You've got a 3D TV and compatible Blu-ray player and now you're looking to get a surround sound system to add 3D sound to your 3D vision. Onkyo can help with that quest, because the SR608 is HDMI 1.4 capable, and that means it can pass 3D video to your TV without removing the signalling that tells your TV that the pictures are in 3D.
But 3D is really only the smallest part of the story here, because the Onkyo also supports the audio return channel --ARC for short-- which allows it to receive Dolby Digital or other surround sound audio via the same cable that connects it to the TV. That means no more messy optical leads or nasty RCA jacks cluttering up your home entertainment system.
Because we're hurtling toward a future of only HDMI, this receiver has a total of six inputs for HD devices. All are HDMI 1.4 ready, so you can connect 3D devices to them, and your TV will happily switch itself to 3D mode when needed. There are also a pair both coaxial and optical digital inputs, which will allow you to connect devices like Sky+HD and Virgin V+HD, which can't send surround sound over their HDMI connections for some ridiculous reason.
Onkyo also provides its 'universal port', which, while being universal only on Onkyo's products, does offer some pretty cool options. The company has a very swanky iPod dock that connects to this socket, and we hope in the future that it will increase the things that can be connected in this way. It could even be used for adding new features to your receiver at a later date, which could save you from replacing the receiver at a later date. Handy stuff.
The SR-608 costs 450 of your most three dimensional pounds and is available right now. We've previously tested Onkyo's excellent TX-SR607, and the 608 will be getting the same treatment soon too.
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Comments 2
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Anonymous 10 February, 2011 21:55
"There are also a pair both coaxial and optical digital inputs, which will allow you to connect devices like Sky+HD and Virgin V+HD, which can't send surround sound over their HDMI connections for some ridiculous reason."
Even more ridiculously, the Onkyo DOESN'T allow you to use these inputs when connecting a Sky+ HD box via HDMI as it automatically selects HDMI audio over digital inputs (coaxial and optical) if one is connected. It just can't be done.
Epic fail.
Anonymous 16 March, 2011 14:27
You can get Sky + HD audio via coax or optical when using HDMI. First you need to assign Optical/Coax to your HDMI input as normal under the Digital Input part of the Set-up menu. Exit Set-up. Then Press 'Home' on the remote control - Select Audio followed by Audio Selector - Change to OPT or Coax.