Podcast #1276: Onkyo, and I'm a Damn Fool Who Bought One — Or Am I? - Onkyo TX RZ-30 Review

On this week’s show we take a look at the possibility of vibe coding your own SmartTV Desktop and we have another listener review of the Onkyo RZ-30 9.2 channel AV Receiver. We also read your emails and take a look at the week’s news.

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Today's Show:

News:

• XGIMI's AURA 3 projectors raise over $15 million on Kickstarter in under a day
• Sony quietly drops its last standalone 4K Blu-ray player in Japan
• Home Assistant now shows Matter cameras in its regular camera views
• Comcast lost 144,000 broadband customers last quarter, but more are paying for gig speeds
• Deal alert: LG's 77-inch C6 OLED drops to $1,999.99, and LG adds free wall mounting

Other:

• HT Guys Amazon Lists
• HT Guys Music Playlist on Apple Music
• HT Guys Music Playlist on Amazon Music
• HT Guys Music Playlist on Spotify
• Ara's Woodworking

Fed Up With Smart TV Ads, People Are Vibe Coding Their Own Home Screens

A guy named Gathin got tired of his parents' Xiaomi Android TV showing a sponsored ad before they could even get to Netflix. So he spent an afternoon "vibe coding" a fix with Claude Code, an AI coding tool, and his post about it has passed 6.2 million views, according to FlatpanelsHD.

What he did: His project site, CleanYour.tv, says the AI found the TV on his Wi-Fi network, removed 25 Xiaomi apps and services, and built a new home screen that looks like Apple TV's. It doesn't require rooting or uninstalling anything, and one command puts the original back. The project is free and open source, and Gathin says people have since run it on 190 TVs from 57 brands.

The catch: It only works because Android TV and Google TV let you swap the home screen. Samsung and LG TVs don't.

Why it matters: TV makers keep filling the screens we paid for with ads and tracking. Now anyone with an AI tool can strip that out in an afternoon, and that should worry them more than any one ad-free app.

The risks: Some people have bricked their TVs or gotten stuck in boot loops. Nobody vets these scripts, and a firmware update could undo or break them. PCWorld basically says "please don't."

The easier route: You don't need AI at all. Free home screen apps like Projectivy, AT4K, Kyu and Couchy install in a few clicks, and FlatpanelsHD has a roundup of them. Android Authority even found that its Google TV box ran faster without the stock home screen.

"Onkyo, and I'm a Damn Fool Who Bought One — Or Am I?" Onkyo TX RZ-30 Review

This week John Lyman is back with his review of the Onkyo TX RZ-30 ($1099 at Amazon). It's a 9.2-Channel AV Receiver with 100 Watts Per Channel, Dirac Live Out of Box, Works with Sonos Certified, and comes with THX Certification. John wrote a highly detailed review that we will excerpt here. The full review is posted on our website. 

Features:

• Ultra-wide bandwidth amplifier (5 Hz–100 kHz) via custom low-noise transformers and capacitors
• Dirac Live Full Bandwidth room correction included (upgrade available for Bass Control)
• IMAX Enhanced for object-based 3D audio and optimized video
• Dolby Atmos for immersive 3D sound + Dolby Vision for dynamic HDR video
• 9.2-channel home theater configuration
• Built-in streaming + Sonos port for multi-room wireless distribution
• Klipsch Optimize Mode with precise crossover settings for Reference Premiere speakers

Onkyo, and I'm a Damn Fool Who Bought One — Or Am I?

After 10 years of faithful service, my Denon AVR-X3200W finally decided it was time to call it quits. The HDMI board was giving out, and as luck would have it, my subwoofer decided to die around the same time.

So suddenly, I found myself shopping for both a new AVR and a new subwoofer. During a meeting with the household finance committee to discuss my equipment needs, the committee chairperson decided this would also be a great time to update the entire media room.

And just like that, a simple equipment replacement turned into a much bigger project. First came a new RSL Speedwoofer 10S MKII. Then we went furniture shopping and purchased a new sectional sofa and media cabinet. That left just one thing: the new AVR.

