[heatwave3]

There's alot of great information on the subject of receivers for a home theater setup however it would take days if not weeks to read them all to make an educated decision. Is there a general consensus from those that have posted here for a while as to the top 2-3 receivers to consider that would work in the following situation:

Sharp LC65SE94U LCD TV

Preference for upto 4 HDMI inputs feeding through the receiver to the TV

Relatively simple setup

Use by a non-audiophile, although I like a clean, crisp sound as much as the next guy

Reasonable pricing (you be the judge of whats reasonable - less than $750?)

Simple remote that's also flexible


Feeding into the receiver will be:

Comcast HD cablebox (HDMI?)

Xbox Elite (HDMI)

Blue-Ray Player (HDMI)

Basic DVD recorder (components connection)

Retain an empty HDMI for future application


I don't think I'll be going to surround sound to start however the receiver should accomodate 5.1. Basic plan would be to have relatively small, unobtrusive left and right speakers, a center channel and a decent subwoofer. Any recommendations for the speakers would also be appreciated.


Thanks for any help that can be offerred to a new forum member.

 

[MichaelJHuman]

Four HDMI inputs limits your choices a lot so you should be able to narrow down your search a lot.

 

[PIRSQUARED]

For under $750 you could get the Onkyo TX-SR806, 706 or 606 (possibly the Integra DTR-5.9 which is the "premium" version of the Onkyo 606) as well as the Denon AVR 2309. The Onkyo family of AVRs run hot, but the Denon AVR U.I.s and manuals are more confusing. Be sure to download the manuals for each and decide for yourself. And definately audition each candidate in store with material you like. Good luck!

 

[dsmith901]

Keep in mind you don't have to use the receiver to switch video (HDMI) unless you just want to avoid buying a couple of extra cables. You can run all video straight to your TV and connect just audio to the receiver, or buy a separate HDMI switcher. Or you can run some HDMI through the receiver, such as DVD-R, Blu-Ray and Xbox, and other, such as the cable box, direct to the TV.

 

[heatwave3]



Quote:
Originally Posted by dsmith901 /forum/post/15472968


Keep in mind you don't have to use the receiver to switch video (HDMI) unless you just want to avoid buying a couple of extra cables. You can run all video straight to your TV and connect just audio to the receiver, or buy a separate HDMI switcher. Or you can run some HDMI through the receiver, such as DVD-R, Blu-Ray and Xbox, and other, such as the cable box, direct to the TV.

I was hoping to buy an AVR that could manage all the HDMI connections (both audio and video) with a single HDMI output to the Sharp 65SE. The TV will be mounted on the wall with internal wall conduit down to a piece of furniture with all the AV equipment. I'm trying to keep the connections within the wall as simple as possible.


Other than the TV power cord (outlet on wall directly behind TV), an HDMI cable from the AVR and possibly a Cat5 internet connection (The Sharp SE has basic internet connectivity to their Sharp site - no full internet). Is there any other connection I'm not anticipating. I was hopeful to find an AVR to manage the switching of all components such as BR player (HDMI), I-pod, HD Cable box (HDMI), normal DVD player/recorder (component connection), Xbox (HDMI) and flexibility to handle future add-ons.


I was also hoping to find an AVR that could take all video inputs and either pass them through to the Sharp if they were 1080P or upconvert them to the highest possible video signal if they were 480, 720 or 1080i. I am trying to have the AVR provide reasonably good sound through 2 relatively small speakers, a center channel speaker and a sub-woofer.


Am I asking for too much?


My homework to date suggests the following AVRs might meet my needs. Are there others I should be considering or are there ones on my list below that really won't meet my needs based on more expert insight? Are the AVRs below in similar class with respect to quality and performance? Thanks for any guidance or recommendations.


Onkyo SR876

Denon 2809 or 3808

Elite SC-05/07

HK AVR 254

Pioneer VSX01-txh

 

[MichaelJHuman]

Those receivers all have their fans. You might want to spend a little time perusing those threads to get a better idea on those receivers.


From that list, I personally look at the SC models if you want a lot of power. They seem to have that going for them. Denon has a good rep.


I see you did not mention the Yamaha RX-V3800, which is discounted now that the 3900 is out. I believe it has four HDMI inputs.