The Official Onkyo TX-SR705 Thread (FAQ in 1st Post)

Onkyo TX SR705: FAQ

This FAQ was last updated on: 12/11/08
[For full change log, refer to the bottom of post #2]



Click for a Large Image of the Front Panel of the receiver.

Click for a Large Image of the Back Panel of the receiver.

› Click Here to view the TX SR705 details on Onkyo.com

› Click Here to download a PDF version of the Manual

This NEW "official" thread was requested by many 705 owners. Our 705 community saw a need for an official thread that "started" with an FAQ as post #1. This is the most up to date thread. The previous thread was located here and likely contains valuable information for people who want to hunt it down. (Over 3000 posts on the old 705 thread.) This new centralized FAQ will contain a majority of the wealth of knowledge gained and contributed by everyone in this old thread.

Whether your a potential "Buyer" or an "Owner" be sure to read through ALL sections of this FAQ as some questions people ask are located in various areas. I just wanted to separate out these sections to make locating important information a little easier for people doing research on the 705.


Table of Contents
Popular Topics have been set in bold type.

Topics Covered in the "BUYER FAQ"
1) What’s the cheapest price I can find this receiver?
2) Do I need to have 7.1 speaker setup to get True HD or DTS HD MA?
3) If I only use a 5.1 speaker setup is this receiver worth getting?
4) Does this receiver upscale my video to 1080p?
5) So are you saying this receiver downscales ALL my signals to 720p?
6) Is there a loss in picture quality if I pass my HDMI signal through the receiver?
7a) Why should I get a 705 over the 605?
7b) Why should I get 705 over the 606?
8) Why should I get the 705 over the 805?
9) Whats the difference between the 705 and the 705P?
10) How much power does the Onkyo TX SR705 consume? How much more per month will I pay on my electricity bill?

Topics Covered in the "OWNER FAQ"
1) Should I upgrade my 5.1 channel speaker setup to 7.1?
2) Why is the lip sync on everything I watch way out of timing? Is there any way to fix this?
3) Why does my Onkyo 705 make clicking noises?
4) What are the secret key combinations to get to the extra features?
5) Is my receiver getting too hot? Do I have enough space? When does the internal fan turn on? Do I need to buy a fan?
6) What’s the best sounding DSP?
7) Why is my sub not working?
8) How should i set the onboard controls on my sub?
9) Why do my speakers make a hissing noise when I turn up the volume really loudly?
10) Why is there a loud hum in my sub?
11) My external fan is plugged into my receivers AC outlet and it doesn't turn off when I turn off my receiver! How do I fix this?
12) What does matrix mean? How does it help me?
13) Why can't I select PLIIx Movie when I have a 6 channel speaker setup?
14a) Can the 705 be firmware updated? Is there new firmware available for it?
14b) Is there a way to know which version of firmware my unit has just looking at the serial number on the outside of the box?
15) What's the difference between PLIIx Movie and PLIIx Music?
16) How do I install banana plugs on this receiver?
17) How do I turn off my TV speakers through the onkyo receiver?
18) Why can't I see my Custom title on the Game/Tv input display?
19) How many video sources can the 705 support and are there any tips for assigning them?
20) Should I be cautious when playing DTS HD MA audio via lossless bitstream?
21) Why do I get audio pauses (drop outs) when I change sources or the DSP changes? Can I fix this?

Topics Covered in "BLU RAY & HD DVD FAQ"

HI DEFINITION AUDIO QUESTIONS: (HD DVD & BLU RAY)
1) Why don’t I see True HD and DTS HD MA light up on my receiver when I play Blu Ray and HD DVD movies?
2) Is there a difference with letting my player decode vs letting my receiver decode?
3) Whats lossless (raw) bitstream? Isn't all bitstreaming the same?
4) I can't hear the audio in the special features section of my Blu Ray or HD DVD movies or any of the menu sound effects! How do I fix this?
5) Does my player output lossless bitstream?
6) Is there a list of the best quality soundtracks from movies?

BLU RAY QUESTIONS:
1) I own a Playstation 3 and want to get the best sound possible with my Blu Ray movies what should my settings be?
2) Why won't my Playstation 3 allow my receiver to decode HD audio formats for me? Will it ever be able to?'
3) Is there a way to A/V Sync both movies and games on the PS3 so that it doesn't have a dual personality?

HD DVD QUESTIONS:
1) Does the XA2 player output lossless bitstream?

Topics Covered in "AUDYSSEY/SETUP FAQ" (Post #2)
1) How should I place my speakers or prepare my room?
2) Do I need a tripod to run MultEQ XT?
3) How should I place the microphone to run Audyssey MultEQ XT?
4) Should I be in the room while Audyssey runs?
5) What target curve does Audyssey use on the 705?
6) Why is Audyssey's subwoofer distance different than its physical distance?
7) Audyssey detects all my speakers as Large/Full Range. Should I leave it that way?
8) Okay, so what crossover settings should I use for my speakers then?
9) Should I change the speaker distances that Audyssey sets?
10) Why is the subwoofer trim setting so low?
11) Why are all my channel trims really low?
12) I made a noise/the dog barked/the air conditioner kicked on during Audyssey setup. Do I have to start over?
13) What does Audyssey MultEQ XT actually do?
14) Why can't I tweak the EQ settings that Audyssey comes up with?
15) But if that's true, why does X brand let you change the EQ after Audyssey?
16) If Audyssey equalizes my subwoofer's in-room response, why doesn't my subwoofer have flat response when checked with test tones?
17) Do I need to run Audyssey MultEQ XT for each input or just once?
18) If the LFE crossover is at 80 and my speakers are crossed over higher than that, am I losing sound between them?
19) Though I was careful with mic placement and room setup, I just don't like the Audyssey equalization. Can I change it?

Topics Covered in "TOP 10 ONKYO RECEIVER SETUP MISTAKES" (Post #2)
1) Setting HDMI Audio Out=ON
2) Expecting to see the TrueHD indicator light up with input from a PS3, HD-A1, HD-A2, HD-A3 etc.
3) Expecting to get sound in Zone 2/3 for sources that are connected only with HDMI or SPDIF cables
4) Sloppy speaker cabling
5) Using the Surr Back speaker terminals instead of the Surr terminals in a 5.1 system
6) Plugging your subwoofer into the multichannel subwoofer input instead of the subwoofer preout
7) Improperly setting the volume knob on your subwoofer before running Audyssey
8) Not checking Audyssey's results after doing a calibration
9) Not setting Listening Modes for 2 channel sources
10) Neither running Audyssey nor manually configuring your speakers

Topics Covered in "INFO, LINKS & TOOLS" (Post #2)
1) Do you have any links to help me better understand some of the DSP technology behind my receiver?
2) Do you have any links to tools/wires/accessories that will be helpful to me with setting up or using this receiver?
3) What is ClubOnkyo and where do I sign up?

Special Thanks and Change Log (Post #2)

TIP: Still can't find what you want?
I know this thread has grown into astronomical sizes, but chances are the info you are looking for is found below inside the answer to another question. Here is a tip to find the info you need without reading everything (this works on all websites.) Whether you are in IE or Firefox this trick works.... click both these keys at same time on your keyboard...Ctrl-F... this brings up a word search box. Type a single keyword inside that box and you can search the page forward or backward for locations of that word. Example type "Playstation".. you will now see everywhere that word is mentioned and may help you locate a problem related to the Playstation. Just be sure to limit your search word to a single word as that will give you the greatest chance to locate the info you need.

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● BUYER FAQ


Questions asked most by people who are still in the research phase of shopping for a new receiver.

1) What’s the cheapest price I can find this receiver?

For Readers in United States:
The price constantly changes up and down since the day this receiver came out. Even a several months after release we saw this unit get sold around the holidays for the full MSRP of $799.99 from major retailers. This has become a VERY popular receiver model in the 705 lineup, so these retailers have been able to get away with higher prices and still keep their inventory moving on the 705's.

UPDATE: $395.00 "New" at B&H Photo

For Readers in Australia:
The 705 RRP is $1699AUD but it is easy to pick it up for $1300AUD or slightly lower from box movers such as Harvey Norman and JB HiFi. Some members have got it at $1280, with a lucky few getting it at $1260 (apparently this is cost price).

For Readers in Canada:
Onkyo is not marketing very well Canada and hard to find. The cheapest you can find these receivers are at electronicsforless.ca, listed at 849.99 for the black model and 769.99 for the silver. Usually the price is around $999. Because of this, it may or may not be cheaper to have a friend in the US buy one for you and ship it to you directly. (if you have that advantage).

Refurbished Units:
If a refurbished 705 is something your willing to consider please read the following. Some of our users have been buying refurbished 705 units off Shoponkyo lately and seem to be having great success with them. Also, the refurb 705's tend to be more updated with the latest firmwares then newer store bought models (use the firmware below to get the latest versions). The price of the refurb units are considerably less then new retail prices. They don't appear to be available for sale at all times so you will need to keep an eye out for the 705 refurbs on their site.

Check the following link periodically if you are looking to buy a refurbished 705 from Onkyo.
http://www.shoponkyo.com/products.cf...ubcat=Receiver

The warranty does appear to be less with the refurbished receivers vs new receivers. The refurbs receivers are "1 year Parts & labor" and new receivers are "2 years Parts & Labor", read here for more info: (http://www.onkyousa.com/warranty.cfm)

2) Do I need to have 7.1 speaker setup to get True HD or DTS HD MA?

No you do not need 7.1 for True HD or DTS HD MA. Most of the time these formats are mastered in 5.1 format, rarely in 6.1 format and extremely rarely in 7.1 format. When you use the receiver no matter what format your audio is in the receiver will play back your audio in 5.1 channels or 6.1 channels (which ever you own and set up for this receiver.)

3) If I only use a 5.1 speaker setup is this receiver worth getting?

Yes this receiver sounds great in 5.1, 6.1 and 7.1. There is room to grow for when you can budget 1 or 2 more satellites if you ever want them

4) Does this receiver upscale my video to 1080p?

This receiver won’t upscale to 1080p. The maximum resolution it can upscale video to is 720p. If you want an Onkyo receiver that upscales low resolution sources to 1080p I recommend you look at the Onkyo 875 or Onkyo 905 models.

5) So are you saying this receiver downscales ALL my signals to 720p?

No. This receiver passes signals from the same source input type to the same source output type at whatever resolution it was when it began.
For example:
1080p HDMI input = 1080p HDMI output
1080p component input = 1080p component output

The only time it downscales videos is when you change the input type via the receiver.
For Example:
1080 Component input = 720p HDMI output

6) Is there a loss in picture quality if I pass my HDMI signal through the receiver?

No. This receiver does NOT change the quality of the video. It’s a straight HDMI pass through.

7a) Why should I get a 705 over the 605?