First, a Little About the Media Cabinet

The cabinet we purchased is a substantial, enclosed piece of furniture. It has openings in the back for cable management and two rectangular ventilation openings, but I wasn't convinced those would provide enough airflow for an AV receiver.

So I made one modification: installing an AC Infinity AIRPLATE T7 dual-fan system. The T7 has two fans that can be configured individually for intake or exhaust, and additional fans can be added if needed. It also includes a temperature controller that automatically turns the fans on when the temperature reaches a preset level.

I configured both fans as exhaust and set the controller to activate around 85°F. Installation was easy, the cost was reasonable, and it gave me peace of mind knowing I could keep the cabinet doors closed without trapping excessive heat.

The Search for a New AVR

Once my Denon X3200 started getting flaky with the HDMI board starting to go, I began researching replacements.

My initial shortlist consisted of:

• Marantz Cinema 70s — a slimline receiver I considered in case I needed something that would remain visible rather than go inside a cabinet.
• Denon AVR-X2800H
• Onkyo TX-RZ30

I was honestly surprised that Onkyo made the list. Back in the 1980s, Onkyo was considered a top audio brand. But we all know the company went through some difficult years, particularly with reliability issues. During my research, I learned that Onkyo had undergone an ownership change and was now part of the same corporate family as Pioneer. The newer receivers seemed to be earning considerably better reviews.

Andrew Robinson, whose reviews I often consult when researching equipment, was particularly enthusiastic about the RZ30, calling it one of the best all-around home theater receivers.

I also reached out to Ara and Braden from the HT Guys podcast with my shortlist. Their recommendation?

The Onkyo.

Still, I kept researching. I've owned Denon receivers since the 1990s, and it was hard to walk away from a brand that had served me well for decades. Eventually, my X3200 HDMI board gave up, and I narrowed the decision to the Onkyo RZ30 and a Denon X2900-series receiver. During my final research I found a brand-new RZ30 for $900, with a 30-day return policy. I also noticed that the RZ50 had originally been released in 2021, while the RZ30 arrived in 2024. I figured Onkyo had a few more years to work out some of the issues with its newer receiver designs. So, against my longtime Denon instincts, I bought the Onkyo.

What Did I Buy?

The Onkyo TX-RZ30 is a 9.2-channel, THX Certified Select AV receiver featuring:

• Power: 100 watts per channel into 8 ohms (2 channels driven)
• Amplification: Nine Class AB amplified channels
• Room correction: Dirac Live Full Bandwidth included
• HDMI: Six inputs, two outputs, HDMI 2.1a
• Video: 8K/60Hz and 4K/120Hz, Dolby Vision, HDR10+
• Surround sound: Dolby Atmos, DTS, IMAX Enhanced
• Bass management: Two independent subwoofer outputs
• Streaming: AirPlay 2, Chromecast, Bluetooth, Spotify, TIDAL
• Connectivity: Multichannel preamp outputs, Wi-Fi, Ethernet

The standout feature for me was Dirac Live Full Bandwidth included at no additional cost. And there was a very specific reason I wanted it and all my AI friends said I needed it.

My Media Room Is an Acoustical Challenge

Our media room is the bonus room above the garage, approximately 17 feet long by 13 feet wide. The walls rise about four feet before sloping toward the ceiling. There's a window nook, an opening to the stairs, a doorway behind the television area, and several other features that make this far from an ideal acoustical environment.

Our new sectional also means the surround speakers sit slightly in front of the main seating position rather than behind it. And I haven't installed any dedicated acoustical treatments.

My old Denon sounded good, but I occasionally struggled with dialogue during action-heavy scenes, and the bass could get a little boomy as the decorating committee does not provide many areas for the sub to live.

I was hoping Dirac Live could help compensate for some of the room's challenges and get the most out of my RSL speakers and new Speedwoofer. That's ultimately what pushed me toward the RZ30.

