Product Description

Meet the standout leader of Onkyo's new range of home theater heroes. The TX-NR905 7.1-channel home network receiver has a number of advantages that propel it into the home theater super league. Look to the TX-NR905's network (interfacing with Windows Media Player and Windows Media Connect) to open up a huge reservoir of Internet and computer-based audio resources. Enjoy the edge in high-definition 1080p video processing from the world's first receiver to incorporate HQV Reon VX. In-line with Onkyo's impeccable track record, under the hood of the TX-NR905 you'll find an innovative power supply, remarkable amplification design, and high-performance parts from the likes of Texas Instruments. "Complete" is a tag not given lightly, but the TX-NR905 earns it in style.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #47526 in Consumer Electronics
• Color: Black
• Brand: Onkyo
• Model: TXNR905
• Dimensions: 7.63" h x 17.13" w x 18.06" l,

Features

• 140 Watts-per-channel at 8 ohms (FTC)
• Dolby Digital Plus and Dolby TrueHD with DTS-HD High Resolution Audio and Master Audio
• Ethernet port for Onkyo e-Control System and internet radio
• USB port for a USB memory device or a USB portable audio player
• HD radio digital tuner

From the Manufacturer
Making Waves as one of the Best in High-Definition, Networked Home Entertainment
Meet the standout leader of Onkyo’s new range of home theater heroes. Embracing all of the technologies synonymous with the 2007 line-up — including HDMI 1.3a, Dolby® TrueHD, DTS-HD® Master Audio, THX™ Ultra2™ and Audyssey MultEQ® XT — the TX-NR905 7.1-channel home network receiver has a number of advantages that propel it into the home theater super league. Look to the TX-NR905's network, which interfaces with Windows Media Player and Windows Media Connect, to open up a huge reservoir of internet and computer-based audio resources. Enjoy the edge in high-definition 1080p video from the world’s first receiver to incorporate HQV Reon VX processing. In line with Onkyo’s impeccable track record, under the hood of the TX-NR905 you’ll find an innovative power supply, remarkable amplification design, and high-performance parts from the likes of Texas Instruments. "Complete" is a tag not given lightly, but the TX-NR905 earns it in style.

Full-featured remote View Larger

HQV Reon-VX Chip for High-Performance Video Processing
The TX-NR905 is the world’s first A/V receiver to incorporate HQV Reon-VX video processing. HQV Reon-VX will scale all video signals to 1080p without the visible inconsistencies found in less competent scalers. It also provides remarkable support for standard and high-definition deinterlacing, for filtering of jaggies and artifacts, and for the reduction of random "mosquito" and codec noise. HQV Reon-VX enables color region enhancement and the rendering of more than one billion colors.

THX Ultra2 Certification for a Better Class of Home Theater
Ultra2 certification means that the TX-NR905 can easily handle the requirements of a home theater where the viewing distance from screen to seat is greater than 12 feet and the room volume is greater than 3000 cubic feet. Among its technologies, the Advanced Speaker Array (ASA) digitally reconfigures surround speakers for three listening modes: movies, music and gaming. You also benefit from Boundary Gain Compensation (BGC), which realizes a truer, more accurate bass response. THX Ultra2 certification is a powerful endorsement of the receiver’s amplifying abilities.

Network Capabilities for Streaming Audio Files and Internet Radio
The TX-NR905's network gives you access to digital music files (AAC, WMA, MP3, WAV) via an Ethernet network between the TX-NR905 and your computer. It also enables you to access music files from a USB mass storage device or a portable audio player through the USB port on the front panel. The TX-NR905, which is Microsoft PlaysForSure certified, can play DRM music downloads from Napster and CDquality files from MusicGiants with Windows Media Connect or Windows Media Player serving as its heart. For internet radio, you can access stations that use MP3 or WMA streaming. You can enter URLs, including those for podcasts, into your computer’s web browser or directly with your remote control. The TX-NR905’s user-friendly interface lets you easily access and store your favorite channels. This network also enables installation, configuration and set-up of Crestron and AMX controllers with your home theater system or network.

Four HDMI inputs make it easy to use the latest components. View Larger

Processing 1080p Video and High-Resolution Audio via HDMI 1.3a
Multiple HDMI inputs enable you switch four of the latest high-definition components between either of the TX-NR905's two assignable HDMI outputs. This offers a simple, one-cable solution for connecting your Blu-ray and HD-DVD players, satellite and cable boxes, media centers, and gaming consoles. The High-Definition Multimedia Interface delivers the latest high-definition audio formats — Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD Master Audio, Dolby® Digital Plus and DTS-HD® High Resolution Audio — which are then processed by the TX-NR905’s onboard decoders. These new formats enable unprecedented quality, including bit-for-bit reproduction for TrueHD and Master Audio. Also, HDMI 1.3a gives you greater bandwidth to deal with higher resolutions, 36-bit Deep Color™ and high frame rates.

Customer Reviews

Good specs, poor implementation - don't buy
After a lot of research, I purchased the 905 last year. Onkyo had some production issues (strong demand) and so I waited MONTHS before one became available. On paper, the specs look very good.