General
- THX Select 2 Certification (605 has no THX)
- additional 10 watts per channel
- onboard fans for cooling
- Blue backlighting around the volume knob!!
- Advanced remote control - fully backlit with learning/programming abilities

Audio Processing
- 3 DSPs and more listening modes
- Audyssey MultiEQ vs 2EQ on the 605. MultiEQ is more advanced and supports 8 listening positions rather than 2
- 7 band equaliser vs 5 band
- expanded range of crossover frequencies (70Hz and 90Hz)
- ability to post process 5.1 channel PCM signals (ie from internally decoding BD/HDDVD players) to 6.1 or 7.1 (605 apparently cant do this on 5.1ch PCM)
- accepts DSD format (from SACDs) over multi channel inputs
- 605 cant apply Audyssey when processing TrueHD/DTS-MA bitstreams over HDMI 1.3 due to less processing power

Inputs/Outputs
- +1 HDMI input
- +1 digital coax audio input
- +1 optical audio output
- 7.1 channel RCA pre-outs
- Phono input
- 12V trigger out
- IR in (for infrared repeater systems)
- RS232 COM port
- zone 2 speaker connections have proper binding posts

7b) Why should I get 705 over the 606?



8) Why should I get the 705 over the 805?

-More affordable
-Much small compact body size and weight:
705 = Dimensions (W x H x D) 17 1/8" x 6 7/8" x 14 13/16" | Weight 28.4 lbs. (12.9 kg)
805 = Dimensions (W x H x D) 17 1/8" x 7 5/8" x 18 1/16" | Weight 50.9 lbs. (23.1 kg)
-More power efficient (6.2 amps vs 9.5 amps) Normal household circuit breaker is 20 amps. Combined with TV, sub, players, game consoles, lights, etc. Its not a major deterrent as you can relocate devices around the room onto other circuit breaker outlets but its important to stay aware of the power loud. 9.5 amp is also at max volume only.. expect that to be around 80% of that number at normal volume levels.
-Cooler running and doesn't pose a fire risk. (Search official 805 thread for evidence of this; several users have said their 805’s burnt out and caught fire after a few weeks of use. Its not common but the risk exists. These users also had plenty of space around their receiver so it wasn't that those users didn't allow for breathing room. For me, risk of fire was the number one deterrent.)
-The video section of the 805 is basically the same as the 705. You need to step up to the 875/905 to get improvements in video.

9) Whats the difference between the 705 and the 705P?

The 705P is part of the professional series from Onkyo. Visit the link located here for more information. When you compare the specs of the 705 vs the 705p they are indentical. The only obvious difference in these 2 units is the 705p is rack mountable. The 705P retails for 100 dollars more then the 705. The jury is still out on whether the 705P has any internal component differences over the 705. If any of our users discover new information on this. Please let me know and I will post it.

10) How much power does the Onkyo TX SR705 consume? How much more per month will I pay on my electricity bill?

This receiver usually draws about 4-5 amps at normal volume levels while its on and playing audio. Its maximum load is 6.2 amps at maximum volume full 7 channel audio (like all channel audio DSP setting and zone 2 going at same time.. which people rarely use all at the same time)

- Watts = Volts x Amps
- If we use 5 amps as our load.....120v x 5 amps = 600watts (per hour you run this at normal volume levels)
- A normal light bulb is 60watts, so its like 10 lightbulbs running.
Your electricity bill tells you how many Kilo-Watt hours (kWh) you consume so lets convert this into a monthly figure.
- 600 watts per hour is 0.6 Kilo-Watt hours
-If you run it 4 hours a day... its 2.4 kilo-watt hours per day
A 31 day month its 74.4 kilo-watt hours per month (if you run it every day 4 hours a day)

Where I live its about 8.6 cents per kilo-watt hour If you want to get an idea of how much you pay grab your eletricity bill or visit this website for a general idea.
http://www.eia.doe.gov/bookshelf/bro...rep/index.html It gives you a break down of most of the USA. If you live outside of the US please just consult your bill. Also, if you live outside the US your voltage is different for your electrical outlets so you will need to plug in your correct voltage to figure out the exact cost per month to you.

(Your kWh fee) x (Kill-Watt hour usage per month) = [how much you pay]

So for me its about $6.40 a month more on the electrical bill to own this receiver and play it every day for 4 hours a day.... if you run it about 8 hours every day double this number to $12.80 a month.

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● OWNER FAQ

Questions asked most by owners of the 705.

1) Should I upgrade my 5.1 channel speaker setup to 7.1?

It’s not required but this receiver does unlock more DSPs when you add 7.1 speaker channels to your setup. When you run formats like PLIIx even on 5.1 sources it fills out the 7.1 speakers with audio and it sounds good.

2) Why is the lip sync on everything I watch way out of timing? Is there any way to fix this?

PLEASE READ: (Not everyone experiences lip sync problems. If you are one of those individuals please skip this entire section, as making the changes described below could create a lip sync problem for those user. However, if you do already experience lip sync problems the methods described below are designed to get you back in proper sync. Just a side note, these methods are only "settings" tweaks and they are nothing damaging or permanent to the receiver. This aside is just to save some users extra work when they don't need to do these steps.)

This has become probably the most talked about question recently within many of these new receivers. All the Onkyo’s in this new series suffer from it even the 805 and 905. Even a few other new brands tend to have this problem too (including Denon). I wrote a very lengthy topic on how to correct it and make it near perfect if not totally perfect. If you take the time to read this and do everything in this it will help you’re a lot.

Guide on Correcting Onkyo Audio Sync Delay

Lip sync is a problem with all these new Onkyo receivers in this series, including the higher priced models. You will find owners within every single model level that both will and will not agree that there is indeed audio lag that gets introduced through this receiver. I think the reason for this variance of opinions isn't due to the fact that some people are more tolerant then others. I believe this is due to the fact that "some" source components create lag on their own to begin with and perhaps they were not overly visible before. (key word being "some" components, not all). However, after the receiver is installed the situation worsened to the point of VERY noticeable. I say this because on my cable box (even before this receiver) some HD channels via HDMI never created lag and some other ones were ALWAYS laggy. After the receiver they ALL became laggy and the bad ones became unbelievably BAD! So, I just want to clarify the problem DOES exist, but the extent of the problem is unique to each persons source equipment setup. (ex. Cable boxes, satellite boxes, tivos, consoles, dvd players, etc)

The good news is there are ways to fix this problem so that it is within a range that is tolerable and near perfect; Rather then something that is just angering to watch and listen to.

NOTE: Every input source mode you select on this receiver (ex. DVD, DVR, CBL, GAME, etc) each of these modes allow you to individually tweak the A/V sync unique to each source input. When you follow these steps below be sure to tweak the A/V settings for ALL of your difference modes. (Ex. PS3, Cable, Xbox 360, etc) They all produce unique audio lag and this receiver will remember different A/V Sync delay settings for each of these Video Modes.

Even if you experience lag using Analog and not HDMI, these steps below will come close to curing them.

○ Solution 1 (A/V Sync Adjustment)
This is the primary means by which you are going to fix this problem!

on the remote click "menu" and then select:
> 4. Source Setup > A/V Sync > (tweak this setting)

I was very angry at the delay when I 1st bought this receiver the 1st 2 weeks of ownership. Until I decided keeping everything at 0ms and being angry wasn't a solution! That is when I got serious about tweaking the lag to perfection. Since then, the lag is very unnoticeable on all my source.

Set up a A-B loop with someone talking (a close up camera shot of their mouth, saying a full length paragraph not one or two words.) You can set A-B loops with DVDs and you can also loop stuff with your TV DVR (if you own one). If you don't have a DVR cable/sat box then just watch a show that has someone talking a long time with a close up camera shot for the entire duration (cooking shows I found are perfect for A/V sync tweaking, so hop over to Food network HD).

NOTE: YOU WILL NEVER get the delay 100% perfect, you are only going to get it 99.9% of the way there! Be aware of this fact! You can easily blow past the "sweetspot" since you can never nail the delay perfectly. This is why you REALLY have to take your time! Really pay attention if the voice is ahead of the lips moving OR if the lips moving is ahead of the voice, this is a very fine line that can be hard to spot. If you are very patient and watchful, you will actually notice the point when the voice and lip movement reverse delay roles (1 before the other) in the opposite direction. THIS is when you want to keep that setting at that very point, cause its as close as you are going to get it. Trust me when you are done with A/V syncing all your equipment you will hardly notice lag like you are at the moment of doing these finite tests.

My advice is start at 0ms and work your way up 1 step upward at a time. Really analyze at every single step! Typically most things seem to sync up nice in the range of 0-80ms. Just be sure to play around with the entire delay range before giving up. If it doesn't work near 0ms you may need to jump it way higher.

Cable/Sat HDTV Sync TIPS:
I suggest when you set up your Cable or Satellite box that you pick a good non voice laggy "HD" channel (something that never lagged before you bought this new receiver). If you bought this receiver the same time as your tv, then plug the cable box directly to the tv and find a channel that seems like voices have no lip sync lag (or very little). This will become your "guinea pig" A/V sync testing base line channel to tweak your receiver to. I mention this because some channels where I live lag badly even when the I have box plugged directly into my tv's hdmi slot. If I attempted to voice sync just for that "bad" channel (which I did my 1st time doing this) all my other channels would be horribly out of sync. This is why you need to tweak the receiver to a good non audio lag channel. The good news is, that if you can A/V sync your receiver to this base-line channel, the lip sync matches up nicely on all the other channels. Even the really troublesome channels seem to be slightly improved. You just have to differentiate; is the lag coming from the "channel", or my receiver? Some channels will just always be out of whack. (TNT HD is notorious for this) I rather have the majority of my channels function correctly though instead of them all suffering for the one bad channel.

Game Console Sync TIPS:
Video games are the easiest to tweak the A/V sync. Just find a game that produces a sound when you press a button on the controller. You can adjust the A/V sync based on the delay between when you press the button, to the time when you hear the sound. So this is a very tactile and easy sound sync trick for consoles. (In some ways this is a lot like setting the ASIO midi delay speed of midi musical instruments like keyboards and drum machines, or those of you who are musicians too, with really bad setting you press the button and a 1/4 second later you hear the sound.)

PS3 as a Blu Ray movie player and a gaming console Sync TIPS:

PLEASE READ: (The following statements and recommendations are only applicable if you are experiencing the issues described within the paragraphs directly below. If you don't experience this dual sync issues on your PS3 just please skip over this section; as well as the section it refers to lower down the FAQ)

You may notice that ps3 has a dual personality when plugged in via hdmi with this receiver. You may notice blu ray movies play with no lip sync lag, but the video games on the ps3 do! (or vice versa) Here lies the dilemma. Since you can only tweak the A/V sync for the whole ps3, you have to chose which is more important for perfect sync. The video games or the movies?! The ultimate solution is just buy an external blu ray or hd dvd player and sync the ps3 for what it was made to do best (play video games). I myself use it to game and to watch movies. Thankfully I own a Xbox 360 and all the good games come out for that console and i find myself rarely playing PS3 anyway. (I am sure I would get flamed for saying that on the Sony boards) Anyhow, I sync my receiver to watch movies perfectly on the PS3; But, yes the games can sometimes get WAY out of whack with the current settings I have chosen. Its up for you to decide.

