Onkyo MHL, InstaPrevue support in new AV receivers

Posted on 22 Dec 2011 at 10:31

Home theatre expert Onkyo has announced plans to reveal new AV receivers at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas next month with the industry's first support for InstaPrevue and Mobile High-definition Link (MHL) technologies.

Originally developed by Silicon Image, InstaPrevue is designed to make switching between HDMI inputs significantly easier: when supported by the AV receiver, it offers a live picture-in-picture array of all active HDMI inputs.

MHL offers a means of extracting 1080p high-definition video with 7.1-channel digital audio from compatible tablets and smartphones over a dual-purpose micro-USB port. Unlike a traditional mini-HDMI output, an MHL link is capable of powering the portable device at the same time as the video is streamed, meaning no sudden end to the video as the battery runs out.

While device support for MHL is growing - Samsung's Galaxy S II and Galaxy Tab range, Google's Galaxy Nexus smartphone, and HTC's Evo 3D and Sensation smartphones all support MHL output - receivers have been slow to adopt the technology.

Onkyo's upcoming devices will be the first to buck that trend, however, featuring a dedicated MHL-compatible USB port for video streaming at Full HD resolutions and device recharging.

Sadly, the company has yet to confirm pricing or full specifications for its upcoming products, with more details due at CES in January 2012.

Author: Gareth Halfacree

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