One other observation: the picture quality looked noticeably better to me than it did through my old X3200. I attribute much of that to moving to newer equipment and HDMI capabilities, although HDMI 2.1 itself doesn't inherently improve picture quality when the same signal is being transmitted. I would expect other modern receivers to offer similar compatibility improvements. Either way, I was impressed with what I was seeing.

Setup: It Would Have Gone Faster Had I Read the Instructions

When the receiver arrived, I unpacked it and immediately started connecting everything. That turned out to be my first mistake. Apparently, connecting the surround speakers to the correct terminals is important. Who knew?

Once I figured out where everything belonged, I started working on Dirac Live. My first attempt was using my computer, but I kept receiving errors related to room noise. I tried a few things but didn't spend much time troubleshooting. I live in the South, and this media room is above the garage. Turning off the air conditioning and fans for an extended period isn't exactly my favorite summer activity.

So I switched to the iPhone app and decided to run the quicker calibration using just three measurement positions. That worked much better. One thing I quickly discovered is that Dirac is more particular about microphone placement than I was accustomed to with Audyssey.

Dirac provides specific measurement positions, and you really need to pay attention to the on-screen instructions. Again, reading the directions would have saved me some time. Eventually, I completed the initial three-point calibration.

The first thing I did was fire up Top Gun: Maverick. And I immediately noticed an improvement. The sound seemed cleaner and more balanced than my old Denon, although the center channel was a little overpowering. Unfortunately, I didn't have much time to experiment because we were leaving for a family trip to New York City to see Hamilton.

A Trip to New York and a Little Buyer's Remorse

While flying to New York, I listened to an HT Guys podcast where Ara and Braden discussed some of Onkyo's past troubles. That wasn't exactly what I wanted to hear after taking a chance on a brand I'd been hesitant to buy. I started wondering whether I'd made a mistake. And once we returned home, things didn't exactly improve.

HDMI Problems: Was I Going to Return This Thing?

The first Saturday back, I was watching college football when the picture suddenly disappeared for a couple of seconds. Then it happened again. And again. Sometimes the audio disappeared along with the picture. This was happening primarily while using the ESPN app on my third-generation Apple TV 4K. I did a lot of research, tried several suggestions, and couldn't get the issue resolved. I even requested an RMA for the receiver. But I was hesitant to return it because, HDMI problems aside, I really liked how it sounded. I decided to give it one last shot. Using Grok, I came across a suggestion to change the Onkyo's HDMI input setting from 4K Enhanced to 4K Standard. I tried it, and the dropouts stopped. The problem was that I didn't want to give up the additional video capabilities available through the enhanced HDMI modes.

So I asked Grok about switching to 8K Standard instead. It suggested trying that setting as a possible way to retain the features I wanted while improving compatibility. I made the change.

And it made a major difference. The HDMI dropouts largely disappeared, and the picture continued to look excellent. I still occasionally experience a brief dropout while watching ESPN's four-screen multiview, perhaps two or three times during a game. But it's nowhere near as frequent as it was initially.

I also found that resetting the HDMI-CEC handshake can help when the connected devices aren't communicating properly.

For anyone experiencing similar problems with an RZ30, I'd recommend checking the HDMI input signal format before assuming the receiver is defective.

Changing to 8K Standard made a significant improvement in my system, although I can't guarantee it will solve the issue for everyone. And to be fair to Onkyo, I haven't definitively established whether the remaining dropouts originate with the receiver, Apple TV, or ESPN app using quad view. At least I was finally comfortable keeping the receiver. One thing is that RZ30 offers a web interface that makes setting up the AVR easier than going through the onscreen menus. Now it was time to see what Dirac Live could really do.

Dirac Live: Bourbon and Nine Measurements

I decided to try another calibration. I made a few attempts using the computer again, but with people home, background noise, and the air conditioning running, I continued having problems. Finally, I had the perfect opportunity. The kids were gone.