If you are someone who uses it for both you will find not all games requires 100% perfect lip sync. Only music games (like Rock Band) or lip sync close up cut scene games (like heavenly sword) will make this situation obvious. The rest of the time you will hardly notice. You may also notice not all games are out of lag when you sync up for blu ray movies. I have a few games that are in sync and some that are out of sync. (very strange I know)

I would suggest you pick one or the other; Pick whichever you do most (play games or watch movies), that will make you happiest.

UPDATE:
Please read the "BLU RAY & HD DVD FAQ" > "BLU RAY QUESTIONS:" section further down this page for new ways to get the best of both worlds with your PS3. We have discovered that you can have perfectly sync'd movies + games out of your ps3.

○ Solution 2 (Speaker Distance Trick) Use only for extreme lag situations
If you find you are at bottom end of the A/V adjustment range (at zero ms) and you still are not in sync and you are absolutely sure that you need to go lower then zero (try everything higher then zero 1st).. if all else fails try this option below.

on the remote click "menu" and then select:
> 2. Speaker Setup > Speaker Distance > (adjust these distances)

The original math for this concept I posted a while back and can be located here. http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showp...postcount=1636

For every 1 foot you add to these speakers you get approximately 1ms of reduced lip sync delay... ex. 10 ft = 10 ms. If you find that on some of your receivers mode settings you are at the extreme top or bottom end of A/V sync and you still cant get it perfect try this technique above. Please note that if you add 10 feet to 1 speaker add exactly 10 feet to all the speakers. What this is doing is tricking the receiver into thinking your speakers are further away then they actually are in reality and they compensate by playing sooner thereby reducing the delay even further then is allowed in A/V Sync. Please be mindful that the maximum speaker distance range this receiver allows you to set up for is 30 feet. If you decide you want to add 10 feet to all your speakers be sure you can add +10 for all of your speaker's settings without going over 30ft. on any of them. Just increase or decrease this distance accordingly for your setup.

Please note, that when you do this speaker distance increase, it is holistic for the entire receiver and not an individual mode option. If you do this you 'may' have to go back and re-compensate the A/V sync on some of your other modes that you already tweaked to perfection.

Lastly, I have tried this myself with a lot of experimenting. Even though increasing the speaker distance to near 30 feet distance provides the best overall A/V sync solution, it DOES come at a cost. The tonal quality of my playback seemed like it took a slight degradation when I increased the distance that far. You will have to be the judge of that for yourself. To me it wasn't a horrible quality decrease but it seemed noticeable enough for me to go back and reduce the distance I set to put some vibrancy back into my system. This Option in my opinion is a trade off, lip sync correction for listening quality. Its a tough choice so this is why I said use only for extreme situations. This distance trick may not have such a negative effect on all speaker brands. Be a judge for yourself before you rule this option out totally before trying it.

UPDATE: An Audyssey rep said that adding distance to your speakers wouldn't degrade audio sound. However, there may be more to why I hear a loss in quality other then Audyssey EQ. Perhaps the DSP's are augmenting the sound differently at greater distances in a negative way. If you do this method and find the quality is perfect please report it on the forum.. if you try this and you hear a degradation in sound quality please report that as well.

○ Solution 3 (Lip Sync) All your equipment must be HDMI 1.3 to get this feature!

*Update*
Users who have a pure 1.3 hdmi chain (TV, Receiver and Source) have reported how this feature functions.

The advantage of using this Lip Sync feature is that you know the delay required by the TV to eliminate lip sync problems. It does NOT give you a new adjustment option, just information. Unfortunately, its not clear how much delay is needed by the 705 itself in the various source connection scenarios. Because, of this its not very helpful and shouldn't be consider an option for correction.

on the remote click "menu" and then select:
> 7. Hardware Setup > HDMI > Lip Sync (switch this to enable)

now check for the following, select:
> 4. Source Setup > A/V Sync > "Lip Sync" feature will now be visible below "A/V Sync" (This reports the delay of the Lip Sync signal as a guide to adjust your A/V Delay with.)

3) Why does my Onkyo 705 make clicking noises?

Take the time to set all your Listening Modes to specific options and not the default. If you leave all your listening modes to default every time the audio format type changes as your flip TV channels your receivers hops around to different DSP modes.. So you will hear a clicking as the receiver is switching amplifier modes. I have most of my stuff set to PLIIx Movie so as I flip channels it always stays in that format and I don’t get click noises. Only time I still get a click is when I start up Blu Ray on my player as the player starts up before it gets to the menu.. After that no more clicks.

4) What are the secret key combinations to get to the extra features?

PLEASE READ FIRST:
Please note, all of the commands below are applied by using the buttons on the front panel of your receiver and NOT on your remote. In addition, the "secret" menu screens will only appear on the front display panel of your receiver, they will NOT show up on your TV.

How do I see the Temperature readout on this receiver?
1) Turn on Receiver
2) HOLD down the "Display" button and press "Standby" button once.
3) Release the "Display" button.
4) Now press the "Tone" button once
5) The temperature in Celsius and Fahrenheit will be displayed. These temperatures are being displayed in real time so you can leave this info on display for as long as you want to monitor the receivers temp.

How do I force the 705 to upscale video to 720p? (Also, other adjustable video settings)
1) Turn on Receiver
2) HOLD down the "Aux" button and press "Standby" button once.
3) Release the "Aux" button.
4) The LED display should read "Resolution: Auto." Locate the circular directional control pad to the left of the main volume knob. Use this circular directional pad and click "right or left" to change to select 720p or cycle through other settings you desire.
5) You can also use this circular directional pad and click "up or down" to cycle through other adjustable video options located in this hidden menu.

How do I know which firmware I have?
1) Turn on Receiver
2) HOLD down the "Display" button and press "Standby" button once.
3) Release the "Display" button.
4) Press the + or – keys to cycle forward and backward through all the firmware display pages.

Is there a way to store my settings before doing the Factory Reset Command?
(Warning: A user has reported this command failed and wiped there user settings. Only do this before you are about to do a Factory Reset so you have nothing to lose since there is a risk of wiping the settings with this command it it happens to fail.)
Save the settings with this command:
1) Hold down Setup & press enter twice. (It will say settings stored.)
Then when ready to restore your settings:
1) Hold down Setup and press return. (It should say settings restored.)

Is there a Factory Reset Command?
(Warning: You will lose ALL of your settings, labels, Audyssey, etc.)
1) Turn on Receiver.
2) HOLD down the "VCR/DVR" button and press "Standby" button once.
3) All your settings get manually cleared out.

Unknown test and monitoring commands (WARNING: Potentially dangerous to your equipment)
I discovered these playing around with various key combination. [If anyone knows what these do specifically, please let me know.] However, I would highly recommend you avoid experimenting with these commands any further unless you have official confirmation on what they do. They could prove hazardous to your equipment. Stick to the commands listed above .. they are safe to use and have known effects.

1) Game/TV+Standby = ?? (Displays a 1 followed by a lot of zeros, Purpose unknown)
2) CBL/Sat+Standby = ?? (Displays a ratio of some kind, Purpose unknown)
3) Return+Standby = ?? (Something thats being actively monitored, Purpose unknown)

4) CD+Standby = Speaker voltage & current protect mode test (CAUTION: DO NOT DO THIS WITH SPEAKERS ATTACHED. YOU MAY BLOW THEM OUT (One of our members blew his speakers experimenting with this command) I wont outline the steps required to go further with this test (more input is needed to enable the tests) just be warned not to mess with this one unless you truly know what your doing and have a purpose to perform this test.)

5) Is my receiver getting too hot? Do I have enough space? When does the internal fan turn on? Do I need to buy a fan?

Is my receiver getting too hot? Do I have enough space?
You should give your receiver plenty of elbow space around and especially above your receiver. If you have 0-3 inches room above your receiver only this is a red flag that you need to relocate your receiver or possibly add an after market fan to keep things cool. Use the temperature key combination trick (posted above in the FAQ) to find out what temperature you are currently running at. I recommend you run your receiver a few hours at normal listening volume to get an accurate impression of how much heat your receiver is producing (Both volume and duration will increase the heat.) Most users with low room above the receiver get about 125 degree F after a few hours of use. After buying a fan most users see a 20-25 degree temperature drop.

When does the internal fan turn on?

Do I need to buy a fan?
We have seen no cases of users here on the thread that said they had overheating problems (with or without use of fans). People have only purchased aftermarket fans to be proactive with possible over heating prevention. It shouldn't be thought of as a requirement as long as you give the manuals indicated space around the receiver.

If you do chose to buy a fan, place it laying flat on top of your receiver blowing up and out on the back right quadrant of the receiver where the air holes are. This is the receiver’s hotspot and responds best to cooling here. Internally there are fans inside the unit blowing up. If you buy an after market fan placed on top of the receiver blowing up also.. This helps vent the receiver in a single direction is much more effective (don’t face it blowing in).

There are lots of places to buy fans however a good number of us users have bought ones from this site. http://www.buyextras.com/cacoso.html They splice an AC/DC converter on them so you can plug them into the back of your receivers AC power outlet. As you turn on and off your receiver the fan will turn on it off along with it. I recommend getting one that suits the amount of space your have above your receiver and try to get one with the highest CFM that isn’t too loud. I personally opted for the 120mm ultra quiet variety some went for the dual fan pancake setup.

Troubleshooting: If you buy an external fan and it doesn't turn on and off with your receiver there is a way to correct this problem. Please refer to Question 11 of this FAQ for more details.

6) What’s the best sounding DSP?

This is totally subjective! However, quite a large number of users on this thread agree PLIIx is probably the all around best for watching TV and movies. I personally also love it for games. When it comes to music some people prefer Pure Audio, I prefer All channel Stereo (for full volume). Of course for True HD use True HD and DTS HD MA use DTS HD MA.

7) Why is my sub not working?

Make sure it is plugged into the Subwoofer PRE-OUT RCA jack, as opposed to the Subwoofer Input jack of the Multi Channel input section

8) How should i set the onboard controls on my sub?

Set the sub's phase as per manufacturer recommendations.
Set the sub's crossover as high as it goes (so only the receiver's sub crossover comes into play)
Set the sub's volume/gain control to halfway or less. After running Audyssey setup if the receiver has too much negative or positive level trim on the sub channel, you may want to re-adjust the sub's on board gain and re-run audyssey. The aim is to have the sub channel's speaker level on the onkyo around the same range as the other channels (ie if the onkyo has set the sub to +10 you know you must have the on board gain set too low and vice versa)

9) Why do my speakers make a hissing noise when I turn up the volume really loudly?

