- 7.1-channel A/V receiver
- 7 HD inputs (4 active HDMI and 3 component inputs)
- Enhanced color range (Deep Color and x.v.Color technology)
- Blu-ray audio decoding (Dolby TrueHD/ DTS Master Audio/Linear PCM)
- Wireless multi-room audio (S-Air ready)
The STR-DH800 7.1 Channel A/V Receiver delivers the Full HD 1080 experience to a home theater system. This newly designed 1080p A/V Receiver features 7 HD inputs including 4 HDMI inputs with “Active Intelligence” that allow the desire for more HD content to grow. In addition, the STR-DH800 is compatible with 24p True Cinema technology video signals and decodes uncompressed audio formats (Dolby TrueHD/dts Master Audio/LPCM via HDMI) making it compatible with Blu-ray DiscPlayers , the PlayStation 3 Technology and other HD sources. Simply plug in the optional S-Air transmitter and turn on the AirStation client (sold separately) and listen to your favorite music in another room or in multiple rooms.
Rating: 
(out of 86 reviews)
List Price: $ 399.99
Price: Too low to display
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June 6, 2010
#1
Review by Vilachil
Rating:
I know just enough about Audio to be dangerous but I’m not a true audiophile (or whatever they’re called). So I don’t know how an average person would figure this out when it took me an hour and a half on the phone with Sony support before THEY figured it out.
Now this is my second Sony receiver and I purchased this one specifically to go along with my brand new Sony BDP-S360 Blu Ray player. I used brand new HDMI category 2 cables into the receiver and then out to my Sony HDTV. This is suppossed to be the BEST way to get true no-loss sound decoding and picture. Well I was shocked when my receiver was NOT decoding DTS audio. All Dolby Digital tracks were playing in perfect 5.1 surround sound…the DTS tracks played back in Linear PCM stereo. So after I read the manuals, updated the firmware and set everything right then trying a few DVDs and Blu Ray discs I contacted Sony Support via email. Several exchanges later they asked me to call in to better troubleshoot my issue. First I talked to the blu ray guy (since I wasn’t sure which device was causing the issue) and after resetting the player and checking all the setting I was transfered to the Audio department. Once again we reset the machine to factory setting, checked all the set ups and still nothing changed (Did I mention that I had to unhook and reconnect several cables and I even had an optical cable running to my old Sony Reciever?). Then 1 1/2 hours into the phone call he asked if I was getting audio through the TV speakers which I was and he said “oh its set to TV + Amp”. So we changed that setting to just “Amp” and bingo…DTS surround sound!! I said “but that’s the factory default setting”. He told me where the info was in the manual but I checked an NOWHERE in the manual does it say that when using the receiver as a passthrough via HDMI inorder to decode a DTS signal the receiver must be set to “Amp” only and not the default setting of “TV + Amp”. What the…??
So now the receiver works great even decoding the new DTS-HD Master Audio off my “Watchmen” Blu Ray disc. But be warned that if you use the HDMI inputs to decode your surround sound be sure to change the system to “Amp” instead of the default “TV + Amp” unless you enjoy stereo sound from your suround sound system. This may be the case for other Sony receivers so be aware when buying that factory default setting may not allow for optimum performance and the Sony guys might not be aware of this little fact if you call them.
June 6, 2010
#2
Review by Pinballfan
Rating:
Don’t be fooled by the manual or by descriptions on other AV retailer websites… This model does NOT include analog->digital upconversion. If you have a mixture of new and older devices this will not allow you to use a single HDMI cable to your display. It provides input switching, but if you provide a composite or component video input, then you must use the corresponding output to view that source. Only HDMI inputs are routed to the HDMI output. The manual suggests that you do not need to connect all of the outputs. In a sense I suppose that is true, but but only if you don’t connect to all of the various types of inputs!
As long as you understand the specs, this seems like a nice receiver.
June 6, 2010
#3
Review by Michael J. Scott
Rating:
I set up my new receiver yesterday, and it took over an hour, given Sony’s propensity for screw-in type speaker connections. The first surprise was not being able to control the PS3 and my Satellite DVR with the remote’s control buttons. I had to use their HDMI locations, i.e. HDMI 4 for the Satellite and HDMI 3 for the PS3. Keep in mind that the BEST sound is reproduced through the HDMI 3 location, so ignore the picture in the manual that has you putting your BD at HDMI 1. If you read the manual fine print you will see that they tell you to use HDMI 3 connection for the best sound reproduction.
It is a given that Sony’s product manuals are written by persons from other planets so you just have to stumble through when it comes to issues such as the PS3 BD Player putting out EVERYTHING in Linear PCM, including THX, DTS HD and etc. I did everything I could think of to change that. I confirmed the HDMI control was set to ON in both the 800 and the PS3, I confirmed that the AUTOMATIC sound control was set in the PS3 and still no DTS-HD being produced on TAKEN, a movie with that attribute.
