Any "simpler" receivers out there?

Mike Romo · 02-14-2008, 01:13 PM

hey--

So, I was looking at my latest issue of Home Theater magazine and reading about this crazy Yamaha receiver that was super massive and was jam packed with all kinds of crazy inputs and it just looked amazing. Look at all those ports! Whoo hoo!

Then I wondered, "How many people actually NEED all these inputs?" Like, really, do we need all these analog inputs when so much of what we are inputting is either digital co-ax/fiber optic or HDMI? I mean port after port after port--I just don't use.

I was curious what you all thought about this. I am not saying do away with all of the analog inputs (I use my CD input for my Airport Extress) but I wonder if there would be significant cost savings and smaller casing. Just give us 2 or 3 analogs and then let the user manually assign them. Are there any high quality receivers that do this? Or is it just a matter of "let's keep adding inputs so we can be obviously better than the competition?"

happy valentine's day!
-mike

chuckg · 02-14-2008, 02:58 PM

I would prefer if all inputs had every kind of connection possible. Then I could plug what I want to input 1 or 2 or whatever, no matter what the connection type. Having all the inputs labelled with what they think I will plug there is kind of annoying.

Give me about six inputs, each with 6.1 analog, optical, coax, and HDMI and I'd be happy.

Ditto for video ins/outs. Just give me one of each type for each in/out, and let me decide what to put where. HDMI, compnonent, S-vid, plain old vid.

And, while we are at it, could we PLEASE separate the Audio and Video on those dad-blang HDMI things? I mean c'mon, I need to put the video in one machine and the audio in another! sheesh. Or, better yet, give me an AV preprocessor that does everything I need, and just has one set of analog connections to the amps, and one (whatever is best) going to the TV.

[

]

JeremyErwin · 02-14-2008, 03:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike Romo

I was curious what you all thought about this. I am not saying do away with all of the analog inputs (I use my CD input for my Airport Extress)

You do know that your airport express has an optical digital out, don't you?

Doug_H · 02-14-2008, 03:28 PM

mike

I have a Kenwood Sovereign receiver that is getting long in the tooth. It has 7 coax and 7 optical inputs as well as all of the stereo inputs. Fortunately it auto senses inputs and allows me to assign the device. I thought I was covered for life. It was about a year later I was wishing it had component switching, then HDMI switching and now I want the HD audio formats.

The point is that the audio flexibility of this receiver allowed me to continue using it no matter how many oddball audio connections I needed to make. The more capability, the more future proof you are.

I will acknowledge that many people now have and will always have a system that the majority of receivers will seem to be overkill for.

SpiderX1016 · 02-14-2008, 06:14 PM

tbh, I would like more inputs but All I have Connected to my HT-SR800 is my PS3 with Optic cable (Wished it had HDMI Sound)

**HTF Ads**

DaveF · 02-14-2008, 06:42 PM

In my ideal world, there would simply be a bank of HDMI inputs and outputs -- all components would use HDMI to pass all AV signals.

Or perhaps, the receiver would have one HDMI connection and there would be a seperate HDMI hub. All HDMI devices would connect to the hub, and the hub would connect to the receiver. If I needed more inputs, I would simply buy a bigger hub, and not have any worries about the receiver at all. This would be like my computer with its external USB hub.

And speaker output of course.

Bluzman · 02-14-2008, 07:18 PM

There may be a start toward this. Sony has dumped all s-video I/O from all it's latest AVRs except the STR-DA5300ES (go figure why they kept them on that one). Also, the latest Pioneer series due out in the Spring also has no s-video I/O.

Mike Romo · 02-15-2008, 06:59 PM

Great responses, guys! I can see both sides...interesting to see some companies dropping S-Video..

Jeremy, yup--I know that the Airport Express does optical, I just haven't bought the right cable...thanks for reminding me, though! I actually forgot all about that!

I see how there's a need for more future proofing--it's fun to think about what's "next" after HDMI. I have been pretty happy with my Yamaha RX-V750, I was soooo stoked to finally have component switching, but now I am in the same boat, I want HDMI switching (amazingly, I have only one component device now (Xbox 360)) and the next generation audio formats...

thanks for the replies, I was curious as to what you would think...
-mike