Now that 3DTV is in theory available in any home, we might want an AV receiver engineered for accepting 3D video, and the Onkyo TX-SR608 Receiver is being offered to fulfill that requirement. The receiver features six HDMI ports designed to admit 3D signals, as well as video and audio signals from game consoles and PCs. The universal port is made to accomodate nearly all Onkyo peripherals including iPod docks.

Taking into account all of this emphasis on connectivity, we’ve found no reason offered for the absence of an Ethernet port, specifically considering other Onkyo AV products for around $600 have that capability, but maybe this manufacturer assumes that the ordinary customer will be too sidetracked by the 3D capability to care that they aren’t able to stream directly from the internet.

Once this amazing assortment of video and sound is actually downloaded, the Onkyo TX-SR608 Receiver will then process the specific audio format the song or movie is recorded in, upscale the format to 1080p as needed, and disburse it through 7 independent channels to the television screen and sound system of your choice. The included Audyssey 2EQ technology will automatically fine tune your speakers to ascertain that the noise emanating from them is blended with the remaining speakers in the room, considering each speaker’s ability, its placement in the area and the room dimensions.

When all of this downloading, upscaling and distribution of sound and video, you might wonder in relation to the quality of the resultant display. I’m thrilled to report that THX, the firm that is responsible for the AV quality of nearly all shows you see in the nation’s cinemas, offers a certification program to deal with that issue.

If an AV component or an entire home theater system is awarded a THX certification, then we users are reassured that the quality of the film we view in the home will match what we might have experienced in a cinema, without the smell of well-greased popcorn. I’m even happier to assure you that Onkyo’s first 3D compatible AV receiver has that certification.

Purchasing recently established technology is generally a gamble, and it is realistic to believe that 3DTV will have to get through a few growing pains. On the other hand, whenever you think about that Onkyo has performed well previously with establishing new technologies into their products, and that this particular AV receiver is nowhere near the top of Onkyo’s price range, the Onkyo TX-SR608 Receiver looks as though it’s a sound way to cough up $600 for your home theater system.