Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Home Theater Onkyo 875

By all accounts the Silicon Optix chips are a couple of the best out there. I see Anchor Bay is the next big thing and that Oppo uses them in their top line players. I also suspect that the next rendition of the 38XX series will have a better video processor in it, although with everything moving to HD will it even be needed.

With all the hub bub over the video processor in the AVR vs. maybe the TV or BD processor is superior anyway, so the AVR's processor might be mute... I have NOT been able get reports on specifically if my Mitsub. WD-73734 DLP OR my Panasonic BD55 has a 'better video processor' than the Faroudja OR the Reon.

Combing the manual's spec sheet(s), I cannot see where a video processor is listed on eihter. It may well be, but I can not pick it out of the tech/spec nomenclature. So how in the heck can we 'on paper' wise compare video processor specs AVR vs. TV vs. BD player ? ? ? ? I always get the comment: " Just try them to see which you like best." Well I have read the differences may only be noticed by a videophile who knows what to look for. If I knew the lingo, could know I was making the proper menu changes (which I do not), then maybe I'd consider trying to see only what the experts can discern.

The question we all want to know from the specs or 'expert opinions' what devices video processor does the job better. So many of the aspects of audio and video we buy on 'expert recommendations' not having the know how to discern THE differences, BUT WE WANT THE BEST (spec and real world) BANG FOR BUCK OUR BUCK that our budget allows. If the answer is not easy to devine, it does not make the question inappropriate to ask, IMHO.
[...steps of soap box and prays for answers that the big guy upstairs may only hold...]

Edit: The only mention ( I can tell) in my TV manual is this.
Image Technology: DLP. 0.65" chip, 1920 x 1080 pixels with Smooth Picture™. Also says in another place: Supports DeepColor, a new standard that incorporates 10-bit color depth.
This all sounds like 'marketing speak' for "the video is the best. Trust us. Move along, no Specs. to see here..."
BD55 manual has NO video reference that I can tell. :o(

Edit #2 But I did find a ton of info on BD55's video here, though it is Greek to me)
Specs on BD55 (third party)

This is the kind of comment that brings my questioning in the post above. With MY WD-73734 DLP (HD1080P24) and BD 55, do I need to care if my AVR has a Faroudja, Reon or Silicon Optix chip in it. Does the Deaf Monk have an answer to (this apparent unanswerable) question?
{... goes off to contemplate navel in hopes to get this answer from 'higher sources'...}

Edit: Oh, I guess you mean the video sources (cable, over air, satellite) changing eventually to all HD (not just digital) signals. Would this be a way down the road thing until technology creates huge increases in bandwidth capacity than is currently available?

"way down the road" ?

I'm way behind the HD curve and I'm pretty much at the point of 'all HD' already. There's only one TV show that I watch that *isn't* in HD, and that's only because Dish Network and F/X can't agree on a price for DN to be able to carry F/X HD.

But I have sort of come to the conclusion that AVR upconversion *might* be an overrated feature. I have very, very little experience with various upconversion techniques and results, so I am hardly an expert.

But I think it just depends on what you watch. AFAIK, there are only two scenarios where you'd want to upconvert a signal. 1) SD TV and 2) DVD. The case of SD TV doesn't matter to me because as I said, almost all of my TV viewing is in HD. With DVD's, my DVD player has a Faraoudja chip in it, and it does a pretty good job. Perhaps ignorance is bliss in that department.

I'll be able to add more to this conversation in a few days. I've got an TX-SR876 on order that should be here on Tuesday. I'll be putting it up against my just-purchased SC-05 to see if the upconversion & features really make a difference to me.

Well I can confirm that the Onkyo 875 does shutdown at high volume levels when powering the M80's. Last night I managed to have it shutdown several times. The volume level at amp shutdown was pretty high at around 100db from my seating position however I would like to run at this level and up to 105db only for demo purposes(short periods of time). I am currently running the M80's full range with no sub.
Would the receiver draw less current if I was using a sub and have the M80's crossed over at 80hz thereby enabling me to run the receiver at volumes greater than 100db?
Does the receiver cut out due to overheating or just being overloaded? Would cooling fans enable the receiver to run at higher volumes? If the receiver is rated for 140 watts at 8 ohms, does this mean that the equivalent load on the amp into 4 ohms would be 70 watts?
Will running the receiver at volumes causing it to shutdown cause any damage to the receiver if done frequently?

My professional opinion: it aint good. That pretty much does it for my Onkyo shopping. Never had a problem with Denon so I guess I'll just skip the fretting and get another Denon.

Thanks for reporting your experience.

I think some cooling fans and a higher crossover should help, as this would take quite a load of the Onkyo, how much longer you could run at this level would be unknown. Better yet would be to get an outboard 2 channel amp to driv ethe M80s for this high volume levels. I am looking at the Pro PA amps out there like the Crown XTI1000 or Behringer2500, quite cheap for the power output. There are some reviews of owners running these amps like this and they are all very positive.

That would certainly help the AVR. I can't imagine it having a problem running 3.1.

The AVR did cut out while running 3.1. I must point out that the AVR sits in a cabinet and it does not have a lot of room on the sides for ventilation, maybe 15mm each side. It has about 200mm of clearance at the back, 500mm clearance on top and the front cabinet door was left open and the AVR still cut out.
Does anyone know whether the AVR cutting out is caused purely by overheating, drawing too much current or a combination of both?

To quote the manual for the 876 (which I in handy PDF format)...

"Leave 20 cm (8") of free space at the top and sides
and 10 cm (4") at the rear. The rear edge of the shelf
or board above the apparatus shall be set 10 cm (4")
away from the rear panel or wall, creating a fluelike
gap for warm air to escape."

Going by the book, you're space is too confined.

See the first section "Important Safety Instructions" in the 875's manual to see if it differs.