All amplifiers no matter how good the quality is are going to hiss when you crank up the volume to extreme levels. After all, it is an amplifier so it will amplify any noise in its signal path. Every little solder point on the receivers circuit board, every wire you use to interconnect components, it all introduces resistance that will end up coming out as noise. Obviously the better your amplifier quality is the less and less noise you will get (even 2000 dollar receiver will hiss at 100% volume). Very cheap receivers in 100-200 dollar range hiss like a rattlesnake even at 50% total volume level. We have found that this receiver doesn't start to produce any hiss until level 75-100 relative volume (At 75 you will not even notice it, at 100 it sounds like someone whispering loudly). Overall, this is a good quality receiver for the money, but its not immune to the laws of physics and of course is not privy to the best in class internal components cause of the price range.

NOTE: If this is not the problem and you are still getting a hiss at less then 75 volume then you need to look at your wiring. Its likely you are getting interference.

10) Why is there a loud hum in my sub?

This is a rare problem that some users have expressed concern over. I say rare because most people in this community do NOT have this problem. You 1st need to rule out all the obvious causes of hum like settings or grounding problems. Here is are interesting articles that talks about these issues.

http://www.cepro.com/article/electri..._fundamentals/
http://www.audioholics.com/tweaks/co...m-hum-and-buzz
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=322698

Here is a popular device thats being sold to stop ground loop hums. http://www.ebtechaudio.com/humxdes.html

If you are getting a loud hum in your subwoofer after buying this receiver and you have checked for all the obvious problems (sub settings, audyssey /eq tweaks, ground loop check, RFI/EMI, etc) then I would advise your use your 30 day exchange/money back policies and either try to get another 705 unit (in case its defective) or look into upgrading to the 805 or another receiver brand.

Here is some additional info from a 705 owner who had the hum issue and isolated what the issue was an found a way to diminish it.

11) My external fan is plugged into my receivers AC outlet and it doesn't turn off when I turn off my receiver! How do I fix this?

This seems to be a rare problem with all of the Onkyo receivers. Not everyone has this problem out of the box however for those who do there is an easy solution to fix it.

*Updated* New Easy way to fix this problem:
Go to you menu Setup and select > 7. Hardware > 5. HDMI > Control > Disable (set this to disable)
If it says enabled your fan wont turn on and off with your receiver so be sure to turn it to disabled.

12) What does matrix mean? How does it help me?

Some of your receiver's DSP's [Digital Signal Processors] have the ability to take the source audio of something your watching and allow it to fill all your surround sound speakers. This is called "Matrix". Whether you own a 6.1, 7.1 channel setup "matrix" allows audio to fill all your channels around your room even if your source audio is 5.1 channels.

All the 7.1 & 6.1 users can really appreciate this; MOST audio is only encoded for 5.1 channels so our far back channels are often dead silent. However, thanks to the use of matrix DSP's it can breath some life into them and put them to good use.

The following DSP's have the ability to Matrix:
Dolby Prologic IIx (PLIIx), THX Surround EX, Dolby Digital EX, DTS ES Matrix

On the Onkyo 705 not all of these DSP's are available for all users. If you have a 7.1 speaker setup ALL DSP's are available to you and enabled in all source scenarios. If you own 6.1 or 5.1 setup, less and less DSP's become available. Please reference your Onkyo 705 manual pages 67-70. The dark gray blocks means those DSP's are only available to 7.1 users, light gray blocks are for 6.1 & 7.1 and white blocks for everyone else.

Each of these matrix DSP's listed above have similar ways of using cross-channel encoding to create the back surround channel audio. These do not become true discrete channels they are for lack of a better term "fake". Many people here on forums prefer PLIIx Movie just because it gives a nice clean balance sound. People who use 6 channel setups can only access PLIIx Movie if the source audio is 2 channels, with 5.1 sources its not. This doesn't have to be the "go to" DSP though so don't feel left out if you have a 6 channel setup there are still other matrix-ing DSP's available to 6 channel users (all of the other ones listed above).

NOTE: A final note some users on this thread don't have subs, because they use large towers as there woofers instead. These users reported they still get access to these DSP's. So whether your have 7.1 or 7, you will get access to everything. If you have 6.1 or 6 you get access to everything the 6.1 users have access to.

13) Why can't I select PLIIx Movie when I have a 6 channel speaker setup?

PLIIx Movie requires a 7 channel speaker setup to become enabled when the "source" audio is 5.1 channels.

With 6 speakers setups you can only access PLIIx Music in all situations. PLIIx Movie is available to you but only but only when the "source" audio is 2 channels. If the source is 5.1 channels, 6 channel speaker users cannot access PLIIx Movie.

If you own a 6 channel speaker setup and still want to gain the advantages of "matrix" a 5.1 source into 6 speakers, PLIIx isn't your only option. Please experiment with THX Surround EX, Dolby Digital EX, and DTS ES Matrix, all of these will also matrix up sources into your 6 channels, they are also available to you with only 6 channels. Please read the question preceding this one for more information on Matrix.

14a) Can the 705 be firmware updated? Is there new firmware available for it?

PLEASE READ THIS LINK FOR THE MOST UP TO DATE INFO ON FIRMWARE UPDATES
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1016297

Currently there is new firmware available for download. However it only updates the DSP's. There is a full firmware update floating around the net you may have read about but nothing has been officially posted on Onyko's site yet. This DSP update fixes the DTS HD MA "gunshot" problem users have reported. If you are a user with a lossless bitstreaming player this update is very important to download to prevent the possibility of damaging your speakers.



The current "DSP" firmware versions are as follows:
DSPS 8051:08214A
DSPS 8052:07518A
DSPS 8053:07820B

If your DSP's are less then the versions listed above then this DSP update will be useful. The 1st DSP is the one that directly effects and solved the DTS HD MA gunshot problem.

How do I know which firmware I have?
1) Turn on Receiver
2) HOLD down the "Display" button and press "Standby" button once.
3) Release the "Display" button.
4) Press the + or – keys to cycle forward and backward through all the firmware display pages.

14b) Is there a way to know which version of firmware my unit has just looking at the serial number on the outside of the box?



15) What's the difference between PLIIx Movie and PLIIx Music?



16) How do I install banana plugs on this receiver?

Banana plugs install into the speaker terminals on the back of your receiver. The main purpose of these are allow for quick and easy installation or easy maintenance. Once you have installed the plugs onto the wires you can simply push these plugs into the back of your speaker terminals on the receiver. Please note that European models of the Onkyo 705 have caps over the ends of the speaker terminals to prevent the usage of Banana plugs. The reason they prevent you from doing this in Europe, is the banana plug shape is very similar to the shape of European 220v electrical outlet plugs. They don't want people accidentally electrocuting themselves plugging their banana plugs into the wall electrical socket instead of their receiver. (which children playing around might do) Therefore, if you live and Europe and own this receiver your safety laws prevent you from going this route.

Outside of easy/clean installation there are no gained advantages of using banana plugs. You will not hear any audible difference with or without these plugs. This mostly just comes down to the aesthetics.

Some wires companies (like monster cable) come pre-installed with banana plugs and rubber Y-Shape wire boots on pre cut speaker wire lengths. There are 2 kinds of "do it yourself" Banana plugs sold by many companies; the solder type and the screw type. These are installed onto the ends of stripped wire, the advantage is you can install them on any custom length of wire you choose.

Below are these 2 types sold by Monoprice. Typically you have to use between 12-18 gauge wire for banana plugs since there are limitations in the cuff size. Solder type banana plugs do not always require solder to install on a wire, but may be helpful to reduce resistance and make for a stronger grip. Below is a link showing you how to do it without solder. Installing 12 gauge wire on a "solder type" banana plug is possible but requires a little more stripping further up the wire to get them to insert far enough up the cuff to grip down on the screw.

Here is a link on how to install the solder type of banana plug onto your wire.
http://www.monoprice.com/manual/INST...NA%20PLUGS.pdf

The screw type of banana plug are self explanatory you just insert the stripped wire into the eyelet and screw it down.

Banana Plugs:
Solder Type: http://www.monoprice.com/products/pr...seq=1&format=2
Screw Type: http://www.monoprice.com/products/pr...seq=1&format=2

Here is a picture of Monoprice "Solder type" Banana Plugs installed on my Onkyo 705: (please note I didn't have to use solder and I used up to 12 gauge wire here)

Click to Enlarge


17) How do I turn off my TV speakers through the onkyo receiver?

HDMI SETUPS:
If you are sending an HDMI signal from your receiver to your TV you can turn off the audio coming out of your TV speakers via the options menu.

From the receiver menu select:
7. Hardware Setups > 5. HDMI > HDMI Audio Out (Turn this to "OFF")

By turning hdmi audio out to "off" you can stop the audio signal from leaving via the hdmi cable after it goes through the receiver. Only your receiver will play back audio (not your tv).

OPTICAL/ANALOG SETUPS:
If you are hooked up via optical or analog sources and route your video through the receiver you can basically just pass video from the receiver to the tv and don't pass any audio cable to it (this will block any audio going into the tv from the video source).

If you do not route your video through the receiver, just your audio gets routed to the receiver; depending on your setup you may still hear audio coming out of your TV. You still have other options if this happens. Some TV's have a "turn off TV speakers" option in the television menu (consults your TV's manual). In the event your TV does not have a way to shut the speakers off, you can always turn down the TV's volume to absolute zero, if worst comes to worst, this works just fine.

18) Why can't I see my Custom title on the Game/Tv input display?

This is a minor bug that I hope gets fixed in the 1st major firmware release. However, its not fully dysfunctional you can still see your custom label. Be sure you set "custom" display instead of default above the edited name you entered in the menus.

Now when you switch to Game/Tv it will still display the word "Game/TV" until the signal kicks in. Then after a brief pause it switches over to your custom title label. This is unlike all the other custom titles, that are visible as you switch through the inputs. Also, be sure to hit the "display" button on the receiver remote to cycle around between the title and info displays. (Try that technique if you are still unable to see the custom title display.) This really inst broken since it still works, but not being able to see it immediately is a minor annoyance.

NOTE: I have done a full factory reset and this doesn't fix this problem.. so save yourself the time and energy of redoing Audyssey, AV Sync, listneing modes, retyping name tags, etc etc.

19) How many video sources can the 705 support and are there any tips for assigning them?


20) Should I be cautious when playing DTS HD MA audio via lossless bitstream?

There was an issue an with older owners of the 705, when a user played a DTS HD MA encoded movie via lossless bitstream, it would create a random gunshot noise with certain movies. (other receiver brands had this problem as well). The gunshot noise produced could be damaging to your speakers. This was since cured in newer versions of this receivers DSP updates. If you are a new buyer of the 705 you likely have the latest firmware pre installed. However, all users should double check their DSP firmware just to make sure they have the latest update before proceeding with bitstreaming DTS HD MA into the receiver.

Please look at the "1st" DSP version on your receiver, the 1st DSP firmware version is the one that effects this issue.
How do I know which firmware I have?
1) Turn on Receiver
2) HOLD down the "Display" button and press "Standby" button once.
3) Release the "Display" button.
4) Press the + or – keys to cycle forward and backward through all the firmware display pages.

