I currently use my TV for an A/V switch. My receiver actually only has one set of inputs being used right now: digital out from the TV. I don't tend to listen to music much so it works out great for me because I never turn on the radio. If I did, I'd want to hook up Sirius anyway. My receiver sits on one input and I never change it. I don't like the sound of the TV speakers (it's a flat screen LCD and they suck.)

So I was wondering if there was an amp and surround processor that had some sort of wake on signal feature that would turn on when it senses an audio signal from the LCD (HDMI or Optical) and turn off after a set period of time. It doesn't seem that far of a stretch technically, and it seems illogical to buy a fancy receiver to serve as only an amplifier for my speakers.

Call me lazy, but I just think it would be cool to come home, turn the TV on, have the amplifier kick in automatically and not have to worry about multiple remotes or programming the remotes to cycle power on all my devices (Cable/TV/Receiver.)

The TV has line out level adjustment set by the volume buttons on the control. There's a setting to turn the volume controls into a line level output and mute the TV speakers. I currently leave my receiver volume set and use the output level to change the volume. (Do I hear cringes? Is this bad? It works great and I don't hear static or other oddities.)

So am I off the deep end here? Has anyone seen an amplifier that does surround processing and has wake and sleep features?:confused:

What you ask is perfectly reasonable. Now, if we could get the manufactures to remove their heads from a dark space, yea, proprietary features land, and give us a buss that works, we would buy more stuff from everybody. But alas, Sony has theirs, JVC theirs, HDMI has a spec that everyone ignores, rant, rave spit, sputter. I main system is "down" to 4 remotes, and my power amps are sequenced off a Furman. Even my new Denon DVD won't talk to me older Denon AVR. Universal remotes are way to inconvenient for me, let alone the WAF. This is a gross failure of the industry. Maybe it is time for us all to switch to a MYTH box. We can make LINUX do anything.
In the olden-days, we had real power switches, so a simple relay box powered everything up. Progress.

Yeah, I'm sure it's technically possible to do.

I have the option to set my TV as a monitor as well. I'd have to check with my TV manual, but I think I can set it to turn on with input from a single source. I could find a receiver that I use as an HDMI switch and go that route. It would be the same as the setup above but it would be using the receiver as the switch instead (which I assume is more common.) The only issue I have with that is the loss of control in video settings between sources since my TV lets me setup different video settings depending on the source. (My PS3 has more color options than my cable box for instance)

I was just thinking about getting an amplifier or a receiver and I thought it would be a nice to have a "lite" receiver meant as a processor and amp. I don't mind spending a little cash on it, but I figured I'd look for a good amplifier instead of spending money on features I didn't use. I just need something to process a single source surround signal and push my speakers... without having to turn it all on with some ritual! :D

I just need something to process a single source surround signal and push my speakers... without having to turn it all on with some ritual!

Just get a Logitech or similar remote. Everything on or off with a single button press. Even if someone were to make what you are looking for, it will probably cost just as much as a budget reciever.

IMHO the harmony remotes aren't very good.

I've used a Sony universal that could read IR and be programmed with macros.
I programmed a macro to turn on the satellite box, turn on the tv, change the input to s-video, turn on the reciever, change the input to tv.
Same macro could turn everything off.