There are a lot of things to look forward to in the HD DVD world as we get into the heart of the fourth quarter of the year. Transformers is already on its way to boosting disc sales figures, and upcoming titles like Shrek the Third and The Bourne Ultimatum are likely to make Christmas even more special for HD DVD owners.

On the hardware side, Toshiba’s full lineup of third-generation players will be completed as the HD-A35 starts appearing on shelves and online retailers, and it will be joined by Onkyo’s high-end HD DVD player, the DV-HD805 shortly. Word from an Asian CNET site is that this premium player from Onkyo will be launched at the International Sound and Sight Exhibition in Singapore in mid-November.

The DV-HD805 earns its premium status by featuring the Silicon Optix HQV Reon video processor (it was in Toshiba’s X-A2 but is not in the A35 that replaces it), and far better electronics on the audio side. Not that I’ve performed an exhaustive search, but I’ve only found the HD805 available for pre-order at one retailer, B&H Photo for $799.

If you recall, this Onkyo was unveiled at CEDIA in September, and followed by the announcement of Integra’s even more super-duper, premiumer HD DVD player. I’m sure there will be more news as the International Sound and Sight Exhibition show approaches.

• Countdown to Onkyo’s Premium HD DVD Begins
• Previous posting about the Onkyo DV-HD805 announcement at CEDIA