onkyo 805 vs. 875

[hmmm]

could someone help me determine if i should care about the onkyo 805 not upscaling to 1080?

from what i've read, the 805 will "downconvert 1080i component video signals to 720p when outputting over HDMI." i do plan on just one feed from the receiver to my HDTV via HDMI (HDTV not yet purchased either), so this description has me concerned; is it worth upgrading to the 875 or not? although i'm much more focused on audio than video, i don't want to be short sighted here either.

i have also read that one can just let your blu ray do the upscaling. i'm planning on picking up a PS3 for blu ray (and then also a CD/SACD player and Squeezebox Duet), but isn't the 805's upscaling limitation still an issue since i want to run all signals through the receiver to the HDTV over HDMI (at least that's my literal interpretation of the above quote)?

thanks for any help...

 

[sptrout]

IMO, no, it is not worth the extra cost to go to the 875 unless the difference in the actual cost that you find for these two AVRs is minimal. Since both of these units have been replaced with the 806 & 876 it is becoming increasing difficult to find these older models.

In any case, I believe that most people do not use the video capabilities of their AVR anyway except for switching, so there is no advantage to going with the 875/6. In my case, I have an 805 with a Blu-ray player, DirecTV HD DVR, and a Oppo DVD Player. There is no reason in my system for the AVR to touch the video of any of these external devices.

Unless you plan to watch a lot of SD, the video capabilities of the AVR is of little concern and even then your TV may be better at handling the scaling than the AVR. I would save the $$ and put it other parts of your HT system.

 

[hmmm]

thanks sprtrout. that's where i was (i.e., saving the $$ and going with an 805 or 805-level receiver) but i got concerned when i read a couple of times that the 805 will "downconvert 1080i component video signals to 720p when outputting over HDMI". as long as a blu ray, HD DVR, etc. can send its signal through the receiver and then out via HDMI to the display then i'd be happy. so I guess i'm just not totally sure of the context of what i've quoted above. when is the signal downconverted? just when upscaling process of the receiver is on as opposed to acting as a switch? part of the problem may be i don't really understand this stuff and/or i'm reading too literally (i also don't know what 1080 "i" vs. 720 "p" means either.....)

 

[sptrout]

The 805 does not down, or up, convert anything. It "transcodes" analog inputs to HDMI compatible digital signals that are then passed to the TV. The resultant digital video resolution is the same resolution as it was at the input(s). HD video via any of the three HDMI inputs is passed straight through the 805 untouched. The 875 has an option where it can upconvert analog inputs to other resolutions up to 1080p. Audioholics has an excellent review of the 805, and the section of the review that covers the 805's video capabilities is found at:

http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/receivers/onkyo-tx-sr805/tx-sr5805-features

As you can probably tell, since the 805 does not up-convert anything then it is up to your TV to do the job of up-converting the signal to its resolution. The question then becomes: 1) Which device (AVR or TV) will do the better conversion, or 2) is it worth the extra money even if you believe that the AVR will be better than the TV. In my case, I watch almost 100% HD so no need for any AVR video work, and I am not sure that I could tell the difference between the TV doing SD up-conversion or the AVR doing it.

 

[hmmm]

you pointed me to the answer i was seeking...from the review:

"One beef that I have with the TX-SR805 user manual is that it uses the terms upconvertion and downconvertion when describing transcoding; this is confusing and potentially misleading. Upconversion and downconversion are more appropriately applied to scaling to different display resolutions. When the signal format is changed between, say composite video to component video or to HDMI without any change in resolution, this is a translation of the signal encoding, hence transcoding. DCDi video processing is a deinterlacer, not a scalar as the video goes into it with 480 lines of vertical resolution and it comes out with 480 lines of resolution, the only difference is DCDi puts video frames split by interlacing back together into to a single, progressive frame."

 

[esqueejy]

Might be rehashing something here, but: I need to waste a portion of the xmas bonus on the new receiver and was told

805 over 806 because the amp and DACs are better and

876 over 875 because it's just better, but hey...video processing wasn't likely to be an issue because I really only plan on running a PS3, digital cable and an XBox 360though it

so go with the 805.

This is great I thought. Save a bunch with a refurbished unit? No-brainer. Problem is, I saw some threads tonight (while surfing for some last minute convincing via reviews) that said the 805 has lipsyncing issues. Has this been addressed via firmware or is it a non-issue for those sources or ummm...something?

Also, as an aside, have people been satisfied with accesories4life in terms of service when there are problems?

 

[sptrout]

This is great I thought. Save a bunch with a refurbished unit? No-brainer. Problem is, I saw some threads tonight (while surfing for some last minute convincing via reviews) that said the 805 has lipsyncing issues. Has this been addressed via firmware or is it a non-issue for those sources or ummm...something?

Also, as an aside, have people been satisfied with accesories4life in terms of service when there are problems?

I have not had any lip-sync problems at all. My 805 does have all the latest firmware upgrades. I bought mine new about 6 months ago so I cannot comment about refurbished units, however I have read on various boards about good, and not so good, experiences.

 

[esqueejy]

Thanks man. I suppose that leaves one question: Is it relatively easy to update the firmware?

 

[Blue Dude]

Updating the firmware isn't exactly painless, but unless you have a really early firmware version, it's pretty straightforward. You will need a serial cable to perform it though. Updating the DSP's is simple: you burn the firmware update to a CD and "play" it through an optical cable to the receiver. The firmwares haven't been updated in a while, and probably won't be any more, so you will probably have all the updates already.

 

[jostenmeat]

This is great I thought. Save a bunch with a refurbished unit? No-brainer. Problem is, I saw some threads tonight (while surfing for some last minute convincing via reviews) that said the 805 has lipsyncing issues. Has this been addressed via firmware or is it a non-issue for those sources or ummm...something?

The *real* sync issue happened when the audio is ALREADY after the video when set with zero delay. However, believe it or not, many noobs do simply think that imperfect sync must be automatically the fault of the receiver. You will note variation in sync between all of your movies and TV channels, if you cared to. I can even catch varying sync in the same movie, and have done so most recently in Band of Brothers interviews interspersed with story. If only momentarily, but I could still catch it.

If you were so unlucky to get such a receiver, 1) the FW helped those with this issue, though not always 100%, but much better and therefore bearable. 2) If you sit far enough away from the speakers, the issue can be nullified as light does travel much, much faster than sound.

That's if you are unlucky. I have a refurbed 805 and do not have issue. I think my BD is roughly set to 45 ms delay, and HD-DVD to 60 ms. IIRC that is. Looks very good. Oh, people would definitely be bothered by a sync issue if I had it; my display is over 75 square feet. And, I don't even have latest FW, am at 1.06 I believe, and I have no inkling whatsoever to be bothered to update.

Also, as an aside, have people been satisfied with accesories4life in terms of service when there are problems?

In the 805 owner's thread, someone recently linked some bad customer review thing on them. Then, some others have bought without issue. YMMV.

I'll tell you what, if Amazon is ever close to the same price, I'd go with them for their superlative customer service.