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Small A/V Decoder/Sound Processor Available???

post #1 of 2
Thread Starter 
I have a new laptop with HDMI out.

My plan is to play BluRay and Dolby/DTS encoded videos.  I built a few class T Tripath amps and would like to use them.

My reasoning is such.  First, the power specs for A/V Receivers is so misleading.  The rating is for one channel being driven.  So a receiver touting 120 watts each channel, may actually, under test be 50 or so with all 7 channels running.

So, I have 3 TriPath true 100 watts per channel amps that are pretty small.  I also know HDMI is the only way to get Dolby HD or DTS MA.  So is there a small A/V processor that I can connect my HDMI out of my laptop too, then connect the output of the processor to my three amps (this will give me 6.1 at most).

Hope I am explaining my intent clear enough.

Thanks for anyones help in advance
post #2 of 2
Look out for the new Emotiva UMC-1:

http://emotiva.com/umc1.shtm

Also discussed in this occasionally revived thread:

http://www.hometheaterforum.com/forum/thread/287688/emotiva-umc-1-av-pre-amp-comming-next-month

AFAIK, no other quality, HD prepro comes close to this budget range.

Your other alternative would be to just buy a lower end AVR and use it as a prepro (like some of us have been doing), especially if you're not looking for audiophile level performance.  I currently just use a Yamaha 663 AVR for just that -- driving my old B&K 5-channel amp.  IIRC, I paid somewhere in the $300-350 range maybe 1-1/2 years ago for the Yammy.  If you only actually need M-PCM over HDMI, not actual decoding of the compressed HD formats, then you might have moderately more options at the low end -- maybe you can even pick up a lightly used Yamaha 661 for that instead.

I may eventually upgrade to the Emotiva (or maybe something else), but for now, I'm quite satisfied w/ the Yammy AVR as a prepro.

_Man_
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