Having significantly grown their market share in Australia after cutting a deal with Harvey Norman, Denon are set to expand their receiver offering with new models that include HDMI 1.4a inputs and outputs and Dolby Pro Logic IIz.
Their selection of universal Blu-ray players is also set to be expanded to four from two.
The two new universal models are the brand’s first BD players to stream audio, video and photos from a networked PC and to stream video content — other than BD Live content — directly from the Internet. The new models connect directly to the Internet.
Distributed in Australia by Audio Products Australia, it is not known when the new models will go on sale in Australia or which versions of the new range will be sold.
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The Japanese company has also launched new headphones, including models with a three-button remote and microphone compatible with Apple Voice Control on the iPhone 3GS, iPod Touch 2G and latest-generation Shuffle.
In AVRs, HDMI 1.4a repeater inputs and outputs will pass through all 3D formats; including all broadcast 3D formats, mandated in the 1.4a standard. The 1.4a outputs also support HDMI 1.4’s Audio Return Channel (ARC).
Pro Logic IIz post processing appears in all new AVRs right down to the budget models that are sold at Harvey Norman.
The technology adds two height channels to a 5.1- or 7.1-channel system. Audyssey DSX, adds two front-height and two left-right wide channels to a 5.1 or 7.1-channel system and appears in the new AVR-991.
Dolby IIz delivers multichannel surround with two front-height channels from mono, two-channel and multichannel sources, while Audyssey DSX adds two height and two front-wide channels to sources with 5.1 or more discrete channels, the company said.
Ethernet connectivity to stream PC content and Internet radio is also available in low end models. The networked models also access the free Internet music service and the Flickr photo-sharing site. The new networked AVRs join current networked AVRs in being compatible with Windows 7 home-networking features.