If your DSP is less this version "DSPS 8051:08214A" you are vulnerable to the DTS gunshot problem and a DSP firmware update will help you.

If you do need to update your firmware please refer to Question 14 above for instruction on where and how to install the firmware.

21) Why do I get audio pauses (drop outs) when I change sources or the DSP changes? Can I fix this?

The pause that you hear is the time it takes for your receivers DSP to go into effect after it changes from one DSP to another. There is NO way around that.

HOWEVER! There is a solution that will stop all the pauses you get from every single commercial/channel/show change. The solution is assigning listening modes to all point to 1 single common DSP (your favorite DSP)... Set these listening modes all to the same DSP....(2 channel/Dolby Digital/Analog-Pcm/DTS) if you assign all of these to the same DSP (example PLIIx Movie) you will greatly reduce all those silent pauses you get. Since your DSP never has to dance around every time a new commercial/show comes on. Commercials/Shows/Movies are all are going to have different ways the audio was mastered and if you don't assign all the DSP to a common denominator you will drive yourself nuts with all those pauses. You literally you could get a pause every time a new commercial/show/movie comes on if you don't do this.

Please note that just because your manually assigning all these listening modes to the same DSP, it doesn't prevent you from changing the DSP on the fly while you watch a movie/show (via the remote)... you can always change your DSP's whenever you get ready. All this does is keeps all the commercial/shows/movies using a common DSP so you can avoid the silent pauses.

IMPORTANT SIDE NOTE: Some users who do not have 7.1 channels are not able to gain access to the full list of DSP's for all listening modes. If you have 5.1 channels you may have a hard time assigning your favorite DSP to all the above listed listening modes. 5.1 channel users are still going to get pauses if they are not able to assign the exact same DSP to all listening modes. 7.1 channel users can assign PLIIx to all the above listed listening modes and get no pauses as a result.

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● BLU RAY & HD DVD FAQ

Questions asked most by people who own Blu Ray or HD DVD players and how they relate to receivers like the 705 and others receiver like the 705.

○ HI DEFINITION AUDIO QUESTIONS (HD DVD & BLU RAY)

1) Why don’t I see True HD and DTS HD MA light up on my receiver when I play Blu Ray and HD DVD movies?

If you own a some older series HD players, for example Blu Ray players (Ex. Playstation 3, Samsung 1200) / HD DVD player Toshiba A2, A20); those players are NOT designed to output in lossless bitstream (Hard to think those are outdated technology already but for this kind of usage they are!). If you own one of these players its decoding these HD audio formats internally (instead of sending the signal to the receiver to decode). When using these older players you should set your player to output in PCM. It will send this PCM data "predecoded" to your receiver and your receiver doesn't have to do anything but play it. Therefore, your receiver will not show True HD or DTS HD MA light up (because it’s already been predecoded inside your player already) You ARE still getting True HD/DTS HD MA even though your player decodes it you just are not having to use your receiver to do the decoding.

Only players like the ones outlined below in, HI DEFINITION AUDIO QUESTIONS> Question 5, send out lossless bitstream of "both" True HD and DTS HD MA to allow your receiver to decode it. Yes, if you own those players, you will see True HD/DTS HD MA display on the front of your receiver. These players allow your receiver to decode when your set them to bitstream output.

2) Is there a difference with letting my player decode vs letting my receiver decode?

Its a topic that has seen much heated debate in more threads that I can count on these forums.

The simple answer is no. A more complex answer is.. on the True HD side of things there isn’t much difference since most players decode True HD format inside the player. However, DTS HD MA has been the tricky format many players leave out of the decoding equation.

UPDATE: As of Playstation 3 firmware version 2.30 which is out now, the PS3 can internally decode DTS HD MA tracks and this is no longer an inconvenience for PS3 owners.

If you own a lossless bitstream player that send lossless bitstream out and allow your player to decode DTS HD MA on the receiver (like the ones outlined below in, HI DEFINITION AUDIO QUESTIONS> Question 5), then YES.. for those movies the audio will sound better. (But even then, if you own one of those new players, it can decode those formats internally as well.) In the end it’s a novelty to allow your receiver to decode vs letting your player decode. If there are any improvements to be heard, they are slight, not vast.

3) Whats lossless (raw) bitstream? Isn't all bitstreaming the same?

The simple answer is lossless bitstream allows your receiver to decode HD audio formats (True HD & DTS HD MA). Lossless Bitstream is also often referred to as Raw Bitstream.

If you have a player that does lossless bitstream then receivers like the 705 will be able to decode True HD and DTS HD MA and you will see those lights turn on the display in the front of the receiver.

If your player does not have lossless bitstream then you are sending a lossy signal to your receiver and allowing your receiver to decode that lossy signal. These are not True HD and DTS HD MA these are lossy core tracks that are provided along with the Hi Def signal for people who dont have a Hi Def audio player or a Hi Def receiver. This is less then ideal audio setting for people who own a 705.

Before the advent of Hi Definition audio formats if you owned a nice receiver bitstream was the way to make your audio shine. It allowed your receiver to decode formats that were not available if the player was set to PCM. After Hi Def audio there was a period of time that many players came out that only internally decoded these Hi Def formats and didn't allow lossless bitstream. Now only recently (with the latest players ONLY) bitstream has restored its former glory. With lossless bitstream once again you get to allow your receiver to do the decoding with no loss in audio quality when doing so. The only difference is a long time ago bitstream was the BEST way to go if you had a nice receiver. In this day and age with the latest lossless players and receivers like the 705 you can pick PCM or Bitstream and not notice much of a difference either way, the end results are similar.

4) I can't hear the audio in the special features section of my Blu Ray or HD DVD movies or any of the menu sound effects! How do I fix this?

If you own a lossless bitstream player (like the ones outlined below in, HI DEFINITION AUDIO QUESTIONS> Question 5) and have the player hooked up via HDMI and set the player to bitstream output, to allow your receiver decode HD audio formats, the problem is you cannot hear secondary audio tracks.

When you set your player to lossless bitstream output; you gain the advantage of allowing your receiver to decode HD audio formats instead of them being decoded inside your player (as you already know). However, the down side is you lose the ability to hear secondary audio tracks. These are typically can be menu sound effects and or special feature audio tracks found as bonus content on your discs. Unfortunately, the way to get these sounds to be heard again is set you player back to PCM output and allow your player to decode the audio again. This will allow you to hear those secondary audio tracks again. This happens on both Blu Ray and HD DVD. If you are a kind of user who enjoys the bonus content on your discs then you will be stuck switching back and forth between pcm and bitstream if you want the best of both worlds.

5) Does my player output lossless bitstream?

I will slowly compile a list of new players here that output lossless bitstream. All these players listed below allow your 705 receiver to decode HD audio formats (True HD and DTS HD MA), when the user sets these players output to "bitstream" you will see the appropriate decoding DSP display on the front of your receiver saying either True HD or DTS HD MA.

If you know of a new player coming out that isn't on this list that will support lossless bitstream please let me know i will add it to the list and give you credit for it in contributions section. Thanks In Advance!

Players that support lossless bitstream of both True HD and DTS HD MA formats:
LG BH200 [Blu Ray & HD DVD] True HD/DTS HD MA with latest firmware update
Samsung BD-UP5000 [Blu Ray & HD DVD] Lossless Bistreaming of True HD/DTS HD MA with latest firmware update (1.3 or later)
Samsung BDP-1400 [Blu Ray]
Samsung BD-P1500 [Blu Ray]
Panasonic DMP-BD30 [Blu Ray]
Philips BDP7200 [Blu Ray]
*NEW* Panasonic DMP-BD 35 [Blu Ray]
*NEW* Panasonic DMP-BD 55 [Blu Ray]
Denon DVD-3800BDCI [Blu Ray]
Denon DVD-2500BTCI [Blu Ray]
Pioneer Elite BDP-95FD [Blu Ray]
Toshiba A35 [HD DVD]
Toshiba XA2 [HD DVD] (Only if you have firmware v2.7 or higher)
Onkyo DV-HD805 [HD DVD]

If your player is NOT on this list, then your player does not support lossless bitstream.
For these users who do not have a lossless bitstream player keep your player set to Linear PCM output when playing (Blu Ray or HD DVD movies). This allows those formats to decode in your player and be sent as lossless PCM to your receiver. You get the same benefit as the lossless bitstream crowd if you do!

The following only applies to people who DO NOT have a lossless bitstream player:

There is only 2 instances when you want to turn off PCM and switch to your lossy bitstream output setting.
A) If you are playing older Standard Definition (SD) movies, it still gives you a benefit of setting your player to bitstream so you gain ability to decode Dolby Digital and DTS on your receiver.
B) Depending on your player type it may not support certain HD audio formats (ex. DTS HD MA) and in those instances the player replaces that audio with a lossy core track instead of the HD audio track. Because of this, it that may sound better by setting your player to lossy bitstream.
UPDATE: As of Playstation 3 firmware version 2.30 which is out now, the PS3 can internally decode DTS HD MA tracks and this is no longer an inconvenience for PS3 owners.


Educate yourself the best you can on the preceding FAQ topics listed above for more info and you will know the situations in which to use the correct settings.

6) Is there a list of the best quality soundtracks from movies?


○ BLU RAY QUESTIONS

1) I own a Playstation 3 and want to get the best sound possible with my Blu Ray movies what should my settings be?

Please be sure to read through Questions 1 and 2 in the "HI DEFINITION AUDIO QUESTIONS:" secrtion (above) to get a fuller understanding of how the Playstation 3 and other hi def players decode audio. I will assume you are up to speed with that information in the things I am talking about next.

For nearly all situations setting your Playstation 3 to PCM output is going to be the best setting for great HD audio. When you select PCM during movie play back your receiver will likely say Multichannel on the front display (if you didn't change listening modes). Multichannel is normal and YES, you are getting True HD and uncompressed PCM audio playback (your PS3 is doing the decoding work, not the receiver, this is why the receiver gives a generic read out.)

Turning on PCM:
To select Linear PCM on the PS3; Play a Blu Ray movie then during playback of the movie, click the "Triangle" button, then select the "AV Settings" icon from the popup menu (looks like 2 sliders), "Audio Output Options" you can select (Linear PCM) or (Bitstream).

5.1 Home Theater Setups:
If you only have a 5.1 speaker set up for your home theater you never have to change your receivers DSP to anything other then Multichannel, this will be your best setting forever on the Onkyo 705 itself. ALL Blu Ray movies are at the very minimum made for 5.1 audio. However, please note; that if you play older Standard Definition (SD) movies, it still gives you a benefit of setting your player to bitstream so you gain ability to decode Dolby Digital and DTS on your receiver.

