If a $500 msrp Panasonic SA-XR70 can have HDMI ports, why can't the model 1070? Looking forward to the 1070 other than that.

It's important to be wary of comparing equipment purely on the basis of features - it can be easy to overlook other, important characteristics such as sonic performance (how good it actually sounds) and quality (how well built, how long it is likely to last). It is particularly dangerous to base the comparison solely on one desired feature. As far as features are concerned, however, the XR70 and 1070 are very different beasts. The two are not really intended to provide the same things - the 1070 offers much more extensive capabilities. The 1070 includes DVI switching (2 inputs, 1 output), whereas the XR70 includes a single HDMI input. The 1070 includes 4 optical and 4 coaxial digital inputs, compared to 2 of each for the XR70. The 1070 offers 3 component inputs (2 for the XR70), 3 audio inputs (2 for the XR70), a 7.1 analog input (5.1 for the XR70), bass management for the multichannel analog input (which the XR70 lacks), 3 rear audio/video inputs plus a front input (2 plus a front for the XR70), seven channels of amplification (six for the XR70), a more extensive array of processing modes (inlcuding DTS 96/24, Pro Logic IIx, and Dolby Headphone), and based on previous Outlaw gear we can expect much more robust bass management (most likely the 950's triple crossover, which is much better than the XR70's fixed 100Hz crossover). Also, the 1070 offers pre-amp outputs, something that the XR70 lacks entirely. If you do choose to use the 1070's internal amps, you'd have a much better means of connecting them to your speakers - nice heavy metal binding posts for all seven channels, a far cry from the plastic binding posts for front channels and spring clips for center and surrounds on the XR70.

All good points, Gonk.

Just the same, like jezmasterzero, I would prefer that the 1070 have HDMI switching over DVI switching. DVI is dead - why introduce a new product with an old standard?

On a related topic, anyone know yet if the 1070 will have multiple 12V triggers and if they are separately configurable for audio and video? I will need to drop a projector and a screen for video as well as turn on multiple rack amps for both audio and video...

Thanks in advance.

-SM

I don't know if I would call DVI an old standard just yet. DVI has a large existing installed base (it showed up on HDTV's at least a year or more ahead of HDMI and was included on a lot of sets during that time - and it is still showing up on new sets). Also, at the time the 1070's feature set was being pinned down (which would likely have been 1 1/2 or 2 years ago) HDMI was an emerging and largely unsupported standard that would have been risky to pursue. All of those existing DVI-equipped TV's can be connected to HDMI-equipped source components (at least for the video portion of the signal), at which point the 1070's DVI switching becomes ideal for people with DVI or HDMI cable/satellite receivers and upsampling DVD players and DVI displays. I suspect that there will be a lot of people with DVI inputs on their TV's who will be thrilled to have the 1070's DVI switching.

As for the 1070's trigger outputs, all I've seen on that topic is the pictures from last year's HE show. For what it's worth, this picture suggests a single trigger output.

Thanks, Gonk, I came across that photo before but wasn't able to make out the writing and hence the specifics. Guess I'll have to leave the sub amps on all the time...

Without getting into a philosophical debate over DVI vs. HDMI, I will say that if Outlaw continues to delay the launch of this product EVERYONE will agree that it should have had HDMI switching! What are we now, 6 months later than the initally rumored launch date?

I've been patiently waiting like everyone else, and we'll all be the better for the additioanl development and testing time, but come on guys, let's get it together! I'm really hoping that all this momentum and competitive advantage that you've worked so hard to build doesn't start to wane...

-SM

I was recently poking around Mitsubishi's site and noticed that they include an HDMI to DVI converter with at least some of their sets. The limited amount I know about HDMI would suggest this would be great "fix" for a lot of people if only DVI switching was available.

I'm not sure about all that HDMI offers over DVI. Can anybody clear that up?

Owl's_Warder raises an excellent point: there are a number of sources for DVI-HDMI adapters.

Quick background: DVI was originally developed for PC's, to allow video cards to interface with flat panel LCD monitors that were purely digital devices (making the analog VGA interface useless). Encryption called HDCP (High Definition Copy Protection) was added to DVI and it was carried over to the home theater world as a secure means of passing a high definition digital video signal between devices. HDMI came along later, and uses effectively the exact same video protocol (there are some differences relating to black level, but the two are basically interchangeable) plus digital audio using a smaller plug.

The central advantage of HDMI over DVI is the ability to use a single cable for audio and video. The catch here is that to really benefit from this, you need to either be using your display as your audio source (blah) or you need to be able to pass both audio and video through your receiver. HDMI ports on displays and source components were almost unheard of less than a year ago, but have become a lot more common. HDMI ports on receivers remain pretty scarce, and many cases (such as the Panasonic that started this thread) lack the ability to switch between multiple HDMI sources - you get a single in and a single out. Denon does have a receiver with HDMI and DVI switching (one DVI and three HDMI inputs plus one output for each), but that receiver is the 5805 and the MSRP is $6,000.

It is also known that DVI *cables* have two significant physical limitations: (1) the plug is ridiculously huge, which makes running it behind existing walls a real PITA, and (2) signals degrade rapidly over a relatively short distance, so if you require a run longer than 5 meters you need to look to HDMI or component to provide your video signal.

And, not to be glossed over, if you don't already have all the needed multi-channel audio interconnects, having to buy these at the beginning of a new project can really jack up the cost of that project. With HDMI it is like getting audio for free when you purchase your video cable.

Anyway, this could go on and on and isn't really appropriate for this forum, I just wanted to go on record as saying that I am, for the time being, still PATIENTLY waiting for this 1070 to come out!

(I'd really like the new pre-pro, but that might be too much to ask!)

The 1070 is supposed to be in production now... It would be really nice to get at least some kind of a hint of a status from Outlaw

FYI - the 1050 used sells for more than the new retail price, so they would probably still be selling if they were in production.

I was also waiting for the 1070. However, now that the Denon 4806 is about to be released, with almost all of the features of the 5805, but at an MSRP of "only" $3,500, I think that's the way I'm going to go:
http://www.dba-pr.com/denon2/denon_pr_lineup.html

I just got the Denon 3910 Universal Player, which has HDMI and DVI for video, plus Denon Link and IEEE 1394/iLink/Firewire connections for audio. (All in addition to standard connections, of course.) Denon has already gotten approval to run SACD digital streams over their Denon Link connections for the upcoming SACD 2.0 specification (and are trying to get it approved for the current 1.3 spec'd gear), so no more 5.1 analog connections! Unfortunately, HDMI can carry DVD-Audio, but not SACD, so one cable simplicity for A/V is not currently within reach.

I realize comparing a $1,000 receiver with a $3,500 one isn't quite fair. However, I'm looking to the future... and I think Outlaw missed the boat by delaying the 1070 for so long. With the Denon I'll get DVI/HDMI switching *and* upconversion (all analog video to HDMI), as well as connection simplification. Giddy up! Or should I say, I'll pony up!