On Sun, 26 Oct 2008 18:53:43 +0000, Peter
wrote:

On Sun, 26 Oct 2008 17:50:28 -0000, "Des" wrote:

I currently have a Denon 3803,

Decent amp, that. Did I sell it to you about three years ago? If
you're the fellow I think you are, you came to Reigate for it, only
for me to be a bit late getting home from running an errand (sorry!).

I hope that you've been happy with it.

but in the 'brave new world' of hdmi I need
to upgrade (essentially for Freesat it seems).

Yup, I found that problem, too. In my case, it was a combination of a
new TV and a desire for Freesat and Blu-ray that did it.

Stuff I already have as inputs;

snip

all then outputting to a plasma tv and projector via component (using a
cheap passive splitter).

I'm looking for an AV receiver that will allow the above (without many cable
changes for now) and allow me to add the following;

1 PS3 (blue-ray) connected via hdmi.
1 Freesat PVR connected via hdmi.

Now you're talking! But I didn't think that these were on the market
yet. If you know differently, please say.

Which will allow me to connect to a plasma tv via hdmi and a projector via
component (already in place) or if need be hdmi, at the same time.

Does the Onkyo TXSR606 fit the bill?

Not sure. You can look at the manual online at
http://www.eu.onkyo.com/dl/1040433/M...SR606_En_A.pdf. There's a
picture of the rear panel on p.10. I haven't bothered to analyse it
for your purposes, but I'm sure you can do that for yourself. It
appears to have:
4 x HDMI in
1 x HDMI out
2 x optical in
2 x coax in
4 x S-Video in

I *think* that this would allow you to send an HDMI signal directly to
your plasma screen and component to the projector without needing your
splitter.

However, I'd be (pleasantly) surprised if that Onkyo sounds as good as
the Denon that you already have (especially if you use it for music as
well as film/TV). It is, after all, a model or two down the range from
the Onkyo equivalent of the Denon 38xx series.

I think it was the 875, rather than the 606, that I looked at. Nearly
bought it, too. But I eventually went for the Denon AVR-3808. I spent
most of a Saturday in the summer driving from here to Shrewsbury
(Creative Audio) and back to get it. Well, I did save £250 over
anything closer, and Denon won't allow their better kit to be sent by
courier - it's face-to-face purchase only.

Peter.

Thanks for the suggestion of the Onkyo TX-SR606. I too am looking for an
HDMI-switching A/V receiver. This looks just the job & it bargain too as I have
found it on sale at just 449 Euros here in France with 2 year warranty & free
delivery. That's about 350 of your English pounds today although a week or two
ago it would have been even less before the pound started plummeting:-) It's
obviously in a different league to the Onkyo TX-SR875 at 1300+ Euros or Denon
AVR-3808 at 1900+ Euros.
--

Cheers

Nigel Barker
Live from the sunny Cote d'Azur