Big Picture Big Sound

Just when you thought upgrading your home theater receiver to support HDMI was going to cost you an arm and a leg, Onkyo comes to the rescue with the TX-SR505 receiver. It features HDMI switching (up to 1080p with HDMI version 1.3 support), high def-compatible component video switching (480i/480p/720p/1080i) plus your usual assortment of composite and S-video inputs. And all for a buck less than $300.

The unit even features Audyssey's advanced auto-calibration software called "2EQ." Hold a microphone in your primary listening positions, hit a couple of buttons, and the receiver calibrates speaker crossover, delays, and levels automatically, for the best sound out of your speakers in your particular room.

Specs are still fairly preliminary, but HDMI support is described as "passthrough-only" meaning you will also need to connect your HDMI components to the receiver using a separate analog or digital audio cable in order to get sound. It will not process sound over HDMI connections, just pass it through to your display. But hey, what do you want for $300?


Its power rating is an adequate 75 Watts/Channel X 7 (into 8 ohms) and it is compatible with Onkyo's optional iPod dock.

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Specifications from the Manufacturer

• DOLBY Decoding: PLIIx, Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital-EX
• DTS Decoding: DTS, DTS-ES, DTS NEO6, DTS 96/24
• Front L/R Power Output: 75 W + 75 W (8 ohms, 20 Hz-20 kHz, 0.08%), 100 W + 100 W (6 ohms, 1 kHz, 0.1%)
• Center Power Output: 75 W (8 ohms, 20 Hz-20 kHz, 0.08%)
• Surround L/R Power Output: 75 W + 75 W (8 ohms, 20 Hz-20 kHz, 0.08%), 100 W + 100 W (6 ohms, 1 kHz, 0.1%)
• Surround Back L/R Power Output: 75 W + 75 W (8 ohms, 20 Hz-20 kHz, 0.08%), 100 W + 100 W (6 ohms, 1 kHz, 0.1%)
• Frequency Response: 5 Hz-100 kHz
• Tone Control: 50 Hz (Bass) and 20 kHz (Treble)
• Non-scaling Configuration
• 4 Composite Video Inputs and 2 Outputs
• 2 Audio Inputs and Outputs
• 4 Digital Audio Inputs (2 coax, 2 fiberoptic)
• 2 HDMI Inputs/1 Output (1080p Passthrough with Version 1.3 support)
• 3 Component Video Inputs/1 Output (50 MHz bandwidth supports 480i/480p/720p/1080i)
• External multi-channel (7.1) analog input
• Late Night Mode
• Digital Upsampling
• 3 Mode Display Dimmer
• 1/4-inch Headphone Jack
• Sleep Timer via Remote
• Battery-Free Memory Backup
• Aluminum Front Panel
• Dimensions: Width 17 1/8 x Height 5 7/8 x 14 13/16 inches (435x150x377mm)
• Weight: 20.9 pounds (9.5 kg)