I am getting a 7.1 system for mainly movies and tv. I want to run all my 1080p hmdi connections through the receiver. I haven't picked out my speakers 100% yet, but I'm thinking Klipsch

Front - RF-52 or RF-10
Center - RC-10 or RC-52
Back/Surround - RS-10 or RS-42
Sub - Undecided

I want to spend around 500 bucks on the receiver. I am familiar with Yamaha b/c I have owned two Yamaha receivers, so it would be nice to stay with the same brand, but I don't have too. What recommendations do you all have?

two to start with...Denon 1910 and Onkyo SR607

A couple of good ideas here (http://www.soundadviceblog.com/?page_id=1120).

First, know what the power rating is on your speakers and find an amplifier that can handle the impedance. A good rule of thumb is to go twice the power rating of the speakers (crest factor of 3 db) to avoid clipping which will damage the speakers.

Don't really disagree with the previous recommendations. I would normally suggest considering buying used, but for 1080p/hdmi and current format decoding there just aren't too many units on the market yet. The Klipsch are very efficient so the talk about power ratings probably not terribly important, especially if you aren't going to drive them full-range. I would say that if you do a lot of 2-ch listening, then when budget allows buying a decent used outboard 2-ch amp could make a significant difference.