6.1 & 7.1 Home Theater Setups:
If you own a 6.1 or 7.1 speaker setup for your home theater and you look on the back of your blu ray disc box and the movie says 5.1 channel and you want to "matrix" the audio up to 6.1 or 7.1 channels, you need to switch your DSP to something like PLIIx (anything with the x or ex monikers will do this... ex. Thx Surround EX, Dolby Digital EX and DTS ES Matrix). These will fill in those other (1 or 2) extra speakers even though the sound track is only 5.1. If you leave it on multichannel and the original track is only 5.1 it will stay at 5.1. If you have a Blu ray movie that has a soundtrack create in 6.1 or 7.1 channels (it will say on back of the box) then you may choose to leave it on multichannel and just let the original soundtrack do its job filling all your channels.

What format are you getting? How many channels?
Playstation 3 will send up to 7.1 channels of audio over hdmi. Your receiver is never going to tell you this is happening. The only way you will know is if you click info on the PS3 you will see what kind of audio it is decoding internally. To find out what audio format and how many channels your PS3 is decoding click the "Select" button during movie playback, at the top you will see what its doing. (Ex. Dolby TrueHD 7.1 Ch. 48Hz 4.5 Mbps)

DTS HD Master Audio & the Playstation 3:
UPDATE: As of Playstation 3 firmware version 2.30 which is out now, the PS3 can internally decode DTS HD MA tracks and this is no longer an inconvenience for PS3 owners.

Now that the PS3 can internally decode DTS HD MA you want to keep your ps3 set to Linear PCM for best hi def audio quality of this format.

DTS Core (The "Lossy" DTS signal PS3 owners get if you set your player to bitstream):
At the heart of DTS HD Master Audio signal is an additional DTS Surround Sound Core track, this is the lossy version you are hearing when you play back DTS MA movies on your Playstation 3 using bitstream. DTS Core is actually very similar to the old school standard DTS signal (only up to 1.5 Mbps max). This is a far cry from the bandwidth of the Hi Def audio formats. DTS Core is also limited to a maximum of 6.1 channels only so you can't get 7.1 channel playback when DTS Core is in effect. Your forced to use your receiver to matrix that extra channel up to 7.1. Before the DTS HD MA patch on the ps3 this used to be what we heard all the time for dts hd ma movies. Now just be sure to keep you ps3 set to linear pcm output to get the hi def full version of dts hd ma track.

For more information on DTS Core please visit this link http://www.dtsonline.com/dts-hd/bett...d-tomorrow.php

2) Why won't my Playstation 3 allow my receiver to decode HD audio formats for me? Will it ever be able to?

Please be sure to read through Questions 1 and 2 in the "HI DEFINITION AUDIO QUESTIONS:" section above as well as the question preceding this one. You will need to have an advanced understanding of bitstream vs lossless bitsream vs PCM, also how HD audio formats getting decoded in the player vs the receiver.

Even though Playstation 3 is HDMI 1.3 device it doesn't mean its privy to the full list of 1.3a spec of capabilities. Sony cut a very early deal for a proprietary version of the Silicon Image Vastlane chipset (the 9132). The Vastlane chipset is the brain of HD audio and HD video used among many companies. After the PS3 came out Silicon Image released a (possibly revised) public version of that chipset used in Ps3, this newer chipset is the Vastlane 9134. These latest versions are used for players such as Toshiba A35 and Samsung BDP1400. Even to this day a year later, the new ps3's still use the older proprietary 9132 model.

The PS3 was the 1st 1.3 hdmi kid on the block. The Vastlane 9132 chip was made proprietary for Sony to use in the PS3 and is not sold to the public (other companies). Also, its "official" specs are not listed for the public on any known website. However, If you read the financial report from Silicon Image from the time frame (google this) when the playstation 3 came out you see the Ps3 chipset listed with specs (simple specs, but specs never the less). These specs do not mention handling of the latest HD audio formats at all.

To the best of anyones knowledge here on AVS forums and around the net this is the breakdown of this series of Vastlane Chips

SI Vastline 9132: (Gaming Transmitter) Supports Deep Color but not the latest high-quality audio formats.
SI Vastline 9133: (Dual Input Receiver) Enables HDTV's to display Deep Color but does not support the latest high-quality audio formats.
SI Vastline 9134: (Dual Input Transmitter) Same abilities as the 9133 with additional support for the latest high-quality audio formats.

Here are screenshots of a PS3 ripped apart showing the 9132 chipset http://avsforum.com/avs-vb/showpost....4&postcount=46

The SI Vastlane 9134 is whats getting used in these new players (like BDP1400 for example) Here is a screenshot of the Samsung BDP 1400's Vastlane chip http://avsforum.com/avs-vb/showpost....9&postcount=32 as you can see its a 9134.

So does this all mean PS3 can NEVER output lossless bitstream audio?

No one can definitively say Ps3 will or wont be able give us lossless bitstreaming in the future all we know is right now it Can't. Also, there are not even the least bit of rumors from sony that it will ever be able to.

The firmware debate:
If Sil 9132 can't do lossless bitstreaming due to hardware limitations there is much debate is out there over whether or not ps3 can be firmware/software patched to reprogram the Silicon Image vastlane 9132. Honestly, no one knows. If Sony can find some slick software approach to get around this who knows (which no one is even sure is possible with this kinda of chip). I am sure it would require a lot of time and effort and why would Sony invest all that money when the general public doesn't even know about HD audio formats much less wanting to allow your receiver to decode them vs the player. This is a confusing topics for seasoned pros much less the general consumer.

The hardware debate:
Some users argue that sony could simply install a 9134 in the latest units if the old 9132 couldn't do lossless bitstream. They conclude that since they don't install the 9134 in the newest ps3's, then the 9132 must be able to do lossless bitstream. Thats quite a leap in logical thinking as to why sony isn't updating that chip. First, I dont think sony has a marketing requirement to allow users to have lossless bitstreaming its not a major selling point of the PS3. Also there could be other factors; It's possible the 9134 may not even be usable in the ps3 in the same was the 9132 is being used. If that was the case, Sony would have to contract out the development of an entirely new and updated chipset from Silicon Image. This would cost so much I am sure the cons out weight the benefits.

My thoughts on all this are; if the SI 9132 had functionality and it was there to turn on, then we would likely already have it. Especially, when they enabled bitstream output in that patch few months back. That combined with the 9132's early release, I got a strong hunch that chip simply can not do it. I would say that if we don't see lossless audio bitstreaming come with the patch that gives us DTS HD MA decoding, we likely will never see it. But still, no rumors of lossless bitstream. (Update: The 2.30 DTS HD MA audio firmware is now out.. and still no sign of a lossless bitstream being made available on the PS3) If there isn't a huge demand for lossless bitstreaming why ever invest the manpower to figure it out.


3) Is there a way to A/V Sync both movies and games on the PS3 so that it doesn't have a dual personality?

PLEASE READ: (The following statements and recommendations are only applicable if you are experiencing dual sync issues on your PS3. If you don't experience this dual sync issues on your PS3, just please skip over this section)

Please be sure to read the "OWNER FAQ" question > "2) Why is the lip sync on everything I watch way out of timing? Is there any way to fix this?", further up the post to learn how to A/V Sync properly on the 705 receiver before or after reading this section. If you don't know how to Sync yoru receiver properly it will be hard to every get the timing perfect.

Outlined below are certain tweaks that require extra work before you watch movies or play games. However, the end result is perfect audio sync while playing games or playing movies for those willing to go that extra mile. Below are 4 options. My personal favorite is 3, depending on you setup and tastes you could easily use option 1 or 2 or 4. Option 1 and 2 require the use of extra wires to achieve the end result. The idea with option 1 and 2 are to use two separate source input buttons on the receiver and tweak the A/V delay perfect for each of them. One for ps3 setting for movies and one for ps3 games. Using pure hdmi for blu ray movies (in all 3 options) and using combinations of optical audio for playing games (for options 1 and 2). In addition, to switching the source input on the receiver you need to tweak menu options on receiver and or ps3 to get it to work for both input source on the receiver. Because games don't use the same kind of uncompressed audio tracks that blu ray movies use, using an optical cable for audio is a viable option that will still sound great. Option 4 is very easy to set up and you get the best of both world and going hdmi all the way. However, you lose 2 hdmi in slots on the receiver and you have the cost of buying a hdmi switch.

Having said that I am sure you realize this requires effort. Option 2 is by far requires the most effort. I prefer option 3 because at the end of the day my patience is worn pretty thin and last thing I want to do is fiddle with silly menus. I would consider option 4 if I didnt have to lose 2 hdmi in slots on the receiver.

Anyhow, good luck and I hope these help!


Option 1:
HDMI (for movies) vs HDMI video+Optical Audio (for games)
I would like to thank "eliwankenobi" on these forums for coming up with the option 1 concept. You already know how to use hdmi through the receiver and ps3. Just keep doing that the way you always did for movies. On the video game side you going to use a combo of optical cable and hdmi video only. For the examples below I will use the following receiver inputs on my 705 (for your setup use any 2 that you chose) I will use "DVD" input for the ps3 blu ray movies and "Game/TV" input for the ps3 games. After your have set everything up please be sure to sync each separate source up using the techniques listed above in the main topic. For this option you will need to own an optical (toslink) cable.

On 705 Receiver Menu: (change this every time playing MOVIES or GAMES)
In the 705 menus you can assign an optical input combined with a hdmi video input... then in the ps3 menu go to audio options and select audio output and select optical... now you can hear optical audio from ps3 with the same hdmi video input.
1. Input/Output Assign > HDMI Input > (unassign the ps3's hdmi input from your old source and reassign it to the new source your going to use) example: if DVD is where you have your ps3....(DVD: IN 3)... turn this off "---" Then reassign it to the new input your going to use like Game/TV: IN3. Just remember to switch this feature back and forth when you switch your receiver input source button from DVD to GAME/TV or you will not see anything.

On 705 Receiver Menu: (change this 1 time, during 1st time setup)
Another 705 menu tweak(you only need to set this portion up one time ever) Assign optical input to the same input you are going to use for the ps3 "game" input .. again as an example ill use Game/TV.
1. Input/Output Assign > Digital Input > Game/TV: OPT 1 (or OPT 2 whichever you use) You never have to set this feature again.

On PS3 menu: (change this every time you play GAMES)
Go to the "Settings" menu on the XMB and scroll down to "sound settings".. then select "audio output settings" ...then select Digital Out (optical) ...then check mark the following options (dolby digital 5.1 ch, dts 5.1 ch) the confirm. Now you have optical audio output you can use for video games. When you want to watch movies you need to switch back to pure HDMI output again read below to do that.

On PS3 menu: (change this every time you play MOVIES)
Go to the "Settings" menu on the XMB and scroll down to "sound settings".. then select "audio output settings" ...then select HDMI ...then select "Automatic" ...then confirm. Now you have HDMI audio output again you can use for movies.

PROS:
-You are not degrading video performance since you use hdmi video for both games and movies.
-2 Separate input buttons on your receiver can each be manually A/V delay tuned to perfection and you never have to change the sync again.

CONS:
-This receiver doesn't allow you to assign the same hdmi input to 2 different input selections. Because of this, you will need to shift HDMI input from source A to source B on the receiver every time you want to play a game or watch a movie back and forth.
-Also, you cant escape having to go into ps3 menus to flip it from hdmi audio out to optical out (and back again.)

