Hi all, I'm in the market for a new AV Receiver. My Sony STR-DE595 has served me well, but I want something with all the wonders of HDMI and new audio formats. I'm planning on being able to do the following:
[*]Watch TV (TV and Sky HD box)
[*]Watch Bluray/DVD (TV and Bluray player)
[*]Play PS3 (TV and PS3)
[*]Watch Sky Movies (Projector and Sky HD)
[*]Watch Bluray Movies (Projector and Bluray)
In the case of number 1, I'd prefer to use the TV speakers almost exclusively. I'm not overly bothered about having a full 5.1 setup going whilst just watching BBC News or repeats of Only Fools and Horses - it's a little OTT in such cases. Ideally I'd like an amp that I can turn off and put into 'bypass' so it just pokes the HDMI signal straight through to the TV. For the other options having the full speakers on is nice, or required (in the case of 4 and 5).
Thing is, I switch all this about with a logitech harmony remote right now, so ideally if passthrough or otherwise can be switched on and off, it needs to be done from a remote press. Strings of button presses are unreliable I find (i.e. navigating a menu).
The Yamaha RX-V765 seems to tick the boxes as it can go into bypass when on standby, but I'm a little worried as it needs a firmware update to assign the inputs. In itself not a problem, but it's also an end-of-life product it seems, so I'm a little reluctant to go down that path.
Other amps seem to be able to go into bypass, but you've got to dig into the menus to turn it on and off.
At the moment, this isn't an issue as my HDMI is switched via an external box, and my audio inputs are switches about accordingly - the amp only comes on if needed. The Onkyo TX-SR608 looks like a possible contender, but the power consumption on the damn thing is 600W! Granted, that's probably at full bore, with a complete set of speakers, but I'd guess average consumption is nearer 200W, which over time could add up.
Main spec for a receiver I'm looking for is 1080p upscaling, minimum 4 inputs, and under £400. You may have noticed mention of a projector AND TV - I already have a 4x2 switch, which I'm going to lose down the back and use as a splitter. I've given up on the notion of a 2-output device, as they're either a bit pricey, or they have oddball switching.
Any comments and suggestions most gratefully received 🙂
[*]Watch TV (TV and Sky HD box)
[*]Watch Bluray/DVD (TV and Bluray player)
[*]Play PS3 (TV and PS3)
[*]Watch Sky Movies (Projector and Sky HD)
[*]Watch Bluray Movies (Projector and Bluray)
In the case of number 1, I'd prefer to use the TV speakers almost exclusively. I'm not overly bothered about having a full 5.1 setup going whilst just watching BBC News or repeats of Only Fools and Horses - it's a little OTT in such cases. Ideally I'd like an amp that I can turn off and put into 'bypass' so it just pokes the HDMI signal straight through to the TV. For the other options having the full speakers on is nice, or required (in the case of 4 and 5).
Thing is, I switch all this about with a logitech harmony remote right now, so ideally if passthrough or otherwise can be switched on and off, it needs to be done from a remote press. Strings of button presses are unreliable I find (i.e. navigating a menu).
The Yamaha RX-V765 seems to tick the boxes as it can go into bypass when on standby, but I'm a little worried as it needs a firmware update to assign the inputs. In itself not a problem, but it's also an end-of-life product it seems, so I'm a little reluctant to go down that path.
Other amps seem to be able to go into bypass, but you've got to dig into the menus to turn it on and off.
At the moment, this isn't an issue as my HDMI is switched via an external box, and my audio inputs are switches about accordingly - the amp only comes on if needed. The Onkyo TX-SR608 looks like a possible contender, but the power consumption on the damn thing is 600W! Granted, that's probably at full bore, with a complete set of speakers, but I'd guess average consumption is nearer 200W, which over time could add up.
Main spec for a receiver I'm looking for is 1080p upscaling, minimum 4 inputs, and under £400. You may have noticed mention of a projector AND TV - I already have a 4x2 switch, which I'm going to lose down the back and use as a splitter. I've given up on the notion of a 2-output device, as they're either a bit pricey, or they have oddball switching.
Any comments and suggestions most gratefully received 🙂
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