[weldon]

Hi, I've spent the last week or so researching recievers on and off, and I can't seem to find a conclusive answer/current recommendations for a reciever.

I have a around $300 budget for a 5.1 setup, and researching recievers and from the forums here, I've heard about "hdmi passthrough" but I don't seem to find companies that list that as a feature. But looking at reciveres that I see this phrase mentioned, they are all quite old (circa 2006) Is anything I get now going to decode audio? I am planning on only running hdmi to the reciver, and from the reciever to the tv.

The only connection I plan on use is 1 hdmi in/out connection. Any suggestons?


I was looking at this reciever, but I am lost as to whether it decodes hdmi audio itself.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.as...36390&SID=

Thanks

[dandotc]

I also have the Acer Revo 1600, thought i'd share what works in my setup

I stream wirelessly over my network from my studio PC. 720p MKV files work great(Media Player Classic as external player). Only issue is the DVD formats being streamed(they work but it gets stuck on the DVD menus sometimes.....may not be Revo related).

I'm not sure on the Onkyo (never used it)

I have:
Sony STR DH800 - connected to 7 speakers ( subwoofer has it's own amp) for the 7.1 surround sound action (sounds great). Passthrough, what it means in my setup is, when you play any surround based content it is basically passing off the job to the receiver and you have to control the volume from the receiver. You can't change the volume from XBMC when the audio is being passed through,(XBMC will give you a little volume message that will say passthrough audio in use.) Stereo sources are still controllable from XBMC and the receiver. It'll make sense once you use it. ...Overall love the receiver, ability to get to very loud, very detailed and smooth...you'll like.

TV: the REC is connect to a 42 inch Emerson plasma via HDMI picked cables up from Monoprice

MCE Remote + Eventghost...saucesome

...and
Engenius EUB-9706 300Mbps WLAN N USB Adapter for the streaming....hope this helps!

[weldon]

Thanks for your response. So you have your xbmc setup to use your tv audio instead of receiver sometimes?

And you've been able to get 5.1 sound? And what about playing 2.0 sound (like music) does it only play on the front speakers? My parents have this issue and while it's probably just a receiver setting, its kind of frustrating..

Id love to pay only 200 for a receiver though as I am just a student. And thanks for the wireless n card suggestion, going to be needing to get one soon

[infy]

I have two Onkyo tx-sr607.
Onkyo is really the way to go. When it comes to possibilities and features Onkyos come with a decent price and does everything you want it do and more.
It's what the geeks/freaks buy :p

If you have some more money go for Denon

As for your music... My PC converts the stereo to dolby prologic orsomething so it comes through all speakers.

[dandotc]

No sound comes out of the TV at all. I just disabled the TV's speaker. The REC actually handles all sounds. The REC has many modes where it can take a 5.1 source and emulate or extend it to 7.1. The REC has many modes including a mode for straight 2 channel (stereo). you can also emulate 5.1 from a 2.1 (stereo) source as well ...just a button press to change modes. I'm really anal about sound, i record and mix music so it took me forever to just man up and make a decision. I'm all about Bang 4 the Buck. This REC does everything i need really. 2.1, 3.1, 4.1, 5.1, 6.1, 7.1, you can chose you speaker configuration and select which speakers you want the sound to come out of. My brother has a Denon, sounds nice, if i had the money...i'd think about getting one, but this REC does sound great.

so...

TV SPEAKER SOUND: DISABLED

SOUND HANDLING: SONY REC does the decoding...PC does NOT do the work which is easier on the Revo and provides more CPU for other things like...umm watching movies lol

7.1 CAPABILITY: YES...along with everything lower
TURN 2.1 INTO 5.1 OR 7.1: YES achieved by setting the REC's Enhanced surround sound mode to: PRO LOGIC IIx : performs Dolby Pro Logic II decoding...you can also choose : Neo 6 Cinema, Neo 6 Music, Neural-THX.
I use the Pro Logic IIx(sounds the best to me)...

once again never used the Onkyo...the SONY makes the most sense for my setup since all of my speakers are SONy except the Sub which is an Alpine Type-R SWR-1242D...but it was a great choice and i don't regret it...will buy again for my HTPC setup for my projector....hope this helps

EDIT: I just read up on the Onkyo tx-sr607...seems to be saucesome..7.2..1 sub should be good enough though lol, if you have more money go for the Onkyo tx-sr607 for it has more features, but the SONY has what you need

[Geekzilla]

The Onkyo TX-SR608 (around $380) is coming out any day now. Maybe once it does you'll be able to find a 607 for <$300.