Option 2:
HDMI (for movies) vs. Component + Optical (for games)
It seems some people in the ps3 side of the forums here on AVS use this option a lot for getting dual sync correction. For the examples below I will use the following receiver inputs on my 705 (for your setup use any 2 that you chose) I will use "DVD" input for the ps3 blu ray movies and "Game/TV" input for the ps3 games. After your have set everything up please be sure to sync each separate source up using the techniques listed above in the main topic. For this option you will need to own an optical (toslink) cable. Also, you will need to AV MULTI SCART plug that came with your ps3 (its the analog A/V cables). However, if you get serious about this option I would recommend you buy the AV MULTI SCART "Component" cables so the graphics look better and you can pull off higher resolutions. The "component" cables are sold seperately.

Once you have the AV SCART + Optical cables plugged into the back of the ps3 (yes you can have both hdmi + optical + AV SCART all plugged in at the same time.

On PS3 menu: (change this every time you play GAMES)
Go to the "Settings" menu on the XMB and scroll down to "sound settings".. then select "audio output settings" ...then select Digital Out (optical) ...then check mark the following options (dolby digital 5.1 ch, dts 5.1 ch) the confirm. Now you have optical audio output you can use for video games. When you want to watch movies you need to switch back to pure HDMI output again read below to do that.

On PS3 menu: (change this every time you play GAMES)
Go to the "Settings" menu on the XMB and scroll down to "display settings".. then select "video output settings" ...then select "AV MULTI/SCART" .. then select y Pb/Cb Pr/CR (if you have the component A/V cables)... then confirm changes. Please note that the second you confirm changes it will switch the video output from HDMI to the AV so you are going to lose your video signal.. switch over on the receiver input to the button you assign to games.

On PS3 menu: (change this every time you play MOVIES)
Go to the "Settings" menu on the XMB and scroll down to "sound settings".. then select "audio output settings" ...then select HDMI ...then select "Automatic" ...then confirm. Now you have HDMI audio output again you can use for movies.

On PS3 menu: (change this every time you play MOVIES)
Go to the "Settings" menu on the XMB and scroll down to "display settings".. then select "video output settings" ...then select "HDMI" .. then select Automatic... then confirm changes. Please note that the second you confirm changes it will switch the video output from AV to the HDMI so you are going to lose your video signal.. switch over on the receiver input to the button you assign to movies.

The receiver only requires a 1 time menu option tweak.

On 705 Receiver Menu: (change this 1 time, during 1st time setup)
Assign optical input to the same input you are going to use for the ps3 "game" input .. again as an example ill use Game/TV.
1. Input/Output Assign > Digital Input > Game/TV: OPT 1 (or OPT 2 whichever you use) You never have to set this feature again.

If you are going to route HDMI through the receiver and convert it to HDMI out (warning you will downgrade your video to a maximum of 720p if you do this.
1. Input/Output Assign > Component Video Input > Game/TV: IN 1 (or IN2, IN3 whichever you use) You never have to set this feature again.

The alternative is just route the component cables directly to your tv and the audio optical cable to your receiver.

PROS:
-2 Separate input buttons on your receiver can each be manually A/V delay tuned to perfection and you never have to change the sync again.
-Only option that doesn't require changing menus on receiver.

CONS:
-No receiver menu tweaking, but arguable more menu tweaking on the ps3 menu side.
-Some tv's don't accept 1080p video over component so a few games wont be there best.
-Some people prefer only 1 hdmi cable to there tv, if you route component through the receiver you get downgraded to 720p.

Option 3
A/V Sync Changing
After experimenting with option 1 and 2 to see how and if they work while writing this FAQ, I realized there is a very simple alternative and thats where this option 3 came from. This requires no special wires or special setups. But sadly still does requires a lil menu tweaking every time you want to swap between games or movies. But its the least tweaking of all 3 options.

This option is just simply to go to the Receivers menu
4. Source Setup > A/V sync > (and adjust the numbers)

I recommend you sync perfectly to a blu ray movie.. then write down what the ms timing was on paper somewhere. Then play a game and sync up perfectly for that and again write that info down (on the same sheet of paper ) Now you dont need to mess with the cabling.. HDMI for both the A/V for both games and movies. All you need to do is just reference (or memorize) those 2 sets of numbers and flip it to the correct setting just before you watch a movie or play a game.

PROS:
-Sync-ing is correct for both movies and games.
-The least amount of menu tweaking only requires 1 single change (quickest option)
-Only option that doesn't require changing menus on PS3
-No fear of audio or video degrading since you are using hdmi for both games and movies.

CONS:
-You still need to mess with those damned menus!!!

Option 4
Dual HDMI cables from the ps3 using an HDMI switcher


○ HD DVD QUESTIONS

1) Does the XA2 player output lossless bitstream?

Only if downloaded the latest firmware version 2.7 or higher.



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● AUDYSSEY/SETUP FAQ


(Please forward all comments pertaining to this previous section to Jeremy Anderson)

If you wish to know more about Audyssey please read the following also.



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● TOP 10 ONKYO RECEIVER SETUP MISTAKES


(Please forward all comments pertaining to this previous section to kplex)

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● INFO, LINKS & TOOLS

Websites, Accessories, Tips, Guides, Information and More!

1) Do you have any links to help me better understand some of the DSP technology behind my receiver?

If anyone wants to better understanding some of the Onkyo DSP's and settings, these links are a good read.

Neural-THX Surround (Reported as Link dead but www.thx.com is also not working either, they may be rebuilding their website)
http://www.thx.com/technologies/neural.html

THX Re-EQ (This is a setting on the Onkyo) (Reported as Link dead but www.thx.com is also not working either, they may be rebuilding their website)
http://www.thx.com/technologies/reeq.html

DTS HD
http://www.dts.com/dts-hd/

Dolby TrueHD
http://www.dolby.com/consumer/technology/trueHD.html

Dolby Digital EX
http://www.dolby.com/consumer/technology/dolby_ex.html

Dolby Pro Logic IIx (this reads as PLIIx on our receivers)
http://www.dolby.com/consumer/techno...logic_IIx.html

Dialogue Normalization (Talks about Dolby Digital's Metadata)
http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/volum...on-6-2000.html

There are many more Dolby related DSP links worth reading on that Dolby page site. I will let you guys dig through these sites further if you’re interested. Whenever you see EX or X after the DSP name it means it’s the "extra channel" variation of that DSP... for 6.1 and 7.1 setups.

2) Do you have any links to tools/wires/accessories/meters that will be helpful to me with setting up or using this receiver?

METERS

Kill-A-Watt Meter
This meter is great for finding out if you are overloading your circuit and putting your house at fire risk. Even though most modern household circuit breakers can handle up to a 20 amp load, the rule of thumb is don't overload it to the point of 20 amps. Typically you ant to allow 80% elbow room between for fire safety reasons. This meter is great for finding that kind of information out. It's also handy to monitor how much power consumption you use on a daily basis with your current setup. They can be bought cheaply at amazon.com and various other online retailers for 20-30 dollar range.
http://www.p3international.com/produ.../P4400-CE.html

Sound-Level Meter
This is an invaluable tool if you are serious about tweaking your home/car stereo. This link is to a common digital display model sold at Radio Shack.
http://www.radioshack.com/product/in...vRjATWwJ4V.O2w

Update: (Link for Canadian users to buy this device)
http://www.sonicboomaudio.com/Produc...?ProductID=538

MultiMeter
Whenever you work with electronics it always pays to have a nice multimeter handy when you need to troubleshoot a problem. (Ex. You are not getting audio to one of your speakers. This kind of meter would tell you if you are outputting power from your receiver. Or you could diagnose if there is a short along a speaker wire or component cable.) There are many brands out there from cheap to expensive. Better Multimeters have better functionality that will allow you to determine things like True RMS power on your receiver and be able test resistance of cables, etc. I cant recommend anything (cheap), but mostly all of them will get the job done for simple tasks if you are not using them seriously on a daily basis. Search radioshack and amazon for the best reviewed meters that fit your price range.
http://www.radioshack.com/search/ind...ultimeter&sr=1

CABLES

Monoprice.com
Monoprice is a great value if you are in the market for HDMI cables, speaker cable, component, optical, you name it. There quality rivals Monster Cable at 1/5 the cost. Many AVS forum users respect this company quite a bit as do I.

Below I took to the time to link some of my personal favorites and their highest quality versions of each item:

HDMI 1.3a Cables:
3 Foot: http://www.monoprice.com/products/pr...seq=1&format=3
6 Foot: http://www.monoprice.com/products/pr...seq=1&format=2
15 Foot: http://www.monoprice.com/products/pr...seq=1&format=2

Component Cables:
3 Foot: http://www.monoprice.com/products/pr...seq=1&format=2
6 Foot: http://www.monoprice.com/products/pr...seq=1&format=2

RCA Audio Cable:
3 Foot: http://www.monoprice.com/products/pr...seq=1&format=2
6 Foot: http://www.monoprice.com/products/pr...seq=1&format=2

Optical Cable:
3 Foot: http://www.monoprice.com/products/pr...seq=1&format=2
6 Foot: http://www.monoprice.com/products/pr...seq=1&format=2

Sub-woofer Cable:
6 Foot: http://www.monoprice.com/products/pr...seq=1&format=2
12 Foot: http://www.monoprice.com/products/pr...seq=1&format=2
25 Foot: http://www.monoprice.com/products/pr...seq=1&format=2

Banana Plugs:
Type 1: http://www.monoprice.com/products/pr...seq=1&format=2
Type 2: http://www.monoprice.com/products/pr...seq=1&format=2

Speaker Cable: (The lower the Gauge the thicker the cable)
100 Foot (12 Gauge): http://www.monoprice.com/products/pr...seq=1&format=2
100 foot (14 Gauge): http://www.monoprice.com/products/pr...seq=1&format=2

TOOLS

GB SE-94 Wire Stripper
I have used all sorts of wire strippers over the years, but these are my favorite for last 10+ years and they STILL are being sold and are popular. They are automatic strippers, so all you do is lay the wire between its teeth and squeeze the handle and it strips the jacket off the wire for you. One side of teeth bites down and holds the wire jacket in place, the other side of teeth bite "into" the wire jacket and pulls it back off the wire for you. I love these in particular (over other automatic wire strippers), because you will be amazed how far up the wire you can strip and still get the jacket to pull back. They are good for 10-26 Gauge wire and make quick easy work of stripping wire with little to no effort and no damage on the internal wire (this is other reason I love them no internal wire damage during stripping). You can also use this tool as a crimper. They have stood the test of time in my tool chest and work like they did when I bought them brand new. I highly recommend them.
http://www.amazon.com/GB-SE-94-Autom.../dp/B00004WLL0

