why have hdmi in a av receiver?

[jwatson364]

my panasonic 50" plasma has two hdmi inputs, i use them for my dish box and my dvd.....why is it important to pay out the ying-yang for a receiver with hdmi inputs?

all i really care about hdmi is my dish box and my dvd.....can anyone tell me the benefits to having hdmi in a av receiver?

i was thinking about getting the denon avr-787, i guess its last years model.....85 watts per channel...tons of features....but no hdmi....

http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/Denon-7-1-Channel-A-V-Receiver-AVR787/sem/rpsm/oid/159486/catOid/-12949/rpem/ccd/productDetail.do

but for 20 bucks more and hdmi there is the denon avr-588....only 75 watts per channel though.......

http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/Denon-AVR-588-7-1-Channel-Home-Theater-Receiver-AVR588/sem/rpsm/oid/191643/catOid/-12949/rpem/ccd/productDetail.do

and finally, im considering the onkyo 605.......

im a bit confused as to which i should buy, if the hdmi is really important/needed in receiver since i got it in my tv.....anyone know the benefits to having it in a receiver??? any help greatly appreciated., thanks!

also, if anyone can tell me the difference between the denon 1508 at bestbuy and the denon 588 at circuitcity....they appear to be the same, but which should i get? or is the onkyo 605 better?

[Guest srobak]

Well, my HK avr-645 rceiver does SD to HD upscaling from component/composite/s-vid to HDMI... outputs an SD image at 1080... so that works for my laserdisc and gaming consoles. Plus all your new gaming consoles from this point forward will have HDMI or DVI as well... so - depending on how many devices you have, that can help there also. It is also nice just to run everything into one box and control it all from there, instead of programming macros to switch inputs on your tv when you also switch them on the receiver.

That's my $.02 anyhow...

[dougdrake]

I guess I'd get HDMI in the receiver because a) your source devices may increase beyond the 2 you have now - I have 3 with my PC, PS3, and HD-DVD player - and because audio processing also can occur over HDMI. I don't think I'd invest in a receiver right now that did not have HDMI support, and I'd go for HDMI 1.3.

The 10 wpc difference between those 2 models of Denon's is negligible, IMO.

[mas]

...Just because so many seem to be having so much fun with HDMI, you might want to be aware that DisplayPort is the new interface standard that has supplanted HDMI.

Don't stop running now! []

[Darkelf]

My understanding of "Display Port" is that it will be used for computer video\audio connections, not TV?

[mas]

My understanding of "Display Port" is that it will be used for computer video\audio connections, not TV?

Primarily, but not exclusively!

If you are planning to use HD recorded content, HDCP is a factor. And if you plan on interfacing a media center with your home theater, or especially employing any of the forthcoming HD-recorders, you are going to be dealing with it.

And you had best keep up with the Blu-Ray license encryption standards....

And from Samsung'e web page:

"Samsung Creates First LCD with DisplayPort Video Interface

For
Samsung's new 30-inch LCD, the DisplayPort interface transmits graphics
data at a total data rate of 10.8Gbps. This speed enables 2560x1600
resolution without any color smear. By using a transmiss...

Samsung Creates First LCD with DisplayPort Video Interface on Jul 25, 2007"

[jwatson364]

aight, i guess ill go with hdmi....

so i guess that leaves the onkyo 605 vs the denon 1508 vs denon 1708.......any opinions there?

[Guest srobak]

Yeah... HK AVR 645 or 745.

[Guest srobak]

be aware that DisplayPort is the new interface standard that has supplanted HDMI.

I think that's a bit aggressive of an assumption. Yes, HDMI is young, but it is widespread enough where it is not going to up and vanish anytime in the next 5 years just because something sexier has come along.

As the other poster said - it's initial intent is to break into the PC market... but that is going to take a very long time to become the standard. DVI has been mainstream for 7 years now, and it is just finally starting to over-take the old analog VGA type - which 90% of all computer displays - LCD or otherwise - still have connections for.

I think you can also forget about it heading to replace consumer A/V for at least 5 to 7 years, as broadcast standards are not going to be re-defined yet again within that time period, and you are looking at another decade to implement once it finally is defined. At best, currently - you are looking at it for desktop production and uber high-end graphics design, and pro video. As has always been the case - what happens in the production booth will not come into the average home for at least 10 years.

