Advice on AVR for Blu-Ray player

[Vader]

Hi all,

I am going to be jumping into blu-world with the upcoming Pioneer Elite BD player, and I have two options for the audio. Currently, I am running a Denon AVR2105, but it only has a single set of analog inputs (currently occupied by my Onkyo HD-DVD player). So, when the new player gets here in August (fingers crossed), I have three options:

1) One of the players gets the shaft (audio speaking) and simply uses SPDIF (not really an option).

2) I get the Zektor analog switcher, which lets me keep the HD sound, but is still dependent on the BM in the respective players. This route also means I need to procure twelve more audio cables.

3) I upgrade to the Denon AVR1908, which is HDMI 1.3, and run both the Onkyo and Pioneer via HDMI. This is assuming that the Pioneer will decode all formats and send them as PCM (the Denon does not decode TrueHD or DTS MA from bitstream). As I understand it, this way I will use the BM in the Denon, and the Audessy EQ will apply to the HD sound as well.

However, in the manual for the Denon (P 11), it states that in order to use HDMI for audio/video, both the connected DVD player and monitor must be HDCP compliant. My display is currently component only, so I would only be using the HDMI for audio. Am I understanding the manual correctly, and that I cannot do this (I know the reverse works – HDMI for video and analog for audio)?
Basically, I am looking at either using an expensive band-aid to keep HD sound for both players, and then upgrading the AVR and display at the same time down the road (which will probably be better than what I can get right now), or simply upgrading the AVR and being done with it (but lacking many of the features I would likely get by waiting). Any opinions would be greatly appreciated!

[Blaser]

Hi Derek , long time...

I was in a similar situation and decided to go for no. 1. I think it's your best bet at this time, and you still have the opportunity to jump to option 3 later on.

I don't think you'll be missing that much with core codecs. They already sound excellent, and IMO the material itself is much more relevant than being interpreted in DTS MA or core DTS 1500 Kb/s

[Vader]

Blaser, I haven't left the building, really!

Looks like I am going to follow your suggestion. The analogs on the Elite player are not an option, anyway. The bass management capabilities of this player are extremely limited (ie. no distance settings, no variable c/o, and no mention of what the fixed c/o is). Given the player's other attributes, I am still looking at it because down the road the analogs will be a non-issue anyway. It just irritates me that this is the third game of catch-up the blu camp has had to play: first, the PQ (or lack thereof) of the BD roll out titles; second, internet interactivity (which I couldn't care less about); and now there is no BD player out there (aside from the Denon $2k 3800) that has the BM capabilities to match those which every HD-DVD player (with analogs) has had for over two years . I am excited to get into Blu Ray, but this is just discouraging. I guess I will just have to "live" with the legacy sound formats on BD just a little while longer (which sound great, anyway)...