Ultimately, Onkyo bought-back my receiver from me because of several design flaws that firmware updates could not fix. For example, the DSPs are poorly designed such that there is a delay of 2-3 seconds when locking onto and audio stream. So every time I fast-forward through a commercial, the video plays for 2-3 seconds with no audio. Changing audio streams on Blu-Ray movies had the same delay.

In addition, there is a significant audio delay that causes a mis-sync between audio and video. Again, Onkyo says a firmware update cannot fix the problem. I bypassed the Reon video processor to help with the problem, but then you lose the built-in scaling feature.

Only service centers are permitted to do firmware updates. In my case, there was a 2-3 week backlog. Thankfully, one update leaked to the internet and I was able to do it myself. However, Onkyo found out about the leak and was not happy.

Onkyo also makes no mention of any firmware updates on their web site. So unless a consumer calls in regarding a problem, they will never know an update is out there. They should clearly state on their product support web site an update is available and to call their service center for more information.

If they can fix these and other defects in the 906 model (due mid 2008), then it would be a winner. But the 905 has so many issues that I switched receivers and now own a Denon. For more insight to the problems, check out the avsforum site where there is a large discussion on this model.

almost exactly what I wanted
The primary reasons for me choosing the TX-NR905s were:
1. 4 HDMI 1.3a inputs and 2 HDMI 1.3a outputs
2. video upconversion to 1080p
3. usb port
4. internet radio and hi-def radio built in
5. ethernet port
6. THX certification

It's been great for me on all these points. I haven't noticed the time delay the others talk about. So far, the sound has been amazing perfect and right on queue with my video equipment.

I haven't needed the firmware updates, but then, I JUST got it 2 weeks ago, so maybe the firmware updates are already in there. I think one of the reviewers said he got his a year ago.

I only have a few, very minor, complaints:
1. The first one I bought had a short in the front right speaker jack, so I had to return it. Luckily, I bought it from J&R, so this was amazingly no-hassle, even with shipping. J&R paid for shipping (both ways) and had UPS come to my house to pick it up!
2. Switching between the 2 hdmi outputs requires walking up to the receiver and pushing a button - there's no button on the remote. This wouldn't be such a big deal (normally I'd only need 1 hdmi output), except that one of the hdmi outputs is used for upscaling and the other is not. So, I want my blu-ray, my Tivo, my cable-box, and my upconverting DVD player to go through the first output (no upconversion), and I want my vcr to go through the second output to upconvert. If I switch from watching TiVo or a DVD to watching a videotape, I have to walk up to the receiver and press a button, and I can't program that button into my Harmony Universal Remote.
3. It weighs almost 70 lbs! So, if I do need to bring the receiver in to an Onkyo service dealer for say, a firmware upgrade, it's a major undertaking, being that it weighs almost as much as I do.
4. I wish there were 2 usb ports - one in front, one in back, so I could keep my hard drive connected all the time without it looking bad, and so I could add, say, my ipod on an ad-hoc basis from the front.
5. I wish it had wifi.

Otherwise, though, I found the setup to be super easy (and remember, I had to do this twice since I returned one), the sound is great, the HDMI inputs work like a dream, the speaker jacks are easy to deal with, even without banana plugs, and it looks really cool.

I actually highly recommend this receiver if you have the same reasons for buying it that I did.

Not worth the money
A couple of years ago I bought a Denon 3805 for $1,000 - it was perfect for my needs at the time, but it didn't have HDMI.

A couple of months ago I replaced my wonderful Denon with the Onkyo 905 - for $2,000. I didn't take this purchase lightly - after much research, I decided that the dual output, HDMI 1.3a, Reon HQV, and better DACs than my Denon would be just what I needed. On paper, the Onkyo was head and shoulders above everything else (in the price range) on the market.

It isn't that great. The menu system is pathetic. The dual output is 1 at a time and requires navigation through the menu system to change. The sound isn't better than the Denon it replaced. The Reon HQV is just ok - not spectacular. It gets VERY hot. HDMI handshakes and other A/V to and fro takes too dang long to lock - 3 seconds is an eternity for a $2k high-tech receiver. The USB port is on the front under the drop down panel making permanent connections unattractive at best. The remote isn't bad, but you have to switch modes to control the receiver's secondary functions - even though the buttons aren't doing double duty. The A/V sync is always wrong - you fix it, and then it gets out of whack again.

But...

My biggest complaint is the firmware updates... This thing is hooked up to internet radio, but it can't download a @#$@$ firmware update?!?!?! Who is the "genius" that decided that only authorised service centers could handle this task? Give me a freaking break - the receiver should register itself automatically and notify the user of new firmware - with a message for what the update does - every time a new firmware update is released. As of right now, there is no official notice of firmware updates - you have to find out through people who've "leaked" this information. Weak... Super weak.

So, I went from a $1k Denon with 1 little shortcoming to a $2k Onkyo with a host of problems... Now, I'm waiting for the next generation of Denon receivers to come out.