You are pretty safe going with HDMI and 1080 HD resolutions for a 5 to 7 year investment... and quite possibly it will be closer to 10 before any new ultra-hd technologies will be remotely affordable enough to become mainstream.

$.02

[mas]

be aware that DisplayPort is the new interface standard that has supplanted HDMI.

I think that's a bit aggressive of an assumption. Yes, HDMI is young, but it is widespread enough where it is not going to up and vanish anytime in the next 5 years just because something sexier has come along.

Its not a matter of consumer acceptance. It is the new VESA industry standard.

The industry is not waiting for a bunch of folks at Wal-Mart to make up their mind. If you plan on dealing with HD recorded content and/or media center interfacing, you are going to have to deal with AACS and HDCP whether you like it or not. It is part of the HD-DVD and BluRay licensing specs.

HDMI is the minimum compatibility you want to have in order to be future oriented. But if you have any notions of more complex configurations using network attanched storqage and media center PCs, etc, you would be wise to be aware of the new VESA industry standard.

...And 5-7 year stability? Keep dreaming. []

[wuzzzer]

I read all the replies and I don't think I saw anyone mentioning that HDMI is the only way to transfer many of the surround formats that things such as Blu-Ray and HD-DVD players have. That is, unless you were to use the x.1 discrete outputs of those devices if they had them. HDMI makes for a much easier hookup.

[Guest srobak]

Again... new standards does not mean instant market. How long were HDTV and DTV standards established before being widespread enough to actually count? Look how long the implementation took - IS taking - for DTV? Look how long DVI took... BTW - HDMI does suppoer HDCP just fine. Like it or not - those who define the standards do not have direct control over the market. History demonstrates that the industry manufacturers and the consumers *require* legacy support. This is why your brand new 22in LCD computer monitor not only has a DVI port, but also a VGA port as well. Yeah, Dport will be on devices, and it will be "out there", but do not expect it to be commonplace or on every other device for quite some time. Historically - that's how it works.

Add to it that it is primarily for computer applications at this point, and you will slow down it's A/V implementation even more.

[industry7]

BTW - HDMI does suppoer HDCP just fine. Like it or not - those who define the standards do not have direct control over the market.

First, I'm not sure what you mean about HDMI and HDCP, but technically DisplayPort is capable of using both DPCP and HDCP. Second, it doesn't really matter if consumers want DisplayPort or not (for TVs/monitors). Manufactures will start using it b/c it is cheaper and easier to deisgn and build. DisplayPort was designed in such a way that it can be used as the internal connection to the screen as well as the external. Also, the conversion to either DVI/HDMI or VGA/Composite is relatively simple. So screen makers will start using it whether people want it or not, but that's not really going to change anything. It will take longer for it to start showing up on DVD players and the like, but once it's in enough TVs for the price to come down, it'll start getting added be default to other devices.

[Edgar]

DisplayPort only supports audio up to 6.144 Mbit/sec (Wikipedia). If you want to pass 8 channels, the best you can do is 16 bit / 48 kHz.

[jjc]

Well I just went through the " what to buysaga" plus I just returned to audo/video after a 12 yr. absence,

talk about everything changing. Anyway there are many things I learned about HDMI receivers, there are 2 kinds

one that just passes HDMI through and one that decodes it. There are Mfgs. that dont tell you upfront which

they have, you have to dig for the info. HDMI is changing fast, I was told by Christmas HDMI 1.4 will

be here. I came to the conclusion I was going to buy a receiver that did not process the HDMI, just one that

passed it thru, with inputs/outputs. My bluray decodes the HDMI anyway and has 7.1 descrete audio outputs.

My receiver has 7.1 audio inputs and 7.1 pre outs.Everything works just fine for me.

[Thaddeus Smith]

for me, it's nice to have all my components connected (except for the wii) to the avr with short hdmi cables and then only one going to the tv. it makes programming the harmony remote easier, cuts down on cable mess, and keeps me from having to route audio and video to separate sources or using the tv as an audio pass-through.