The house was quiet. And I had some time to myself. So I poured a bourbon, turned off the air conditioning and fan, and decided to run the more extensive nine-position calibration using the iPhone app. Everything was going well until the AIRPLATE fans kicked on. That caused a measurement error. Even with the cabinet open, the microphones were sensitive enough to pick up the additional noise.

Fortunately, although I had to restart part of the Dirac process, the app allowed me to continue from the last successful measurement rather than repeating everything. The entire process took about 25 minutes. With the calibration completed, I went back to finish watching Top Gun: Maverick. And all I can say is: WOW!

I Never Knew My System Could Sound This Good

The difference between the initial three-point calibration and the new nine-point calibration was remarkable. The sound was incredible. For the first time, I truly felt like I was sitting in a movie theater. The bass was tight and controlled. When the movie called for the room to shake, it did. But there was none of the unnecessary boominess I'd experienced before. The sounds of the jets were fantastic. Everything seemed to be exactly where it belonged. One of the biggest improvements was the center channel. With the initial three-point calibration, the center had sounded a little loud and just not right maybe a little to much bass. After the nine-point calibration, it was perfectly balanced with the rest of the system. Dialogue was crystal clear throughout the different scenes.

No dialogue enhancement needed.

With my old Denon, action-heavy scenes could sometimes sound cluttered. When explosions, music, and dialogue were all happening at once, it could be difficult to understand what characters were saying. Not anymore.

With the Onkyo and Dirac Live, the dialogue and action remain distinct while blending naturally into the overall soundtrack. And my surround speakers, despite being positioned slightly in front of the seating area, no longer draw attention to themselves. They simply become part of the experience. It's difficult to describe, but the best comparison I can make is that it sounds like being in a good movie theater.

Movies, Musicals, and Pink Floyd

After Maverick, we watched Enchanted. The musical numbers sounded fantastic. The vocals were clear, the instruments were beautifully balanced, and the entire presentation felt much more immersive. It genuinely felt like we were there. Then I decided to try some music.

I put on Pink Floyd's The Dark Side of the Moon, starting with "Speak to Me" and "Time." The clocks in "Time" were amazing. I closed my eyes and felt completely surrounded by the music. Then I listened to Wish You Were Here. Again, I was incredibly impressed. I've owned these speakers for years, and I honestly didn't realize how good they could sound. What Dirac Live did was help my existing equipment work together in a way I'd never experienced before.  And in my awkwardly shaped media room, that made an enormous difference.

Is the Onkyo Perfect? No. The HDMI issues were frustrating, and I still experience an occasional dropout with ESPN multiview. The initial Dirac setup took longer than expected, although some of that was my own fault for not reading the instructions. I’ve also had issues with connecting the APP to AVR, but also had that issue with my Denon. And after years of owning Denon receivers, there was definitely a learning curve. But the sound quality has made all of that worthwhile.

I can't tell you whether this Onkyo will last another 10 years like my Denon did, but at least I have a 3 year warranty. Only time will tell. What I can say is that for $900, the combination of nine amplified channels, modern HDMI connectivity, and Dirac Live Full Bandwidth represents tremendous value. More importantly, I'm enjoying my media room more than I have in years. I never knew my system could sound this good.

So, Am I a Damn Fool Who Bought an Onkyo? At first, I thought I might be. Between Onkyo's reputation, the HDMI problems, and my initial Dirac frustrations, I was seriously questioning my decision. But after getting the system dialed in and hearing the results, I don't think I made a foolish purchase at all. Quite the opposite. I'm excited to watch more movies, listen to more music, and enjoy a home theater that sounds better than I ever expected. So hopefully, I won't be the fool who bought an Onkyo. Now I just have one more challenge.

Convincing the finance committee to approve a second RSL Speedwoofer.

Not because I necessarily need more bass, but because a second subwoofer could help provide smoother, more consistent bass throughout the room. And let's face it: the RZ30 has two independent subwoofer outputs.It would be a shame to leave one unused. Now, where did I put that bourbon?

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