GB EFT-22P Cable Snake
If you are a do-it-yourselfer type of person and finding the need to run cables down the inside of your walls, (ex: wall mounted speakers or Flat Screen HDMI cables) this tool makes like easier. Its a cable fish that allows you to fish through inside your walls. You can then drag the speaker/hdmi cable from Hole A to Hole B. This is particularly helpful for horizontal cable runs, but it also makes life easy for vertical cable drops.
http://www.amazon.com/GB-EFT-22P-Cab.../dp/B000ET29U6

Black & Decker BDL190S BullsEye Auto-Leveling Interior Line Laser
Again, this is for the do-it-yourselfer's out there. If you are wall mounting your surround speakers this tool is invaluable and affordable. It helps you keep all your speakers in a straight line around the room. It also has a build in Stud/AC power/Pipe detector which will come in handy when mounting your speakers. B&D makes a several versions of this line laser (cheaper and expensive). However, this suits the simple purposes of required for surround sound speaker mounting.
http://www.amazon.com/Black-Decker-B.../dp/B000B8LLH2

UNIVERSAL REMOTES

Logitech Harmony 880/890
This is only a recommendation that become popular amongst owners of the 705 in our previous thread. For those looking for a new universal remote that will work with this receiver and literally everything else in your house. It allows you to program the universal remote with an online driven software (via usb on your computer) that accesses a database of nearly every known remote code for everything in your house. It also has a easy to use learning function, macros, and its activity based. The best part of this remote is you get all this in a light weight rechargeable hand sized remote. (Very small not bulky at all). This can be purchased on amazon.com or local stores like costco for around 120-125 dollars.
http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/re...s/372&cl=us,en

Logitech Harmony One
This is the latest remote from Logitech. I recently bought one myself and i love it. It combines the touchscreen of the Harmony 1000 with the smaller handheld size of the other remotes. It also combines the hard button design of other Haromony series remotes. The buttons are a lot easier to feel around for in the dark and is a nice improvement over the design of the 880 series.
http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/re.../3898&cl=us,en

Logitech Harmony 1000
If you prefer a touch screen 2 hand version of the remote listed above, they also sell the Logitech Harmony 1000
http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/re...s/373&cl=us,en

HT ACCESSORIES

Home Theater Accesory Websites
If you are very serious about home theater and are looking for some places to buy unique accessories for your theater; I came across a few websites in my Google searches I can share. These stores sell everything from Theater Seating, Concession/Popcorn stands, Poster/Marquee Signs, Lighting/Starfields and much much more.
http://www.cinemashop.com
http://www.stargatecinema.com

3) What is ClubOnkyo and where do I sign up?

No, Club Onkyo isn't a dance club! It's just a customer loyalty reward program for users of Onkyo products.

You can sign up here for free.
http://www.clubonkyo.com/reward_earn.cfm

If you register your receiver you can link you Club Onkyo account before by going to this link.
This gives your Club Onkyo account some more earned points.
http://www.us.onkyo.com/portfolio_choose.cfm

Earning Points:
Earn 10 points by becoming a member of Club Onkyo by completing the online form
Earn 5 points when you Register your Onkyo product on our product registration page
Earn 5 points when you Review your Onkyo product on our customer reviews page
Purchase great Onkyo products from our Online Store and you will receive Onkyo points equal to 5% of the subtotal of your order.
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Message and Request to thread regular visitors:
The FAQ and Guides posted above are a COMMUNITY effort. We have pulled together our knowledge and time to create something that helps the new comers and experts alike. This is built for all of us and I would like to treat this thread as a permanent work in progress. Anyone who has something valuable to add to this FAQ/Guide please feel free to send me a private message (to avoid spamming this thread with correction and addition posts). I would like to keep the posts on this thread clear for questions and help not covered on this above guide.

I will do my best to update this thread whenever I have free time available. I numbered each bullet point and labeled each section, so please just reference the number and section name if you want to post a correction to something currently posted or make an addition. (For example say, I have a correction for Buyer FAQ question 5, changed xxxx to yyyy) (Or say, I have a new question for OWNER FAQ add, xyz) This will make it easier for me to implement changes or additions.

You will be given credit for ALL your additions, corrections and contributions in section below.

Thank you again everyone for helping make this 705 community something great.

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FAQ Contributor Special Thanks
I want to give a special thanks to people in this community who took the time to keep this FAQ accurate, up to date and poignant. Below is a list of these contributors in no particular order along with a brief description of their contribution.

scarecrow420: Recommended a new post title, Added Australian pricing; Buyer FAQ Q1 | Rewrote Q7 in Buyer FAQ | Added Q9 & Q10 in Owner FAQ |Correction Owner FAQ Q6 | Reported new lossless bitstream player, Reported player list correction update for Hi def Q1, 2, 4 | Wrote Q19 owner FAQ | advised a new lossless bitstream player. | New addition to comparison of 605 vs 705. | Helped to further clarify firmware details | mentioned Samsung bdp1500 for lossless bitstream list
Jeremy Anderson: Wrote the FAQ section labeled "Audyssy/Setup FAQ".
kplex: Wrote Top 10 Onkyo Receiver Setup Mistakes section | Added a link to an Dialogue Normalization Article in Info section, Link to Audyssey CTO & Founder discussion thread.
mrgribbles: Informed me of a setting storage command on discovered on another thread. | Informed me of a DSP firmware update and file. | Informed everyone to take caution about CD+Standby hidden test command.
kinglerxt: Informed me of a potential DTS HD MA lossless bitstream issue...Added this issue to Q20 Owner FAQ | Added Q6 BLU RAY & HD DVD FAQ | found change log typo | offered corrections tips in Q14, links to a 606vs705 section | added Owner Q14b
csrini1: Typo correction; Buyer FAQ Q6
DrewM: Discovered a broken url; Information Q1, Requested answer to Q13 of Owner FAQ
Artslinger: Added a link to Owner FAQ Q12
Rambler358: Suggest I added XA2 to list of lossless bitstream players
djoberg: Corrected a section in Q5, Hi Def Audio Questions
Saul: Added Canadian pricing; Buyer FAQ Q1
tmu77: Updated with firmware install options list on Q14 Owner FAQ
brettbee: Letting me know the Europe Safety standards Q16 Owner FAQ
LesMoss: Informed me of true facts of Lip Sync feature with 1.3 HDMI chain for solution 3 of Q2 Owner FAQ
eliwankenobi: Informed me of alternative methods of dual AV syncing the ps3.
skid71: Informed me of new lossless bitstream player for the list.
Mudweizer: Provided easier solution for for Question 11 Owner FAQ
larryis1: Provided easier solution for for Question 11 Owner FAQ (I missed earlier post of this correction so adding out of respect)
grider: Provided link for Canadian users to buy sound level meter
aakrusen: Let me know a week in advance about the upcoming Playstation 3 firmware version 2.30 'DTS HD MA' release.
4mula1: Informed me of 2 broken links and a new lossless bitstream player.
Crowza: Tested and confirmed the Samsung BDUP5000 player lossless bitstreaming works with True HD/DTS HD MA now.
Jerm357: Tested and experimented with the internal fans "turn on and turn off" temps
ahender: Gave me updated new unit price

CHANGE LOG:
12/11/08: Update Lossless Bitstream Player List
12/9/08: New Unit Price Change
12/1/08: Updated Firmware Section
6/24/08: Added a warning to take caution about CD+Standby hidden test command.
6/14/08: Slight update on USA pricing info, enhanced topics in bold type.
6/4/08: Added internal fan turn on and turn off temps on Q5 OWNER FAQ (also reworded question and repositioned and rewrote content to be easily read with new changes)
6/3/08: Added new Samsung bdp1500 player to lossless bistreaming player list.
6/2/08: Updated Samsung BDUP5000 player lossless bitstreaming status
5/30/08: Added Q14b in OWNER FAQ (this identifies which firmware a new unit has from the serial number.) | Added 2 new Denon Players to lossless bitstream list. | Added Harmony One remote link on links section | Made several typo corrections and simple changes throughout the FAQ
5/23/08: Added 705 vs 606 (section 7b), bolded the firmware info in the main table of contents as its the most relevant info these days.
4/23/08: Corrected change log typo, further clarified firmware info, |Q14 and Q20 related to firmware has been revamped with clear info.
4/19/08: Firmware link, disclaimers and information have been included throughout various portions of this FAQ., added new lossless bitstream player, fixed to broken links.
4/16/08: Updated several questions regarding the Playstation 3 firmware version 2.30 'DTS HD MA' release.
4/2/08: Added Q6 BLU RAY & HD DVD FAQ
4/1/08: Added new info for 605 vs 705 comparison in the Buyer FAQ
3/31/08: Informed of a DSP firmware update to fix problem in Q20 Owner FAQ.. more will be posted soon.
3/29/08: Updated Q21 Owner FAQ, Update Q20 Owner FAQ, updated key commands on Q4
3/26/08: Added link for Canadian sound level meter, added new lossless bitstream player, added Q20 Owner FAQ, added Q21 Owner FAQ
3/20/08: Added easier solution for Question 11 Owner FAQ
2/27/08: Added Ctrl+F quick word searching tip.
1/31/08: Added several, "Please Read", updates throughout the entire FAQ.
1/22/08: Top 10 Onkyo Receiver Setup Mistakes section.
1/15/08: Added Q19 owner FAQ scarecrow addition.
1/11/08: Lossless Bitstream Player list updated.
12/16/07: Added link to Audyssey CTO & Founder discussion thread.
12/10/07: Added Q1 HD DVD Questions section.
12/6/07: Added info on refurbished 705's to Q1 Buyer FAQ, Added Q18 Owner FAQ
12/4/07: Post title changed (via a Moderator) thx to Scarecrow for the motivation/recommendation., Added Q3 "Blu Ray Question"
12/1/07: Added link to the the 705's PDF manual, Added Q17 Owner FAQ, Updated Solution 1 and 3 of Q3 Owner FAQ
11/29/07: Added Q10 Buyer FAQ, Q16 Owner FAQ
11/27/07: Added Q12, Q13, Q14 and Q15 to Owner FAQ, Added Q3 & Q5 to Blu Ray HD DVD FAQ (Hi Def Audio section), Added a new FAQ section called "Blu Ray & HD DVD FAQ and moved some old questions to that new section for easier locating.
11/26/07: Added Q15 of owner FAQ
11/25/07: Added Q13 of owner FAQ, Added Q14 of owner FAQ, Updated Lip Sync (Solution 2) with more accurate information, heavily reformatted fonts size/colors for easier reading.
11/19/07: Typo Corrections (More to come soon)
11/13/07: New links throughout the Info & Tips sections
11/12/07: Added Jeremy Anderson Audyssey/Setup FAQ, Updated Lipsync guide on Q4 of Owners FAQ, Updated Q6 of Owners FAQ, Added Q2 Information section.

Spec vs spec they are identical (as i am sure you have noticed also). As far as I can tell through Google I think they are just catering to a professional market. I will try to see if I can uncover any differences or if anyone else here knows is there are any internal quality differences. The retail price difference is 100 dollars more and like you said the only obvious difference is the 705p is rack mountable.