Onkyo announces DV-HD805 HD DVD player
Onkyo USA has just announced that they will be releasing their DV-HD805 HD DVD standalone player this fall.
An Onkyo brand HD DVD player has been in the works for quite some time now and it is nice to see that it will finally be hitting the market in time for this year’s holiday season.
Here are a few excerpts from the press release, which was published today.
ONKYO USA has announced the launch of its first HD-DVD player, the DV-HD805. This player has been introduced to realize the potential of high-definition HD DVD content. It is also one of the first HD DVD players to take advantage of high-bit-rate audio streaming via HDMI version 1.3a. The DV-HD805 will be available in the fall of 2007.
HDMI version 1.3a allows the DV-HD805 to offer the full potential of high-definition 1080p video (the native resolution of HD DVD discs). Furthermore, HDMI version 1.3a enables Deep Colorâ„¢ technology to improve color tones and achieve finer color gradation. Also, when connected with the new Onkyo HDMI version 1.3a A/V receivers, the DV-HD805 is capable of high-bit-rate audio streaming output. Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio surround sound codecs enable bit-for-bit reproduction of the studio master meaning that this player is capable of the highest clarity and most advanced realism from movie soundtracks.
At the heart of the Onkyo DV-HD805 HD DVD player
The image above displays a “possible look” of the Onkyo DV-HD805, but I expect that when the player is actually released this fall, it will look completely different. Why, you might ask? Because the above image shows an Onkyo HD DVD player that was based on an older generation Toshiba HD DVD player. With the specs that this player is now boasting, it is certain to have a 3rd generation Toshiba HD DVD player at its’ core. More specifically, it will probably be based on the Toshiba HD-A35. These 3rd generation players, which were recently announced, will be smaller than previous HD DVD players and have more smooth, rounded looks. Because the new model will be an Onkyo branded player, the look or outer casing could be completely different than the 3G Toshiba units, but nonetheless, I expect the player to look a lot slicker than the older rendition pictured above.
The DV-HD805 will offer some impressive features including full 1080p picture display, 24p support, Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio capabilities, deep color support and more. The exact street date had not yet been determined, but the suggested retail price is set at $899. To read the full press release including additional specs, head on over to OnkyoUSA.
A lot of people have been waiting for this one. Earlier this year Onkyo said they would be promoting this player as a very good DVD player that also played HD DVDs. They don’t really say that in this release.
When they say “one of the first” to offer AAC bit-stream over HDMI, I wonder if that means the Toshiba players will also have this feature.