Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)Yeah, it's a 7.1 system in the sense if you have a decoded 8 channel analog output you can get a full 7.1 surround as it was intended.
But, for any other source, there's no real 7.1, end of story. Optical and coax inputs can only handle encoded formats with more than 2 channels. So any Dolby True HD or DTS HD Master 7.1 sources you may have will not work over optical or coax. Sure, you can get 5.1 through them and setup the Onkyo to "fill in" the missing speakers, even though you actually have the data for them on your source. That's not what you want, though.
The reason is the HDMI Pass Through, which, ironically is touted as a feature. The only way to get 7.1 digital audio is over HDMI, and this Onkyo receiver cannot process HDMI audio of any format. It simply passes it through to the TV, acting like an HDMI switch. Your TV ultimately demuxes the audio: displaying the video, and sending the audio back to the Onkyo through an optical or coaxial audio cable.
So, unless you have a standalone Blu Ray player with 7.1 analog outputs or a PC with a 7.1 surround sound card and are going to use the analog outputs (over 4 mini stereo to RCA cables), keep on looking for a receiver that decodes HDMI audio rather than passes it through. You simply cannot get 7.1 audio from this over a PS3 or a cable box. Blu Ray movies would need a standalone BD Player, and not a cheap one that only decodes to 5.1.
On the other hand, if you were looking for a 5.1 system, this is a pretty good 5.1 system. The speakers are pretty nice, and the subwoofer is more than capable. It has no problems playing 5.1 through optical and coax sources, and has 2 of each, which is plenty for most people. And you get a free HDMI switch with it, if your TV is short 1 HDMI input, that's a good $150 savings over a seperate HDMI switch.
Click Here to see more reviews about: Onkyo HT-S5100 7.1 Channel Home Entertainment System (Set of Nine, Black)
Looking for a home theater package with some genuine caliber? Then the HT-S5100 7.1-channel receiver/speaker package deserves your attention. As one of Onkyo’s second-generation HDMI-compliant packages, the HT-S5100 gets the best out of high-definition video sources and lets you connect up to three 1080p sources for switching to one display. But a quality home theater package isn’t defined by video alone. The HT-S5100 packs 1200 watts of power, backed up by Audyssey room correction technologies, to create the perfect surround-sound environment. This is also Onkyo’s first home theater package to come with a dedicated dock for iPod playback.With the right gear, you can even connect and subscribe to SIRIUS radio. And fleshing out the receiver is a 7.1 speaker package designed to sound even better than it looks when matched with the latest high-definition displays.
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