So, I called SONY. The first person I spoke with was clueless, and had little mastery of the English language. He said I should turn off my receiver for an hour and do the setup all over again. Foolishly I did that. Nothing changed. The PS3 Blu Ray component was still putting out Linear PCM exclusively.
I called Sony again and spoke to Manuel, who was anything but clueless. He told me to go into my PS3 Video settings and click on BD/DVD AUDIO OUTPUT. Lo and behold it was set to Linear PCM. I clicked on the only other option, BITSTREAM, and clicked OK. I then put TAKEN (my test BRDVD) into the player and voila everything worked. The encoded DTS-HD was now being sent to my receiver and reproducing amazing sound, and when I say amazing I mean every syllable. I presently have a 5.1 system setup but tomorrow I am going to configure for 7.1. It is unfortunate that this unit will only run ONE sub-woofer. I like to use two, but I will live with it.
So, I will figure out how to control my systems using the proprietary (BD-SAT) buttons on the remote, but for right now, everything is working fine, thanks to Manuel from Sony support.
In conclusion I recommend this product not necessarily for its ease of use but for its ability to reproduce amazing sound at a reasonable price once you get it setup. The fifth star was deducted because of the poorly written manual and the first Sony [clueless] technician.
June 6, 2010
#4
Review by R. Getter
Rating:
The DH800 wasn’t yet available when I started shopping for a new receiver a couple of months back. Even though the 700 was being heavily discounted at the time, the 800 had enough next-generation features (DTS-HD decoding, Dolby Digital + and a couple THX modes) to prompt me to hold off a while. And it was worth it. This is an incredible value for a mid-range receiver. After going through the manual, the setup (tuning it for a room) looked unbelievably complex. You had the ability to electronically position each speaker (forget balance controls!). Then, I found the section that explained what the little microphone was for. Wire everything up. Power it on. Put the mic where your ears will be and press the “go” button. Your system sounds like an Atari video game for about 20 seconds and you’re done. Remarkable.
Part of my motivation for staying with Sony is that it plays so well with Sony-brand components via Bravia Sync. My DH800 is plugged into an XBR screen and will be joined by a BDP-S560 Blu Ray when it ships this summer. Yes, I tend to be Sony-biased. I’ve worked in TV production on and off for a lot of years and now spend a fair amount of time in Oregon’s first (and still best, IMHO) HDTV studio. On cameras, switchers and displays, the Sony nameplate figures prominently. As with DH800 and XBR screen, has proven it still excels in convenience, consistence and logical interface design.
The rest of the system is a bit of a hybrid (I’m not a huge fan of Sony speakers). My primary front speakers are old and venerable (Canoga Park-era) Infinity 2500′s, B&W VM-1 surrounds, HTM-61 center and a truly fabulous Hsu Research VTF-1 subwoofer. However, the auto-calibration has this menagerie blending together seamlessly.
The only down-side I’ve found so far is that the back panel (particularly the large cluster of speaker terminals) is pretty crowded and the speaker lugs tend to be a bit sticky and troublesome. Sony seems to have skimped a bit on the connectors they chose. Beyond that, it’s a beautifully designed and executed component that will really shine when attached to Sony’s next-gen Blu-Ray.
June 6, 2010
#5
Review by J. Davis
Rating:
I searched for several months before pulling the trigger & buying the STR-DH800. Despite Sony bashing by many, I am very satisfied with my purchase. All of my other toys are HDMI equipped & up conversion was not a consideration. It has a decent amount of power & plenty of connections for virtually any device the average consumer will own. My suggestion would be to invest in banana plugs & save yourself a headache when connecting speaker wires, they saved me quite a bit of time. [....] has them pretty cheap.
The auto cal. does a great job at setting up speaker levels & distances. Night mode is also nice. The manual & menu may not be friendly to a newbie. An onscreen menu function would have been nice. If your seat is more than 10 ft. away, as mine is, you will end up standing or straining your eyes to make small adjustments. The receiver is relatively tall, but it is not very deep. It has a nice & simple layout. The buttons & knobs have smooth action & the display is not distracting while watching movies. It does not generate very much heat.
It has been a long time since I purchased home theater equipment & I am very satisfied with my purchase. My system includes: a Sony STR-DH800, Samsung BD-P1600, Sony DVPNS710H, Xbox 360 Elite (Resident Evil LE), Dayton HTS 1200 surrounds, Sony bookshelves, Logitech Harmony 550 remote, Dayton SUB-80, & Vizio 47XVT. Been busy since Christmas.
At it’s current price, this receiver is definitely worth a look. I am sure you will not be disappointed. It has helped me save over [...] based on the HTIB I was considering.