Time to upgrade my receiver

http://www.amazon.com/Onkyo-TX-NR616-7-2-Channel-Certified-Receiver/dp/B0077V88W2/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1359455023&sr=8-3&keywords=onkyo or if you are open to refurbished http://www.accessories4less.com/make-a-store/item/DENAVR1612/DENON-AVR-1612-5.1-Channel-A/V-Home-Theater-Receiver/1.html

If you can grab an HK 1700 for $199, it's a steal. People here love it (I'm waiting for mine to be shipped)

HDMI pass-through means you can have your receiver off but it still allows the picture to go through. So basically you can watch TV and use your TV speakers with your receiver being off.

It allows you to use the TV speakers when the receiver is off (actually in standby mode). Some people like to do that at night when watching TV while everyone is asleep. You can use an HDMI device like a cable/sat box and it will pass thru the audio and video signal to the TV while the receiver is in standby mode.

Is that what you're asking?

yeah, it's also called hdmi passthrough, where you can watch tv with your receiver turned off, and yes the sound comes out of the tv.

Actually, all you have to do with the receiver off is switch your TV audio setting so that the TV speakers are active rather than the function that outputs the sound to the AV receiver.

yeah it has to be on cuz it has no passthrough (well it's not on the specs page at least, but not much is)

a "3d avr" just lets you input a 3d blu-ray player with hdmi and then it lets the 3d through the hdmi output and onto your tv. if you have a 3d tv and blu-ray player, and your avr doesn't, then you just put the hdmi from the blu-ray directly into the tv, and use the optical output of the bluray playe for audio. if you don't have/ don't watch 3d, then it doesn't matter.

that receiver doesn't do dolby truehd or dts hd, but for 75 bucks it's a very good deal.

agreed

Hi BlakRam, You saw the VSX 1022 for $250.00 @ BB?

Just for the record: I do think that the VSX 1122 is worth the extra $100.00
If you don't think so go here and look at the comparisons: Click on the 1022 and the 1122 and then click compare
http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/PUSA/Home/AV-Receivers/ch.Pioneer+Receivers.Compare
Also the VSX 1122's Product Sheet shows in Bold Black the upgrades from the 1022 and that's here:
http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/ephox/StaticFiles/PUSA/Files/Home/VSX-1122-K%20New%20Single%20Sheet.pdf
The VSX 1122 also has five "Assignable" HDMI's, the Elite VSX 50 and VSX 1022 have none.

If your question was the VSX 1122 or the Elite VSX 50, hands down my answer would be the VSX 1122 and load the Warranty.
But with the VSX 1122 @ $600.00, I would spend $50.00 dollars more and get the Elite VSX 60 @ $650.00, load the Warranty and go home.
I'd also put my purchase on my BB Card and get 18 months same as cash!
For the extra $50.00 I get a 2 year Warranty, Extra Features and I just think that the Elites are made Better.
The VSX 1122 compares closer to the Elite VSX 60 and is a better comparison.
http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/PUSA/Home/AV-Receivers/Elite+Receivers/VSX-60

One thing that you can do is go to Pioneer and look at the Specs of each.
I have Mozilla Firefox and Internet Explorer so I could open the Spec of each and compare side by side.
Pioneer does not always make this easy as they jumble things around a bit.

Here is a link to the Elite VSX 50: http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/PUSA/Home/AV-Receivers/Elite+Receivers/VSX-50
Click on the Product Sheet and look at the back looks much better than the VSX 1022.
Not that looks are everything but it does say a few things as to build.


Here is a link to the VSX 1022: http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/PUSA/Home/AV-Receivers/Pioneer+Receivers/VSX-1022-K
VSX 1022 Product Sheet:: http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/ephox/StaticFiles/PUSA/Files/Home/VSX-1022-K%20New%20Single%20Sheet.pdf


You can see overviews, Specs, OP Manual, etc of each.

A few things to note between the two receivers:

The Elite VSX 50 has 4 HDMI Inputs and the VSX 1022 has 6 HDMI Inputs....How many external devices do you need to connect today and in the future to your A/V receiver.
On My Elite VSX 53, (Living Room) I'm using 3 HDMI Inputs: Computer HTPC, DIRECTV, Blu-Ray player.
On my Elite VSX 60 (Bedroom) I'm using the same : HTPC, DIRECTV and DVD Player / Burner
So that's 3 HDMI's on each, with a game console that would be 4.

The Elite VSX 50 has a Pioneer 2 Year Warranty compared to the VSX 1022 with 1 Year.

The Elite VSX 50 has 6 MCACC Memory locations compared to 1 for the VSX 1022.

The Elite VSX 50 lists supported Apple Devices as: 4th gen Nano and above / iPhone, 3G, 3GS, 4 / iPad, iPad2
The VSX 1022 lists it's supported Apple Devices as: iPad 2, iPad, iPhone 4S, 4, 3GS, 3G / iPod touch 4G, 3G, 2G, 1G / iPod classic / iPod nano 6G, 5G, 4G, 3G
So this depends on your Apple Needs.
This also shows on the spec page, I would suggest reading the OP Manual and delving further if this is an important spec for you.
Just because it is not listed on the Elite VSX 50 Spec page does not mean that it has it or not.

