If the 3808 also has 4 HDMI inputs, I'm not sure if I can justify the price difference to go with the 4308. I'll study the differences more when they come out.
A perfect example why you do not need HDMI 1.3 or the decoding of the new audio codecs in the receivers. It is just another way for the manufacturers to sell you something for more money that is useless and something we do not need.
I am still learning about Dolby TrueHD and DTSHD. I have an HD-A1 and am thinking about the Onkyo TX-SR804 receiver. I assume you're saying I can enjoy those audio formats without waiting for an HDMI 1.3 receiver. Can I do it with the 804 without quality loss compared to the new HDMI 1.3 way? What connection would I be using?
Well, I found a thread on AVS that says you can do the new hd audio formats if the receiver has multi-channel analog inputs or if it has the ability to properly handle multi-channel PCM. Does anyone know if the 804 can do the latter, since it doesn't seem to have 5.1 analog inputs.
A month or two ago I was reading up on receivers trying to select one. I am trying to remember why I picked the 804... I thought I had considered everything, including the ability to do HD audio...
I know I'm behind the times with my Denon 3801, but I'm strongly considering the 3808ci as it's all-too-soon replacement. I've been very happy with the Denon and it seems to compliment my Klipsch speakers very nicely. I'm sure some of the new (compared to what the 3801 has) processing will be impressive, plus I'll be able to get rid of my external HDMI switcher. As for the whole 5.1 vs 7.1 game, I guess I've been broken, I wired the dedicated room for 7 and purchased a set of RB75's for the rear. Who knows, all it takes is money, I'm sure I'll be happy, and the way I see it, there's guy's out there that have spent more on a speaker than what I've spent on all my stuff.