix download on the same thread.

Nice to see Onkyo keeps putting out the updates.

Have you done the upgrade?

 

[adk highlander]

Have you done the upgrade?

Not yet. I have everything ready to go but the DSP update clears everything and I will not have the time to redo all my inputs and re-run Audyssey until this weekend. For what I can tell there have been about 10 people over at avs who have done it and only one has had any issues.

I don't have any of the issues that most of these people are having but being a geek I want to make sure I have all updates done "just in case".

How about you?

 

[BG3]

Not yet. I have everything ready to go but the DSP update clears everything and I will not have the time to redo all my inputs and re-run Audyssey until this weekend. For what I can tell there have been about 10 people over at avs who have done it and only one has had any issues.

I don't have any of the issues that most of these people are having but being a geek I want to make sure I have all updates done "just in case".

How about you?

It may or may not be an issue but, keep in mind that the latest updates posted on AVS are EU updates, not US. So, if for some reason you did have an issue caused by the update, I doubt Onkyo would be concerned with your cause. I hope I'm wrong about that but, I doubt it.

 

[rmk]

Not yet. I have everything ready to go but the DSP update clears everything and I will not have the time to redo all my inputs and re-run Audyssey until this weekend. For what I can tell there have been about 10 people over at avs who have done it and only one has had any issues.

I don't have any of the issues that most of these people are having but being a geek I want to make sure I have all updates done "just in case".

How about you?

So far just thinking about it. I emailed Integra today and got this response re upgrades:

Robert,
At this time the only firmware update available is the one for Enhanced REON controls and Black Level. There are no other updates available.

Since that is their "official" position on upgrades and since I am not really having any problems, the old "if it ain't broke" axiom seems to apply.

 

[Warpdrv]

ADK, I have a couple of questions.....

Does the Onkyo/Integra have the ability to select the sound matricies with discreet codes..? I want to make a button on my remote for DTS-EX and select it... or one for DD or stereo... I can individually select one of those, instead of having to push the same button 3 times to get it there, and not knowing which one its on without an onscreen display.

I understand that it will automatically select itself on incoming signal, but I need a bit more flexibility with my equipment out of room...

Also, can I have those displayed onscreen either when changing or when it changes so I can see what mode it is in....

I am getting closer to pulling the trigger on one of these, not sure If I should wait for the next firmware or just grab one and give them a shot.

 

[BG3]

ADK, I have a couple of questions.....

Does the Onkyo/Integra have the ability to select the sound matricies with discreet codes..? I want to make a button on my remote for DTS-EX and select it... or one for DD or stereo... I can individually select one of those, instead of having to push the same button 3 times to get it there, and not knowing which one its on without an onscreen display.

I understand that it will automatically select itself on incoming signal, but I need a bit more flexibility with my equipment out of room...

Also, can I have those displayed onscreen either when changing or when it changes so I can see what mode it is in....

I am getting closer to pulling the trigger on one of these, not sure If I should wait for the next firmware or just grab one and give them a shot.

With my 905 which has an identical remote to the Integras, you have several "Listening Mode" buttons, ie. Stereo, Surr, <, >, Pure Audio, Direct, THX, All St. So, to answer your question, there isn't a discrete code with this remote. I usually use the < & > to cycle through if I want to change the sound mode. However, on my Harmony 890, there are separate soft buttons for DD, DTS, THX & Onkyo sound modes.

There is a fix though. The GUI will allow you to set a default sound mode for each input. So, let's say you want your receiver to default to DDPLIIx everytime you select the DVD player, you just go into the setup menu and select DDPLIIx for the DVD input. Of course, you can change it if a certain movie offers say, DTS-ES, but it will start out with DDPLIIx.

If your display is connected by HDMI, you will have some form of onscreen display for nearly all operations. It could be as little as the volume when watching tv to more info when listening to radio. More specifically, the sound modes are displayed as you cycle through them. But obviously, your tv has to be on.

 

[Warpdrv]

Thanks BG3, I take it that means you can pick and choose what you want displayed on the screen...? My Plasma will be hooked up with HDMI only, and it will always be on, therefore the discreet codes aren't much of an issue at that point, as long as I can use my remote to cycle through the different sound modes and it shows on screen I would be more then happy with that.

That is one of my major issues with my current receiver I'm using. I don't have the ability to see what is going on with the front display of the unit to see what I'm changing when I change sound modes, I basically just hit the Auto and allow it to decode for me.. which for the most part I never change, but I would like to have the ability.

I don't necessarily want to have a "fixed code" for the input, just the ability to change it and know what the hell I'm changing it to....

 

[rmk]

I have the same issue as I can't see the display on the Integra from the seating posiiton(s). When I cycle through the surround modes on my 9.8, it displays on the HDMI connected plasma or projector. Essential feature when comparing the different modes.

 

[adk highlander]

Out of frustration and Onkyo/Integra's seeming ambivalence I sent them this email asking about the firmware:

I am seeing that there has been a new firmware release on new machines (885/805/875/905) and that is being supplied by customer service in the EU. I would like to know the time frame of when this will be available in the states. I would also like to know why there is not a section on your website pertaining to firmware updates. There are several known issues with these units that have been acknowledged by Onkyo customer service (some have been addressed in earlier updates) but when a customer calls we are being given answers ranging from "there are no updates" (which is an uniformed answer at best and at worst a lie) to "the most recent update is in testing now" then why is it released in the EU and coming on new models.

There are many frustrated customers out there who are getting knowledge from message boards and other users which could in fact damage their units.

Would someone please acknowledge these issues and let the owners know exactly what is being done to fix the issues?

Thank you.

I will post the response when/if I get one.