Need Home Theater Receiver Recommendations

Can anyone recommend a fairly inexpensive home theater receiver to
replace my existing receiver. As I've upgraded my components, I'd now
like to have the ability for the receiver to accept HDMI input (2 or,
ideally, more inputs) and send HDMI out to the TV.

My ideal setup uses the TV like a monitor, such that the receiver uses
the HDMI inputs for both the video and the sound. I'd like the sound
to be distributed by the receiver as encoded - 5.1, etc., with the
video displayed on the TV via the HDMI output. I'd prefer the
receiver to display volume and programming on the screen.

As I research models, it is hard to figure out which HDMI ready
systems are merely "switching-only", thereby seemingly just passing
the video and sound along to the TV. For example, Harmon/Kardon makes
the distinction, though others do not.

My current wiring is for 5.1 with pre-out RCA for the subwoofer. I'm
perfectly happy with that setup and probably will never use the 7.1 of
the newer systems.
.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Connecting HDTV with HDMI and A/V receiver
    ... > I could run an optical cable from the TV to the receiver and in that ... The problem is on my SA8500 STB the HDMI digital sound is ... > not Dolby 5.1, it's Dolby Surround Sound which can only be ...
    (alt.tv.tech.hdtv)
  • Re: Sound through the HDTV cable dvr box or buy a seperate sound system???
    ... I looked it up online and it had Dolby 5.1 sound connections. ... >would be a neater install if I could eliminate the surround sound receiver ... does it then have inputs for external audio and video for say a DVD ... >Right now I'm using component cables from HDTV Cable box to the Sanyo front ...
    (alt.tv.tech.hdtv)
  • Re: Connection question re: HDMI and Surround Sound
    ... but will pump the audio ... I don't have HDMI on my receiver. ... to get the best of both worlds, the picture via HDMI and the sound ...
    (alt.tv.tech.hdtv)
  • Re: (NBC) Technical advice
    ... the official boot sound. ... I have a Sony TV and Sony amplifier and Sony blu-ray disc player. ... to get another hdmi cable and take the video through the amplifier too? ... How are you feeding the signal from the BD player to the receiver? ...
    (rec.music.artists.springsteen)
  • Re: Setting up home theatre
    ... HDMI from Sky to HT, then HDMI from HT to TV. ... have ARC, allowing sound to be sent back from the TV to the HT via HDMI, ... How about ARC? ... Select Receiver and set to On. ...
    (uk.tech.tv.sky)