It really depends on your needs of the receiver.
If I was you I'd download the two Operator Manuals and give them a once over, checking features that really apply to you
Myself, I like the Elites, but the 50 is an older Elite and why BB is selling it out.
The 1022 on the other hand is current and why it has the newer Apple Devices Spec.

With either purchase I would highly recommend the "Extended Warranty" for as long as you can!
I had a VSX 1020 die on me out of Warranty and it took a lot to get Pioneer to swap it out.
Pioneer gave me choices on any current model as a replacement, with a much reduced costs than retail.
I chose the Elite VSX 60 and I have been very happy with it!
A Warranty would have helped me a lot and at the time for a VSX 1020 I think it was around a hundred bucks.
It would have been the best hundred bucks I'd spent.
So that may sway you, the Elite VSX 50 at $250.00 plus Extended Warranty or the VSX 1022 at $450.00 plus Extended Warranty.
Does the VSX 1022 have three hundred dollars worth of features over the Elite VSX 50? That's a question that you will have to answer.
I really like the Elite VSX 60, so far so good.

Given your comparison of the VSX 50 or VSX 1022, I'd get the Elite VSX 50 and put the Extended Warranty on it!
But that's just my opinion and specific needs.
You need to determine the same for you.

Good Luck,

Bud B
PS. I am assuming that the "Open Box" has all of the accessories like a remote, (you can download the Manual) and comes with a full 2 year Warranty.
Edited by Bud B - 2/8/13 at 9:17am

never get extended warranties in my opinion.

Hi WagBoss,
Live by it and eventually Die by it!

In the old days when electronic equipment was built like a tank, I agreed!
Today unfortunately they are not, we live in the Throw Away, Buy New but don't repair Millennium!
I had a 2 year old VSX 1020 that would turn itself on and off, lose HDMI, etc..etc..etc...
I took it in to Pioneers Authorized repair facility (Out of Warranty) it cost me $50.00 (half of what a 4 year Extended Warranty with BB would have been) for them
to look at it but the $50.00 would be applied to the repair should I decide to repair it!

After having my 1020 for almost 2 weeks, the result was that it is too infrequent of a problem to completely diagnose
but after conferring with Pioneer they determined that it was most likely the main control PCB and if "Under Warranty" they would have just replaced it.
BUT because it's not, I could choose to replace the Main Control PCB at a cost of $525.00.
Then again because I had numerous problems it was probably more than just that one part.
WHAT DID I WANT TO DO?

I took it back and went home, plugged it in on my kitchen cabinet and it immediately turned itself back off.
I took it back, they had it for another 2 weeks and came back the same result and again they were not able to completely diagnose the exact problem.
I took it back and started my discussions with Pioneer.

I told Pioneer that their repair facility could not find the problem, it would be one thing if they did and gave me a repair price and it was up to me, but instead I am left in limbo!
After sending all paperwork and emails back and forth including a video of what it did, I finally was offered a replacement at a lower cost.
Bottom line...I have paid out $750.00 in 2 years and over two months of frustration when $600.00 ($500.00 + $100.00 for Extended Warranty) would have gotten all my troubles taken care of.
Not to mention that I would not have had to listened to my HDTV's tiny speakers throughout the whole process!
Have you ever heard the expression that hindsight is always 20/20, I would have gladly paid the $100.00 Extended Warranty when my receiver went down,
BUT like you, I didn't get the "Extended Warranty!"

I do now!

Let me ask you a question, If you paid $500.00 for a new electronic device, like an HDTV, Receiver etc and after it's 1 year Warranty, it dies,
Will you just gladly walk out and just shell out another $500.00 and buy another unit?
You now have $1,000.00 invested when you could have just paid $600.00 with the "Extended Warranty" and you are back up and running.
I bet at that exact moment, you would have given anything to have a hindsight 20/20 moment, and had actually paid the $100.00 for the "EW"
You would be able to get your unit fixed (just be inconvenienced for the repair time) and so happy that you were so smart and saved $400.00

I just had a Panasonic TM700 HD Camcorder that went down over Christmas at my sisters.
When I got home I scrambled for the receipt and was saying to myself, "Please tell me that I took the Extended Warranty and it had not expired!"
Thankfully I took out 4 years of "EW" ($99.00) and it expires in October 2013! I was saved! Thank Me, Thank Me, Thank Me!

You can read through these forums and see that literally every manufacturer, has equipment that goes awry.
No rhyme or reason, it just does, the proverbial Sh_it Happens!

It's Health insurance for electronics!
Unfortunately I have learned that it is a new Millennium thing!

When it hits you just once, you'll be nastily converted!
I wish you luck though!

Bud B

Hi BlakRam,

I have the Harmony 650 but still not everything that is on the Pioneer remote is easily found on the Harmony.
It would be nice if they have the remote.

Regards,

Bud B